Zelenskyy: Russia returned bodies of its own soldiers in swap
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia handed over 21 bodies in a recent exchange—20 of them were Russian soldiers, and one a foreign mercenary.
The Russian rouble surged past 81 to the U.S. dollar on Thursday, marking a 40% increase since the beginning of 2025.
The currency's rise is largely attributed to rising oil prices, which have bolstered Russia's main export sector. At 0900 GMT, the rouble was up by 1.5%, reaching 80.90 to the dollar in light trading ahead of the Orthodox Easter holiday. Oil prices saw a 3% jump on April 17, further supporting the rouble's gains.
This marks the rouble's strongest position since June 28, 2024, signaling a notable recovery for the Russian currency. The rouble has gained significantly since the start of the year, buoyed by expectations of easing tensions between Russia and the United States. Despite this, the rouble has remained unaffected by recent comments from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who suggested that President Donald Trump may soon abandon efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine unless clear progress is made.
Against the Chinese yuan, which the Russian central bank uses for foreign exchange interventions, the rouble was up 0.1%, trading at 11.08 on the Moscow Stock Exchange. The rouble's resilience reflects both the strength of Russia's energy exports and the ongoing shift in global financial dynamics.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
The 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit was held June 15–17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, under Canada’s presidency. Prime Minister Mark Carney framed the meeting around priorities of protecting communities, energy and climate security, the digital transition, and future partnerships.
China has unveiled a mosquito-sized bionic drone designed for covert military operations and battlefield reconnaissance, marking a major advance in micro-robotics and stealth technology as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation warfare capabilities.
The USS Nimitz is heading to the Middle East amid tensions between Israel and Iran. The U.S. aircraft carrier has a decades-long history in the region, from the 1979 hostage crisis to modern deployments, often serving as a key asset during periods of rising friction with Iran.
Germany’s federal government spent over 1.2 billion euros on software, licenses and IT services in 2024, more than 25% higher than the previous year.
Japan’s core inflation rose to a more than two-year high in May, exceeding the central bank’s 2% target for over three years and increasing pressure on the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to resume rate hikes.
Two Nigerian communities will take Shell to trial in the UK in 2027 after winning a court ruling over Niger Delta oil pollution.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) announced Friday it is raising its financing ceiling to a record €100 billion to accelerate investments in defence, energy security and Europe’s technological leadership.
Meta has teamed up with Oakley to release AI-powered smart glasses, expanding its push into wearable tech after the success of Ray-Ban Meta glasses. The social media company is expanding its partnership with Oakley and Ray-Ban-parent EssilorLuxottica.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment