Hamas says Netanyahu's Gaza advance breaches October ceasefire
Hamas has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a "blatant violation" of the October 2025 ceasefire after he ordered the army to seize more territory in Gaza. The dispute centres on a fragile truce that has been under strain for months and on the territorial line the agreement was meant to hold. The latest comments suggest Israel is pressing further beyond the area it says it already controls.According to the supplied material, Mr Netanyahu said the military had controlled 50% of the Palestinian territory under the ceasefire terms before advancing to take over 60%. He then said his directive... [Continue Reading]
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Romania to expel Russian consul after drone crashes into apartment complex in Galați
Romania says it will expel the Russian consul in the southeastern city of Constanța and shut the consulate after a drone intended for Ukraine crashed into an apartment complex in Galați. The announcement marks a sharp diplomatic response to an incident that Romania has linked to the wider war next door. The crash took place in the border town of Galați, close to the frontier with Ukraine.Romanian President Nicușor Dan said the consul would be expelled and the consulate closed. The move was presented as a response to the drone incident, which Romanian officials said involved a drone intended for... [Continue Reading]
US judge temporarily blocks Trump-linked $1.8bn anti-weaponisation fund
A federal judge in Virginia has temporarily halted the creation and operation of a $1.8bn government fund tied to claims of political investigation. The order stops the Justice Department from taking any steps to stand up or run the fund, including processing or paying claims, until a preliminary hearing on 12 June. The move is the latest legal setback for a fund announced only last week.The fund was created after an agreement with President Donald Trump to end his $10bn lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns. According to the court order, the Justice... [Continue Reading]
Israel widens Lebanon offensive with deadly strike near Beirut
Israel has widened its offensive in Lebanon with a strike near Beirut, the first raid in the area in weeks, after a series of heavy attacks in the south of the country. Authorities said a woman and two children were killed in the strike near the capital, despite the ceasefire that has been in place. The attack marks a further expansion of the conflict beyond the border areas that have seen most of the fighting.The latest strike came after Israeli attacks on south Lebanon that authorities said killed at least 14 people, including three children. The timing is significant because... [Continue Reading]
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Poland receives first EUR 6.6 billion SAFE payment from European Commission
The European Commission said in Brussels on 29 May 2026 that Poland received its first EUR 6.6 billion payment under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE). The notice was issued as part of the Commission's daily news update. The source identifies the payment as the first installment under SAFE and gives the amount as EUR 6.6 billion. It does not provide any further detail on the purpose of the funds, the authorities receiving them, or any operational effect on the ground. No casualties, security incident, enforcement action, or other immediate consequence is mentioned in the text. The item is limited... [Continue Reading]
EU sanctions four Israeli settler entities and three individuals
The Council of the European Union on 28 May 2026 imposed additional restrictive measures on four entities and three individuals under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime. The action targets extremist Israeli settlers and organisations the Council says are responsible for serious and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank. The Council said the listed actors are implicated in abuses affecting the right to physical and mental integrity, property, private and family life, freedom of religion or belief, and education. The move follows a political agreement reached at the Foreign Affairs Council on 11 May 2026.... [Continue Reading]
Petrobras begins new Amazon drilling with Lula's backing
Brazilian state-controlled oil company Petrobras has announced the drilling of new wells at an oil and gas field in the Amazon rainforest for the first time in a decade. The announcement was made on Wednesday at an event attended by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The move places Brazil's energy policy and climate commitments in the same frame at a sensitive moment for the country.The supplied material does not name the specific field, but it says the drilling is taking place in the western Amazon. It also says the new wells are the first at the site in 10... [Continue Reading]
Russia expands bank staff powers to counter drone threats
Russia's State Duma has passed a bill that would allow selected bank employees to help defend facilities against drones and other unmanned vehicles. The measure applies to banks and related sites, and it comes as Russian authorities face a growing number of drone attacks linked to the war against Ukraine. The law still needs approval from the upper house and the signature of President Vladimir Putin before it can take effect.Under the bill adopted on Tuesday, banks would pay for electronic warfare equipment at their facilities. Selected staff would be allowed to jam or intercept drone control signals and to... [Continue Reading]
