


Sales of Apple’s first folding phone, the iPhone Duo, began on Friday, with market watchers betting on whether the device can reinvent the small foldables market in the same way the iPhone did for smartphones. The Duo’s reception could prove an early test for new CEO John Ternus, the former hardware chief who unveiled the phone barely a week after taking charge in September. It could also have large implications for a niche category in which rivals such as Samsung Electronics and Huawei Technol

Officials will call on UK to ‘step up’ financial support at Brussels summit – with post-Brexit issues also on agenda EU leaders will press Andy Burnham at a summit in Brussels to contribute more to Ukraine’s defence effort in 2027. EU officials argue that the UK, Canada and Japan should do more to support Ukraine, but entreaties to these G7 countries for extra financial aid at recent international meetings have not been answered, Brussels says. Continue reading...

In today’s newsletter: Born from the fury surrounding the deadly Novi Sad station collapse, Serbia’s Student List has taken its protests all the way to the elections in an unprecedented grassroots campaign Good morning. As waves of youth-led protests swell across Europe, prompted by the cost of living, unaffordable housing and education standards, in Serbia the younger generation is taking on the apparatus of the state itself. In tight-run parliamentary elections this Sunday, the country’s mos

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has departed for Istanbul to attend a meeting of the foreign ministers of the R-4 bloc and an R-4+E-3 meeting on Friday, the Foreign Office (FO) said. The R-4 group, which comprises Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye, emerged in March and has been focusing on regional security and mediation efforts between the United States and Iran. The E-3 group is a trio of European powers — France, the United Kingdom and Germany — that was set up m

PARADED as amongst the greatest achievements of ‘advanced’ capitalist countries in the post-World War II period, the welfare state epitomised an era of widespread social prosperity. The mass of people in Western Europe, North America, and Australasia was largely guaranteed public education, healthcare, water, electricity, and other material needs. Working-age populations either found work in bustling manufacturing industries or received significant unemployment benefits. The anti-communist US id

The son of Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi said she sounded “fairly healthy” after speaking to the detained ex-democratic leader on Thursday for the first time in more than five years. Suu Kyi, 81, is under house arrest in the capital, Naypyidaw, according to Myanmar authorities, where she has been sequestered since being unseated in a 2021 military coup. “She was sounding fairly healthy,” Kim Aris, who lives in the UK, said after the telephone conversation. It was the first time he had spoken to his

ITS Cavour, TCG Anadolu, and HMS Prince of Wales are leading the fourth and final element of NATO’s Neptune Strike enhanced vigilance activity for 2026, featuring more than 20 warships and 40 aircraft. Running from Oct. 16 to Nov. 5, Neptune Strike 26-4 involves participation from 17 nations across the breadth of the NATO alliance. […]

LONDON: Maysa Yousef’s husband went to a market in central Gaza on Thursday evening to buy food for the weekend but found little to bring home. “All I can find is a couple of grapefruits,” he told her. For Yousef, an artist and mother of three, shopping has become an exercise in timing and improvisation. With the market closed on Friday, the main day off in Gaza, her family needed to buy provisions in advance, but without refrigeration they could not go shopping too early. “Of course, there are

PM will also announce funding for specialised protective gear and the deployment of military aircraft The UK government is to create an AI Cobra unit to spot wildfires after this year’s record-breaking summer saw devastating blazes across the country. The country experienced its hottest-ever summer this year, with prolonged dry periods and extreme heat fuelling wildfires that triggered an emergency alert to mobile phones in England and Wales. Figures released on 8 October showed a clear upward
Supplying fuel to Hezbollah directly provides it with capabilities that sustain its terrorist activity against Israel, the ministry said.

Turkiye will host an R-4 and an R-4+E-3 meetings of foreign ministers in Istanbul on October 23, the Turkish foreign ministry said on Wednesday. The R-4 group, which comprises Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye, emerged in March and has been focusing on regional security and mediation efforts between the United States and Iran. The E-3 group is a trio of European powers — France, Britain and Germany — that was set up more than 20 years ago to advance diplomatic coordination over Iran’s n

England’s Harry Brook smashed the fastest double-century in One-Day International (ODI) history and became the first Englishman to score 200 in the format but Sri Lanka sealed a two-wicket win in their tri-series clash with one ball to spare in Rawalpindi on Thursday. The 27-year-old captain rewrote the record books by racing to his double hundred in 114 balls, surpassing the previous mark of 117 deliveries set by India’s Shubman Gill. In the process, Brook also eclipsed England’s highest indivi
LONDON: The European Parliament called on Thursday for the Houthi militia in Yemen to be included on the EU’s list of terrorist organizations. MEPs overwhelmingly backed a resolution that said the Iran-backed group’s military and political wings, leadership, and military and security apparatus, should be designated. The resolution condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the Houthi’s missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia, including deadly strikes on Riyadh’s international air

Concerns are mounting as Ethiopia and Eritrea inch closer to war. With Ethiopia now having taken control of the border town of Zalambessa, the fear is that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will send his troops into Eritrea. In Perspective, we spoke to Martin Plaut, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London.

