Dozens killed in intercommunal clashes in South Sudan's Rumbek
Intercommunal clashes in the town of Rumbek in South Sudan's Lakes State have killed about 71 people, according to the caretaker government. Officials said the violence broke out on Friday and that government security forces later regained control of the town. Witnesses said attackers from outside Rumbek briefly took control before police and military reinforcements arrived.The interim Ministry of Information said initial security reports put the death toll at approximately 71, including four soldiers. It said the exact number of fatalities had yet to be verified. The government also said Rumbek was under the control of security forces and that... [Continue Reading]
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Trump announces Russian diesel deal as Zelenskyy and NATO allies react
President Donald Trump has announced a deal under which Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel to the American and global marketplace, with further deliveries to follow later. The announcement has triggered a sharp response from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who called the move "absolutely terrible" and "not fair and not honest." It has also raised the prospect of a fresh crisis with Washington's NATO allies, given the wider political and security context of Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump said the arrangement followed what he described as a highly successful discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin.In his... [Continue Reading]
Day News Recap: Global tensions flare from Gaza to Hormuz as markets turn mixed
The biggest escalation came in the Middle East, where Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it set an oil tanker ablaze in the Strait of Hormuz and warned of wider attacks on vessels it considers hostile, raising fresh fears over shipping through the waterway. 🔗 Saudi Arabia also reopened Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport after a Houthi attack killed three people and injured several others, underlining the spread of regional violence. 🔗In Gaza, a senior United Nations official said life remains “absolutely horrendous” a year after the ceasefire, with the humanitarian crisis still severe. 🔗 Separately, Vladimir Putin said Russia would do... [Continue Reading]
EU and China reach deal to curb hybrid car exports to Europe
The European Union says it has reached a landmark agreement with China to reduce hybrid car exports to the bloc by more than half over four years. The deal was announced in Beijing on Friday after months of negotiations between the two sides. It is being presented as a significant step in efforts to ease pressure on European carmakers.Trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said the talks had been intense since June and that the agreement could cut exports of plug-in and battery-powered hybrid cars by several million vehicles over the next four years. He said the arrangement was the first of... [Continue Reading]
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Ethiopia and Eritrea accuse each other of launching war as border tensions deepen
Ethiopia and Eritrea have accused each other of launching a war as tensions between the two neighbours escalate into a direct interstate confrontation. Ethiopia told the United Nations Security Council that Eritrean forces carried out an "all-out invasion" of northern Ethiopia, while Eritrea said it is facing a "war of aggression" from its neighbour. The exchange comes just days after the two countries cut diplomatic ties.In a letter shared with news agencies, Ethiopia's foreign minister, Gedion Timothewos, said Eritrean troops had advanced up to 60 kilometres into northern Tigray and demanded their withdrawal. Eritrea's information minister, Yemane Gebremeskel, rejected the... [Continue Reading]
Trump attacks Nobel Committee, defends Abraham Accords and Gaza, while signaling pressure on Iran
President Donald Trump made multiple posts on Truth Social in the last hour: - "RT @SchoenlawToday the Nobel Committee shamed itself beyond repair and demeaned the once great Nobel Peace Prize by giving it to the UN's Navi Pillay. Pillay is an unabashed hater of America and Israel. In her position she celebrated terrorists and rewarded Hamas. She conducted a phony "investigation" claiming to find that Israel committed genocide and urging prosecution. She has no credibility in any normal sphere and has never done a thing to foster peace. But what could be expected from a committee that previously gave... [Continue Reading]
South Africa anti-migrant protests turn violent in Soweto and Durban
Anti-migrant protests in South Africa turned violent on Thursday in Johannesburg's Soweto township and the coastal city of Durban. Cars were torched, foreign-run businesses were forced to close and looting was reported as police moved to disperse crowds. The unrest came amid anger over a Constitutional Court asylum ruling and government efforts to deal with overcrowding at refugee and asylum offices.Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane said 10 vehicles were torched in Johannesburg and 14 in Durban. Police also said three people were arrested in Durban. In Soweto, residents were seen carrying groceries out of a shop they... [Continue Reading]
US aircraft losses in Iran war rise to at least 81, CBO says
