Lebanese residents return to pilot-zone villages in south as dispute over occupation continues
Dozens of displaced residents have begun returning to villages in southern Lebanon under the first phase of a US-brokered pilot-zone plan, even as local people and Lebanese security sources dispute whether the areas were ever occupied by Israeli forces. The villages named in the latest development include Froun and Ghandouriyeh, where residents started to go back on Monday after being forced out by Israeli bombardment. The move comes as the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel begins to be tested on the ground.The United States said Froun is part of the first phase of the pilot-zone plan, while Ghandouriyeh is... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
Cairo consultations focus on Horn of Africa and Red Sea security
Diplomatic consultations in Cairo involving Egypt, Somalia, Eritrea and a senior United States envoy have highlighted growing concern over security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. The talks took place in the Egyptian capital on 21 July and centred on regional stability at a time of heightened uncertainty. Public details of the discussions were limited, but the meeting itself signalled an effort to coordinate positions among key regional actors and Washington.According to the available statements, security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea was at the centre of the agenda. The consultations appear to have... [Continue Reading]
India and Moldova discuss UN reform and counterterrorism during Murmu state visit to Chisinau
President Droupadi Murmu has begun a state visit to Moldova, arriving in Chisinau for talks with President Maia Sandu. The visit is the first by an Indian head of state to Moldova since diplomatic relations were established in 1992. The two sides used the meeting to discuss reforms of multilateral organisations, including the United Nations Security Council, as well as cooperation against terrorism.According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the bilateral discussions also covered trade and investment, digital transformation, information technology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, education, culture and capacity building. A ministry official said both sides discussed the importance of reforming... [Continue Reading]
Trump says he discussed UK ties, North Sea oil, trade, and Hormuz Strait demining with PM Burnham
President Donald Trump made multiple posts on Truth Social in the last hour: - "I had a very good conversation with the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Andy Burnham. We discussed many subjects, including the outstanding relationship we have had with the UK. We will be meeting in the not too distant future for topics of mutual interest. The Prime Minister has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it and, of course, the U. We discussed North Sea Oil, Trade, the Military Alliance, Demining of the Hormuz Strait, and many... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
US-Iran conflict escalates as Trump vows Iran will pay for killing soldiers
US President Donald Trump has said Iran will "pay" after multiple American service members were killed in the widening conflict between the United States and Iran. His warning came as the US launched its ninth night of air strikes on Iran, according to the supplied report, marking another step in the exchange of attacks. The latest developments also included Iranian retaliation against US allies in Kuwait and Bahrain, signalling that the confrontation is spreading across the region.The report says Trump issued the threat on social media on Monday and said the directive had been passed to Secretary of War Pete... [Continue Reading]
Day News Recap: Iran conflict widens as deaths mount, UK gets new prime minister and markets turn risk off
The biggest escalation remained the conflict between the United States and Iran, with Washington saying it had carried out a ninth straight night of strikes while Tehran said mediators had relayed proposals to end the fighting and its foreign minister claimed talks were held under the threat of bombing. Iran's Revolutionary Guard warned the US it would receive an “unforgettable lesson”, and the supreme leader called for “sacred unity” as the confrontation deepened. 🔗 🔗 🔗 🔗 🔗Casualties linked to the wider conflict also rose. The Pentagon named two US soldiers killed in Jordan while defending against Iranian missile and... [Continue Reading]
President Trump says Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!
President Donald Trump made multiple posts on Truth Social in the last hour: - "Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America. He is fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which recently killed 52, 000 innocent protestors, and has spent the last 47 years killing American Soldiers, and others. The only ones that should be arrested are the people that led Iran into this unprecedented SPIRAL OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, something that should have been dealt with years ago, by previous Presidents!" - "Every time Iran kills an... [Continue Reading]
Explosion Outside New York Federal Building Prompts Terrorism Investigation After Suspect Detained
An explosion was reported outside a federal building in Lower Manhattan on Monday morning, prompting a law enforcement response at 26 Federal Plaza. Police said a suspect was detained after allegedly deploying an incendiary device outside the building. The incident is being treated as an anti-ICE attack, according to authorities.Officials said the device contained fireworks and flammable liquid. They also said fireworks placed in a garbage can were set off and triggered a blaze. The case is being investigated by the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, reflecting the seriousness with which authorities are treating the incident.The building at... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
Hundreds protest at Pine Gap in largest demonstration in decades
About 300 people have protested outside the Pine Gap defence facility in Alice Springs, in what organisers described as the largest demonstration at the site in decades. Arrernte traditional owners delivered a letter to the front gates demanding the return of their land, while protesters called for the facility to be closed. The rally took place on Monday afternoon near the high-security base, which is jointly operated by Australia and the United States.Police established traffic checks several kilometres from the site and stopped people about 200 metres from the gated entrance on foot. Protesters were required to show identification before... [Continue Reading]
