Israeli strikes kill at least four in Gaza, including child and health official's son
Palestinian health officials say Israeli fire and airstrikes have killed at least four people in separate incidents across central and northern Gaza. The deaths were reported on Saturday in Nuseirat camp, Jabalia and near Gaza City, according to Gaza health authorities and medical services. The incidents add to the continuing toll from the conflict in the territory.A statement from Gaza's health ministry said a 10-year-old girl died after succumbing to wounds sustained earlier in the day from Israeli army fire north of Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip. The ministry also said an airstrike killed Baseer al-Barsh, the son... [Continue Reading]
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Inside Putin's world of bunkers, body doubles and growing paranoia
As Russians go to the polls this weekend, a new account has described the private world surrounding Vladimir Putin, focusing on his security, his habits and the sense of secrecy that shapes his movements. The report centres on Valdai, a wooded area between Moscow and Saint Petersburg, where the president is said to have a holiday home across the water from the town. It also points to claims of a wider network of bunkers, a special train and body doubles, all presented as part of the security culture around him.The article says the area around Valdai is home to about... [Continue Reading]
Houthis claim drone and missile attack on Riyadh airport and Saudi energy sites
The Houthis said they launched a large-scale drone and missile attack on Riyadh and on Saudi energy facilities on the Red Sea coast, after smoke was seen rising near the capital's international airport. A column of black smoke was visible near King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, hours after air raid alerts were issued in Riyadh. The incident came amid a renewed escalation in the conflict between the Iran-backed group and Saudi Arabia.In a statement posted online, Houthi military spokesman Yahya al-Sarea said the group used a large number of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones against what he described... [Continue Reading]
Syria says blast at military site in Deir Az Zor killed 11 soldiers
Eleven Syrian soldiers were killed in an explosion at a military site in the eastern province of Deir Az Zor, according to the country's Ministry of Defence. The blast struck a weapons cache inside a Syrian Arab Army position in the town of Ayyash, in western Deir Az Zor, officials said. Nine other soldiers were wounded in the incident, and the cause has not yet been determined.The ministry said a funeral procession was held on Saturday for the soldiers killed in the blast, a day after the explosion. State media showed mourners gathered outside the National Hospital in Deir Az... [Continue Reading]
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US weighs major troop reduction in Europe amid NATO tensions
The United States is reportedly considering a significant reduction in its military footprint in Europe, with one option said to involve cutting about one-third of the troops stationed there. The discussion comes as senior Pentagon commanders are expected to submit plans to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in the coming days. The reported review is linked to wider tensions over access to European airbases and burden-sharing inside NATO.According to the supplied report, the Pentagon is weighing several options as part of a NATO review announced in June. One scenario would withdraw roughly one-third of the estimated 68,000 US troops in Europe,... [Continue Reading]
Death toll rises to 31 in Pakistan police headquarters attack in Kohat
The death toll from the attack on a police headquarters complex in Kohat, in Pakistan's north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has risen to at least 31. Local officials said more than 100 people have been injured, and fighting was still under way inside the compound. The assault targeted the Old Police Lines complex, a district-level police headquarters in the town of about 220,000 people.Officials said attackers rammed a car packed with explosives into the police facility while officers and their families were praying in a mosque. A local official said at least 31 people, including 16 police personnel, had been killed... [Continue Reading]
Russia designates Cannes-winning director Andrey Zvyagintsev a foreign agent
Russia's Ministry of Justice has designated filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev a foreign agent, according to state media cited in the supplied material. The move comes after the director criticised Moscow's war in Ukraine and spoke at the Cannes Film Festival, where he won the 2026 Grand Prix for his film Minotaur. The designation places one of Russia's best-known contemporary directors in a legal category that carries restrictions and reporting obligations.The ministry said Zvyagintsev had spread false information about decisions taken by Russian authorities and the policies they pursue. It also accused him of interacting with foreign agents and said he lives... [Continue Reading]
Trump warns leakers over Iran coverage, signals tougher counterintelligence posture
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social at 18 September 2026 at 05:16 BST: "Very interesting. When we find you, you will pay a big price!!! President DJTWhat the disloyal leaks about Iran prove about Trump: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/08/27/iran-trump-took-an-enemy-its-word-if-only-past-leaders-had/" Explanation: President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social at 18 September 2026 at 05:16 BST: Very interesting. When we find you, you will pay a big price!!! President DJTWhat the disloyal leaks about Iran prove about Trump: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/08/27/iran-trump-took-an-enemy-its-word-if-only-past-leaders-had/ The post is a direct warning to internal leakers around Iran, and it signals a harder line on information discipline, counterintelligence, and message control inside... [Continue Reading]