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Uganda closes border with DR Congo as Ebola cases rise near 1,000
Uganda has ordered the immediate closure of its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo after suspected cases of a rare type of Ebola rose to near 1,000. The decision was taken by the Ugandan Ebola task force and applies to the frontier with the country's western neighbour. Authorities said the move was intended to limit further spread as the outbreak response continues.The Ministry of Health said travel across the border would be allowed only in emergency cases linked to the outbreak response, humanitarian operations, food and cargo transport, or security reasons. Diana Atwine, the ministry's permanent secretary, said those... [Continue Reading]
EU prepares tougher response to Chinese import pressure
The European Union's executive arm is set to back a tougher line on Chinese imports at a key meeting on Friday, according to the supplied report. The move comes as a flood of low-cost competition is said to be undermining local industries across the bloc. One option under discussion is a requirement for companies in key sectors to use at least three suppliers from two or more countries.The reported proposal is aimed at reducing reliance on China in sensitive parts of the supply chain. Industry commissioner Stephane Sejourne is said to support broader use of regulations designed to prevent foreign... [Continue Reading]
Russian strike injures 11 in daytime attack on Odesa commercial area
A Russian strike hit a busy part of Odesa on 28 May, injuring 11 people, including two children, according to regional authorities. The attack also triggered a large fire in a commercial area of the city. Emergency crews were sent to the scene as smoke rose above the affected district.Officials said the injured children were aged 11 and 12. Several adults were taken to hospital, and the head of Odesa's military administration, Oleh Kiper, said three of the injured were in serious condition. Emergency service representative Maryna Averina said around 50 firefighters were involved in the response, alongside rescue teams... [Continue Reading]
Israeli airstrikes hit towns in southern Lebanon
Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes this afternoon targeting the towns of Adshit, Kfar Tibnit, and Yohmor al-Shaqif in southern Lebanon. The report gives no figures for casualties, no assessment of damage, and no statement on whether the strikes were linked to any specific military objective. It only confirms that the airstrikes took place and that the locations named were targeted. The source identifies the attacking platform as Israeli warplanes and places the incident in southern Lebanon. No additional operational context is included in the text. Because the report is limited to a short strike notice, the verified facts are restricted to... [Continue Reading]
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Israeli airstrikes hit Tyre, Abbasiyeh entrance, Rashidieh camp and Naqoura road
Israeli airstrikes hit multiple locations in and around Tyre in southern Lebanon, according to the source. Israeli warplanes carried out a second strike on a building in the Al-Roz project area at the entrance of Abbasiyeh, north of Tyre, and completely destroyed it. The same report says an Israeli drone struck a chalet at the Turquoise resort on the Naqoura road. Additional Israeli airstrikes also targeted the city of Tyre itself and the Rashidieh Palestinian refugee camp south of the city. No casualty figures, arrests, or other confirmed immediate consequences are given in the source. The report provides only the... [Continue Reading]
Australia rejects backup plan as AUKUS submarine concerns grow
Australia's defence minister has rejected calls for a backup plan if the AUKUS submarine programme fails, saying the country must stay the course on what he described as an enormous task. Richard Marles made the remarks at the Indian Ocean Defence and Security Conference and Exhibition in Perth, where he was questioned about the pace and risks of the long-running plan. He said changing course again would amount to giving up on the goal of acquiring a new fleet of long-range submarines.Marles said Australia had no "plan B" and that "chopping and changing" would leave the country in an unthinkable... [Continue Reading]
Iran condemns latest US strikes in southern Iran as internet access is restored
Iran has accused the United States of carrying out new strikes in the country's south, saying the attacks amounted to bad faith and a violation of the ceasefire. The developments come as ceasefire negotiations continue and as Iranian authorities begin restoring internet access after one of the longest nationwide shutdowns in the country's recent history. The reported strikes and the partial lifting of the internet blackout together point to a moment of both military pressure and cautious reopening.According to the supplied material, the US military said its Monday strikes in southern Iran were defensive and targeted missile launch sites and... [Continue Reading]
Iran partially restores internet after 88-day shutdown
