Shifting Global Security Realignmentactive

Geopolitics, at its core, examines how geography shapes international politics, power distribution and security dynamics. One enduring idea is geographer Halford Mackinder’s “heartland” theory, which situates Eurasia as the central arena of global power competition. In 1904, Mackinder argued that the vast land mass of Europe and Asia – what he called the “world island” – contained a pivotal core, the “heartland”, rich in resources, population and strategic depth. His dictum – “Who rules Eastern...

Foreign affairs minister begins another diplomatic tour to secure Australia’s fuel and energy supply chains. Follow today’s news live Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Nationals MP says welcome to country is generally a ‘good part’ of ceremonies Nationals MP Michael McCormack said he thinks welcomes to county were generally a “good part” of ceremonies after the opposition leader, Angus Taylor, said this weekend he thought they were oversized. I can if you have several speakers and every one of them takes a lot of their speech time to do welcomes to country when it’s already been done. If you do it at the start, you do it appropriately, I think most people find that to be a good part of the ceremony, and then you get on with what the actual event is all about. And I think that’s probably appropriate. Continue reading...

Lebanon says Israel strikes kill 14 in deadliest day since truce

Ahead of the start of the NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) Review Conference, survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, along with American peace organizations, marched in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York, calling for the realization of a "world without nuclear weapons."

Abbas Araghchi travels to Russia, where he will speak with "senior officials", Iran's foreign ministry says.

The NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons) Review Conference, which will discuss the direction of global nuclear disarmament, will begin on the evening of the 27th (Japan time) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Amidst deepening conflicts between countries over situations in Iran and Ukraine, and a growing trend of reversing progress on nuclear disarmament worldwide, the focus will be on whether the international community can reach a consensus and adopt a "final document" aimed at promoting nuclear disarmament.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on Sunday urged lawmakers to create a bipartisan national commission for political violence following the shooting at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner.  “To see journalists like you and others ducking under tables was just horrifying,” Khanna said during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” with Kristen Welker.  …

The armed suspect who tried to enter a Washington ballroom where President Donald Trump was set to speak was likely targeting administration officials, Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said. (Source: Bloomberg)

‘Michael’ earns $217mn on opening weekend in boon for Lionsgate, Universal and the late singer’s estate

The Italian government has decided ⁠⁠to extradite a ⁠⁠Chinese man wanted ⁠⁠by US authorities on hacking charges that include stealing Covid-19 medical research, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The government’s decision, which was ‌‌first reported by Bloomberg, follows a ruling by an Italian court earlier this month which said Xu Zewei could be extradited. A representative for Italy’s government declined to comment. Xu’s lawyer Enrico Giarda told Reuters that his client...

The two politicians' alliance is aimed at uniting a fragmented opposition against current PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

Nearly 1 million Californians supported push by Republican Carl DeMaio but it faces historic opposition from Democrats California voters will decide in November whether to require photo identification to cast a ballot, making California the latest battleground in a long-running effort by conservatives to push voter ID laws that have been bolstered in recent years by Donald Trump’s repeated and unfounded accusations of widespread voter fraud. Nearly 1 million Californians signed on to support the ballot measure championed by Carl DeMaio, a Republican state representative from San Diego. Continue reading...

7,755 people have been injured

Political scientist Vali Nasr argues that US and Israeli military options ‘have come up short'.

According to writer and economist Eduardo Giannetti, the disruption of trade routes like the Strait of Hormuz and the trade war initiated by the United States are signs of a global economic order coming to an end. In an interview with TV Brasil, which will be broadcast on "Repórter Brasil" at 7 PM on Monday (27th) and Tuesday (28th), the expert discusses various topics that are part of an international landscape marked by crises and wars. Related news: WHO: Dengue is an indicator of the relationship between climate change and arboviruses. The war in Iran pushes over 30 million people back into poverty. Russia and China veto a resolution on Hormuz in the Security Council. "International consulting firms show that for 180 critical products in global production chains, there are only two or three suppliers worldwide. If you look, Taiwan accounts for 90% of the production of the most advanced chips. Therefore, based on this observation, there is a search for diversification and security," the economist summarizes. "It's no longer the cold logic of hyperglobalization, which was about lower production costs, scale, efficiency, and concentration with a single supplier. Things have changed." Financialization Eduardo Giannetti links the end of hyperglobalization to historical events such as the 2008 financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic. He also highlights the increasing role of finance during this period. "When we entered the era of hyperglobalization, there was roughly 1 dollar of financial assets for every 1 dollar of GDP. Ho..."

Naftali Bennett, a right-wing politician, and Yair Lapid, a centrist, will merge parties for a vote later this year.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday squeezed in a trip to Oman before returning to Pakistan and then heading to Moscow for talks in a frantic diplomatic shuffle as mediators pressed to reignite talks between Tehran and the US. But President Donald Trump stuck with his decision to scrap a planned trip by this envoys to Pakistan, saying Iran and the US could talk by phone instead.

