Colombia security gaps remain a challenge as president-elect prepares to take office
Colombia is facing continuing security gaps as it awaits the inauguration of its newly elected president, according to the head of the UN verification team in the country. The warning was delivered to the Security Council on Wednesday. The UN official said pockets of insecurity remain a challenge in a nation that has overcome decades of conflict. The remarks framed the transition period around the incoming presidency as one in which stability is not yet complete. No further details were provided in the source on the specific areas affected, the nature of the insecurity, or any immediate operational consequences. The... [Continue Reading]
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Germany warns US over grant scheme seen as election interference
Germany's chancellor has warned the United States against interfering in German elections after Washington announced a new grant scheme for Europe-focused groups. Friedrich Merz said he did not want the US government or institutions close to it to interfere in German state elections due in September. His comments came after the US State Department unveiled funding of up to $3m for European charities, think tanks and individuals.The funding is intended for projects that seek to address national sovereignty, migration, censorship and lawfare challenges. The announcement says applicants should work in line with a shared political philosophy, law and what it... [Continue Reading]
Businesses claw back tariff refunds after Trump tariffs ruled unlawful
Businesses around the world are receiving refunds of tariffs paid to the United States after Donald Trump's so-called liberation day tariffs were ruled unlawful. The refunds are being issued after the April 2025 measures triggered a sharp rise in import costs for companies selling into the US market. One Australian brand, Nashie, says it has already received a six-figure refund that included interest.Oxford Economics estimates that about US$80 billion in tariffs has been refunded since May, with interest paid at rates of up to 7%. The firm says the same amount is expected to be refunded again over the next... [Continue Reading]
Day News Recap: US Iran conflict escalates as oil jumps and global flashpoints multiply
The biggest story was the sharp escalation in the US Iran confrontation, with Washington resuming daylight air strikes, restoring a naval blockade on Iranian ports and warning that power plants and bridges could be hit next if Tehran does not back down. The renewed pressure has raised fears of a wider conflict around the Strait of Hormuz and pushed oil prices higher again. π π π π πTensions also spread beyond Iran itself. Iranian state media said a drone struck a military base used by the United States in Kuwait, and Kuwait separately confirmed attacks and damage, while the death... [Continue Reading]
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US rights groups file legal challenge to Trump ICC sanctions in Washington
Two rights organisations have filed a legal challenge in Washington, DC against sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on the International Criminal Court. The case was brought on Wednesday by DAWN and the Taxpayers Alliance Against Genocide, both based in Washington. They argue the measures violate the constitutional rights of US citizens and restrict advocacy linked to Palestine.The lawsuit targets sanctions introduced in February 2025 after the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. According to the filing, the administration later expanded the measures to cover ICC prosecutors and judges, several... [Continue Reading]
Sydney LGBTQ+ arts venue faces eviction threat after landlord orders it to stop 'offensive trade'
A former church turned queer-friendly arts venue in Sydney is facing possible eviction after its landlord issued a breach notice and ordered it to stop operating as an "offensive trade". The venue, Divine Playhouse, has already been forced to close and cancel planned events while its organisers consider legal action. The dispute follows protests by religious groups over the venue's opening night.The notice was issued to the venue's organisers, Heaps Gay Events, and named the landlord as commercial property group KCSYD Pty Ltd. Lawyers acting for the landlord said the trade had "insulted and mocked the sincerely held religious beliefs... [Continue Reading]
Iran executes Mohammad Amini Dehaghani over January protests amid widening crackdown on dissent
Iran has executed Mohammad Amini Dehaghani after the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence in a case linked to the January 2026 protests, according to the judiciary. The execution was reported on Wednesday by the judiciary's news outlet, which said the legal process had been completed. Authorities described the case as part of a broader response to unrest that followed the protests.The judiciary said Dehaghani was convicted over alleged attacks during the protests in Dehaghan, in Isfahan province. It said he threw a Molotov cocktail at the governor's office on 9 January 2026, set the building on fire, attacked a... [Continue Reading]
