JD Vance voices ‘great optimism’ for Gaza truce on Israel visit, meeting with Netanyahu today
Despite concerns in Israel that Hamas has seized on the pause to reassert itself in Gaza, Vance said Washington would...Geostrategy
Brazil greenlights oil drilling in Amazon region
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has come under fire from conservationists who argue his oil expansion plans clash with...Geostrategy
Russia brushes off talks after largest ever drone and missile barrage on Ukraine
Russia on Friday said that it sees no immediate diplomatic way out of the war in Ukraine, hours after pummelling...The hours-long bombardments sent Ukrainians scurrying for shelters across the country and came after a call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin
Trump also said he had made no progress in discussions with Putin on ending more than three years of bitter fighting since the Kremlin ordered its troops into neighbouring Ukraine
Trump to sign ‘big, beautiful’ bill on US Independence Day
Trump pushed Republican lawmakers to get his unpopular "One Big Beautiful Bill" through a reluctant Congress in time for him...The bill, which includes massive new funding for Trump's migrant deportation drive, is the latest in a series of big political wins at home and abroad for the 79-year-old tycoon.
Trump forced through the bill despite deep misgivings in the Republican Party -- and the vocal opposition of his billionaire former ally, Elon Musk.
Over 500 killed around US and Israel-backed aid distributions in Gaza: UN
The United Nations and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation over concerns it was designed...An officially private effort, the GHF began operations on May 26 after Israel halted supplies into the Gaza Strip for more than two months, sparking famine warnings.
GHF operations have been marred by chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Israeli forces firing on people waiting to collect rations in the Palestinian territory.
Israel opposition chief discusses Gaza truce with UAE FM
Jerusalem, Undefined -- Israel's opposition leader said Friday he met with the United Arab Emirates foreign minister in Abu Dhabi...The UAE normalized ties with Israel in 2020 as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords.
WAM said Lapid and Sheikh Abdullah discussed bilateral ties and regional developments including efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.
Iran announces opening of its airspace after war: state media
Iran announced Thursday that it has reopened its airspace, including over Tehran, after closing it on June 13 due to...Tehran's Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini international airports, as well as those in the north, east, west and south of the country, have been reopened and are ready to operate flights
Domestic and international flights from all airports across the country -- except those in Isfahan and Tabriz -- will operate between 5:00 am and 6:00 pm, authorities said
Russia becomes first country to recognise Taliban
Afghanistan's government said on Thursday that Russia had become the first country to officially recognise its rule, calling it a...The announcement came after a meeting between Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Russia's ambassador to Afghanistan, Dmitry Zhirnov, in Kabul
Moscow's special representative for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, told the Russia's state news agency Ria Novosti that the government had "recognised" the Taliban government
Trump says ‘didn’t make any progress’ with Putin on ending Ukraine war
US President Donald Trump said he made no progress with Vladimir Putin on ending the Ukraine war in a call...Trump's grim assessment came as US-led peace talks on ending the more than three-year-old conflict in Ukraine have stalled, and after the US paused some weapons shipments to Kyiv
"It was a pretty long call, we talked about a lot of things including Iran, and we also talked about the war with Ukraine. And I'm not happy about that," Trump told reporters
73 Palestinians killed in Gaza as Netanyahu vows to recover hostages amid escalated strikes
Netanyahu has come under strong pressure to get the hostages back after US President Donald Trump said Israel had agreed...Netanyahu has come under strong pressure to get the hostages back after US President Donald Trump said Israel had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire with Palestinian militant group Hamas
Israel has recently expanded its military operations in the Gaza Strip, where its war has created dire humanitarian conditions and displaced nearly all of the its population
Arab Parliament condemns Israeli West Bank annexation statements
Cairo, Egypt -- Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, President of the Arab Parliament, has strongly condemned and rejected the dangerous...Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, President of the Arab Parliament, called these statements a violation of international law.
Al Yamahi stressed that these statements reflect the colonial expansionist approach pursued by the Israeli government.
Japan plans ‘world first’ deep-sea mineral extraction from Jan
Tokyo, Japan -- Japan will from January attempt to extract rare earth minerals from the ocean floor in the deepest...Earlier this week the country pledged to work with the United States, India and Australia to ensure a stable supply of critical minerals.
Rare earths -- 17 metals difficult to extract from the Earth's crust -- are used in everything from electric vehicles to hard drives, wind turbines and missiles.
