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The most striking feature of the week was the widening gap between the language of diplomacy and the reality of conflict.

The ceasefire between the United States and Iran remained formally intact, yet both sides exchanged strikes and accusations. In Lebanon, efforts to build a more durable arrangement encountered fresh obstacles as Hezbollah rejected proposed terms and fighting continued. A United Nations peacekeeper was killed amid shelling in southern Lebanon. In Gaza, Israeli strikes continued even as negotiations over the next phase of the ceasefire remained stalled.

None of these developments necessarily signal the collapse of diplomacy. Negotiations continue across all three theatres. Yet they illustrate a broader trend. Increasingly, ceasefires appear to function less as endpoints and more as frameworks within which violence continues at a lower level. Agreements remain valuable because they create channels for negotiation and impose limits on escalation. This week demonstrated that the existence of a ceasefire and the existence of peace are becoming separate questions.

While foreign policy remained dominated by the Iran conflict, one of the more consequential developments occurred in Washington itself.

The House approved legislation challenging presidential war powers in relation to Iran and separately advanced support for Ukraine despite opposition from the White House. Senate Republicans removed funding for a proposed White House ballroom project, while the administration abandoned plans for a controversial anti-weaponisation compensation fund following legal and political pressure.

Taken individually, none of these moves fundamentally alters the balance of power in Washington. Together, however, they suggest something more significant. For much of Donald Trump’s presidency, Republican lawmakers largely aligned themselves with White House priorities. This week offered evidence that at least some legislators are becoming more willing to exercise independent judgement.

Whether this develops into a lasting trend remains uncertain. The week’s votes and policy reversals indicated a greater willingness among lawmakers to diverge from White House priorities on foreign policy and domestic spending alike.

Some of the most significant Ukrainian actions this week occurred far from the front lines.

Ukrainian forces struck energy and military targets deep inside Russia, including infrastructure linked to oil exports and facilities around St Petersburg. The timing of some attacks, including those coinciding with Russia’s flagship economic forum, appeared designed not only to inflict damage but also to undermine perceptions of stability and normality.

At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed efforts to revive diplomacy through a proposal for direct talks with Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, discussion inside Russia increasingly focused on slower growth, fiscal pressures and the long-term sustainability of wartime spending.

The combination reflects an evolving Ukrainian strategy. Unable to secure a decisive breakthrough on the battlefield, Kyiv is increasingly applying pressure across multiple fronts simultaneously. Economic costs, infrastructure disruption, political embarrassment and diplomatic positioning have become extensions of the same campaign. The objective is not necessarily immediate victory, but to steadily raise the price of continuing the war.

Events across Asia pointed to a region preparing for long-term strategic competition rather than an imminent crisis.

Taiwan announced plans to expand its anti-ship missile arsenal substantially over the coming years. China increased patrol activity east of Taiwan. Japan pushed back against Chinese accusations of militarism while continuing to deepen security partnerships across the region. The Five Eyes intelligence alliance issued a joint warning about Chinese efforts to recruit individuals with access to sensitive information through online platforms.

At the same time, questions lingered about the future shape of American engagement in the region. Statements from Washington reassured allies of continued support while also emphasising that partners would be expected to shoulder more responsibility for their own defence.

These developments suggest that regional governments are increasingly focused on resilience rather than prediction. Few expect immediate confrontation. Equally, few appear willing to assume that current conditions will persist indefinitely. The result is a steady accumulation of military capabilities, partnerships and contingency planning designed to prepare for a range of possible futures.

The common thread running through the week was not escalation or de-escalation, but divergence.

Diplomatic agreements remained in place while violence continued. Political institutions followed their own logic rather than moving in lockstep. Military campaigns expanded beyond traditional battlefields into economic, technological and symbolic domains. Governments across Asia continued preparing for scenarios that may never materialise but can no longer be dismissed.

The result is a world increasingly characterised by parallel realities. Formal structures continue to exist and, in many cases, still matter. Yet the events unfolding around them are often moving according to different timelines and different pressures. Understanding that gap may be becoming just as important as understanding the events themselves.

A succinct daily briefing delivered each weekday to help you stay on top of the stories shaping the world.

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Hezbollah has rejected the terms of a US-backed ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the latest joint statement offered a final opportunity to move toward a definitive and comprehensive ceasefire. The arrangement would require Hezbollah to halt fire, withdraw personnel south of the Litani River and allow pilot zones where only the Lebanese Armed Forces hold control.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem called the outcome humiliating and said broad segments of Lebanese people rejected it. Mahmoud Qamati, deputy head of Hezbollah’s political council, rejected partial agreements and security trade-off formulas.

The dispute leaves implementation uncertain and further talks scheduled for June 22. Joseph Aoun said the ceasefire could begin within 24 hours of final approval, while Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said operations would continue for the time being.

Sources: Arab News, BBC

A United Nations peacekeeper died on Thursday from wounds sustained when shelling hit his base near Marjayoun in southeastern Lebanon. UNIFIL said two other peacekeepers were injured, that the origin of the shelling was unclear, and that it had opened an investigation into the incident.

The mission said deliberate attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolution 1701, and may amount to war crimes. The incident came amid intensifying exchanges of fire between the Israeli military in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah fighters.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the killing, urged all combatants to respect the cessation of hostilities announced on 16 April, and called on Hezbollah to respect the Lebanese Government’s authority and Israel to withdraw fully from north of the Blue Line. Seven peacekeepers have been killed in Lebanon since hostilities began on 2 March.

Sources: Euronews, UN

Israeli air strikes across Gaza City killed at least 11 Palestinians, including women and children, according to medical sources and eyewitnesses. Israeli aircraft struck four residential buildings in Sheikh Radwan, Tel al-Hawa and Shati refugee camp early on Thursday, while Gaza medics said a girl was the only survivor of one attack on a family home.

The Israeli military said the strikes killed four senior members of Hamas’s General Security Apparatus, including Hassan Labad, the deputy head of the apparatus. Local sources said Labad was killed with his wife and three of their children.

The attacks came despite a US-brokered ceasefire deal. Israel says its strikes aim to thwart imminent attacks, while indirect talks on the second phase of the agreement, including Hamas disarmament and Israeli army withdrawals, have stalled.

Sources: The Independent, BBC

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed direct peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and offered a full ceasefire for the duration of negotiations, in a public letter aimed at reviving efforts to end more than four years of war.

Zelenskyy said any meeting should take place in a third country and argued that peace efforts should not wait for shifts in international attention. US President Donald Trump welcomed the initiative and said it would be positive if the two leaders met.

The proposal comes as Germany, France and the UK discuss possible talks involving Russia and Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin would be briefed on the letter and reiterated that Zelenskyy could travel to Moscow, an option Kyiv rejects. While Putin said proposals discussed with Trump could form the basis of an agreement, Zelenskyy rejected territorial concessions and argued that Europe must be involved in any peace process.

Sources: CNN, Bloomberg

The luxury resort project linked to Jared Kushner has triggered protests in Albania and scrutiny from the European Commission over construction in the protected Pishe Poro-Narta coastal landscape. The proposed development near Vlora could exceed €4 billion and create more than 10,000 jobs, while Prime Minister Edi Rama has argued it could help move Albania into the top tier of global tourism.

Opponents say the site contains lagoons, wetlands, pine forests and sand dunes that support migratory birds, including protected pink flamingos. Protests grew after videos showed demonstrators being forcibly removed from the area, while police later clashed with protesters in Tirana.

The dispute has widened because Albania is pursuing European Union membership. The European Commission said it is closely following developments and stressed that EU standards must be fully taken into account in the project.

Sources: DW, CBC

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The United States has imposed new sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, his wife and relatives of former president Raúl Castro, escalating pressure on Cuba’s leadership as President Donald Trump threatens military action against the island. The penalties freeze any assets the targeted individuals may have in US jurisdictions and also apply to non-American entities that do business with them.

The measures follow Trump signing an executive order expanding sanctions against Cuba. They also target Cuba’s defence ministry, the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, Amistur Cuba and the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the sanctions targeted a network enabling and funding Cuba’s operations. Cuba’s minister of foreign affairs, Bruno Rodríguez, condemned the move as part of a US interventionist plan and said threats against Cuba’s sovereignty would fail.

Sources: The Guardian, Associated Press

The US House has passed legislation to aid Ukraine and sanction key parts of Russia’s economy, overriding Republican leaders who said the bill could undermine negotiations with the White House. The 226-195 vote marked the House’s second major foreign policy break with President Donald Trump this week, after lawmakers also approved a war powers resolution aimed at halting US military action against Iran.

The bill, sponsored by Representative Gregory Meeks, would provide more than $1 billion in security and reconstruction aid and make another $8 billion available for Ukraine’s defence through loans. Supporters forced the vote with a discharge petition backed by 218 signatures.

The measure now faces an uncertain Senate path. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick said it would probably not get 60 Senate votes, but would force the chamber to address the issue.

Sources: Associated Press, The Guardian

Taiwan will increase its anti-ship missile arsenal to more than 1,800 by early 2029 as it seeks to counter the threat of blockade or invasion by China. The weapons can be fired from aircraft, ships and ground-based launchers, and form part of an asymmetric strategy designed to offset China’s larger firepower.

Taiwan’s planned arsenal includes US-supplied Harpoon missiles and domestically produced Hsiung Feng missiles. Ou Si-fu, deputy chief executive officer for research at Taiwan’s top military think tank, said the aim was to stop the People’s Liberation Army from landing and completing its mission.

Taiwan is also seeking President Donald Trump’s approval for an arms sale package worth up to $14 billion. Beijing has never renounced force to bring Taiwan under its control, while Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.

Sources: AsiaOne, Reuters

Chinese authorities are still working to erase public memory of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, 37 years after troops opened fire to end student-led pro-democracy protests in Beijing. The anniversary is not officially marked in China, where the events are not publicly discussed and censorship filters related words and images from the internet.

Yet some young Chinese are learning details in unexpected ways. Discussion of Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu drew attention to her father, Arthur Liu, who had participated in the protests before fleeing to the United States. Other students discovered the history after an influencer’s live-stream was abruptly cut when he showed an ice-cream cake shaped like a tank.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Beijing’s censorship could not erase memories of the military assault. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning accused Washington of distorting history and smearing China’s political system.

Sources: Washington Post, Reuters

SpaceX’s pitch for a $1.78 trillion initial public offering valuation depends on revenues at its AI unit rising about 100 times by 2030, according to projections made by lead investment bank Goldman Sachs. The bank expects AI revenue to reach $322 billion in 2030, up from $3.2 billion in 2025, while total revenue is forecast to rise to $474 billion from $18.7 billion last year.

Goldman’s model was shared with a potential investor as SpaceX began its IPO roadshow. The deal could raise up to $86 billion, while another report said the company aims to raise $75 billion at a $1.75 trillion valuation.

The projections assume Grok models catch and surpass more advanced labs, but the AI unit has posted losses, faced upheaval and struggled to gain traction.

Sources: FT, Reuters

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On this day …

On this day in 1947, U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall outlined what became known as the Marshall Plan, a vast programme of economic assistance for post-war Europe.

The initiative provided billions of dollars in aid to help rebuild economies devastated by the Second World War. Beyond reconstruction, the plan aimed to promote stability, encourage trade and limit the spread of political extremism during the early Cold War.

Many historians regard it as one of the most successful economic recovery programmes ever undertaken. Its influence can still be seen in modern debates about development assistance, reconstruction efforts and international cooperation.

Can large-scale economic aid still play the same stabilising role in today’s more fragmented world?

A succinct daily briefing delivered each weekday to help you stay on top of the stories shaping the world.

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Kuwait’s main airport became the latest test of the fragile US-Iran ceasefire after drones hit a passenger terminal, killing one person and wounding dozens. Kuwait said the dead person was an Indian national, while authorities said 63 people were injured, including passengers and workers.

Iran denied responsibility, saying the damage was caused by a failed US-made interceptor. US Central Command rejected that account and said Iranian drones carried out a deliberate attack. Kuwait’s foreign ministry expelled two Iranian diplomats, while flights resumed only partially from another terminal.

The strike widened the conflict’s civilian footprint beyond military sites and shipping routes. With Iran holding the Strait of Hormuz, the US maintaining a blockade of Iranian ports and talks strained by fighting in Lebanon, the ceasefire is being tested by overlapping fronts rather than one clear negotiation track.

Sources: BBC, Associated Press

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to renew implementation of a fragile ceasefire, with new pilot security zones inside Lebanon where Hezbollah operatives would be excluded. The arrangement, reached after a fourth round of US-mediated talks in Washington, is contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah attacks and the evacuation of its operatives from areas south of the Litani River.

The Lebanese army would take exclusive control of the zones, while the two governments said Lebanon’s future must be decided by sovereign governments, not state or non-state actors. Hezbollah has not joined the talks and has not publicly commented on the announcement.

The deal follows Israeli strikes that killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah fire into northern Israel. The next talks are set for 22 June, with Washington seeking a comprehensive agreement while fighting continues to test the truce.

Sources: PBS, BBC

The House has approved a war powers resolution to halt US military action against Iran, handing President Donald Trump a rare congressional rebuke over the three-month conflict. The measure passed 215-208 after four Republicans joined Democrats, despite House Speaker Mike Johnson’s efforts to block an outcome exposing growing opposition to the war.

The resolution would not immediately stop the fighting and its next steps remain uncertain. Trump would likely reject any congressional move to limit his commander-in-chief authority, while the measure still faces the Senate, where a similar resolution has advanced but not received a final vote.

The vote reflects widening political unease as the conflict drags on, a ceasefire remains uncertain and talks are complicated by Lebanon. If Congress ultimately approves the resolution, it could open a new legal test over war powers.

Sources: Associated Press, CNN

The Five Eyes intelligence alliance has issued an unprecedented joint warning that China’s military intelligence services are using professional networking and online recruitment platforms to target people with access to sensitive information. The agencies said the campaign focuses on government and military personnel, as well as people with access to classified or privileged material.

The bulletin said intelligence officers or affiliates pose as private consultancies, think tanks or human resources firms, using job adverts to approach foreign policy and defence analysts. Targets include those working in defence, foreign affairs, security and intelligence, military personnel in the Indo-Pacific, plus academics, journalists and think tank employees.

Those recruited could be paid from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per report, sometimes in cryptocurrency. Beijing rejected the allegations as fabricated and malicious slander.

Sources: Japan Times, South China Morning Post

The UN General Assembly has elected Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago and Zimbabwe to two-year terms on the Security Council starting on 1 January 2027. Germany missed out after coming third in the contest for two Western European and Others Group seats, receiving 104 votes behind Portugal’s 134 and Austria’s 131.

Kyrgyzstan secured its first Security Council seat after four rounds of voting, defeating the Philippines by 142 votes to 49. Zimbabwe and Trinidad and Tobago were elected unopposed to seats reserved for their regions.

The outcome is a diplomatic setback for Germany, which had pushed hard for a seat. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called the result “a real disappointment”, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany remained a reliable pillar of the multilateral system.

Sources: Reuters, DW

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South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party won 12 of 16 mayoral and gubernatorial races in local elections, but lost the crucial Seoul contest to the conservative People Power Party. The result gave President Lee Jae Myung more regional allies, yet denied his party the clean mandate that victory in the capital would have signalled.

In Seoul, incumbent Mayor Oh Se-hoon overtook Democratic challenger Chong Won-o after early results had shown Chong ahead. With 97.7 percent of ballots counted, Oh led by 48.94 percent to 48.34 percent, a margin of 30,359 votes.

The election also strengthened the Democratic Party’s parliamentary majority, with nine wins in 14 by-elections. But the People Power Party won four seats, while former party chair Han Dong-hoon won as an independent in Busan, pointing to unresolved conservative realignment.

Sources: Korea Herald, Associated Press

Ukraine struck the St Petersburg region with drones as President Vladimir Putin’s flagship economic forum opened in his hometown, sending black smoke over Russia’s second-largest city. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces hit the St Petersburg oil terminal, military targets at the Kronstadt naval base and a weapons production site in Tambov.

Regional officials said infrastructure facilities were hit across three city districts, several people were injured and air defences shot down nearly 60 drones in the surrounding Leningrad region. Pulkovo Airport suspended operations for almost five hours, delaying or diverting about 30 flights.

The strike formed part of Ukraine’s expanding long-range campaign against Russian economic and military targets. Dmitri Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said Russia’s response would be “systematic”, while Zelensky described the campaign as “long-range sanctions” aimed at bringing peace closer.

Sources: New York Times, Washington Post

Hungary has lifted its 17-month veto on Ukraine’s EU accession process, clearing the way for formal talks with Ukraine and Moldova to open on 15 June. The shift followed a decision by Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar after weeks of negotiations between Kyiv, Budapest and Brussels.

Magyar said Budapest would support Kyiv’s membership process in exchange for an agreement expanding the linguistic, educational, cultural and political rights of Ukraine’s Hungarian minority. Kyiv has yet to publicly confirm the agreement, but Magyar said Ukraine would translate the measures into law in the near future.

The breakthrough allows the two candidate countries to begin aligning laws with EU standards in the first of six negotiating clusters covering 33 policy areas. It also marks a sharp change from the previous Hungarian blockade, which had stalled progress since January 2025.

Sources: FT, Politico Europe

Senate Republicans have removed up to $1 billion for security upgrades to President Donald Trump’s proposed White House ballroom from a revised budget reconciliation bill. The decision, made official in updated Judiciary Committee text, strips the project from legislation focused on long-term immigration enforcement funding.