China Q2 growth slows sharply and misses target as domestic demand weakens
China's economy grew by 4.3% in the second quarter of the year, official figures showed, marking a sharp slowdown from the 5% expansion recorded in the first quarter. The result fell below Beijing's annual growth target and came as weak domestic demand and the impact of the Iran war on oil prices weighed on activity. The data covers the period from the start of April to the end of June and is the first full quarter since the war began on 28 February.The figures were released alongside other indicators suggesting a mixed picture for the world's second-largest economy. Exports rose... [Continue Reading]
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Cuba suffers third nationwide blackout in less than 10 days as grid collapses again
Cuba's national power grid collapsed again on Tuesday, leaving about 10 million people without electricity in the island's third nationwide blackout in less than 10 days. The outage began around 11am local time, when the entire electrical system went offline, according to the state-run electricity company UNE. The Ministry of Energy and Mines said there had been a total disconnection of the electrical system.Officials said the latest failure affected the whole island and marked the fifth nationwide blackout in 2026. The repeated outages have become a major test for the country's power infrastructure, which has been under strain for months.... [Continue Reading]
Tawazun launches new bilingual quarterly magazine Foresight in Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI, 14th July, 2026 (WAM) -- Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement has launched 'Foresight', a new quarterly bilingual magazine published in Arabic and English, establishing a UAE platform for strategic dialogue that brings together thought leadership, policy and industry to explore the trends shaping the future of defence, security, defence industries and advanced technologies. The magazine was unveiled during a ceremony held at Tawazun's headquarters in Abu Dhabi, attended by senior government officials, representatives from defence, security and military entities, the Council's strategic partners, leading academics and researchers, members of the defence industry, and representatives of friendly nations and... [Continue Reading]
US refunds $81 billion in tariffs after Supreme Court ruling
The United States government has refunded $81 billion in tariffs collected under a contested trade policy, according to newly released federal budget figures. The repayments follow a Supreme Court ruling that found a substantial portion of the levies unlawful. The refunds were paid to companies that had imported goods subject to the tariffs, marking a major reversal for a policy central to President Donald Trump's economic agenda.The figures show a sharp rise from the $5 billion returned during the same period a year earlier. Most of the repayments were processed in May and June, with a Treasury official saying the... [Continue Reading]
EU adopts first European Peace Facility aid measure for Philippines maritime security
The Council adopted the first-ever assistance measure under the European Peace Facility for the Philippines, with a value of EUR 15 million. The measure is designed to support the Armed Forces of the Philippines in strengthening maritime domain awareness across the country's maritime zones. According to the text, the support will include non-lethal equipment and related training. The stated purpose is to contribute to regional stability and to protect civilian populations, particularly in coastal and maritime areas. The EU said the measure reflects deepening security and defence exchanges with the Philippines. It builds on the establishment of the EU-Philippines Security... [Continue Reading]
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Judge says Trump IRS settlement manipulated the court in self-dealing ruling
A federal judge in the United States has ruled that Donald Trump's lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service manipulated the justice system. District Judge Kathleen Williams said the case was an unparalleled exercise in self-dealing, in a sharp rebuke of the settlement that followed. The ruling adds a new legal and political flashpoint to a dispute that began with the release of Trump's tax records.According to the court's findings, Trump sued the IRS after a contractor leaked more than two decades of his tax information to the press in 2020. The lawsuit was filed on January 29, a year after... [Continue Reading]
India opposition demands rollback of Election Commission Form 6 change
India's opposition parties have criticised the Election Commission over a change to the online Form 6 voter registration process, accusing it of adding a new mandatory declaration without the required legal amendment. The dispute centres on the ECINET portal, where the online version of Form 6 was reported to include a new section asking for details of the applicant or their parents in relation to the last Special Intensive Revision. The downloadable version of the same form, however, was reported not to contain the new declaration.Congress leader Pawan Khera said the Election Commission had introduced a mandatory section in the... [Continue Reading]
