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• India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reaffirmed on June 5 that dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable solutions to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. • The statement comes as a response to an open letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposing direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. • This position underscores India's strategic commitment to a peaceful resolution and its role as a neutral mediator between the two warring nations.

• J. Ricardo Martins argues that the "Geneva fiasco" demonstrates the danger of replacing professional diplomats with business-oriented dealmakers in international relations. • The author contends that these dealmakers mistakenly viewed compromise as weakness, which escalated a negotiable crisis into an active conflict with Iran. • This shift is framed as a broader geopolitical risk, threatening the traditional American diplomatic strengths of credibility, predictability, and professional competence.

• Asian stock markets declined on Thursday, with Wall Street futures also dipping as investors retreated from technology and semiconductor shares following Broadcom's earnings. • Significant losses were seen in the Hang Seng Index (-1.78%), Australia’s ASX 200 (-1.17%), and Singapore’s Straits Times Index (-1.14%). • Chinese equities remained more resilient, with the CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite indexes slipping only about 0.6% due to strength in domestic semiconductor stocks.

• The "Geneva fiasco" highlights the risks of replacing professional diplomats with business dealmakers who misinterpret diplomatic compromise as weakness. • This shift in approach transformed a negotiable crisis into an active conflict with Iran, undermining traditional diplomatic strategies. • The situation signals a broader geopolitical decline in American diplomacy, which has historically relied on credibility, predictability, and professional competence.

There’s a three-week wait on test results in Yuendumu, near Alice Springs, and locals say NT Health has dropped the ball on telling locals what to do if they test positiveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA remote Aboriginal community at the centre of the Northern Territory’s diphtheria outbreak is struggling to cope with rising case numbers, with locals saying there is no hand sanitiser at the health clinic and limited information about how to avoid the disease or what to do if you test positive.There have been more than 240 cases of the once-eradicated disease reported in Australia since October, primarily in remote Indigenous communities in the NT, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia, according to data released by the Australian Centre for Disease Control. One of the largest clusters in the NT is in Yuendumu, a community of about 700 people 300km from Alice Springs. Continue reading...

• European stocks and U.S. futures declined on Wednesday following a rise in oil prices for the third consecutive session. • The market volatility was triggered by renewed hostilities in the Gulf after peace talks between the U.S. and Iran stalled. • In contrast, Asian markets remained strong, with stock indexes in Japan and Taiwan reaching record highs driven by a continuing AI bull run.

• Middle Eastern states are increasingly utilizing digital diplomacy—including strategic communication and online narratives—to project soft power and manage national images on a global scale. • These digital tools allow governments to bypass traditional media to engage directly with international audiences, manage crises, and connect with their respective diasporas. • The trend is significant because the digital domain has become a new extension of fierce geopolitical rivalries, where disinformation and cyber conflict can exacerbate regional instability.

• Max Hastings argues that the United Nations' global influence has significantly declined, leaving it unable to effectively mediate modern conflicts. • The analysis highlights a shift from Cold War-era relevance to a current state of great-power deadlock that hampers international cooperation. • This decline matters as it leaves a vacuum in global governance, making flawed bilateral diplomacy—such as that seen with Iran—the only remaining option.

• India expanded its defense diplomacy during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh conducting high-level bilateral meetings. • The engagements focused on strengthening security ties and strategic cooperation with senior counterparts from the Netherlands and Australia. • These discussions are critical for enhancing regional stability and diversifying India's defense partnerships across the Indo-Pacific and Europe.

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has urged the United States to evacuate its diplomatic staff from the embassy in Kyiv. • This demand comes as President Vladimir Putin threatens "revenge strikes" against Ukraine, escalating tensions between the two nations. • The move signals a severe breakdown in diplomatic relations and suggests that Russia may be preparing for further military aggression.

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar held a joint press availability at the State Department in Washington on May 25, signaling continued high-level US-India engagement. • The meeting comes as Washington and New Delhi manage trade, security, and Indo-Pacific coordination, with the two governments seeking to keep diplomatic channels active on strategic issues. • The talks matter because India remains a central US partner in regional balancing, supply-chain resilience, and coordination on global security challenges.

Tehran negotiator says there will be no compromise over its ‘legitimate rights’ during meeting with Pakistan army chiefIran’s top negotiator has said there will be no compromise over its national rights during a meeting with the Pakistani army chief in Tehran on Saturday, amid a flurry of diplomacy aimed at preventing renewed US strikes on Iran.Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker, said Tehran would secure its “legitimate rights”, whether through the battlefield or through negotiations, while accusing the US of not being an honest negotiating partner, Iranian state media reported. Continue reading...

• The newly launched Cockroach Janta Party and its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, are facing allegations from BJP leaders claiming the party is an "ISI asset" with 50% of its followers based in Pakistan. • Following these accusations and the suspension of the original account, Dipke created a new X handle titled "Cockroach Is Back" to maintain his social media presence. • The new account has rapidly gained nearly 1.56 lakh followers, including prominent figures such as Mahua Moitra, Sagarika Ghose, Gul Panag, and Prashant Bhushan.

• Pakistan is intensifying its diplomatic efforts to facilitate a resumption of peace talks between the United States and Iran. • President Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu aim to dismantle Iran's nuclear and missile programs while curbing its support for regional militias. • The initiative comes as Trump faces domestic pressure and declining approval ratings due to rising fuel prices ahead of the November midterm elections.

US secretary of state says president would like a negotiated agreement with Havana but likelihood ‘is not high’The US president, Donald Trump, and the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, on Thursday again raised the spectre of military intervention in Cuba, a renewed threat that takes on greater weight a day after the administration announced criminal charges against the island’s former leader, Raúl Castro.Trump said previous US presidents have considered intervening in Cuba for decades but that “it looks like I’ll be the one that does it”. Continue reading...