Iran has partially restored internet access after an 88-day nationwide shutdown, with fixed broadband resuming in some areas while mobile internet remained largely blocked. The change was reported on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, and appears to mark the first significant easing of restrictions since the blackout began. Users inside the country said access was still uneven, with some able to reach international websites at home while others remained cut off.The supplied material says the shutdown was imposed against the backdrop of the war with Israel and the United States. NetBlocks said live metrics showed a partial restoration on day 88... [Continue Reading]
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US says it struck missile sites and boats in southern Iran as Mojtaba Khamenei vows no US bases in the region
US Central Command says it carried out strikes on missile sites and boats in southern Iran overnight, in a fresh escalation in the confrontation between Washington and Tehran. The Iranian leadership responded with a forceful public statement from Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who said regional countries would no longer serve as staging grounds for US military bases. The developments come amid claims of ceasefire violations, reported explosions in Bandar Abbas and separate reports of casualties, although Tehran has not officially confirmed the strikes.According to the US military, the targets included missile sites and boats that were attempting to lay mines in... [Continue Reading]
US strikes in Iran as ceasefire talks continue over frozen assets
The United States has struck targets in Iran, in what is described as the first such attack since the start of the ceasefire. The strikes come as talks between Tehran and Washington continue, with both sides still trying to narrow differences over a possible deal. The latest escalation has added pressure to an already fragile diplomatic track.The confirmed reporting says the strikes took place amid ongoing negotiations and that Iran has accused the US of violating the ceasefire. Tehran is also seeking the unfreezing of Iranian funds as part of any agreement. The talks are taking place in Doha, and... [Continue Reading]
Iran warns regional states over US bases amid ceasefire tensions
Iran's supreme leader has warned that regional countries will no longer act as shields for US bases, in a written statement carried by state television. The remarks by Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei were issued in a message marking the Eid al-Adha holiday and come as Iran and the United States continue exchanges aimed at reaching a deal to end the war that began on 28 February. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since 8 April, but both sides have continued to accuse each other of violations.In the statement, Khamenei said the region's nations and lands would no longer serve as... [Continue Reading]
North Korea fires several projectiles, including ballistic missile, into Yellow Sea
North Korea launched several projectiles, including a short-range ballistic missile, into the Yellow Sea on Tuesday, according to South Korea's military. The launches were detected from the North Korean city of Chongju at around 1:00 pm local time. South Korea said the missiles flew about 80 kilometres before landing, and that it was analysing their specifications and flight range.South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had strengthened surveillance and vigilance in preparation for possible additional launches. It also said South Korea, the United States and Japan were maintaining a state of full readiness and closely sharing intelligence. The statement... [Continue Reading]
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Ireland cabinet to consider ban on goods from Israeli settlements
Ireland's cabinet is due to consider legislation that would prohibit the import of goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Helen McEntee is bringing the proposal to colleagues for approval, with the government aiming to enact it before the summer recess in July. The move would make the importation of such goods an offence under section 14 of the Customs Act 2015.The bill is titled the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill. According to the government position set out ahead of the cabinet meeting, Ireland has long supported a peaceful resolution... [Continue Reading]
Hajj begins in Saudi Arabia as pilgrims face regional war fears
Muslims have begun the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as the region remains unsettled by the Iran war. Saudi authorities said last week that 1.51 million pilgrims had arrived from outside the kingdom, a figure that is 11,000 higher than last year. The pilgrimage is taking place amid concerns about renewed conflict, air traffic disruption and higher travel costs.The row of pilgrims began the first day of Hajj in Mecca, where they gathered at the Grand Mosque and performed tawaf around the Kaaba. They then travelled to Mina, about 5km away, where they are due to spend the night... [Continue Reading]
Australia's anti-corruption chief to face senators after shock resignation
