Lebanon violence tests US-Iran accord as Israeli ministers harden rhetoric
Lebanon's Health Ministry said at least 21 people were killed and 39 wounded in overnight strikes across southern Lebanon.
Geostrategy
Al Rajhi Bank becomes AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 regional partner
Dubai, UAE -- Saudi Arabia's Al Rajhi Bank has been named an exclusive regional partner of the AFC Asian Cup...
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Geostrategy
Saudi-led coalition warns of intervention against Yemen separatists
The statements came a day after reported Saudi airstrikes on separatist positions in Yemen's Hadramawt province — and after Washington...
- Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman posted on X that troops from the separatist STC should “peacefully hand over” two regional governorates to the government.
- In recent weeks, the UAE-backed STC, which seeks to revive the formerly independent state of South Yemen, swept through swaths of the country.
Geostrategy
Zelensky to meet Trump in Florida on Sunday for talks on how to end the Russian invasion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is to meet US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday for talks on how to...
- The meeting to discuss new peace proposals comes amidst Trump's intensified efforts to broker an agreement to end the conflict
- The latest plan is a 20-point proposal that would freeze the front line but open the door for Ukraine to pull back troops from the east
Geostrategy
China’s high-speed rail network passes 50,000km mark
Beijing, China -- China's sprawling high-speed rail network passed 50,000 kilometers (31,000 miles) in total operating distance with the opening...
- The country has the world's largest rail network -- one-fifth longer than the circumference of the earth.
- China's rail network has expanded by around 32 percent compared to 2020, state-owned China Railway added Friday in a statement.
Geostrategy
Yemen separatists say Saudi air strikes will not deter them
A Yemeni military official said around 15,000 Saudi-backed fighters were amassed near the Saudi border -- but were not given...
- There were no immediate reports of casualties in the air strikes, which came amid a dramatic escalation in the decade-long conflict.
- The strikes came as a Yemeni government official in Riyadh told AFP that Saudi may be considering military action against the separatists if talks fail.
Geostrategy
14 countries condemn Israel’s expansion of West Bank settlements, say actions ‘violate international law’
Fourteen countries, including France, Britain, and Germany, condemned on Wednesday Israel's recent approval of new Jewish settlements in the occupied...
- In their statement, the countries stressed such unilateral actions "violate international law" and risk undermining the ceasefire in Gaza
- They also reaffirmed their "unwavering commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution."
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia urges Yemen separatists to cede seized territory
The Kingdom said the military movements in the governorates of (Hadramawt and Al-Mahra), recently conducted by the Southern Transitional Council,...
- "These movements resulted in an unjustified escalation that harmed the interests of the Yemeni people with all of its segments," it added.
- The 11-year war in Yemen has pitted the Iran-backed rebels against the internationally-recognized government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition that includes the UAE.
Geostrategy
Iran Guards seize foreign-crewed oil tanker in Gulf: state media
Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday seized an oil tanker in the Gulf carrying more than a dozen foreign crew members,...
- Iranian forces regularly announce the interception of ships it says are illegally transporting fuel in the Gulf
- They regularly target tankers that Tehran accuses of being part of the illicit trade in the Strait of Hormuz
Geostrategy
Israel to invest $110 billion over the next decade to develop its own independent arms industry
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel would invest $110 billion over the next decade to develop its own...
- In a controversial speech, Netanyahu said Israel was becoming increasingly isolated and had to adopt a "super-Sparta" approach
- In 2026, Israel will allocate about 16 percent of its public budget to defence -- around $35 billion out of an overall budget of $208 billion
Geostrategy
Libyans united in grief for army chief killed in plane crash
General Mohammed al-Haddad and his four aides died on Tuesday after a visit to Ankara, with Turkish officials saying an...
- "It will be hard to find a man of his calibre," Nasreddine al-Maghribi told AFP at a cafe in Libyan capital Tripoli.
- Until a successor is selected, Haddad's deputy, General Salaheddine al-Namroush, will stand in for him, according to the presidential council.
Geostrategy
Palestinian Authority says Israel tightening control over West Bank with new settlements
The Palestinian Authority condemned on Tuesday Israel's recent approval of 19 settlements in the occupied West Bank, accusing it of...
- On Sunday, Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the authorities had greenlit the settlements
- The latest move brings the total number of settlements approved over the past three years to 69, Smotrich's office said
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Lebanon violence tests US-Iran accord as Israeli ministers harden rhetoric
Lebanon's Health Ministry said at least 21 people were killed and 39 wounded in overnight strikes across southern Lebanon.
Geostrategy
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Pakistan encouraging US-Iran talks but says ‘time is of the essence’
Pakistan is continuing to play a behind-the-scenes diplomatic role between the United States and Iran as tensions remain high over...
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Trump says Xi wants Hormuz Strait reopened amid Iran conflict
US President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping wants the Strait of Hormuz reopened, following talks between the two...
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Seizure of vessel anchored near UAE coast close to Hormuz raises Gulf tensions
The incident came hours after India condemned an attack on an Indian-flagged vessel off Oman’s coast, calling continued assaults on...
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Donald Trump says US-Iran ceasefire deal on ‘life support’
Shipping disruptions, sanctions and worsening humanitarian fears deepen global anxiety as Washington rejects Tehran’s latest peace proposal over nuclear concessions.
- UK and France prepared new Hormuz defence coordination talks as regional governments feared prolonged disruption to energy and fertiliser shipments.
- Saudi Aramco warned continued Strait disruptions could delay global oil market normalization until 2027 despite rapid production expansion capability.
Geostrategy
US slaps fresh sanctions on China-linked firms over Iran missile program
The United States on Friday announced a fresh round of sanctions targeting people and companies in China, Hong Kong, Belarus,...
- The sanctions come as tensions continue to rise in the Persian Gulf amid ongoing clashes between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz
- The measures are aimed at disrupting Iran’s military industrial supply chain and restricting its access to materials required to build drones and missiles
Geostrategy
Artificial intelligence rapidly reshaping cybersecurity: WEF
The AI and Cyber: Empowering Defenders report, developed in collaboration with KPMG, highlights measurable gains in cost reduction, response speed...
- Some 94% of cyber leaders identify AI as a defining force and 77% of organisations already use it in their cyber operations.
- The report emphasises that AI’s value in cybersecurity lies in augmenting human expertise, accelerating decisions and strengthening resilience.