Russia is a country of world-class cities and the famed Red Square; vast, remote territories and Arctic tundra; enormous grain farms and secluded mountain communities; and a complex history of monarchy and totalitarianism. It is also a country that continues to grapple with the implications of its turbulent post-Soviet past and the rise of the oligarchs.

In terms of the Russian language, its alphabet is unique among languages of the European family (the Cyrillic alphabet is related to but distinct from Latin) and its pronunciation and vocabulary vary widely from region to region. The official language is Standard Russian, a member of the Slavonic group of languages that includes Ukrainian, Belorussian and Czech. The majority of the population speak Russian, although there are significant regional differences in pronunciation and vocabulary.

The political structure of the country is a federal semi-presidential republic, with 85 “federal subjects” (territorial units) that are equal in terms of their rights and privileges within the Federation. Important decisions are made by the Federation president, while lesser powers are vested in the parliament. The Federation’s external borders are defined by the Ural Mountains, with the Pacific Ocean creating part of its eastern boundary and the Bering Strait separating it from North America.

Russia is the largest country in the world by physical area, and its massive expanse exhibits a wide variety of natural environments. Type D (continental) climates dominate most of the landmass, with arid regions such as Siberia and the Arctic north known for long hot summers and frigid, harsh winters. The central plateau is covered in forests of pine, birch and aspen. The western frontier is bordered by the Black Sea, while the southern fringe stretches to the Caucasus and into Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China.

Understanding Russia requires more than just an academic approach, however. It’s best to immerse yourself in the culture as much as possible. For example, if you’re moving to Russia, consider hiring a tutor or enrolling in a language course in person or online. Studying alone with a book or CD-ROM can be effective as well, but the fastest way to learn Russian is immersion – living day-to-day with a native speaker.

Reading is a good place to start, with Alexander Pushkin’s verse novel Eugene Onegin and Lev Tolstoy’s War and Peace as must-reads. For more recent Russian history, try Robert Service’s Penguin History of Modern Russia or Orlando Figes’ Natasha Dances and Catherine Merridale’s Red Fortress. For a more lurid pulp history-melodrama, see Amor Towles’ A Gentleman in Moscow.

What is the difference between Liberal and Democrat?

The word Liberal is an ideology, while Democrat refers to the Democratic Party. Despite this, one can be a self-proclaimed Liberal without being a Democrat and a Democrat can have many different ideologies.

Traditionally, Liberalism has favored points of view that support equality and freedom. This includes gender equality and freedom of speech. It has also favored the idea of progressive taxation and a strong social safety net.

Modern American liberalism is rooted in Keynesian economics, and it places a high importance on institutions that fight inequality. These include public schools and healthcare, as well as environmental protection.

As a political party, the Democrats are a left-leaning political group that supports democratic socialist ideals. This includes supporting a higher minimum wage, Medicare for all, and free education. They believe that a government should play an active role in helping people through financial assistance programs.

The Democratic party has several caucuses that organize members by political ideology, including the Blue Dog Coalition, New Democrat Coalition, and Congressional Progressive Caucus. The Blue Dog Coalition includes conservative Democrats, while the New Democrat Coalition includes moderate Democrats and liberals. The Congressional Progressive Caucus has been led by a number of prominent liberal Democratic lawmakers, including Representatives Alan Grayson (FL), John Conyers (MI), Barbara Lee (CA), Jim McDermott (WA), Cheri Bustos (IL), and Keith Ellison (MN).

Currently, the largest Democratic-oriented group is the Democratic Mainstays, who are loyal party supporters and have moderate leanings on some issues. The youngest Democratic-oriented group, the Outsider Left, voted overwhelmingly for Joe Biden last year and is very liberal on most issues.

World News is the term used in journalism to describe news from abroad or about a global subject. Historically, this is what was published in newspapers like the courants of 17th-century Europe or today’s AFP (France), Reuters (UK) and Wolff (now DPA/AP, Germany). But even before the first newspapers were established, innovations in telecommunication made it possible to transmit information far more rapidly, so that news from other countries began to be considered part of “world” news as soon as they were reported.