WASHINGTON. – The shooting on Saturday night against a Secret Service agent during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner once again raises questions about the protection afforded to U.S. political leaders in a time of increasing political violence. Hundreds of agents from various law enforcement agencies were responsible for securing the annual event, which this year featured the presence of President Donald Trump. However, a suspect armed with a shotgun and other weapons managed to reach the upper level of the Washington ballroom, where an extraordinary gathering of cabinet members, high-ranking legislators, and celebrities were dining. In addition to Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, and other government officials were in attendance, many of them accompanied by their own security teams. What was supposed to be a fun night at the @WHCA dinner with President Trump delivering jokes and celebrating free speech was hijacked by a depraved and crazy person who sought to assassinate the President and kill as many top Trump administration officials as possible. I was with… — Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) April 26, 2026 "It's not a particularly…

His tariffs on Canada and Mexico make a mockery of the 2020 USMCA agreement.

WASHINGTON. – The gala event in Washington, intended to celebrate the relationship between power and the press, ended in a scene of panic and chaos. The assassination attempt against President Donald Trump during the Correspondent's Dinner left one agent injured and the international community on high alert. Diplomatic cables and social media platforms recorded messages demanding an end to political intolerance in the 21st century. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her solidarity and analyzed the impact of the attack on democracies. "I want to express my full solidarity and sincere condemnation to President Trump, First Lady Melania, Vice President Vance, and everyone present for what happened last night at the White House Correspondent's Dinner. No political hatred has a place in our democracies," Meloni wrote. Her message included a warning about the future: "We will not allow fanaticism to poison the spaces of free debate and information. The defense of the civilization of debate must remain the unbreakable barrier against any intolerant drift, protecting the values that underpin our nations." Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani highlighted the work of the Secret Service, which prevented a greater tragedy. Tajani stated: "Solidarity with President Trump, his wife Melania, Vice President Vance, and everyone present at the White House Correspondent's Dinner..."

His sanctions, efforts to broker peace and war in Iran are all consistent with American history.

The president of the Washington Hospital Center Auxiliary (WHCA) expressed gratitude to law enforcement officials following Saturday's "distressing" shooting at the organization's annual dinner.

Ukraine has signed an agreement with partners to open a special account to fund the restoration of the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) said Sunday that security has “tightened” around President Trump since his July 2024 assassination attempt, after a gunman exchanged shots with law enforcement at Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. “It improved since Pennsylvania. The policy is when the president is shot at or in threat, you get him down, you…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated this Sunday that Hezbollah's actions are effectively destroying the existing ceasefire in Lebanon, and he promised to act with "firmness" against the Shia terrorist group backed by Iran. The statement came hours after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for seven locations in southern Lebanon and bombed targets belonging to the group. "It must be understood that Hezbollah's violations are, in practice, dismantling the ceasefire," Netanyahu told his cabinet. The Prime Minister called for "freedom of action" that includes neutralizing immediate and even emerging threats, within the framework of agreements with Washington. On Saturday, he had already ordered attacks on the group's positions, citing violations of the ceasefire. Shortly after, the Israeli military reported that it had intercepted three drones. The official Lebanese news agency, NNA, reported that Israeli aircraft attacked Kfar Tibnit, which was included in the evacuation order, resulting in casualties, and that shelling had been reported in border villages, particularly in Zawtar el Sharqiyah, since dawn. Hezbollah rejected the accusations with a statement in which it described its operations as a "legitimate response to the ongoing violations of the ceasefire by the enemy since the first day of the announcement of the temporary truce." The Shia group claims that Israel is the one that has violated the terms, with bombings...

U.S. President Donald Trump said he has had "good conversations" with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Footage is being reviewed, and investigations are underway at the Anti-Terrorism Unit. The ANPI (National Association of Italian Partisans) stated: "We will not be intimidated."

Darren Jones suggests cost of energy, food and flights will remain high after de-escalation and Hormuz strait reopens The UK faces higher prices for food and fuel for at least eight months after the war in Iran ends, a minister has said. The closure of the strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane that carried a fifth of global oil and gas, has sent oil prices soaring since the US and Israeli attacks on Iran began in February. Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, said the conflict would probably continue to raise prices for energy, food and flights in the coming months as potential issues around energy supplies affect production, rather than lead to shortages on supermarket shelves. The UK government has urged motorists to fill up their cars as usual amid higher prices at the pumps and for air travellers not to change their plans over potential jet fuel shortages. Jones told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme: “You’re going to see prices go up a bit as a consequence of what Donald Trump has done in the Middle East. “That’s probably going to come online not just in the next few weeks, but the next few months. There’s going to be a long tail from this.” Asked how long higher prices might remain, Jones suggested it would be around eight months after the strait of Hormuz was unblocked and a de-escalation of the conflict had taken place. “I think our best guess is eight-plus months from the point of resolution that you’ll see economic impacts coming through the system,” he said. Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of the US ceasefire with Iran last week that paused most of the fighting, but further efforts towards ending the conflict have been unsuccessful after the US president told his envoys not to travel to Pakistan for talks at the weekend. The UK government is stepping up planning for how to offset the impact, focusing on the live monitoring of stock levels and what plans are in place for addressing supply chain disruption. Jones said: “The government here in the UK, the work that I’m doing with the prime minister is looking at all of those things and saying, ‘What can we do within our power to help people to get through those difficult times?’” The government is also looking to secure stocks of carbon dioxide, which is used in the food industry and by breweries to make drinks fizzy, as well as for defence purposes and medical uses such as MRI scanning. Jones said he was seeking to ensure there was an adequate supply of beer for fans watching the men’s football World Cup which starts on 11 June. He said: “I raised this issue because if there is a problem with jet fuel on holidays and carbon dioxide on beer, the summer might be pretty depressing for people, but we’re doing everything we can to make sure that it’s not the case.” The Liberal Democrats have called for a bill to be included in the next king’s speech in May to put food security at the top of the government’s agenda. Continue reading...

