Politics

Bloomberg North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into waters off its east coast, ramping up tensions a day before US Vice President Kamala Harris is set to visit the demilitarized zone that divides the two Koreas. The launches took place from the Sunan area near Pyongyang’s international airport at around 6:10 p.m. and 6:20 p.m. respectively Wednesday, South Korea’s ...

Bloomberg Russian leaders declared victory in a series of stage-managed, UN-condemned “referendums,” as the Kremlin moved to annex a large chunk of occupied Ukrainian territory after a string of humiliating military setbacks. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russian Security Council, wrote on his official Telegram channel in the early hours of Wednesday that the referendums were over. “Results are clear,” ...

Bloomberg The growing exodus of Russians fleeing President Vladimir Putin’s mobilization order is creating turmoil at the borders with neighboring states and stirring fears about potential instability. After driving with friends for more than 30 hours from Moscow to reach the Russian border with Kazakhstan in central Asia, 46-year-old Ilya, who asked not to disclose his last name, said they ...

Bloomberg President Joe Biden is seeking to mend ties with Pacific Island nations following years of neglect at a first-ever White House summit, as the US and its allies worry that the strategically important countries risk drifting into China’s orbit. At an unprecedented two-day event starting on Wednesday, the administration plans to announce a series of initiatives and a new ...

Bloomberg President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the current focus of the war is Donetsk, describing the heavily industrial eastern region as the “primary target” for both Ukraine and invading Russian forces. The situation in Donetsk is “especially tense,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly address. In a separate tweet, he urged the international community to step up pressure on Russia with sanctions ...

Bloomberg Japanese political leaders remembered former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a state funeral as a statesman who steadily led the country during his record run as premier, amid domestic opposition to the event that has undermined support for the current prime minister. About 4,300 people including US Vice President Kamala Harris, world leaders, dignitaries and members of Abe’s ruling ...

Bloomberg Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva rolled into the final week ahead of Brazil’s presidential election, with one poll showing he has the support for a first-round win while another has him inching ever closer to an outright victory on Sunday. Front-runner Lula would take 52% of valid votes, while incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro would take 34% both unchanged from ...

Bloomberg Vladimir Putin’s decision to call up 300,000 men to fight in his invasion of Ukraine is hitting two of the battered Russian economy’s weak spots. The order takes about one in a hundred of the country’s active workers from their jobs to send to the front when record-low unemployment – combined with the exodus of Russians fleeing the country ...

  Bloomberg Japan demanded an apology from Russia for what it saw as the unjust detention of one of its diplomats in Vladivostok, who was blindfolded and physically restrained after the Kremlin falsely accused him of spying. Top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told a regular news briefing in Tokyo on Tuesday that the diplomat committed no illegal activity and Russia ...

Bloomberg Giorgia Meloni struck a conciliatory tone after her election win, pledging to govern for all Italians as she was poised to lead the country’s most right-wing government since World War II. Meloni’s coalition, which includes Matteo Salvini’s League and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia parties, was credited with about 44% of votes in Sunday’s elections, according to preliminary results from ...