British Columbia wildfire emergency deepens as Bald Range fire grows and evacuations expand
British Columbia has declared a provincial state of emergency as the Bald Range wildfire and other blazes continue to force evacuations across western Canada. The fire has grown to about 9,500 hectares and remains out of control, with orders affecting Summerland, Peachland and other districts west of Okanagan Lake. Homes have been lost and residents have been moved out as conditions changed quickly.Premier David Eby said the situation was "very dynamic and threatening" and confirmed that people had been trapped as the fire spread, requiring rescues. Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes said a number of farms had been affected, while the... [Continue Reading]
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Royal Navy says it spent 21 days in July monitoring Russian vessels around UK waters
The Royal Navy says it spent 21 days in July shadowing Russian ships in the Dover Strait and the North Sea, as it reported a rise in activity around UK waters. It said patrol operations to monitor Russian vessels were up 25% last month compared with the same period a year earlier. The activity involved offshore patrol vessels, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft deployed to track repeated Russian voyages.According to the report, HMS Tyne, HMS Mersey and HMS Severn were used alongside Wildcat helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron and Merlin submarine-hunting aircraft. The vessels were shadowing Russian frigates Neustrashimy... [Continue Reading]
Ukraine warns of winter power crisis as Russian strikes kill four in Kyiv region
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that the country could enter winter with virtually no working thermal power plants after overnight Russian strikes killed four people in the Kyiv region, including a three-year-old child. He made the remarks during a visit to Belgrade, where he said the latest attacks and shelling of frontline communities had killed 13 people in the previous 24 hours. The comments came as Ukraine continued to report damage from intensified long-range strikes on its energy system and civilian areas.Zelensky said Russian missiles were being used to make life unbearable for Ukrainians and again called for stronger... [Continue Reading]
Iran says Hormuz reopening depends on conditions as Oman talks progress
Oman has said talks with Iran on securing a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz are progressing, while Tehran has warned that any agreement would not mean an immediate reopening of the waterway. The latest comments suggest movement in discussions over one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints, but they also underline that a final deal remains unresolved. The strait is a critical route for global oil and natural gas flows, so any change in access has implications well beyond the two countries involved.Oman's foreign ministry said the discussions were positive and warned against attacks on shipping that... [Continue Reading]
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UN warns Sudan war is destroying children's education
More than 8 million school-age children in Sudan are out of school as the country's civil war continues, according to a warning delivered by the United Nations. The alert was issued at an informal UN Security Council session on safeguarding education in Sudan, as the conflict reached its 1,210th day. The UN said the war is damaging classrooms, disrupting teaching and leaving large numbers of children without access to learning.Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said the conflict is depriving an "entire generation" of its future. She said nearly three-quarters of schools in Darfur have been damaged, destroyed or rendered unusable since... [Continue Reading]
Strike action at Port Hedland threatens BHP iron ore shipments this weekend
Industrial action at Port Hedland, Australia's largest bulk export port, is set to disrupt BHP ship loading this weekend. Members of three unions are due to begin a 24-hour ship loading ban today, followed by a further 24-hour general stoppage tomorrow. The dispute centres on pay and conditions at BHP's iron ore port operations in Western Australia's Pilbara region.Industry bodies say the stoppage could cost BHP about $100 million in revenue and reduce royalty income for the West Australian government by more than $7 million. The action follows months of tension between the miner and unionised workers, with employees previously... [Continue Reading]
DR Congo Ebola outbreak tops 4,000 as WHO urges vaccine trial
World Health Organization vaccine experts have recommended a full-scale human trial of the licensed Ebola vaccine Ervebo to assess whether it could offer cross-protection against the Bundibugyo strain spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The recommendation comes as government data show the outbreak has surpassed 4,000 confirmed cases and 1,850 deaths since it was declared in mid-May. The outbreak has spread across 53 health zones in five provinces, with Ituri remaining the epicentre.The latest Ministry of Health situation report cited 4,053 confirmed Bundibugyo cases and 1,850 deaths. According to the supplied material, 87% of cases are in Ituri... [Continue Reading]
World Food Programme moves to renew Palantir contract amid leaked audit privacy concerns
The United Nations World Food Programme is finalising a five-year renewal of its contract with US data software firm Palantir, despite privacy concerns raised in a leaked internal audit from 2025. The audit, seen by journalists, points to unease inside the agency about allowing the company to process data used in one of the world's largest humanitarian supply chains. The development has renewed scrutiny of how aid agencies handle sensitive beneficiary information.The World Food Programme, based in Rome, manages the SCOPE system, which contains biometric and other information on millions of aid beneficiaries. Palantir developed the Digital Operations and Transformation... [Continue Reading]
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Day News Recap: Middle East tensions deepen as Yemen, Iran and Gaza dominate a volatile day
