Israeli tank shell strikes Gaza’s only Catholic church, killing three
Pope Leo XIV said he was "deeply saddened" by the loss of life, which a witness said was the result...
Geostrategy
Israel launches strikes in Syria’s Druze area in defence of religious minority
Israel has sought to portray itself as a defender of the community, while also warning the Syrian government against maintaining...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia normalizing ties with Israel ‘will happen’: Trump
"Saudi Arabia will go into the Abraham accords," Trump said, referencing the historic agreement struck at the end of his...
- Trump is set to visit Saudi Arabia next month on a Middle East tour that was expected to be his first overseas trip since retaking the White House.
- Trump forged close relations with Riyadh in his first term and is expected to push Saudi Arabia towards normalizing ties with Israel as a major foreign policy objective.
Geostrategy
Trump confidant Steve Witkoff leads Iran talks amid nuclear tensions, Europe urged to rejoin diplomatic efforts
Witkoff, a businessman friend of Trump who has become his globe-trotting negotiator, last met Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday...
- Witkoff, a businessman friend of Trump who has become his globe-trotting negotiator, last met Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday in Rome
- The State Department announced that Witkoff would himself attend the technical talks to take place Saturday in Oman where he held his first meeting with Araghchi on April 12
Geostrategy
India and Pakistan urged to have ‘maximum restraint’ after Kashmir attack
The United Nations urged India and Pakistan to show "maximum restraint" as the nuclear-armed rivals imposed tit-for-tat diplomatic measures over...
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday vowed to hunt down the gunmen responsible for killing 26 civilians at the popular tourist site of Pahalgam
- Denying any involvement, Islamabad called attempts to link Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack "frivolous" and vowed to respond to any Indian action
Geostrategy
Israel military issues evacuation order two north Gaza areas
"To all of the civilians of the Gaza Strip staying in the areas of Beit Hanoun and Sheikh Zayed. This...
- Israel resumed its intense aerial and ground assault across Gaza from March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas that had largely halted fighting in the territory.
- Meanwhile, initial probe released by Israeli army said Israeli tank fire killed a UN worker in Gaza last month, after initially denying operating in the area.
Geostrategy
Lebanon parliament approves changes to banking secrecy law
Beirut, Lebanon -- Lebanon's parliament on Thursday approved amendments to banking secrecy legislation, a key reform demanded by the International...
- The international community has long demanded major fiscal reforms to unlock billions of dollars in aid to restart the Lebanese economy in the wake of a five-year economic collapse
- The crash since 2019 has seen the local currency lose most of its value against the US dollar and has pushed much of the population into poverty.
Business
Abbas urges Hamas to free Gaza hostages as Israeli strikes kill 25
"Hamas has given the criminal occupation excuses to commit its crimes in the Gaza Strip, the most prominent being the...
- Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim called Abbas's remarks "insulting". "Abbas repeatedly and suspiciously lays the blame for the crimes of the occupation on our people."
- Hamas's armed wing the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades later issued footage it said was of an Israeli hostage alive in a Gaza tunnel. He identified himself as 48-year-old Omri Miran.
Geostrategy
Germany, France, UK say Israel’s Gaza aid blockade ‘must end’
Germany, France and Britain on Wednesday called on Israel to stop blocking humanitarian aid into Gaza, warning of "an acute...
- After 18 months of devastating war and an Israeli blockade on aid since March 2, the UN has warned of a dire humanitarian situation for the 2.4 million inhabitants
- The heads of 12 major aid organisations warned last Thursday that "famine is not just a risk, but likely rapidly unfolding in almost all parts" of the coastal territory
Geostrategy
Trump to visit Saudi, Qatar, UAE in May amid tensions over Iran, trade, and security
Saudi Arabia's top diplomat held talks in Washington earlier this month to lay the groundwork for a visit by Trump...
- It will be his second foreign trip since returning to office, following his planned attendance at the Vatican for Pope Francis's funeral on Saturday
- Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, promised in January to pile $600 billion into US trade and investments
Geostrategy
Iran says technical nuclear meeting with US postponed to Saturday
A technical, expert-level nuclear meeting between Iran and the United States will be held on Saturday, coinciding with the third...
- Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the decision to reschedule the meeting was made following Oman's proposal and the agreement of the Iranian and US delegations
- Western countries including the United States have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons -- an allegation Tehran has consistently denied
Economy
Trump tariffs have increased financial stability risks: IMF report
The IMF's Global Financial Stability Report (GFSR) was published as world financial leaders gather for meetings in Washington under the...
- GFSR's authors found that "global financial stability risks have increased significantly, driven by tighter global financial conditions and heightened economic uncertainty."
- The Fund also warned that geopolitical risk -- including military conflicts -- could raise risks to financial stability.
Israeli tank shell strikes Gaza’s only Catholic church, killing three
Pope Leo XIV said he was "deeply saddened" by the loss of life, which a witness said was the result...
Geostrategy
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Iran strikes damage hard to assess under Israeli military censorship
Such regulations are nothing new in Israel, where any written or visual publication deemed potentially harmful to the loosely defined...
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US hits back at accounts Iran moved enriched uranium before bombing
Trump, seeking credit for ordering military action and then quickly announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, has lashed out...
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Israeli commandos operated in Iran during 12-day war: military
The war erupted on June 13 when Israel launched a surprise bombing campaign that it said aimed to stop Iran...
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Iran lawmakers back suspending cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog
Tehran, Iran -- Iranian lawmakers voted Wednesday in favor of suspending cooperation with the United Nations' atomic energy watchdog, state...
- The decision still requires the approval of the Guardian Council, a body empowered to vet legislation.
- Should it be ratified, Ghalibaf said "the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran will suspend its cooperation with the IAEA until the security of the nuclear facilities is guaranteed".
Geostrategy
Trump sees ‘progress’ on Gaza, raising hopes for ceasefire
"I think great progress is being made on Gaza," Trump said, adding that his special envoy Steve Witkoff had told...
- Key mediator Qatar announced Tuesday that it would launch a new push for a ceasefire, with Hamas on Wednesday saying talks had stepped up.
- Gaza's civil defense agency, meanwhile, said Wednesday that Israeli fire killed another 35 people, including six who were waiting for aid.
Geostrategy
What does NATO’s 5% spending deal really mean?
The Hague, Netherlands - NATO leaders are set to sign off Wednesday at their Hague summit on a defence spending...
- Trump has insisted NATO countries hit the five-percent bar -- well beyond the current two percent baseline level currently required by the alliance
- Only a handful of allies -- such as Poland and the Baltic states -- are coming close to five percent at the moment, with the United States itself under 3.4 percent in 2024