• Asia-Pacific markets traded higher, with notable gains including South Korea's Kosdaq (over 3%), Kospi (0.52%), Hong Kong's Hang Seng (0.66%), and China's CSI 300 (0.78%). • Investors are reacting to diplomatic efforts regarding a U.S.-Iran peace deal, though tensions remain as Tehran intends to keep its enriched uranium stockpile domestically. • Economic data showed core inflation dropped to 1.4%, falling below both the previous March reading of 1.8% and the 1.7% forecast by Reuters economists.

Charles conferred LVO after his US visit on James Roscoe who had been standing in for Peter MandelsonA top diplomat who abruptly left his post at the British embassy in Washington earlier this week after standing in as interim ambassador for Peter Mandelson has been honoured by King Charles.No reason has yet been given for James Roscoe’s departure. An investigation is now under way into the leak of discussions at a meeting of the UK’s national security council. Continue reading...

Far-right figure Itamar Ben-Gvir shares footage of himself taunting bound international detaineesIsrael’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has sparked a diplomatic crisis by publishing footage of Israeli security forces abusing international activists who were detained as they tried to sail to Gaza with aid.There was a rapid and furious response from countries whose citizens were on board the boats, including the UK, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Ireland, in many cases delivered in person from the top of government. Continue reading...

Abrupt exit for charge d’affaires who stood in after Peter Mandelson’s removal as US ambassadorA diplomat in Washington who stood in as interim ambassador after the sacking of Peter Mandelson has abruptly left his post.In a brief statement, a Foreign Office spokesman said: “James Roscoe has left his post.” No further explanation was officially given on Tuesday night for the departure of Roscoe, who had served as deputy head of mission at the British embassy since 2022. Continue reading...

Étienne Davignon, 93, was last living person targeted in investigation into assassination of DRC’s first PM, Patrice LumumbaA 93-year-old Belgian former diplomat who became the first person to be charged in the murder of the Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba has died before he could stand trial.The death of Étienne Davignon, an aristocrat who served as a European commissioner during a decades-long career as one of Belgium’s leading diplomats and industrialists, was confirmed by the Jacques Delors Institute thinktank, where he had served on the board. Continue reading...

• Reuters reported on May 16 that U.S. President Donald Trump’s coercive diplomacy toward Iran has “hit a wall,” with the two sides deadlocked after weeks of public threats and ultimatums. • The standoff is linked to an 11-week-old crisis that has shaken the global economy, with analysts warning that energy supplies and markets could face prolonged disruption if talks do not move forward. • Trump is said to be insisting on emerging from any deal as an outright U.S. victory, while Iran is unlikely to accept what it sees as total defeat, complicating compromise.

Change reflects both transformation of US in Trump era and China’s increasing confidence on world stageAsked before he departed for Beijing if he would raise with the Chinese president the case of Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy activist jailed in Hong Kong, Donald Trump said: “I’ll bring him up.”But, the US president added: “It’s like saying to me, ‘If Comey ever went to jail, would you let him out?’ It might be a hard one for me.” Trump was referring to James B Comey, a former FBI director and a frequent target of Trump’s ire. Continue reading...

• President Trump announced nominations of former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Pennsylvania Republican Doug Mastriano to diplomatic positions, strengthening his administration's ties to Republican loyalists. • Lake, who lost her 2022 Arizona governor race, and Mastriano, a controversial Trump supporter, represent Trump's continued reliance on MAGA-aligned figures for key government roles. • The nominations signal Trump's strategy of rewarding political allies with international positions despite their lack of traditional diplomatic experience.

• Iranian and Egyptian foreign ministers held a phone call on Sunday, May 10, 2026, to address latest regional developments and ongoing diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington mediated by Pakistan. • The discussions occur amid heightened uncertainty in ceasefire diplomacy following US President Donald Trump's rejection of Iran’s latest response to a US proposal as “totally unacceptable.” • This outreach signals Egypt's potential role in bridging divides between Iran and the US, amid escalating Middle East tensions involving Pakistan as a key intermediary.

Airport reports 5% decline but transit passenger business rises as fliers use hub to avoid Middle East airportsBusiness live – news updatesThe number of passengers flying from London Heathrow fell last month, as war in the Middle East weighed on demand for international travel.About 6.7 million people flew through the airport in April, a 5% drop compared with the same period last year. Continue reading...

• The United States has closed its consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan, transferring all diplomatic functions and responsibilities to the main embassy in Islamabad. • The consolidation reflects the U.S. government's restructuring of its diplomatic footprint in Pakistan and aims to streamline operations. • The move impacts diplomatic engagement in northwestern Pakistan, a strategically important region bordering Afghanistan.

• Laos is ramping up regional diplomacy before the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu on May 7-8, with Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane visiting Indonesia for bilateral talks. • Discussions covered trade, investment, tourism, human resource development, and broader ASEAN priorities, including meetings with business groups and the ASEAN Secretariat. • Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone will lead Laos at the summit, focusing on unity amid geopolitical tensions in Southeast Asia.

• Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam in April 2026, marking To Lam's first international trip in his new role and signaling Beijing's emphasis on party-to-government relations with Hanoi. • The two countries signed 32 bilateral agreements, more than double the 14 agreements reached during To Lam's 2024 visit, covering trade, investment, and strategic cooperation across multiple sectors. • Beijing is leveraging Vietnam's socialist governance model as common ground for deepening ties, while also pursuing enhanced regional connectivity through infrastructure projects like Malaysia's East Coast Railway Line to bind Southeast Asia closer to China.