Day News Recap: Deadly strikes and unrest spread from Moscow to Sudan, while markets track yen and oil moves
Russia said a bombing at an upmarket restaurant in central Moscow killed five people and injured 19, and blamed Ukraine for the attack. đź”—Across the wider war, officials in Ukraine and Russia reported a fresh exchange of strikes that left at least 14 people dead in total, while a separate Ukrainian drone attack set fire to a Wildberries warehouse in Russia's Vladimir region and a Russian bombardment destroyed eight million books in a Kharkiv warehouse. đź”— đź”— đź”—In the Middle East, a second Qatari LNG tanker was struck in the Strait of Hormuz within a month, widening force majeure concerns,... [Continue Reading]
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Russian strike destroys eight million books in Kharkiv warehouse fire
A Russian bombardment on a warehouse in Kharkiv over the weekend destroyed eight million books, according to the publisher that stored them there. Firefighters were seen battling the blaze on Saturday after drone and missile strikes hit the site in the northeast of Ukraine. The publisher described the loss as an attack on Ukrainian culture.The fire broke out after the strike on the book warehouse, and a reporter saw emergency crews trying to bring it under control hours later. The incident was reported on Monday, with the publisher saying the destruction amounted to eight million books. The warehouse was in... [Continue Reading]
Sudan army drone strike on Darfur court session kills 35, rights group says
A drone strike in North Darfur has killed 35 people and injured dozens more during a traditional court session in a village controlled by the Rapid Support Forces, according to a local rights group. The attack took place on Sunday afternoon in Ghara al-Zawiya, in the west of Sudan, as the country's civil war between the Sudanese army and the RSF continues. The Emergency Lawyers Group said the gathering was held under a tree with local community leaders present.The rights organisation said the strike was carried out by the Sudanese army. The army has not commented on the allegation. A... [Continue Reading]
Turkiye and Iraq sign one-year oil pipeline transit deal
Turkiye and Iraq have signed a one-year agreement to keep crude flowing through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline, officials said on Saturday. The deal covers a stated transit capacity of 750,000 barrels per day and comes days after the previous bilateral arrangement lapsed. It was signed as both sides said they want to work toward a longer-term framework for the route.The agreement was concluded between Turkish state pipeline operator BOTAS and Iraq's state oil companies SOMO and NOC. Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the deal followed a "productive meeting" in Ankara with Iraqi Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair. He said... [Continue Reading]
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Sri Lanka court sentences former officials to death over Easter Sunday bombings as appeal looms
A Sri Lankan court has sentenced former police chief Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Ministry secretary Hemasiri Fernando to death over the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. The ruling was delivered by a three-member High Court bench in a 2-1 decision on Friday, after the state appealed a 2022 acquittal. It concerns the failure of senior officials to act on intelligence warnings before the attacks that killed hundreds and wounded more than 500.The court found the two men guilty of criminal negligence in connection with the coordinated bombings at three churches and three tourist hotels. According to the case record, an... [Continue Reading]
India's Modi says he forgives students after Cockroach protests
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he forgives students who shouted abuse at him during last month's Cockroach protests, describing them as "misled children" who should be guided rather than punished. He made the remarks in a video posted on social media late on Friday, according to the supplied report. The comments come after weeks of unrest linked to a youth-led movement that began over an exam scandal and spread across several Indian cities.The protests emerged in May after a crucial exam was voided when the questions were leaked, forcing more than two million students to retake it the... [Continue Reading]
Greek wildfires spread to several areas as winds worsen firefighting efforts
Wildfires are burning across several areas of Greece, including near Athens, as strong winds continue to drive the flames and complicate firefighting efforts. Emergency evacuations are under way in affected locations, while crews are working on multiple fronts to contain the blazes. Greek authorities have also issued emergency alerts for several areas and warned of extreme wildfire risk in Attica and Evia.More than 300 firefighters, 92 fire trucks, heavy machinery and aircraft have been deployed to the Boeotia region, where a major fire is still being tackled. The fire has affected the area around Agios Vasileios, about 80 kilometres northwest... [Continue Reading]
Labour retains Greater Manchester mayoralty as Bev Craig wins low-turnout vote