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Pakistan pledges full commitment to defend Saudi Arabia amid regional security concerns
A senior Pakistani military spokesman has said Islamabad would defend Saudi Arabia against aggression "to any extent", in a fresh public commitment that comes as questions continue over regional security arrangements around the kingdom. Lieutenant-General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director-general of Pakistan's military media wing, said Pakistani forces would stand with Saudi Arabia "diplomatically and physically". He also said Pakistani personnel are already deployed to protect Mecca and Medina.Chaudhry made the remarks in an interview with a Saudi newspaper on Thursday, according to the supplied report. He did not say whether Riyadh had asked for additional Pakistani troops or direct involvement... [Continue Reading]
NATS says software defect caused UK air traffic outage and mass flight cancellations
The UK's National Air Traffic Services has said a software defect caused the air traffic control outage that disrupted flights earlier this month. The failure led to more than 2,000 cancellations and affected hundreds of thousands of passengers. Flights in and out of major airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Glasgow, were among those hit.In its initial report, NATS said the defect occurred in the system that underpins the management of UK airspace. It said the problem happened in the space of a millisecond and caused corrupted data to be produced. With controllers left with reduced information, restrictions were introduced... [Continue Reading]
Russia votes for a second day in tightly controlled State Duma election amid war and political crackdown
Voting is continuing in Russia's three-day election for the State Duma and regional offices, with the ballot expected to reinforce President Vladimir Putin's political control. The vote runs from 18 to 20 September and comes as Russia's war in Ukraine continues into its fifth year. Only parties that back Putin and the war are on the ballot, while Yabloko, the country's only publicly anti-war party still operating inside Russia, has been barred.The election will fill all 450 seats in the State Duma, along with governorships in 11 federal regions and seats in regional legislatures across 39 federal subjects. Voters are... [Continue Reading]
Breakfast News Recap: Iran scrutiny deepens as Middle East tensions rattle energy, shipping and diplomacy
The United Nations mission on Iran said there are reasonable grounds to believe the United States committed war crimes in its strikes, widening scrutiny of the conflict as Tehran faces fresh international pressure. 🔗 In a separate blow to efforts to monitor Iran, Russia and China vetoed a UN move to extend sanctions monitoring, while Washington also moved against Iranian crypto networks. 🔗Energy and shipping remained under strain across the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is rerouting crude through ship to ship transfers off Oman’s Sohar port as disruption linked to the Strait of Hormuz blockade continues, and crude prices have... [Continue Reading]
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Western sanctions on Israeli settlements trigger election-season backlash
Israel has reacted angrily after the United Kingdom, France and Canada imposed sanctions over illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. Senior Israeli figures described the move as an attempt to interfere in the country's politics ahead of October's elections. Analysts, however, say the measures are unlikely to shift voter behaviour in a deeply polarised campaign.Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused the UK foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, of spreading what he called "outrageous lies" after Miliband accused Israelis of ethnically cleansing the occupied West Bank. Israeli President Isaac Herzog also condemned the sanctions, calling them a "gross interference in the... [Continue Reading]
UN Syria meeting turns into Israel-Turkiye dispute over military presence in Syria
The United Nations Security Council's monthly meeting on Syria's post-Assad transition turned into a sharp exchange over military presence inside Syrian territory. Syria, Israel and Turkiye used the session to accuse one another of undermining stability, according to a UN summary of the meeting. The discussion shifted away from the transition itself and toward competing claims over who has the right to operate on Syrian soil.Syria's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ibrahim Olabi, said he had hoped to focus on the country's progress but was forced to address Israel's actions. He accused Israel of penetrating villages, displacing people, bombing facilities... [Continue Reading]
Florida Republican criticises Trump immigration crackdown ahead of US midterms
A Republican congresswoman in Florida has publicly broken with Donald Trump over his immigration crackdown, saying some enforcement measures have gone too far. Maria Elvira Salazar, who represents a heavily Latino district in Miami, made the criticism in a new 30-second campaign ad recorded in front of the White House. The ad was released in English and Spanish and comes as she faces a competitive re-election race ahead of the US midterm elections.In the video message, Salazar told the president that Hispanic voters who backed him in 2024 feel betrayed. She said the immigration enforcement efforts had overreached, placing her... [Continue Reading]
