Japan has said it will broaden the transfer of defence equipment to selected partners, in a move that reflects growing efforts by US allies in Asia to build closer middle-power coalitions.The policy shift was confirmed by Japan's cabinet chief, Minoru Kihara, who said it was intended to safeguard Japan's security and contribute to peace and stability in the region.Under the new approach, Tokyo will still avoid sending armaments to countries engaged in conflict.The change means as many as 17 major defence partners can now benefit from Japanese military technology.Japan had previously limited exports under its post-war pacifist constitution to non-lethal... [Continue Reading]
The Council of the European Union has adopted an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility in support of the Armed Forces of Senegal. The measure is framed within the Yaoundé Architecture and is aimed at protecting Senegal's sovereignty at sea and improving regional maritime security. The EU said the package is worth EUR 15 million over 36 months. It will provide key non-lethal equipment to strengthen the capabilities of the National Navy of Senegal. The listed support areas are naval operations, naval education, and naval command support. The measure is also intended to reinforce Senegal's cooperation with EU member... [Continue Reading]
The United States says its offensive operations against Iran have ended, even as fresh warnings and reported attacks in the Strait of Hormuz raised concern that the ceasefire could unravel.Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the initial US-Israeli offensive in Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury, had reached its objectives.He said Washington preferred a path of peace, while also warning of a strong response to any new threat to shipping.The immediate concern is the waterway itself.Late on Tuesday, UK Maritime Trade Operations said a verified source had reported a cargo vessel struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of... [Continue Reading]
The World Economic Forum says artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping cybersecurity and has become the biggest driver of change in the field. In its AI and Cyber: Empowering Defenders report, developed with KPMG, the Forum says 94% of cyber leaders identify AI as a defining force and 77% of organisations already use it in cyber operations. The report says AI is delivering measurable gains for defenders, including lower costs, faster response and improved resilience. It says organisations that extensively leverage AI in security can reduce average breach costs by up to $1.9 million and shorten breach lifecycles by approximately 80... [Continue Reading]
US forces have said they sank six small Iranian boats while escorting merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz, as the United Arab Emirates reported missile and drone attacks on its territory.The incidents mark a sharp escalation in a confrontation that has centred on the strategic waterway.The US military said two American-flagged merchant ships successfully transited the strait on Monday as part of a new initiative to reopen the passage.The UAE defence ministry said its air defences engaged 15 missiles and four drones fired by Iran.Authorities in Fujairah said one drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility and... [Continue Reading]
The United Arab Emirates says it intercepted three missiles launched from Iran and that a fourth fell into the sea, in what it described as the first such attack since the ceasefire.Officials also said a drone strike sparked a large fire at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone.The UAE Defence Ministry said its air defences were activated overnight.The country sent a phone alert warning residents of potential missile threats, before later saying the situation was safe.Authorities said three people, all Indian nationals, were taken to hospital for treatment after the strike on the Fujairah site.Civil defence teams were deployed to contain... [Continue Reading]
The European Commission has rejected Israel's advance beyond the Gaza ceasefire line, saying any attempt at territorial change in the enclave is unacceptable.The comments came after Israeli forces pushed past the so-called yellow and orange lines established under a US-brokered ceasefire.Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni made the remarks in Brussels, citing the Trump peace plan and UN Security Council resolution 2735.The row centres on reported Israeli Defence Forces movement beyond the marked boundary of Israeli-controlled territory.The reported advance has also complicated aid operations.Aid organisations are said to need coordination with Israeli authorities to move in the area, while reports say... [Continue Reading]
A Ukrainian drone has hit a residential high-rise in Moscow, causing visible damage to the building's facade and prompting overnight airport disruption in the Russian capital.The strike took place in the early hours of Monday in an upmarket neighbourhood in south-west Moscow, according to the supplied rows.No casualties were reported, and two other drones were intercepted, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.Vnukovo and Domodedovo international airports suspended operations overnight.The Russian defence ministry said 117 drones were intercepted over several Russian regions between Sunday and Monday.The incident comes days before Russia's scaled-back 9 May parade to mark the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi... [Continue Reading]
The UK is set to begin negotiations to join a €90bn European Union loan scheme for Ukraine, with the plan due to be raised by Sir Keir Starmer at a summit in Armenia.Downing Street said further sanctions on Russian companies are also expected this week.The talks are intended to strengthen Ukraine's defences and, according to the prime minister, could also help UK firms access future contracts.Starmer met Volodymyr Zelensky in Yerevan on Sunday ahead of the European Political Community summit.The summit has brought together 48 heads of state and government, and Starmer said the UK was ready to work with... [Continue Reading]
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to travel to Italy this week for meetings in Rome, including a planned audience with Pope Leo, according to Vatican and Italian sources.The meeting is understood to take place on Thursday.Reports said the visit is intended to help ease tensions after weeks of strain linked to criticism from US President Donald Trump of the pope's anti-war rhetoric.Rubio is also expected to meet Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.An Italian government source said he had asked for a meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and media reports... [Continue Reading]
Two senior US Republican lawmakers have criticised the Pentagon's decision to cut 5,000 US troops stationed in Germany, saying the move could undermine deterrence and send the wrong signal to Russia.Roger Wicker and Mike Rogers, who chair the Senate and House armed services committees respectively, said the troops should be moved further east rather than withdrawn from Europe.Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the decision followed a thorough review and took account of theatre requirements and conditions on the ground.NATO said it was seeking clarification from Washington.The dispute matters because Germany hosts more than 36,000 active-duty US troops and remains a... [Continue Reading]
Israeli forces conducted multiple airstrikes in southern Lebanon on May 1, 2026, resulting in the deaths of at least 12 people, including children and women.The strikes targeted residential neighborhoods and other locations despite an ongoing ceasefire agreement.Eight people were killed in the town of Habboush in the Nabatieh district, with at least eight others wounded, including a child and a woman.Additional strikes in the area of Zrariyeh killed four more people, two of whom were women, and wounded several others.The Lebanese Civilian Defence reported extensive destruction in southern Lebanon, including the flattening of buildings in Tyre and other areas.Israeli forces... [Continue Reading]
President Donald Trump has informed Congress that hostilities between the United States and Iran have ceased due to an ongoing ceasefire.He stated that there has been no exchange of fire since April 7, 2026, marking the termination of hostilities that began on February 28, 2026.Trump's notification comes on the 60th day since he formally informed Congress of US strikes against Iran.Under the War Powers Resolution, US law requires the president to end the use of armed forces within 60 days unless Congress authorizes a continuation or declares war.The president argues that because of the ceasefire, he does not need congressional... [Continue Reading]
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]