Andy Burnham secures Labour backing in bid to become UK prime minister
Andy Burnham has moved into pole position to become the next British prime minister after securing the backing of more than 85% of Labour MPs, according to the supplied report. The former mayor of Greater Manchester is now said to have enough support within the parliamentary party that his bid cannot be challenged by other Labour MPs. The development comes after Keir Starmer resigned last month following heavy criticism from within his own party.The report says Burnham received a further 27 nominations on Monday afternoon, taking his total to 349 MPs. Under Labour rules, a challenger would need the support... [Continue Reading]
Russian anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin detained near Moscow after announcing Duma run
Russian anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin has been detained by police in a town west of Moscow, according to his social media account and his press secretary. The detention took place on Monday morning, weeks after he said he would stand as a candidate in September's State Duma elections. His press secretary said he was taken from his home, and the reason for the detention was not immediately known.Nadezhdin was recently designated a "foreign agent" by the justice ministry, which accused him of spreading false information about the Russian government and calling people to take part in unauthorised rallies. That designation... [Continue Reading]
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UNODC convenes Western Balkans workshops on detecting firearms in postal parcels
In back-to-back workshops in Belgrade and Tirana, UNODC brought customs authorities, postal operators and express courier companies from all six Western Balkans jurisdictions together with Ukrainian experts to increase their shared response to firearms trafficking through postal channels. Under Project Hermes, UNODC convened a workshop on public-private partnership and operational responses to security risks in postal traffic, gathering the customs administrations, designated postal operators and express courier companies from Sarajevo, Podgorica and Belgrade. On 25 June, a mirror meeting in Tirana brought the same agenda to counterparts from Tirana, Pristina and Skopje. Both sessions were joined by the State Customs... [Continue Reading]
Russian spy network in Japan tied to technology smuggling for war effort
Russian intelligence officers have turned Japan into an important base for buying or stealing battlefield technology and moving it into Russia, according to officials cited in the supplied material. The operation is linked to the GRU's 20th Directorate, a secretive military intelligence unit whose role has not been publicly disclosed. Officials say the network has taken advantage of Japan's weak espionage laws and its large high-tech industrial base.The report says the shift accelerated after Western governments expelled hundreds of Russian spies following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, dozens of those officers are said to have... [Continue Reading]
Israel election set for 27 October as Netanyahu faces leadership test
Israel's parliament has confirmed that the country will hold national elections on 27 October, the last date allowed by law. The vote is being widely framed as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership after the Gaza war that began in 2023. The Knesset said its current term will end on 17 July, meaning the next election date is already fixed and there is no need for a dissolution law.The parliament said the ruling coalition can complete a full four-year term for the first time in decades. Netanyahu, who is 76 and Israel's longest-serving prime minister, has said he... [Continue Reading]
Malian army retakes Anefis after nearly a week of fighting, with about 30 soldiers killed
Mali's army says it has retaken the northern town of Anefis after nearly a week of fighting with Tuareg separatists and fighters from an armed group linked to al-Qaeda. The town, about 100km from the strategic city of Kidal, was captured on 4 July during coordinated attacks on army positions across the country. The latest battle marks a significant territorial shift in the north, where control of towns and supply routes remains contested.Army chief General Jean Elysee Dao said on state television that about 30 soldiers were killed and around 60 others wounded in the operation. He said some of... [Continue Reading]
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Syria's transitional parliament meets in Damascus after Assad's overthrow