UN mission says US may have committed war crimes in Iran strikes as findings widen scrutiny of Tehran
The United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran has said there are reasonable grounds to believe the United States committed war crimes in two strikes in Iran in February. The mission said the attacks hit a primary school in Minab and a sports complex in Lamerd, killing civilians and damaging civilian infrastructure. It also said Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their crackdown on protests in late 2025 and early 2026.According to the report, the strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab killed at least 156 people, including about 120 children, while the Lamerd strike killed 22... [Continue Reading]
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India-Pakistan naval collision in the Arabian Sea raises escalation fears
Pakistan and India have traded fresh accusations after their naval vessels collided in the Arabian Sea, prompting both governments to summon each other's diplomats. Pakistan said the Indian warship entered its exclusive economic zone, while India said the collision took place in international waters. The incident has sharpened concern about unintended escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbours, coming more than a year after their four-day air war in May 2025.According to the supplied material, the collision happened on Tuesday and the diplomatic protests followed on Wednesday. Pakistan's Foreign Office said its navy had been conducting the biennial SEASPARK-26 exercise inside its... [Continue Reading]
More than 900 Gaza wheelchairs remain stuck in Jordan warehouses amid aid restrictions
More than 900 wheelchairs donated for injured children in Gaza are still being held in warehouses in Jordan, according to the supplied reporting. The shipments, sent by two Australian charities, have not reached the children they were intended to help because of restrictions on aid deliveries into Gaza. The wheelchairs are being stored in facilities managed by the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization on the outskirts of Amman.The donations arrived in Jordan in two separate consignments in February 2025 and a third in October 2025. They came from Kids on Wheels Alliance, based in New South Wales, and Wheelchairs for Kids,... [Continue Reading]
UK trade unions back boycott and sanctions motion against Israel
The Trades Union Congress has voted to support a motion calling for boycotts and sanctions against Israel, in a move that marks the first time the UK labour federation has backed the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement. The vote took place on Wednesday at the organisation's annual conference in Brighton, southern England. The motion was passed unanimously, according to the supplied report, and was framed as a response to the war in Gaza and violence in the occupied West Bank.The congress represents more than 5.3 million workers across the United Kingdom. The motion called on the organisation to take action against... [Continue Reading]
South Africa rejects planned US visa sanctions over alleged racial discrimination
South Africa has rejected a planned United States policy to restrict visas for people accused of enabling race-based discrimination against white Afrikaners. The dispute centres on claims about land seizures, alleged discrimination and accusations of incitement to violence. Pretoria said the US position was based on mischaracterisations promoted by fringe groups.South African Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said the government remained committed to dealing with the issue through its constitutional institutions, democratic processes and the rule of law. His comments came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the new policy on Tuesday. Rubio said Washington... [Continue Reading]
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Malaysia offers Myanmar leader visit in push to repatriate Rohingya refugees
Malaysia has offered to invite Myanmar's military ruler for an official visit as part of an effort to speed up the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim made the offer on Wednesday, saying the move was intended to open a diplomatic channel with Myanmar's military-backed leadership. If accepted, the visit would mark another step out of isolation for Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power in a 2021 coup and has been seeking greater international legitimacy.Anwar said on a podcast that Malaysia could be friends with Myanmar, trade with it and accept the country, but that Myanmar must also... [Continue Reading]
Djibouti seeks urgent aid as Yemen arrivals rise beyond national capacity
Djibouti has appealed for urgent international assistance after officials said the number of people arriving from Yemen has already exceeded the country's capacity. Interior Minister Omar Abdi Said said more than 2,500 Yemenis had arrived since Thursday last week, with the total expected to rise to about 10,000 in the coming weeks. The arrivals are linked to heavy fighting in western Yemen, where civilians are continuing to flee across the Red Sea to Djibouti.Said said the influx of migrants has already exceeded national capacity and that the country is facing increasing pressure as international funding declines. He called on the... [Continue Reading]
US accuses Russia-linked network of plotting killings of Ukraine allies overseas
The US Department of Justice has accused five men of taking part in an alleged Russian intelligence-linked plot to murder people aligned, or perceived to be aligned, with Ukraine in the United States and Europe. The announcement says the men were charged in connection with a conspiracy that involved paying, or trying to pay, people to target those individuals. All five accused remain at large, and it is not clear from the supplied material where they are located.According to the Justice Department, three of the defendants are described as high-ranking members of the Russian intelligence network. They include Yuri Khrameev,... [Continue Reading]
