The land border between China and Russia has been closed, leaving an unknown number of Chinese nationals stranded on the Russian side of the border, China’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.

A ceasefire declaration by Saudi Arabia in war-shattered Yemen that was due to come into effect on Thursday has been welcomed by United Nations chief António Guterres as a way to promote peace and slow the advance of COVID-19.

Finding a cure to the current pandemic sweeping the Western Balkans – and the world – may well be easier than purifying the region of the malign influence of its political class.