A Congressional Budget Office report says at least 81 United States military aircraft have been lost or damaged during Operation Epic Fury, the American campaign against Iran. The estimate covers fighter jets and drones and puts the cost of the losses at between $1.9bn and $3.3bn as of August 1. The figures add a new measure of the material cost of the conflict, which is now in its eighth month.The report, released on Monday, is described as a nonpartisan government assessment of budget-related issues for the legislature. It lists 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, one F-35A Lightning II jet... [Continue Reading]
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President Trump warns Iranian vessels against approaching U.S. blockade
President Donald Trump made multiple posts on Truth Social in the last hour: - "We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran. I want to make it clear to everybody that, while Iran is in very bad condition, both Economically and Militarily, and while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, with Oil flowing in Record Numbers of Barrels through the Hormuz Strait (22 Million Barrels, last night alone, with not one barrel coming from, or going to, Iran!), we will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections to be... [Continue Reading]
Questions over Trump operatives advising Dodik ahead of Bosnia election
Questions have emerged in Bosnia and Herzegovina after a report said two political operatives linked to US President Donald Trump advised Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik ahead of the country's parliamentary election on Sunday. The report said James Blair and Chris LaCivita visited Dodik and were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for their work. The disclosure has drawn criticism within the Republican Party and renewed attention on Dodik's political and legal position.According to the report, Blair and LaCivita were involved in advising Dodik during the run-up to the vote. Blair currently runs Trump's main fundraising organisation, while LaCivita is... [Continue Reading]
Royal Navy serviceman charged over alleged foreign-power espionage as case heads to court
A serving Royal Navy member has been charged in the United Kingdom with offences under the National Security Act after an investigation by counterterrorism police. Teddy Young, 24, is accused of obtaining protected information and preparing to transfer it for the benefit of a foreign power. He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court later on Thursday.Police said the alleged conduct took place between November 2024 and May 2025. In a statement, authorities said Young is accused of obtaining, copying, recording or retaining protected information with the intention that the conduct would benefit a foreign power, contrary to section... [Continue Reading]
How Gaza war sped up India's shift towards Israel under Modi
India's deepening ties with Israel have come into sharper focus after a September 2025 visit by Israel's far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who was welcomed in New Delhi with garlands and taken on a multi-city trip. During the visit, he signed a trade deal in the Indian capital, visited the stock exchange in Mumbai and travelled to Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The trip took place while Israel was carrying out its war in Gaza, and it highlighted how far New Delhi has moved from its earlier position as one of the world's staunchest supporters of... [Continue Reading]
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EU-China trade talks in Beijing widen to deficit and rare earths
European Union trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic has arrived in Beijing for two days of talks with Chinese officials that now centre on the bloc's trade deficit and restrictions on rare earth exports. The meetings are taking place on Thursday and Friday, with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao expected to be among the main counterparts. The discussions come after months of contact between the two sides and at a time of rising pressure inside the EU for a tougher trade stance.The talks are focused on the EU's trade deficit with China, which the source material says exceeds €1 billion a day,... [Continue Reading]
Kosovo elects Justina Shiroka Pula president amid protests and political crisis
Kosovo's parliament has elected Justina Shiroka Pula as president, easing a political crisis that had been building around protests and a looming constitutional deadline. Lawmakers chose her in the first minutes of Wednesday, after ruling and opposition parties reached a compromise on her candidacy. The vote came as demonstrations continued over convictions of former Kosovo Liberation Army leaders and concerns grew that failure to elect a president could trigger early parliamentary elections.Pula secured 81 votes, one more than the two-thirds threshold of 80 required for election. The agreement that made the vote possible involved the Vetevendosje Movement and the Democratic... [Continue Reading]
Russia asks Vietnam for aircraft wet lease as grounded fleet deteriorates
Russia has asked Vietnam to lease passenger aircraft with crews and maintenance support as its re-registered Western fleet continues to deteriorate. Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin said Moscow had proposed that Vietnamese carriers transfer aircraft to Russian airlines under a wet lease arrangement, and that Hanoi was studying the request. The proposal comes as nearly a fifth of the largest Russian airlines' planes are grounded.The request is tied to the strain on Russia's commercial aviation sector after sanctions imposed following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow passed a law that year allowing airlines to re-register more than 400... [Continue Reading]
Has Russia's fuel crisis given Iranian oil an opening in Central Asia?
