Whose support can the Kremlin still count on?

Plus, a secretive mercenary group's role in African politics, the stats behind Hong Kong's shocking Covid surge, and investigating the reasons why we find intoxicants so appealing

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Having difficulty reading this email? View it online     Whose support can the Kremlin count on? While many Western powers reacted to Russia's invasion of Ukraine with anger and severe economic sanctions, other countries have been considerably less vocal in their response. Who could Vladimir Putin turn to for support as the impact of sanctions deepens? Has the US's foreign policy focus created "vacuums" that Russia can exploit? And which leaders might be viewing the conflict as an opportunity to grow their own influence? 'The Kremlin's goals haven't really changed over the past 20 years' Could Putin be prosecuted for war crimes?     Has Russia's war weakened Hungary's 'strongman'? Hungary's Viktor Orban is one of Europe's most dominant leaders, with some saying his country is now effectively a one-party state. But have Russia's actions damaged his position? 'He has been part of this game' The Wagner Group: Moscow, mercenaries and Africa Much has been made of the role the Wagner Group, a secretive mercenary organisation, may be playing in Ukraine, but its forces have also had a major impact in many parts of Africa. 'It's a complex tool with media, with money and with men'   Hong Kong's shock Covid surge A zero-Covid policy served Hong Kong well at the start of the pandemic, but a new wave of infections has had a devastating impact. 'About 60% of the population have been infected in the last two months'   Taiwan and China: A complicated relationship BBC correspondent Cindy Sui explains the history of Taiwan's relationship with China, and what the past reveals about Beijing's reluctance to accept its growing independence. 'This is seen as a national shame' How can we handle our feelings of guilt? Guilt can be a nagging sensation that is sometimes very hard to get rid of, and can hinder our ability to move forward in our lives. How can we learn to cope with these feelings? 'I desperately want to do something, but I'm paralysed'   Why do we use intoxicants? Dessa delves into the history of human evolution to discover where our appetite for intoxicating substances come from, and why they can play such a large part in our social lives. 'Why would we choose to regularly impair ourselves?'   'I thought my mother was like a superhero' Poly Styrene was a unique figure in British music, a colourful character who carved her own path through the punk scene. Her daughter Celeste explains what made her so special. 'She very quickly found her own unique style' The black stuntmen who changed Hollywood In the 1960s, a group of black stunt performers banded together to fight for their right to work in Hollywood, and end the practice of having white stuntmen double for black actors. 'Why are they putting this make-up on a white guy?'

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