The quest for national sovereignty

The Black Sea was once a geopolitical afterthought in Europe. But that has changed since Russia began its war against Ukraine. Now, many interests are colliding on the inland sea between Europe and Asia.

After five days of consecutive losses, the Russian ruble has crashed below a psychologically important mark of 100 rubles for $1 US. What's causing the slide?

As Japan marks 78 years since its World War II surrender, the country is forced to reconcile the history of wartime atrocities with remembering fallen soldiers. A memorial at the Yasukuni Shrine often draws controversy.

As the world economy reels from a global slowdown amid the Ukraine war, Brazil could benefit from the multiple crises.

Maxime Mokom is accused of crimes against humanity for atrocities committed against Muslim civilians in the Central African Republic. ICC judges are determining whether he should stand trial.

Women and children in Tigray are still subject to sexual violence despite a peace agreement signed in November 2022, according to a new report. Survivors accuse both Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers of rape.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has said US, South Korean and Japanese military exercises have turned the Korean peninsula into the world's "biggest war hardware concentration spot."

The visit is considered a major reset in the sometimes tense relations between Ukraine and Germany. After talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Zelenskyy travelled to the town of Aachen where he received a prestigious award on behalf of the Ukrainian people.

It's sometimes called a forgotten war: fighting in Yemen has killed hundreds of thousands of people. Hunger has claimed even more lives, while 4.5 million Yemenis are internally displaced. Yet the complex conflict between Saudi-led forces and Houthi rebels doesn't always make headlines. This September, nine years after the Houthis attacked the capital Sanaa, triggering Saudi Arabia's intervention, the country is not in the grips of all-out war, but it's still not at peace either.

Since the start of the fighting mid-April in Sudan, some areas have been completely cut off. As a result, people have been sending hand written messages to loved ones delivered by taxi drivers. Also, a series of attacks in Mali: a military camp has been attacked a day after more than 60 people are killed in two seperate assaults. And the economic fallout of the coup in Niger: sanctions also impact neighbouring country, Nigeria. We hear from some traders in Kano.

Climate change is partly responsible for the floods that have devastated Libya but the legacy of civil war, political chaos and corruption have exacerbated their impact. Observers say aid is desperately needed.

The European auto industry has raised concern about a wave of cheap, new electric vehicles from China hitting the EU market soon. There are calls for imposing punitive tariffs.