Iraq says September 30 deadline for US-led coalition withdrawal is final
Iraq has said that September 30 is the fixed and final date for ending the military mission of the US-led coalition in the country and completing the departure of its forces. The announcement came after Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met US Central Command Commander General Brad Cooper, according to the prime minister's office. The statement said the move would mean Iraq is free of any foreign military presence from October 1.The office said the deadline had been agreed during al-Zaidi's visit to Washington in mid-July. It added that both sides discussed the timeline again during the latest meeting, and... [Continue Reading]
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Pentagon report says U.S. strikes on Houthis killed 153 civilians in Yemen in 2025
A Pentagon annual report has said that U.S. strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen killed 153 civilians during an April 2025 campaign. The disclosure, obtained by the Associated Press, focuses on three airstrikes carried out that month as the United States responded to Houthi attacks on shipping and Israel. The deadliest strike was at Ras Isa port, where the report says 80 civilians were killed and 171 others were injured.The report was presented to the U.S. Congress as part of an annual assessment of civilian casualties from American military operations. It says the April strikes were part of a wider... [Continue Reading]
Trump says US will keep control of Strait of Hormuz as blockade continues
President Donald Trump has said the United States has total control over the Strait of Hormuz and will keep it, in a fresh escalation of rhetoric over one of the world's most important shipping routes. He described the US naval blockade as a "wall of steel" and said Iran could do nothing about it. The comments came as the war with Iran continues to disrupt shipping through the narrow waterway.Trump made the claim in a post on his Truth Social platform and repeated it to reporters late on Tuesday, saying: "We have total control over the Hormuz Strait right now.... [Continue Reading]
Trump says pro-Israel lobbying groups have lost influence in Washington
United States President Donald Trump has said pro-Israel lobbying groups no longer hold the same sway in Washington and on Capitol Hill as they did two decades ago. He made the remarks in a pre-taped interview that aired on Tuesday on the conservative network Real America's Voice. Trump linked the change to shifting attitudes in Congress and among American voters.In the interview, Trump said that if one looks back 20 or 25 years, pro-Israel groups had "the most powerful lobby in Washington." He added that the situation now is different, saying he had never seen anything like the change in... [Continue Reading]
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Russia economy under strain as deficit widens and strikes deepen
Russia's economy is showing fresh signs of strain as a widening budget deficit and deeper Ukrainian strikes test its resilience. A new report says growth is expected to slow to its weakest pace since 2022, even though Moscow has so far withstood years of Western sanctions and war spending. The picture is complicated by a separate windfall from higher global energy prices linked to the war in the Middle East, which has lifted Russian oil revenue.The report says the budget deficit is widening and that Ukrainian strikes are reaching deeper into the economy. It also says Russia still has more... [Continue Reading]
Strait of Hormuz transit falls to one-week low as Trump repeats control claim
Transit through the Strait of Hormuz fell to a one-week low on Tuesday, with only eight vessels crossing the waterway, according to the supplied material. The drop comes as talks aimed at easing the wider conflict remain stalled and shipping continues to face heightened risk. The strait is one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints, so even a short-term fall in traffic has immediate implications for energy flows and freight movement.The new figures compare with roughly 130 to 140 vessels before the war, underscoring how sharply traffic has been reduced. The supplied rows also say the latest count was... [Continue Reading]
North Korea threatens stronger military response over South Korea nuclear submarine plan amid missile launch
North Korea has condemned South Korea's plan to build nuclear-powered submarines and warned it will seek a military power that is "impossible to survive" if the project goes ahead. The warning came on Wednesday, the same day North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward the East Sea, according to South Korean and Japanese authorities. The two developments together point to a sharper round of tension on the Korean peninsula ahead of major joint military exercises by South Korea and the United States.North Korea's vice foreign minister, Jang Kum-chol, said the South Korean submarine plan was increasing instability in the regional... [Continue Reading]
Iranian Quds Force chief visits Baghdad for talks on disarming armed groups