The national president of the PAN (National Action Party), Jorge Romero Herrera, reiterated his party's full and unwavering support for the governor of Chihuahua, María Eugenia Campos, "in the face of the accusations and political attacks that have arisen following the operation in which one of the largest drug labs in the country was dismantled." In a statement, Romero Herrera emphasized that the focus of public discussion should be on the outcome of the operation, which represented a significant blow to the structure of organized crime, and not on creating political conflicts. "In Chihuahua, we fight organized crime; we do not negotiate with it. Maru Campos has demonstrated character, determination, and commitment to confront the cartels," he stated. Also read: PAN proposes extending maternity leave to one year with full pay; the reform includes cases of adoption. The PAN leader lamented that, instead of recognizing this achievement, the federal government chose to divert attention and politicize the issue, creating a conflict between different levels of government without a completed investigation. Furthermore, he pointed out that, in the event of the presence of foreign agents, the federal government is responsible for authorizing, supervising, and explaining the terms of their participation, in accordance with the current legal framework. "If they were unaware, it is a serious coordination failure; and if they were aware, they must explain under what conditions it was allowed. In both cases, the responsibility lies with the government..."

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi travelled once to Oman and twice to Pakistan over the weekend, before heading to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

The US imposed a naval blockade on Iran on April 13

The Russian Foreign Ministry previously confirmed Abbas Araghchi's visit to Russia for talks

An Iranian negotiator returned to Pakistan on Sunday, despite the United States’ abruptly calling off a trip there by its two top negotiators.

An Iranian negotiator returned to Pakistan on Sunday, despite the United States’ abruptly calling off a trip there by its two top negotiators.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has returned to Islamabad after his trip to Oman, but the Trump administration is not sending a delegation to the Pakistani capital.

Deepening sense of deadlock despite regional diplomacy as Washington and Tehran show no signs of compromise Hopes of a breakthrough in negotiations between Iran and the US faded further on Sunday, amid a deepening sense of a deadlock in the nearly two-month-long conflict despite intense regional diplomatic activity. Washington and Tehran appear unwilling to moderate rhetoric or make concessions, and there are no negotiations scheduled that might bring the war to a definitive end. Continue reading...

Syria begun its first public trial of former Assad-era officials, with ex-security chief Atef Najib appearing in court.

The 33-year-old Indonesian taken into custody at luxury resort on island of Phuket after FBI tip-off.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on Sunday urged King Charles III to acknowledge the victims of deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his address to Congress next week when the monarch makes his first state visit to the U. S. “I am hopeful that King Charles, when he speaks to the Congress, will acknowledge the Epstein…

Saturday evening’s shooting was the third assassination attempt on the US president in less than two years

Message on private Facebook group for staff said: ‘I dumped them all in a bin. They can sack me!’ Royal Mail is investigating allegations that a postal worker claimed to have “dumped” Reform UK campaign leaflets in a bin ahead of Thursday’s local elections. A post on a Facebook group for Royal Mail staff said: “My delivery officer had Reform party’s door-to-door leaflets today. I dumped them all in a bin. They can sack me! I don't care!” Continue reading...

The 33-year-old engineer was arrested in July 2025 at Malpensa airport.

Cole Tomas Allen sent a manifesto to his family members minutes before opening fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

The government is partly reversing a currency decision for basic items and tapping into the country's sovereign fund.

The U.S. President, Donald Trump, has stated that the individual arrested after attempting to attack the White House Correspondents' Dinner held on Saturday in Washington "hates Christians." "This guy is sick. From what I read in the message he left, he hates Christians. That's clear," Trump said in an interview with Fox News. Trump indicated that "his sister or brother" had complained about his views and that "they had even reported him to the authorities." "He was a troubled individual," he emphasized. Trump once again used the opportunity to defend the need to build a ballroom at the White House for security reasons. In the hotel where the attack occurred, "it's difficult because there were 1,000 rooms." The White House resident confirmed that the suspect had contacted the police in New London and that he had a room at the hotel. "I heard about New London, and I wish they had told us something, but that's how it was. Last night, there was a large group of people. Strong people. And I think the Secret Service did a magnificent job. They stopped him immediately," he explained. Furthermore, he expressed his desire to hold the White House Correspondents' Dinner again. "I hope it can be held soon because we cannot allow these criminals and this terrible people to change the course of events in our country," he argued. In any case, Trump believes that "the war with Iran will end very soon." "And we will be the ultimate victors..."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated this Sunday that the actions of the Hezbollah terrorist movement threaten the ceasefire in Lebanon, and he promised to act with "firmness" against this Iran-backed group. "It must be understood that Hezbollah's violations are, in practice, dismantling the ceasefire," Netanyahu declared during a weekly meeting of his cabinet. According to the terms of the recently extended truce, Israel reserves the right to respond to "planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks," and has attacked targets in southern Lebanon almost daily. Hezbollah denied the Prime Minister's accusations and stated in a statement that the group's attacks against Israeli targets in southern Lebanon and northern Israel constitute "a legitimate response to the enemy's ongoing violations of the ceasefire from the first day of the temporary truce." Netanyahu assured that Israel is acting with "firmness" in accordance with "the agreements" reached with the United States and Lebanon. "This means freedom of action not only to respond to attacks, which is obvious, but also to prevent immediate threats and even emerging threats." Shortly after Netanyahu's statement, the Israeli military announced that it had intercepted three drones before they penetrated its territory. The Israeli military issued an order early Sunday morning for…

