Israel expands de facto military control across Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, probe says
An investigation has found that Israeli forces now hold a de facto military footprint of about 1,000 sq km across Gaza, southern Lebanon and southern Syria. The report says the area under control extends well beyond declared boundaries and unannounced buffer zones. It describes the pattern as a widening of ground control during the war that began on 7 October 2023.The analysis compares official Israeli maps with satellite imagery, geographic information systems data and Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project statistics. It says military maps published after ceasefire agreements have not reflected the extent of operations on the ground.... [Continue Reading]
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Israel strike on Beirut suburb kills at least three as Iran deal talks continue
Lebanon's state media say at least three people were killed and 15 injured when an Israeli airstrike hit Beirut's southern suburb of Dahiyeh on Sunday. The strike reportedly struck a five-storey apartment building, causing extensive damage around the site. Israel said it targeted a Hezbollah "command centre" in the area after the armed group launched aerial targets towards Israel.The attack has drawn a direct political response from US President Donald Trump, who said it should not have happened at a moment when a peace deal with Iran was close. He said there should be no more attacks by Israel anywhere... [Continue Reading]
US says Tren de Aragua leader killed in Venezuela strike as Caracas confirms joint operation
The latest accounts add clearer timing and location to an incident that had already been described by Washington as a direct strike against the gang's leadership. Trump said the United States Southern Command carried out the operation and posted video that appeared to show a small building with a green roof exploding. Hegseth said US forces acted "in full collaboration with Venezuelan security forces", and Venezuela's statement confirmed its participation in what it called a joint operation.Guerrero Flores, also known as "Niño Guerrero", had been a long-standing target for US authorities. The US State Department had offered a reward of... [Continue Reading]
Ukraine strikes on Russian energy infrastructure acknowledged by Putin, as damage is admitted
President Vladimir Putin has publicly acknowledged that recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, depots, pipelines and fuel supplies are causing damage to the Russian economy and society. His comments came after weeks of intensifying attacks on energy and logistics infrastructure, including what was described as a Kyiv-claimed strike on a key oil refinery in Nizhnekamsk the previous night. Putin said the attacks were intended to sow confusion, but insisted they would not divide society or cause lasting economic harm.The remarks were carried by Russia's state-owned TASS news agency and were made on Friday. Putin said Russia was recovering quickly and... [Continue Reading]
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Netanyahu aide Jonatan Urich indicted over alleged classified leak to German newspaper
A senior media adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been formally indicted over the alleged leaking of classified military intelligence to a German newspaper. Prosecutors say Jonatan Urich was involved in passing on a document from IDF military intelligence in September 2024, in a case they say was intended to influence the public narrative around a hostage deal. The indictment also alleges that the leak was carried out despite the material being blocked by the military censor.According to the charges, the document was an internal Hamas memo obtained by IDF intelligence and later routed through Urich and former... [Continue Reading]
Israel's Lebanon buffer zone raises fears over maritime resources
Israel's imposition of a security buffer zone in southern Lebanon is drawing concern that it could become a longer-term attempt to control territory with potential oil and gas reserves. The zone, announced after a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, is said to extend into Mediterranean waters and into Lebanon's exclusive economic zone. That has raised questions not only about the land border but also about maritime boundaries and resource rights.According to the reported details, the map of the buffer zone was announced on 19 April by Avichay Adraee, the Israeli army's Arabic-language spokesperson. The line, which Israel calls the Yellow... [Continue Reading]
Trump says he will nominate Jay Clayton as US director of national intelligence
Donald Trump has said he will nominate federal prosecutor Jay Clayton to be the next director of national intelligence, in a move that would put a new figure forward to lead the US intelligence community. The announcement came on Thursday amid criticism over Trump's decision to make Bill Pulte the acting head of the office after Tulsi Gabbard resigned from the post. The role oversees and coordinates the work of 18 intelligence agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency.Trump said Clayton is currently the US attorney for the Southern District of New York and previously served... [Continue Reading]
Indian Navy removes unexploded warhead from Kochi-bound tanker after Oman incident
The Indian Navy says it has recovered and safely disposed of an unexploded missile warhead from the crude oil tanker MT Olympic Life after the vessel reported damage off the coast of Oman and continued towards Kochi. The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker was on passage from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to Kochi when it reported an explosion in its hull on 26 May. The Navy said the vessel later reported the presence of unexploded ordnance on board as it kept sailing towards the Indian port.According to the Navy, the operation was launched after information was received through the Information... [Continue Reading]
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Ukraine drone strikes cut Russia's Crimea supply route by 71%