The removal is a setback for Trump, who had pressed Republican senators to authorise the project after an armed man tried to storm the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner in April. The ballroom proposal had also triggered Democratic resistance and faced a ruling from the Senate parliamentarian that it did not comply with reconciliation rules.

The revised package still advances major security and immigration spending, including funding for Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security through 2029.

Sources: The Hill, The Guardian

A proposed floating city called Freedom Ship would carry up to 80,000 residents, visitors and crew while continuously circling the globe. The mile-long vessel would be 800 feet wide, 30 decks high and cost about £12 billion, with homes for 50,000 permanent residents, 10,000 temporary visitors and 20,000 crew.

The project would include schools, parks, shops, banks, hotels, a hospital, a 15,000-seat sports stadium, museums, a convention centre, a symphony hall, a water park and eight helipads. It would be too large to dock, staying in international waters while ferries transfer passengers to and from land.

The concept was first proposed in the late 1990s and has not begun construction. Freedom Cruise Line International is still raising start-up funds, with Indonesia identified as the construction site once financing is secured.

Sources: The Telegraph, Euronews

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On this day …

On this day in 1989, Chinese authorities moved to end weeks of pro-democracy demonstrations centred on Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. The protests had drawn students, workers and citizens calling for political reform, greater transparency and action against corruption.

The government’s decision to deploy military force became one of the defining political events of the late twentieth century and drew widespread international condemnation.

While discussion of the events remains heavily restricted within China, Tiananmen continues to influence debates about state power, political reform and collective memory.

The legacy of the crackdown remains a point of reflection for governments, historians and citizens around the world. How should societies remember events that remain politically sensitive decades later?

A succinct daily briefing delivered each weekday to help you stay on top of the stories shaping the world.

Fresh exchanges of missiles, drones and strikes have pushed the Iran war back into open escalation, even as Washington and Tehran remain short of a signed ceasefire deal.

The US military said Iranian missile attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and other regional targets were thwarted or failed, while US forces struck sites on Iran’s Qeshm Island after attempted attacks. Iranian state media said the Revolutionary Guards attacked the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and other regional targets in response to a US strike.

The flare-up lifted oil prices by more than 1% and underlined the wider cost of a conflict that has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic. President Donald Trump said negotiations were continuing, but Iranian media reported that Tehran had not communicated with Washington for several days, leaving talks stalled as hostilities spread.

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian

Israel stepped back from threatened strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs after US President Donald Trump asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to attack the city, but the wider campaign against Hezbollah continued in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s government said Israel would refrain from strikes on the Hezbollah-controlled suburbs and Hezbollah would halt attacks on Israel, yet residents remained unsettled as Israeli drones flew over Beirut. Israeli airstrikes and artillery hit southern Lebanon, killing at least four people, while residents of Nabatiyeh were ordered to leave before further strikes.

The episode exposes how Lebanon has become tied to efforts to end the three-month war involving Iran, the US and Israel. Iran has demanded a Lebanon ceasefire as part of any wider deal, while Washington talks are exploring phased ceasefire measures, including pilot zones where hostilities would stop and troops would withdraw.

Sources: BBC, Reuters

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appear to be facing growing strains in their relationship as differences emerge over the direction of the Iran war and the conflict in Lebanon. Reports of a tense phone call between the two leaders included Trump allegedly telling Netanyahu that he was “crazy” over Israeli threats to attack Beirut, amid concerns such action could undermine talks with Tehran. Israeli media rejected the account of the conversation.

The dispute comes as both leaders face mounting political pressure at home. Trump is seeking a path out of a war that has damaged the US economy ahead of midterm elections, while criticism is growing within parts of his MAGA coalition over US involvement alongside Israel. Netanyahu, meanwhile, faces pressure over security decisions and the stability of his governing coalition.

Analysts said tensions between Netanyahu and US presidents are not unusual, but the latest dispute highlights diverging priorities as Trump seeks to move negotiations forward while Netanyahu remains focused on the war effort.

Sources: South China Morning Post, NDTV

President Vladimir Putin opens Russia’s flagship investment forum this week against a backdrop of slowing growth, continued war in Ukraine and mounting questions about the country’s economic direction. The gathering, often described as Russia’s answer to Davos, comes just hours after a deadly attack on Kyiv and as the Kremlin seeks to project stability despite deepening economic pressures.

The forum will feature a mix of foreign guests, including American participants attending for the first time since 2017-2018. Yet the war remains the dominant concern. One participant questioned whether the conflict would end or whether Russia faced “a much tougher future”, reflecting wider unease about the country’s trajectory.

Russia’s economy grew strongly in 2023 and 2024 but has since slowed sharply. Growth is forecast at just 0.4% this year after the economy shrank by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2026. Former central bank official Oleg Vyugin said Russia faced a choice between reducing military spending or risking a slide into recession.

Sources: Reuters, TV2

US President Donald Trump has named Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence, putting a housing finance official with no known intelligence background in temporary charge of 18 government intelligence agencies.

Trump said Bill Pulte had experience managing sensitive financial matters at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and would keep his housing finance roles while filling in for outgoing director Tulsi Gabbard. But the appointment drew criticism because Pulte has been accused of using his current post to pursue Trump’s perceived political enemies through mortgage fraud referrals.

Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the choice showed Trump wanted an intelligence official willing to use government authority for political retribution. Some Republicans were also wary, with Senator John Cornyn saying he saw no evidence of Pulte’s qualifications but was willing to listen.

Sources: BBC, PBS

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US President Donald Trump’s administration has abandoned plans for a $1.8 billion anti-weaponisation fund after legal challenges and bipartisan political pressure, including concern from Republicans in Congress.

The fund was announced as part of a settlement after Trump dropped a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns. It was intended to compensate people described as victims of government weaponisation, but critics said it could become a payout scheme for Trump allies, including some involved in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawmakers the administration was “not moving forward with the fund, period”, although an agreement barring future audits into Trump and his family’s past tax records will remain in place. The reversal followed a federal court pause, lawsuits challenging the fund’s legality and pressure from Republican leaders seeking to advance a separate $72 billion immigration enforcement package.

Sources: Al Jazeera, The Times

The killing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak has triggered a police watchdog investigation and political backlash in Britain after body camera footage showed officers handcuffing him as he lay dying from stab wounds.

Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years after being found guilty of murder. Police initially handcuffed Nowak after Digwa falsely claimed he had been the victim of a racist attack, before officers realised Nowak was severely injured and began first aid. Footage showed Nowak saying “I can’t breathe” and repeatedly telling officers he had been stabbed.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told Parliament the footage was “disturbing and tragic”, but warned that misinformation and inflammatory commentary were worsening the situation. Protests later turned violent in Southampton, while Nowak’s family said they did not want his death used to create further division.

Sources: New York Times, France 24

US President Donald Trump is proposing new tariffs of at least 10% on imports from 60 trading partners, using forced labour investigations to rebuild a wider tariff system struck down by the US Supreme Court.

The 10% rate would apply to imports from Canada, Mexico, the European Union, Taiwan and the UK, while products from countries including China, India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Switzerland would face a 12.5% levy. The trade office said lower rates would apply to economies that prohibit forced labour imports or have committed to doing so, while higher rates would apply where enforcement was judged weaker.

The tariffs are not final. Written comments are due by July 6, with public hearings expected from July 7. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said failures to address forced labour imports forced American workers to compete on an uneven global playing field.

Sources: Bloomberg, Politico

The United Nations has warned governments to prepare for the likely return of El Nino, with an 80% chance of the warming climate phenomenon developing between June and August and a 90% chance by November.

The World Meteorological Organization said unusually warm waters in the tropical Pacific were shifting global temperature and rainfall patterns, increasing the risk of drought, heavy rainfall and heatwaves on land and in the ocean. Forecast models suggest the event would be at least moderate and possibly strong, though the agency said there was still uncertainty about its strength.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said El Nino conditions would “pour fuel on the fire of a warming world”, while WMO chief Celeste Saulo said advance warning should guide preparedness in sectors including agriculture, water management, energy and health. Forecasts point to above-normal temperatures across nearly all regions from June to August.

Sources: South China Morning Post, The Guardian

Thousands of people have protested in Albania against a luxury resort project linked to Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, amid concern over protected coastal land, biodiversity and transparency.

The project is planned for the Vjosa-Narta coastal landscape in Zvërnec and the uninhabited Adriatic island of Sazan. Environmental groups say it could threaten biodiversity and disrupt bird migration routes, while public concern grew after excavators began clearing pine forests and dunes for access roads and construction sites. Protesters chanted “Albania belongs to Albanians” and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Edi Rama, Albania’s prime minister, has defended the development as lawful and part of a wider effort to attract foreign capital and expand luxury tourism. Opponents say no environmental impact report has been publicly released and warn the project could set a precedent for other sensitive areas.

Sources: Euronews, New York Times

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On this day …

On this day in 1989, Iran announced the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the founder of the Islamic Republic.

During his decade in power, Khomeini transformed Iran’s political system and established a model of religious governance that continues to shape the country.

His death prompted one of the largest public funerals of the twentieth century and raised questions about the future direction of the state. Iran’s leadership ultimately transferred to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ensuring continuity in the revolutionary system.

More than three decades later, many of the political structures established under Khomeini remain central to Iranian domestic and foreign policy.

To what extent do revolutionary movements remain shaped by the ideas of their founders long after they are gone?

A succinct daily briefing delivered each weekday to help you stay on top of the stories shaping the world.

Donald Trump, the US president, said Israel and Hizbollah had agreed that “the shooting will stop” after calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and representatives of the Lebanese militant group. He said Israeli troops would not go to into Beirut and that any troops already on the way had been turned back.

The claim came after Iran suspended back-channel talks with the US in response to Israel’s expanded bombing campaign against Hizbollah in Lebanon and what it called ceasefire violations. Iranian state-affiliated media warned Tehran could “complete the closure” of the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices sharply higher before they eased after Trump’s comments.

The agreement’s durability remained uncertain. Attacks were reported after Trump’s announcement, Netanyahu said Israel would still strike Beirut if Hizbollah did not stop attacks, and Hizbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah called for a comprehensive ceasefire across Lebanese territory.

Sources: The Guardian, FT

Senior Russian finance officials have warned President Vladimir Putin that war spending is on an unaffordable path, as projected defence expenditure risks widening the budget deficit dangerously. Officials in the Finance Ministry and central bank have proposed new cuts, but the Defence Ministry is resisting reductions and seeking additional funding to cover a possible shortfall of up to three trillion rubles this year.

The warning comes as Russia’s economy slows in the fifth year of the full-scale invasion. Growth is forecast at 0.4 percent in 2026, down from a previous estimate of 1.3 percent, while official data showed a first-quarter contraction.

The budget deficit reached 5.9 trillion rubles in the first four months, about 50 percent above the full-year plan. Higher oil prices have provided only temporary relief, while officials and business figures say sanctions, high rates, drone attacks and declining investment are weighing on growth.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters

Russia launched one of its largest air attacks in recent months overnight, targeting Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 656 strike drones and 73 missiles were launched, while officials reported at least 14 deaths across Kyiv and Dnipro and more than 70 injuries.

Residential buildings, civilian infrastructure and energy facilities were among the sites damaged, with rescue teams searching for people feared trapped beneath rubble.

The attack came after Russian warnings of retaliatory action following recent Ukrainian strikes. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the main assault focused on Kyiv, where dozens of residential buildings were damaged. Ukrainian officials said air defences intercepted most drones but fewer missiles, while Zelensky renewed calls for additional Patriot interceptor missiles, warning supplies were running low as repeated large-scale attacks continue.

Sources: Politico Europe, BBC

Colombia’s presidential election will go to a June 21 run-off between hard-right political outsider Abelardo de la Espriella and leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda after a first-round result that overturned polling expectations. De la Espriella won 43.74 percent of the vote, ahead of Cepeda on 40.90 percent, despite surveys that had expected President Gustavo Petro’s chosen successor to finish first.

The result exposed both anti-establishment momentum and a volatile contest for the centre. De la Espriella, a criminal defence lawyer who has never run for public office before, beat the main conservative establishment candidate, while his campaign’s law-and-order message drew support in Colombia’s interior.

Petro rejected the preliminary count and urged voters to await the official tally, though Cepeda later acknowledged there was no evidence of irregularities. Both finalists now face three weeks to win moderate voters.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Bloomberg

Denmark has a new four-party government after Mette Frederiksen, the prime minister, secured a third consecutive term following more than two months of coalition talks. Her Social Democrats will govern with the Social Liberals, the Green Left and the centrist Moderates in a left-leaning minority administration formed after March elections left parliament fragmented.

The deal marks a shift left after Frederiksen’s previous left-right alliance, but also underlines her weakened position. Her party recorded its lowest election score since 1903 while remaining the largest in parliament, and analysts said the difficulty of forming a government could affect its durability.

Frederiksen is expected to outline key policies, with Greenland diplomacy, defence spending, cost of living, pensions, a potential wealth tax and animal rights among the issues facing the coalition. Officials from Denmark, Greenland and the US are also discussing Arctic security.

Sources: FT, The Guardian

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Hungary’s government will seek to amend the constitution to remove President Tamás Sulyok after Prime Minister Péter Magyar said the Orbán-appointed head of state had refused to resign. Magyar’s Tisza party won an April election with a two-thirds parliamentary majority, giving it power to make sweeping changes to the political system built during Viktor Orbán’s 16 years in office.

The confrontation centres on whether Sulyok could obstruct the new government’s reform agenda. Although Hungary’s presidency is largely ceremonial, the office can sign legislation into law, send bills to the constitutional court, or refer laws back to parliament.

Magyar said lawmakers would begin the necessary procedures, a process he said would take about a month. Sulyok warned the move would deepen division and harm Hungary’s democratic reputation, while Orbán’s Fidesz party accused Magyar of issuing an unlawful ultimatum.

Sources: PBS, CNN

European Union lawmakers and governments have agreed new migration rules allowing member states to send people ordered to leave the bloc to centres in third countries. The provisional deal, which still needs formal approval, is designed to speed returns and give governments more deportation tools, while the European Commission says only about 20 percent of people ordered to leave currently depart.

The overhaul comes as EU policy tightens under pressure from right-wing parties, even though irregular arrivals fell 26 percent last year to their lowest level since 2021. Under the rules, rejected asylum seekers and others ordered to leave could be sent to return hubs in countries to which they have no connection.

Rights groups warned the rules could expand detention, deportations and home searches. The draft also extends detention periods, allows minors to be detained and introduces penalties for non-cooperation.

Sources: NPR, Reuters

The US State Department plans to reduce the number of embassies and consulates in Africa that process visa applications from almost 50 to 20 in the coming weeks. The directive, approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to tighten both immigrant and non-immigrant visa issuance.

The change means applicants in countries without a processing hub would have to travel to one of the approved sites, creating additional cost and logistical barriers. Non-hub consular sections would remain open for services including American citizen assistance, emergency requests, special national interest cases and diplomatic visas.

Visa processing in Africa has already been affected by travel bans on some countries, visa bond requirements of up to $15,000 and restrictions linked to the Ebola outbreak. The State Department said it was aligning resources with security screening and national interests.

Sources: Associated Press, Newsweek

Ghana’s parliament has passed a sweeping bill criminalising LGBTQ+ identity, activity, advocacy and support, with prison sentences ranging from three to 10 years. The legislation, which is expected to be signed by President John Dramani Mahama, would expand criminal liability beyond same-sex relations to include allies and those accused of promoting or funding LGBTQ-related activity.

Community groups say LGBTQ+ people are panicking, deleting online posts and fearing eviction, job loss or reduced access to healthcare. Leila Lariba, director of One Love Sisters Ghana, said the bill could affect where people live and whether they keep their jobs.

The bill includes exemptions for healthcare professionals and lawyers, but activists warned the stigma could still deter people from seeking help, including HIV testing or support over discrimination. A coalition led by Rightify Ghana is preparing a legal challenge.

Sources: The Guardian, Bloomberg

A divided US appeals court panel has ruled that a Pentagon policy illegally banned transgender troops from military service, finding that the Trump administration’s policy was designed to exclude people based on gender identity. The ban remains in effect because the Supreme Court allowed enforcement last year while litigation continues.

The ruling partially upheld a March 2025 decision by US District Judge Ana Reyes, who found that President Donald Trump’s executive order likely violated constitutional rights. The panel said the military should not remove current service members named in the lawsuit, but did not allow new transgender recruits to join.

Judge Robert Wilkins wrote that the policy appeared driven by a desire to harm a politically unpopular group. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth signalled an appeal, writing: “See you at SCOTUS.”

Sources: Associated Press, CBS

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On this day …

On this day in 1964, the U.S. Senate voted to end debate on the Civil Rights Act after a lengthy

filibuster by opponents, clearing the way for the legislation’s eventual passage later that month.

The bill sought to prohibit discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex or national origin and became one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in American history.

The vote reflected years of activism, political pressure and legal challenges aimed at dismantling segregation. Its effects extended far beyond the United States, becoming a reference point for civil rights movements and anti-discrimination laws around the world.

What lessons from the civil rights era remain relevant in debates about equality today?

10 Good Things is our monthly counterpoint to some of the less uplifting reality that faces us in the daily news cycle

1. Global Health: WHO Reports Massive 40% Drop in HIV Infections

The World Health Organization (WHO) released its flagship World Health Statistics 2026 report on May 13, documenting monumental structural victories in the multi-decade battle against major infectious diseases. Chief among the findings is that new global HIV infections have plummeted by 40% compared to 2010 benchmarks, demonstrating the long-term, compounding impact of expanded global health initiatives.