LONDON: Far-right Israeli protesters blocked aid trucks bound for the Gaza Strip at the Kerem Abu Salem crossing on Thursday, according to media reports, as severe food shortages and cuts to humanitarian assistance deepened the enclave’s crisis. Members of the Tsav 9 movement demanded a halt to aid deliveries and the dismantling of Hamas. Yulia Malinovsky, a Knesset member from the Yisrael Beiteinu party, joined the blockade, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported. Malinovsky posted a video of h

UK says schoolchildren shouldn’t wave Palestine flags. Ukraine flags are fine though Imran Mulla on Thu, 10/22/2026 - 13:32 The Department for Education has previously flown the Ukrainian flag and encouraged pupils to do so Britain's Education Secretary Lucy Powell pictured on 21 July (AFP) Off The British government has been accused of hypocrisy after saying pupils should not display Palestine flags in school, despite the government having promoted the displaying of Ukrainian flags in schoo

LONDON: Flour stocks in warehouses across Gaza have run out, leaving the territory’s seven remaining operational bakeries at risk of closing within 48 hours unless fresh supplies are allowed in, the head of Gaza’s Bakeries Association said on Thursday. Abdul Nasser Al-Ajrami told the Palestine News Agency that Israel’s closure of Gaza’s crossings over the past week and its continued refusal to allow commercial flour shipments through, despite a partial reopening, had exhausted supplies. Only sev

LONDON: Two Syrian security personnel were killed and five others wounded on Thursday during an operation targeting a Daesh-linked cell in Rankous, near the Lebanese border, security sources said. The Internal Security Forces said they carried out the operation with the General Intelligence Service in the western Damascus countryside. Their initial statement gave no details on the outcome or the circumstances of the casualties. The raid followed a series of operations against suspected Daesh cel

NAZA: It’s not just about Israel and Gaza. It’s about the evil lurking in us all Jonathan Cook on Thu, 10/22/2026 - 09:09 This new, award-winning film silences us not because of the monstrosity of what Israel did but because it serves as irrefutable proof of our own monstrosity A woman embraces a girl following an Israeli strike on a residential building that killed two people in Gaza City on on 20 October, 2026 (AFP) Off I have just seen NAZA, a documentary in which 24 Israeli intelligence

The SSN-AUKUS Preliminary Design Review was conducted in June and concluded on 1 July, three months earlier than the September date it had been expected to meet. New nuclear sub design review finished ahead of schedule first appeared on UK Defence Journal.

RIYADH: A British expatriate has welcomed the UK government’s support for Saudi Arabia amid the attacks from the Iran-backed Houthi militia. Britain is deploying Royal Air Force fighter jets to Saudi Arabia and extending air-to-air refueling support as the Kingdom faces continued missile and drone threats. For Somi Arian, host of Argaam’s OnPoint podcast, the announcement carries both personal and diplomatic significance. “As a British citizen who has made Saudi Arabia my second home, I feel pro

UAE nominates diplomat to lead UN amid criticism over Sudan and Israel policy MEE staff on Thu, 10/22/2026 - 09:26 Lana Nusseibeh, of Palestinian descent, enters the contest to succeed Secretary-General Guterres after six Security Council straw polls failed to produce a consensus candidate UAE envoy Lana Nusseibeh addresses the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on 27 September 2025 (AFP) Off The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday formally nominated Lana Nusseibeh, its former am

Can Iran negotiate between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis? Zahra Ladha on Thu, 10/22/2026 - 09:54 Tehran launches a diplomatic initiative in an attempt to bring both sides to the negotiating table Saudi-backed Yemeni government fighters ride on the back of a truck during battles against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis at the Jabal Han front west of the city of Taiz on 21 October 2026 (AFP) Off As the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis continued to escalate, Iran, a longstanding ally of

The Royal Navy has a “serious anti-submarine warfare gap” that weakens the U.K.'s ability to respond to Russia’s submarine and underwater sabotage threats.