Ukrainian forces have sharply increased drone strikes on the R-280 highway, a key Russian supply corridor in occupied southern Ukraine, according to the supplied report. The road, which Russia calls the Novorossiya route, links Rostov-on-Don with occupied areas including Mariupol and Melitopol before reaching Crimea. The report says military cargo traffic on the route fell by 71% in two weeks, with the road now described as Moscow's main land corridor for supplying forces in the south.The supplied material says the highway has been almost entirely closed to civilian traffic since late May. It also says video footage from drivers shows... [Continue Reading]
Iran says US strike destroyed drinking-water reservoirs in Hormozgan province
Iranian media says two concrete drinking-water reservoirs in southern Hormozgan province were put out of service after a US strike, adding a civilian infrastructure site to the wider exchange of attacks between the two countries. The reported damage was in Bamani district, in Sirik County, and the reservoirs were said to have a combined capacity of 2,500 cubic metres. According to the supplied material, the site served at least 20,000 people.The reporting says photographs were published on 10 June showing the reservoirs after the strike, and that weapons experts identified fragments at the scene as belonging to the GBU-39 series,... [Continue Reading]
Israeli airstrikes kill 16 in southern Lebanon as UN plans probe
Israeli airstrikes in and around the southern Lebanese city of Tyre killed 16 people on Wednesday, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency. The strikes hit Tyre and surrounding areas, adding to a day of renewed violence in a conflict that has continued despite recent ceasefire efforts. The United Nations human rights chief said an assessment mission will be sent to Lebanon next week to examine possible violations of international law by all parties involved.Volker Turk said the mission would be the first of its kind sent by his office to Lebanon. He said it would look at alleged violations... [Continue Reading]
Hegseth warns Cuba against acquiring weapons that could reach Guantanamo
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned Cuba against seeking military weapons that could reach the US base at Guantanamo Bay or the American mainland. He made the remarks during a visit to Guantanamo Bay on Wednesday, sharpening the tone of Washington's pressure on Havana. The warning comes as the Trump administration continues to threaten possible military intervention in the Caribbean island nation.Hegseth said it would be unwise for the Cuban government to try to procure or gain access to weapons capable of striking the base or the US homeland. He added that such a move would invite confrontation that... [Continue Reading]
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Reports say Russian forces have pulled back from Kinburn Spit after supply disruption
Russian forces appear to have withdrawn from the Kinburn Spit, a narrow strip of land in southern Ukraine that has been one of Moscow's westernmost military positions in the country. The reported pullback comes after Ukrainian drone strikes allegedly disrupted supplies to the position, according to a partisan account cited in the supplied material. The development concerns a strategically important area between the Dnipro-Bug estuary and the Black Sea, northwest of Crimea.The report says the disruption affected ammunition, fuel and food deliveries, which were described as having come to a standstill. It also says most members of Russia's 337th VDV... [Continue Reading]
US border wall completion targeted for late 2027, CBP says
The United States expects to complete construction of the southern border wall by the end of 2027, according to Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott. He said the reinforced barrier is intended to run along most of the US-Mexico border, with some exceptions where officials have decided a wall is not needed. Scott made the remarks at an event in Washington, describing the project as a primary border wall with additional technology to follow later.Scott said the wall would stretch from San Diego to the Gulf of Mexico, but that there would be gaps in selected areas. He cited... [Continue Reading]
Iran and Israel exchange fire as strikes hit Tehran and Bandar-e Mahshahr
Iran and Israel have exchanged fire in a fresh escalation that has widened concern across the region. The latest reported strikes hit Tehran and other Iranian cities, while a petrochemical complex in Bandar-e Mahshahr was also struck. The developments came after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched missiles at Israel overnight in retaliation for an attack on the southern suburbs of Beirut.According to the supplied report, people in Tehran heard loud bangs before noon on Monday and again in the early hours of the morning. The report says the Israeli military struck Tehran and other cities, and that the IRGC... [Continue Reading]
At least 37 killed as powerful Mindanao earthquake displaces tens of thousands
A powerful magnitude-7.8 earthquake off the coast of southern Mindanao has killed at least 37 people in the Philippines, with rescue teams still searching collapsed buildings for survivors. The quake struck early on Monday and hit coastal communities around General Santos and nearby areas hardest. Authorities say the disaster has also displaced tens of thousands of people and caused widespread damage to homes and public buildings.The Philippines Office of Civil Defence said four people are officially listed as missing, while search teams continue to check damaged structures for anyone trapped inside. The Philippines Coast Guard has deployed 150 responders, including... [Continue Reading]
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Philippines earthquake leaves at least 41 dead in Mindanao as aftershocks continue
The Philippines is continuing emergency and recovery operations after a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao on 9 June. Officials said at least 41 people were killed, more than 450 were injured and thousands were forced from their homes. The quake hit southern parts of the country and caused damage in General Santos City, Sarangani and other nearby areas.Authorities said the earthquake triggered tsunami warnings across parts of the Pacific before they were later lifted. More than 450 aftershocks had been recorded since the main tremor, including several measuring between magnitude 6.5 and 6.7. Those continuing... [Continue Reading]
