Russian strikes hit Kyiv for a second day as Lavra fire and death toll rises
At least nine people have been killed across Ukraine in a large overnight Russian missile and drone attack that hit Kyiv, Kharkiv and other cities, according to the supplied material. In Kyiv, the Dormition Cathedral in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra complex caught fire and was significantly damaged, while power cuts affected more than 140,000 households. The strikes also caused casualties in Kharkiv and left residential buildings, infrastructure and cultural sites damaged.Officials said four people were killed in Kyiv and five rescue workers died in Kharkiv while responding to a fire caused by a strike there. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said about... [Continue Reading]
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Modi and Macron set new India-France trade, AI and defence targets in Nice
India and France have agreed a new package of cooperation covering trade, artificial intelligence, defence, space and economic security after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Emmanuel Macron in Nice. The meeting produced a mechanism aimed at doubling annual bilateral trade within five years, starting from the current level of about $16 billion. It also set out an India-France Innovation Roadmap 2030 and a joint working group on AI governance.The Ministry of External Affairs said the two leaders held extensive discussions on bilateral relations and agreed to deepen ties in economic growth, technology and innovation, talent mobility, and... [Continue Reading]
Canada signals energy, defence and uranium cooperation with India amid thaw in ties
Canada's High Commissioner to India has said Ottawa offers India a range of energy options, as both countries look to deepen cooperation after a prolonged diplomatic chill. In remarks published on Sunday, Christopher Cooter also pointed to possible collaboration on defence, uranium supply and security concerns. The comments come as India and Canada continue a cautious reset in relations that were badly strained in 2023.Cooter's interview comes almost a year after the two countries announced new envoys following the collapse in ties over allegations linked to the killing of Canada-based Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Canada's then prime minister Justin... [Continue Reading]
India protests US strikes on ships in Gulf as death toll of Indian mariners deepens row
India and the United States have sharpened their diplomatic dispute over US missile strikes on commercial ships in the Gulf region after three Indian seafarers were killed in an attack on 10 June. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he had spoken to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and reiterated India's "strong protest" over what he described as lethal actions against commercial shipping. The exchange comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump head to the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, where a possible meeting could add another layer to the talks.The Indian side said the Ministry of... [Continue Reading]
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Three Indian sailors confirmed dead after US strike on tanker off Oman as row deepens
The row over the US strike on a commercial vessel off Oman has intensified after Indian politician Shashi Tharoor criticised Washington's response to the deaths of three Indian seafarers. He said the official US statement contained no expression of regret or condolence for the loss of innocent Indian lives. His comments came as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Washington's blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, following India's protest over the killings.Tharoor questioned why a non-compliant commercial vessel could not have been stopped by non-lethal means, and asked whether it was necessary to fire missiles that killed civilian crew... [Continue Reading]
John Healey quits as UK defence secretary amid wider defence spending row
John Healey resigned as UK defence secretary after saying the government had failed to commit enough money to defence, deepening a dispute inside the Labour government over military funding. Hours later, the armed forces minister, Al Carns, and two ministerial aides also left their posts, according to the supplied report. The resignations have sharpened pressure on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at a time when the government is trying to settle its defence investment plans.Healey said the Treasury had been unwilling to provide the resources needed to defend the country at a time of rising threats. The row centres on... [Continue Reading]
South Korea court sentences ex-president Yoon to 30 years over drone operation
A court in Seoul has sentenced South Korea's former president Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years in prison over military drone flights into North Korea. The ruling says the 2024 operation was used to heighten tensions and help justify Yoon's later declaration of martial law. It adds another major legal blow to the ousted leader and deepens a political crisis that has already reshaped South Korea's presidency.A spokesperson for the Seoul Central District Court said Yoon was given 30 years in jail for the drone case, without giving further detail. According to a summary of the judges' findings, the operation... [Continue Reading]