The progress is particularly pronounced in the WHO African Region, which outpaced global averages by achieving a dramatic 70% reduction in new cases. Beyond HIV, the report highlighted a 36% decline in the number of people requiring interventions for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

These massive public health milestones reflect a highly successful global scale-up of localised diagnostic access, affordable antiretroviral therapies, and preventative care networks.

Sources: WHO, Health Policy Watch

2. Society: UK Renters’ Rights Act Takes Effect

The landmark Renters’ Rights Act officially came into force across England on May 1, 2026, fundamentally shifting the legal landscape for millions of private tenants. The legislation’s primary focus is the total abolition of Section 21 “no-fault” evictions, meaning landlords must now provide a legally defined reason to end a tenancy.

Additional provisions protect tenants by banning rental bidding wars and restricting rent increases to once per year with a mandatory two-month notice period. Private rentals must also comply with strict property standards regarding damp and mold.

This long-awaited overhaul establishes unprecedented stability, prioritizing tenant security and fairness while offering predictable guidelines for responsible property owners.

Sources: UK Government, England Shelter

3. Conservation: Kiwi Bird Population Milestone in New Zealand

Wellington celebrated a profound conservation milestone on May 5, 2026, as community organizers confirmed the successful return of the iconic kiwi bird to the capital’s wild landscapes. The Capital Kiwi Project announced the monitoring of the first wild-hatched kiwi chicks in the region in over a century.

This milestone is the result of intensive, community-led predator control covering more than 23,000 hectares of public and private land. By systematically eradicating invasive pests, residents have safely transitioned the national bird from a managed conservation project back into a wild neighbor. The victory serves as an inspiring blueprint for grass-roots rewilding initiatives worldwide.

Sources: Capital Kiwi, NZ News

4. Energy: Battery Prices Reach Sub-$100 Milestone

Global energy market analysis from mid-May 2026 confirms that average lithium-ion battery pack prices have officially fallen below the critical $100/kWh threshold. Economists widely recognise this figure as the tipping point where electric vehicles achieve manufacturing cost parity with traditional internal combustion engines without relying on government subsidies.

The dramatic price drop stems from raw material stabilization and the aggressive scaling of international gigafactories. Lower battery costs concurrently transform utility grids by making large-scale renewable energy storage significantly cheaper than fossil-fuel alternatives.

This milestone marks a structural shift, making sustainable transit and energy infrastructure the superior economic choice.

Sources: Guiness, IEA

5. Marine Biology: New Giant Squid Habitats Discovered

An international marine expedition exploring deep underwater canyons off the coast of Western Australia announced a remarkable discovery on May 14, 2026. Utilising advanced deep-sea submersibles and environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling, scientists mapped hidden, thriving deep-sea ecosystems containing rare giant squid breeding grounds.

These deep ocean trenches serve as vital thermal refuges, sheltering diverse marine life from changing surface temperatures. The discovery provides invaluable insights into deep-sea biology and breeding behaviors.

Ocean advocacy groups are already leveraging the comprehensive mapping data to establish new Marine Protected Areas, shielding these delicate ecosystems from future industrial disruptions.

Sources: Science Daily, Marine Science

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6. Conservation: Leatherback Turtle Populations Rise in Indo-Pacific

NOAA Fisheries and the World Wildlife Fund jointly reported an 85% reduction in leatherback turtle nest poaching across Indonesia’s Kei Islands on May 15, 2026. This monumental success stems from a decade-long community initiative that successfully replaced turtle harvesting with locally managed eco-tourism opportunities.

By empowering coastal residents to become active guardians of the nesting beaches, the project has stabilized the regional population of the world’s largest sea turtle.

Leatherbacks act as a critical indicator of broader ocean health. Their steady recovery demonstrates how aligning community economic incentives with wildlife preservation creates sustainable, long-term conservation success.

Sources: NOAA Fisheries, World Wildlife

7. Wildlife: Platypus Reintroduction Success in Royal National Park

Wildlife biologists from UNSW Sydney confirmed on May 24, 2026, that the reintroduced platypus population just south of Sydney has established a stable, self-sustaining presence. Three years after being brought back from a half-century absence, extensive river surveys confirmed multiple generations living along the Hacking River system.

The tracking data revealed excellent health metrics and consistent, independent breeding cycles across the population. This successful reintroduction proves that intensive habitat restoration can effectively lure highly sensitive native species back to historical ranges. It stands as a profound victory for Australian biodiversity and watershed conservation.

Sources: Mongabay, ABC

8. Climate Science: Beaver Wetlands Identified as High-Density Carbon Sinks

A long-term study published by the University of Birmingham on May 26, 2026, revealed that riverbeds engineered by rewilded beaver populations serve as extraordinarily dense carbon sinks. The research demonstrates that beaver wetlands trap organic sediment that stores up to 14 times more inorganic carbon than surrounding forest soils.

The waterlogged, low-oxygen environments created by beaver dams permanently lock away carbon while releasing negligible greenhouse emissions. This provides communities with an entirely natural, low-cost strategy for climate resilience. The findings bolster the global push for rewilding rivers, proving nature’s own engineers are highly effective allies in carbon capture.

Sources: Science Daily, University of Birmingham

9. Clean Energy: Perovskite-Silicon Tandem Solar Cells Hit 34.2% Efficiency

European solar infrastructure manufacturers finalized extensive real-world grid testing on a revolutionary commercial-grade tandem solar cell in late May 2026. By layering a thin film of perovskite over traditional silicon, the tandem panels shattered existing commercial efficiency barriers, converting a record-breaking 34.2% of sunlight into operational electrical energy during outdoor testing.

Standard silicon-only panels face a hard physical limit of around 29% efficiency, making this breakthrough a massive leap forward for global clean energy capacity. Crucially, the engineering consortium successfully resolved long-standing material degradation issues that previously plagued perovskite in outdoor elements.

Proving these panels can reliably survive harsh weather for 25 years clears the path for immediate mass manufacturing and cheaper, high-yield solar farms worldwide.

Sources: Fraunhofer, Solar Quarter

10. Marine Tech: AI Acoustic Buoy Network Deployed for Whale Safety

An international maritime coalition finalized the deployment of an autonomous “whale-safe” acoustic buoy network across major Mediterranean shipping corridors on May 30, 2026. The advanced system uses real-time underwater acoustic monitoring and machine learning to isolate and identify the distinct vocalisations of endangered whales.

Upon detecting a whale, the system instantly transmits speed-reduction and automated course-correction coordinates directly to nearby commercial cargo vessels. Initial tracking data from late May showed an incredible 90% reduction in close-encounter risks.

This technology successfully bridges artificial intelligence with marine safety, protecting ocean giants without slowing global supply chains.

Sources: Oceancare, Frontiersin

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A succinct daily briefing delivered each weekday to help you stay on top of the stories shaping the world.

The United States said it struck Iranian military sites over the weekend after accusing Tehran of shooting down a U.S. MQ-1 drone operating over international waters. U.S. Central Command said fighter aircraft eliminated Iranian air defences, a ground control station and two attack drones that it said posed threats to ships transiting regional waters. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they later targeted a U.S.-used air base in response.

The exchange is the latest since a ceasefire took effect in early April while negotiations on a broader settlement continue. Air defence systems in Kuwait responded to missile and drone threats as the confrontation unfolded. The conflict, launched on February 28, has killed thousands of people and disrupted global energy markets after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. President Donald Trump continues to press for the reopening of the waterway and assurances that Iran will never possess a nuclear weapon, while negotiations remain stalled over several unresolved issues.

Sources: Reuters, NBC

Israeli troops have captured Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, marking the country’s deepest incursion there in more than a quarter-century. The strategic mountain fortress near Nabatiyeh was taken after days of air strikes and fighting with Hezbollah militants in nearby villages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the occupation of Beaufort a “dramatic stage” and “dramatic shift” in policy.

The advance came despite a nominal ceasefire in place since April 17 and days before Lebanon and Israel are due to hold direct talks in Washington. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has proposed that Hezbollah halt attacks on Israel while Israel avoids escalating operations in Beirut.

Israel has expanded operations across the Litani River, designated territory up to the Zahrani River a combat zone and ordered residents to leave parts of southern Lebanon. The latest fighting has killed 3,350 people in Lebanon and displaced more than 1 million.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Associated Press

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Asian military leaders that Washington would put its most committed partners at the front of the line for support, while warning that American help would be conditional. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, he said President Donald Trump believes in helping countries that help themselves and that the era of subsidising wealthy nations’ defence is over.

The message sought to reassure regional partners that the United States would remain protective, but it also exposed uncertainty over how far Washington will go. Hegseth omitted Taiwan from prepared remarks, despite discussing it repeatedly at last year’s forum.

He said U.S.-China relations are better than they have been in many years, while also warning of alarm over Chinese military activity. The result was a softer tone that left allies seeking clarity on Taiwan, China and U.S. support.

Sources: New York Times, NPR

Ukraine said its drones struck Russian energy targets overnight, including the Saratov oil refinery, the Lazarevo pumping station in Kirov region and a fuel depot in Matveyev Kurgan. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Saratov refinery was about 700 kilometres from the front line and called the strike part of Ukraine’s long-range sanctions.

Russia said it had downed 216 drones overnight, while regional officials reported damage in several areas. Kyiv said Lazarevo serves the Surgut-Gorky-Polotsk pipeline, which ships Russian oil from Siberia to Belarus, while the Matveyev Kurgan depot sits near Russian-held Donetsk.

The strikes are part of Ukraine’s expanding campaign against energy infrastructure deep inside Russia. Russia separately accused Ukraine of hitting a garage at the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which Kyiv denied. The U.N. nuclear watchdog said radiation levels at the site remained normal.

Sources: Japan Times, Kyiv Independent

Colombia’s presidential election is heading to a June 21 runoff after preliminary results showed far-right outsider Abelardo de la Espriella leading left-wing senator Iván Cepeda. With more than 99 percent of votes counted, De La Espriella had 43.73 percent and Cepeda 40.91 percent, leaving neither above the threshold for a first-round victory.

The result marks a sharp split in Colombian politics. De La Espriella, a lawyer who has never held office, rose late in the campaign by presenting himself as an anti-establishment figure and promising a hard line on crime. Cepeda, an ally of outgoing President Gustavo Petro, ran on continuity and support for victims of Colombia’s armed conflicts and the poor.

Petro questioned the preliminary count and said he would not accept it until the official vote count was complete. The National Civil Registry said both candidates will proceed to the second round.

Sources: NBC, New York Times

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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is expected to secure another five-year term as voters cast ballots for the House of Peoples’ Representatives, which elects the premier. More than 50 million people registered to vote, but analysts expect his Prosperity Party to dominate against a fragmented opposition.

The election comes as Ethiopia faces high inflation, a foreign-currency crunch, mounting debt, internal insecurity and strained relations with neighbours. Voting will not take place in parts of Tigray and Amhara because of security concerns, unrest and logistical challenges.

Abiy came to power in 2018 after mass protests and later won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for ending hostilities with Eritrea. His tenure began with political and economic reforms, but was later marked by civil conflict, insurgencies in Oromiya and Amhara, renewed tensions over Tigray and regional disputes linked to Ethiopia’s push for Red Sea access.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjirō Koizumi rejected China’s accusation of “new militarism” and called for dialogue to ease the most serious row between the countries in more than a decade. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, he said Japan’s door was always open to talks with China.

Koizumi argued that China’s military expansion, including its nuclear weapons and strategic bombers, justified Japan’s rising defence spending. He said Japan had neither type of weapon and questioned why it was being labelled militarist. He also said Japan would pursue security co-operation across the Asia-Pacific, including through the Quad and partnerships with Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia.

The dispute follows comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Taiwan and comes as Japan increases defence spending, deploys long-range missiles and debates whether it is moving away from post-war pacifism.

Sources: FT, BBC

China’s coastguard carried out law enforcement patrols in waters east of Taiwan after Japan and the Philippines agreed to begin maritime boundary delimitation talks. Beijing said the negotiations seriously infringed China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, and urged both countries to stop what it called illegal actions.

The talks were announced after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr met in Tokyo. Their joint statement said the two countries would start formal negotiations to delimit the maritime boundary of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf between them.

The dispute adds another layer to tensions involving China, Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan. Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China, while Taiwan’s foreign ministry said China had no right to interfere in its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights. Japan and the Philippines have also been deepening maritime and security co-operation.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Times of India

A blast at a building storing explosives for mining killed more than 45 people in northeastern Myanmar on Sunday. The explosion took place around noon in Kaungtup village, in Namhkam township, about three kilometres south of the Chinese border.

Rescue workers said dozens of bodies had been recovered and many more people were injured, while local media reported higher death tolls. More than 100 houses near the blast site were damaged, and images showed smoke, debris and shattered buildings.

The area is controlled by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, which said gelignite had been stored by its economic department for mining and stone quarrying. The group said an investigation into the cause was under way. The blast adds another civilian disaster to a region shaped by conflict since Myanmar’s army seized power in 2021 and large parts of the country became embroiled in fighting.

Sources: Associated Press, BBC

French police detained 780 people after celebrations of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League victory over Arsenal turned violent in Paris and other cities. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 57 officers were injured, mostly lightly, as fires were set, shops were vandalised and a small group tried to storm a Paris police station.

Nuñez said most celebrations in the capital were peaceful, but incidents occurred around the Champs Élysées and near Parc des Princes, where fans had gathered to watch the match. Authorities said 277 people were placed in police custody, including 82 minors, over alleged offences including assaulting police, theft, vandalism and disturbing public order.

A man in his twenties died in a motorbike crash in Paris. Planned celebrations near the Eiffel Tower were expected to proceed, with the team later hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Sources: France 24, The Guardian

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On this day …

On this day in 1980, CNN began broadcasting from Atlanta as the world’s first 24-hour television news network.

The venture was driven by media entrepreneur Ted Turner, who challenged the prevailing belief that television news belonged in fixed daily bulletins. Turner argued that major events should be reported continuously as they unfolded, a concept many critics initially considered impractical.

Over time, CNN’s model transformed journalism, influencing coverage of elections, conflicts, financial markets and breaking news around the world.

The network’s launch marked the beginning of the modern era of continuous news and helped accelerate the pace of the global information cycle.

Has the shift to constant news made societies better informed, or simply more overwhelmed?

For governments, businesses, private citizens and investors alike, the challenge is increasingly not how to respond to sudden crises, but how to operate in a world where instability becomes a semi-permanent state of affairs. This week offered several examples of that shift. From the Middle East to Europe and East Asia, states continued to adapt to a landscape defined less by decisive breakthroughs than by prolonged competition, strategic hedging and the management of risk.

The clearest illustration came from the Middle East. Negotiations between the United States and Iran continued throughout the week, even as both sides accused each other of ceasefire violations and military activity persisted around the Strait of Hormuz. Similar patterns were visible in Gaza and southern Lebanon, where ceasefires increasingly appear less as pathways to settlement than as mechanisms for preventing wider escalation while deeper disagreements remain unresolved.

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For much of the post-Cold War period, ceasefires were often viewed as stepping stones towards political settlements. This week suggested a different model. Across several conflicts, negotiations continued alongside ongoing military activity, creating a situation in which diplomacy and confrontation increasingly coexist rather than replace one another.

Nowhere was the contradiction clearer than in the US-Iran talks. Negotiations continued, draft agreements circulated and officials spoke of progress. At the same time, military activity persisted, disputes over Hormuz and uranium remained unresolved and both sides continued to accuse each other of violating the ceasefire. The process remained active, but the core disagreements showed little sign of narrowing.

Similar dynamics were visible in Gaza and Lebanon. Formal ceasefire arrangements remained in place, yet military operations, territorial disputes and political disagreements continued. Rather than signalling an end to conflict, these arrangements increasingly resemble frameworks designed to contain escalation while larger disputes remain unresolved. The result is a geopolitical environment in which negotiations persist, violence continues and uncertainty becomes a structural feature rather than a temporary condition.

For decades, much of the international security architecture rested on a simple assumption: the United States would remain the central provider of military power across multiple regions simultaneously. This week offered several reminders that allies are increasingly preparing for a more uncertain version of that arrangement.

Reports suggesting reductions in some US commitments to Nato coincided with fresh debate about weapons stockpiles depleted by the Iran conflict. Neither development implies an American retreat from global leadership- yet. Together, however, they reinforce growing questions about how military resources are prioritised in an era of multiple overlapping security challenges.

Many allies appear to be adjusting accordingly. Britain and Poland moved to deepen defence cooperation, European governments continued discussions around burden-sharing and integration, while Japan and the Philippines strengthened security ties in East Asia. Canada, meanwhile, continued to emphasise the need for greater economic and strategic independence while maintaining close cooperation with Washington.

The common thread is not a collapse of existing alliances. Rather, it is a gradual redistribution of responsibility within them. As security challenges become more numerous and geographically dispersed, governments are placing greater emphasis on regional partnerships and self-reliance alongside traditional alliance structures.

The week’s technology stories shared a common theme: governments increasingly view advanced technology not simply as an economic sector but as a strategic asset tied directly to national power.

China’s reported restrictions on overseas travel for senior artificial intelligence specialists illustrated this shift clearly. Highly skilled researchers and engineers are increasingly being treated as strategic resources, reflecting the growing importance attached to technological competitiveness. Similar thinking underpinned Huawei’s claims of semiconductor advances that could reduce dependence on foreign technologies and export-controlled equipment.