An Iraqi source has said the head of Iran's Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, made an unannounced visit to Baghdad earlier this week for talks on the Iraqi government's plan to disarm armed groups. The source said Qaani held behind-the-scenes meetings with Iraqi political and security leaders, as well as commanders of Shia paramilitaries, on Monday. The discussions reportedly focused on bringing weapons under state control as Baghdad moves toward a September 30 deadline.According to the source, the Iranian message delivered through Qaani was that there should be no handover of faction weapons at the present time. The source said Tehran... [Continue Reading]
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Trump confirms secret plane swap after alleged Iran threat during NATO summit travel
United States President Donald Trump has confirmed that he secretly changed aircraft during travel linked to a NATO summit in Turkiye after what he described as a potential assassination threat from Iran. He said the move was made on the advice of the Secret Service and the military, and that he complied with their instructions. The aircraft change took place on 8 July and was not disclosed publicly at the time.Trump told reporters that he was moved between planes in a catering truck in Ankara, while journalists and top aides remained on the original aircraft. He said the plane he... [Continue Reading]
Russia frees ailing ex-US Marine Robert Gilman as he returns to the United States
Russia has freed former US Marine Robert Gilman, who had been detained since 2022, and he has now returned to the United States for medical care. The release was described by US officials as being on humanitarian grounds after discussions involving President Vladimir Putin and US special envoy Steve Witkoff. Gilman arrived at Dulles airport near Washington on a State Department plane before continuing on to a rehabilitation centre in San Antonio, Texas.US officials said Mr Putin approved a pardon for Gilman and that Russia did not seek any concessions in return. Mr Witkoff said Gilman could now return to... [Continue Reading]
Ukraine says it has sent new proposals to the United States on ending war with Russia
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kyiv has handed the United States new proposals aimed at ending the war with Russia. He made the announcement in a nightly video address on Tuesday, saying the plan had been conveyed to the American side. The statement comes as both Ukraine and Russia have suggested that US negotiators may soon visit their countries.Zelenskyy said Washington could help strengthen Ukraine's defences, especially its air defences, while increasing pressure on Moscow to prepare for an end to the war rather than prolonging it. He did not disclose the contents of the proposals. The war began in... [Continue Reading]
US military disables Panama-flagged ship near Iranian port as blockade enforcement continues
US Central Command said a Navy MH-60 helicopter fired missiles into the engine room of the Panama-flagged M/V Vela Nova after the vessel ignored repeated warnings and tried to approach an Iranian port. The command said the ship was disabled on Tuesday and was no longer transiting to Iran in violation of the US blockade. The incident was described as the third forced halt since Washington reinstated the blockade on 14 July.CENTCOM said it has redirected 55 ships that tried to run the blockade and boarded two others as of Tuesday. It also said the earlier blockade period, from 13... [Continue Reading]
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Trump says Russia has released American ex-Marine Robert Gilman after talks with Putin
President Donald Trump made multiple posts on Truth Social in the last hour: Mehmet Oz announced that Medicaid will NO LONGER fund gender transition surgeries and hormones for minors. We are not going to pay for our innocent children to undergo these barbaric surgeries and practices, which result in unthinkable and irreversible harm to their young bodies. Thanks to our strong position and pressure on this issue over the past year and a half, dozens of U. S. hospitals have already ended this so-called "gender-affirming care, " and we expect many more to follow. Just think about all of the... [Continue Reading]
Day News Recap: Deadly conflict, disasters and political shocks dominate a grim global day
Yemen's government says four crew members were killed when a small cargo ship was hit in the Red Sea, in an attack it blames on the Houthis, underlining the continuing danger to shipping in the waterway. 🔗In Gaza, health reporting said miscarriages have tripled between January and June as pregnancy care worsens amid displacement and shortages, while Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a 15 point Gaza peace plan drafted by the US led Board of Peace, deepening his public dispute with Donald Trump. 🔗 🔗Ukraine and Russia kept up overnight strikes, with President Volodymyr Zelensky accusing Moscow of using North Korean missiles... [Continue Reading]
Spokane-area wildfires burn 10,000 acres and destroy more than 900 homes
Wildfires in and around Spokane, Washington have burned about 10,000 acres, destroyed more than 900 homes and forced more than 64,000 residents to evacuate. The fires spread rapidly across the area in strong winds, leaving neighbourhoods heavily damaged and prompting a major emergency response. No serious injuries or deaths have been reported in Spokane so far.The latest confirmed figures place the fires among the most destructive in the region this season. Officials said the blazes were moving quickly because of the wind conditions, while drought has added to the wider fire risk across the Pacific Northwest. The fires were described... [Continue Reading]