Over 1,200 illegal riverbank structures demolished for beautification in Nepal capital

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi returned to Islamabad on Sunday night, rejoining mediation efforts just hours after he left Pakistan and U. S. President Donald Trump abruptly scrapped a planned trip by American envoys to revive peace talks with Tehran. Iranian state media confirmed Araghchi’s return on Sunday, reporting he had arrived back in the Pakistani capital “to continue consultations on ending the war with the United States” after a brief stop in Oman. The minister had left Islamabad late Saturday, triggering confusion over whether talks would proceed, before reversing course and returning ahead of a planned trip to Moscow. His return came after Trump cited “infighting and confusion” among Iran’s leadership in scuppering a planned visit Saturday on by U. S. envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner to Pakistan for negotiations. “I just canceled the trip of my representatives going to Islamabad,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Saturday. “If they want to talk, all they have to do is call,” he said. Araghchi’s talks on Saturday in Islamabad were with Pakistan’s foreign minister, army chief and prime minister, according to Iranian state media ISNA. They discussed bilateral ties, regional developments and efforts to end the war, according to the report. Pakistan’s army chief visited Tehran last week to exchange proposals and messages with the United States via Islamabad. The back-and-forth comes days after Trump agreed to pause further strikes on Iran at Pakistan’s request, extending a fragile ceasefire after weeks of escalation, while also continuing the U. S. blockade of Iranian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said on Tuesday that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir had urged Washington to “hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as [Iranian] leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal.”

Staff are handing over sandwiches from behind a theft-proof counter as the high street fights back Greggs has axed self-service display cabinets in bakery stores that have been most severely hit by shoplifters. The move is the latest aimed at combating a problem plaguing the high street. Last year official figures revealed annual shoplifting offences in England and Wales had passed half a million offences for the first time, and since then many retailers have reported high levels of crime in their shops. Continue reading...

Among the targets struck were rocket-launching terrorist cells preparing to carry out rocket-attacks toward IDF soldiers and the State of Israel, a loaded and ready-to-launch rocket launcher, a weapons storage facility, and military structures, the Israel Defense Forces said

Cole Tomas Allen: Donald Trump stated that a shooting incident at a White House dinner would not distract him from his focus on the Iran conflict.

Europe is turning to Turkey to fill the security vacuum left by an increasingly unreliable United States. But as Nato's secretary-general was praising Ankara's growing military role this week, the European Commission president was placing Turkey in the same bracket as China and Russia. The contradiction points to a dilemma that is only going to deepen.

Hezbollah carried out four operations against the IDF in retaliation for the strikes on Lebanon.

The suspect in the attempted attack at the White House Correspondents' dinner is believed to have been targeting US President Donald Trump and members of his administration. DW has the latest.

Buckingham Palace said Sunday it is in ongoing talks with U. S. officials over the impact of Saturday’s shooting in Washington on King Charles III’s visit this week to the U. S., after the incident raised security concerns just days before the trip. A palace spokesperson said in a statement that the King was being “kept fully informed” and was “greatly relieved” that U. S. President Donald Trump and other dignitaries at the gala dinner in the U. S. capital were unharmed. “As you would expect, a number of discussions will be taking place throughout the day to discuss with U. S. colleagues and our respective teams to what degree the events of Saturday evening may or may not impact on the operational planning for the visit,” the spokesperson said. The King and Queen are due to travel to the U. S. April 27-30 for a state visit aimed at celebrating long-standing ties as the U. S. marks its 250th anniversary. The trip — the first British state visit to the U. S. since Queen Elizabeth II in 2007 — is expected to include a White House banquet and a rare address to Congress. Those plans are now under fresh scrutiny after a gunman stormed the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday night, triggering panic as Trump and senior officials were rushed from the venue. Authorities said a lone attacker armed with a shotgun and other weapons breached a security checkpoint and exchanged fire with law enforcement officers, leaving one Secret Service member injured. The palace said King Charles had privately expressed his sympathies to Trump and his gratitude to security services for preventing further harm. The King’s visit to the U. S. comes against a worsening rift over the Iran war. Trump in March warned the U. K. that “the U. S. A. won’t be there to help you anymore,” after Prime Minister Keir Starmer refused to deploy forces. Starmer later reiterated: “This is not our war.” Dan Bloom contributed reporting.

Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid plan to merge their parties into single faction headed by Bennett, aiming to

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said on Sunday that he will support Kevin Warsh's nomination to be Fed chair after receiving "assurances" from the Department of Justice (DOJ) that the criminal investigation into current chair Jerome Powell and the central bank's renovations in Washington, D.C., is closed. Tillis, a member of the key Senate Banking Committee, had…

The attack that occurred early this morning during the White House Correspondents' Dinner, which forced the evacuation of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, his wife Melania, and his entire cabinet, has been universally condemned by the President's allies, international partners, and even his opposition critics. Among the first reactions, as expected given their friendship with the President, were those of the President of Argentina, Javier Milei, and the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, who expressed relief that the President was unharmed. "We are relieved to know that the President and the First Lady are safe and well," Netanyahu said on behalf of himself and his wife, Sara. "We send our best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery to the injured police officer, and we commend the United States Secret Service for their swift and decisive action," he added. Another friend of Trump, the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, expressed her "full solidarity" and "sincere affection" to President Trump, First Lady Melania, Vice President JD Vance, and all those present "for what happened at last night's White House Correspondents' Dinner." "No political hatred can find a place in our democracies. We will not allow fanaticism to poison the spaces of free debate and information. The defense of civilization must continue to be the..."

Justices hear appeal of verdict linking weedkiller to cancer as company seeks to curtail litigation that’s been a drag on shares.

Blanche: "Members of the administration are the target." A police officer was injured, the attacker was arrested, and his home was searched. Meloni: "No room for political hatred." von der Leyen spoke with Trump. Buckingham Palace is assessing the potential impact on the state visit.

Thom Tillis had vowed to block nomination until the justice department dropped a criminal probe into Jay Powell

US President Donald Trump was evacuated after shots were fired at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington DC, Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil was killed in an Israeli strike, the pope visited inmates at an infamous Equatorial Guinea prison and robots outran humans in a Beijing half marathon. Here is a look back at some of the week’s most striking images.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N. Y.) on Sunday said Democrats will not focus on impeaching President Trump if they regain a majority in the lower chamber after midterm elections.  When asked if impeachment was a top priority, Jeffries said “Of course not,” during an appearance on Fox News’s’ “Fox News Sunday.” “I’ve made clear from…

The suspect in the attempted attack at the White House Correspondents' dinner is believed to have been targeting US President Donald Trump and members of his administration. DW has the latest.

A court in Damascus is trying one official in former President Bashar Assad's government in person, and several more in absentia. Assad and his brother are among the defendants. Both are thought to have fled to Russia.

Cole Tomas Allen, a former educator and Caltech graduate, was involved in a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Analysts say that each side is betting they can outlast the other. However, there are risks associated with a stalemate without a deal.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi informed Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces Jennie Carignan about the situation along the line of contact and the results of Ukraine's defensive actions.

More than 125 years of black music in Britain is being celebrated in the inaugural exhibition at the new V&A East museum in Stratford, London. RFI was at the opening to explore how music from Africa, the Caribbean and North America merged to make a distinctly British sound.

Washington and Tehran stick to their positions as mediators hope for a diplomatic breakthrough in US-Israel war on Iran.

A Hong Kong doctor accused of a blunder that left a boy permanently disabled 16 years ago said he did not return to the hospital to examine the infant as he mistook the emergency for a choking case, the Medical Council heard on Sunday. Testifying for the first time at the hearing, Dr Sit Sou-chi contested an allegation that he had failed to conduct all necessary and immediate investigations of newborn Li Yuanjian, the son of a mainland Chinese couple, after he had a seizure on December 22, 2009,...

Trade union criticises airline’s plan to halve passenger numbers to the city as ‘purely profit-oriented’ Ryanair is to shut its Berlin operating base and cut its winter schedule to the German capital in half, blaming its decision on soaring aviation taxes in the country. The Irish budget carrier said its relocation of seven aircraft to other centres would reduce its Berlin passenger numbers from 4.5 million to 2.2 million a year, with flights in and out of the city served from October by planes based at other airports. Continue reading...

The suspect in the attempted attack at the White House Correspondents' dinner is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration. DW has the latest.

"The House of the Spirits" might never have existed. Before even a single editor read it, it was a massive stack of paper that Isabel Allende carried around in a canvas bag slung over her shoulder, a bag she never parted with. But one day, it was lost after she went to a hair salon in Caracas, where she lived. There it was, in a trash heap where someone had discarded it. Here's the story.

Tehran has denounced what it describes as a "policy of pressure" from the United States, both during the negotiation process and "during the current period of truce."

Araghchi had met Pakistani leaders – including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir – on Saturday before leaving for Oman.

While President Donald Trump was being evacuated from the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner this Saturday night after explosions were heard in the hotel lobby, attendees of the event also evacuated the Hilton Hotel in Washington. One of them was Erica Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, who was seen leaving the premises accompanied by a security officer and visibly shaken by what had happened. In the video that went viral on social media, the 37-year-old woman is seen distressed, saying through tears, "I just want to go home." The widow of Kirk – the Republican activist who died after being shot in the neck during an event at a university in Utah last September – was seen in one of the hotel hallways alongside a security officer, who was implementing a protocol to evacuate everyone present. Kirk was the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA. He was also very close to Trump, and his death caused widespread shock in the United States. The U.S. President and senior officials in his administration were also abruptly evacuated after the gunshots were heard during the event. Among them were First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and hundreds of journalists. In addition, several cabinet members and senior officials from his team were also among the attendees.

