As I write, Russia’s army has entered Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. It is clear now that the threat of sanctions did not dissuade Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching his invasion.

On 18 February, 2022, six Filipino nationals from Ukraine arrived in the country after the Philippine government announced free repatriation flights for Filipinos living in the crisis-driven Eastern European state. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has estimated more than 350 Filipinos living in Ukraine.

Pro-Ukraine protests erupted across the world on Saturday, as thousands took to the streets from London to Rome to Barcelona to denounce Russia's assault on its neighbour.Moscow's invasion has sparked global outcry and prompted punishing sanctions from the West, including some against Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.On Saturday, rallies were held in cities across the world to join the chorus of condemnation and urge an end to the bloodshed.Switzerland saw thousands of peopl

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, unleashing air strikes and ordering ground troops across the border in fighting that Ukrainian authorities said left dozens of people dead.The attack triggered Western warnings of unprecedented sanctions against Russia as NATO, European Union (EU) and G7 leaders condemned the invasion and vowed to hold Moscow accountable.Weeks of intense diplomacy failed to deter Putin, who massed over 150,000 troops on Uk

This week, Russia officially recognized the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.

Putin has sent soldiers on a ‘peacekeeping mission’ but is likely to threaten Ukraine with a broader war.What Has Vladimir Putin Ordered?The Russian president has recognised the independence of two Russian-controlled territories in east Ukraine. They call themselves the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. The territories have been armed, financed and politically controlled by Russia since 2014.

The current military standoff in Ukraine somewhat mirrors one of the most frightening and nerve-wracking episodes of the Cold War, and that’s the “Cuban Missile Crisis” where leaders of the United States (US) and the Soviet Union was engaged in a tense and stressful 13-day political and military standoff in October 1962 over the installation of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles on Cuba just 90 miles from US shores. The US then was prepared to use military force if necessary to neutralize

Outbreaks of Avian influenza (AI), commonly known as bird flu, have been reported to the World Organization for Animal Health across Europe and Asia, causing concern among experts. Whenever avian influenza viruses are circulating in poultry, there is a risk of sporadic infection and small clusters of human cases due to people’s exposure to infected poultry or contaminated environments.

Much of the democratic world would like the United States (US) to remain the preeminent global power. But with the US apparently committed to strategic overreach, that outcome risks becoming unlikely. The problem with America’s global leadership begins at home. Hyper-partisan politics and profound polarization are eroding American democracy and impeding the pursuit of long-term objectives.

United States (US) president Joe Biden has warned that “things could go crazy quickly” in Ukraine and again urged American citizens to leave immediately, as the United Kingdom’s (UK) defence secretary headed to Moscow in the latest round of diplomacy.“American citizens should leave, should leave now,” Biden said in an interview with NBC News. “We’re dealing with one of the largest armies in the world.