The news industry has a specialized category of reporters who work exclusively on world news: the foreign correspondents. They are based in foreign cities, usually the capital of a country, and often travel extensively to cover events and interviews. They report stories to the news editor based on their personal observations and conversations with local residents, government officials and other sources on the ground.

Often the world news is about important political or military developments that directly impact the lives of citizens of the reporter’s home country. But it is also a source of fascination for many viewers, especially those who are interested in the cultural and environmental aspects of a particular region or nation. In addition, the world news often contains reports on events that are of interest to a large number of people, such as natural disasters or summits of multilateral organizations.

Get the latest in international news with the FP mobile app. Discover the full breadth of our geopolitical insights in one place—from expert analysis on foreign policy to curated news clips that help you understand the complexity of the world around you.

From big global sports events where the world is watching to bespoke regional features, our world news video content provides you with the most compelling stories your audiences want to see. With a wide range of high-quality, royalty-free footage available for download and use in broadcast TV or for corporate presentations. From ad breaks to full-length highlights, from live coverage of player signings and training sessions to action shots and exclusive interviews, we’ve got all your global sports needs covered with our extensive library of world news stock footage.

The war between Russia and Ukraine has been one of the deadliest in Europe since World War II. A year after the Russian invasion, visually confirmed losses for the Russian military are approaching 200,000 killed and wounded. The war has also caused enormous economic damage to the Ukrainian economy. In addition, Ukraine and its allies have made significant progress toward restoring the territorial integrity of the country by reaching agreement in Minsk with the rebels.

As a result of these achievements, the Kremlin’s prewar calculation that Ukraine’s pro-Western leaders would be easy to push off Moscow’s path has proven dramatically wrong. The Russians misread the strength of Ukraine’s identity, uniting citizens from across regions and linguistic and religious lines, and its determination to reclaim its sovereignty. They misread the deep roots of the Orange Revolution and other popular uprisings against Russia’s rule. They underestimated the fury of millions of ordinary Ukrainians who believed that Yanukovych had betrayed their aspirations for a European future.

The Kremlin has sought to reverse Ukraine’s growing disentanglement from Russia through a range of carrots and sticks. For example, the Kremlin supported Yanukovych during the 2004 presidential election. And as Ukraine’s political class moved in a pro-Western direction, the Kremlin inserted itself into electoral politics again in 2014. Eventually, Moscow resorted to open aggression in an attempt to halt Ukraine’s move away from Russia. It was a massive miscalculation.

World news refers to international news coverage, although some journalism scholars argue that this category is too narrow and should be expanded to include a wider range of topics (such as global business or global economic trends). A major subfield of world news is war journalism, and there are two types of journalists who practice it: the foreign correspondent, employed full-time by a newspaper or other news source, and the special envoy sent abroad for an extended period to cover a particular topic or story.

In a rare move, the US State Department has designated Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism. The designation is meant to deter Iran from supporting terrorism and will make it more difficult for the country to buy military equipment.

A new vaccine is a ray of hope for Nigeria, which has the highest rate of malaria deaths worldwide. But it’s far from certain that the drug will reach those who need it most.

An Iranian film that ridicules the Prophet Mohammed reaches theaters in some countries. The Faroe Islands hunt on average 800 pilot whales each year. Ukraine passes the 500 day mark of fighting. And the artificial sweetener aspartame is declared a possible carcinogen.

The world is a big place with plenty of things to write about, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. That’s where this collection of the most compelling news stories, images and videos from around the globe comes in handy.

When you think of conflict, you probably envision a tense fight scene between two characters, a race to the finish line in a sports event, or an international arms race. These are all examples of conflict, but they are only the surface of what is actually a complex set of interactions between people and things. The purpose of conflict is to force characters to make choices and take action, and it is what makes the best stories so compelling and interesting.

The most common type of conflict is that between a character and another person or thing, but it can also be between the characters themselves, society as a whole, or even nature itself. The setting of a story can also create conflict, such as when the protagonist finds themselves in unfamiliar territory in Jumanji or when robots rebel against humanity in Isaac Asimov’s The Evitable Conflict. Conflict is essential to a good story because it helps us learn more about the characters, what they value and don’t value, and how they interact with each other.