Breakfast News Recap: Ebola spreads in Congo as Middle East tensions, Ukraine strikes and oil risks mount
The World Health Organization says the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is still spreading, with health teams struggling to keep pace as the response lags behind the virus. 🔗In the Middle East, violence has widened on several fronts, with Houthi forces launching ballistic missile attacks on al Makha and Marib in Yemen, while UN peacekeepers said Israeli forces fired 455 projectiles into south Lebanon and breached Lebanese airspace 97 times over the same period. 🔗 🔗Gaza diplomacy also remains stalled after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally rejected a 15 point peace plan drafted by the US... [Continue Reading]
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Netanyahu rejects US-led Gaza peace plan as Trump defends ties
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected a 15-point Gaza peace plan drafted by the US-led Board of Peace, sharpening a public dispute with Washington over the next stage of the conflict. The plan links an Israeli military pullback to the disarmament of Hamas and the creation of a new Palestinian governing body. On Monday, United States President Donald Trump said his relationship with Netanyahu remained "very good" despite the disagreement.Netanyahu said on Sunday that the Israeli army would not withdraw until Hamas was "genuinely disarmed" and vowed that Israel would continue to counter threats against its forces and... [Continue Reading]
Pentagon presses US weapons makers to speed output amid stockpile concerns
The Pentagon has asked the US defence industry to accelerate weapons production as officials seek to replenish diminished munitions stocks. The request comes amid concerns that recent fighting with Iran has further reduced inventories of advanced missile interceptors. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the department is focused on boosting munitions acquisitions at what he called the pace the threat demands.Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg wrote to industry leaders on Wednesday and gave them 21 days to submit plans for faster delivery schedules or higher production of critical capabilities. In the memo, he said years-long development cycles are not acceptable and... [Continue Reading]
US condemns China's Scarborough Reef 'nature reserve' move amid South China Sea tensions
The United States has criticised China over a new move at Scarborough Reef in the disputed South China Sea, saying Beijing is using environmental language to strengthen its territorial claims. In a statement issued on Saturday, the US State Department said China was attempting to deny Filipino fishermen access to the waters around the reef, which lies near the Philippine island of Luzon. The statement rejected China's description of the area as a "national nature reserve" and said the move was part of a broader effort to advance sweeping maritime claims.The US said China's approach relied on "dubious environmental and... [Continue Reading]
Todd Blanche confirmed as US attorney general after narrow Senate vote
The US Senate has narrowly confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general, ending a contentious confirmation fight over his independence and ties to President Donald Trump. The Republican-led chamber approved him by a 50-49 vote, with Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska opposing the nomination. Blanche had already been serving as acting attorney general since April, but the confirmation gives him a firmer mandate to lead the Department of Justice.The decisive vote came from Senator Bill Cassidy, who said he believed Blanche was the best option the president would put forward. Washington had been waiting for... [Continue Reading]
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Saudi intelligence chief meets Iraqi prime minister in Baghdad amid tensions after deadly strikes
Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief, Khalid bin Ali Al Humaidan, has met Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Baghdad in an effort to ease tensions between the two governments. The meeting came after weeks of strain following deadly cross-border strikes on Iraq. During the talks, Al Humaidan renewed an invitation for al-Zaidi to visit Riyadh.According to the Iraqi prime minister's office, the meeting took place on Friday and focused on how Baghdad and Riyadh can improve coordination on security issues as regional tensions continue. Al-Zaidi had previously cancelled an earlier trip to Saudi Arabia after the July 29 strikes. Those attacks... [Continue Reading]
US Senate passes Russia energy sanctions bill as House vote is delayed
The US Senate has passed a tougher sanctions package aimed at Russia's energy revenues, adding fresh pressure on a central source of funding for Moscow's war effort in Ukraine. The bill passed by 86 votes to 11 and now moves to the House of Representatives, where a vote is not expected until at least early September because of the congressional summer recess. The legislation is framed as a way to increase economic pressure on Russia while also targeting the maritime networks used to evade existing embargoes.The measure, called the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, would impose... [Continue Reading]
