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Iran Sends Response via Pakistan as Qatari Tanker Transits Hormuz
Trump told Sharyl Attkisson Space Force has Iran's nuclear site "very well surveilled" and would "blow up" intruders, claiming 70% of targets hit; Iran replied via Pakistani mediators and the Al Kharaitiyat became the first Qatari LNG ship through Hormuz since the war. In London, Catherine West readied 81 MP signatures to force a Labour contest after a 1,500-seat rout; Kyiv said Putin's claim Ukraine refused a 1,000-for-1,000 POW swap "does not correspond to reality." Russia hit Zaporizhzhia 780 times during the May truce; Asian economies queued for fuel as the Hormuz shock spread.
US Sanctions Iran, Canada Tariffs, Debt Hits $40T
The United States entered the week with a $40 trillion debt load, 50 percent tariffs on Canadian goods and a promised “economic D-Day” against Iran. Each move projects leverage, but stubborn inflation, strained missile stocks and Tehran’s control over Gulf shipping show how quickly American coercion is consuming the capacity behind it.
Weekly briefIran-Linked Hackers Hit UK Power Plant
A four-day shutdown at a British power plant, 2.9 percent inflation and a £221 jump in typical annual energy bills brought foreign conflict into domestic systems. Andy Burnham’s missile-technology transfer to Ukraine and France’s interception of 4,300 Channel crossings show a government trying to push security outward while vulnerability keeps moving home.
Weekly briefFrance Campaign Tests Strained Institutions
Water tankers, a breach affecting 678,000 tax records and four suspected Russian operations against Gabriel Attal turned state capacity into an early presidential issue. The fiscal watchdog then warned that a year without a 2027 budget would worsen the deficit by at least 0.5 percent of GDP, making institutional competence the campaign’s scarce resource.
Weekly briefGermany Arming as Coalition Shrinks: €12B Strike Plan
Germany answered Russian pressure with a €12 billion long-range arsenal and new aid for Ukraine, yet its auto industry lost 42,300 jobs and the AfD approached a first state government. Berlin is building harder external defences as economic stagnation and coalition weakness erode the political centre expected to sustain them.
Weekly briefUkraine Air Defense Shortage After Russian Barrage
Russian barrages killed at least 16 around Kyiv and 16 more at a Kryvyi Rih shopping centre while Ukraine’s Patriot batteries ran nearly empty. Kyiv struck refineries, aircraft and air defences deep inside Russia, but Zelensky’s request for 300 to 360 interceptors shows that offensive success still cannot buy safety before winter.
Weekly briefErdoğan Pushes Single-Round Vote, PKK Amnesty
A proposed one-round presidential election, a conditional PKK pardon and Ankara’s request for an Interpol notice against Benjamin Netanyahu all widened Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s room to act. Peace at home and leverage abroad could be genuine gains, but each is being organised around the presidency’s need to outlast a fragmented opposition.
Weekly briefAll Events
Every other event tracked today, with a one-line preview. Click Show summary to read more.
us98Trump says Iran nuclear materials site is under Space Force surveillance, threatens to 'blow up' intruders
Donald Trump told journalist Sharyl Attkisson the United States has Iran's nuclear materials site "very well surveilled" via Space Force and would "blow up" anyone who approached it, in an interview released on Sunday. The president said US forces had hit "probably 70 percent" of targets they intended to strike in the war that began on 28 February and could resume operations "for two more weeks" to finish the list. The remarks landed the same day Iran routed its formal reply to the latest US ceasefire proposal through Pakistani mediators, with talks aimed at securing safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
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Trump says Iran nuclear materials site is under Space Force surveillance, threatens to 'blow up' intruders
Donald Trump told journalist Sharyl Attkisson the United States has Iran's nuclear materials site "very well surveilled" via Space Force and would "blow up" anyone who approached it, in an interview released on Sunday. The president said US forces had hit "probably 70 percent" of targets they intended to strike in the war that began on 28 February and could resume operations "for two more weeks" to finish the list. The remarks landed the same day Iran routed its formal reply to the latest US ceasefire proposal through Pakistani mediators, with talks aimed at securing safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Donald Trump told journalist Sharyl Attkisson the United States has Iran's nuclear materials site "very well surveilled" via Space Force and would "blow up" anyone who approached it, in an interview released on Sunday. The president said US forces had hit "probably 70 percent" of targets they intended to strike in the war that began on 28 February and could resume operations "for two more weeks" to finish the list. The remarks landed the same day Iran routed its formal reply to the latest US ceasefire proposal through Pakistani mediators, with talks aimed at securing safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
us95Iran submits response to US peace proposal; first Qatari LNG tanker transits Strait of Hormuz
Iran on Sunday sent its response to a US proposal to end the war via mediator Pakistan, state news agency IRNA reported, saying the initial phase of negotiations would focus on ending hostilities. The same day, the QatarEnergy-operated LNG carrier Al Kharaitiyat became the first Qatari vessel to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the war began on Feb. 28, heading for Pakistan's Port Qasim. The passage was approved by Iran to build confidence with Qatar and Pakistan, both mediators in the conflict.