China’s continued investment in its space programme reinforces the same pattern. Space capabilities, semiconductor manufacturing and artificial intelligence are often discussed separately, yet governments increasingly view them as interconnected components of national capability.

The trend extends beyond China. Japan and the Philippines moved to deepen defence cooperation and explore new mechanisms for sharing information and military technology. Together, these developments suggest that technology policy is becoming inseparable from security policy. The competition is no longer solely about innovation. It is increasingly about control, access and strategic advantage.

Many of the week’s most important stories involved risks that have been discussed for years but are now becoming harder to treat as future challenges.

Climate provided one example. New projections pointed towards continued warming over the coming years, while parts of Europe experienced record-breaking May temperatures. Discussions that once focused primarily on future climate scenarios increasingly revolve around present-day adaptation and resilience.

Public health showed a similar pattern. Ebola cases continued to rise in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with health authorities warning that the outbreak was outpacing response efforts. Elsewhere, Australia’s legal action over PFAS contamination highlighted the growing financial and political consequences of environmental issues that have accumulated over decades.

The same theme appeared in international institutions. Funding pressures facing peacekeeping missions, disputes involving the United Nations and broader questions around institutional legitimacy all reflected systems struggling to manage increasingly complex demands. The common thread was not sudden deterioration, but the gradual emergence of long-term challenges into immediate policy problems.

Taken individually, many of this week’s developments appeared incremental. Negotiations continued. Alliances evolved. Technology programmes advanced. Climate and public health warnings accumulated. None represented a single transformative moment.

Taken together, however, they point towards a world becoming more accustomed to managing persistent pressures rather than resolving them. Ceasefires continue without settlements. Security responsibilities are being redistributed. Technological rivalry deepens while strategic interdependence remains unavoidable. Long-term risks increasingly demand immediate responses.

Whether these trends represent a temporary phase or a more durable feature of international affairs remains uncertain. What appears clearer is that many governments are already adapting to a world in which instability is less often an interruption and more often part of the operating environment.

A succinct daily briefing delivered each weekday to help you stay on top of the stories shaping the world.

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The US and Iran have reached a tentative agreement to extend their ceasefire by 60 days and continue talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme, but the deal still awaits approval from President Donald Trump and Iranian leaders.

The framework follows overnight drone and missile exchanges that exposed the fragility of the April truce. US forces said they struck an Iranian launch site near the Strait of Hormuz after shooting down Iranian drones, while Iran said it retaliated against a US base in Kuwait.

The talks remain tied to the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s enriched uranium and its wider nuclear programme. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Trump’s red lines include reopening the strait, surrendering highly enriched uranium and ending the nuclear programme. The strait’s effective closure has strangled about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, lifting prices and inflation.

Sources: Bloomberg, Washington Post

Despite US sanctions and a maritime blockade, Iran has continued moving oil toward China through ship-to-ship transfers involving ageing shadow-fleet tankers that obscure ownership, flags and tracking signals.

The trade remains a major source of revenue. The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission said Tehran received about $31 billion from oil sales to China last year, equal to around 90 per cent of Iran’s foreign oil sales and about 45 per cent of its government budget.

Much of the activity centres on the Eastern Outer Port Limits off Malaysia, a legal grey area used for transfers before oil heads to Chinese refineries. Energy analytics company Vortexa estimated about 90 million barrels of Iranian oil were outside the blockade, meaning Iran could keep receiving payments until October because shipments and payment each take two to three months.

Sources: The Wall Street Journal, Jerusalem Post

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the military to expand its control of Gaza to at least 70 per cent, saying Israel is “squeezing Hamas” and starting from the 60 per cent of territory it now controls.

The move defies a US-brokered truce that took effect last year, when Israeli forces withdrew to the Yellow Line and retained about 53 per cent of the enclave. The next phase was meant to bring a phased Israeli withdrawal from much of Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas, but talks have stalled.

Israel has instead expanded its hold, forcing Gaza’s two million people into an ever-shrinking area where humanitarian conditions remain catastrophic. Gaza’s health ministry says more than 900 people have been killed since the ceasefire began last October, while Israel says militants have killed four Israeli soldiers.

Sources: FT, New York Times

A Russian drone struck the roof of an apartment building in Galati, Romania, during an overnight attack on neighbouring Ukraine, causing an explosion and fire that injured two people.

Romania, a NATO and EU member, said the drone entered its airspace, was tracked by radar to southern Galati and crashed into the building. Two F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter were deployed, while residents in border counties were warned to take cover.

The incident was the first time a drone had hit a densely populated area in Romania and caused injuries, after repeated airspace breaches since Russia began attacking Ukrainian ports across the Danube. Romania says Russian drones have breached its airspace 28 times, with fragments recovered 47 times, adding pressure along NATO’s eastern flank as the war keeps spilling close to alliance territory.

Sources: CBS News, Reuters

Israel says it will cut ties with United Nations Secretary General António Guterres and his office after being told it will be included in an annual conflict-related sexual violence report over alleged abuse of Palestinian detainees.

Israeli ambassador Danny Danon said Israel and its security services had been formally listed, called the decision disconnected from reality and denied the accusations. He said placing Israel and Hamas on the same list was unacceptable. A spokesman for Guterres called the move symbolic and said the organisation would continue to work with Israel’s mission.

The dispute comes amid intensified friction between Israel and the UN since the October 7 2023 Hamas-led attack and the war in Gaza. Guterres wrote that there had been an increasing number of verified cases of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees, and said Israel had not directly addressed measures to stop the problem.

Sources: New York Times, Al Jazeera

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France’s National Assembly has voted unanimously to repeal the Code Noir, the 1685 royal decree that governed slavery across French colonies and classified enslaved people as movable property.

The lower house voted 254-0 to adopt the bill, nearly two centuries after France abolished slavery in 1848. The decree allowed enslaved people to be worked, beaten, sold, raped and murdered, and included punishments such as branding, mutilation and death for those who fled.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the code should never have survived abolition and called the silence around it a form of offence, though he stopped short of an apology. The Senate must still vote before the law can pass. Supporters describe repeal as symbolic and political, while critics say it leaves unresolved the racism and inequalities that still affect France’s overseas territories.

Sources: Associated Press, Le Monde

Japan and the Philippines will begin talks on a classified information-sharing pact designed to help Tokyo increase transfers of military equipment to Manila, including warships.

The move follows steady upgrades in defence and security ties as both countries respond to China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea and around Taiwan. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also agreed in Tokyo to elevate relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Japan is considering providing naval destroyers and patrol aircraft to the Philippines under a new framework for defence equipment cooperation. Marcos said the talks would strengthen defence cooperation and uphold a rules-based maritime order. The Philippines is also seeking stronger security partnerships with the United States and its allies as it faces repeated confrontations with Chinese vessels in disputed waters.

Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for a “new partnership” with the United States, saying closer cooperation in aluminium, automobiles and critical minerals would strengthen both countries as the world undergoes a “rupture” in commercial relations.

The appeal came amid an ongoing trade war with the US and talks in Mexico City on overhauling the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement that, for now, exclude Canada. Carney has vowed to double Canadian exports to other markets in the next decade and signed more than 20 economic and security deals in the past year.

Carney said President Donald Trump’s threats to annex Canada as the 51st state had exposed weaknesses Canada must correct. Yet he struck a conciliatory tone in New York, saying a more independent Canada would be a better ally and could provide reliable power and critical minerals for American growth.

Sources: Reuters, CNN

The world is likely to keep pushing past major climate thresholds over the next five years, according to new projections from the World Meteorological Organization and the United Kingdom’s Meteorological Office.

The report says there is a 75 per cent chance that average global temperatures from 2026 to 2030 will exceed 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, the Paris Agreement benchmark measured over longer periods. It also says there is an 86 per cent chance that at least one year will surpass 2024 as the hottest year recorded.

The projections point to faster Arctic warming, continued sea ice loss and drier conditions in the Amazon, with higher wildfire risk. Scientists said temporary breaches do not mean Paris goals are unattainable, but the forecasts show extreme heat and climate risks are moving further into the near-term outlook.

Sources: Associated Press, UN News

The European Union’s six largest economies have reached a compromise on key parts of a markets package intended to move the bloc toward a US-style investment powerhouse.

Finance ministers from Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland and the Netherlands agreed in Berlin on aspects of market integration and supervision, including expanded powers for the European Securities and Markets Authority. The agreement leaves no specific timeline, after France and Spain sought immediate powers while Italy and the Netherlands pushed for a transition period.

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said he was ready to move forward on centralised supervision, marking a shift from Berlin’s previous opposition. The signatories now face a difficult effort to win broader support among all 27 EU countries. Approval requires 15 countries representing at least 65 per cent of the EU population.

Sources: Politico Europe, FT

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On this day …

On this day in 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first confirmed climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Their ascent came after decades of failed expeditions and represented both a major feat of endurance and the final chapter of an era of high-altitude exploration led largely by European powers. News of the climb reached Britain during the coronation celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II, adding to its symbolic resonance at the time.

The achievement remains one of the defining moments in exploration history, though modern debates increasingly focus on commercialisation, environmental pressure and who receives recognition in extreme exploration.

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President Donald Trump threatened additional strikes on Iran on Wednesday as U.S. forces attacked an Iranian drone launch site near Bandar Abbas after intercepting four attack drones near the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said Iran had misjudged his willingness to prolong the conflict, dismissing suggestions that domestic political pressure or midterm elections would push him toward compromise.

The administration described the latest strikes as defensive measures intended to preserve a fragile ceasefire, even as negotiations appeared stalled. Trump insisted the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to all countries and rejected any arrangement allowing Iran, Oman or other regional actors to control shipping access.

The renewed tensions came as oil prices rose and Kuwait reported hostile missile and drone threats. Trump also ruled out sanctions relief or the release of frozen Iranian assets before Tehran relinquishes its enriched uranium stockpile.

Sources: Washington Post, Bloomberg

Israel said it had killed Mohammed Odeh, the new commander of Hamas’s armed wing in Gaza, in a strike on a residential building in Gaza City on Tuesday. Hamas later confirmed that Odeh had been killed, along with his wife and two of his children.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Odeh was one of the architects of the October 7 attack and was responsible for the murder, abduction and wounding of Israeli civilians and soldiers. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel was committed to preventing Hamas from governing Gaza either civilly or militarily.

The strike came days after Odeh’s predecessor was killed in another Israeli air strike. Despite the ceasefire agreed in October, violence in Gaza has continued almost daily, with Israel saying it can target Hamas members and Hamas accusing Israel of breaching the deal.

Sources: BBC, CBS News

President Donald Trump appeared to threaten military action against Oman on Wednesday after being asked whether he would accept a short-term deal allowing Iran and Oman to control the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said the waterway was international waters, would be open to everybody, and that Oman would have to behave like everyone else.

The White House did not immediately clarify whether Trump had misspoken, while the State Department later posted a clip and transcript of the remarks without correction. Oman is a key U.S. ally and has acted as a mediator between Washington and Tehran since the conflict began in February.

The comments followed an Iranian state television report on an unofficial draft framework to restore commercial shipping through Hormuz, with Iran and Oman jointly managing traffic. Trump dismissed the report, while unresolved talks also include Iran’s nuclear capacity, sanctions and frozen funds.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera

President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace has no money in its official Gaza reconstruction fund, despite billions pledged by donor countries and a promised $10bn in U.S. funding. Four months after its creation, the World Bank-administered fund endorsed by the UN has received no donor money, according to people familiar with the matter.

Donations have instead gone directly through a JPMorgan account, which has no independent transparency requirements. The board says contributors have chosen other funding options and that financial reporting will go to its own executive board when deemed appropriate.

The funding impasse has delayed reconstruction work in Gaza, where estimated rebuilding needs exceed $70bn over the next decade. No contracts have been awarded and no U.S. dollars have been deployed for rebuilding. Officials say the board is not yet operating in Gaza because Hamas has not disarmed.

Sources: FT, France 24

Brigadier General Andriy Biletsky said Ukraine has a six-month window to seize the battlefield initiative from Russia and strengthen its position for peace talks. He predicted an imminent turning point, arguing that Russian forces are exhausted and unable to make major breakthroughs after more than four years of war.

Biletsky said Ukraine could improve its positions, take strategic points and negotiate from strength if it can build momentum over several months. Control of Donetsk remains a major obstacle in stalled U.S.-backed peace talks, with Russia seeking the whole region and Ukraine refusing to withdraw from territory Moscow has not conquered.

Analysts also pointed to signs of shifting momentum, saying Russian gains are approaching net zero while Ukraine challenges the positional character of the war. Russia has meanwhile threatened systematic strikes on Kyiv, warning foreign nationals to leave the capital which some are seeing as an act of desperation rather than a statement of strength.

Sources: Reuters, CBS News

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Anne Keast-Butler, director of GCHQ, said almost 500,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In her first public speech as head of the agency, she said Russian forces were going backwards on the battlefield for the first time since late 2022.

The estimate comes as Ukraine seeks to raise Russian killed and wounded numbers above Moscow’s recruitment capacity, after years of slow territorial losses in the east. Western estimates put Russian casualties at about 30,000 a month in April, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said 15,000 to 20,000 of those were killed each month.

Keast-Butler also warned that Russia was relentlessly targeting Britain’s infrastructure, democracy, supply chains and public trust, and said no nation could face such threats alone.

Sources: The Guardian, BBC

Rescuers have found five of seven men trapped for a week in a flooded cave in Laos, after specialist divers navigated narrow, submerged passages in persistent rain. Video showed the men sitting on a rock ledge surrounded by muddy water, hungry and dehydrated but alive.

The group entered the cave in Xaysomboun province on May 20 and became trapped after heavy rain triggered flooding and blocked a passageway. Two men remain missing, while rescuers are planning a complex extraction for the five survivors and continuing the search.

Thai and international divers, including members of the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue team, joined the operation. The site is remote, with rescuers facing a 4km jungle route, narrow tunnels, floodwater, sediment, collapse hazards and possible contaminated air.

Sources: ABC, The Guardian

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, called for an immediate ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to contain an Ebola outbreak he said was outpacing the response in Ituri province.

Suspected cases are nearing 1,000, with at least 220 suspected deaths. The health ministry has confirmed 101 cases and is investigating more than 3,000 possible contacts, while Uganda has closed its border with DRC for four weeks except for Ebola response, humanitarian and security operations, and food and cargo transport.

The outbreak has spread into North Kivu and South Kivu, where Rwanda-backed M23 rebels control large areas. Tedros said fighting was driving displacement, pushing exposed contacts into overcrowded camps and making it nearly impossible to track cases. Aid groups say attacks on medics and equipment shortages are hampering the response.

Sources: The Guardian, Reuters

U.S. military contractors need at least three years to replenish three advanced weapons systems used heavily in the Iran war, according to a new analysis. The systems are Tomahawk cruise missiles, Patriot interceptors and THAAD interceptors, all central to long-range strike or missile defence.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies said the depleted inventories have created a window of vulnerability for a possible Western Pacific conflict, even though the United States has enough munitions for plausible Iran war scenarios. The report said the problem is time, not money, because production capacity and complex weapons systems take years to build.

The U.S. fired more than 1,000 Tomahawk missiles at Iran, with full replenishment possibly lasting until late 2030. Patriot and THAAD interceptor stocks may not return to prewar levels until 2029.

Sources: PBS, The Hill

Australia’s federal government is suing 3M and 3M Australia for $2bn over firefighting foam containing PFAS (commonly known as “Forever Chemicals”) that contaminated 28 Defence Force bases across the country. Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said the government was seeking to recover significant costs from investigating, managing and remediating contamination from legacy use at Defence sites.

The government alleges 3M withheld environmental testing results showing significant adverse effects from its PFAS products, misrepresented the effects of its foams and failed to disclose environmental risks. It says Defence and taxpayers have already incurred more than $1bn in related costs.

3M said it would defend itself, saying it never manufactured PFAS in Australia and stopped selling the products there about two decades ago. The case is the largest legal claim ever brought by the Commonwealth. Australia banned PFAS last year.

Sources: The Wall Street Journal, ABC

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On this day …

On this day in 1961, Amnesty International was founded in London after British lawyer Peter Benenson launched a campaign supporting prisoners jailed for their political beliefs.

What began as a small advocacy movement evolved into one of the world’s most influential human rights organisations, documenting abuses, campaigning against torture and political imprisonment, and shaping international debates around civil liberties and state accountability.

Amnesty’s rise reflected a broader post-war shift in which human rights increasingly became part of international diplomacy rather than solely domestic politics. The tension between national sovereignty and universal rights remains unresolved today.

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Iran remained engaged in ceasefire negotiations with the United States on Tuesday despite condemning fresh US strikes on missile-launch sites and Iranian vessels in southern Iran as a “definitive violation” of the truce. The attacks killed four Iranian soldiers and targeted efforts to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian and US officials. Brent crude prices rose after the renewed fighting.

Talks mediated by Qatar and Pakistan continued in Doha as negotiators worked to unlock more than $12bn in frozen Iranian assets and secure temporary sanctions relief for Iranian oil exports. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said discussions were focused on specific language in the draft agreement and could take several more days.

The proposed framework would extend the ceasefire while reopening shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and restarting negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme. Political pressure from hardliners in Washington, Tehran and Jerusalem continued to complicate the negotiations.