UK defence funding row deepens after second ministerial resignation
The UK government is facing a deepening row over defence funding after armed forces minister Al Carns resigned on Thursday evening. His departure followed the earlier resignation of former Defence Secretary John Healey, who quit over the same dispute with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer about the military funding plan. The resignations have intensified pressure on the government as it tries to finalise its defence investment plan.Carns said in his resignation letter that the government's defence investment plan was "neither transformative enough nor sufficiently funded". He had only hours earlier suggested he might wait until the plan was finalised before... [Continue Reading]
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Israeli cabinet weighs new funding for West Bank settlement expansion
Israel has set aside an initial 152 million shekels for planning work linked to settlements and outposts in the occupied West Bank, according to an anti-settlement group. The group said the money is part of a wider funding push that could eventually reach 1 billion shekels, but that the larger allocation has been delayed for further cabinet consideration. The reported plan would support infrastructure and public buildings in settlements that are already regarded as illegal under international law.Peace Now said the first tranche covers planning for 69 settlements and outposts in the occupied West Bank. It said the cabinet postponed... [Continue Reading]
World Bank cuts 2026 growth forecast as Strait of Hormuz closure raises energy shock fears
The World Bank has cut its forecast for global growth in 2026 after warning that the conflict involving the United States, Iran and Israel is putting pressure on energy markets and supply chains. In its latest Global Economic Prospects report, the Washington-based institution said Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz has added to the risk of a wider economic slowdown. The report said the strategic waterway, a key route for oil and gas transit, is under strain as a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran is tested.The bank lowered its 2026 global growth forecast to 2.5% from... [Continue Reading]
Omar Abdullah urges Modi to restore Jammu and Kashmir statehood early
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and pressed for the early restoration of statehood to the Union Territory. The meeting came a week after the National Conference announced plans for a protest at Jantar Mantar to push the same demand. Abdullah also discussed the region's economy, development and public welfare with the prime minister.According to a statement from the Chief Minister's Office, Abdullah told Modi that restoring statehood would be an important step in strengthening democratic institutions and deepening public participation. He asked that the process be taken forward at... [Continue Reading]
Vance says Netanyahu has 'gotten some things wrong' as US-Israel strain deepens
US Vice-President JD Vance has said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "certainly gotten some things wrong", in comments that add to signs of strain between Washington and Jerusalem. Vance said Netanyahu "aggressively asserts the interests of his country" but that those interests are not always aligned with those of the United States. The remarks come as the two allies face renewed pressure over fighting involving Iran and Israel's operation in Lebanon.Vance made the comments in an interview due to air on Sunday, according to the supplied material. He did not give specific examples of where he thought Netanyahu had... [Continue Reading]
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OpenAI says China-based actors used ChatGPT in influence operation targeting US AI data centres
OpenAI has said it banned a cluster of accounts it believes were likely based in China after finding they used ChatGPT in a covert influence operation aimed at stoking opposition to AI data centres in the United States. The company said the activity was designed to exploit existing public concerns about electricity prices and to manipulate debate about American AI. It also said a separate cluster of accounts produced material about US tariffs and competition with China.In a research report released on Wednesday, OpenAI said the accounts generated social media comments and images blaming data centres for rising electricity bills... [Continue Reading]
US says it is preparing strikes on key facilities in Iran
The United States says it is preparing to launch strikes on what it described as key facilities in Iran, as military pressure on the country intensifies. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth made the remarks in Tampa, Florida, as he left the headquarters of US Central Command. He said the planned attacks would be strong and clear, and suggested they could continue into a second day.Hegseth said he had just reviewed the plans for Wednesday night's attack with Admiral Bradley Cooper, the CENTCOM commander. He linked the operation to ongoing negotiations for a permanent ceasefire and echoed President Donald Trump's warning that... [Continue Reading]