Labour has retained the Greater Manchester mayoralty after Bev Craig won the contest following a two-round count. Craig, who leads Manchester City Council, secured 47.15% of first-round votes before second preferences were added. The result keeps the post in Labour hands after a vote triggered by Andy Burnham's return to parliament.According to the published results, Craig finished ahead of Reform UK candidate Sian Astley, who took 21% in the first round. Because no candidate reached the 50% threshold needed for an outright win, the count moved to a second round. Labour then gained more than 58,000 additional votes from second... [Continue Reading]
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India youth protests end after education minister resigns over leaked exam paper
Nationwide protests in India have been called off after the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, ending a two-month campaign led by the Cockroach Janta Party. The movement had spread across the country through protests, sit-ins and hunger strikes, and organisers said they were claiming victory after the minister stepped down. The development marks a rare concession by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government after sustained public pressure.The protests were triggered by anger over a leaked exam paper linked to the national medical entrance test, which forced about 2 million students to sit the exam again. Local media reported that 20... [Continue Reading]
UK court clears Chinese embassy project in London to proceed as appeal is prepared
A British High Court has ruled that approval for China's planned new embassy in central London was lawful, allowing the project to move forward after a residents' legal challenge was dismissed. The decision concerns the Royal Mint Court site near the Tower of London, where China plans a 20,000-square-metre complex that would become the largest embassy building in the United Kingdom by area. The ruling removes a major legal obstacle to one of the most contentious diplomatic property projects in London.The challenge was brought by the Royal Mint Court Residents' Association, which represents families and businesses in about 100 nearby... [Continue Reading]
Peru constitutional court overturns ex-president Ollanta Humala corruption sentence
Peru's constitutional court has overturned a 15-year prison sentence handed to former president Ollanta Humala, nullifying the criminal proceedings against him in a major reversal in one of the country's most closely watched corruption cases. Humala, who led Peru from 2011 to 2016, had been convicted in 2025 over allegations that he accepted illegal funds to finance his election campaigns. He is now expected to be released from Barbadillo Prison in Lima, according to local media.The ruling centres on claims that Humala received money linked to the Venezuelan president and the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht for his 2006 and 2011... [Continue Reading]
Hamas accepts framework to disarm in Gaza under Palestinian supervision
Hamas has accepted a framework that would see its remaining heavy weapons in Gaza inventoried and stored under Palestinian supervision, according to people involved in the talks. The move is being described as a potential breakthrough in the Trump-backed peace initiative for Gaza. It follows months of difficult negotiations and comes after Hamas completed leadership elections that elevated Gaza-based leader Khalil al-Hayya.A senior Hamas official on the movement's negotiating team said the talks were long and extremely difficult. He said Hamas had insisted on the wording of "inventorying and storing weapons" under Palestinian oversight rather than handing them over to... [Continue Reading]
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US Iran war costs rise as missile interceptor spending mounts
The United States is spending heavily on missile interceptors and other munitions as its conflict with Iran continues, with analysts saying the cost is rising quickly. A report published on Thursday said the Pentagon has been drawing down stockpiles of high-end weapons to defend against Iranian attacks in the Middle East. The war has now been described as costing the United States tens of billions of dollars, with no clear end in sight.The report said a single SM-3 interceptor can cost up to $28 million, or about $40 million, and analysts estimate the US may have used more than 100... [Continue Reading]
Israeli strikes kill at least four, including children, across Gaza as ceasefire talks continue
Israeli strikes have killed at least four people, including children, across the Gaza Strip, according to the latest report from Gaza health officials. The attacks hit Khan Younis in the south, Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza and Gaza City, even as Hamas officials met mediators in Cairo to discuss the truce. The strikes were reported despite an ongoing ceasefire that has remained formally in place.Gaza's Ministry of Health said hospitals across the territory received six bodies and 34 injured people in the previous 24 hours. That total included four new deaths, one person who died from earlier injuries and... [Continue Reading]
Wildfire near Dunwich Heath forces evacuations close to Sizewell B