Atef Najib, ex-head of political security in Deraa province, is charged with 'crimes against the Syrian people'.

The China-Europe railway network has evolved in the past decade from a nascent logistical experiment into a growing commercial alternative to maritime and air freight. In the wake of the US-Israel war on Iran, it might now be assuming an unanticipated role as a key security provider for transcontinental supply chains. What began as sporadic trial runs has matured into a sprawling web of rail connections that currently links 235 cities across 26 European countries with more than 120 Chinese...

In the Donetsk region, Russian troops shelled Kramatorsk in the morning. Two people who were on the street were killed.

Prime minister says his job is not at risk over Mandelson vetting as allies back him against claims of wrongdoing Keir Starmer has said he will lead Labour into the next general election as his Downing Street allies denied claims of any wrongdoing over the appointment and vetting of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador. Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, told Sky News’s Trevor Phillips on Sunday show that “no wrongdoing by the prime minister has been proven in relation to Lord Mandelson’s appointment”, adding “the whole situation is regrettable”. Continue reading...

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, expressed relief on Sunday that Donald Trump, along with all other attendees, was "safe" following the shooting that forced the evacuation of the U.S. President on Saturday evening while he was attending the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA). "I am relieved to learn that all attendees, including President Trump, are safe following the shooting that occurred at the White House Correspondents' dinner," the head of European diplomacy said in a social media message. Kallas also condemned the incident and stated that "political violence has no place in a democracy." She emphasized that "an event intended to honor freedom of the press should never become a scene of fear" and wished the injured officer a "swift recovery." Meanwhile, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also thanked "the rapid intervention of the police and emergency services for ensuring the safety of the guests." The President of the European Council, António Costa, described the incident as "deeply concerning" and rejected political violence. The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, also expressed her relief that all attendees were safe. The incident occurred on Saturday evening (U.S. time) during…

The President of Honduras, Nasry Asfura, reaffirmed this Friday his commitment to working tirelessly for the development of the country, stating that in the coming months, the population will begin to see concrete results in key areas such as health, infrastructure, security, and education. His statements come at a time when his administration is approaching its first 100 days in office, having assumed power on January 27, 2026, a milestone that will be reached on May 7th. From the Presidential Palace, the President emphasized that his administration should not be evaluated based on the first few months of work, but rather on the sustained results achieved throughout his term in office. In a message addressed to both the citizens and the various political and social sectors, Asfura asked for patience and confidence in the actions that his team is already implementing. "Here I am, with a great team of ministers and government officials working to serve you, every Honduran citizen. Have no doubt, we will demonstrate it, and you will see results in the coming months, even more so," the President said to representatives of the media. The head of the Executive branch was emphatic in stating that the structural problems facing Honduras cannot be resolved in a matter of weeks or a few months, given that many of them have persisted for decades. In that regard, he reiterated that his administration...

The first public trial in Syria of officials linked to the rule of former President Bashar al-Assad opened in Damascus on Sunday. Atef Najib, a former Syrian army brigadier general who was head of the Political Security Branch in southern Syria’s Daraa province under Assad, and who is also a cousin of the former president, appeared in the courtroom to face charges related to “crimes against the Syrian people,” the state-run news agency SANA reported. Najib was in that position in 2011 when...

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ordered the immediate evacuation of several towns in southern Lebanon this Sunday, citing the imminent threat of new attacks against positions of the Shia group Hezbollah. The instruction was disseminated through a statement from the Israeli military spokesperson in Arabic, which called on residents of Mifdun, Shukine, Yahmur, Arnun, Zuat Al Sharqiya, Zuat Al Garbiya, and Kafr Tabnit to evacuate their homes. "They must evacuate immediately and maintain a minimum distance of 1,000 meters from the designated area," the message stated. The measure comes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered on Saturday night a "decisive" strike against Hezbollah, amid a renewed escalation of tensions in the region. According to the IDF, the decision is a response to violations of the ceasefire by the Lebanese group, following the launch of two projectiles and a drone from Lebanese territory towards Israel. Meanwhile, at least four people were killed in Israeli air strikes against a truck and a motorcycle in southern Lebanon on Saturday, despite the three-week truce announced by the United States days earlier. The escalation of hostilities is once again straining the fragile ceasefire in the region, in a context marked by exchanges of fire and mutual accusations between the two sides. Susana Jiménez: "Economic growth is the only way to achieve convergence..."

Trump has survived two assassination attempts, first at a presidential election campaign rally in Pennsylvania in 2024, and later in Florida the same year.

On the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, the EU has once again called on Russia to end its illegal occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and to stop attacks on Ukraine’s energy system.

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To say the special relationship is going through a rough patch ahead of King Charles III’s visit would be an exercise in British understatement.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will head to Japan, China and South Korea this week to talk energy supplies, ahead of the Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s expected visit to the continent in early May.