Cuba says US blockade is blocking UN aid deliveries amid fuel shortage
Cuba says 170 containers of United Nations humanitarian aid are not reaching beneficiaries because a fuel shortage is disrupting distribution across the island. The government says the problem is linked to what it describes as a US blockade and expanded sanctions. The claim comes as parts of Havana have faced prolonged blackouts and shortages of food, water and medicine.Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said the aid, valued at $6.3 million, was being held up because there was not enough fuel to move it. He said the blockade was affecting not only the Cuban economy but also the work of international organisations.... [Continue Reading]
Pakistan airstrikes in Afghanistan kill civilians as border tensions rise
Pakistan has carried out fresh airstrikes across the border into Afghanistan, with the Taliban government saying at least 13 people were killed, including 11 children. The strikes hit the provinces of Khost, Kunar and Paktika, according to Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid. The reported deaths also included one woman and one elderly man, and 14 other people were wounded, the Taliban said.The latest strikes were reported on Wednesday and came as Pakistan and Afghanistan again traded accusations over militant violence along their shared frontier. Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and military had not publicly acknowledged the strikes at the time... [Continue Reading]
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Ukraine and Latvia sign drone cooperation deal in Tallinn
Ukraine and Latvia have signed a drone cooperation agreement on the sidelines of a summit in Tallinn, in a fresh sign of expanding defence ties between Kyiv and European partners. The deal was announced after talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs during a meeting of Ukraine and the Nordic-Baltic states in the Estonian capital. Zelenskyy said the agreement would strengthen joint defence and co-production, while Latvian officials said it would bring Ukrainian expertise into Latvia.The signing took place on Tuesday, shortly after Zelenskyy returned from London, where he held talks with the leaders of... [Continue Reading]
Pakistan alleged to have struck civilian homes in three Afghan provinces, killing 13
Taliban officials have alleged that Pakistani military aircraft struck civilian homes overnight in Afghanistan's Khost, Kunar and Paktika provinces, killing at least 13 people. The dead were said to include 11 children, one woman and one elderly man. The allegations point to a fresh cross-border escalation between the two neighbours, with no immediate response or confirmation from Pakistan.Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes violated Afghan airspace and hit homes in the three eastern and south-eastern provinces. In the account he gave, 14 other women were also affected, although the supporting material does not make clear whether they were... [Continue Reading]
Taliban disperses rare women's-rights protest in Herat amid disputed reports of deaths
A rare protest in the western Afghan city of Herat has been dispersed by Taliban police after demonstrators gathered over restrictions on women, according to witness accounts and officials. The rally took place on Tuesday and centred on recent detentions of women accused of violating the Taliban's dress code rules. Reports from the scene say security forces moved in to break up the crowd, while police denied using live fire.Witnesses said the crowd formed after a social media call to defend women's rights, and that dozens of people gathered in support of women. One 33-year-old protester said officers used sticks,... [Continue Reading]
Xi Jinping meets Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang after seven years
Chinese President Xi Jinping has met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, in a visit described in the supplied material as Xi's first to North Korea in seven years. The talks took place on Tuesday and were accompanied by symbolic events including a tree planting, a performance of Chinese and North Korean songs and a banquet hosted by Kim. Both sides said they wanted to deepen cooperation, but the material provided says there was no mention of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme.According to the supplied rows, the two leaders agreed to expand cooperation across politics, economy and culture,... [Continue Reading]
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US adds Alibaba, BYD and Baidu to Chinese military companies list
The United States has added Alibaba, BYD and Baidu to its list of companies it says have ties to the Chinese military. The Pentagon update was published on Monday and expands a blacklist that is used to flag firms considered to support China's military-civil fusion strategy. The move affects some of China's best-known commercial brands and comes at a sensitive moment in US-China relations.China's embassy in Washington condemned the designation as discriminatory and said the US was overstretching the concept of national security. It said Chinese companies doing business overseas had been strictly observing the laws and regulations of host... [Continue Reading]