A major incident has been declared after a wildfire broke out at Dunwich Heath on the Suffolk coast. Homes have been evacuated, and a holiday park has also been cleared as firefighters worked through the night to contain the blaze. The fire is burning in large heathland close to the coast and has prompted warnings for people to avoid the area.Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said its crews have focused on protecting properties including Coastguard Cottages, Mount Pleasant Farm and Cliff House Holiday Park. The fire broke out shortly after 5.30pm on Wednesday and spread towards St James' Church. Officials... [Continue Reading]
Iran expected to receive Chinese air-defence missiles in coming weeks
Iran is expected to receive up to 400 portable anti-air missiles from China in the coming weeks, according to people familiar with the deal. The reported shipment is intended to strengthen Tehran's short-range air defences after months of conflict with the United States and Israel. The agreement is said to involve an intermediary company based in Hong Kong, with the equipment expected to move via Pakistan.The contract is reported to be worth between $60 million and $70 million, making it one of the largest known purchases aimed at rebuilding Iran's short-range air-defence capability since the conflict began. The systems mentioned... [Continue Reading]
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Bank of England expected to hold rates at 3.75% for fifth meeting
The Bank of England is expected to keep interest rates unchanged at 3.75% when policymakers announce their latest decision at 12:00 BST. That would mark a fifth consecutive hold and leave the benchmark rate at its lowest level since February 2023. The decision comes as the Monetary Policy Committee continues to weigh inflation that remains above target against a global outlook that remains uncertain.The committee meets eight times a year and its decisions affect borrowing costs for mortgages and loans, as well as returns for savers. The current expectation is for no change, with few analysts predicting any short-term move... [Continue Reading]
Iraq Eyes Supplying Turkey With 1 Million Oil Barrels a Day Amid Hormuz Crisis
Iraq is considering a major increase in oil supplies to Turkey, with a target of up to 1 million barrels a day, according to the supplied report. The proposal comes as concern grows over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy shipments. The development points to efforts by Iraq to position itself as a more significant supplier in regional energy trade.The report gives the figure of 1 million barrels a day as the scale Iraq is eyeing for deliveries to Turkey. It does not provide a timetable for when such flows could begin, nor... [Continue Reading]
Taiwan suspends Papua New Guinea LNG purchases amid diplomatic dispute
Taiwan has suspended some liquefied natural gas purchases from Papua New Guinea in response to an escalating diplomatic dispute over its representative office in Port Moresby. The move affects spot-market imports and comes after Papua New Guinea said it would shut Taiwan's de-facto embassy. Taiwan has not said it will end its long-term gas contract with the Pacific nation.The dispute intensified after Papua New Guinea's foreign minister, Justin Tkatchenko, announced earlier this month that the office would be closed in recognition of the country's One China policy. Taiwan rejected the decision as unilateral and said its officials would remain at... [Continue Reading]
Turkiye and Iraq announce new energy cooperation tied to Kirkuk oilfield stake
Turkiye and Iraq have announced a new energy cooperation framework that includes a Turkish stake in the Kirkuk oilfield and a possible increase in Iraqi oil supplies to Turkiye. The announcement was made in Ankara during a joint news conference between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. It comes as the long-running Iraq-Turkiye crude oil agreement expired on 27 July.Erdogan said state-owned Turkish Petroleum will acquire a 15% stake in BP Energy Company of Kirkuk Limited under a separate share-transfer agreement. He also said al-Zaidi had offered to supply Turkiye with up to 1 million... [Continue Reading]
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Iraqi PM visits Turkiye for talks on oil pipeline, water and security
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is in Turkiye with a senior delegation for talks focused on strategic cooperation, security, water and the economy. It is his first visit to the neighbouring country since taking office in May. The trip comes as Baghdad seeks to secure its energy interests and manage wider bilateral issues with Ankara.Government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi said the discussions would cover strategic cooperation alongside security, water and economic matters. A source from Iraq's Ministry of Oil said a technical delegation had arrived in Ankara late last week to try to finalise a one-year extension of the existing oil-export... [Continue Reading]
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]
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]
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]
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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]