At least 20 killed as Gaza City building collapse leaves nearly 100 feared trapped
At least 20 people have been killed after a war-damaged apartment building collapsed in the Tal al-Hawa area of Gaza City, with rescue teams saying nearly 100 Palestinians may still be under the rubble. The six-storey building crumbled on Wednesday onto nearby homes and tents after earlier damage from Israeli attacks left it cracked and structurally unsound. Civil Defence teams said they were still searching for missing people and recovering bodies from the wreckage.Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for the Civil Defence agency, said rescue workers were continuing to work through the debris and that the number of people still trapped... [Continue Reading]
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Republican lawmaker moves to impeach US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth
A Republican member of the US House of Representatives has moved to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of violating constitutional limits on the use of military force. Thomas Massie read articles of impeachment in the House on Tuesday, setting up a long-shot effort in a chamber controlled by Republicans. The move centres on criticism of US military actions, including the war on Iran, and on allegations that Hegseth has shown disregard for civilian harm.Massie said Hegseth had waged war without congressional approval, carried out extrajudicial killings and paid little attention to civilian casualties in military operations. He said... [Continue Reading]
Iran seizes assets of 240 dissidents and journalists as protest arrests top 6,000
Iran's judiciary has seized assets belonging to 240 dissidents, journalists and public figures and frozen 182 bank accounts, according to a report by the judiciary-affiliated Mizan news agency. The measures were announced as Police Chief Ahmadreza Radan said more than 6,000 people had been arrested over the January protests. The reported seizures were concentrated in Tehran, where 143 of the cases took place.Mizan said those targeted were accused of propaganda activities or actions against the country and in favour of hostile governments. It said some of the assets belonged to journalists working for Persian-language opposition broadcasters Iran International and Manoto,... [Continue Reading]
Yemen government forces advance in Taiz as Houthis claim attacks on Saudi Arabia
Yemeni government-aligned forces have advanced in western Taiz after repelling a Houthi offensive, according to the supplied report. The fighting is taking place in southwestern Taiz province, where clashes have intensified as both sides seek to consolidate positions. The report says the advance followed support from air strikes targeting Houthi gatherings.The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, said on Monday that they launched attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia using dozens of ballistic missiles and drones. They said the strikes targeted military facilities and infrastructure, including aircraft hangars, radar installations, runways and ammunition depots at King Khalid airbase in Khamis... [Continue Reading]
Turkey detains dozens in raids on gay bars and LGBTQ activists' homes
Police in Turkey have detained 47 people in coordinated raids on gay bars and the homes of LGBTQ+ activists, according to officials. The operations took place across 12 provinces over the weekend and were linked by authorities to a campaign called "My Family is Safe". One of the groups targeted was the LGBTQ+ association Kaos GL.The Istanbul chief prosecutor's office said 26 people were detained and that officers seized drugs, digital equipment, smuggled alcohol and a firearm during the raids. In a separate statement, the Ankara chief prosecutor's office said another 21 people were detained as part of an investigation... [Continue Reading]
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BRICS summit in New Delhi adopts declaration amid divisions over Iran, Ukraine and tariffs
BRICS leaders have adopted a joint declaration on the first day of their two-day summit in New Delhi, despite visible divisions over the wars in Iran and Ukraine. The New Delhi Declaration called for restraint in the Middle East and criticised unilateral tariffs, but it avoided naming the United States, Israel or Iran. The agreement was reached as leaders from the expanded 11-member bloc gathered in the Indian capital for talks on war, trade and global economic pressure.The declaration was adopted on Saturday, with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin among those attending the summit. According to... [Continue Reading]
Niger military reshuffles top army command after failed mutiny
Niger's military government has appointed a new head of the armed forces after a failed mutiny that tested the junta's control over the security apparatus. A decree read on state television on Friday announced that General Mamane Sani Kiaou would replace General Moussa Salaou Barmou at the top of the armed forces. The reshuffle also included the promotion of General Abdourahmane Abou Zataka to army chief of staff.The changes follow a mutiny that began on 28 August and lasted almost 24 hours, according to the supporting report. Fighting was reported at the presidential palace, Niamey's international airport and a nearby... [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]
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]
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 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]
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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]




