Russia test-fired its new nuclear-capable Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile as part of a broader modernization of its nuclear forces, with President Vladimir Putin calling it the world’s most powerful missile. Putin said the missile, designed to replace the aging Soviet-era Voyevoda system, will enter combat service by the end of the year and is capable of carrying multiple warheads over extremely long distances. The launch … Continue reading Putin says Russia test launches “most powerful missile in the world”

Russian forces resumed large-scale attacks across Ukraine after a U.S.-mediated three-day ceasefire expired, killing at least six people in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Ukraine said Russia launched more than 200 drones overnight, striking civilian infrastructure including apartment buildings, energy facilities, and a kindergarten. In Kryvyi Rih, a drone attack killed two people and seriously injured a nine-month-old child, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to condemn the strikes … Continue reading Russian attacks kill six after ceasefire expires, officials say

Kuwait accused Iran of sending six armed Revolutionary Guard members to infiltrate Bubiyan Island, home to a major China-backed port project, in a failed attack earlier this month. Kuwaiti forces detained four suspects, including Iranian military officers, while two escaped, and one Kuwaiti officer was injured. The accusation came ahead of a U.S.-China summit and highlighted continued regional tensions despite a fragile ceasefire with Iran. … Continue reading Kuwait accuses Iran of sending armed Revolutionary Guard team in failed island attack

The Russian cargo ship Ursa Major, which sank off the coast of Spain in December 2024, was reportedly carrying components for two nuclear reactors allegedly destined for North Korea. The ship’s sinking remains mysterious, with investigators suggesting explosions or a possible torpedo attack may have breached the hull. Before the incident, the vessel was escorted by Russian military ships and had listed Vladivostok as its … Continue reading Russian ship ‘carrying nuclear reactors to NKorea’ sinks off Spain

Saudi Arabia reportedly carried out secret airstrikes on Iran in late March in retaliation for Iranian missile and drone attacks during the wider Middle East conflict. The strikes marked the first known direct Saudi military action on Iranian soil and signaled a more assertive stance by Riyadh against Tehran. After the attacks, Saudi Arabia and Iran engaged in intensive diplomacy and reached an informal agreement … Continue reading Saudi Arabia launched covert attacks on Iran as regional war widened

The Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebel group has withdrawn from several key positions in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo’s South Kivu province, marking the first major battlefield shift in months. Congolese military officials said the retreat followed pressure from the national army and diplomatic efforts led by the United States. Rebels pulled back from areas near the city of Uvira toward positions closer to Bukavu, while … Continue reading Congo rebels pull back from key positions amid US pressure

A new surge of gang violence in Haiti has forced hundreds of people to flee neighborhoods in the capital, Port-au-Prince, with many taking shelter along roads near the main airport. Residents described armed gangs burning homes and spreading fear as criminal groups continue to control more than 90% of the city following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Doctors Without Borders evacuated a hospital … Continue reading New gang violence in Haiti displaces hundreds of people

A report by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights found that state actors in Mexico are involved in disappearances at an “alarming” rate, often working in collusion with organized crime groups. More than 130,000 people have gone missing in Mexico, mostly during the last two decades of violence linked to the country’s war on drug cartels. The report says disappearances are carried out both directly … Continue reading Disappearances in Mexico involving state at ‘alarming’ rate, says report

Iran executed 29-year-old graduate student Erfan Shakourzadeh on espionage charges, accusing him of collaborating with the CIA and Israel’s Mossad during a period of heightened tensions with the United States and Israel. Rights groups said the elite aerospace engineering student from Tehran’s Iran University of Science and Technology was tortured, held in solitary confinement, and forced to give false confessions before his execution. In messages … Continue reading Iran hangs grad student accused of spying for the CIA and Israel’s intel agency

Israel’s Knesset passed a bipartisan law to create a special military tribunal for roughly 300 Palestinian attackers captured during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led invasion, with the vote passing 93-0. The tribunal would prosecute suspects for crimes including genocide, terrorism, harming Israeli sovereignty, and assisting an enemy during wartime, with genocide convictions carrying the possibility of the death penalty. Supporters described the legislation as a … Continue reading Knesset passes law establishing military tribunal to try October 7 perpetrators

A report from The Wall Street Journal claims that Israel secretly established a military base in Iraq’s Anbar desert before its conflict with Iran, intended to support air operations and potential rescue missions. The base allegedly hosted special forces and search-and-rescue units, and was meant to assist if Israeli aircraft were downed inside Iran. It was reportedly discovered after a local shepherd noticed unusual military … Continue reading Report: shepherd uncovers alleged secret Israeli base in Iraqi desert

North Korea has revised its constitution to mandate an automatic nuclear missile strike if leader Kim Jong Un is killed or its nuclear command system is threatened. The change was reportedly made after the US-Israeli strikes that killed Iranian leaders, which North Korea viewed as a warning about “decapitation” attacks. Experts say the revision strengthens and formalizes an existing policy by placing it directly into … Continue reading North Korean constitution now requires nuclear missile strike if Kim Jong Un is killed by foreign power

Indonesian police arrested more than 300 foreign nationals in Jakarta during a major raid on an alleged online gambling operation linked to over 70 betting websites. Most of those detained were from Vietnam and China, while others came from several Southeast Asian countries, and many were accused of overstaying visitor visas. Authorities said the group operated in an organized structure with roles such as customer … Continue reading Indonesian police arrest 321 foreigners in an operation to crack down on banned online gambling