Australia's National Anti-Corruption Commission chief Paul Brereton is due to face senators at estimates hearings after announcing his resignation. The hearing comes as questions intensify over the watchdog's leadership and the handling of conflicts of interest. It is also the first time he is expected to be questioned publicly since confirmation of a second investigation into his conduct.Brereton said on Monday that he would finish his term next month, two years early. He said he was stepping aside because the ongoing focus on matters relating to him was drawing attention away from the work of the commission. The latest scrutiny... [Continue Reading]
Strait of Hormuz reopening faces major shipping backlog
An agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz would not immediately restore normal shipping through the waterway. The reported deal is expected to be followed by a complicated effort to move a backlog of vessels that have been stranded for nearly three months. The issue centres on one of the world's most strategically important shipping routes, where any disruption can quickly affect trade and energy flows.The confirmed detail in the supplied material is that about 1,500 ships are caught in the backlog. The vessels have been stranded for nearly three months, and the reopening is described as only the start... [Continue Reading]
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Australia inquiry hears ASIO review did not revisit Bondi gunmen
Australia's royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion has heard that ASIO's 2024 review of past terrorism cases did not extend back to the men later linked to the Bondi attack. ASIO director-general Mike Burgess told the inquiry the agency limited the review to the previous 12 months after the terrorism threat level was raised in August 2024. The hearings are now moving into three weeks of evidence focused on intelligence and police decisions before the attack, much of it expected to be held in private.Burgess was the first witness in the latest phase of the commission's work and said... [Continue Reading]
RAF jet carrying UK defence secretary had GPS signal jammed near Russian border
An RAF aircraft carrying UK Defence Secretary John Healey had its GPS signal jammed while flying near the Russian border earlier this week, according to the information supplied. The flight was returning to the UK on Thursday after Healey visited British soldiers in Estonia. Pilots were forced to use a different navigation system after the plane's GPS was disabled during the three-hour journey.The incident is believed to have involved Russian interference, although it is not known whether Healey was specifically targeted. The flight path was visible on aircraft tracking websites, according to the report. The Ministry of Defence has been... [Continue Reading]
Garden Grove chemical tank fire leaves more than 40,000 under evacuation orders
Firefighters in Garden Grove, California, are still working to cool a tank filled with a toxic chemical that remains at risk of explosion or breach. The incident is being treated as an active hazardous-materials emergency, and more than 40,000 residents remain under evacuation orders. The latest confirmed update shows the situation is still unresolved and that the immediate public safety risk remains high.The new information adds clearer scale to the emergency. Officials have said the tank contains a toxic chemical, but the exact substance has not been released in the supplied material. The tank is described as unstable, with the... [Continue Reading]
Britain prepares mine-clearing mission linked to Strait of Hormuz
British forces in Gibraltar are ready to deploy autonomous mine-hunting equipment for a possible mission connected to the Strait of Hormuz. The preparation is described as contingent on a peace agreement being reached. The reported staging point is Gibraltar, at the tip of Spain, where the equipment is being readied.The only confirmed detail is that the forces are preparing autonomous mine-hunting equipment rather than carrying out an active operation. The mission would be tied to clearing the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic maritime chokepoint. No timing for deployment has been given beyond the condition that a peace agreement would need... [Continue Reading]
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Eleven Irish Gaza flotilla detainees due to arrive in Dublin after deportation via Turkey
Eleven Irish citizens detained after Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla are due to arrive at Dublin Airport this lunchtime. The group is expected to land on a Pegasus flight from Istanbul at about 1pm, after being deported from Israel via Turkey. Supporters and family members are expected to meet them on arrival.The Department of Foreign Affairs says it is providing all appropriate consular assistance. The Irish citizens were among 14 from Ireland and 430 people in total detained when the flotilla was boarded in international waters. The activists had been part of a convoy seeking to break the... [Continue Reading]
Fear the Shia, Arm the Sunnis: The Uncomfortable Numbers Behind America’s War Narrative
“When fear is managed carefully enough, a nation can be taught to look away from the blood on the floor and stare instead at the shadow on the wall.” A friend of mine, whose name I will not reveal because he asked me not to, sat across from me over dinner and placed a question on the table that would not leave me alone. He was born into a Muslim Shia background, and for the angle of this article, that detail matters, not because I wish to reduce a man to a sect, but because sect has become one of... [Continue Reading]