There are four different types of conflict that every story must have. They are:

1. Internal conflict. This is when a character struggles with their own emotions, opinions, or ambitions. This is the most common type of conflict in fiction, and it is what gives each character their individuality and personality. Examples of this are Hamlet’s struggle with how to exact revenge against his uncle, or Jane Austen’s difficulty with deciding whether or not she should marry Mr. Darcy.

2. External conflict. This is when a character is in direct opposition to another person or something outside of themselves, like a big storm or an international arms race. This is the most popular type of conflict in film and television, and it is what makes your favorite superhero movies so exciting to watch. It’s why we root for the Avengers to win against the evil robots in Marvel’s The Avengers, or for James Bond to defeat his nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the series of 007 films.

3. Interpersonal conflict. This is when a character struggles over misunderstandings with other people. It is the most common type of conflict in real life, and it can be very hard to avoid. When someone misunderstands what another person is saying, it can lead to major arguments and resentment. It is important to remember that everyone has their own perspective and point of view, so it’s okay to disagree sometimes.

4. Group conflict. This is when a character struggles between groups, such as coworkers or friends. It is the most common type of conflict for businesses, schools, and families, and it can be difficult to resolve because people often feel a sense of loyalty and ownership over their part in the group.

The key to successfully handling conflict is learning how to recognize and accept your own feelings. It’s also important to pick your battles and not try to prove that you are right all the time. This will help keep you from getting dragged into unnecessary fights that drain your energy. Lastly, remember to always practice quick stress relief and emotional awareness so that you can respond in healthy ways.

The largest war in history – 60 to 80 million people died, including civilians. Several empires were torn apart and a new world was created.

The world’s major powers fought one another for territory, resources and their beliefs. This was a war of nationalist ideals, with countries trying to assert control over the territories they had inherited or acquired. It was also a war of ideas, between capitalism and communism.

In 1914 the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austria-Hungary throne, started the war in Europe. It would quickly expand into a global conflict as the countries with colonies, such as Australia, Canada and India, entered the fray.

On 4 October 1918 the German high command asked for an armistice and at 11 a.m. on 11 November it came into effect. Germany claimed it had been “stabbed in the back” by revolutions at home.

The end of the war resulted in the collapse of four monarchies (Czar Nicholas II of Russia, Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany, Emperor Charles I of Austria and Sultan Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire). Many new states were formed out of old empires. Austria-Hungary was carved into many successor states and the Russian empire gave much of its Western frontier to Poland. The war left a host of unresolved political, social and economic problems and set the stage for future conflicts. It also introduced the United States to a rival superpower, the Soviet Union, and initiated nearly half a century of skirmishes and nervous watchfulness.

War is a state of intense armed conflict between nations or groups of individuals, such as guerrillas or rebels, or between different factions within a nation. It is characterised by extreme violence and destruction, with often large numbers of civilian casualties. The aims and purposes of war can vary widely. Some of these are altruistic, seeking to advance a just cause and to promote peace; others are more self-serving, seeking territory or power, for example to protect or gain a financial advantage. A further category of purpose is a response to perceived injustice or reaction to an incursion by a superior force.

Contemporary theories of the causes of war are usually divided into two major schools: those which attribute it to man’s innate biological or psychological drives and those which analyse it in terms of social relations and institutions. The former school ranges from very general, intuitive assertions about human nature to complex analyses based on the ideas and methods of modern psychology.

In spite of this, the question of why people go to war remains a difficult one to answer. It is clear that some leaders go to war for reasons that are less than noble, and there is also evidence that deceit accompanies many of these decisions. Consequently, citizens must always be ready to question the rationale given for any action that could lead to war and a free press in a democracy must exercise continual vigilance over the justifications of political and military leaders.

For many, the idea of war is a frightening prospect. It can wreak havoc on whole societies for decades and generations and cause tremendous national losses. Moreover, it is impossible to know for sure whether any good ever comes out of a war. For many, this is the key reason why they oppose it.

