Estonia had called for "parity" in the number of staff at the embassies in Tallinn and Moscow. Russia branded this an "unfriendly move."

The New York Times looks at a nearly two-year-long mystery: a vacant US ambassador position in India. Plus, Lionel Messi's post with the World Cup becomes the most liked ever on Instagram and British doctors conduct a study on the best biscuits to dunk into your cup of tea!

Sources say the former envoy to Myanmar has been detained for violating immigration laws. Britain has expressed concern about the reported detention of Vicky Bowman, whose husband is a famous activist.

Amid a growing food crisis sparked by disrupted grain exports from Ukraine and Russia, the EU's ambassador to Ukraine Matti Maasikas told FRANCE 24 that exports by land more than doubled between April and May, from 600,000 tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes.

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Russia's Permanent Representative to the European Union denied that the six Russian naval ships in the Black Sea have anything to do with Ukraine. Vladimir A. Chizhov also insisted that Moscow has no intention to make a move on Ukrainian territory and reiterated that the Kremlin is committed to a diplomatic outcome to the crisis.

The Lebanese ambassador has been asked to leave Saudi territory within 48 hours. The move comes after Lebanon's information minister criticized the Saudi-led war against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

The two countries have feuded intensely over fishing rights since the UK's decision to leave the EU. The move comes after France seized a British boat in French waters.

The US president has voiced his concern over China's missile capabilities as his nominee to be the next ambassador to the country said "we certainly cannot trust the Chinese" over the issue of Taiwan.

Hecker had only been in the ambassadorial role for a few days. The 54-year-old previously worked as a foreign policy adviser to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Emmanuel Macron and Joe Biden have agreed that "open consultations" could have prevented the diplomatic row between Paris and Washington over a nuclear submarine deal.

The British ambassador to Afghanistan Laurie Bristow vows that the UK "will be putting pressure on the Taliban to allow safe passage" for the "Afghans and British nationals who still need our support" and that the UK will reopen the embassy, which will now operate from Qatar, "as soon as we can".

The UK's ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, posts a video message on social media saying Britain has evacuated over 5,000 people from Kabul, including British nationals and Afghans who worked for the UK. Britain has said it would urge the United States to extend an end-of-the-month deadline for evacuations from Afghanistan, while the Taliban warned any delay would lead to "consequences".