Russian warship carries out live-fire exercise off Plymouth coast as UK calls move irresponsible
A Russian frigate has carried out a live-fire weapons exercise in international waters off southern England, prompting a fresh response from the UK government. The vessel was reported to be about 40 miles, or 74 kilometres, south of Plymouth when it conducted the drill on Monday local time. British officials said the ship was identified as Neustrashimy and that it was shadowed throughout by the Royal Navy.According to the supplied report, the frigate informed HMS Tyne before firing and asked the patrol vessel to move to a safer position. The exercise then lasted for 30 minutes, with the Royal Navy... [Continue Reading]
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Israel file shows scrutiny of global NGOs over alleged BDS links
An internal Israeli government file has revealed how officials collected data on more than 150 charities and humanitarian organisations, with a small number singled out in comments for their perceived positions on the Israel-Palestine conflict. The spreadsheet, obtained online via the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, was compiled in 2013 and included basic contact details, leadership names and areas of work. It also contained remarks such as "critic of Israel", "involved in anti-Israel campaigning" and "highly involved in BDS".The document identified France-based Premiere Urgence Internationale as a "critic of Israel", Geneva-based Defence for Children International as "involved in anti-Israel... [Continue Reading]
Trump signals strongest U.S. regional position since Carter era
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social at 20 July 2026 at 18:56 BST: "Great words of wisdom from Highly Respected James Carafano. "Our position in the Region is the strongest that it's been since the end of World War II." "We have been dealing with this from Jimmy Carter. Since the days of Jimmy Carter, we have never had a position in the Region this strong to create a better future for the Region and then, that means a safer America, and I think that this is the price we are paying, Trust me, it's going to pay off... [Continue Reading]
France says two diplomats detained and one abused by Iranian security services in Tehran
France says two of its embassy officials were detained and interrogated for several hours by Iranian security services in Tehran, in what Paris described as a serious violation of diplomatic immunity. One of the officials was also physically abused before both were able to return to the embassy. The incident took place late on Sunday and was disclosed by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Monday.Barrot said the two diplomats were held without reason and questioned for hours before being released. He said they were now safe and expected to return to France within hours. The minister described the episode... [Continue Reading]
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IRGC pledges 'unforgettable lesson' for the US as Iran signals return to talks
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has issued a warning to the United States, saying it would receive an "unforgettable lesson" as Tehran signalled that it may return to talks. The remarks come amid a period of heightened tension between the two countries and suggest that Iran is trying to balance deterrent messaging with a possible diplomatic opening. The statement was reported on 20 July 2026 and is the latest sign of the fragile mix of pressure and negotiation shaping the relationship.The comments were made by the IRGC, one of Iran's most powerful security institutions, which plays a central role in... [Continue Reading]
Israel publicly criticises Labor draft Palestine policy ahead of Adelaide conference
Israel's embassy in Canberra has publicly criticised a draft Australian Labor Party policy platform on Palestine, in an unusual intervention into the party's internal decision-making ahead of this week's national conference in Adelaide. The embassy issued a four-page statement challenging proposed language on Palestine, Hamas, settler violence and annexation of Palestinian territory. The draft is due to be debated by delegates at the conference later this week.The embassy said the draft risked placing responsibility for the conflict on one side while giving insufficient attention to Hamas and Palestinian leadership. It also said the policy motions were still in draft form... [Continue Reading]
Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow-region logistics sites kill at least 8, evacuate maternity hospital
Russian officials say overnight Ukrainian drone strikes have killed at least eight people and wounded dozens after attacks hit logistics sites in the Moscow region and sparked a fire at an oil depot in Noginsk. The latest reports say a Wildberries depot in Elektrostal was struck, while a nearby maternity hospital was evacuated for safety. Regional authorities said emergency crews were still working at the affected locations as the scale of damage became clearer.In Elektrostal, governor Andrei Vorobyov said one person was killed and 37 others were injured after a drone fell on the warehouse. He also said a fire... [Continue Reading]
Ireland weighs Aughinish Alumina report as EU sanctions option remains open
Ireland is preparing to publish a report on the Russian-controlled Aughinish Alumina plant, with the findings expected to feed into a wider European Union discussion on possible sanctions. The site, on the Shannon estuary in County Limerick, has become the focus of a political and economic dilemma because of its links to Russia and its importance to the local labour market. The government is also weighing whether it would object if the European Commission moved to restrict alumina exports to Russia.About 1,900 direct and indirect jobs are tied to the plant, which refines bauxite into alumina before it is shipped... [Continue Reading]
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Ukraine's strikes on Russian fuel infrastructure deepen petrol shortages
Ukraine's long-range drone campaign against Russian fuel infrastructure has intensified since May, contributing to petrol shortages across parts of Russia and in occupied Crimea. According to the supplied analysis, the strikes have hit refineries, fuel depots and oil tankers in the Black Sea, forcing some sites to pause production. The result has been an unusual move for one of the world's largest oil producers: Russia has begun importing consumer petrol, mostly from India, to help cover shortfalls.The analysis says there were reports in June of at least six strikes on oil refineries and seven on fuel depots in Russia. It... [Continue Reading]
ABC and NBC skip Trump primetime address as he threatens broadcast sanctions
ABC and NBC declined to carry President Donald Trump's primetime address on election security on their main broadcast networks on Thursday, setting off a fresh clash between the White House and major television broadcasters. CNN also chose not to air the speech live on its main channel. During the address, Trump accused the networks of colluding in a "plot" by skipping the broadcast and said fraud of this kind should lead to a revocation of their licences.The speech came as Trump repeated claims about election fraud and said the FBI had uncovered evidence tied to a large-scale voter registration operation... [Continue Reading]
Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 4,930 as missing count remains high
The confirmed death toll from the June earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to 4,930, according to lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez. The United Nations estimates that as many as 50,000 people may still be missing, with many feared buried under rubble. The disaster, which struck almost a month ago, has left tens of thousands of people dead, wounded, displaced or still unaccounted for.Nearly 17,000 people are wounded, and 21,120 are living in shelters, according to the figures cited in the latest update. Venezuelan teams have been operating since the earthquakes struck, but displaced residents say the response has been slow. International rescue... [Continue Reading]
Ilhan Omar renews push for US to join ICC amid Trump pressure
United States Representative Ilhan Omar has introduced a resolution calling on the United States to join the International Criminal Court, in a direct challenge to the Trump administration's approach to the tribunal. The move was announced on Wednesday and comes days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged to "dismantle" the court. The resolution also seeks to press the administration to lift sanctions and visa restrictions imposed on ICC officials.According to the supporting material, Omar's proposal would require the United States to ratify the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the court. She said joining the ICC would strengthen the... [Continue Reading]
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EU commissioner urges member states to cut visas for Russian citizens
The European Union's internal affairs commissioner has urged member states to reduce the number of visas issued to Russian citizens, saying current levels are incompatible with support for Ukraine. Magnus Brunner made the remarks during an informal meeting of EU justice and home affairs ministers in Dublin on Thursday. He said the bloc needed to do more to bring down visa numbers, which he described as still too high.Brunner said member states were being asked to reduce the number of visas they issue to Russian citizens. He noted that the figure was down from around four million visas a year... [Continue Reading]
Irish central bank defends handling of Israeli war bonds before parliamentary committee
The Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland has defended the institution's handling of controversial Israeli war bonds, telling a parliamentary committee that it acted lawfully. Gabriel Makhlouf said the bank could not have prevented the bonds from being issued last year and could not stop them being issued again this year. He made the comments while appearing before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance in Dublin.Mr Makhlouf said he understood the importance of the Israeli Bond Programme to the Irish public, but rejected claims that the central bank had grounds to block the approval process. He said there were... [Continue Reading]
US rights groups file legal challenge to Trump ICC sanctions in Washington
Two rights organisations have filed a legal challenge in Washington, DC against sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on the International Criminal Court. The case was brought on Wednesday by DAWN and the Taxpayers Alliance Against Genocide, both based in Washington. They argue the measures violate the constitutional rights of US citizens and restrict advocacy linked to Palestine.The lawsuit targets sanctions introduced in February 2025 after the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. According to the filing, the administration later expanded the measures to cover ICC prosecutors and judges, several... [Continue Reading]
US pressure shapes Iraq's new prime minister and Baghdad politics
Ali al-Zaidi's visit to Washington has highlighted the extent of US leverage over Iraq's politics, security and economy. He met US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday while serving as Iraq's prime minister, a role that carries formal authority but, according to the supplied material, limited practical power. The meeting comes after months of paralysis in Baghdad and a rapid political settlement that brought him to office.The Coordination Framework, the Shia alliance that selected him, reportedly took just 25 minutes to agree on his name 11 weeks earlier. That decision followed intense pressure from Washington, including Treasury... [Continue Reading]
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Ireland investigates Russian-owned Aughinish Alumina over possible military supply links
Ireland's Department of Enterprise is investigating whether Russian-owned Aughinish Alumina is making products that end up in Russian military equipment. The refinery, based in west Limerick, is at the centre of concern because of its role in the local economy and the possible implications of any sanctions or other measures that could follow. The case has prompted uncertainty in the area as residents and businesses weigh the risk of disruption against the wider political context.According to the information provided, the refinery has around 1,000 workers in its supply chain and about 900 more in the wider economy. That scale helps... [Continue Reading]
US Senate revises Russia sanctions bill to soften tariffs on India and China
US senators have introduced a revised Russia sanctions bill that would ease proposed tariff measures aimed at major buyers of Russian oil and gas, while keeping broader pressure on Moscow. The legislation was first tabled in April 2025 and has now been updated as lawmakers seek to move it forward with bipartisan backing. It comes as the United States continues to weigh how to punish Russia over its energy revenues without sharply widening the economic impact on other countries.Under the revised proposal, the maximum tariff on the five largest buyers of Russian oil and natural gas would be cut to... [Continue Reading]
US-Russian Soyuz mission launches to ISS from Baikonur
A joint US-Russian space mission has launched from Kazakhstan and is now in orbit on its way to the International Space Station. The Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft lifted off from the Russia-operated Baikonur Cosmodrome on Tuesday morning, carrying Russian astronauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina and NASA astronaut Anil Menon. The crew is scheduled to dock at the ISS later, where they are expected to stay for eight months.NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman attended the launch, making what was described as a rare visit to Baikonur and the first by a NASA chief in eight years. Before liftoff, he met Dmitry Bakanov,... [Continue Reading]
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]
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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]
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]