Iran's oil exports have struggled under a US blockade, but a Russian fuel crisis caused by Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure may be creating a new opening in Central Asia. Countries in the region have begun buying oil from Iran as Russian fuel supplies they have long depended on run short. The shift is emerging as Moscow faces mounting pressure from drone strikes on refineries linked to its war in Ukraine.In August, Tajikistan said it was receiving oil and petroleum products from Iran as Dushanbe faced uncertainty over supplies from Russia. Also in August, Tehran agreed to establish a joint... [Continue Reading]
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Paramount completes Warner Bros takeover to form Skydance media giant
Paramount has completed its takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, creating a new media company called Skydance. The deal brings together two of Hollywood's best-known studios and a wide portfolio of television, news and cinema assets under the control of David Ellison. The transaction was completed on Tuesday local time in New York, where Skydance shares began trading under the ticker SKYD.Ellison described the completion of the deal as a historic day for the media industry. The combined company includes Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros Pictures, as well as the CBS News and CNN networks and the HBO and CBS television... [Continue Reading]
Russia responds as questions continue over Siberian plague lab death
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has again urged people not to "listen to various rumours" after the death of a laboratory technician at a plague research centre in Siberia. He said the public should rely only on information from Russia's public health watchdog, which has given the official cause of death as pneumonia of unknown origin. The comments came as Russian officials continued to face questions over the case and its handling.The latest remarks follow renewed attention on the death at the anti-plague institute in Siberia, which has prompted concern because of the sensitive nature of the work carried out there.... [Continue Reading]
Police clash with Kosovo protesters over bid to curb Hague war crimes court as unrest continues in Pristina
Police in Kosovo used tear gas and water cannon as protesters clashed with officers outside parliament in Pristina on Monday, after lawmakers advanced amendments aimed at limiting the powers of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. The unrest also spread around government buildings, where demonstrators blocked exits in an effort to stop lawmakers from leaving. Fires were reported in the streets, and several people were detained during the confrontation.The latest violence followed parliament's first reading of the proposed changes, which still require a second reading and final approval. According to the supporting report, the amendments would cap prison sentences at 15 years,... [Continue Reading]
Explosion tears through sneaker shop in Surabaya, hospitalising five
CCTV has captured the moment a sneaker shop was torn apart by an explosion in the San Antonio area of Surabaya, Indonesian authorities have confirmed. The blast damaged a wide area around the shop and left residents and businesses dealing with the aftermath on Tuesday. Police said five people were hospitalised following the incident.They also said at least 41 buildings were damaged. Authorities said the explosion was strongly suspected to have been caused by a gas leak. Police added that no suspicious substances or explosives were found at the site.That assessment points to an accidental blast rather than an attack,... [Continue Reading]
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Tigray fighting deepens as forced recruitment claims emerge
Renewed fighting in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region has intensified, with witnesses describing forced recruitment of men and boys as the conflict spreads. The latest reports say civilians have been rounded up on streets by armed groups linked to the Tigray conflict, adding to fears of a fresh humanitarian crisis. The violence began again on 23 September after months of rising tension and has further destabilised a region already scarred by years of war.According to the reports, the renewed clashes have shattered the Pretoria peace agreement signed in November 2022 between Ethiopia's federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front, which... [Continue Reading]
Australian Army soldier dies in Mount Bundey training exercise, five others injured
An Australian Army soldier has died and five others have been injured during a training exercise at Mount Bundey, south-east of Darwin. The Department of Defence said the incident happened yesterday and confirmed that next of kin have been notified. No further details about the circumstances of the training accident have been released.The Defence Department asked for the privacy of Defence members and their families to be respected while the matter is dealt with. It did not say how the injuries occurred or provide information on the condition of those hurt. The training area at Mount Bundey is used by... [Continue Reading]