Ukraine says it has recaptured more than 600 sq km as Zelenskyy claims Russia is losing the initiative
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russia is losing the initiative on the battlefield, as Kyiv reports fresh territorial gains in the war. In remarks given in London, he said the situation was better for Ukraine than it had been for two and a half years, while cautioning that conditions could still change quickly. His comments came alongside a separate claim from Ukraine's armed forces chief that Ukrainian troops have recaptured more than 600 square km of territory so far this year.Zelenskyy said Russia was not winning the war and suggested the Kremlin may struggle to scale up its offensive... [Continue Reading]
Philippine earthquake kills at least 37 and displaces more than 20,000 in Mindanao
Rescuers in the southern Philippines searched damaged buildings on Tuesday after a strong offshore earthquake centred near Mindanao killed at least 37 people and displaced more than 20,000. The quake struck on Monday morning and caused damage across several provinces, with officials warning that some collapsed or heavily damaged structures still needed to be checked for survivors or additional casualties. Many of those forced from their homes moved into emergency shelters after fears of a tsunami spread through coastal communities.The earthquake measured 7.8 magnitude, according to the supplied report, and was one of the strongest to hit the country in... [Continue Reading]
Philippines quake death toll rises to 37 as rescuers search collapsed building
Rescue teams in the southern Philippines are searching for survivors after a powerful offshore earthquake killed at least 37 people and injured about 400. The magnitude 7.8 quake struck off Sarangani province shortly before 7:40am local time on Monday, with the hardest-hit area reported in General Santos on Mindanao. In the city, rescuers were still working through the rubble of a collapsed commercial building that housed a grocery store, where two people were believed to remain trapped.Officials said two survivors had been pulled from the debris, while a third person was found dead at the site. Scanners had not detected... [Continue Reading]
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Hundreds of aftershocks hit southern Philippines after magnitude 7.8 quake
Hundreds of aftershocks have shaken southern Philippines after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Mindanao on Monday morning. Officials say the death toll stands at 37, with 487 people injured, and warn that the number could still rise as responders reach more affected areas. The quake has caused widespread damage across parts of the island, with buildings collapsing and roads cracked or blocked by landslides.Emergency teams are still working to reach coastal cities and towns, where the scale of destruction is becoming clearer. Bernardo Alejandro, an assistant secretary with the agency overseeing disaster response, said search and rescue remained the priority... [Continue Reading]
Iran and Israel halt strikes after retaliatory exchange
Iran and Israel have said hostilities between them have halted after a brief but significant exchange of strikes that raised fears of a wider regional confrontation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the "fire on that front is contained" hours after Tehran announced it had stopped its military action. The exchange came after Iran launched missiles at Israel on Sunday and Israel struck back, despite efforts by US President Donald Trump to dissuade Mr Netanyahu.According to the Israeli military, Iran fired nearly 30 missiles at Israel before Israel targeted military sites in the Islamic republic. Tehran then launched another round... [Continue Reading]
India: Preliminary probe says trapped gases caused deadly blast at Visakhapatnam Steel Plant
A preliminary inquiry has said a deadly explosion at the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd plant in Visakhapatnam, in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, was caused by the sudden release of entrapped gases from liquid steel. The blast killed eight workers at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, also known as RINL, and sent molten metal onto people working below. The incident happened on Monday afternoon during casting operations at the steel complex.According to the investigation report by the chief inspector of factories, the explosion took place at about 4.15 pm while a full steel ladle was being rotated and centred.... [Continue Reading]
India defends Great Nicobar mega-project as strategic maritime asset
India's proposed Great Nicobar Islands project is being defended by defence sources as a strategically important maritime and economic development near key international shipping routes. The Rs 81,000-crore plan includes an International Container Transshipment Port, a greenfield airfield, a Naval Air Station, a township and a power plant. It has drawn criticism from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who described it as a major scam and a grave crime against natural and tribal heritage.According to the defence sources, the project is intended to strengthen India's maritime posture in the Indo-Pacific and improve its ability to monitor sea lanes, support operations and... [Continue Reading]
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ICC prosecutor Karim Khan suspended pending member-state vote over misconduct probe
The International Criminal Court has suspended chief prosecutor Karim Khan and referred him to disciplinary proceedings over sexual misconduct allegations. The decision was taken by the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties, the court's governing body, and means the matter will now go before all 125 member states in a special session. Khan has rejected the move and denied wrongdoing.The bureau said its decision followed a report from a United Nations investigation, advice from an ad hoc panel of judicial experts and written submissions. It said the documentation would remain confidential and added that the suspension was not an... [Continue Reading]