Sources: The Guardian, Washington Post

Israel intensified its offensive in Lebanon on Tuesday, launching more than 120 air strikes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military was deepening operations and seizing strategic areas. Lebanese authorities said recent Israeli strikes had killed 31 people and wounded 40, including deaths in Burj al-Shamali and Mashghara.

The escalation further strained the April 16 ceasefire with Hezbollah, which was already appearing increasingly nominal as Israeli troops pushed farther north along the Litani River. Israel said it was fortifying a security strip inside southern Lebanon to protect northern communities, while Hezbollah said it had attacked advancing Israeli forces with rockets, artillery and explosive drones.

The fighting also complicates wider diplomacy around the Iran war. Tehran wants any broader agreement to include an end to fighting in Lebanon, while Lebanese officials hope direct talks with Israel can lead to a permanent ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Associated Press

Sir Tony Blair, the former Labour prime minister, has warned that the party risks a “delusion” if it responds to electoral losses by shifting further left, as pressure builds on Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership after poor election results and ministerial resignations.

In a 5,600-word essay, Blair said Labour lacked a worked-out coherent plan for the country and argued that trying to force the prime minister out before agreeing a policy direction was not serious. He criticised new workers’ rights laws, employer National Insurance rises, parts of the net-zero agenda and policies he said had created headwinds for business.

The intervention targeted the leadership debate around Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who is seeking to return to Westminster and is expected to challenge Starmer if he wins the Makerfield by-election. Blair said leadership change was irrelevant without a policy debate first.

Sources: Reuters, The Independent

The United States intends to reduce military capabilities available to Nato allies in a crisis, including fighter jets, warships, strategic bombers, refuelling aircraft and drones, according to reports based on briefings at alliance headquarters.

The reported plan would cut US fighter jet commitments by a third, provide only half the previous number of strategic bombers, reduce destroyers and end submarine availability to the alliance. Europe would also have to provide its own reconnaissance drones, while US armed drone support would be scaled back.

The move comes as Nato faces strain over Washington’s role in European defence. US President Donald Trump has criticised allies over military spending and support during the Iran war, while a Nato spokeswoman said force planning had relied too heavily on the US and responsibilities could be reorganised as Europe and Canada invest more in defence.

Sources: FT, BBC

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “deeply concerned” on Tuesday after Russia announced plans for future strikes on Ukrainian defence enterprises and decision-making centres in Kyiv. The warning followed one of the heaviest bombardments of the Ukrainian capital since the war began and came after reports of a Ukrainian drone strike in Russian-occupied Starobilsk.

Addressing the UN Security Council, Guterres said it was imperative to avoid further escalation in a conflict that had already exacted a devastating toll on civilians. He said the United Nations condemned attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure wherever they occurred.

Russia also urged foreign citizens and diplomats to leave Kyiv as soon as possible ahead of possible future strikes. European officials rejected the warning, with EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova saying the bloc would remain in Kyiv and continue supporting Ukraine despite the threats.

Sources: Reuters, Kyiv Post

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Huawei said it had developed a chip design breakthrough that could let its high-end processors reach transistor density equivalent to a 1.4-nanometre process by 2031, potentially narrowing China’s gap with global semiconductor leaders.

The company said its Tau Scaling Law and LogicFolding approach would stack circuits vertically rather than relying only on shrinking transistors, a route that could reduce dependence on extreme ultraviolet lithography machines blocked by US-led sanctions. He Tingbo, president of Huawei’s semiconductor business, said cutting-edge EUV tools would no longer be necessary for advanced nodes, although analysts warned the claim still needed practical testing and faced cost, power, heat and integration challenges.

The announcement strengthens Beijing’s semiconductor self-sufficiency push as Washington and Beijing compete over artificial intelligence. Analysts said it could reduce US export-control leverage and increase confidence in China’s domestic chip ecosystem.

Sources: South China Morning Post, NBC News

China is restricting overseas travel for senior artificial intelligence professionals at private firms including Alibaba and DeepSeek, extending controls previously associated with state firms, researchers and sensitive sectors into one of its most strategically important technology fields.

People involved in advanced AI work and assessed as important to the country must now seek approval from relevant authorities before travelling abroad, according to people familiar with the matter. The restrictions affect a mix of startup founders, researchers and executives, though the full scope, seniority level and roles covered remain unclear.

The move reflects Beijing’s view that elite AI engineers are strategic assets as China tries to close the gap with the United States. It may also complicate recruitment and retention at private AI firms, while forcing engineers with global ambitions to decide earlier whether to build careers inside China or overseas.

Sources: Japan Times, Reuters

Britain and Poland are set to sign a new defence and security treaty in London to strengthen cooperation against hostile threats across Europe, following similar UK agreements with France and Germany.

The deal, to be signed by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, will cover defence cooperation, border security, organised crime and closer work with the European Union. The leaders are expected to discuss hybrid attacks, including Russian-ordered arson attacks in East London, cargo fires in Birmingham and Europe, cyber-attacks and espionage.

The treaty will also support joint development of complex weapons, including next-generation air defence effectors and a medium-range air defence missile. Poland has become a key European security partner because of its support for Ukraine and its role on Nato’s eastern flank, while Britain is seeking closer European defence ties.

Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg, UK Government

The United States government has selected five companies for advanced talks on using Cold War-era surplus plutonium from dismantled nuclear warheads as fuel for advanced reactors, reversing a previous plan to dilute and bury much of the material.

The Energy Department said Oklo, Standard Nuclear, Exodys Energy, SHINE Technologies and Flibe Energy were chosen under the Surplus Plutonium Utilization Program. Oklo plans to work with Newcleo, which says the material could help address a shortage of nuclear fuel and bring more reactors online sooner.

Supporters argue the plan could broaden domestic fuel supplies and reduce nuclear liabilities. Critics, including some Democrats and nonproliferation experts, warn that weapons-usable plutonium requires strict safeguards and raises proliferation concerns. The material is highly toxic if inhaled, has a half-life of 24,000 years and is held at heavily guarded federal facilities.

Sources: Al Jazeera, New York Times

US President Donald Trump’s administration has proposed a government-wide non-disclosure agreement that would bar federal workers from sharing a broad range of confidential government information without authorisation.

The draft notice, posted by the Office of Personnel Management, would cover non-public, proprietary, sensitive, pre-decisional or deliberative material not currently public and not legally disclosable. Agencies could decide whether to adopt the rule, but workers who refuse to sign could face removal from federal service or potential debarment.

The proposal includes a carve-out for whistleblower protections and other lawful disclosures, but critics warned it could chill speech and weaken public accountability. Esha Bhandari, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project, said broad gag orders would leave the public in the dark about how government works.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Washington Post

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On this day …

On this day in 1994, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa’s first Black president, marking the formal end of apartheid after decades of racial segregation and minority rule.

Mandela’s election followed the country’s first fully democratic national vote and became one of the defining political transitions of the late twentieth century. His presidency sought to balance reconciliation with institutional change, while South Africa faced the long-term social and economic consequences of apartheid.

The transition was closely watched around the world as a test of whether negotiated political settlements could prevent wider conflict in deeply divided societies.

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The United States said it carried out “self-defence” strikes in southern Iran on Monday, targeting missile launch sites and boats allegedly placing mines near the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said the strikes were intended to protect American troops while “using restraint” during the ongoing ceasefire. Iranian state media reported explosions near Bandar Abbas and identified four Revolutionary Guard troops killed in attacks on boats.

The strikes came as negotiations between Washington and Tehran continued through Qatari mediation. President Donald Trump said discussions were “proceeding nicely” but also called for additional countries, including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, to join the Abraham Accords as part of any settlement framework.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqai said progress had been made in talks but warned no agreement was imminent. The Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted, with continued pressure on global energy markets and shipping flows.

Sources: Associated Press, BBC

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, said he had ordered the military to intensify attacks on Hizbollah after far-right ministers demanded a wider campaign in Lebanon. The Israeli military later said it had begun strikes in the Bekaa Valley and other parts of the country, while Hizbollah said it had launched drone and rocket attacks on Israeli targets.

The escalation comes despite a ceasefire agreed on April 16, with both sides continuing to trade fire. Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s finance minister, called for a “significant” response to Hizbollah’s drones, while Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, demanded a return to “high-intensity warfare”.

The fighting is now tied to wider US-Iran talks. Iran’s foreign ministry said it wanted a deal to end the war on “all fronts”, while Israeli officials have insisted on freedom of action in Lebanon.

Sources: FT, BBC

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to evacuate US citizens and diplomats from Kyiv, saying Moscow planned systematic strikes on facilities in the Ukrainian capital. Russia said the attacks would target sites linked to drone design, production, programming and preparation, while warning foreign nationals and diplomatic staff to leave the city.

Moscow framed the planned strikes as retaliation for a Ukrainian drone attack on Starobilsk in occupied Luhansk, which Russian officials said hit a student dorm and killed at least 18 people. Ukraine’s military denied responsibility for that strike, saying it had targeted an elite drone command unit.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged allies not to give in to “Russian blackmail”. Russia has heavily targeted Kyiv since the Starobilsk strike, with Ukrainian authorities reporting at least four deaths and more than 60 injuries in overnight attacks on the capital and surrounding region.

Sources: Bloomberg, Al Jazeera

The annual Hajj pilgrimage began in Saudi Arabia on Monday, with more than 1.5 million pilgrims arriving from outside the kingdom in sweltering heat and amid wider concern over the Iran war. Pilgrims have circled the Kaaba in Mecca and moved towards the tent city of Mina before Tuesday’s gathering at Arafat, considered the pilgrimage’s pinnacle.

The journey is taking place against a tense regional backdrop. President Donald Trump said a deal with Iran, including opening the Strait of Hormuz, had been “largely negotiated”, though the agreement still needed to be finalised. Saudi Arabia is also receiving thousands of pilgrims from Iran and Iraq, despite recent drone and missile attacks involving the kingdom.

The pilgrimage remains both a major spiritual obligation and a security test for Saudi Arabia, which has deployed forces, healthcare workers and guides to manage the gathering.

Sources: PBS, Wall Street Journal

The World Health Organization has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is outpacing response efforts, with neighbouring countries at high risk. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO’s director-general, said operations were being urgently scaled up and announced 220 suspected deaths in the current outbreak.

The response has been disrupted by attacks on health facilities in Ituri province, the outbreak’s centre. In Mongbwalu, patients fled after isolation tents were burned, while another treatment centre near Bunia was set on fire after authorities refused to release the body of a victim for burial.

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo ebolavirus, which has no approved treatment or vaccine. Uganda has reported seven confirmed cases, including two new cases among health workers in Kampala, increasing concern about regional spread.

Sources: The Guardian, UN News

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered the Communications Ministry to restore international internet access to its pre-January status, after months of restrictions linked to protests and war. State media reported the order on Monday, though the mechanism and timing for reconnection were initially unclear.

The shutdown began on January 8 during nationwide anti-government protests, eased in February, then returned after US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28. NetBlocks said most Iranians had been unable to access the worldwide web for 87 days, apart from a few users with expensive and advanced VPNs.

The restoration push followed a cyberspace task force vote, with nine members in favour and three opposed. ICT Minister Sattar Hashemi said the process had begun, while an IRGC-affiliated outlet shifted from questioning the order’s legality to describing reopening as a necessary technical and security decision.

Sources: Sourth China Morning Post, Iran International

More than 350 French towns recorded their highest-ever May temperatures as an extreme early-summer heat event spread across western Europe. The UK also broke its all-time May record, with 34.8C measured at Kew Gardens, while temperatures in parts of Spain were forecast to approach 40C by the end of the week.

The heat was driven by hot air from Morocco trapped under high pressure over western Europe. Météo France described the episode as premature, remarkable and long, with temperatures exceeding norms by 12C or 13C and expected to last several more days.

France activated its national heat warning system in May for the first time since the system was introduced in 2004. Christophe Cassou, a climate scientist, said the event was virtually impossible in the preindustrial era, while Robert Vautard, a climate researcher, said the extension of the heatwave season was characteristic of climate change.

Sources: The Guardian, France 24

Pope Leo XIV issued a historic apology on Monday for the Catholic Church’s role in legitimising slavery and for its delay in condemning the practice, calling the legacy a “wound in Christian memory”. In his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, he wrote that, in the name of the church, he sincerely asked for pardon.

The apology went beyond earlier papal statements that focused on Christians’ involvement in the slave trade. Pope Leo acknowledged that church authorities had, at times, regulated and legitimised forms of subjugation, including the enslavement of non-Christians.

The encyclical also addressed artificial intelligence and new forms of exploitation linked to the global economy. Pope Leo called for robust regulation of AI and said the church must firmly condemn trafficking related to the digital technological revolution to avoid future failures to respect human dignity.

Sources: Associated Press, Reuters

China launched the Shenzhou 23 spacecraft on Sunday night, sending three astronauts to the Tiangong space station as it prepares for its first crewed lunar landing by 2030. The spacecraft lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, with launch official Li Benqi calling it a “complete success”.

The crew includes commander Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying, who is also identified by Chinese authorities as Li Jiaying. Lai, born and raised in Hong Kong, is the first astronaut from the city on a space mission and China’s fourth female astronaut to travel to space.

One crew member is scheduled to remain aboard the station for a year to explore human adaptability and performance limits in long-duration spaceflight. The mission also includes dozens of science and application projects and an in-orbit rotation with the Shenzhou 21 crew.

Sources: NPR, CBS News

Spain’s Health Ministry said on Monday that a Spanish national evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship has tested positive for hantavirus while in quarantine at Gómez Ulla Central Defence Hospital in Madrid. The patient is the second Spaniard from the ship to test positive and has been transferred to a high-level isolation unit for specialised medical supervision.

The case was identified through monitoring already in place after the outbreak on the vessel, which killed three passengers after the ship left Argentina in April. Authorities said the positive test involved a close contact and did not change the risk level for the general public or the response measures underway.

Most countries are monitoring exposed passengers for at least 42 days because hantavirus symptoms can take up to six weeks to appear. Health officials are tracing and containing a rare outbreak never before recorded on a cruise ship.

Sources: NBC News, CNN, Euronews

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On this day …

On this day in 1896, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was published for the first time. Created by financial journalist Charles Dow, the index initially tracked 12 industrial companies and offered investors a simple way to measure the direction of the American economy.

Over time, the Dow became one of the world’s most recognised financial indicators, surviving depressions, wars, market crashes and technological revolutions. Although modern markets are now shaped by far more complex benchmarks, the Dow still carries symbolic weight as a shorthand measure of economic confidence and investor sentiment.

Financial markets change constantly, but the search for a simple signal of economic direction remains remarkably consistent.

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US President Donald Trump said he had instructed US negotiators not to rush into an agreement with Iran, despite earlier comments suggesting a deal was close. Officials from both countries described negotiations as progressing toward a memorandum of understanding that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and extend a ceasefire while further nuclear talks continue.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a “pretty solid thing” was on the table regarding reopening the strait and launching time-limited negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.

The proposed arrangement appears to leave several major issues unresolved, including sanctions relief, Iran’s missile capabilities and the future of its highly enriched uranium stockpile. Critics within Trump’s own party warned the agreement could weaken pressure on Tehran, while Israeli officials signalled concern that the framework may not fully curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions or regional influence.

Sources: BBC, New York Times

Russia launched one of its heaviest aerial attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region, firing 600 drones and 90 missiles overnight, including a rarely used Oreshnik ballistic missile. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the strike hit Bila Tserkva and damaged a water-supply facility, a market, residential buildings and schools. At least four people were killed and scores were injured.

The missile’s use sharpened the political signal behind the assault. Russia’s defence ministry said it had targeted Ukrainian military sites and was retaliating for attacks on Russian territory. Zelenskyy said Kyiv was the primary target and urged that the strike should not pass without consequences.

European leaders condemned the attack, with French President Emmanuel Macron calling the Oreshnik launch a sign of the dead end of Russia’s war and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz describing it as a reckless escalation.

Sources: The Guardian, Wall Street Journal

A bomb attack near a railway station in Quetta killed at least 23 people and injured 71 as a train was passing through Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province. Police said preliminary findings suggested a suicide blast, while rescue officials said bodies had been recovered and injured passengers moved to hospitals.

The Baloch Liberation Army, which demands independence from Pakistan’s central government, claimed responsibility. A senior official said the train was carrying military personnel and their relatives, and that an explosive-laden car had hit one of the carriages.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the “heinous bomb explosion” and said such attacks could not weaken Pakistan’s resolve. The attack again exposed Balochistan’s long-running separatist violence, rooted in accusations that the province’s gas and mineral resources are exploited without local benefit, and the province’s wider economic marginalisation.

Sources: CNN, South China Morning Post

Turkish riot police forced their way into the main opposition party’s Ankara headquarters, firing tear gas and rubber bullets at supporters and officials who had been inside for three days. The raid followed an appeals court ruling that annulled Ozgur Ozel’s election as party chairperson and reinstated his predecessor, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

Ozel tore up the court order and later led supporters toward parliament, saying the party would be “on the streets” and “marching towards power”. The opposition described the ruling as a “judicial coup”, while the government said Turkey’s courts were independent.

The confrontation deepens a political crisis before elections due in 2028. Analysts said the ruling could test the balance between democracy and autocracy in Turkey and raise the chances of an early vote if current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks another term.

Sources: PBS, Reuters

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio used his first official visit to India to reassure New Delhi that Washington remains committed to the strategic partnership, after ties fell to their lowest point in more than two decades. He said the relationship had not lost momentum and that US trade measures were global in scope, not aimed specifically at India.

Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said the partnership rested on a convergence of national interests, while also stressing India’s need for dependable, multiple and cheap energy sources. Both sides linked maritime security and affordable fuel to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.

The visit exposed a deeper trust deficit. Analysts cited friction over tariffs, immigration, US engagement with Pakistan and China, and India’s concern over American policy predictability, even as shared concerns about China continue to anchor the relationship.

Sources: Associated Press, New York Times

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Suspected Ebola cases in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have passed 900, with authorities reporting 904 suspected cases and 119 suspected deaths. The outbreak is centred in Ituri province, where health workers are trying to contain the virus amid insecurity, displacement and fragile healthcare systems.

The World Health Organization said the outbreak poses a very high risk for Congo, though the global risk remains low. Three Red Cross volunteers have died from suspected Ebola after likely infection while managing dead bodies before the outbreak was identified. The strain responsible for the outbreak, the Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or treatment.

The response has been strained by attacks on treatment centres, shortages of protective equipment and testing kits, and anger over burial controls. Authorities have banned funeral wakes and gatherings of more than 50 people as they try to prevent further spread.

Sources: The Guardian, BBC

International peacekeeping operations are under growing strain as funding shortfalls, falling personnel numbers and geopolitical tensions weaken multilateral conflict management. A new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said just under 79,000 staff were deployed at the end of 2025, the lowest level in at least 25 years and 49% below 2016.

The report said 58 peacekeeping operations were in place in 2025, with nearly three-quarters of personnel deployed in Central African Republic, South Sudan, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Lebanon. UN-led missions have been hit particularly hard, with $2 billion missing from a $5.6 billion budget after major donors failed to meet commitments.

SIPRI Director Jair van der Lijn warned that continued pressure could sideline institutions such as the United Nations and lead to more conflicts with graver civilian impacts.

Sources: South China Morning Post, DW

Israeli strikes killed at least six people in southern Lebanon as the Israeli army issued fresh evacuation orders across the area. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported deaths in al-Namiriya, al-Duweir, Abba, Jebchit, Arab Salim and Bazouriyeh, including a paramedic killed while inspecting a recent strike site.

The attacks came despite a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war and as peace talks between the United States and Iran appeared to be advancing. Israel’s military has continued to strike what it says are Hezbollah targets, while Hezbollah has maintained attacks on Israeli positions in southern Lebanon and across the border.

Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s secretary-general, expressed hope that Lebanon would be included in any US-Iran agreement. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, accused Hezbollah of trying to drag Lebanon back into chaos and destruction.

Sources: Al Jazeera, The Guardian

A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi killed 82 people, making it China’s deadliest mining accident since 2009. Local officials said the initial toll had been inaccurate because the scene was chaotic and the company’s count of underground workers was unclear. Two people remained unaccounted for and 128 were injured and hospitalised.

The disaster has prompted a major official response. President Xi Jinping called for authorities to spare no effort in treating the injured and conducting rescue work, and ordered an investigation. Preliminary findings cited serious violations at the mine, while regional authorities began wider safety inspections.

The blast also complicates China’s energy security push. Coal remains the backbone of the power sector, and tighter mine scrutiny could pressure output as the Iran war disrupts oil and gas shipments.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters

An RAF jet carrying John Healey, the UK defence secretary, had its GPS signal jammed during a three-hour flight after it flew near the Russian border last week. Healey was returning from Estonia, where he had visited British soldiers and met Hanno Pevkur, Estonia’s defence minister, to discuss long-term defence cooperation.

Russia is believed to have been behind the incident. The aircraft’s GPS was disabled, forcing pilots to use another navigation system, while passengers were told the plane could still operate safely. It is not known whether Healey was deliberately targeted.

The episode followed a separate incident last month in which two Russian jets “repeatedly and dangerously” intercepted an RAF spy plane over the Black Sea. Healey said that incident would not deter the UK from defending Nato, allies and British interests from Russian aggression.

Sources: The Guardian, BBC

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On this day …

On this day in 1961, John F. Kennedy told the US Congress that America would land a man on the Moon before the decade ended. The pledge came just weeks after Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space, intensifying Cold War competition between Washington and Moscow.

The speech transformed the space race from a symbolic contest into a national strategic priority. It accelerated investment in science, engineering and aerospace technology, while helping define the political and cultural ambitions of the 1960s. Eight years later, Apollo 11 fulfilled the goal Kennedy had publicly set.

The contrast with today’s political climate is striking. Kennedy framed scientific ambition as a national mission worthy of long-term public investment, while current debates in the United States increasingly revolve around spending cuts, institutional retrenchment and the rollback of research funding. The question is no longer simply what technology can achieve, but whether governments still see scientific progress as a strategic priority worth sustaining.

The disruption around the Strait of Hormuz continued to ripple through global politics and markets this week, but the more important shift was subtler. Governments increasingly behaved as though instability in global energy flows may not be temporary, but a condition that now needs to be managed over time.

China continues to weather the storm better than many other nations, their previous buildup of strategic reserves looks more and more prescient and world leaders continue to beat a path to their door.

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The most important development this week was not a dramatic military escalation in the Middle East, but the gradual normalisation of disruption itself.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remained heavily constrained as negotiations between Washington and Tehran continued without resolution. Some tanker traffic resumed under Iranian oversight, but volumes stayed well below pre-war levels. At the same time, Iran explored new permit and fee systems for vessels crossing the waterway, reinforcing the sense that the crisis is evolving from an acute shock into a more chronic strategic pressure point.

This appears to be a meaningful change. Earlier phases of the conflict were dominated by fears of sudden escalation and immediate supply collapse. This week, attention shifted towards endurance: how long energy inventories can hold, how governments adapt to prolonged disruption, and how economic policy changes once instability appears persistent rather than temporary.

The language used by officials increasingly reflected this transition. International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol warned that commercial oil inventories were falling “very fast”, while G7 finance ministers repeatedly emphasised the need to reopen Hormuz. Yet markets no longer reacted with the same intensity seen during the first weeks of the war. Instead, governments began quietly adjusting policy around the assumption that disruption may continue.

The clearest evidence of this adjustment came in energy and sanctions policy.

Washington extended a sanctions waiver allowing purchases of Russian seaborne oil despite earlier resistance from within the Trump administration. Britain meanwhile introduced temporary carve-outs permitting imports of Russian-origin jet fuel and diesel refined in third countries. Neither government framed the decisions as strategic reversals. Both presented them as limited responses to exceptional market conditions.

But taken together, the moves illustrated something broader: energy security is increasingly forcing governments into positions that would previously have carried far greater political cost.

The same pattern appeared in Europe’s growing focus on fertiliser security. Brussels began examining stockpiles, emergency procurement systems and ways to expand domestic production as officials warned that disruption to Gulf shipping threatened agricultural supply chains as much as fuel markets. G7 finance ministers similarly struggled to maintain unity over sanctions, trade imbalances and energy coordination as volatility spread through multiple sectors simultaneously.

What emerged this week was not panic, but accommodation. Governments increasingly appeared willing to soften previously rigid positions in order to stabilise supply, contain inflation and reduce exposure to prolonged disruption.

The pressure created by the Hormuz disruption is also beginning to reshape geopolitical relationships beyond the Middle East itself.

Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing, hot on the heels of Donald Trump and his entourage the previous week, highlighted Russia’s growing dependence on China as sanctions, war losses and economic strain continue to weaken Moscow’s position. Russian officials openly promoted their country as a more reliable long-term energy supplier to China amid instability in the Gulf, hoping prolonged disruption could revive stalled pipeline projects and deepen Chinese reliance on Russian exports.

At the same time, reports that Chinese facilities covertly trained Russian military personnel later deployed in Ukraine reinforced the sense that practical cooperation between the two countries continues to deepen despite Beijing’s public emphasis on neutrality.

The United States meanwhile sent mixed signals about its own strategic commitments. Washington signalled it could reduce the military capabilities available to NATO during future crises while virtually simultaneously announcing additional troops for Poland. The administration also paused a major Taiwan arms sale in order to conserve munitions linked to the Iran conflict, even as officials argued for an expanded American footprint in Greenland.

Individually, none of these decisions represented a decisive strategic shift. Collectively, they suggested governments are increasingly prioritising resources, supply resilience and strategic flexibility in a world where multiple theatres of pressure now overlap.

Away from the central energy story, several other developments this week illustrated how difficult it has become for governments and institutions to contain secondary risks.

Lebanon’s ceasefire remained fragile despite repeated extensions and continuing Israeli strikes. Baltic governments faced renewed concern over drone incursions and electronic interference linked to the war in Ukraine. In Gaza, diplomats warned that temporary fragmentation risks becoming structurally permanent as negotiations over governance and reconstruction stalled.

Meanwhile the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda exposed the difficulty of managing public health emergencies in regions already weakened by conflict, displacement and fragile infrastructure. The World Health Organization warned that the absence of a vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain could complicate containment efforts for months.

None of these crises alone dominated the international agenda this week. But together they reinforced a broader impression of institutions operating under sustained pressure while struggling to restore stable equilibrium.

The defining characteristic of the week was therefore not escalation, but adjustment.

Governments increasingly behaved as though disruption around the Strait of Hormuz may need to be managed over time rather than quickly resolved. That shift is beginning to influence sanctions policy, alliance management, industrial planning and diplomatic positioning well beyond the Gulf itself.

The international system has not entered a new phase suddenly or dramatically. But the longer the disruption persists, the more policies initially presented as temporary responses risk becoming embedded features of a more constrained and fragmented environment.

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Iran is discussing a payment system with Oman for vessels using the Strait of Hormuz, signalling that the fragile ceasefire with the United States has not resolved control of one of the world’s most important trade routes.

After American and Israeli attacks in late February, Iran brought commercial traffic in the strait to a near halt, driving up energy prices and crippling international shipping. Iranian officials have since explored fees for services, transit or environmental charges, while a new Persian Gulf Strait Authority says passage will require a permit.

US President Donald Trump rejected any payment system, saying the waterway should remain free and international. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said continued pursuit of fees would make a diplomatic deal unfeasible. The legal question is whether Iran can frame charges as service fees rather than tolls, but experts warned that disguised payment for passage would not be lawful.

Sources: New York Times, Bloomberg

Russia and Belarus have staged joint nuclear drills, with Moscow delivering nuclear munitions to field storage facilities in Belarus as tensions rise around drone incidents in the Baltic.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko joined the exercise by video conference, the first time both presidents had directly participated in such training. Putin said nuclear weapons remained an extreme measure for national security, while Lukashenko said the drills threatened no one and were defensive.

The exercises ran from Tuesday to Thursday and involved missile launches from Russian and Belarusian forces, including Iskander-M, Yars, Zircon and Sineva systems. Ukraine said it was tightening security in northern regions bordering Belarus to deter aggressive actions, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had discussed a possible Russian offensive in northern Ukraine, including Kyiv and Chernihiv, with top commanders.

Sources: Euronews, Al Jazeera

An Ebola treatment centre in eastern Congo was set alight after family and friends of a young man thought to have died from the virus were stopped from taking his body for burial.

The unrest in Rwampara exposes the difficulty of containing an outbreak in a region already weakened by poor health facilities, population movement and armed conflict. Bodies of Ebola victims can be highly infectious, so authorities require regulated burials, but those measures have collided with local grief, fear and mistrust.

The outbreak has been declared a public health emergency of international concern, with hundreds of suspected cases and deaths reported in Congo. Cases have also been detected in Uganda and South Kivu, while health officials say the true scale is likely larger. There is currently no vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the outbreak.

Sources: PBS, BBC

President Donald Trump said the United States will send 5,000 additional troops to Poland, a surprise announcement after recent moves to reduce the American military presence in Europe.

The decision came a week after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stopped a scheduled combat team deployment expected to rotate through Poland, the Baltic states and Romania. Trump had also announced the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany, while saying the Poland move reflected his relationship with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, whose election he endorsed.

The announcement deepens uncertainty over Washington’s posture in Europe. Poland has faced Russian drone violations of its airspace and recently detained three citizens suspected of spying for Moscow. Polish ministers indicated the move would maintain roughly the existing American presence of around 10,000 troops, while NATO’s Mark Rutte said the alliance was moving towards a stronger Europe less reliant on one ally.

Sources: CNN, Axios

A Turkish appeals court annulled the 2023 congress that elected Ozgur Ozel as leader of the opposition Republican People’s Party, handing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a legal and political boost.

The court declared the vote null and void over alleged irregularities, including claims that Ozel secured support through promises of jobs and other perks. It provisionally replaced Ozel and the party’s executive board with former leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who urged party members to remain calm. Ozel rejected the ruling and vowed not to give in.

The decision deepened pressure on the opposition and unsettled markets. Turkey’s main stock index fell more than 6 percent, triggering a market-wide circuit breaker, while government bonds also dropped. Under Ozel, the party had been polling level with Erdogan’s ruling party and had become central to protests after Ekrem Imamoglu’s imprisonment.

Sources: DW, Reuters

A French appeals court convicted Air France and Airbus of involuntary manslaughter over the 2009 Rio-Paris crash that killed 228 people, overturning a lower court acquittal.

The court found both companies solely and entirely responsible for the crash and ordered each to pay the maximum corporate manslaughter fine of €225,000. Both companies have denied criminal liability and said they would appeal. The penalties are symbolic, but the ruling is a major reputational blow after a 17-year legal battle by families of the victims.

Flight AF447 plunged into the Atlantic after ice blocked airspeed sensors, cockpit alarms sounded and the autopilot disconnected. The court held Airbus responsible for underestimating sensor problems and failing to inform crews, while Air France was found to have failed to provide adequate training. The judge said nothing could be held against the pilots.

Sources: Euronews, New York Times

The United Nations expressed grave concern over a new Taliban law on separation in marriage, saying it includes provisions on child marriage and further entrenches discrimination against Afghan women and girls.

The decree says the silence of a girl reaching puberty can be interpreted as consent to marriage. It also covers separation for girls who reach puberty while married, which the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said implies that child marriage is permitted and undermines free and full consent.

The law allows women to separate from husbands but makes the process far harder than it is for men. Georgette Gagnon, a UN official said the decree is part of a broader trajectory eroding women’s and girls’ rights. Afghan spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected the objections, saying Afghanistan had already banned forced marriage of girls, but the UN said successive decrees had undermined earlier protections.

Sources: South China Morning Post, NPR

The United States is pausing a $14bn arms sale to Taiwan to conserve munitions for the Iran war, acting Navy secretary Hung Cao told lawmakers.

Cao said the pause was intended to ensure the military had the weapons needed for the US-Israel operation in Iran, while foreign military sales would continue when the administration deemed it necessary. The package, which has awaited Donald Trump’s approval for months, includes air defence missiles and surface-to-air missile systems for the island.

The delay adds uncertainty to Washington’s Taiwan policy after Trump discussed the sale with Xi Jinping and described it as a negotiating chip with China. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory and opposes US arms sales, while Taiwan has increased defence spending under Lai Ching-te in response to growing Chinese military pressure.

Sources: BBC, Al Jazeera

UN Special Coordinator Nickolay Mladenov warned the UN Security Council that Gaza’s deteriorating status quo risks becoming permanent, leaving more than two million people crowded into less than half the territory.

The envoy overseeing the Board of Peace said implementation of the ceasefire roadmap cannot advance through Palestinian obligations alone. He urged pressure on Hamas to disarm, but also said Israel must uphold its ceasefire commitments, pointing to continued killings and restrictions affecting humanitarian flows.

The plan’s second phase, covering Hamas disarmament, long-term governance, Palestinian technocrats, Israeli military withdrawal and an international stabilising force, has stalled. Hamas has refused to lay down weapons, while Israel still maintains forces across a large part of Gaza. Mladenov said reconstruction financing would not follow where weapons remain, warning that another generation could grow up in tents, fear and despair.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters

European health officials say bacterial sexually transmitted infections, including gonorrhoea and syphilis, reached record levels in 2024, continuing a decade-long rise across the region.

Gonorrhoea cases reached 106,331, a 303 percent increase since 2015, while syphilis more than doubled to 45,577. Chlamydia remained the most frequently reported STI, with 213,443 cases. Congenital syphilis also reached its highest level since 2009 and nearly doubled from 2023. Men who have sex with men remained disproportionately affected, while heterosexual women of reproductive age saw large syphilis increases.

Bruno Ciancio the head of European Disease Control and Prevention warned untreated infections can cause chronic pain, infertility and, in syphilis cases, heart or nervous system problems. The agency said increased testing and reporting may partly explain higher numbers, but also cited prevention gaps, changes in sexual behaviour and reduced condom use. It recommended stronger prevention, expanded screening and possible universal third-trimester retesting for pregnant women.

Sources: BBC, Euronews

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On this day …

On this day in 2020, George Floyd was killed during an arrest in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes. Video of the incident spread rapidly online, triggering protests across the United States and internationally.

The demonstrations became one of the largest protest movements in recent American history, prompting renewed scrutiny of policing practices, racial inequality and the use of force by law enforcement agencies.

Governments, businesses, sports organisations and cultural institutions around the world were drawn into the debate that followed.

The events of 2020 continue to influence political discourse, public policy and discussions about institutional accountability.

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Iran said it was reviewing Washington’s latest position on ending the war after Donald Trump warned renewed attacks could follow within days if Tehran failed to provide what he called the “right answers”. Pakistan, which hosted talks last month, continues to act as an intermediary between the two sides while communication channels remain active despite limited diplomatic progress.

