Section
Foreign Affairs
Armenia election tests Pashinyan’s pivot from Russia
Armenia election voters are testing Nikol Pashinyan’s EU turn as Russia leans on trade, gas and security ties to pull Yerevan back.
Putin rejects Zelenskyy talks in 2026 as war pressure holds
Putin rejects Zelenskyy talks in 2026 because Moscow still sees delay, attrition and battlefield pressure as stronger than direct negotiations.
Hezbollah rejects Lebanon-Israel ceasefire as strikes continue
Hezbollah rejects Lebanon-Israel ceasefire terms, putting a U.S.-brokered deal under strain as strikes continue and Iran diplomacy narrows.
Iran suspends talks after Israeli strikes in Lebanon
Iran suspends talks after Israeli strikes in Lebanon, complicating Trump's ceasefire push and raising pressure on Hormuz.
Trump threatens Oman over Hormuz as Iran deal falters
Trump's threat to Oman over the Strait of Hormuz exposed conflicting US and Iranian accounts of a shipping deal and kept oil markets focused on the waterway.
Israel expands Lebanon offensive after more than 120 strikes
Israel expands Lebanon offensive after more than 120 strikes, sending troops past its security line as Hezbollah says it fired back with 22 attacks.
China stalls Airbus approvals to press Europe on COMAC
China stalls Airbus approvals as Beijing presses Europe over slow COMAC certification, turning civil aviation into industrial leverage.
Iran internet blackout lifts as ceasefire talks wobble
Iran began easing an 88-day internet blackout on Tuesday, though monitors said service remained partial as ceasefire diplomacy with Washington stayed fragile.
Trump’s Greenland threats push Iceland toward Europe
Iceland's EU membership debate is accelerating as Trump's Greenland threats push Reykjavik to weigh security, sovereignty and Europe together.
Russia tells US citizens to leave Kyiv before strikes
Russia warned Marco Rubio that US diplomats and citizens should leave Kyiv before further strikes, turning the latest attack campaign into a direct warning to Washington.
US strikes test Trump’s fragile Iran ceasefire push
US strikes on Iran have tested Trump’s ceasefire push, keeping Hormuz, oil flows and a 60-day diplomatic window under pressure.
Trump ties Iran deal to wider Abraham Accords push
Trump tied an Iran deal to a wider Abraham Accords push, pressing for Arab-Israeli normalization as ceasefire talks with Tehran remain unsettled.
Israel steps up Hezbollah strikes as Iran talks advance
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would intensify strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon as Washington kept pursuing diplomacy with Iran.
Putin faces darker mood at home as war drags on
Putin's position in Russia is under new strain as internet curbs, inflation and elite drift turn a distant war into a daily cost.
EU blocking statute urged after US sanctions on ICC
Fatou Bensouda urged Brussels to use the EU blocking statute against US sanctions on ICC officials, increasing pressure on the bloc to decide whether to defend the court with legal action.
Iran's uranium concession is the test of Trump's framework
Iran uranium concession is the hinge in Trump's ceasefire framework: without a verifiable transfer of enriched stockpiles, the deal only buys time.
Iran deal nears as Trump says Hormuz will reopen
Iran deal talks appeared to advance after Trump said a draft was largely negotiated, but disputes over nuclear terms, sanctions and assets remain.
Trump Iran strikes: what the White House could hit next
Trump Iran strikes are back at the centre of White House planning as officials weigh energy, missile and uranium-linked targets while Hormuz talks stall.
Turkey-Israel rivalry grows as Iran war shifts Middle East
Turkey-Israel rivalry is sharpening as the Iran war pushes Ankara toward new regional pacts, turns Syria into the main arena and tests US leverage.
Rubio tells NATO allies Trump angry over Iran war stance
Rubio tells NATO allies Trump angry over Iran war stance as Washington pressures Europe over base access and support ahead of ministers' talks.
US-Iran peace deal finalised, announcement expected in hours
The US and Iran have reportedly finalised a peace deal with an announcement expected within hours, though gaps remain over uranium and Strait of Hormuz tolls.
Raúl Castro indicted for murder as US carrier enters Caribbean
Raúl Castro indicted on murder charges as USS Nimitz carrier strike group enters Caribbean, marking sharpest US posture toward Cuba since Cold War.
Trump to speak with Taiwan president in diplomatic break
President Trump plans to speak directly with Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te, a break with 46 years of US diplomatic practice since Washington recognised Beijing in 1979.
Xi North Korea visit could test post-summit balance
Xi North Korea visit reports point to a possible Pyongyang trip next week, a move that would spotlight Beijing's ties with Kim Jong Un.
Ahmadinejad plan recasts Israel's Iran war aims
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad plan suggests Israel's Iran war was tied to regime engineering, raising the cost of any cease-fire and shipping deal.
