Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.

Putin reminds Trump of Russia's contribution to US independence — Kremlin aide
MOSCOW, July 3. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated US leader Donald Trump on Independence Day and reminded him of Russia's contribution to American independence, and the alliance between Moscow and Washington, Russian...

‘Not many events like this left’ — A Ukrainian literary festival in a city falsely claimed by Russia
When Russia illegally declared ownership in 2022 over all of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast – despite never fully capturing or controlling much of it — it only strengthened the case for holding a literary festival there, says Svyatoslav...

Russia increasingly targets Ukraine's cities with cluster munitions, raising civilian toll
Amid stalled peace talks, Russia is increasingly attacking Ukrainian cities with cluster munitions, banned by international organizations for the indiscriminate damage they cause to civilians. The civilian casualty toll in Ukraine in 2025 rose by...

Horrifying leaked audio reveals moment Russia allegedly shot down passenger plane, killing 38 people
New audio from Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 has revealed the moment the passenger plane was allegedly shot down by Russia on Christmas Day last year. At the time of the crash, the plane - which had departed from Azerbaijan's capital Baku - was...

Binance Pay put to test as tourists explore Bhutan using their crypto wallets
Imagine exploring Bhutan without carrying a single ngultrum or any cash. Now you can, thanks to a new partnership between Bhutan and Binance Pay. Launched this week, the payment system lets visitors pay using cryptocurrency, making Bhutan one of...

Russia warns citizens to ‘carefully consider current situation’ before traveling to Azerbaijan amid diplomatic crisis
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has urged Russian citizens who are planning to travel to Azerbaijan or currently there to “carefully consider” the escalating diplomatic dispute between the two countries. “For those asking us...

As Azerbaijan arrests Russians, is Putin losing control of his ‘backyard’?
It was a sight that was once almost unthinkable: battered and bruised Russian citizens dragged into court in a former Soviet republic amid an escalating row with Moscow that has also led to a police raid on the local offices of a Kremlin...

Russia-Azerbaijan tensions explained: Custodial deaths, arrest of journalists and protests, the story so far
On June 27, Russian law enforcement officers in the city of Yekaterinburg rounded up more than 50 Azerbaijani nationals in a wide-ranging operation. According to investigators, they were suspects in a murder case dating back 24 years. However, two...

Russian submarine shadowed by Royal Navy as it travelled through UK waters
Royal Navy helicopters and a warship have shadowed a surfaced Russian submarine as it sailed through the North Sea and English Channel. Portsmouth-based patrol ship HMS Mersey, a Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron and a specialist...

Switzerland’s intelligence agency has named Russia and China as the main espionage threats
Switzerland’s Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) warned in its annual report that the espionage threat in Switzerland remains high amid growing global instability, with the main risks coming from Russia and China, as reported by the japantimes....
Chinese airline sees exceptional growth on Chengdu-Moscow route
CHINA: China’s Sichuan Airlines has transported more than 500,000 passengers and 26,000 tonnes of cargo on its Chengdu-Moscow (Russia) route since its launch in May 2015, according to recent data released by the airline. The Chengdu-Moscow route...

Nasa discovers interstellar comet travelling through solar system
A comet is currently hurtling its way through our solar system despite it originating elsewhere, US space agency Nasa has revealed. The interstellar comet, which has been named 3I/Atlas, is about 670 million kilometres from Earth. "The comet poses...

Is Publix open on 4th of July? See holiday hours for grocery stores across Tampa Bay
Here's which grocery stores will be open and closed across Tampa Bay this Fourth of July. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As Tampa Bay gets ready to celebrate the Fourth of July, you may be wondering — which store can I run to last-minute to pick up some...

Russian tourist dies in paragliding accident in Tajik mountains
09:59, todayAuthor: Asia-Plus A Russian national has died in the mountains of Tajikistan’s Varzob district while engaging in an extreme sport, the Emergencies Committee under the Government of Tajikistan reported. According to the Emergencies...

Moscow calls on Baku to take measures to return relations to the level of strategic alliance
Russia calls on Azerbaijan to take measures to return the countries' relations to the level of a strategic alliance, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said this at a briefing today, APA's Moscow...

Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters
Thu 03 Jul 2025 | 01:57 PM Moscow branch of Israel’s Hadassah Medical Center, affiliated with Russian authorities and state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom, is treating members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) injured in...

Russia’s Kruzenstern sailing ship pays friendly visit to Morocco’s Casablanca port
RABAT, July 2. /TASS/. The Kruzenstern, a classic Russian sailing ship, arrived at the port of Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city, on Wednesday morning, Mikhail Tarasov, head of Russia’s Federal Fishery Agency office in Morocco, told TASS....

Azerbaijan-Russia Tensions Rise After Diaspora Raids and Safarov Deaths
On June 27, Russian security forces conducted raids on Azerbaijani diaspora centers, resulting in the detention of over fifty individuals. Some of them sustained injuries, and the Safarov brothers – 55-year-old Ziyaddin and 60-year-old Huseyn –...

Tourist Spending in Greece Rises Sharply in Early 2025
Tourists visiting Greece during the first four months of 2025 spent significantly more on average than they did during the same period last year, according to new data released by INSETE, the Greek tourism research body. Between January and April...

Celebrating the Fourth of July? Here's where to find holiday fun in the Berkshires
The Fourth of July will be celebrated on Friday, July 4, with fireworks, parades and other observances to mark America's independence. Thursday, July 3 Adams • The Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum will host a historic reenactment of Susan B....