September 17, 2026 7:02 PM

WHO chief sends birthday wishes to PM Modi, thanks him for putting health high on agenda

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), on Thursday extended wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 76th birthday. “Happy birthday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I wish you many happy returns. Thank you for hosting a successful BRICS Leaders Summit, for putting health high on the agenda, and for securing strong commitments by BRICS Leaders to Health For All and global health security,” the WHO Chief stated on X. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, for...

September 17, 2026 5:53 PM

“Your leadership has transformed India into a world power”: Netanyahu wishes PM Modi on birthday

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday extended birthday greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, lauding his leadership for transforming India into a “world power” and highlighting the unprecedented partnership between the two countries. In a post on X, Netanyahu said that the friendship between Israel and India had “never been stronger” and expressed confidence that the two countries would take their partnership to “even greater heights”. “Happy birthday, Naren...

September 14, 2026 12:59 AM

Trump says US could stay in Iran and keep oil, like Venezuela deal

President Donald Trump suggested on Sunday the United States could stay in Iran and "keep the oil", drawing a parallel with a U.S. push to take control of a fifth of Venezuela's vast oil reserves. On a trip to Ireland for meetings and to watch golf, he reiterated that he still expected the Iran war to end this year, possibly just after midterm elections due in the United States in November. Speaking at the Irish Open golf championship, Trump added that the price of gasoline would "drop like a ...

September 13, 2026 10:27 PM

Iran-Gulf Talks in Oman in focus; as tensions continue in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea

Diplomatic efforts are back in focus this week as the US-Iran conflict continues to disrupt the Gulf and widen to other areas. Iran and the Gulf states are due to meet in Oman on Monday to discuss the Strait of Hormuz and the broader regional security. Iran says it has reached an understanding with Oman on a new maritime route through the strait. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that this does not mean an immediate reopening of Hormuz, which will depend on conditions bei...

September 9, 2026 9:23 PM

Sharp escalation in US-Iran Conflict, Oil Markets and Shipping under pressure

The US-Iran conflict has seen sharp escalation since yesterday, with both sides reporting attacks on military infrastructure and commercial shipping vessels. The recent attacks are perhaps the biggest on shipping vessels since the beginning of the conflict. US CENTCOM had said it destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday, after Iranian forces attempted to strike a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles. The US identified the 5 Iranian vessels as Kaviz, Charminar, Horizon 1, Riesco and Dery...

September 9, 2026 10:18 AM

Israel to close British consulate in East Jerusalem after UK, France and Canada ban imports from settlements

Israel said on Tuesday it was closing Britain's consulate in East Jerusalem in response to plans by the UK, France and Canada to block imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Britain will also no longer participate in a U.S.-led coordination mission for Gaza and some British officials, including former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and other nationals will be banned from entering Israel, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said. "The British move is morally distorted, and cons...

September 9, 2026 12:54 AM

Iran-backed Houthis attack four Saudi cities in expansion of Middle East war

Yemen's Tehran-backed Houthis attacked four cities in the south of U.S. ally Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, wounding more than 70 people and setting oil installations ablaze in what appeared to be a major expansion of the six-month-old Middle East war. The Houthis, who control most of Yemen's populated areas including the capital, said they had launched a broad operation deep into Saudi territory. They used drones and missiles to strike a Saudi airbase in the southern city of Khamis Mushait as well a...

September 8, 2026 10:43 AM

Israeli clearance of Gaza rubble could destroy ‘evidence’, says UN expert

A U.N. expert said on Monday that Israeli clearance of rubble in Gaza could destroy valuable evidence of "atrocity crimes" and prevent the recovery of human remains. Israel's assault on Gaza — started after the deadly raid into Israel by Hamas in October 2023 — has generated around 61 million tons of wreckage and debris that could take seven years to clear, according to the United Nations. Francesca Albanese, the U.N. expert on the Palestinian territories, said evidence should be gathered ...

September 8, 2026 10:23 AM

Israeli strikes on southern Lebanese town kill 12 as fears of escalation mount

Israeli strikes on a southern Lebanese town killed at least 12 people including two children early on Monday, Lebanon's health ministry said, in one of the deadliest days of Israeli bombardment in recent weeks. Fears of a renewed Israeli military campaign are mounting in Lebanon after days of escalating strikes despite a June ceasefire that was meant to halt fighting between the Israeli military and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. A woman who said she was related to at least three of the dead ...

September 7, 2026 10:39 PM

Iran warns US energy assets in Gulf are vulnerable after latest clashes

Iran threatened on Monday to retaliate against any new U.S. attacks on its assets, warning that energy infrastructure across the Gulf, including U.S. oil and gas interests, was vulnerable. "Strike our assets and you get struck," Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said after U.S. and Iranian strikes on shipping at the weekend that pushed oil prices up near six-week highs on Monday. The latest threat underscores the risks of further escalation after the sides traded blows again at...