Turkiye deepens military ties with Haftar-linked eastern Libyan forces
Turkiye is expanding its military cooperation with eastern Libyan forces aligned with Khalifa Haftar, in a move that marks a notable shift in its Libya policy. The reported outreach is centred on the eastern-based General Command and the self-styled Libyan National Army, rather than the Tripoli-based government Ankara previously backed. The development is drawing attention because it could alter the balance of influence in a country still shaped by rival armed and political centres.According to the supplied reporting, the cooperation includes understandings on developing military facilities and advanced surveillance systems. It also includes training programmes inside Turkiye for eastern Libyan... [Continue Reading]
Israel publicly criticises Labor draft Palestine policy ahead of Adelaide conference
Israel's embassy in Canberra has publicly criticised a draft Australian Labor Party policy platform on Palestine, in an unusual intervention into the party's internal decision-making ahead of this week's national conference in Adelaide. The embassy issued a four-page statement challenging proposed language on Palestine, Hamas, settler violence and annexation of Palestinian territory. The draft is due to be debated by delegates at the conference later this week.The embassy said the draft risked placing responsibility for the conflict on one side while giving insufficient attention to Hamas and Palestinian leadership. It also said the policy motions were still in draft form... [Continue Reading]
Breakfast News Recap: US strikes on Iran deepen as deaths mount and markets turn risk off
Two United States service members were killed and several others injured after Iranian ballistic missiles struck Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, sharply escalating the confrontation and adding to pressure on Washington to respond. đź”—The United States Central Command said it launched a new wave of strikes overnight, the ninth consecutive night of attacks, while Iran said it had hit US bases in Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan as the conflict widened across the Middle East. đź”— đź”—Another US service member died in northern Iraq after the controlled detonation of an unexploded drone munition, underlining the wider danger to American forces... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
Israeli ministers join march near Gaza calling for resettlement
Israeli cabinet members, parliamentarians and settler activists have joined a march toward the Gaza border to call for the rebuilding of Jewish settlements in the territory. The gathering took place on Sunday near the border fence and came despite a military order restricting access to the area. Video verified by the source showed dozens of Israelis assembled at the fence, while some participants were reported to have bypassed checkpoints through nearby hillsides.The event was organised by the settler group Nachala, which described it as the "March of Thousands" and said more than 10,000 people attended. Israeli media reports, however, estimated... [Continue Reading]
Belgium approves ban on imports from Israeli settlements as EU remains deadlocked
Belgium has approved a ban on importing goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. The decision was taken at the federal government's final cabinet meeting before the summer break, according to the Belgian News Agency. It makes Belgium one of a small but growing number of European countries to act unilaterally on the issue.The move fulfils a commitment made last year amid concern over Israel's bombardment of Gaza and the scale of the death toll there. Belgian foreign minister Maxime Prevot had pressed EU counterparts earlier this week in Brussels for a bloc-wide ban, but ministers remain... [Continue Reading]
Germany to join French nuclear exercise this year as Merz signals new deterrence doctrine
Germany will take part in a French nuclear exercise before the end of this year, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday, in a further step toward closer deterrence cooperation with France. He said German conventional forces would participate in the drill for the first time and suggested the move could be the beginning of a new doctrine, although he stressed it was too early to draw firm conclusions. The announcement came during a media conference with French President Emmanuel Macron near Cologne.Merz said the Franco-German initiative was not intended to replace NATO's nuclear umbrella and described it as complementary to... [Continue Reading]
Kim Jong Un hosts top Chinese official in Pyongyang as ties deepen
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has met Wang Huning, one of China's top political figures, in Pyongyang and pledged to deepen ties with Beijing. The talks were reported by North Korea's state media and took place during a visit by a Chinese delegation led by Wang, a member of the Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee. The meeting is the latest in a series of high-level exchanges between the two neighbours following Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea in June.Both sides said they would work to implement the agreement reached during Xi's visit last month, which was the... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
China launches 29-nation AI alliance as Xi calls for global cooperation in Shanghai
China has announced a new 29-nation World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation, adding a fresh diplomatic dimension to the country's push to shape global AI rules. The coalition was unveiled in connection with the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, where Chinese President Xi Jinping called for countries to cooperate on artificial intelligence. He also warned against any one country dominating the technology.Xi said AI development should not be treated as the work of a single country, but as a shared international effort. He urged governments to resist stretching the idea of national security too far in the AI field, and... [Continue Reading]
UN urges probe into deaths in Pakistan-administered Kashmir unrest
The United Nations human rights chief has called for an independent investigation into deadly unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Volker Turk urged Islamabad to carry out prompt, thorough and impartial inquiries into all civilian and security force deaths linked to the violence. The appeal comes as at least 31 people have been killed since last month, with tensions rising ahead of regional elections later this month.The unrest has centred on the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, an umbrella group of traders and activists. The movement began with protests over rising food prices and utility tariffs, but the immediate dispute now... [Continue Reading]
