By Clyde Russell LAUNCESTON, Australia (Reuters) -"This time it's different" is a well-worn cliché that seems to be getting another whirl with the latest U.S. sanctions against Russia's crude oil exports.

Trump’s maneuvers to “save TikTok” and the ouster of the hawkish chairman of the House Intelligence Committee evoke a familiar dynamic.

Reliance on Russia’s military offerings has become increasingly prevalent in parts of Africa, amid an aggressive push by Moscow to lessen Western influence on the continent.

According to Ushakov, Moscow will not have a presence at the inauguration because Russia's possible candidate for Russian ambassador to the U.S.—Alexander Darchiev, the head of the North American Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry—has still not received an agrément from Washington.

Attacks on underwater cables in strategic areas connecting telecommunication lines and power sources in Asia and Europe are suspected to be coordinated attacks by China and Russia.

The value of China's imports and exports with Russia reached 1.74 trillion yuan ($237 billion) in 2024, a record high, Chinese customs data showed on Monday, as the two countries' leaders hailed bilateral relations.

U.S. Treasury nominee Scott Bessent plans to say at his confirmation hearing that President-elect Donald Trump has an opportunity to unleash “a new economic golden age.”

The Chinese government has claimed that it has been "forced" to develop nuclear weapons as a United States official issued a warning about China's weapons of mass destruction program. Newsweek has emailed the Pentagon out of hours and the defense ministry in Beijing for comment.

Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis warns Europe against China's potential 'peace proposals' for Ukraine and highlights the risks of accepting China as a nuclear guarantor.

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said the new policy will help build a trusted technology ecosystem around the world.

Strategic chokepoints like the Baltic and Red seas are vital gateways for global communication, possessing critical infrastructure whose protection is essential for both national and global security,