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Iran submits response to US peace proposal; first Qatari LNG tanker transits Strait of Hormuz
Iran on Sunday sent its response to a US proposal to end the war via mediator Pakistan, state news agency IRNA reported, saying the initial phase of negotiations would focus on ending hostilities. The same day, the QatarEnergy-operated LNG carrier Al Kharaitiyat became the first Qatari vessel to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the war began on Feb. 28, heading for Pakistan's Port Qasim. The passage was approved by Iran to build confidence with Qatar and Pakistan, both mediators in the conflict.
Iran on Sunday sent its response to a US proposal to end the war via mediator Pakistan, state news agency IRNA reported, saying the initial phase of negotiations would focus on ending hostilities. The same day, the QatarEnergy-operated LNG carrier Al Kharaitiyat became the first Qatari vessel to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the war began on Feb. 28, heading for Pakistan's Port Qasim. The passage was approved by Iran to build confidence with Qatar and Pakistan, both mediators in the conflict.
ua95Kyiv rejects Putin's claim Ukraine walked away from 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner swap
The Office of the President of Ukraine told Suspilne that Vladimir Putin's claim Kyiv had refused a large-scale prisoner exchange "does not correspond to reality," insisting work on the deal is actively moving forward and rests on Washington acting as guarantor. Putin had told state media after the May 9 Victory Day parade that Russia tabled 500 Ukrainian POWs for swap on May 5 and that Ukrainian negotiators "went off the radar." The proposed Trump-brokered "1,000-for-1,000" exchange — the largest since the 2022 invasion — was timed to a May 9-11 truce that Russian drones have already broken in Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk.
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Kyiv rejects Putin's claim Ukraine walked away from 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner swap
The Office of the President of Ukraine told Suspilne that Vladimir Putin's claim Kyiv had refused a large-scale prisoner exchange "does not correspond to reality," insisting work on the deal is actively moving forward and rests on Washington acting as guarantor. Putin had told state media after the May 9 Victory Day parade that Russia tabled 500 Ukrainian POWs for swap on May 5 and that Ukrainian negotiators "went off the radar." The proposed Trump-brokered "1,000-for-1,000" exchange — the largest since the 2022 invasion — was timed to a May 9-11 truce that Russian drones have already broken in Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk.
The Office of the President of Ukraine told Suspilne that Vladimir Putin's claim Kyiv had refused a large-scale prisoner exchange "does not correspond to reality," insisting work on the deal is actively moving forward and rests on Washington acting as guarantor. Putin had told state media after the May 9 Victory Day parade that Russia tabled 500 Ukrainian POWs for swap on May 5 and that Ukrainian negotiators "went off the radar." The proposed Trump-brokered "1,000-for-1,000" exchange — the largest since the 2022 invasion — was timed to a May 9-11 truce that Russian drones have already broken in Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk.
gb95Backbencher West sets Labour leadership threshold at 81 MPs as Rayner says blocking Burnham was a mistake
Labour backbencher Catherine West confirmed she will gather signatures to trigger a leadership contest unless Keir Starmer's relaunch speech on Monday convinces her otherwise; she needs 81 MPs — 20 percent of the parliamentary party — to force a ballot, and more than 30 Labour MPs have already publicly called for the prime minister to go. Former deputy PM Angela Rayner broke her silence to call the National Executive Committee's blocking of Andy Burnham "a mistake" and warn that this is Labour's "last chance" to be a working-people's party. Equity general secretary Paul Fleming and Unison's Andrea Egan added union pressure for an exit timetable, as rumoured contenders Wes Streeting and Rayner herself stayed publicly silent on whether they would stand.
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Backbencher West sets Labour leadership threshold at 81 MPs as Rayner says blocking Burnham was a mistake
Labour backbencher Catherine West confirmed she will gather signatures to trigger a leadership contest unless Keir Starmer's relaunch speech on Monday convinces her otherwise; she needs 81 MPs — 20 percent of the parliamentary party — to force a ballot, and more than 30 Labour MPs have already publicly called for the prime minister to go. Former deputy PM Angela Rayner broke her silence to call the National Executive Committee's blocking of Andy Burnham "a mistake" and warn that this is Labour's "last chance" to be a working-people's party. Equity general secretary Paul Fleming and Unison's Andrea Egan added union pressure for an exit timetable, as rumoured contenders Wes Streeting and Rayner herself stayed publicly silent on whether they would stand.
