Yesterday
Assad’s wife given ‘50/50 chance’ of survival as leukaemia returns
Asma al-Assad is thought to have flown to Moscow for treatment some time before the Kremlin persuaded her husband to flee in the face of lightning rebel advances.
- Updated
- Ben Farmer
This Month
Why North Korean troops are now a problem for Putin
Many have expressed surprise at the apparent naivety of the Asian troops, under live fire for the first time.
- Iain Hollingshead
- Analysis
- Russia-Ukraine war
The vast spy agency behind Russian general’s death
The assassination of Igor Kirillov marked the latest strike in a shadow war between Kyiv and Moscow. It was carried out by Ukraine’s intelligence service, the SBU.
- Christopher Miller and Max Seddon
Amazon to donate $1.6m to Trump fund as big tech curries favour
The move by Amazon owner Jeff Bezos follows Meta’s donation of the same amount to the fund this week.
- Karen Weise and Maggie Haberman
How Assad hoodwinked a naive West
Bashar al-Assad, Putin, Gaddafi – the free world too often gets its hopes up about despots.
- Janan Ganesh
What now for Assad’s wife? The star banker turned global pariah
Asma al-Assad once worked for JPMorgan in the UK before embracing her new life as Syria’s first lady. Now she’s in exile in Russia.
- Martin Fletcher and Ella Nunn
No dinner with Putin, but Assad will not lack for luxury in Moscow
Nothing has been seen of the murderous Syrian tyrant since he fled Damascus, but he joins a dubious list of pro-Kremlin former dictators living in Moscow.
- James Kilner
- Updated
- Syrian conflict
New day dawns for Syria after Assad flees to Moscow
The swift and surprise toppling of President Bashar al-Assad is sending shockwaves through the Middle East and the world – especially in Moscow and Tehran.
- Updated
- Hans van Leeuwen
- Analysis
- Syrian conflict
Middle East braces for fresh chaos after Assad’s fall
Euphoria has swept the streets of Damascus after Bashar al-Assad’s brutal reign suddenly ended. But what comes next?
- James Curran
Blinken and Russia’s Lavrov clash on Ukraine at meeting in Malta
Russia’s foreign minister has accused the West of reviving the Cold War and provoking a direct conflict with Russia.
- Associated Press
November
Putin sacks general who faked victories
Russian military bloggers have welcomed the removal of Colonel General Gennady Anashkin, believing it will be a positive for front-line troops.
- James Kilner
- Opinion
- The AFR View
West must not flinch in helping Ukraine now
There is something else at stake as Ukraine fights on: the self-respect of the democratic nations that have backed them this far.
- The AFR View
- Updated
- Russia-Ukraine war
Putin claims Russia used nuclear-capable missile the West can’t stop
Vladimir Putin said he was ready to target any facility used to attack Russian territory, after launching a new, intermediate-range hypersonic weapon at Ukraine.
- Updated
- Hans van Leeuwen
What exactly is the new missile that Russia fired at Ukraine?
Vladimir Putin said US air defence systems are powerless to stop the weapon, which he called the Oreshnik – Russian for hazelnut tree.
- Max Hunder
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
Albanese weighed down abroad by parlous state of world
It hasn’t hurt for the prime minister to witness first hand the changing global forces, more so as countries preposition for Trump’s second coming.
- Phillip Coorey
- Updated
- Russia-Ukraine war
Western embassies shut in Ukraine, fearing major Russian attacks
Embassies in Kyiv were shuttered on fears of a massive air raid, as the use of British weaponry inside Russia heightened fears of potential nuclear escalation.
- Updated
- Matthew Cranston and Hans van Leeuwen
- Explainer
- Russia-Ukraine war
Five scenarios that could trigger Putin to launch a nuclear attack
The Kremlin has revised its nuclear policy. Does that make the use of atomic weapons more likely?
- AP
- Opinion
- Russia-Ukraine war
Why Putin might be making nuclear threats now
Escalating the conflict in Ukraine could reinforce Donald Trump’s argument for direct dialogue and ending the war.
- Updated
- Roland Oliphant
G20 stumbles on billionaire tax, climate and war
The Group of 20 Leaders’ summit is on track to fall well short of its stated goals this year – again.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Trump's White House
Trump’s foreign enemies are about to get a significant boost
The president-elect is threatening to gut the institutions that make America great, which can only benefit Russia and China.
- Gideon Rachman