Iran-Backed Houthis Capture Key Island, Tightening Grip on Bab al-Mandeb Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen have captured Perim Island, a strategically important island in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, further strengthening their position around one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints. The development comes after the Houthis seized the nearby Red Sea port city of […]

Anthropic Says Claude Used in Russian Cyber Espionage and Iranian Propaganda Campaign Anthropic’s artificial intelligence model Claude was used by state-linked actors in a suspected Russian cyber-espionage campaign and by an Iranian propaganda institution, according to the company’s latest threat intelligence report. The report highlights growing concerns about the ability of advanced AI systems to […]

World Leaders Arrive as India Hosts 18th BRICS Summit World leaders and senior government officials have arrived in India for the 18th BRICS Summit, as member countries and partner nations gather for discussions on global economic cooperation, development and international affairs. The summit brings together 11 BRICS member countries, alongside 10 partner countries, representing approximately […]

Nepal Begins Rebuilding Trade Routes After Catastrophic Flooding Nepal has begun rebuilding key trade routes destroyed by catastrophic flooding, with the construction of a new bridge across the Tadi River marking an important step in the country’s recovery. The Nepali Army has described the newly constructed crossing as a “bridge of hope”, as authorities work […]

Hong Kong Jails Three Tiananmen Commemoration Organisers for Subversion Three prominent organisers behind what was once the only large-scale public commemoration of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre held on Chinese soil have been sentenced to years in prison in Hong Kong. The organisers were convicted of inciting subversion of state power, in a case that […]

Earth Records Hottest August Ever as Global Temperatures Hit New High Earth has experienced its hottest August on record, with global temperatures also tying the record for the hottest month ever recorded, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service C3S. The European climate monitoring agency said August 2026 had a global average surface air temperature […]

Houthis Launch Offensive For Control Of Strategic Perim Island Yemen’s Houthi rebels, widely regarded as Iran’s most powerful regional proxy, have launched an offensive that could give them control of Perim Island, a strategically important territory at the entrance to the Red Sea. Control of the island could strengthen the Houthis’ ability to influence or […]

News Anchor Named Next Monarch Of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom A Ugandan news anchor has been unexpectedly named the next monarch of the Tooro Kingdom, following the death last month of the kingdom’s former leader, who became known as the “boy king” after ascending the throne as an infant.The unexpected succession has drawn attention in Uganda, […]

Five Dead, More Than 80 Missing After Ferry Fire In Philippines At least five people have died and more than 80 others are missing after a ferry caught fire off Palawan island in the western Philippines on Wednesday night, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. The incident triggered a major search-and-rescue operation as authorities worked […]

New Analysis Reveals Construction Activity At Suspected Iranian Nuclear Site A suspected Iranian nuclear site buried beneath a granite mountain has recorded a surge in construction activity this year, according to a new analysis. The development has raised fresh questions about activities at the heavily fortified location and Iran’s broader nuclear programme. The analysis indicates […]

Bangladesh Measles Outbreak Kills More Than 1,000 Children Bangladesh is battling its deadliest measles outbreak in decades, with more than 1,000 children reported dead since March as health officials acknowledge that failures in the country’s vaccination programme may have contributed to the crisis. The Directorate General of Health Services DGHS said on Wednesday that 1,002 […]

Thousands Gather In Oslo To Pay Final Respects To Norway’s King Harald V Thousands of mourners gathered in Oslo on Wednesday to bid a final farewell to Norway’s King Harald V, whose state funeral brought together members of the Norwegian royal family, foreign royals and international leaders. King Harald V, who died peacefully on August […]

Oil Prices Hit $100 as Middle East Fighting Escalates Global oil prices have surged above $100 a barrel for the first time since July as escalating fighting in the Middle East raises fresh fears of major disruptions to crude supplies and international shipping routes. Brent crude, the global benchmark, climbed above the $100 mark on […]

Singapore PM Lawrence Wong Gets Major Pay Increase as Ministers’ Salaries Rise Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is set to receive a major salary increase, with his annual pay package rising by 64% to S$3.6 million about US$2.85 million, as the wealthy city-state announces its first major increase in ministerial salaries in 15 years. The […]

Books Are Becoming the New Social Scene as Reading Goes Beyond Book Clubs Books are increasingly moving beyond traditional reading spaces and becoming part of the wider social scene, as readers find new ways to connect, meet and build communities around their shared love of literature. Book clubs have long transformed reading from a solitary […]

Netanyahu Faces Political Backlash Over Report of UAE Warning Before October 7 Attack Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing intensified political criticism following a report that United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan warned him about a planned major Hamas operation roughly 10 days before the October 7, 2023 attack. The […]

UK Unveils Sanctions Targeting Israel Over West Bank Settlement Expansion The United Kingdom has unveiled sanctions targeting Israel over the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank, in what marks a significant shift in relations between London and the Israeli government. The move reflects growing British concern over the continued expansion of Israeli settlements […]

First Road Bridge Linking Russia and North Korea Opens The first road bridge directly linking Russia and North Korea has opened, marking a significant development in transport connectivity and strengthening ties between the two neighbouring countries. The new crossing is expected to provide a direct land route between the two countries, facilitating the movement of […]

Eiffel Tower Closed as Workers Strike Over Alleged Treatment of Female Staff The Eiffel Tower in Paris has been closed after employees went on strike over claims that female colleagues were instructed to remain out of sight during a visit by a Hindu religious group. The reported incident has sparked criticism from French politicians, who […]

Saudi-Led Coalition Vows Response After Houthi Attacks Injure 73 Civilians Saudi-led coalition forces have vowed a resolute response after a wave of attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen reportedly wounded at least 73 civilians, including women and children. The attacks took place early Tuesday, prompting renewed concerns over escalating violence involving the Iran-backed group […]

Explosions Rock Kyiv as Russia Resumes Attacks After Three-Day Halt Explosions have been heard across Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, as Russia resumed attacks following a three-day halt that coincided with a visit by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The renewed strikes came after the temporary pause in Russian attacks, raising fresh concerns over the […]

Iran Threatens Wider War as US Shifts to Aggressive Economic Pressure Iran is threatening further military escalation and the possibility of a wider conflict as tensions with the United States intensify following Washington’s decision to abandon negotiations and pursue a tougher economic pressure campaign. According to analysis by Mostafa Salem and Aida Karimi, Tehran appears […]

Four Renoir Artworks Stolen from French Museum Thieves have stolen four works of art from a museum dedicated to renowned French painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir in France, with one of the paintings reportedly dropped as the suspects fled the scene. The theft was confirmed by a local mayor, who said the criminals targeted the museum and […]

Why Some Travellers Choose the World’s Most Dangerous Vacation Destinations While most tourists seek out destinations known for safety, comfort and relaxation, a growing number of adventurous travellers are deliberately choosing places that many people would consider too dangerous for a holiday. From Afghanistan and Syria to North Korea, these unconventional travellers are drawn to […]