Global Briefing ·
US and Saudi Arabia launch joint strikes on Iran as war reignites
Iran fired ballistic missiles at US forces in Jordan, breaking a brief lull. The US and Saudi Arabia responded with their first-ever coordinated strikes in Iraq against Tehran-aligned militias, markedly escalating the conflict. Separately, Zelenskyy met Trump in Washington, revealing intelligence of a massive new North Korean troop deployment to Russia.
16 sources2 min read
US and Saudi Arabia jointly strike Iran-backed militias in Iraq The strikes came after Iran's IRGC fired ballistic missiles at US forces in Jordan, all intercepted. The joint operation marks a major widening of the conflict, while Iran rejected an Omani proposal for shared Strait of Hormuz management. 123456
Zelenskyy warns Trump of 30,000 additional North Korean troops for Russia In a White House meeting, Zelenskyy discussed Patriot missile licences and peace talks while presenting intelligence that Russia is preparing for a massive new North Korean troop deployment. 78
Ukraine drones hit Wildberries, Russia's answer to Amazon The attacks on the e-commerce giant's logistics hubs aim to raise the cost of war for Russian businesses, hoping to force Putin to the negotiating table. 9
China puts the squeeze on Taiwan with new maritime patrols Beijing's coastguard has moved patrols east of Taiwan for the first time in such rapid succession, signaling a shift towards fully encircling the island. 10
EU blocks petition to freeze non-Western migration as Italy pushes deportations The Commission rejected the hardline petition as discriminatory, while Rome proceeds with its plan to repatriate 10,000 failed asylum seekers. 11
Trump administration bans imports of Chinese humanoid robots The FCC added advanced robotic devices and power inverters to a national security blacklist, escalating tech decoupling from Beijing. 12
Broke Democratic Party risks losing favorable midterm outlook The DNC is $2 million in debt and struggling to fundraise, raising alarms it cannot capitalize on public discontent with Trump. 13
EU hesitates on sanctioning Russian-owned alumina plant in Ireland Fearing supply chain disruptions for defense and auto industries, the EU has paused plans to sanction Rusal's Aughinish refinery. 14
Pakistan coalition partners clash over Kashmir election results PML-N defeated PPP in the first phase of Azad Jammu and Kashmir polling, leading Bilawal Bhutto to allege widespread rigging. 15
EU's Chat Control threatens end of private messaging in Europe A proposed regulation to scan private messages for illegal content faces fierce opposition, raising fears it will break end-to-end encryption. 16
Global Briefing
Geopolitics, elections, and conflict — the world in a five-minute morning read.