Diplomacy

Taiwan’s military conducted a live ammunition artillery exercise on Tuesday simulating the island’s defense against a possible Chinese invasion that Taipei accuses Beijing of planning. According to AFP agency, operations began in Pingtung County in the south shortly after 0040 GMT, with flares and artillery fire. “Several hundred soldiers were …

Nigeria’s government says it approved the purchase of vehicles worth over 1.4 billion naira ($3m; £2.4m) for its northern neighbour, Niger, to help improve security. It comes as Nigeria continues to struggle with rising insecurity as armed gangs step up attacks on communities and major roads, including kidnapping. Finance Minister …

Authorities in Estonia on Thursday said they would prevent Russian nationals from obtaining temporary residence permits or visas to study in Estonia. The Estonian Foreign Minister, Urmas Reinsalu, said in a statement that “maintaining sanctions against Russia is essential to ensure unrelenting pressure on this country.” “If sanctions help to …

US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken announced on Wednesday that he plans to speak with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov soon, for the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February. This telephone interview, scheduled “in the coming days (…) will not be a negotiation about Ukraine”, said …