Philippines earthquake off Mindanao kills at least 35 and triggers regional tsunami effects
At least 35 people have been killed and more than 200 injured after a magnitude 7.8 offshore earthquake struck near Mindanao in the southern Philippines, according to officials. The quake hit on Monday and caused damage across several provinces, including General Santos, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Davao Occidental and Zamboanga del Sur. It also triggered tsunami-related effects in coastal areas and prompted warnings that were later lifted.The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the quake was the strongest to hit the country this year. Its director, Teresito Bacolcol, said the epicentre was offshore near Mindanao at a depth of 33km,... [Continue Reading]
Iran launches retaliatory air attack on Israel after Beirut suburb strike
Iran has said it launched an air attack on Israel in response to an Israeli strike on the Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh, in a sharp escalation that has widened the regional confrontation. The Iranian operation, named Nasr, was announced after several hours of exchanges of fire between the two sides. Iranian authorities said the attack was carried out from multiple cities, including Kermanshah in western Iran, and that it was intended to show offensive capability rather than simply absorb strikes and respond later.According to the supplied material, the Israeli strike on Dahiyeh targeted a command centre of Hezbollah, the Lebanese... [Continue Reading]
Iran says it has halted attacks on Israel after first exchange of fire since truce
Iran's armed forces say they have halted military operations against Israel after the two countries exchanged strikes for the first time since April's ceasefire. The Khatam ol-Anbiya command said Iran had delivered a "painful response" to Israel and warned against continued attacks, including in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces are fighting the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah. The latest exchange has raised fresh doubts about whether the truce can hold and whether diplomacy can prevent a wider regional escalation.The immediate sequence began after Iran launched about 30 missiles at Israel in retaliation for a strike in Beirut on Sunday. Israel then responded... [Continue Reading]
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Philippines earthquake kills 15, prompts tsunami alerts across region
A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck offshore southern Philippines near Mindanao on Monday morning local time, triggering tsunami alerts in several countries and reports of casualties. The quake hit off the island's southern tip, near Sarangani province, and was felt across a wide area. Authorities in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan all issued warnings or advisories as the situation developed.The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake struck shortly before 7:40am local time, or 23:40 GMT on Sunday. It was centred 32km west of Maasim in Sarangani province and occurred at an estimated depth of 33km. By late morning,... [Continue Reading]
Iran and Houthi warnings raise fresh concern over Bab al-Mandab shipping lane
Iran has warned that the Bab al-Mandab Strait could be blocked if Israel escalates military action against Iran, while Yemen's Houthi rebels said Israel-affiliated vessels are again active targets in the Red Sea. The statements, issued on 8 June, put renewed focus on a narrow maritime corridor linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The route is one of the world's most important shipping passages and sits at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said the "resistance axis" had the capability to shut both the Bab... [Continue Reading]
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Iran says it launched Operation Nasr and struck Israeli air bases
Iran says it has launched Operation Nasr and targeted two Israeli air bases in a fresh exchange of fire with Israel. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps said the operation hit the Nevatim and Tel Nof air bases, describing the strikes as retaliation for Israeli attacks on radar sites in three areas of Iran. The latest round of strikes marks another sharp escalation in the conflict and follows a fragile ceasefire that had been in place since April.According to the supplied material, the IRGC Aerospace Force said it carried out the missile fire and framed the operation as a response to... [Continue Reading]
At least 19 dead after magnitude 7.8 quake off Mindanao in the Philippines
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake off the coast of Mindanao in the southern Philippines has killed at least 19 people, injured many more and triggered tsunami alerts across the region. The quake struck on Monday at 07:37 local time, or 23:37 GMT on Sunday, and was felt across several provinces in the south. Buildings collapsed in multiple areas, including General Santos, and emergency officials continued to assess the scale of the damage.Officials said at least 134 people were reportedly injured across South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos, although those figures still need to be verified by the national disaster... [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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WAR CRIMES OR HUMANITY ON LIFE SUPPORT?
The Thin, Bloody Line Between Justice and Jungle Rule IS KILLING WITHOUT MERCY NOW LEGAL? By Anthony Sterling In September 2025, the United States military launched what became known as Operation Southern Spear, a lethal campaign targeting suspected drug smuggling vessels in international waters. The stated objective was to combat narco trafficking networks operating beyond territorial jurisdiction. The ethical shock came on 2 September 2025, when a double strike in the Caribbean left survivors clinging to wreckage for nearly an hour. Drone footage reportedly showed two individuals waving from debris after the first impact. Instead of rescue, three additional munitions... [Continue Reading]
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]



