Conflict

Stripped of authority and forced from his homeland, Bashar al-Assad has been granted asylum in Russia at the personal direction of Vladimir Putin, marking a dramatic fall from power for the once-dominant Syrian leader. The overthrown dictator, who ruled Syria for over two decades, has fled with his British-born wife Asma and their three adult children, trading their palaces for what amounts to a gilded exile in Moscow. Putin's Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, confirmed that the decision to shelter Assad was made directly by the Russian president, though Putin has no immediate plans to meet with him. This move effectively ends Assad's reign and represents a significant geopolitical shift, reducing Syria's former leader to a dependent of the Russian state. The Assads' fall from power comes with substantial financial implications. The U.S. State Department estimated their wealth at approximately $2 […]

In an exclusive interview with CNN, Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov warned the United States that Moscow will resort to "even stronger military means" if Washington continues to pressure Russia without recognizing its limits. Ryabkov emphasized the escalating geopolitical tensions, describing current conditions as more volatile than during the Cold War. He accused the West, particularly the US, of underestimating Russia's resolve to defend its national security interests. The warning comes as the Biden administration announced a $725 million security assistance package for Ukraine, with nearly $7 billion authorized by Congress to support Ukraine's defense efforts since the war began in February 2022. Ryabkov highlighted the potential for military escalation, stating, "There will come a moment when we will see no other choice but to resort to even stronger military means," though he suggested such action would not be […]

Disturbing footage of a kidnapping and assault that took place in Sydney's west nearly two years ago was played in court on Thursday, revealing the violent actions of four men, including the victim's own brother-in-law. The victim, Younis Younis, was targeted by Kodar Faytrouni, Safwan Hussein, Ali Hamad, and Abud Elkerdi, who traveled from Melbourne to Guildford to carry out the kidnapping. Faytrouni, the brother-in-law of Mr. Younis, orchestrated the plot, believing that Mr. Younis had married his sister solely to obtain an Australian visa. The video evidence, recorded by Hamad, showed Hussein putting Mr. Younis in a headlock while Faytrouni sat beside him in the car. Further footage depicted Faytrouni physically assaulting Mr. Younis at his mother's home. Mr. Younis was also taken to another property in Guildford. The ordeal ended several hours later when police intercepted the attackers' […]

Despite a ceasefire agreement reached earlier this week, the Israeli military has warned Lebanese citizens against returning to 60 villages in the south of the country. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a map outlining a zone where they say residents should not return due to ongoing safety concerns. This warning comes amidst accusations from both Israel and Lebanon of ceasefire violations. The IDF reported carrying out artillery fire and airstrikes against targets in southern Lebanon, claiming to have observed activity at a Hezbollah weapons facility and vehicles entering restricted areas. Lebanon, in turn, has accused Israel of multiple breaches of the agreement. The ceasefire, brokered by the US and France, aims to end the year-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The agreement includes a 60-day withdrawal period for both Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants from southern Lebanon. However, the […]

Ukraine was plunged into darkness on Thursday as a massive Russian aerial assault targeted critical energy infrastructure across the country, leaving over a million households without power. This latest attack marks the eleventh large-scale assault on Ukraine's energy grid this year, intensifying concerns about the country's ability to withstand the harsh winter months. The attacks, which involved a barrage of missiles and drones, caused widespread damage to energy facilities, triggering emergency power cuts in many regions. The western regions of Lviv, Volyn, and Rivne were particularly hard hit, experiencing significant outages. Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the attacks as retaliation for Ukraine's use of US-supplied ATACMS missiles to strike targets within Russia. "As I have said many times, there will always be a response from our side," Putin stated during a security summit. Ukrainian officials reported injuries and damage in […]

After months of deadly clashes, Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah have reached a ceasefire agreement, bringing a temporary halt to the intense fighting that erupted in September. The truce, brokered by the US and France, aims to restore calm and stability to the region. The ceasefire, which came into effect on Wednesday, involves a 60-day period during which both Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants will withdraw from southern Lebanon. The deal also stipulates the removal of Hezbollah fighters and weapons from the area south of the Litani River, to be replaced by Lebanese government forces. The conflict, which stemmed from the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, escalated significantly in September following the deaths of several Hezbollah leaders. The fighting has resulted in over 3,760 casualties in Lebanon, many of them civilians. While the ceasefire does not directly impact the Israel-Gaza conflict, it marks […]

Recent developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict signal an intensification of military capabilities on both sides. Following a missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the readiness of new "Oreshnik" hypersonic missiles, claiming they travel at ten times the speed of sound and are resistant to interception. The strike on Dnipro, which observers described as unusual, resulted in explosions lasting three hours. Ukrainian officials reported the impact resembled that of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Security analyst Justin Crump of Sibylline indicates the missile represents a significant challenge to Ukrainian air defenses, suggesting Moscow may have intended the strike as a strategic warning. This development follows Ukraine's first-time deployment of US and British missiles into Russian territory. In response, President Volodymyr Zelensky has requested enhanced air defense systems from Western allies, specifically seeking US Terminal High […]