Severe hailstorm hits Asuncion, leaving cars damaged and thousands without power
A powerful hailstorm struck Asuncion and surrounding areas in Paraguay on Saturday, bringing large hailstones that damaged vehicles, homes and disrupted daily life across the capital region. The storm hit commuters and motorists particularly hard, with people rushing for shelter as the hail fell. Local reports described the hail as being about the size of tennis balls.The storm also brought strong winds, with local reports saying gusts reached around 60 mph. Drivers sheltered at petrol stations to reduce damage to their vehicles, while football matches were temporarily suspended. Videos shared online showed the scale of the hail, and one account... [Continue Reading]
Bosnia election: Dodik declares party victory as Cvijanović leads presidency race
Bosnian Serb nationalist Milorad Dodik has declared victory for his party in Bosnia and Herzegovina's general election, after a vote shaped by economic pressure, ethnic tensions and the country's stalled path towards the European Union. With nearly 90% of votes counted, his ally Željka Cvijanović of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats was leading for one of the three seats in the tripartite presidency. Dodik also said his party would hold a "vast majority" in the assembly of Republika Srpska.According to the supplied count, Cvijanović had more than 55% of the vote and was ahead of her nearest opponent by... [Continue Reading]
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Former diplomats say Iran conflict is likely to worsen in coming weeks
Former Iranian and US diplomats have said the war on Iran is likely to get worse in the coming weeks, with no sign of an imminent peace deal. The discussion centred on the positions of Washington and Tehran and on whether the conflict could move toward any durable pause. The assessment was presented as a warning that the current trajectory remains unstable.Hossein Mousavian, a former Iranian diplomat, said Iranian leaders do not believe US claims that the war is about nuclear weapons rather than oil. Alan Eyre, a former US diplomat, said the conflict is not heading toward a peace... [Continue Reading]
Tornado rips through Ulladulla area as severe thunderstorms hit New South Wales south coast
A tornado has torn through parts of the New South Wales south coast, causing significant damage around Ulladulla. The severe weather struck after the region was placed under a warning for damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall just after 1pm local time. The Bureau of Meteorology confirmed that a tornado moved through the area and described the event as very unusual.The New South Wales State Emergency Service said it had received more than 90 calls for assistance across the state, including 29 around Ulladulla. Crews were responding to reports of roofs being ripped from homes, dislodged tiles and skylights,... [Continue Reading]
Is the Italian Prime Minister the Visionary Leader Europe Needs? An Analysis of Executive Decisiveness, National Security, and the Contrast in European Integration Policies
A Continent in Institutional Deadlock While the rest of Europe remains entangled in a web of bureaucratic deadlock and human rights litigation, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has quietly established herself as a leader operating far ahead of her continental peers. For years, European leaders have debated how to handle radicalism and unchecked migration, often waiting for institutional consensus that arrives too late. Meloni, conversely, has demonstrated a willingness to prioritize state security over political correctness, offering a blueprint for a continent facing asymmetric threats. The Contrast in European Legislative Approvals The contrast between Italy’s swift, executive decisiveness and the... [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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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 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]
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Lessons learned from Dubai … or not?
It might be early to assess the impact of war on Dubai, the self-declared crisis proof planet, but some lessons can be drawn from its magic well, right now. First and foremost, I remember a saying about fairness: No, not the boomerang, and that what goes around comes around (the dark tales related to Lebanon and Gaza), but about a simple rule of thumb. If you expect the world to be fair with you because you are fair, you’re fooling yourself: that’s like expecting the lion not to eat you because you didn’t eat it. It applies to humans and... [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]