US-backed diplomacy on Libya power-sharing gains momentum
A new diplomatic push aimed at unifying Libya's rival eastern and western authorities is gathering momentum, according to the supplied reporting. The effort centres on a power-sharing deal that would bring the country's competing political camps into a single framework. Turkiye is also said to be involved in efforts to bring the parties together.Libya has been divided since 2014, with rival governments in the east and west and two separate seats of government. The country has also had two prime ministers, reflecting the depth of the political split. The reporting says a number of international diplomatic initiatives have failed over... [Continue Reading]
US appeals court blocks Trump White House ballroom project
A US federal appeals court has ordered Donald Trump's administration to stop construction of a $400 million ballroom on the site of the White House's demolished East Wing. The ruling is a major setback for the president in a dispute over how far the executive branch can alter the White House without congressional approval. The court said the White House is not the property of any one president and cannot be fundamentally reshaped through executive action alone.The Washington-based US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued its decision in a 2-1 opinion. It upheld a preliminary injunction... [Continue Reading]
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Iran and Oman agree shipping-route coordinates as Trump says war may end soon
Iranian officials are reviewing a preliminary bill that would bar US, Israeli and other "hostile" vessels from transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports cited by a parliamentary source. The development comes as Iran and Oman said they had agreed on coordinates for shipping routes through the strait, a waterway that remains central to global energy and maritime security. The latest comments also follow remarks by Donald Trump that he believes the war with Iran is nearing an end and that he is involved in negotiations.The reported bill is being examined by an Iranian parliamentary committee, while Iran's Fars... [Continue Reading]
US push for Hormuz naval coalition stalls as Europe hesitates
The United States is still trying to assemble an international naval mission for the Strait of Hormuz, but key European partners appear reluctant to move ahead. The effort is aimed at escorting vessels through the strategically vital waterway, where disruption has continued to strain the global economy. According to the supplied material, the United Kingdom and France had previously left open the possibility of taking part, but now seem unwilling to proceed without clearer conditions.The reporting says Washington has spent months promoting the idea of a coalition to secure shipping in the strait. It adds that the plan was first... [Continue Reading]
Trump threatens leakers as reports of US munitions shortages deepen amid Iran war
President Donald Trump has escalated his public response to reports that US munitions stocks may be under strain during the war with Iran. In a post on his Truth Social platform, he said the United States has a vast supply of munitions and threatened jail terms for people he described as leakers. He also said large amounts were being manufactured and shipped as needed, rejecting the suggestion that the military was running short.The latest reporting said Trump asked Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth about the issue at a cabinet meeting at Camp David last Friday, with the Washington Post citing two... [Continue Reading]
North Korea fires ballistic missile as Kim Yo-jong threatens Japan
North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Thursday toward the sea off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, according to the supplied report, in a move that came after Kim Yo-jong issued fresh threats against Japan. The launch was detected from the Wonsan area and tracked toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. It adds to already elevated tensions between Pyongyang, Tokyo, Seoul and Washington.The report says Kim Yo-jong warned two days earlier that North Korea could make "new military choices" and accused Japan of trying to conceal an ambition to become a military power.... [Continue Reading]
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Trump imposes 15% tariff on polysilicon imports after national security review
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing a 15% tariff on imported products made from polysilicon, a material used in semiconductors and solar panels. The order also sets minimum import prices for polysilicon and related products. It follows a national security investigation into overseas production of the material and is aimed at supporting domestic manufacturers.Trump said in the order that he had accepted recommendations from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to introduce the tariff and the minimum price measures. The administration also said it would offer incentives to boost domestic production. The move comes as the US faces... [Continue Reading]
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]
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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]