Cairngorms wildfire spreads across 3.7 miles, forcing evacuations in Scotland
Firefighters are spending a third day tackling a major wildfire in the Cairngorms after the blaze forced evacuations and closures in parts of the national park. The fire began in heathland at Ryvoan Bothy, near Nethy Bridge, late on Wednesday morning and had spread across 3.7 miles, or 6 km, by Thursday afternoon. Homes, businesses, campsites and a ski resort area in Glenmore Forest Park were evacuated or closed as a precaution.The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said the incident was being treated as a protracted operation, but said it had adequate resources in place. Nine fire appliances and specialist... [Continue Reading]
Japan revises imperial succession law while keeping ban on female emperor
Japan's parliament has enacted revisions to the Imperial House Law that change how the imperial family can be maintained, while leaving the ban on female emperors in place. The move allows women in the royal family to keep their status if they marry commoners, and it also opens the door for distant male relatives to rejoin the imperial family. The legislation was passed on Friday and is being described as a historic change to a system that has long governed Japan's hereditary monarchy.The new rules are intended to address concern over the shrinking size of the imperial family. According to... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
BIMSTEC security chiefs agree on joint action against terror and maritime threats in New Delhi
Security chiefs from BIMSTEC member states met in New Delhi on Thursday and agreed to deepen coordination on terrorism, organised crime and maritime security. The meeting was hosted by India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and brought together national security advisers and heads of delegations from the regional grouping. The discussions also covered cyber, energy and disaster-management cooperation, according to an official statement.The meeting endorsed new guiding principles for maritime law enforcement interactions at sea. It also adopted guidelines for the maritime component of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, which officials said are intended to help member states carry out... [Continue Reading]
Ilhan Omar renews push for US to join ICC amid Trump pressure
United States Representative Ilhan Omar has introduced a resolution calling on the United States to join the International Criminal Court, in a direct challenge to the Trump administration's approach to the tribunal. The move was announced on Wednesday and comes days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged to "dismantle" the court. The resolution also seeks to press the administration to lift sanctions and visa restrictions imposed on ICC officials.According to the supporting material, Omar's proposal would require the United States to ratify the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the court. She said joining the ICC would strengthen the... [Continue Reading]
Syria says it seized weapons shipment it claims was bound for Hezbollah via Iraq border
Syrian authorities say they intercepted a shipment of missiles, rockets and drones at the border with Iraq, claiming it was being moved through Syrian territory for Hezbollah in Lebanon. The seizure was announced on Thursday after customs officers searched an oil tanker-truck at the al-Tanf border crossing. Officials said the vehicle was heading towards the Syrian coastal city of Baniyas when it was stopped.Syria's General Authority of Ports and Customs said the weapons were hidden inside one of the tanker-trucks and were found during routine inspection procedures. According to preliminary investigations cited by the Interior Ministry, the shipment was intended... [Continue Reading]
Kyiv hit again as Russian missile strike kills at least two
Russian ballistic missiles struck multiple areas of Kyiv overnight into Thursday, killing at least two people and injuring five others, including a child, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. The attack hit the Sviatoshynskyi and Darnytskyi districts of the capital and triggered large fires at a warehouse and an administrative building. Emergency crews were still working at the scene as firefighters battled the blaze and search teams checked damaged structures for survivors.Officials said falling debris also damaged nearby properties, adding to the disruption across the affected districts. The strike came just hours after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
UN says more than 500 feared dead in Myanmar boat disasters
The United Nations has said more than 500 people are feared dead after reports of two large boat disasters off Myanmar since late June. The incidents are believed to have involved vessels carrying mainly Rohingya passengers who left from Rakhine State. One boat is said to have lost contact shortly after departure, while another is believed to have sunk off the Ayeyarwady coast on 8 July.In a joint statement, the International Organization for Migration and the UN refugee agency said preliminary information indicated that the two boats may have capsized off Myanmar's coast. One vessel was believed to be carrying... [Continue Reading]
French PM Lecornu's Morocco visit advances diplomatic reset
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has begun his first official foreign visit in Morocco, in a two-day trip that runs from July 15 to 16. The visit is being used to deepen the recent rapprochement between Paris and Rabat into a broader strategic partnership. It comes after France recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2024, a move that ended years of diplomatic ambiguity.Lecornu is travelling with about a dozen ministers, according to the supplied report, and the talks are covering defence, security, economic cooperation and investment. The visit is taking place in Rabat and is being presented as a... [Continue Reading]
Mexico rejects US DEA chief's claim of cartel links to government