However, a few people are able to take a positive stand against war. These are often people who have personal experiences that have left them deeply affected by the cruelty of it, or who have been a victim of its consequences. They may be members of the military or civil servants who have been forced to fight in wars they have opposed, such as civilian workers in Iraq or Afghanistan. These people, together with a few states that are committed to preventing war and the organizations they represent, form a small but growing community of anti-war activists. The work that they do is a vital contribution to the world and to a peace that can only come through the active engagement of the entire international community in its pursuit. This article explains what they are doing to achieve that goal and how you can join them. It also looks at how you can help to stop war in its tracks. This is a work in progress and will continue to be updated as more research is done and more people get involved. Please feel free to send in your comments and questions on this article and we will incorporate them as appropriate.

With its huge agricultural plains, industrial centres, and a deep seaport on the Black Sea, Ukraine is one of Europe’s most diverse countries. However, it is also a country that has never really found its footing as an independent state. Its politics have been veered between seeking integration with Western Europe and being drawn into Russia’s orbit, which views the country as an affront to its own imperial interests.

Many Ukrainians feel a patriotic bond with their home country. The country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has been promoting a vision of a united Ukrainian nation that would embrace both the country’s west and east, despite the fact that parts of the former are now under the control of pro-Russian separatists or Russian military forces.

Those sentiments are particularly strong in the eastern provinces that border Russia and have seen heavy fighting between Ukrainian government troops and Russian-backed separatists. The country has banned relays of Russian-language media and blocked access to certain websites in areas under government control, while Russia has imposed sanctions on Ukrainian businesses and restricted tourism.

Ukraine’s food traditions – especially in its capital – overlap considerably with those of neighbouring European countries and Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, and are characterised by the abundance of fermented and pickled foods. Among the most popular are borshch (beet soup), varennyky (“pirogies”, dumplings with a wide variety of possible savory and sweet fillings) and salo (cured pork fatback).

The country’s climate is ideal for wine production. Vineyards are planted with international varieties including Chardonnay, Aligote, Pinot Gris, and Riesling. But the Ukrainian wine industry is most proud of its indigenous varietals, such as Saperavi, Kavarna, and Zindzhalovka. “Ukraine produces unique, high-quality grapes,” says Konstantina Tkachuk, a senior consultant at the national wine institute. She pulls at a worn bracelet on her wrist, bearing the name of the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol, which was the last of the country’s major factories to remain under government control during the Russia-backed invasion.

“It was the perfect symbol of our resilience,” she says. “I’ve never seen such perseverance.”

It’s a spirit that Tkachuk hopes Ukrainian winemakers can export to the world. She believes that demand will rise once people see that the quality of Ukrainian wines rivals that of their European counterparts, and are matched by the majesty of Ukraine’s landscape and its history. “If you can combine such a beauty with taste, it’s magic,” she says. “People will want to come and visit us.” This article is brought to you by Beykush Winery.

In the aftermath of a US military confrontation with Russian fighter jets over Ukraine, US leaders have sought to defuse tensions while insisting that the United States will not back down from its support for Ukraine. But the incident highlights a fundamental truth: as long as Russia remains at war with the West, the possibility of a catastrophic escalation will remain a constant risk.

The Pentagon’s top priority, according to Milley, is “avoiding a hot war with Russia.” Keeping such a war below the nuclear threshold would be difficult even for a more robust NATO force than Russia’s. But it’s even harder to avoid a miscalculation or incident that could push the conflict into a direct clash between US and Russian forces.

And that is precisely why US and Russia will continue to be locked in a high-stakes contest over airspace — with each side having an incentive to escalate and the other to deescalate. In fact, the Pentagon’s decision to release edited video footage of its MQ-9 Reaper drone getting shot down by a Russian Su-27 likely was intended to underscore that danger.

But despite the deepening of US and European relations since Russia’s invasion, it is unlikely that either side can make significant headway in its desire to reduce the risks of direct clashes. Across the EU, only Poland and Denmark have majorities who say that America is Europe’s “ally.” And in most European countries, including Austria and Germany, roughly half of those surveyed see the United States as an enemy.