US-Iran negotiations remain stalled as Vance says agreement will take time
US Vice President J.D. Vance has said any agreement with Iran will take time, as Washington continues to face frustration over efforts to end the war and address nuclear issues. In an interview on Thursday, Vance described Iranians as "extraordinarily difficult" and said the diplomatic process was being slowed by what he called the fragmented nature of Iran's system.His comments add to signs that the talks remain unsettled despite pressure for progress. Vance said the United States is frustrated with the pace of negotiations and that any deal, particularly one involving Iran's nuclear programme, would be a lengthy process. He... [Continue Reading]
US tightens curbs on foreign-made robots and tech linked to China rivalry
The United States has moved to tighten restrictions on foreign-made humanoid robots and certain power inverters, in a step framed by officials as a national security measure. The move comes amid a wider technology rivalry with China that spans artificial intelligence, chips and industrial supply chains. It also reflects growing concern in Washington about dependence on overseas manufacturing in sectors seen as strategically important.According to the supplied material, the US has banned imports of foreign-made humanoid robots. It has also blocked power inverters used in data centres and solar energy systems. The measures were presented as part of a broader... [Continue Reading]
THE BATTLE FOR ALI AL-TAHER: HOW A SOUTHERN LEBANON AMBUSH SHATTERED TRUMP’S WASHINGTON AGREEMENT
A catastrophic military escalation in Southern Lebanon has successfully disrupted the highest levels of global diplomacy. Just days after the signing of the United States and Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), an armoured battlefield clash on the strategic heights of Ali al-Taher has effectively frozen implementation talks scheduled to begin today in Switzerland. The crisis provides an alarming look at how kinetic actions on the ground can instantly sabotage geopolitical blueprints designed in Washington. The Official Statement from Hezbollah Following the midnight clashes, the media wing of Hezbollah issued a formal, comprehensive statement outlining their strategic justification and rejecting accusations... [Continue Reading]
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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]
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]
The Mirage of the Umbrella: The Shifting Sands of the U.S.-Israel-GCC Alliance
As I sat in a recent debate at the historic Carlton Club in London, listening to Faisal Abbas, the Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, I felt a tangible shift in the room, not because a new fact had been revealed, but because an old illusion had finally lost its last breath. The old-world order has not merely changed, it has evaporated, leaving the Gulf to realize it is no longer watching a distant fire from the safety of marble towers and air-conditioned ministries, but is instead standing directly inside the smoke. The GCC today is caught in a lethal crossfire between... [Continue Reading]
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The Glass Elevator to Nowhere: A World Trapped in a Chocolate Factory
As a journalist in my mid-fifties, I thought my skin had thickened to the point of being impenetrable. I have covered the rise and fall of regimes, the grinding gears of the Cold War's leftovers, and the digital revolutions that promised to unite us. I thought I had seen every trick in the political playbook. Then came Donald Trump’s 2026 foreign policy, and I realized I was not watching a statesman; I was watching a child play with a chemistry set he does not understand. The Willy Wonka of the West: Rule by Whim Walking into a press briefing lately... [Continue Reading]
The Madness of Power, From Balfour to the Edge of World War Three
A Voice in the Wilderness of War: Who Still Dares to Speak Truth While Empires March There are moments in history when the world suddenly accelerates toward disaster, moments when anyone who has studied history can feel the temperature rising even before the explosions reach their peak. The current escalation in the Middle East is one of those moments. According to the facts we now see unfolding, the United States and Israel made the unilateral decision to attack Iran without the approval of the United Nations, without a global coalition mandate, and without the support of most of the international... [Continue Reading]
The Proving Ground, When “Decent” Reporting Meets High-Tech Warfare
For two decades I have watched wars unfold not only on battlefields, but on screens. Today’s incident over Kuwait, involving the downing of a U.S. F-15 Strike Eagle, is not just another headline in the Iran conflict. It may be a signal that something larger is unfolding behind the noise. Iranian state outlets rapidly circulated imagery of an ejected pilot. Washington responded cautiously. But beneath the spectacle lies a deeper question, whose technology was truly being tested? The Gulf as a live-fire laboratory For years, China has refined export-ready variants of its air defense systems, particularly the HQ-9 family and... [Continue Reading]
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]
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