Syria's newly appointed transitional parliament has held its inaugural session in Damascus, marking a significant step in the country's political transition more than 18 months after Bashar al-Assad was toppled. Members of the chamber took the constitutional oath on Sunday as the People's Assembly convened for the first time under the new authorities. President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the rebel offensive that removed Assad and is now Syria's president, urged lawmakers to put national interest first.Al-Sharaa said the assembly should focus on improving the economy, strengthening public services and attracting international investment. He also called on lawmakers to help foster... [Continue Reading]
US Justice Department subpoenas New York Times journalists over Air Force One reporting
The US Department of Justice has subpoenaed several New York Times journalists to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan over reporting on security concerns linked to President Donald Trump's new Air Force One. The newspaper said some of the subpoenas were delivered to reporters at their homes, and that the journalists were ordered to appear next week. The move marks a sharp escalation in a dispute between the administration and the press over coverage of the aircraft.The journalists named by the newspaper include Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt. According to the report, the... [Continue Reading]
Typhoon Bavi makes second landfall in eastern China as evacuations rise
Typhoon Bavi has made a second landfall in eastern China after first coming ashore in Taizhou and then in Wenzhou, with authorities moving nearly two million people from risk areas. The storm reached the coast on Saturday evening and around midnight local time, as it tracked across Zhejiang province and toward neighbouring Fujian. Although Bavi has weakened to a Category 1 typhoon, officials say it still poses a serious threat because of the amount of moisture in its rain bands.Authorities said more than 1.7 million people were evacuated in Zhejiang, with thousands more moved in nearby provinces as a precaution... [Continue Reading]
Andy Burnham on course to become Britain's next prime minister after Labour backing
Andy Burnham is on course to become the United Kingdom's next prime minister after securing overwhelming backing from Labour MPs in the opening stage of the contest to replace Keir Starmer as party leader. He won the support of 322 of Labour's 403 MPs, leaving little room for a rival to build a viable challenge before nominations close. If no challenger emerges, Burnham is expected to be confirmed as Labour leader before taking office as prime minister later this month.The result marks a rapid and decisive start to the leadership process. Burnham's tally gives him a dominant position among Labour... [Continue Reading]
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Nicaragua strips lawyers of certification in crackdown on dissent
Nicaragua's government has removed the licences of a large number of lawyers from the official registry, in a move critics say is the latest step in a widening crackdown on dissent. Lawyers in the country noticed in recent days that their authorisations to practise had disappeared from the Supreme Court of Justice registry without explanation. The action has drawn criticism from a United Nations expert, who described it as a purge of the legal profession.According to Reed Brody, an American human rights lawyer and member of a UN panel of experts on Nicaragua, there was no official notification from the... [Continue Reading]
Brazil Amazon deforestation falls to lowest level in a decade under Lula
Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest fell to its lowest level in a decade in the first half of 2026, according to official figures released on Friday. The data show that an estimated 1,295 square kilometres of forest were cleared between January and June, a 38% drop from the same period a year earlier. The figures mark a significant milestone for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's pledge to curb destruction in the world's largest rainforest.The numbers were published by Brazil's National Institute for Space Research, which tracks forest loss in the Amazon. They show the lowest overall level of clearing... [Continue Reading]
Pakistan says 75 insurgents killed in Balochistan after police officers abducted and shot dead
Pakistani security forces say they have killed 75 suspected insurgents in days-long operations in Balochistan after a deadly attack on a police post near Mangi Dam triggered a wider crackdown. The operation involved the Pakistan Army, the Frontier Corps and police, with air and ground support, according to officials cited in the supplied material. The violence has centred on the restive southwestern province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan and remains a focal point of separatist militancy.Authorities said the initial assault began late on Monday when dozens of militants attacked the police post guarding the Mangi Dam project in Ziarat district.... [Continue Reading]
Venezuela earthquake toll rises to 3,889 as disease risk grows in displaced areas