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has rejected remarks by the head of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration that suggested Mexico's government is aligned with criminal cartels. Speaking at her daily news conference on Wednesday, Sheinbaum said the comments were baseless and sounded more like a political statement than one supported by evidence. The dispute adds to an already tense debate over how the two countries should cooperate on drugs and security.The comments came after DEA Administrator Terry Cole said on Tuesday that the Mexican government and cartel networks were "one and the same". Mexico's government responded that the remarks did... [Continue Reading]
French parliament approves assisted-dying bill, pending constitutional review
France's National Assembly has approved a landmark assisted-dying bill that would create a legal right to the practice for adults with incurable illnesses under strict conditions. Lawmakers passed the text by 291 votes to 241 after an intense ethical and political debate. The measure still needs approval from the Constitutional Council before it can take effect.The bill would allow a person to receive a lethal substance if they request it, with the substance either self-administered or administered by a doctor or nurse if the patient is physically unable to do so. Access would be limited to adults who are French... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
Irish central bank defends handling of Israeli war bonds before parliamentary committee
The Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland has defended the institution's handling of controversial Israeli war bonds, telling a parliamentary committee that it acted lawfully. Gabriel Makhlouf said the bank could not have prevented the bonds from being issued last year and could not stop them being issued again this year. He made the comments while appearing before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance in Dublin.Mr Makhlouf said he understood the importance of the Israeli Bond Programme to the Irish public, but rejected claims that the central bank had grounds to block the approval process. He said there were... [Continue Reading]
Nine killed as protest march stalls in Pakistan-administered Kashmir
At least nine people have been killed in clashes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir as a planned protest march toward the regional capital, Muzaffarabad, was temporarily stalled. The violence unfolded on Tuesday amid rising tensions linked to a protest movement led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee. Officials said the situation in and around Muzaffarabad was calm on Wednesday, but the unrest continued in other parts of the region.According to officials, security personnel raided a house on the outskirts of Rawalakot in Poonch district after receiving a tip-off about a weapons cache, but came under fire. One officer was killed... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
Greater Manchester moorland fire merges with Tintwistle Moor blaze as firefighters warn of days of work
Firefighters in Greater Manchester are continuing to tackle a large moorland blaze near Dove Stone Reservoir after it merged with a separate fire at Tintwistle Moor. Crews said the combined fire is likely to take days to extinguish because of dry ground, steep terrain and changing winds. The blaze has sent smoke across a wide area of the region, adding to the scale of the response.Greater Manchester Police said a 20-year-old woman has appeared in court charged with arson over the fire near Dove Stone Reservoir. The fire broke out on Saturday in Greenfield, Saddleworth, and later joined with the... [Continue Reading]
US Senate revises Russia sanctions bill to soften tariffs on India and China
US senators have introduced a revised Russia sanctions bill that would ease proposed tariff measures aimed at major buyers of Russian oil and gas, while keeping broader pressure on Moscow. The legislation was first tabled in April 2025 and has now been updated as lawmakers seek to move it forward with bipartisan backing. It comes as the United States continues to weigh how to punish Russia over its energy revenues without sharply widening the economic impact on other countries.Under the revised proposal, the maximum tariff on the five largest buyers of Russian oil and natural gas would be cut to... [Continue Reading]
US-Russian Soyuz mission launches to ISS from Baikonur
A joint US-Russian space mission has launched from Kazakhstan and is now in orbit on its way to the International Space Station. The Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft lifted off from the Russia-operated Baikonur Cosmodrome on Tuesday morning, carrying Russian astronauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina and NASA astronaut Anil Menon. The crew is scheduled to dock at the ISS later, where they are expected to stay for eight months.NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman attended the launch, making what was described as a rare visit to Baikonur and the first by a NASA chief in eight years. Before liftoff, he met Dmitry Bakanov,... [Continue Reading]
EU opens second accession negotiation area with Ukraine and Moldova
The European Union has opened a second area of membership negotiations with Ukraine, marking another step in Kyiv's bid to join the bloc. Moldova also opened its second area of talks on the same day, as several candidate countries advanced through the accession process. The developments were presented as part of a series of intergovernmental conferences linked to EU enlargement.The move follows the formal launch of the first phase of membership talks with Ukraine last month, after a long delay caused by opposition from Hungary. Joining the EU requires candidate countries to negotiate their way through six clusters of subjects... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
Australia warns of active Russian-linked hackers targeting critical industries
Australia's signals intelligence agency has issued a fresh warning that Russian-linked hackers are actively targeting critical industries across the country. The alert covers sectors including defence, communications, energy and financial services, with state and local government agencies also identified as vulnerable. The warning says the attackers are exploiting poorly secured network devices and outdated software to gain access to information.The Australian Signals Directorate said the hackers are using simple methods such as targeting poorly protected routers and guessing default passwords. It said the activity is linked to actors operating on behalf of Russia's Federal Security Service, and that the campaign... [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]
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]
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]
Sponsored