Ukraine strikes deepen fuel crisis in occupied Crimea
Ukraine's sustained drone campaign against Russian-occupied territories is worsening fuel shortages in Crimea and disrupting supply lines used by Russian forces. The peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, is facing serious logistical difficulties after recent strikes on a motorway and bridge linking Rostov to Crimea via the occupied port city of Mariupol. Videos and local accounts described long queues at petrol stations across the region, while Moscow-installed authorities have acknowledged that demand cannot currently be fully met.The supporting material says Ukraine has carried out 300 drone strikes on trucks, including 30 tankers, since the start of May, with the campaign... [Continue Reading]
TMC faces internal rebellion after losing power in West Bengal
The Trinamool Congress is facing a serious internal revolt in West Bengal barely a month after losing office, according to the latest confirmed reporting. The party, which governed the state for 15 years, is now dealing with a challenge to its authority from within its own ranks. The dispute centres on the leadership of Mamata Banerjee and has spread from the state legislature to the party's parliamentary wing.The immediate picture is stark. Roughly three-quarters of the party's legislators are said to have revolted against Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, who is widely seen as her political heir. The rebels... [Continue Reading]
Peru presidential runoff remains too close to call as Sanchez edges ahead
Peru's presidential runoff remains unresolved after leftist Roberto Sanchez moved ahead of conservative Keiko Fujimori in the count. With 94 percent of voting centers reporting, the margin is still razor-thin and no winner has been declared. Fewer than 4,300 votes separate the two candidates, according to the latest figures.The count comes after nearly 18 million votes were cast, underscoring the scale of the contest. Sanchez said he was optimistic about the outcome but stressed that it would be necessary to wait for 100 percent of the votes to be counted. Fujimori said late on Sunday that there was still no... [Continue Reading]
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WHO chief praises Uganda response as Ebola outbreak continues in DRC border region
The World Health Organization's director-general has praised Uganda's response to the Ebola outbreak affecting the border area with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while urging Kampala to reconsider restrictions on the frontier. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Uganda had responded promptly and capably and expressed confidence that the epidemic could be brought under control. He made the remarks during a visit to Uganda on Monday, as the outbreak continued in eastern Congo's Ituri province, which sits on the border.Tedros said border screening in Uganda had helped detect cases arriving from neighbouring DRC, and that the country's surveillance, testing and case... [Continue Reading]
The Proving Ground, When “Decent” Reporting Meets High-Tech Warfare
For two decades I have watched wars unfold not only on battlefields, but on screens. Today’s incident over Kuwait, involving the downing of a U.S. F-15 Strike Eagle, is not just another headline in the Iran conflict. It may be a signal that something larger is unfolding behind the noise. Iranian state outlets rapidly circulated imagery of an ejected pilot. Washington responded cautiously. But beneath the spectacle lies a deeper question, whose technology was truly being tested? The Gulf as a live-fire laboratory For years, China has refined export-ready variants of its air defense systems, particularly the HQ-9 family and... [Continue Reading]
Shadows of Fire: The Long Arc of Iran–United States Tensions
A Region on Edge: The Latest Escalation In recent months, tensions between Iran and the United States have intensified once again, fueled by disputes over regional security, nuclear development, maritime incidents in the Persian Gulf, and the broader strategic balance in the Middle East. Officials in Washington have expressed renewed concern over Iran’s uranium enrichment levels, while leaders in Tehran have accused the United States of economic warfare through sanctions and diplomatic isolation. The fragile equilibrium that followed earlier rounds of indirect negotiations appears increasingly strained, with both sides engaging in sharp rhetoric at the United Nations, reinforcing military postures... [Continue Reading]
There Is Good in Every Bad
Power, Greed, Oil, and the Theater of Modern Geopolitics The Business Model of Power Donald Trump does not govern like a traditional politician. He governs like a negotiator who believes every geopolitical crisis is leverage, every war threat is a bargaining chip, and every market panic is an opportunity. When markets tremble, someone profits. The question is, who? Global markets react instantly to political tension. Gold rises when conflict looms. Oil spikes when instability threatens production. Stock markets collapse on fear, then rebound on reassurance. Volatility is not chaos, it is opportunity. Historically, gold has surged during major geopolitical crises,... [Continue Reading]
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