Yemen saw the deadliest fighting in this window, with Houthi missile and drone attacks on military sites in Marib and Hadramawt killing at least 58 members of the internationally recognised government forces, while a separate Houthi strike on government held Marib killed two civilians and injured 14 others. π πThe fighting also fed fears of wider spillover, as reports said Saudi Arabia was being affected by the conflict and preparations were under way for a possible mine clearing operation in the Strait of Hormuz using uncrewed surface vehicles, underwater drones and explosive laden robots. π πIran remained at the centre... [Continue Reading]
Italy says it will keep Schengen controls on arrivals from Spain until at least 15 August
Italy said it will not accept ultimatums or outside pressure on national security and border control, and will not review its decision to suspend the application of the Schengen Agreement for third-country nationals arriving from Spain. Palazzo Chigi said the measure will remain in place until at least 15 August and, in any case, until security and terrorism risks for Italy have been completely ruled out. The statement said a new wave of migration is expected in Ceuta on that date, citing an announcement by the Spanish authorities. It said Italy cannot change the decision until it is certain there... [Continue Reading]
Ukraine volunteer team recovers bodies from front line in refrigerated van amid war
A Ukrainian volunteer team is recovering bodies from the front line and transporting them home in a refrigerated van, according to a report describing the work of a crew led by Mark Zydga. The team operates across areas affected by the war with Russia, where it says it must move through dangerous zones to collect the dead. The account says the volunteers are now focused on returning fallen soldiers to their families after first beginning as an evacuation group for civilians.Zydga, who is 27, said the crew has to deal with the smell of the bodies, damaged remains and the... [Continue Reading]
Day News Recap: Ebola outbreak tops 4,000 as Middle East tensions and Ukraine war intensify
Health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo said the Ebola outbreak has passed 4,000 confirmed cases, prompting a major escalation in the response as there are concerns the virus may be mutating. πIn the Middle East, tensions around the Strait of Hormuz deepened as Iran enforced a near total closure of the waterway while indirect talks with Oman continued, and shipping groups warned against any compulsory transit charges. π π Iran also tightened internal security at home, while President Masoud Pezeshkian said contact with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was very difficult after the reported wounding of the leader.... [Continue Reading]
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Argentina will not retaliate after Brazil downgrades diplomatic ties over Milei remarks
Argentina says it will not take diplomatic retaliation after Brazil downgraded relations in response to President Javier Milei's latest public attacks on President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno said Buenos Aires would not answer with its own measures after Brasilia said it would handle the relationship through a charge d'affaires rather than a full ambassador. The move marks the lowest point in ties between the neighbouring countries since Milei took office in 2023.Brazil's decision followed Milei's television interview on Sunday, in which he again called Lula "a thief", "corrupt" and an "ex-convict". Lula spent 580 days... [Continue Reading]
Netanyahu signals possible unilateral action as Iran war drags on
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested that Israel may act alone as the war with Iran continues, even as Washington and Tehran appear close to an interim deal on the Strait of Hormuz. The remarks came during a state ceremony in West Jerusalem and were framed by Netanyahu as a matter of Israel's security. The comments add to signs of strain in the US-Israeli campaign against Iran and raise fresh questions about the next phase of the conflict.Netanyahu said he was determined to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and described the United States as Israel's greatest ally.... [Continue Reading]
Trump signals ongoing U.S. action against Venezuela and Iran, while backing Hegseth
President Donald Trump made multiple posts on Truth Social in the last hour: - "The Fake News, as usual, is spreading false and completely unfounded rumors. I am extremely happy with the job that Pete Hegseth is doing. Everything has been extraordinary, including our attack on Venezuela, where the result was accomplished in less than one day, allowing us to bring one of the worst criminals anywhere in the World, Nicolas Maduro, to Justice! Likewise, Iran, where the country has been decimated for the purpose of NOT ALLOWING IT TO EVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, is going very well! Pete... [Continue Reading]
US Senate committee votes to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt over Covid-19 testimony
A Republican-led US Senate committee has voted to hold Dr Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he refused to answer questions about his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. The vote was approved by the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, following a hearing last week in which Dr Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times. The referral was pushed by Republican chair Rand Paul of Kentucky, who has long been one of Fauci's most prominent critics.Dr Fauci, 85, retired in 2022 after leading the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for 38 years. He became the... [Continue Reading]
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Ukraine says it hit Russian refineries and Black Sea vessels as war widens
Ukraine said it struck two oil refineries deep inside Russian territory and also hit patrol boats and other vessels in the Black Sea. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Bashneft-Novoil and Slavneft-Yanos refineries were targeted in attacks aimed at limiting oil revenues Moscow uses to finance its war. The strikes were reported on Thursday and were described by Ukrainian officials as part of a broader campaign against energy and transport infrastructure.Yaroslavl regional governor Mikhail Evraev said Slavneft-Yanos was on fire after what he called the largest enemy drone attack on the region during the war. He said 93 drones were shot... [Continue Reading]
