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Western nations have explored contingencies in the aftermath of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s attempted insurrection in Russia, including the threat to nuclear stockpiles from an unstable regime in Moscow. Talks led by G7 members have included the how a weakening of Vladimir Putin’s control over security and military forces could affect the state’s stability, people briefed on

The images that defined Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a leader were filmed on February 25 last year. As Russian troops closed in on Kyiv, the Ukrainian president walked the streets of the city with his close colleagues, reassuring citizens that: “All of us are here, protecting our independence and our country.” Now contrast that with Vladimir

Russian strongman Yevgeny Prigozhin has been charged with organising an armed uprising after threatening to attack Russian forces in retaliation for what he claimed was an air strike against his own paramilitaries. Prigozhin, founder of the notorious Wagner mercenary group, said on Friday that a “huge number” of fighters had been killed in the alleged

Halfway through watching Grandpa Was An Emperor, a fascinating recent documentary about Haile Selassie, the last emperor of Ethiopia, I was thrown by a minor, but completely unexpected, plot twist. Not long before he was killed in a coup, one of the film’s key protagonists, Ethiopia’s agriculture minister Kassa Wolde Mariam, had appeared on the

European equities followed Asian stocks lower on Tuesday as investors questioned whether China’s smaller than expected cut to its benchmark lending rate would be sufficient to boost the country’s sluggish economy. Europe’s region-wide Stoxx 600 lost 0.1 per cent, extending its losses from the previous session, while Germany’s Dax was down 0.3 per cent. London’s

Credit Suisse has asked London’s High Court to strike out a lawsuit brought by Mozambique over the bank’s role in the $2bn “tuna bonds” scandal, claiming failures to disclose government documents mean there cannot be a fair trial. The Swiss bank and other parties are defending a lawsuit brought by the Republic of Mozambique, one

Italy has stripped China’s Sinochem of its influence as the largest shareholder in Pirelli, removing its right to appoint the chief executive or set the tyremaker’s strategy in response to worries about interference by the Chinese state. Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s government has invoked national security concerns about the potential for misuse of Pirelli’s

Donald Trump indicted; Boris Johnson practically fleeing parliament; Silvio Berlusconi gone from the Italian stage he had dominated for decades. Pundits might be forgiven for declaring the death of populism alongside that of Berlusconi. Liberals are likely to feel confirmed in their view that populism always ends not only in policy failure — since populists

Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia has delivered tactical nuclear warheads to neighbouring Belarus and warned that his country could use similar weapons in Ukraine, though he said there was “no need” to do so more than a year into his full-scale invasion. The transfer, if confirmed, would be the first time Russia has

Stocks rallied in Asia after the People’s Bank of China cut its medium-term policy rate in the face of slowing economic growth and the US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady. The Hang Seng China Enterprises index, which tracks mainland Chinese companies listed in Hong Kong, rose 1.4 per cent and the CSI 300 of

Boris Johnson will be found to have committed “multiple” contempts of parliament in a report by MPs into his conduct as prime minister during the partygate scandal, according to people close to the inquiry. The House of Commons privileges committee is set to publish its long-awaited report about Johnson on Thursday morning following a 14-month

Gilt yields surged to the highest since 2008, surpassing the level reached during the turmoil following Liz Truss’s mini Budget, after strong UK wage growth data on Tuesday. Wage growth accelerated in the three months to April against a backdrop of rising employment, raising the likelihood of further interest rate rises. Two-year gilt yields rose

Both Britain and America flatter themselves that their political systems are admired all over the world. The UK is the home to the “mother of parliaments”. The US is the “leader of the free world”. The two countries see themselves as mature democracies; models that other nations can emulate. But the last few years have

Rishi Sunak has finally approved Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list, which includes appointments for Tory MPs and a senior official who worked in Downing Street during the partygate scandal. The former prime minister nominated several senior Conservative MPs who are his allies. Jacob Rees-Mogg, Conor Burns, and Simon Clarke were knighted, while Priti Patel and

European markets traded cautiously at the open on Thursday as Canada’s surprise interest rate rise stoked fears the world’s central banks will push global rates higher for longer than expected. Europe’s region-wide Stoxx 600 fell 0.1 per cent, following Wall Street lower overnight, as traders were unsettled by the Bank of Canada’s decision on Wednesday

European stocks fell on Wednesday as traders turned their attention to economic data that offered signals on the likely path for eurozone interest rates. Europe’s region-wide Stoxx 600 lost 0.2 per cent at the market open, reversing gains from the previous session, while France’s Cac 40 lost 0.3 per cent. Germany’s Dax was down 0.1

Mike Pence, Donald Trump’s vice-president, has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to launch his candidacy for president, joining a crowded field of Republicans vying to take on Trump for the party’s nomination in 2024. Pence, 63, was loyal to Trump for four years in the White House, but broke with the president when

Apple unveiled its long-awaited “mixed reality” headset on Monday, in its most anticipated hardware product launch since Steve Jobs revealed the iPad in 2010. The gadget, called Vision Pro, will be available “early next year”. It combines virtual reality with augmented reality, which overlays digital images on top of the real world. Apple said it

China has warned western militaries to stay out of waters and airspace near its borders if they want to avoid dangerous run-ins with the People’s Liberation Army, putting on display the growing risks of unintended conflict as geopolitical competition grows. The blunt message from General Li Shangfu, China’s new defence minister, followed a near collision

How bad was your week? Well fear not. Rajesh Vishwas is here to make you feel better. The Indian government official was recently suspended after he ordered a reservoir to be drained so he could retrieve his mobile phone, which had fallen in when he tried to take a selfie while picnicking with friends. Taking