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Mob burns Ebola centre at Congo hospital amid outbreak
Several hundred people gathered at the gates of a hospital in Congo demanding the body of a suspected Ebola victim, before violence broke out when staff refused to hand it over. The confrontation escalated into an attack on an Ebola centre at the hospital, which was burned amid the outbreak. The incident adds a new layer of disruption to an already fragile public health response.The supplied material says the crowd numbered several hundred people and that the dispute centred on burial arrangements for the suspected victim. Staff refused the request, prompting the violence. No further details are given on the... [Continue Reading]
GAS, GOD, AND GUNS: The Secret Agenda Behind the Washington Talks and the Death of the Maritime Border
The mahogany tables of the U.S. State Department are hosting a ghost today. As official delegations from Israel and Lebanon convene for a third round of high-stakes negotiations this Friday, May 8, 2026, the air in Washington is thick with the scent of a "peace" that looks increasingly like a strategic ambush. While the world watches the diplomatic theatre, the reality on the ground in Southern Lebanon tells a story of a predatory recalibration. Prime Minister Netanyahu isn’t just looking for a ceasefire; he is aiming to hit three birds with one single, devastating stone: the annexation of land, the... [Continue Reading]
The Great Uncoupling: Abu Dhabi’s Sovereign Gambit
The UAE’s decision to cut ties with OPEC is far more than a mere adjustment of energy policy, for it functions as a political telegram written in barrels and sent directly to the heart of the global order. For nearly six decades, Abu Dhabi operated within the rigid architecture of producer discipline, where it accepted the rituals of quotas, the formality of communiqués, and the heavy burden of collective restraint. It played the long game of oil diplomacy with a patient hand, balancing its own massive national ambitions against the gravity of cartel discipline and the delicate logic of Gulf... [Continue Reading]
The Mirage of the Umbrella: The Shifting Sands of the U.S.-Israel-GCC Alliance
As I sat in a recent debate at the historic Carlton Club in London, listening to Faisal Abbas, the Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, I felt a tangible shift in the room, not because a new fact had been revealed, but because an old illusion had finally lost its last breath. The old-world order has not merely changed, it has evaporated, leaving the Gulf to realize it is no longer watching a distant fire from the safety of marble towers and air-conditioned ministries, but is instead standing directly inside the smoke. The GCC today is caught in a lethal crossfire between... [Continue Reading]
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The Glass Elevator to Nowhere: A World Trapped in a Chocolate Factory
As a journalist in my mid-fifties, I thought my skin had thickened to the point of being impenetrable. I have covered the rise and fall of regimes, the grinding gears of the Cold War's leftovers, and the digital revolutions that promised to unite us. I thought I had seen every trick in the political playbook. Then came Donald Trump’s 2026 foreign policy, and I realized I was not watching a statesman; I was watching a child play with a chemistry set he does not understand. The Willy Wonka of the West: Rule by Whim Walking into a press briefing lately... [Continue Reading]
Lessons learned from Dubai … 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, you’re fooling yourself: that’s like expecting the lion not to eat you because you didn’t eat it. It applies to humans and... [Continue Reading]
When Deterrence Becomes Reality
Yesterday the war crossed a line! For years the Sejjil ballistic missile existed mostly as a symbol. A weapon paraded in military videos, discussed in defense briefings, whispered about in strategic circles as one of Iran’s most serious capabilities. A weapon that analysts described as deterrence, not something meant to be used. But on March 15, 2026, that line disappeared. Iran reportedly launched the Sejjil (also known as Ashoura) as part of what Tehran called the 54th wave of Operation True Promise 4, a massive strike package that also included the Fattah hypersonic missile and the Qadr ballistic missile system.... [Continue Reading]
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]
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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]
WAR CRIMES OR HUMANITY ON LIFE SUPPORT?
The Thin, Bloody Line Between Justice and Jungle Rule IS KILLING WITHOUT MERCY NOW LEGAL? By Anthony Sterling In September 2025, the United States military launched what became known as Operation Southern Spear, a lethal campaign targeting suspected drug smuggling vessels in international waters. The stated objective was to combat narco trafficking networks operating beyond territorial jurisdiction. The ethical shock came on 2 September 2025, when a double strike in the Caribbean left survivors clinging to wreckage for nearly an hour. Drone footage reportedly showed two individuals waving from debris after the first impact. Instead of rescue, three additional munitions... [Continue Reading]





