Russia said it used its new intermediate-range, nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile in a strike on western Ukraine, an escalatory show of force that reverberated across Europe just days after fresh security pledges for Kyiv. Moscow framed the launch as retaliation for a purported Ukrainian drone attack on a Putin residence, a claim President Trump publicly disputed, underscoring the information war around the conflict.
Source: The Washington Post
Iran rocked by nationwide protests as internet blackout deepens and Supreme Leader hardens stance
Large anti-government demonstrations defied an internet shutdown for a second night, with protesters massing across major cities amid a collapsing currency and rising anger at the regime. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed the unrest as vandalism, signaling a harsher crackdown that could trigger wider regional spillover and further isolate Tehran.
Source: The New York Times
U.S. seizes another Venezuela-linked oil tanker, tightening grip on Caracas’s exports
American forces seized the Olina, the fifth vessel taken in recent weeks, in a campaign aimed at controlling Venezuelan oil flows and pressuring the country’s interim authorities after Maduro’s capture. The move intensifies risks for the “shadow fleet,” forces shippers and insurers to reassess compliance, and could ripple through energy markets and global maritime norms.
Source: The New York Times
After Maduro’s capture, Washington and Caracas explore reopening embassies
The United States and Venezuela signaled interest in restoring diplomatic ties, even as the interim authorities in Caracas began releasing political prisoners in a bid to ease tensions. The rapid turn from raid to rapprochement highlights the fluidity—and fragility—of U.S. objectives that mix coercion with engagement in reshaping Venezuela’s political and economic trajectory.
Source: The New York Times
EU and Mercosur clinch world’s largest free-trade pact after 25 years of talks
Brussels and South America’s Mercosur bloc reached a long-sought agreement that now heads to ratification, potentially creating the largest free-trade area by population and GDP. While Brussels says farm and environmental concerns were addressed, the deal will reshape supply chains, market access, and geopolitical alignments between Europe and Latin America.
Source: BBC News
China targets Japan with new export controls, escalating tech and critical minerals rivalry
Beijing tightened restrictions on dual-use goods and some rare earths bound for Japan, leveraging its minerals dominance amid frictions over technology and security. The move threatens Japanese supply chains and could draw the U.S. deeper into a minerals and tech standards standoff that reverberates across the Indo-Pacific.
Source: The Washington Post
Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council says it’s dissolving—claims immediately disputed
The UAE-aligned separatist body announced its dismantling after weeks of unrest and the flight of its leader to the Emirates, but other factions rejected the move and questioned whether it was voluntary. The confusion injects fresh uncertainty into Yemen’s fractured landscape and complicates efforts to stabilize the south and revive broader peace talks.
Source: The New York Times
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