Record 129 journalists killed in 2025, mostly by Israel, says Committee to Protect Journalists

It was the second straight year that press killings set a record—and the second straight year Israel was responsible for two-thirds of them, the CPJ, a New York-based organization that documents at...

South Africa says most of a group of men lured into fighting for Russia set to return home

Reports of African men being lured into Russia with promises of jobs and ending up on Ukraine's front line have become more frequent in recent months—creating tensions between Moscow and some of th...

SKorea, US militaries to conduct joint training in March

The annual “Freedom Shield” drill is "defensive in nature", officials said at a briefing—though that has not prevented it from being a flashpoint with North Korea, which has denounced the drills as...

Trump lays out case for possible attack on Iran in State of the Union

President Trump accused Iran of restarting its nuclear program and working to build missiles that "soon" would be capable of reaching the United States. Tap for the full brief.

China military purge taking toll on command and readiness, says research center

"From an organisational perspective, until the vacancies are filled, the PLA is operating with serious deficiencies in its command structure," the London-based International Institute for Strategic...

After drug lord’s death, cartels use disinformation to spread fear in Mexico

After Mexican forces killed the country's most wanted cartel leader on Sunday, false accounts of spectacular violence swept across social media—fueled by what researchers say was a coordinated prop...

Pakistan, Afghan forces exchange fire after airstrikes

The incident marks the latest flare-up along the 1,615-mile border—where tensions have risen since renewed fighting over the weekend. Tap for the full brief.

EU memo raises security concerns over mass escape from IS-linked Syria camp

An EU internal memo has raised security concerns about the escape of thousands of people from a detention camp holding relatives of suspected ISIS fighters in northeastern Syria—suggesting militant...

Trump, facing headwinds, to address State of the Union

U.S. President Donald Trump will deliver the traditional State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday at a fraught moment for his presidency, with his approval ratings slumping, anxieties risi...

Ukraine marks four years since start of full-scale invasion by Russia

In Moscow, where there were no official anniversary ceremonies, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Western intervention meant Russia was now in a much wider confrontation with nations that wanted...

At least 25 soldiers dead in attacks after raid on Mexico's most wanted cartel leader

El Mencho's death triggered "27 cowardly attacks against authorities in Jalisco," Mexico Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch told reporters on Monday—adding that 30 cartel operatives were killed ...

Former UK ambassador Mandelson arrested after Epstein revelations

Former British ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson was arrested by London police on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office—following revelations over his ties to convicted sex offend...

US pulling non-essential staff from embassy in Beirut amid Iran tensions

Iran has threatened to strike American bases in the region if it is attacked. Tap for the full brief.

ISIS kills four security personnel in Syria

ISIS militants killed four Syrian government security personnel in northern Syria on Monday, the Syrian state news agency reported—in what would be the group's deadliest attack on government forces...

Iran buys shoulder fired missiles from Russia

The agreement, signed in Moscow in December, commits Russia to deliver 500 man-portable "Verba" launch units and 2,500 "9M336" missiles over three years, the Financial Times said—citing leaked Russ...