Myanmar leader visits Thailand as he seeks ASEAN re-engagement
Min Aung Hlaing has met Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Bangkok in his first official visit to Thailand since the 2021 coup. The meeting comes as Myanmar's military-backed leader seeks broader regional acceptance and a return to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It also underlines Thailand's willingness to keep high-level contact with Myanmar despite the country's continuing civil war.During the talks, Min Aung Hlaing said his government was focused on ending the conflict and restoring peace. He told the Thai side that Myanmar had "reestablished itself on the path to democracy" and was moving toward a better future.... [Continue Reading]
Breakfast News Recap: Ukraine ports hit, Middle East tensions rise and markets rally on risk-on mood
Russia has intensified missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's Black Sea ports, with Odesa among the main targets, damaging port infrastructure and adding pressure on export routes that are already under strain. NATO says it is working urgently to supply Ukraine with air defences after Kyiv failed to intercept any of the Russian ballistic missiles fired in Wednesday's overnight strike. π πIn the Middle East, Israel said two reserve soldiers were killed in combat in southern Lebanon as fighting with Hezbollah continued near the border. The Israeli military also said it would keep operating proactively in Gaza, even as Prime... [Continue Reading]
Israel says two reserve soldiers killed in combat in southern Lebanon
The Israeli military said two reserve soldiers were killed during combat in southern Lebanon on Thursday, as fighting with Hezbollah continued in the border area. The deaths were reported amid ongoing military activity in a region that has remained a focal point of the conflict. The latest fatalities add to the pressure on efforts to contain the violence along the Lebanon-Israel frontier.According to the supplied material, the soldiers were killed while Israel was fighting the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. No further details were given in the row about the circumstances of the combat, the unit they served... [Continue Reading]
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Guatemala says Fuego eruption has ended as evacuees begin returning home
Guatemalan authorities said the eruption of Fuego volcano has ended after about 50 hours of activity, allowing more than 1,700 evacuated residents to return home. The announcement came on Wednesday after the volcano, one of Central America's most active, had been sending lava and ash into the air since Monday. Officials said the crater, about 35 kilometres from Guatemala City, was no longer showing the same level of activity.The country's Institute of Volcanology said the eruption had officially ended and urged continued caution because ash remained in the area and renewed activity could not be ruled out. Conred emergency services... [Continue Reading]
IDF says it will keep operating proactively in Gaza as Netanyahu rejects US-backed plan
Israel's military chief has said the Israel Defense Forces will continue to "operate proactively" in Gaza, signalling that operations will go on even as debate intensifies over a US-backed post-war plan. Eyal Zamir made the remarks after an operational tour on Wednesday, according to a military statement, following briefings from senior commanders on the situation on the ground. He said the army had "significantly weakened" Hamas and altered the security situation in the territory.Zamir said the IDF would continue to act "in accordance with the principle we have established" to eliminate threats and defend communities and their residents. His comments... [Continue Reading]
Iraq faces mounting crisis as Shia armed groups resist disarmament deadline
Iraq's government is facing a growing political and security crisis as a September 30 deadline approaches for restricting weapons to state control. The dispute centres on powerful Shia armed factions that have rejected or questioned the plan, even as some other groups have said they will integrate into the state's armed forces. The issue has become one of the clearest tests yet of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's authority over armed actors outside formal state structures.Kataib Hezbollah, described as one of Iraq's most heavily armed Iran-aligned paramilitary groups, has explicitly Ψ±ΩΨΆ the government's mandate and said it will keep what it... [Continue Reading]
South Korea records 42.5C as heatwave deaths rise
South Korea is facing an intense heatwave that has pushed temperatures to record levels and placed pressure on public health systems across the country. A high of 42.5C was recorded on Sunday in the southern city of Yangsan, the highest temperature since modern record keeping began. Authorities say at least 19 people have died during the heatwave, while Seoul is under a severe heat warning.The temperature reading in Yangsan marks a new national extreme and comes as the country experiences prolonged hot weather. Officials said the warning in Seoul is the first issued under a system established this year to... [Continue Reading]
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Qatar says regional mediation with US and Iran is in advanced stage amid escalation fears
Qatar says efforts to reach a short-term resolution between the United States and Iran are now at an advanced stage, with draft language circulating through regional mediators. Foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said in Doha that Qatar is working with Oman and Pakistan to exchange ideas and proposals between Washington and Tehran. He said the aim is to avoid further escalation, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reopen the door to diplomacy.Al Ansari said there are no direct US-Iran talks scheduled, but that mediation is continuing and that the parties remain in contact through intermediaries. He said the whole... [Continue Reading]
Major wildfire west of Athens forces evacuations as winds drive flames toward mountain communities