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France's president Emmanuel Macron on Sunday joined leaders from across the world to offer support to Donald Trump after a gun attack during the American president's annual gala dinner in Washington with journalists.

Korean prisoners of war in the 1950s were subjected to early MK-ULTRA experiments while in American custody, according to recently declassified CIA documents which confirm these experiments for the first time. The only reporting that previously referenced Koreans being used as guinea pigs for these experiments was journalist John Marks’s landmark 1979 book, The Search for the “Manchurian Candidate.” Using CIA documents, Marks traced the now-infamous MK-ULTRA project to its start, when it was known as Project Bluebird. In the book, Marks describes how, in October 1950, 25 unnamed North Korean POWs were chosen as the first test subjects to receive “advanced” interrogation techniques, with the overt goal of “controlling an individual to the point where he will do our bidding against his will and even against such fundamental laws of nature as self-preservation.” While MK-ULTRA is best known for its invasive experimentation — like LSD dosing and torture — the documents confirm Korean POWs were the unwitting subjects of less splashy attempts at mind control, like being subjected to polygraph tests, with plans for other invasive testing. The declassified documents, which the National Security Archive released between December 2024 and April 2025, are available through a special collection titled “CIA and the Behavioral Sciences: Mind Control, Drug Experiments and MK-ULTRA.” The National Security Archive website states that the collection “brings together more than 1,200 essential records on one of the most infamous and abusive programs in CIA history.” The first reference to “Project Bluebird” in the NSA’s collection is an office memorandum from April 5, 1950. Addressed to CIA Director Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter, the document lays out the project’s goals, required training, and budget, all while emphasizing that knowledge of Project Bluebird “should be restricted to the absolute minimum number of persons.” The memo includes detailed plans for interrogation teams trained to utilize the polygraph, various drugs, and hypnotism “for personality control purposes.” These teams were to be made up of three people: a doctor (ideally a psychiatrist), a hypnotist, and a polygraph technician. The memo clarifies that while the doctor and technician would need to undergo approximately five months of training, the Inspection and Security Staff’s own department hypnotist could be made available immediately. In a later memo from February 2, 1951, there are inquiries into acquiring six “hypospray” devices: experimental instruments designed to covertly inject sedatives through the skin via “jet injection.” There’s a request to investigate modification of a “tear gas pencil” and other “devices of unestablished action,” such as the “German ‘Scheintot’ [sic] (appearance of death) pistol.” This declassified 1951 CIA memo on Project Bluebird, a precursor to MK-ULTRA, details its interest in testing “hypospray” technology. Screenshot: CIA/National Security Archive The project’s proposed budget of $65,515 accounted for team salaries and equipment like syringes, towels, and film cameras. The budget also allots $18,000 for “Transportation,” and while the actual offshore locations are redacted, a write-up of a CIA meeting held one year later specifically notes a “project in Japan and Korea in which the Army had used a polygraph operator along with a team of psychiatrists and psychologists on Korean POWs.” Although the initial proposal for Project Bluebird mostly emphasized the potential for “personality control,” it’s clear that CIA officials were also interested in broader, more ambitious outcomes. One document summarizing a “special meeting” between U. S., British, and Canadian intelligence services notes the CIA’s desire to research “the psychological factors causing the human mind to accept certain political beliefs” and “determining means for combatting communism,” “‘selling’ democracy,” and preventing the “penetration of communism into trade unions.” Another meeting held on May 9, 1950, called for “the Surgeon General of the Army to place on the search list of the Nuremberg Trials papers request for information on drugs, narcoanalysis, and special interrogation techniques.” There were requests for other tests that, at the time, were deemed “impossible for security reasons.” According to a memo from September 18, 1951, this included “experiments on the outside with SI inducted over the telephone.” The writer explains that this over-the-phone hypnosis has, so far, been “universally successful,” however testing along agency lines was yet to be approved. One declassified memo emphasizing the importance of the project gets more detailed, citing “specific problems which can only be resolved by experiment, testing and research.” Unlike the lists of supplies necessary for Project Bluebird, the “specific problems” officials hoped to explore in the experiments offer a uniquely intimate perspective into the bureau’s interests. A few examples of these “problems” include: “Can we create … an action contrary to an individual’s basic moral principles?” “Could we seize a subject and in the space of an hour or two … have him crash an airplane, wreck a train, etc.?” “Can we ‘alter’ a person’s personality? How long will it hold?” “Can we guarantee total amnesia under any and all conditions?” This last question surrounding drug-induced amnesia would prove incredibly relevant months later, when the first team of Project Bluebird technicians arrived in Japan to carry out initial tests. According to Marks, these men “tried out combinations of the depressant sodium amytal with the stimulant benzedrine on each of four subjects, the last two of whom also received a second stimulant, picrotoxin.” The team was attempting to induce a state of medically administered amnesia, and according to their reports, the experiments proved successful enough to pursue further tests. Two months later, according to Marks’s book, the Project Bluebird team began testing more “advanced” interrogation techniques on 25 North Korean prisoners of war in Japan. This declassified CIA memo from April 5, 1950 recounts the budget and personnel requested to carry out these secret experiments. Screenshot: CIA/National Security Archive Notably absent from these declassified documents is any proof that similar experiments were undertaken by enemies of the U. S. The central animating myth behind MK-ULTRA and Project Bluebird is the narrative of the American soldier who returned home after months of imprisonment by enemy forces, only to be revealed as a hypnotized double agent. Throughout the Korean War, American moviegoers were screened films starring and narrated by future president Ronald Reagan. These films showed American troops being psychologically tortured by Chinese and North Korean soldiers until dangerous, anti-democratic ideals were implanted in their minds without their knowledge. Related Inside the Archive of an LSD Researcher With Ties to the CIA’s MKUltra Mind Control Project The knowledge most Americans have about these experiences are based on a work of fiction: Richard Condon’s 1959 political thriller, “The Manchurian Candidate.” In Condon’s book (and its two film adaptations), an American soldier returns home with a secret, one that he himself isn’t even aware of. While held captive by North Korean and Chinese soldiers, the American POW was brainwashed by enemy troops, unknowingly turning him into a sleeper assassin with the goal of being “activated” to kill a presidential nominee. Throughout these declassified documents are numerous reminders that the Korean War’s label as “The Forgotten War” serves, in part, as intentional obfuscation. As Project Bluebird transformed into Project Artichoke and later MK-ULTRA, the CIA’s goals seemed to shift into one of beating the enemy at their own game. Essentially, programs surrounding psychological experiments were deemed necessary evils after our own troops were coming home hypnotized and transformed by our enemies. While this narrative offers a convenient excuse for why the CIA developed programs like Bluebird in the first place, one declassified document tells a different story. This declassified CIA account of a meeting on August 8, 1951, confirms that Korean POWs were the subject of these experiments.  Screenshot: CIA/National Security Archive In a 1983 witness testimony from CIA chemist Sidney Gottlieb, who led the MK-ULTRA experiments, he recalls receiving confirmation that, after thorough investigation, there was no evidence any American POWs were subjected to drug-induced hypnosis at any point during the Korean War. “As I remember it,” Gottlieb said, “[The report] basically said that they felt that the techniques the Chinese and/or the Koreans used were not esoteric. … [They] didn’t depend upon sophisticated techniques used in drugs and other more technical means.” Additionally, a 1952 memo to Allen Dulles reinforces the CIA’s willingness to fund these experiments without any proof that enemy countries were undergoing similar research: “We cannot accept this lack of evidence as proof.” In one of the more revealing moments from the entire collection of documents, the CIA’s Morse Allen recounts a conversation with an agency employee about the effectiveness of interrogating individuals through hypnosis. “Individuals under hypnotism will give information,” Allen writes, “but … it could not always be regarded as accurate, since fantasy and even hallucinations are present in certain hypnotic states.” Reading the lengthy budgetary sheets for drugs, syringes, polygraph machines, and hypnotists, paired with the details of Marks’s book, one’s imagination begins trying to fill in the gaps, drifting into fantasy. It’s an experience uniquely fitting for research into the CIA’s pursuit of technology aimed at erasing facts, experiences, and memories. Throughout these declassified documents are numerous reminders that the Korean War’s label as “The Forgotten War” serves, in part, as intentional obfuscation. People, histories, and crimes are rarely forgotten on accident, and what these disclosures clearly demonstrate is that there remains a world of difference between the forgetting of history and its swift, coordinated erasure. The post CIA Ran MK-ULTRA Experiments on Prisoners of War in U. S. Custody, Declassified Docs Confirm appeared first on The Intercept.