Venezuela's authorities say the death toll from twin earthquakes last month has risen to 3,889, as health agencies warn that displaced communities now face a growing risk of disease. The latest figures also put the number of injured at 16,740, with 17,907 people displaced. The worst-affected area is Venezuela's northern coast, where many residents have been forced into shelters after the tremors.Lawmaker Jorge Rodrigues said the updated toll was reported on Thursday. The Pan American Health Organization warned that the main health threat in the coming weeks may come not only from earthquake injuries, but also from disrupted health services,... [Continue Reading]
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Explosions reported in Iran near Bushehr and Konarak as US military denies involvement
Iranian media reported loud explosions in several locations in southern Iran late on Thursday, including areas around Bushehr, Choghadak and the coastal city of Konarak. The reports came amid continuing exchanges between Iran, the United States and Israel, with officials in Washington denying any recent US strikes. Local officials in Bushehr said one blast in the city was caused by air defence systems, while another strike hit a military headquarters on the outskirts of the city.According to the supplied report, the United States Central Command said the US military had not carried out any strikes in Iran in the past... [Continue Reading]
Syria's diplomatic reintegration accelerates as US plans delisting and OPCW restores voting rights
The United States is preparing to remove Syria from its state sponsors of terrorism list, adding to a series of steps that point to the country's gradual return to international institutions. The move comes as Syria's transitional authorities continue to seek broader diplomatic and economic reintegration after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. It also follows a separate decision by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to restore Syria's voting rights.The US plan was described as part of a wider shift in Washington's approach to Damascus, with the designation dating back to 1979. The earlier announcement said the delisting... [Continue Reading]
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Netanyahu says Israel is building new alliances with India amid strain in US ties
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his government is working to build new alliances and deepen relationships with countries beyond the United States, naming India as a key partner. He made the remarks in an interview released on Wednesday with Israeli journalist Sharon Gal. The comments come as Israel seeks to broaden its diplomatic options at a time of apparent friction with Washington.Netanyahu said Israel has been actively trying to forge new ties with major world powers. "You have to build new alliances and develop new relationships. That's what I'm doing right now with India," he said.The interview did... [Continue Reading]
Mali convoy carrying Russian reinforcements attacked near Anefis
Tuareg separatists and their jihadist allies attacked a convoy carrying Russian soldiers and Malian troops on Thursday morning as it moved to reinforce a military camp near Anefis in northern Mali. The convoy was heading toward a position where Russian paramilitaries from Africa Corps and a small number of Malian soldiers are reported to be holding out. Fighting was still under way after the ambush, according to a Malian security source.The attack was carried out by fighters from the Azawad Liberation Front, also known as the FLA, alongside JNIM, the al-Qaeda-linked jihadist alliance active in the Sahel. A spokesperson for... [Continue Reading]
Clacton by-election formally triggered as Farage prepares to re-fight seat
A by-election in Clacton has now been formally triggered after Nigel Farage resigned as the constituency's MP. Reform UK MP Lee Anderson moved the writ in the House of Commons on Thursday morning, setting the process in motion. The vote is likely to take place on Thursday, 13 August, although that date still needs confirmation.Farage has said he will re-fight the Essex seat, describing the contest as a test of "people versus the establishment". His resignation comes amid renewed scrutiny over his finances and a parliamentary standards investigation. Questions have centred on a reported Β£5 million gift from Christopher Harborne,... [Continue Reading]
South Korea's top court upholds seven-year sentence for ex-president Yoon
South Korea's Supreme Court has upheld a seven-year prison sentence for former president Yoon Suk Yeol over crimes linked to his botched 2024 martial law declaration. The ruling confirms the sentence imposed by lower courts and closes off Yoon's final appeal in this case. It comes as the former leader is already detained in a separate matter involving a life sentence for leading an insurrection.The court said the lower judgment contained no errors and dismissed all appeals in a televised ruling. According to the case details, Yoon was accused of obstructing cabinet deliberations by convening only a select group of... [Continue Reading]
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The Ghosn Paradox The Imperial Savior, His Cinematic Escape, and the Desperate Call to Salvage a Crumbling Nissan
