Asia
Cyprus / Israel / Lebanon: Hezbollah leader threatens wider conflict
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has warned that no place in Israel would be safe if a full-scale war erupts between the two foes, also threatening Cyprus and other Mediterranean regions. Hezbollah has…
Russia / North Korea: mutual defence agreement against ‘aggression’
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un have signed a mutual defence agreement pledging support in case of ‘aggression’ against either country. The announcement followed Putin's visit to Pyongyang, his first since 2000, which…
Hezbollah fires hundreds of rockets after a senior commander is killed
Hundreds of rockets were fired from Lebanon towards northern Israel on 12 June, hours after an Israeli airstrike which killed a senior Hezbollah commander. The Israeli military reported detecting about 215 projectiles, with…
Kuwait: at least fifty dead after huge fire
A fire in a residential building in Mangaf has claimed at least fifty lives, mostly foreign workers, including many Indian nationals. The blaze, which broke out early on 12 June, engulfed the building…
Gaza: Biden and Netanyahu equally desperate?
Joe Biden has proposed a ceasefire plan for Gaza comprising three stages: negotiating a captive exchange, achieving a permanent cessation of hostilities, and rebuilding homes and public facilities. He has urged immediate acceptance…
India: Modi claims victory, but loses overall control
Following the national elections, Narendra Modi is set to lose his parliamentary majority. His Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may need to form alliances to retain power. The current poll results suggest that while…
Papua New Guinea: thousands feared dead after landslides
Following the devastating landslides in Papua New Guinea on 24 May, rescuers have been reaching the hard-to-access northern Enga region, but the chances of finding survivors are now slim. Residents are using shovels…
North / South Korea: balloon warfare
North Korea has launched over 260 balloons filled with rubbish into South Korea, leading authorities to warn residents to stay indoors and avoid touching the balloons and attached plastic bags, which contain ‘filthy…
East / Southeast Asia: huge increase in synthetic drugs
A UN report has revealed record levels of methamphetamine and synthetic drug production in East and Southeast Asia, primarily sourced from the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet. Historically known for…
Iran: five days of mourning for president
On 21 May Iran began five days of national mourning for President Ebrahim Raisi, as it grappled with the news of his sudden death at a time of heightened regional tensions and domestic…