Labour backbencher Catherine West confirmed she will gather signatures to trigger a leadership contest unless Keir Starmer's relaunch speech on Monday convinces her otherwise; she needs 81 MPs — 20 percent of the parliamentary party — to force a ballot, and more than 30 Labour MPs have already publicly called for the prime minister to go. Former deputy PM Angela Rayner broke her silence to call the National Executive Committee's blocking of Andy Burnham "a mistake" and warn that this is Labour's "last chance" to be a working-people's party. Equity general secretary Paul Fleming and Unison's Andrea Egan added union pressure for an exit timetable, as rumoured contenders Wes Streeting and Rayner herself stayed publicly silent on whether they would stand.
us92Trump Administration Escalates Federal Intervention in State Elections, Seizes Ballots and Sues States
The Trump administration has intensified efforts to override state election authority, seizing ballots in Georgia, Arizona, and Michigan while suing some 30 states for refusing to provide voter rolls and other records. The Justice Department demanded voter registration data, ballots, driver's license records, and partial Social Security numbers from nearly every state and the District of Columbia in 2025. Courts and election officials have repeatedly found no evidence of widespread fraud, but the administration has replaced most election security officials with political activists, many of them election deniers.
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Trump Administration Escalates Federal Intervention in State Elections, Seizes Ballots and Sues States
The Trump administration has intensified efforts to override state election authority, seizing ballots in Georgia, Arizona, and Michigan while suing some 30 states for refusing to provide voter rolls and other records. The Justice Department demanded voter registration data, ballots, driver's license records, and partial Social Security numbers from nearly every state and the District of Columbia in 2025. Courts and election officials have repeatedly found no evidence of widespread fraud, but the administration has replaced most election security officials with political activists, many of them election deniers.
The Trump administration has intensified efforts to override state election authority, seizing ballots in Georgia, Arizona, and Michigan while suing some 30 states for refusing to provide voter rolls and other records. The Justice Department demanded voter registration data, ballots, driver's license records, and partial Social Security numbers from nearly every state and the District of Columbia in 2025. Courts and election officials have repeatedly found no evidence of widespread fraud, but the administration has replaced most election security officials with political activists, many of them election deniers.
ua92Russia's battlefield gains in Ukraine slow to worst since 2023 as drone saturation and communication failures hinder advances
Russia's military advance in Ukraine has slowed to its worst pace since 2023, with trackers recording net territorial losses in some months this year, The New York Times reports. At the current rate, Russia would need more than three decades to seize full control of the Donbas. The slowdown undercuts President Vladimir Putin's case to US President Donald Trump that Russian forces are heading toward inevitable victory.
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Russia's battlefield gains in Ukraine slow to worst since 2023 as drone saturation and communication failures hinder advances
Russia's military advance in Ukraine has slowed to its worst pace since 2023, with trackers recording net territorial losses in some months this year, The New York Times reports. At the current rate, Russia would need more than three decades to seize full control of the Donbas. The slowdown undercuts President Vladimir Putin's case to US President Donald Trump that Russian forces are heading toward inevitable victory.
Russia's military advance in Ukraine has slowed to its worst pace since 2023, with trackers recording net territorial losses in some months this year, The New York Times reports. At the current rate, Russia would need more than three decades to seize full control of the Donbas. The slowdown undercuts President Vladimir Putin's case to US President Donald Trump that Russian forces are heading toward inevitable victory.
tr92CHP set to lose 15th mayor to AKP as Afyonkarahisar's Burcu Köksal signals defection
Burcu Köksal, the Republican People's Party (CHP) mayor of Afyonkarahisar in western Turkey, is expected to become the 15th CHP mayor to defect to the ruling AKP since the 2024 local elections, with party officials saying she has refused calls and meeting requests. AKP spokesman Ömer Çelik told reporters on Saturday that journalists "may see who will join the party at the next parliamentary group meeting." The CHP is simultaneously fighting corruption trials of its mayors in Uşak, Antalya and Bolu, factional disputes from the 2023 chair race that brought Özgür Özel to the top, and the Silivri imprisonment of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu — a combination former secretary-general Mehmet Sevigen says will trigger more resignations unless the party purges its corrupt mayors.
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CHP set to lose 15th mayor to AKP as Afyonkarahisar's Burcu Köksal signals defection
Burcu Köksal, the Republican People's Party (CHP) mayor of Afyonkarahisar in western Turkey, is expected to become the 15th CHP mayor to defect to the ruling AKP since the 2024 local elections, with party officials saying she has refused calls and meeting requests. AKP spokesman Ömer Çelik told reporters on Saturday that journalists "may see who will join the party at the next parliamentary group meeting." The CHP is simultaneously fighting corruption trials of its mayors in Uşak, Antalya and Bolu, factional disputes from the 2023 chair race that brought Özgür Özel to the top, and the Silivri imprisonment of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu — a combination former secretary-general Mehmet Sevigen says will trigger more resignations unless the party purges its corrupt mayors.