The Man Who Defied Corporate Gravity Few corporate sagas in modern history possess the cinematic drama, geopolitical friction, and sheer psychological tension as the rise and fall of Carlos Ghosn. Once lauded as the ultimate transnational executive, a multi-lingual titan capable of bridging disparate business cultures, Ghosn became the absolute center of a global firestorm. His story cuts through the pristine facade of global corporate governance to reveal a messy underbelly of nationalism, legal vulnerability, and strategic failure. Rebuilding an Empire from the Ashes of Bankruptcy The mythos of Carlos Ghosn began in 1999. Nissan, one of Japan's proudest manufacturing... [Continue Reading]
Is the Italian Prime Minister the Visionary Leader Europe Needs? An Analysis of Executive Decisiveness, National Security, and the Contrast in European Integration Policies
A Continent in Institutional Deadlock While the rest of Europe remains entangled in a web of bureaucratic deadlock and human rights litigation, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has quietly established herself as a leader operating far ahead of her continental peers. For years, European leaders have debated how to handle radicalism and unchecked migration, often waiting for institutional consensus that arrives too late. Meloni, conversely, has demonstrated a willingness to prioritize state security over political correctness, offering a blueprint for a continent facing asymmetric threats. The Contrast in European Legislative Approvals The contrast between Italyβs swift, executive decisiveness and the... [Continue Reading]
The Unspoken Stats: Who is Raping Europe?
Answering this question requires a direct look at the empirical data so, below is the comprehensive, data-verified draft for my article, formatted to analyse the relationship between immigration demographics and police-recorded sexual offense figures across Europe. Data vs. Perception: An Asymmetric Analysis of Migration and Sexual Offence Statistics in Europe While my primary field of research is rooted in macro-geopolitics, the responsibilities of independent journalism often demand transitioning from international balance-of-power metrics to domestic social realities. A recent high-profile criminal incident in England involving the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl by four Afghani nationals where one of them is... [Continue Reading]
Lessons learned from Dubai β¦ or not?
It might be early to assess the impact of war on Dubai, the self-declared crisis proof planet, but some lessons can be drawn from its magic well, right now. First and foremost, I remember a saying about fairness: No, not the boomerang, and that what goes around comes around (the dark tales related to Lebanon and Gaza), but about a simple rule of thumb. If you expect the world to be fair with you because you are fair, youβre fooling yourself: thatβs like expecting the lion not to eat you because you didnβt eat it. It applies to humans and... [Continue Reading]
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The Madness of Power, From Balfour to the Edge of World War Three
A Voice in the Wilderness of War: Who Still Dares to Speak Truth While Empires March There are moments in history when the world suddenly accelerates toward disaster, moments when anyone who has studied history can feel the temperature rising even before the explosions reach their peak. The current escalation in the Middle East is one of those moments. According to the facts we now see unfolding, the United States and Israel made the unilateral decision to attack Iran without the approval of the United Nations, without a global coalition mandate, and without the support of most of the international... [Continue Reading]
The role of community policing in nurturing acceptance
In a highly polarized world and a highly volatile situation, many wars are perturbing the lives of many, forcing governments to take real measures to protect their citizens. Away from the geopolitical analysis and speculation, I would like to highlight one of many important aspects related to war preparation, which is the protocol of living in community shelters, historically comparable to the use of air raid shelters during major conflicts. During the war in Lebanon in the mid-eighties, I published an article about this protocol, and it seems very relevant to these days. 1- This is not your house: A... [Continue Reading]
Navigating the Perils of Information in a Global Age
Navigating the Perils of Information in a Global Age In todayβs world, where information flows ceaselessly and unchecked, the stakes for migrants have never been higher. Critical thinking is not just a skill, itβs a lifeline. The ability to sift fact from fiction, especially in matters as consequential as migration, is essential for individuals, communities, and the institutions that serve them. The migration landscape is uniquely vulnerable to the hazards of mis-, dis-, and mal-information, collectively known as MDM. The consequences of inaccurate or misleading information can ripple far beyond the individual, affecting entire communities and the systems that govern... [Continue Reading]




