Conflict
Ukraine war: A powerless UN and the danger of Russia beginning to lose
There could be no better example of the United Nations' failure to live up to its founding ideals than the recent visit by secretary general António Guterres to Russia, Alexander Gillespie writes.
Mariupol fighting: More evacuations from besieged city on Friday, UN says
A third operation to pull civilians from Mariupol is due on Friday, the UN says, as more fighting was reported for control of a steelworks where the last Ukrainian defenders are holding out.
'Shameful' suppression of Armenian flag at Ataturk memorial
A Wellington man who claims police threatened to trespass him from an Anzac Day memorial if he displayed an Armenian flag in memory of genocide victims says it is "shameful".
UN again trying to evacuate civilians from Ukraine's Mariupol
A third evacuation operation is underway after the United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) helped nearly 500 other civilians flee the area in the past week.
Truce needed to get civilians out of Mariupol, says Zelensky
Civilians remain trapped in Ukraine's besieged city of Mariupol, and a prolonged ceasefire is needed for evacuations as Russia presses its assault, President Zelensky says.
Crossing the diplomatic line: When do ambassadors get expelled?
There have been calls for New Zealand to expel Russia's ambassador in response to the war in Ukraine. But is that the right diplomatic step to take? Audio
Crossing the diplomatic line: When do ambassadors get expelled?
There have been calls for New Zealand to expel Russia's ambassador in response to the war in Ukraine. But is that the right diplomatic step to take?
AudioRussian strikes pound Ukraine on eve of new EU sanctions
Russian forces pounded targets in eastern Ukraine today, unleashing rockets on a steel plant that is Ukraine's last redoubt in the port city of Mariupol as the European Union prepared to slap oil…
Hundreds trapped in Mariupol steelworks despite evacuations
Attacks have resumed on Mariupol's steel works, despite hundreds of civilians remaining trapped inside, a Ukrainian officer has said.
New sanctions target Russia's Federation Council and defence organisations
A new round of sanctions imposed by the government on Russian politicians and defence entities targets 170 members of the upper house of Russia's parliament, known as the Federation Council, as well…
Mediawatch: Ukraine's war and the media
Some are already calling the invasion of Ukraine a turning point in world history. How we react is shaped by the media coverage - and most of what we get comes from outlets in countries that have… Audio
Mediawatch: Ukraine's war and the media
Some are already calling the invasion of Ukraine a turning point in world history. How we react is shaped by the media coverage - and most of what we get comes from outlets in countries that have…
AudioIsraeli and Palestinian killed in West Bank violence
Palestinian gunmen killed an Israeli guard at the entrance of a settlement in the occupied West Bank and Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian in clashes nearby, officials say.
Al Gillespie on the threat of nuclear war in Ukraine
The ante has been upped in Ukraine in recent days as Russia attacked Kyiv with two cruise missiles while UN secretary general António Guterres was visiting the city. Professor of International Law Dr… Audio
Ukraine says Russian strike knocks out Odesa airport
A Russian missile strike at the airport in the southwestern port of Odesa - a city that has so far been relatively unscathed in the war - has damaged the runway and it can no longer be used, the…
Blast kills more than 50 at Kabul mosque, its leader says
A powerful explosion killed more than 50 worshippers after Friday prayers at a Kabul mosque, its leader said, the latest in a series of attacks on civilian targets in Afghanistan.
US believes Russian intelligence was behind attack on journalist - media
The United States believes Russian intelligence was behind an April chemical attack on a Nobel Peace Prize-winning Russian journalist critical of the Kremlin, US news organisations have reported.
Colombian victims' families urge soldiers to reveal who ordered 'false positive' killings
Families of victims of extrajudicial executions committed by Colombian soldiers have asked perpetrators to reveal who ordered the murders during the latest public hearing of the country's transitional…
Ukraine war: Putin warns against foreign intervention
Any country trying to intervene in the Ukraine war will face a "lightning-fast" response, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned.
Russian forces disperse pro-Ukraine rally, tighten control in Kherson
Russian forces has used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse a pro-Ukraine rally in the occupied city of Kherson, Ukraine's Prosecutor General says, as Moscow tightened its grip over the southern…