The negotiations are unfolding against a backdrop of severe disruption in global energy markets. Iran has imposed new controls over the Strait of Hormuz, requiring authorisation for transit through what it describes as a “controlled maritime zone”. Shipping traffic has increased modestly in recent days, including Chinese and South Korean tankers crossing with Iranian cooperation, but volumes remain far below pre-war levels.

Trump also faces domestic political pressure as higher fuel prices weigh on consumer sentiment ahead of congressional elections later this year.

Sources: Reuters, RTE

Israel’s national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir triggered international condemnation after posting footage of himself taunting detained activists from a Gaza aid flotilla at the Port of Ashdod. The activists, who had been trying to challenge Israel’s sea blockade, were shown bound and face down after Israeli forces intercepted their vessels in international waters.

The backlash came from allied governments as well as Israeli leaders. Benjamin Netanyahu said Ben-Gvir’s handling of the activists was not in line with Israel’s values and ordered their deportation as quickly as possible. Israel’s Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Saar said Ben-Gvir had harmed the state, while foreign governments summoned Israeli ambassadors or condemned the treatment.

The episode exposes growing diplomatic costs around Israel’s handling of Gaza-related activism at a sensitive moment for its allies, where humanitarian claims, blockade enforcement and far-right politics are colliding in full public view.

Sources: Washington Post, The Guardian

Britain said two Russian fighter jets repeatedly and dangerously intercepted an unarmed Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft over the Black Sea last month while it was operating in international airspace as part of a NATO mission. The UK Ministry of Defence said a Russian Su-35 flew close enough to trigger emergency systems on the Rivet Joint aircraft, including disabling its autopilot, while a Su-27 made six passes within six metres of the plane’s nose.

Defence Secretary John Healey described the intercepts as dangerous and unacceptable, warning they created a serious risk of accidents and escalation. British defence and foreign ministry officials formally complained to the Russian embassy this week.

The incident adds to rising tension between London and Moscow following recent British accusations that Russian submarines had conducted covert operations near undersea cables and pipelines north of the UK.

Sources: Al Jazeera, ABC News

Washington’s special envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, said the United States needed to rebuild its presence in the Danish autonomous territory, where it once operated 17 military facilities during the Cold War but now has one base. Donald Trump has repeatedly argued that control of Greenland is needed for national security, citing risks from China or Russia.

Greenland’s strategic value lies in its position on the shortest missile route between Russia and the United States, its potential rare earth minerals and emerging Arctic shipping routes as polar ice melts. Reports say Washington wants three new bases in the south of the island.

Landry’s visit to Nuuk was not officially invited and stirred controversy. Greenlandic and Danish officials have said only Greenland can decide its future, while health minister Anna Wangenheim criticised the presence of a US doctor, saying Greenlanders were not guinea pigs in a geopolitical project.

Sources: South China Morning Post, France 24

The UN General Assembly voted 141-8 to adopt a resolution backing a world court opinion that countries have a legal obligation to address climate change. The United States, the world’s biggest historical emitter, opposed the measure alongside Saudi Arabia, Russia, Israel, Iran, Yemen, Liberia and Belarus, while 28 countries abstained.

The resolution, brought by Vanuatu, affirms a July 2025 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice that states are obligated to reduce fossil fuel use and tackle global warming. The opinion is not legally binding, but it carries legal and moral authority and is expected to be cited in climate-related legal cases worldwide.

UN Secretary General António Guterres said the vote affirmed international law, climate justice and states’ responsibility to protect people from the escalating climate crisis. US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Tammy Bruce said Washington objected to what it called inappropriate political demands relating to fossil fuels.

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian, UN News

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The United States charged former Cuban president Raúl Castro with murder and conspiracy to kill American citizens over the 1996 downing of two planes operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a Cuban exile group. The case, announced in Miami, also named five pilots and accused them of killing four people when Cuban forces shot down the aircraft off Cuba’s coast.

The charges mark a sharp escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against Cuba’s Communist government. Todd Blanche said the United States and Donald Trump would not forget its citizens, while a warrant was issued for Castro’s arrest. Trump declined to say whether he would use the military to extract Castro.

Cuba rejected the indictment as a political manoeuvre and accused Washington of using the case to justify possible military aggression, as the island faces US pressure and fuel shortages.

Sources: BBC, New York Times

The World Health Organization said a vaccine for the Bundibugyo species driving an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda could take six to nine months to become available. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there were 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths, with numbers expected to rise.

The outbreak has 51 confirmed cases in eastern Congo and two in Uganda, both linked to travel from Congo. The WHO has declared a public health emergency of international concern, while assessing the risk as high nationally and regionally but low globally.

The response is being complicated by armed conflict in the Ituri province of the DRC, displaced populations, overwhelmed health facilities and delayed diagnosis because early symptoms resemble malaria and typhoid. Tedros said the priority is curbing transmission while investigators establish how long the virus has been spreading.

Sources: BBC, The Guardian

SpaceX revealed plans to go public in the United States, offering the first detailed look at one of the world’s largest private companies and setting up what is expected to be the biggest initial public offering in Wall Street history. The company said its shares would trade under the ticker symbol SPCX.

The filing showed a fast-growing but heavily loss-making business. SpaceX reported $18.7 billion in revenue last year, up 33 percent, but recorded a $4.9 billion loss after a $791 million profit in 2024. In the first three months of this year, it lost $4.3 billion on $4.7 billion of revenue.

The listing could sharply increase Elon Musk’s wealth and potentially make him the world’s first trillionaire. SpaceX values itself at $1.25 trillion, while Musk controls 85.1 percent of voting power and could receive further shares if the company reaches major valuation and operational milestones.

Sources: CNN, BBC

Donald Trump’s legal settlement with the Internal Revenue Service has triggered criticism over a $1.776 billion fund for alleged victims of political “weaponization” and a provision barring past tax claims against him, his family and his businesses. Congressional Democrats called the fund a slush fund for political allies, while watchdog groups described the tax agreement as illegal.

Legal experts said opponents may struggle to challenge the settlement because Trump withdrew his lawsuit before it was announced, leaving no clear venue. Two police officers who defended the Capitol on January 6 have sued, arguing the fund could reward people who later threatened them.

The fund will be controlled by Trump allies and financed through the Judgment Fund, which pays legal claims against the government. Todd Blanche said January 6 defendants who received clemency could also get payments.

Sources: Reuters, CNN

Britain delayed parts of new sanctions on Russian oil after the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent fuel prices higher and raised concerns over jet fuel supplies. A trade licence that took effect on Wednesday permits imports of Russian oil refined into jet fuel and diesel in third countries, including India and Turkey.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain’s support for Ukraine remained steadfast and described the measure as a targeted, short-term licence to protect consumers in volatile conditions. He said it was not a lifting of existing sanctions. The licence has no end date, but ministers said it would be reviewed regularly.

The move drew criticism from Ukraine supporters and triggered diplomatic concern in Kyiv. John Lough, Associate Fellow of the Russia & Eurasia Programme at Chatham House said the carve-outs were likely temporary, but warned they could make the sanctions regime look weaker from Moscow’s perspective.

Sources: Associated Press, Kyiv Independent

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On this day …

On this day in 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to complete a solo transatlantic flight, travelling from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland in just under 15 hours.

The achievement came five years after Charles Lindbergh’s pioneering Atlantic crossing and established Earhart as one of the most recognised aviators of her era.

The flight represented both a technical milestone in early aviation and a symbolic moment in the changing role of women in public life during the interwar period.

Earhart later used her fame to advocate for greater opportunities for women in aviation and other professions. Her legacy continues to sit at the intersection of exploration, technology and cultural change.

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President Donald Trump has again threatened Iran with new U.S. attacks if Tehran does not make significant concessions to end the Middle East war. He said he had been an hour away from ordering fresh strikes before pulling back, and warned that a new attack could come within days if no deal is reached.

The threat came despite a ceasefire in place since 8 April and a new Iranian proposal submitted through Pakistani mediators. Iran continues to block most shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, while the U.S. has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Oil prices eased after Trump said the war would end very quickly, but investors remain wary. The Strait of Hormuz normally carries about a fifth of global oil supplies, and analysts warned prices could stay elevated because renewed attacks and prolonged disruption remain possible.

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing days after Donald Trump’s summit with Xi Jinping, highlighting China’s position as the power being courted by both leaders. Putin described Russia-China relations as unprecedented and equal, but the visit exposed a widening imbalance beneath their anti-U.S. partnership.

Russia’s economy is under strain, its forces are struggling in Ukraine, Moscow has faced Ukrainian drone attacks and public fatigue with the war is rising. China, meanwhile, supplies more than a third of Russia’s imports and buys more than a quarter of its exports, while Russia accounts for only about 4 percent of China’s trade.

The Iran conflict has created an opening for Moscow to present itself as a more reliable energy supplier to China. Russian officials hope the disruption to Persian Gulf supplies will help revive the stalled Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, though Beijing has sought lower prices and diversified supply.

Sources: Washington Post, New York Times

The Trump administration plans to tell NATO allies it will shrink the pool of U.S. military capabilities available to assist European members in a major crisis. The change would affect the NATO Force Model, under which alliance members identify forces that could be activated during conflict or another major emergency.

Donald Trump has said European countries should take primary responsibility for their continent’s security. The Pentagon is expected to signal the reduced commitment at a Friday meeting of defence policy chiefs in Brussels, though the timing and scale remain unclear.

The move comes after U.S. plans to cut about 5,000 troops from Europe and cancel an Army brigade deployment to Poland. Some European countries already fear Washington could withdraw outright, while allies argue they are increasing military capabilities but cannot do so overnight.

Sources: Reuters, The Telegraph

China’s armed forces secretly trained about 200 Russian military personnel in China late last year, with some later returning to fight in Ukraine, according to three European intelligence agencies and documents seen by Reuters. The covert sessions focused mainly on drone warfare and were set out in a Russian-Chinese agreement signed in Beijing on 2 July 2025.

The agreement said Russian troops would be trained at Chinese military facilities, including in Beijing and Nanjing, and also covered electronic warfare, army aviation, armoured infantry, explosives handling, demining and counter-drone measures.

China has repeatedly claimed neutrality in Russia’s war and presented itself as a potential peace mediator. One intelligence official said training Russian personnel who later participated in combat in Ukraine made China appear more directly involved in the war than previously known.

Sources: Kyiv Independent, Reuters

G7 finance ministers agreed that action is needed to tackle unsustainable trade imbalances in a fragmented global economy, but offered limited concrete measures after two days of talks in Paris. French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said the discussions had been frank and sometimes difficult, while the final statement reaffirmed commitment to multilateral cooperation.

The ministers also called for the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping remains severely restricted after Iran imposed an effective blockade at the start of the Middle East war. They warned that energy, food and fertiliser supply chains were under pressure.

The meeting exposed tension over Washington’s decision to extend a sanctions waiver allowing purchases of Russian seaborne oil for 30 more days. European Commissioner for Economy & Productivity Valdis Dombrovskis said the G7 was not always fully aligned, while M. Lescure insisted willingness to keep pressure on Russia was unanimous.

Sources: France 24, Business Times

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The World Health Organization has declared an Ebola outbreak in Congo a public health emergency of international concern after authorities reported more than 500 suspected cases and 134 suspected deaths. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was deeply concerned by the scale and speed of the epidemic.

The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, for which there are no approved medicines or vaccines. The virus spread undetected for weeks after early tests looked for the more common Zaire strain and came back negative, delaying confirmation until May.

Cases have been reported in urban areas including Bunia, Goma and Kampala, while conflict and displacement in eastern Congo are complicating the response. Tedros said deaths among health workers and significant population movement increased the risk of further spread.

Sources: Associated Press, CNN

The United States and Israel entered the Iran war with a plan to install Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former Iranian president, as the country’s leader, according to U.S. officials briefed on it. The plan was developed by Israel, and Ahmadinejad had been consulted before it quickly went awry.

An Israeli strike on the first day of the war was designed to free Ahmadinejad from house arrest in Tehran by killing the guards watching him. He was injured, survived and then became disillusioned with the regime-change plan. His current whereabouts and condition are unknown.

The effort formed part of a wider Israeli plan to topple Iran’s theocratic government after strikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other officials. Some U.S. officials were sceptical about putting Ahmadinejad back in power, given his hard-line record and anti-American views.

Sources: New York Times, India Today

A Romanian F-16 on NATO’s Baltic air policing mission shot down a drone over Estonia on Tuesday after it was identified as a potential threat before entering Estonian airspace. Estonia suspects the drone was a Ukrainian projectile knocked off course by Russian electronic jamming.

Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said debris fell in a marshy area in central Estonia and no damage was reported. Ukraine apologised to Estonia and other Baltic states, saying Russia was deliberately redirecting Ukrainian drones launched at legitimate military targets in Russia.

The incident follows recent drone incursions over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, including two Ukrainian drones that hit an empty oil storage site in Latvia earlier this month. Baltic officials deny allowing Ukraine to use their airspace, while concerns are growing that Moscow may be testing NATO’s resolve.

Sources: BBC, The Guardian

The European Commission will explore stockpiling fertiliser supplies and boosting European production as the Middle East war disrupts crop nutrient markets and raises the risk of higher food prices. The plan includes assessing seasonal or minimum stocks, joint procurement and measures to secure fertiliser components.

European Commissioner for Agriculture & Food Christophe Hansen said food security starts with fertiliser security, adding that Europe must produce more and depend less on others. Before the war, as much as a third of globally traded fertilisers moved through the Strait of Hormuz, while nitrogen-based fertiliser prices were about 70 percent above their 2024 average last month.

Officials are not expecting an immediate food-price impact, because farmers are using stocks bought before the war. But they warn pressure could filter through by year-end, exposing how energy, fertiliser and food security are increasingly treated as strategic supply-chain risks.

Sources: FT, Politico Europe

Former Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has been placed under investigation over alleged influence peddling and related crimes linked to the 2021 public bailout of Plus Ultra. The airline received €53 million through Spain’s state holding company during the pandemic.

Judge José Luis Calama said Zapatero allegedly led an influence-peddling structure created to obtain economic benefits for third parties seeking favourable decisions. His Madrid office was searched on Tuesday, and he has been summoned to appear in court as a suspect on June 2.

Zapatero denied wrongdoing, saying he had never carried out dealings with any public administration or public-sector body over the bailout. The case adds pressure on Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, whose wife, brother and former political allies are also facing separate corruption allegations that they deny.

Sources: FT, Al Jazeera

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On this day …

On this day in 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky was sworn in as president of Ukraine after campaigning as a political outsider promising reform, anti-corruption measures and an end to entrenched elite politics. A former comedian and television actor, he entered office with no previous experience in elected government.

At the time, many observers viewed his victory as part of a broader global pattern of voter frustration with established political systems.

His presidency later became inseparable from Ukraine’s wartime leadership following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Zelensky’s political journey remains an example of how rapidly public figures can move from outsider status to the centre of major geopolitical events.

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Donald Trump said he had postponed a planned new military strike on Iran after Gulf leaders requested more time for negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Trump said Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates believed an agreement acceptable to the United States could still be reached, while warning that Washington remained prepared for a “full, large scale assault” if talks failed.

The reversal highlighted the uncertain trajectory of a war that has entered its third month despite earlier expectations of a shorter campaign. US officials said Iran had adapted militarily during the ceasefire, repositioning missile launchers, studying American flight patterns and restoring access to buried ballistic missile sites.

Meanwhile back home in the US the conflict has also become increasingly unpopular domestically, with polling showing most voters now oppose the decision to go to war.

Sources: New York Times, BBC

Global executions reached the highest recorded level since 1981 in 2025, with at least 2,707 people put to death across 17 countries, according to Amnesty International. The total excludes thousands of executions believed to have taken place in China, where official secrecy prevented verification.

Iran drove most of the increase, executing at least 2,159 people, more than double its 2024 figure. Saudi Arabia recorded at least 356 executions, while Kuwait almost tripled its total and Egypt, Singapore and the United States nearly doubled theirs. Four countries also resumed executions: Japan, South Sudan, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates.

Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard said a small group of states was using the death penalty to instil fear, crush dissent and punish marginalised communities. The rise came despite the wider global trend towards abolition, with more than two-thirds of countries abolitionist in law or practice.

Sources: CBS News, Amnesty International

IEA Chief Fatih Birol warned that commercial oil inventories were depleting rapidly, with only several weeks left, after the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted shipping. He said strategic reserve releases had added 2.5 million barrels a day to the market, but cautioned that those reserves were not endless.

The pressure is rising as northern hemisphere travel and planting seasons begin, lifting demand for diesel, fertiliser, jet fuel and gasoline. Birol said the market was facing a perception gap between physical and financial oil markets.

The agency said observed global oil inventories fell by 246 million barrels in March and April, the fastest pace on record. It now expects global oil supply to fall short of demand this year, after previously forecasting a surplus.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters

The United States extended by 30 days a sanctions waiver allowing purchases of Russian seaborne oil, as the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz tightened global energy supply. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measure would help energy-vulnerable countries access Russian oil stranded on tankers and stabilise the physical crude market.

The extension reverses Bessent’s earlier position that no further waiver would be granted. Officials said vulnerable countries requested the move because Gulf shipments had been disrupted during the conflict. Benchmark Brent crude prices rose above US$112 a barrel on Monday amid concerns about tightening supply.

The decision exposed growing tension between sanctions policy and energy security. Democratic senators Jeanne Shaheen and Elizabeth Warren called the waiver an “indefensible gift” to Vladimir Putin, arguing it would help finance Russia’s war in Ukraine without reducing fuel prices or stabilising energy markets.