Lebanese state media reported a series of new Israeli strikes in at least four different locations in the country's south late Saturday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his military to attack Hezbollah following alleged ceasefire breaches. Attacks earlier in the day reportedly killed six people, despite a recently extended ceasefire.

Officials had locked the city down, anticipating talks between U. S. and Iranian delegations. But they didn’t happen. “What did I close my business for?” one business owner asked.

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"It's provocative to say that they are fueling antisemitism, and it aims to increase tensions," the ANPI (National Association of Italian Partisans) continues. "We were expelled in a shameful way," denounces the president of the Jewish community of Milan.

European leaders rushed to condemn political violence on Sunday after a gunman stormed a security checkpoint and opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner the night before, sparking chaos and forcing U.S. President Donald Trump and guests to be evacuated. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen took to X to say that she was “relieved” Trump and attendees were safe, adding: “Violence has no place in politics, ever.” European Council President António Costa called the scenes at the dinner “deeply unsettling,” while praising the “swift action of law enforcement” in securing the venue. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas struck a similar tone, warning that “political violence has no place in a democracy,” and noting that an event meant to celebrate a free press “should never become a scene of fear.” National leaders echoed the message. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “shocked by the scenes” Saturday night in Washington, decrying any attack on democratic institutions and press freedom as unacceptable. Spain’s Pedro Sánchez condemned the attack, writing: “Violence is never the way.” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also expressed “full solidarity” with Trump and those present, warning that “no political hatred can find space in our democracies” and that leaders “will not allow fanaticism to poison the places of free debate and information.” Authorities said a “lone actor,” armed with a …