Decades after the Soviet Union's disastrous venture into Afghanistan, Russia is emerging as a major player in the region with ties to the Taliban and Afghan politicians as US troops withdraw from the country.

As US eyes exit from Afghanistan, Russia begins to step into that vacuum

The Taliban demanded a new constitution for Afghanistan and promised an "inclusive Islamic system" to govern the war-torn country at a rare gathering with senior Afghan politicians in Russia Tuesday that excluded the Kabul government.

Taliban demands new constitution for Afghanistan at rare talks

Russia will race to develop two new land-based missile launch systems before 2021 to respond to Washington's planned exit from a landmark nuclear arms control pact, it said on Tuesday.

New arms race begins, Russia says it will build missile systems to counter US by 2021

Thousands of school children, office workers and shoppers were evacuated from over 100 buildings in and around Moscow on Tuesday, reports said, in the latest wave of fake bomb threats to hit Russia.

Fake bomb threats prompt mass evacuations in Moscow area

President Ashraf Ghani is being pushed to the sidelines as the Taliban ignores his overtures for peace and negotiates instead with his friends, and enemies, over the future of Afghanistan.

Taliban takes centre stage as Kabul cut out of peace talks

Russia slams European 'interference' in Venezuela Russia on Monday slammed what it said were attempts to interfere in Venezuela's domestic affairs after several European countries recognised opposition chief Juan Guaido as interim leader.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Russia on Monday slammed what it said were attempts to interfere in Venezuela's domestic affairs after several European countries recognised opposition chief Juan Guaido as interim leader.

Russia slams European 'interference' in Venezuela

The Taliban said Sunday it will send a delegation to Russia for a rare meeting with Afghan opposition leaders, just days after peace talks with the United States that excluded the Kabul government.

Taliban to meet Afghan opposition in Moscow: Official

At least seven people, four of them children, were killed on Sunday after a bus came off the road and overturned in Russia, according to officials. The bus had been carrying children from the western city of Smolensk to the Kaluga region, south of Moscow, media reported.

Four children, three adults killed in Russia bus crash: Officials

The US scrapping of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia could launch a new arms race, but will also allow the United States to update its nuclear arsenal, a publicly stated goal for the past year.

Dropping weapons treaty would let US update its nuclear arsenal

President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said Russia was suspending its participation in a key Cold War-era missile treaty in a mirror response to a US move the day before.

Following US move, Putin says Russia is pulling out of nuclear missile treaty

Afghanistan has said that peace talks being hosted by Russia next week will not help the peace process and that Moscow should respect an Afghan-led and owned peace process, amid reports that the Taliban have refused to meet with Afghan government representatives at the meet.

Talks hosted by Russia will not help in the peace process: Afghanistan

Budget 2019: India increases significant contribution to Maldives; BIMSTEC to get similar funds as SAARC The interim Budget saw India increase its contribution substantially to the Maldives while bringing support to SAARC and BIMSTEC Secretariat at the same level.

A few days ago, the Pravasi Bharatiya Sammelan held in Varanasi came to a grand close. From various accounts, it was a major success and is viewed as a fitting display of India’s soft power.

Scarcity of diplomats at Centre affects India's global outreach

Russia marks 75 years since the end of Leningrad siege

The battle lines in the 21st century’s Great Game aimed at shaping the creation of a new Eurasia-centred world, built on the likely fusion of Europe and Asia into what former Portuguese Europe minister Bruno Macaes calls a “supercontinent,” are all but cast in cement.

Black swans haunt Eurasia's Great Game

Russia's athletics federation said on Friday it would withdraw its appeal against the decision by the global athletics governing body IAAF to prolong its suspension over evidence of state-sponsored doping.

Russian athletics federation withdraws appeal against doping ban

The leaders of Russia and Japan fell short of agreement Tuesday over a disputed island chain that has long prevented a peace treaty to formally end World War II.

Putin, Abe talks fail to break island impasse

By John Feffer Donald Trump wants to pull US troops out of Syria as quickly as possible. Well, that’s what the president wants now. Tomorrow, who knows, maybe he’ll insist that Syria pay for the pullout.

The forever war in the Middle East is far from over

Syrian military air defences destroyed more than 30 cruise missiles and guided bombs during Israeli air strikes on Sunday, Russia`s defence control centre was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying.

Syria shot down over 30 cruise missiles, guided bombs fired by Israel: Ifax

Russia said on Wednesday it was ready to work with Washington to save a crucial arms control treaty and called on Europe to help in faltering talks. Tensions have raged for months over the fate of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty (INF) signed in 1987 by then US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

Russia ready to 'save' INF arms treaty, urges Europe to help

Due to a threat of interference in the collection of doping data and safety concerns for their inspection team, the Compliance Review Committee (CRC) will not file a report until the Moscow mission is complete, said the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Tuesday.

WADA will not get report until team out of Russia

By Rejeanne Lacroix Last year, the 70-year-long territorial dispute between Russia and Japan over the Kuril Islands again rose to prominence. On September 12, at an economic development conference in Vladivostok, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended the surprising offer to mutually resolve the quarrel to his Japanese counterpart, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Are Japan and Russia ready to resolve the Kuril Islands dispute?

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi was due to visit last week but Myanmar authorities scrapped the trip to Rakhine.

Myanmar delays United Nation refugee chief Filippo Grandi's visit

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