Burcu Köksal, the Republican People's Party (CHP) mayor of Afyonkarahisar in western Turkey, is expected to become the 15th CHP mayor to defect to the ruling AKP since the 2024 local elections, with party officials saying she has refused calls and meeting requests. AKP spokesman Ömer Çelik told reporters on Saturday that journalists "may see who will join the party at the next parliamentary group meeting." The CHP is simultaneously fighting corruption trials of its mayors in Uşak, Antalya and Bolu, factional disputes from the 2023 chair race that brought Özgür Özel to the top, and the Silivri imprisonment of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu — a combination former secretary-general Mehmet Sevigen says will trigger more resignations unless the party purges its corrupt mayors.
tr88Türkiye ranks third in IFC global portfolio with over $25 billion invested
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has invested more than $25 billion in Türkiye over the past decade, making the country the third-largest in the institution's global portfolio, IFC Director Lisa Kaestner said on May 10. Kaestner outlined priorities including job creation, productivity gains, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises amid tighter liquidity and rising volatility. The IFC, a World Bank Group arm, also highlighted investments in digital bonds and earthquake-zone recovery.
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Türkiye ranks third in IFC global portfolio with over $25 billion invested
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has invested more than $25 billion in Türkiye over the past decade, making the country the third-largest in the institution's global portfolio, IFC Director Lisa Kaestner said on May 10. Kaestner outlined priorities including job creation, productivity gains, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises amid tighter liquidity and rising volatility. The IFC, a World Bank Group arm, also highlighted investments in digital bonds and earthquake-zone recovery.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has invested more than $25 billion in Türkiye over the past decade, making the country the third-largest in the institution's global portfolio, IFC Director Lisa Kaestner said on May 10. Kaestner outlined priorities including job creation, productivity gains, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises amid tighter liquidity and rising volatility. The IFC, a World Bank Group arm, also highlighted investments in digital bonds and earthquake-zone recovery.
fr85Niger junta suspends nine French media outlets including AFP, France 24 and RFI
Niger's military government on Friday suspended nine major French news organisations, including AFP, France 24, RFI, TV5 Monde, TF1 Info, Mediapart and Jeune Afrique, accusing them of broadcasting content "likely to gravely endanger public order, national unity, social cohesion and the stability of the institutions" without citing examples. Reporters Without Borders condemned the order as "abusive" and based on "fabricated charges," calling it part of a coordinated press-freedom crackdown across the Russia-aligned Alliance of Sahel States. The blanket ban followed an April Tuareg-Islamist offensive in neighbouring Mali that cost the junta there its defence minister and territory near the Niger border.
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Niger junta suspends nine French media outlets including AFP, France 24 and RFI
Niger's military government on Friday suspended nine major French news organisations, including AFP, France 24, RFI, TV5 Monde, TF1 Info, Mediapart and Jeune Afrique, accusing them of broadcasting content "likely to gravely endanger public order, national unity, social cohesion and the stability of the institutions" without citing examples. Reporters Without Borders condemned the order as "abusive" and based on "fabricated charges," calling it part of a coordinated press-freedom crackdown across the Russia-aligned Alliance of Sahel States. The blanket ban followed an April Tuareg-Islamist offensive in neighbouring Mali that cost the junta there its defence minister and territory near the Niger border.
Niger's military government on Friday suspended nine major French news organisations, including AFP, France 24, RFI, TV5 Monde, TF1 Info, Mediapart and Jeune Afrique, accusing them of broadcasting content "likely to gravely endanger public order, national unity, social cohesion and the stability of the institutions" without citing examples. Reporters Without Borders condemned the order as "abusive" and based on "fabricated charges," calling it part of a coordinated press-freedom crackdown across the Russia-aligned Alliance of Sahel States. The blanket ban followed an April Tuareg-Islamist offensive in neighbouring Mali that cost the junta there its defence minister and territory near the Niger border.
ua85Russian forces strike Zaporizhzhia Oblast 780 times during truce, killing one and injuring three
Russian forces carried out 780 strikes on 33 settlements in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast over the past day of the so-called truce, killing one person and injuring three others, the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration reported. The attacks included 598 UAVs, mostly FPV drones, eight MLRS strikes, and 174 artillery strikes across multiple districts.
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Russian forces strike Zaporizhzhia Oblast 780 times during truce, killing one and injuring three
Russian forces carried out 780 strikes on 33 settlements in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast over the past day of the so-called truce, killing one person and injuring three others, the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration reported. The attacks included 598 UAVs, mostly FPV drones, eight MLRS strikes, and 174 artillery strikes across multiple districts.
Russian forces carried out 780 strikes on 33 settlements in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast over the past day of the so-called truce, killing one person and injuring three others, the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration reported. The attacks included 598 UAVs, mostly FPV drones, eight MLRS strikes, and 174 artillery strikes across multiple districts.