At least 21 police officers were killed in northwestern Pakistan after a suicide car bombing and armed assault targeted a police post in Bannu district near the Afghan border. The attack was claimed by the militant alliance Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, which reportedly used an explosives-filled vehicle, gunmen, and drones during the assault. The powerful explosion destroyed much of the checkpoint, leaving rubble, burned vehicles, and widespread … Continue reading Car bomb attack and ambush in northwest Pakistan kill at least 21 police

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned they would attack US bases and ships in the Middle East if Iranian tankers are targeted again, following recent clashes in the Gulf of Oman. The threat came after US forces struck two Iranian tankers that Washington said violated its blockade, while Iran claimed its navy retaliated. Tensions also rose near Qatar after a cargo ship caught fire from an unknown … Continue reading Iran threatens US sites in Middle East if tankers come under fire

Rescuers on Indonesia’s Halmahera island recovered the bodies of two Singaporean hikers who were trapped after Mount Dukono erupted on Friday. The men, aged 30 and 27, were found near the body of an Indonesian female hiker close to the volcano’s crater. Rescue efforts were slowed by thick volcanic debris, dangerous terrain, and ongoing eruptions that continued to release ash and hot material. The three … Continue reading Bodies retrieved from Indonesian volcano after eruption kills 3 hikers

Israel indicted a Jewish man for allegedly attacking a Catholic nun near Jerusalem’s Old City in what authorities described as a religiously motivated assault. The incident, captured on video, sparked international condemnation and added to concerns about rising harassment and violence against Christians and religious symbols in the region. Recent controversies have included Israeli soldiers damaging Christian statues in Lebanon and restrictions on Christian worship access in Jerusalem … Continue reading Israel indicts Jewish man accused of attacking Christian nun in Jerusalem

China criticized Japan after Japanese forces fired a Type 88 anti-ship missile during joint military exercises with the US and the Philippines, calling it Japan’s first overseas “offensive missile” test since World War II. China accused Japan of abandoning its pacifist stance and accelerating “remilitarisation,” warning that growing military cooperation and weapons deployments threaten regional stability. Chinese officials also linked Japan’s actions to unresolved historical tensions from its wartime aggression in Asia and … Continue reading China condemns Japan’s first overseas ‘offensive missile’ test since WWII

Israel’s military is investigating a soldier photographed smoking and placing a cigarette in the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue in a Christian village in southern Lebanon. The incident followed another case in which an Israeli soldier damaged a statue of Jesus, leading to international criticism and military punishment. Lebanese religious leaders and Catholic representatives condemned the acts as disrespectful, intolerant, and offensive to a peaceful … Continue reading Israeli military investigates soldier’s act against Virgin Mary statue in Lebanon

Three Australian women returning from Syrian detention camps were arrested on terrorism and slavery-related charges linked to their alleged involvement with the Islamic State group. The women, along with nine children, arrived in Australia after spending years in Syria’s Roj Camp, where authorities say investigations into possible war crimes and extremist activities have been ongoing for over a decade. Two women face charges connected to slavery offenses, … Continue reading 3 Australian women returning from Syria are arrested on suspicion of slavery

The US military said it struck Iranian military targets after Iran allegedly attacked US warships with missiles, drones, and small boats, though Iran claimed Washington started the conflict. The exchange threatened a fragile ceasefire that had paused weeks of US-Israeli attacks and Iranian retaliation across the Middle East. President Donald Trump insisted the ceasefire remained in place but warned of harsher action if Iran refused to agree … Continue reading USA, Iran trade fire in Strait of Hormuz; Each claims other shot first

The U.S. military carried out another strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing three men, according to United States Southern Command. The strike followed a similar attack in the Caribbean a day earlier and is part of the Trump administration’s expanding anti-“narcoterrorism” campaign in Latin America, which the Pentagon says has killed at least 190 people since September. U.S. officials claim … Continue reading 3 killed in latest U.S. strike on suspected drug boat in eastern Pacific

A 13-year-old student admitted to carrying out a shooting at the public school Instituto Sao Jose in Rio Branco, leaving two female staff members dead and two others injured. Authorities said the teenager used a gun belonging to a legal guardian, and local media reported the weapon belonged to the suspect’s stepfather, who was also detained. The injured victims, including a student and another staff … Continue reading School shooting in Brazil leaves 2 women dead; 13-year-old student detained

France has deployed its carrier strike group, led by the Charles de Gaulle, to the Red Sea as tensions rise over control of the Strait of Hormuz. French officials said the mission is part of preparations for a possible international operation to secure safe maritime transit and reduce the economic impact of ongoing blockades by the U.S. and Iran. The deployment follows renewed exchanges of … Continue reading France moves aircraft carrier to Red Sea for Strait of Hormuz mission

Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs, targeting the Ghobeiri area in what Israel said was an operation against Hezbollah commander Malek Balou of the Radwan Force. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the attack, saying Israel would continue targeting those responsible for attacks on Israeli communities and soldiers. Lebanese state media reported a loud explosion and significant damage in the predominantly Shia neighborhood. Hezbollah has … Continue reading Israel bombs Beirut’s southern suburb as it targets Hezbollah commander