Palestinian politicians and analysts warn that Israel's plan to transfer civilian law enforcement in the occupied West Bank to the Israeli police marks a dangerous step toward de facto annexation, apartheid, and displacement.
Hossein Taeb, former head of the IRGC's intelligence service and commander during the 2009 crackdown, has been reappointed as head of the IRGC's Basij militia amid leadership shifts in Iran.
Ethiopia's federal government is accusing former allies Eritrea and the TPLF of coordinating with Fano militias, marking a major shift in northern Ethiopia's alliances less than four years after the Tigray war.
Syrian security forces killed 2 suspects linked to March 2025 coastal attacks, arrested IS members in Aleppo, and dismantled terror cells, as part of a sustained anti-terror campaign.
Tensions between China and the Philippines escalated after the Philippine Coast Guard accused its Chinese counterpart of firing a water cannon at government vessels near Scarborough Shoal for the second day, risking collision. China claims its actions were lawful amid ongoing disputes in the South China Sea.
Houthi threats to Saudi oil shipments via Bab al-Mandab have pushed Brent crude above $100 a barrel and raised fears of a further spike. The disruption is also tightening global diesel, petrol and gas markets.
Oil prices surpassed $100 a barrel for the first time in two months due to escalating Middle East tensions, including Houthi militia attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. This renewed conflict threatens global oil supplies, pushing up government borrowing costs and causing stock market declines amid inflation fears.
The Houthi militia in Yemen appears to be selectively allowing some ships, including a Chinese oil tanker, through the Bab al-Mandab strait despite a declared blockade on shipping to Saudi Arabia, following a recent confrontation and an attack on a Saudi tanker.
Oil prices surpassed $100 a barrel for the first time in two months due to escalating Middle East conflict, particularly Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers and rising US-Iran tensions over Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz oil flows.
Yemen's Houthi militia claimed responsibility for attacking two Saudi oil tankers, Encelia and Layla, in the Red Sea using missiles and drones. A Saudi news agency confirmed the Encelia was ablaze near Jizan. This comes amidst ongoing US military strikes in Iran and escalating regional tensions.
Yemen's Houthi militia, aligned with Iran, has threatened to attack tankers using Saudi Arabian ports, potentially disrupting Saudi oil exports and deepening the regional crisis, with the US weighing responses.
Yemen's Houthi militia, aligned with Iran, announced a naval blockade of the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait in retaliation for Saudi strikes on Sanaa airport. This comes as the US and Iran exchange fire for the tenth time, escalating their conflict, and Lebanon's president is set to meet President Trump regarding a peace roadmap with Israel.
The Sudan conflict is destabilizing Ethiopia, with RSF training camps near refugee sites like Ura, where Sudanese refugees fear further attacks. Ethiopia's new "Makatet" project aims to integrate refugees, but regional war looms as the conflict metastasizes, raising concerns among experts and residents.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk urged all sides to cease hostilities in eastern DRC amid intensified fighting between DRC forces and M23 rebels backed by Rwanda. He called for de-escalation, protection of civilians, and for Rwanda to cease support for M23.
Amnesty International reports that Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) committed ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity during the siege and capture of el-Fasher, North Darfur, which fell in October 2025. The report details systematic attacks on Zaghawa people, widespread violence against children, and implicates RSF commanders.
A human rights investigator will testify that the UK government received intelligence in 2024 linking Ethiopia to supporting a genocidal militia in Sudan but withheld public disclosure due to "significant private pressure" from the UAE. The investigator alleges the UK prioritized relations with the UAE over preventing mass atrocities.
Benjamin Netanyahu faces political oblivion due to his "lawless violence" doctrine, failed wars, and poisoning of the US-Israel "special relationship." His actions have alienated the US public and leadership, leading to a profound strategic schism and potentially ending unquestioning American support.
Top Ukrainian officials, including President Zelenskyy, are returning Polish state honors after Poland's President Nawrocki stripped Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle. The dispute stems from Ukraine naming a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which Poland accuses of WWII massacres of Poles. Ukrainian officials view the move as beneficial to Russia.
Top Ukrainian officials are returning Polish state honors in protest after Poland's president stripped Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland's highest award. The move, linked to Ukraine naming a military unit after a WWII militia accused of massacres of Poles, could strain ties between the strategic partners.
Colombia's presidential runoff winner inherits a nation shaped by paramilitary violence. Candidates Iván Cepeda and Abelardo de la Espriella have intertwined histories with these criminal forces, advocating opposing strategies for crime and peace.
Israeli PM Netanyahu stated on Thursday that Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon in the foreseeable future, citing security needs and the "security zone" as a barrier against Hezbollah. Lebanon considers the area occupied territory.
High-profile defections from Sudan's RSF militia to the SAF raise questions about impunity. Human Rights Watch reports detail alleged UAE support for RSF, including Chinese drones and Colombian mercenaries, while the UAE denies these claims. The conflict has led to a massive humanitarian crisis with widespread displacement and hunger.
High-profile defections from Sudan's RSF militia to the SAF raise questions about general amnesty. Meanwhile, the UAE faces renewed accusations of supplying drones and recruiting Colombian mercenaries for the RSF, while the UN warns of 'hallmarks of genocide' in El Fasher and a severe humanitarian crisis.
An investigation by Global Witness alleges that major brands like Amazon, Ericsson, and Sony may have unknowingly sourced coltan linked to the M23 militia, which controls mines in the DRC and is accused of widespread human rights abuses. The minerals are smuggled to Rwanda and then exported, with traceability systems reportedly failing to detect the conflict sourcing.
