Photo: Supplied / Ukrainian Emergency Service
This week within days of each other both the US and Russia made significant moves to influence the war in Ukraine.
For the first time Ukraine has fired long range missiles deep within Russia after outgoing US President Jo Biden gave Kiev the green light.
In response Russia loosened its limits on the use of nuclear weapons.
In Gaza tens of thousands have been killed in Israel's bombardment and in Sudan - some 14 million people have been displaced by fighting there.
Gwynne Dyer is an historian and independent journalist, an expert in geopolitics who's published several books, made award winning documentaries and who's column is syndicated in about 100 papers across 45 countries.