Sources: Reuters, South China Morning Post

Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli strikes had killed 3,020 people since fighting with Hezbollah escalated in early March, including 292 women and 211 children. The toll has continued to rise despite a ceasefire that began on 17 April and was extended by 45 days on Friday.

More than 400 deaths have been recorded since the ceasefire took effect, with repeated violations on both sides. Israeli strikes have continued across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, while Hezbollah said its fighters targeted northern Israel with attack drones.

The fighting has displaced more than a million people in Lebanon and left Israeli forces occupying large areas of southern Lebanon. Negotiations continue over a possible security agreement or armistice, troop withdrawal and efforts to disarm Hezbollah, but the truce has not stopped daily attacks.

Sources: BBC, PBS

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Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel warned that any US military action against Cuba would cause a “bloodbath” with incalculable consequences for regional peace and stability, after a report said Havana had acquired more than 300 military drones. Díaz-Canel said Cuba did not represent a threat and had no aggressive plans against any country.

The report said the drones could be used against the US naval base at Guantánamo Bay, US military vessels or Key West, while acknowledging uncertainty over Cuba’s operational plans. Havana said Washington was fabricating a case to justify possible intervention.

The exchange follows rising tension since the United States cut off Cuba’s energy supplies in January, worsening fuel shortages and blackouts. It also came days after CIA director John Ratcliffe held closed-door meetings in Havana, and after Cuba accepted US humanitarian aid channelled through the Catholic Church.

Sources: Reuters, Mercopress

Israel operated at least two covert military outposts in Iraq’s western desert to support operations against Iran, according to Iraqi and regional officials. One base near al-Nukhaib predated the current war and was used during the 12-day conflict with Iran in June 2025.

The site was reportedly discovered by Awad al-Shammari, a 29-year-old shepherd, who contacted Iraq’s regional military command after seeing soldiers, helicopters and tents around a landing strip. His family said he was later killed by Israeli forces, while a subsequent Iraqi reconnaissance mission came under fire, leaving one soldier dead and two wounded.

The revelations raise difficult questions for Baghdad and Washington. Iraqi officials said the United States may have known of the Israeli presence since June 2025 or earlier, while Iraqi lawmaker Waad al-Kadu called it a blatant disregard for Iraqi sovereignty.

Sources: New York Times, The Independent

Israeli forces intercepted a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters off Cyprus on Monday, boarding vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla as they tried to challenge the naval blockade. Organisers said more than 50 vessels had sailed from Marmaris, Turkey, and that at least 31 boats were intercepted by Monday evening.

The boats were stopped about 250 nautical miles from Gaza, well outside Cypriot territorial waters. Footage showed activists wearing life jackets and raising their hands as Israeli troops approached, while organisers said crews were detained and expected to be taken to Ashdod.

Israel said it would not allow a breach of the blockade, which it says prevents Hamas from arming itself. Turkiye condemned the operation as piracy, and several governments sought assurances over detained nationals.

Sources: Associated Press, Al Jazeera

A federal jury sided with OpenAI and its top executives on Monday, rejecting Elon Musk’s lawsuit over claims that the company had betrayed its founding nonprofit mission. The nine-person jury unanimously found that Musk waited too long to file his claims and had missed the statute of limitations.

US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers accepted the advisory verdict and dismissed the claims, saying there was substantial evidence to support the jury’s findings. Musk said he would appeal, arguing the decision rested on a timing issue rather than the merits of his allegation that OpenAI had been misappropriated.

The verdict removes a major legal threat to one of the world’s most influential AI companies. Musk had sought more than $100 billion in damages for OpenAI’s nonprofit arm, along with the removal of OpenAi’s CEO Sam Altman and its President Greg Brockman.

Sources: LA Times, BBC

Ukraine has slowed Russia’s battlefield advance to its weakest pace in two years, helped by improved drone tactics, local counterattacks and strikes on logistics behind the front line. Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Kyiv was increasing pressure and making every metre of Ukrainian land costly.

Russia’s monthly casualties have been estimated at up to 35,000 killed or wounded, while analysts say its forces are no longer growing because losses have matched recruitment since late 2025. Ukraine has also expanded midrange drone strikes against Russian logistics, command posts, air defences and warehouses, making front-line support harder.

Yet analysts warned against calling the war at an inflection point. Vladimir Putin has shown no sign of reducing his aims, while Russia still controls just under one-fifth of Ukrainian territory and continues to demand land, neutrality and sanctions relief.

Sources: Wall Street Journal, Japan Times

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On this day …

On this day in 1897, Oscar Wilde was released from prison after serving two years of hard labour for gross indecency. Once among the most celebrated writers in Britain, Wilde emerged financially ruined, physically weakened and largely excluded from public life.

His prosecution became one of the defining legal and cultural episodes of the Victorian era, reflecting the strict moral codes and social anxieties of the time.

In later decades, Wilde’s case came to symbolise wider debates about freedom, sexuality and the relationship between private life and public punishment.

The questions raised by his downfall continue to resonate in modern discussions about reputation, morality and the limits of social tolerance.

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A drone strike caused a fire near the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, raising fresh concerns about the durability of the ceasefire between the US and Iran. UAE authorities said the fire broke out in an electrical generator outside the plant’s inner perimeter and confirmed there were no injuries or radiological leaks. Two other drones were intercepted after crossing into the country from the western border.

The attack came as tensions continued to simmer around the Strait of Hormuz following months of missile and drone exchanges linked to the regional war that began in February. UAE officials described the strike as a dangerous escalation and said the country reserved the right to respond.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said radiation levels remained normal, while one reactor temporarily relied on emergency diesel generators. The Barakah facility provides around a quarter of the UAE’s electricity needs and is central to the country’s energy diversification plans.

Sources: FT, Associated Press

Donald Trump warned that Iran would be hit “much harder” unless it improved its offer in talks aimed at ending the war, as diplomatic efforts showed signs of narrowing. He told Axios that “the clock is ticking” and said Iran had to move quickly or “they are not gonna have anything left”.

The warning came as US officials said Trump was expected to meet his national security team on Tuesday to discuss military options. He also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, while Pakistan and Qatar continued mediation efforts involving Tehran.

Iran rejected US demands as excessive and said Washington had offered no tangible concessions. A spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces, Abolfazl Shakarchi, warned that further US threats would bring “more crushing and severe blows”, while a foreign policy analyst said it remained important to distinguish political noise from clear signals.

Sources: Axios, Al Jazeera

Israel extended a ceasefire with Lebanon for another 45 days after talks in Washington, but its forces continued striking southern Lebanon the next day. Lebanese state media reported attacks across the south, including strikes that killed a woman, her son and a paramedic in Tayr Falsayh, and a husband and wife in Haboush.

The truce began on April 17 but has been repeatedly violated. Lebanon’s health ministry says 2,969 people have been killed and 9,112 wounded since fighting resumed on March 2, while more than 500 have been killed since the ceasefire was announced. Israeli forces also issued new displacement orders for nine villages near Sidon and Nabatieh.

The extension is meant to allow a US-facilitated security track to begin on May 29, with further talks planned in Washington in early June. Yet continued bombardment, Hezbollah attacks and Israeli occupation near the border have deepened scepticism among displaced Lebanese civilians.

Sources: Al Jazeera, China Daily

Ukraine launched one of its largest drone attacks of the war across Russia on Sunday, killing at least four people, according to Russian authorities and state media. Russia’s defence ministry said 556 Ukrainian drones were intercepted or shot down across more than a dozen regions, while Moscow officials said more than 120 were intercepted near the capital.

Three people were killed and 12 injured when drones struck residential buildings in the Moscow suburbs of Khimki and Mytishchi, according to regional governor Andrei Vorobyov. India’s embassy said an Indian citizen was also killed in the Moscow region and three others were wounded.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called the strikes an “entirely justified” response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, saying Russia must end its war. The attacks disrupted Moscow airports, with more than 200 flights cancelled, delayed or rerouted at Sheremetyevo, while Russia launched 287 drones across Ukraine overnight.

Sources: New York Times, Washington Post

The World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency over an Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. As of May 16, eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths had been reported in Ituri province, while Uganda confirmed two cases in Kampala, including one death.

The outbreak has raised concern because there are no approved Bundibugyo-specific vaccines or treatments. Health officials said the true scale remains uncertain, with suspected cases reported across Ituri and North Kivu, unusual community death clusters and at least four health worker deaths in circumstances suggesting possible viral haemorrhagic fever.

The response is being complicated by conflict, high population mobility, strained health systems and informal clinics. Uganda postponed a major Catholic festival near Kampala, while authorities urged stronger surveillance, isolation, contact tracing and cross-border screening.

Sources: New York Times, Bloomberg, WHO

China has agreed to buy at least US$17 billion of US agricultural products annually through 2028 under agreements reached during last week’s summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, according to a White House fact sheet released on Sunday.

The purchases will add to an earlier commitment by China to buy 25 million metric tons of US soybeans annually through 2028 under a broader trade truce agreed in October 2025. The White House also said China renewed registrations for more than 400 US beef facilities, resumed poultry imports from states cleared of avian influenza and agreed to an initial purchase of 200 Boeing aircraft.

Both sides also agreed to establish a board of trade and a board of investment to manage commerce and investment issues. China’s commerce ministry separately said the two countries had agreed in principle to lower tariffs on products of respective concern through a newly established trade board.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Politico

Finance ministers from the G7 countries gathered in Paris on Monday seeking common ground on trade tensions, critical mineral supplies and the economic fallout from the conflict affecting the Strait of Hormuz.

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said deep global economic imbalances were fuelling trade friction and risking turbulence in financial markets. He described a pattern in which China under-consumes, the United States over-consumes and Europe under-invests. Ministers were also expected to discuss rising volatility in global bond markets and efforts to coordinate critical mineral supply chains to reduce reliance on China.

The meeting follows last week’s summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, which produced limited economic breakthroughs despite agreements on some trade issues. European officials warned that prolonged disruption around the Strait of Hormuz could intensify inflation and supply chain pressures as oil inventories decline and borrowing costs rise across several major economies.

Sources: Reuters, CNBC

Cuba has accused the United States of fabricating a case for sanctions and possible military intervention after a report said Havana had acquired more than 300 military drones.

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said Cuba “neither threatens nor desires war” and was preparing only to confront external aggression in legitimate self-defence. The report, citing classified intelligence, alleged Cuba had discussed using drones to attack Guantanamo Bay, US military vessels and possibly Key West, Florida. It could not be immediately verified, and Rodriguez did not explicitly mention the drone allegations.

The claims come as Washington increases pressure on Havana. US officials have raised concern about drone warfare and Iranian military advisers in Cuba, while reported plans to indict former Cuban leader Raul Castro would mark a major escalation in the Trump administration’s campaign against the island.

Sources: DW, Reuters

Tens of thousands of demonstrators joined a Unite the Kingdom march in central London on Saturday, organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, while a separate pro-Palestinian Nakba Day march took place elsewhere in the capital.

Police estimated about 60,000 people attended the Unite the Kingdom rally. Demonstrators carried St George’s Cross and Union flags, chanted against Keir Starmer and cited concerns including British identity, Christianity, public services and national decline. Robinson urged supporters in Parliament Square to register to vote, become activists and engage with movements across the British right.

The Metropolitan Police deployed more than 4,000 officers and created a sterile zone between the rival protests. The operation cost about £4.5 million and resulted in 43 arrests across the demonstrations, including 11 linked to alleged hate crime offences. Police said there were no serious clashes.

Sources: CBS News, BBC

Vladimir Putin will travel to Beijing on Tuesday for two days of talks with Xi Jinping, only days after Donald Trump completed his own visit to China. The Kremlin said the trip was scheduled to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship.

Russian Federation Press Secretary Dmitri Peskov said the visit would let Moscow share views on China’s recent contacts with Washington. The two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral relations, economic cooperation and key international and regional issues, and to sign several bilateral documents.

The talks come as Russia remains heavily reliant on China for trade after Western sanctions, while China’s need for reliable energy supplies has increased amid strain on global oil and gas markets. Putin said after Victory Day celebrations that Russia and China were close to a significant step in oil and gas cooperation, though Beijing has been cautious about deeper pipeline dependence.

Sources: New York Times, Associated Press

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On this day …

On this day in 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted in the deadliest volcanic event in modern US history. The explosion flattened forests, destroyed roads and bridges, and sent ash across several American states. Fifty-seven people were killed, including scientists, journalists and residents living near the mountain despite evacuation warnings.

The eruption transformed scientific understanding of volcanic risk management and became a landmark moment in disaster monitoring and emergency planning. It also highlighted the difficulty governments face when balancing public safety warnings against economic pressures and personal judgement.

More than four decades later, the eruption remains a reference point in discussions about how societies prepare for low-probability but high-impact events.

Trump tried talking up the relationship and the progress from the summit but Xi insisted on tempering too much enthusiasm and bringing the topics back to reality, even going so far as issuing warnings. The result was a more cautious geopolitical atmosphere than earlier in the year, though not necessarily a more secure one.

Diplomatic activity became more visible again this week, but mostly as a mechanism for managing pressure, economic disruption and escalation risk. Ceasefires remained fragile, strategic mistrust remained intact, and several governments quietly continued preparing for the possibility that negotiations may ultimately fail.

A succinct wrap on the stories of the week - what happened and what it meant.

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The clearest pattern of the week was the reopening of diplomatic channels without any real corresponding movement on the underlying issues themselves.

In the Iran crisis, Washington, Tehran and regional governments all continued searching for ways to preserve a fragile ceasefire and reduce pressure on global energy markets. Yet the central disagreements barely shifted. Iran continued demanding sanctions relief, an end to the naval blockade and guarantees against renewed attacks, while the United States and Israel maintained pressure over uranium enrichment, missile capabilities and proxy networks. Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly stressed that the war could not truly end while enriched uranium remained inside Iran, even as Donald Trump argued diplomacy still remained possible.

A similar pattern emerged in Ukraine. Discussion of ceasefires and mediation continued throughout the week, but large-scale drone and missile attacks resumed almost immediately after temporary pauses expired. Moscow and Kyiv both appeared increasingly sceptical that negotiations could currently deliver acceptable outcomes with the only area of real agreement being that the US wasn't helping on the path to peace, while battlefield calculations continued to dominate strategic thinking on both sides.

US-China relations also reflected this dual-track dynamic. Trump’s delayed visit to Beijing reopened direct engagement between Washington and Beijing after months of rising tension linked to trade, Taiwan and the Iran war. Both sides publicly emphasised stability and economic cooperation, but China continued reinforcing Taiwan as a non-negotiable issue while the United States focused heavily on commercial outcomes. The summit suggested stabilisation was possible, though within carefully managed limits rather than through any deeper strategic convergence.

Alongside the return of diplomacy, the week also exposed growing questions around the practical reliability of security guarantees and alliance structures.

The cancellation of planned US troop deployments to Poland unsettled officials across Europe, particularly coming after earlier reductions in Germany. At the same time, Latvia’s political crisis following drone incursions from Russia reinforced how quickly frontline security incidents can become domestic political tests for NATO states.

In the Gulf, newly disclosed reports that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had previously carried out strikes on Iranian targets during the war revealed how much deeper regional military involvement had already become beneath the surface of public diplomacy. The significance was not that Gulf escalation suddenly widened this week, but that governments in the region had quietly moved further towards direct confrontation than was publicly understood at the time.

Taken together, the developments pointed less to collapsing alliances than to allies increasingly testing how security commitments function under real operational pressure.

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The Iran war’s economic effects also became increasingly difficult for governments to separate from domestic politics.

Rising fuel prices, inflation concerns and pressure on household finances intensified political scrutiny in the United States, where the administration discussed suspending the federal petrol tax as prices remained elevated. Congressional hearings meanwhile highlighted growing questions over the financial sustainability of prolonged military operations after Pentagon officials estimated the war had already cost roughly $29 billion.

Inside Iran, the economic strain also deepened. Inflation remained severe, trade disruption continued under blockade conditions and pressure on ordinary households intensified as shortages and currency weakness persisted. Even without major new escalation, the conflict increasingly imposed costs that governments could not fully contain politically or economically.

That dynamic extended beyond the Middle East. Somalia’s worsening drought crisis was also linked partly to higher food and fuel costs associated with the wider regional instability, illustrating how secondary economic effects were spreading well beyond the immediate conflict zone.

The week also suggested that several major powers are increasingly approaching stability itself as a transactional objective rather than a pathway towards deeper political settlement.

Trump’s Beijing visit heavily emphasised trade, agriculture, aircraft sales and investment ties alongside strategic discussions. China, meanwhile, repeatedly framed stability as dependent on clear respect for its red lines, particularly on Taiwan. Both governments appeared less interested in rebuilding trust than in preventing tensions from spiralling into direct confrontation.

That same logic appeared elsewhere. European governments continued balancing support for Ukraine with concern about long-term sustainability. Gulf states maintained public caution while quietly expanding their own security activities. Even ceasefires increasingly resembled temporary mechanisms for limiting immediate costs rather than genuine foundations for political resolution.

The overall effect was a geopolitical environment becoming somewhat calmer operationally, but not necessarily more settled strategically.

The week again did not produce a decisive shift in the global landscape. Instead, it illustrated a more restrained phase in which governments are trying to manage instability, contain economic pressure and avoid uncontrolled escalation while accepting that many of the underlying disputes remain unresolved. Diplomacy returned repeatedly over the past several days, but largely as a tool for limiting risk rather than ending conflict.

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