Hundreds of firefighters are battling a major wildfire west of Athens, with helicopters and water-dropping aircraft supporting the operation. Strong winds are pushing the blaze towards mountain communities, while crews work to slow its spread with firebreaks in forested areas. The fire has already destroyed homes and farmland, according to the supplied report.More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from the region, including more than 250 rescued by boat from beaches nearby. Evacuation orders were issued in the early hours of Monday for three more areas as the fire continued to advance. The response remains focused on protecting settlements and... [Continue Reading]
Greek wildfires burn homes in Porto Germeno as fires spread across the country
Porto Germeno west of Athens has woken to burned homes and blackened cars after another fast-moving wildfire swept through the area. Residents are beginning to assess the damage while firefighters continue to tackle flames across Greece. The latest destruction comes as the country endures a second straight week of major wildfires.The supplied report says hundreds of firefighters remain deployed as strong winds and dry conditions make containment difficult. Former Villia mayor Konstantinos Makrynoris described the past few days as "absolutely unacceptable", reflecting growing frustration over the scale of the damage. The report also says at least five people have died... [Continue Reading]
Romania uses controlled blast to divert Danube water to nuclear reactor amid drought crisis
Romanian naval forces have carried out a controlled explosion on the Danube to help redirect cooling water towards the country's remaining working reactor at the CernavodΔ nuclear plant. The operation took place as record-low river levels continued to disrupt power generation in Romania and neighbouring Hungary. Authorities said the measure was intended to keep the reactor operating during an acute water shortage linked to drought and heat.The blast used 180kg of explosives, according to a report cited in the supplied material, to move a large rock that was restricting the flow of water. Officials said the action would allow a... [Continue Reading]
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Pakistan-administered Kashmir election unrest deepens as second voting phase begins under heavy security
The second phase of regional voting in Pakistan-administered Kashmir began in Muzaffarabad on Sunday under heavy security, as protests, boycott calls and shutdowns continued to overshadow the election. Polling stations opened in the capital after two days of closures and empty streets, with paramilitary personnel and police deployed across the city. The vote is being held in three stages after weeks of unrest forced the Election Commission to split the process.The latest round follows a prolonged dispute over electoral reforms and representation, led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, a local pressure group that authorities banned on 5... [Continue Reading]
Paris court rejects appeal against expulsion order for Russian commentator Xenia Fedorova
A Paris administrative court has rejected an appeal by Russian television commentator Xenia Fedorova against an order requiring her to leave France. The ruling upholds measures taken by the French authorities after they accused her of spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda. The case adds a legal dimension to an already sensitive dispute over media, politics and national security in France.The court said Fedorova had failed to show that the order would have "serious personal consequences". French authorities ordered the 45-year-old to leave the country last week and also froze her assets for six months. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the decision was... [Continue Reading]
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Naples-area earthquake injures 26 as aftershocks continue in Campi Flegrei
A shallow magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck the Campi Flegrei volcanic area near Naples late on Friday, injuring 26 people and causing fresh damage in Pozzuoli. The quake was recorded at a depth of three kilometres and was followed by a series of smaller aftershocks. Around 300 residents were evacuated, with most of the damage concentrated in the town closest to the epicentre.Italy's civil protection service said five of the injured were taken to hospital. Several unoccupied buildings collapsed, and landslides were reported in the affected area. Officials have continued to urge caution as seismic and volcanic activity in Campi Flegrei... [Continue Reading]
Japan and US confirm rare joint intervention to support yen as officials signal more action
Japan and the United States have confirmed that they carried out a coordinated intervention in foreign exchange markets last week to support the yen. The move was aimed at stopping the currency from sliding to a fresh 40-year low, according to the supplied material. It is the first joint intervention by the two countries since 2011, making it a rare step in currency management.Japan's Ministry of Finance said the action took place on Friday and was intended to counter excessive volatility and disorderly movements in the yen. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said the coordinated foreign exchange actions were... [Continue Reading]
Fear the Shia, Arm the Sunnis: The Uncomfortable Numbers Behind Americaβs War Narrative
βWhen 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.β 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 Proving Ground, When βDecentβ Reporting Meets High-Tech Warfare
For two decades I have watched wars unfold not only on battlefields, but on screens. Todayβs 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]
There Is Good in Every Bad
Power, Greed, Oil, and the Theater of Modern Geopolitics The Business Model of Power Donald Trump does not govern like a traditional politician. He governs like a negotiator who believes every geopolitical crisis is leverage, every war threat is a bargaining chip, and every market panic is an opportunity. When markets tremble, someone profits. The question is, who? Global markets react instantly to political tension. Gold rises when conflict looms. Oil spikes when instability threatens production. Stock markets collapse on fear, then rebound on reassurance. Volatility is not chaos, it is opportunity. Historically, gold has surged during major geopolitical crises,... [Continue Reading]