Ministers have confirmed that the intention remains to procure up to twelve SSN-AUKUS submarines. Britain still plans new nuclear sub every eighteen months first appeared on UK Defence Journal.

Analysis: UK Muslims face highest rate of hate crimes but police figures undercount them Imran Mulla on Thu, 10/22/2026 - 09:58 Data indicates Muslims in Britain are the most likely group to face both religious and race-based hate crime Britain's Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood pictured in the House of Commons on 13 July (AFP) Off Are hate crimes against Muslims in Britain being under-counted and even downplayed? “Jewish people are almost 10 times more likely than Muslims to be victims of rel

Britain is unique among allies in declaring its existing nuclear forces to NATO, but despite nuclear consuming over a fifth of the budget, the Ministry of Defence does not 'maximise the value of that commitment'. Britain undersells its nuclear contribution to NATO first appeared on UK Defence Journal.
ANKARA, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Turkish Foreign MinisterHakan Fidan will host his counterparts from Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Britain, France and Germany in Istanbul on Friday for talks on regional conflicts, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Thursday. The seven countries will meet in this format for the first time, at Turkey's initiative, the source said, as wars involving Iran, Yemen and Ukraine threaten shipping routes and regional security.

What does the UAE own in the UK? Football clubs, London landmarks and billion-pound assets Daniel Tester on Mon, 10/19/2026 - 14:44 Abu Dhabi and Dubai's vast investments are facing scrutiny amid allegations against Manchester City Football Club and pressure on PM Andy Burnham UAE investements in the UK include, from left, DP World, owner of P&O Ferries; Berkeley Square in Mayfair, London; and fans of Manchester City Football Club (all AFP). On The UAE is one of the world’s richest countries

Are we not allowed to say a genocide began on 7 October, too? Barry Malone on Wed, 10/21/2026 - 21:19 Western media commemorate the Israelis killed three years ago, while largely ignoring the genocide that began the same day A girl looks at the temporary tents of displaced Palestinians, alongside destroyed buildings, in Gaza City on 7 October 2026 (Omar al-Qattaa/AFP) Off Just after 4pm local time on 7 October 2023, Al Jazeera’s Youmna El Sayed stood on a rooftop to update her audience on t

Britain looks forward to hearing more detail about the proposed European Security Council while noting the importance of EU mechanisms complementing NATO structures. UK wants EU security council to complement NATO first appeared on UK Defence Journal.
[African Arguments] On 9 February 2021, as government troops and Russian mercenaries pushed rebels back from Bangui, the Central African Republic (CAR) signed Decree No. 21.044. It gave a young company called Bois Rouge a forestry permit covering 186,596 hectares in the south-western Lobaye region - roughly 1,866 km² of tropical forest, an area larger than Greater London.

Gulf exports more oil than it did before Iran war despite surge in Hormuz attacks The Middle East is now exporting more oil than it did before the US-Israeli war on Iran began on 28 February, posing a challenge to the Islamic Republic as it looks to cement its control over the Strait of Hormuz and as the US and Israel threaten a new attack. Gulf countries exported 24.6 million barrels per day (bpd) in the week ending 18 October, surpassing prewar levels of 23.3 million bpd, according to data re

The government should prepare options for a British state-owned vessel to transit the Northern Sea Route in support of international freedom of navigation rights, according to a report by the Defence Committee. British warship should ‘stand up’ to Russia in north first appeared on UK Defence Journal.
The European Defence Innovation Forum (EDIF 2026) will take place in The Hague on November 11–12, bringing together more than 1,000 representatives of government institutions, investors, and technology companies from Ukraine, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Latvia, and other NATO member states and partner countries, the organisers told Ukrinform.

Britain stands thirty-first out of thirty-two NATO countries on rearmament promises, with only Iceland lower, according to a report by the Defence Committee. Britain near bottom of NATO rearmament table first appeared on UK Defence Journal.

Committee cites shortfalls of submarines and warships and says ‘dramatic progress’ needed by end of decade Britain risks failing to deter future Russian aggression in the high north beyond the UK because of shortfalls in the number and availability of Royal Navy submarines and warships, MPs on the defence select committee have said. The committee focused on the slow deployment of HMS Dragon to Cyprus this spring, declining numbers of frigates, and reports that all five Astute-class attack submar
LONDON: Young Palestinian men armed with slingshots and stones helped save Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine from Israeli settlers who beat her while she was covering the olive harvest in the occupied West Bank, The Guardian newspaper reported. Levine, 64, suffered four fractured vertebrae, two broken ribs and four puncture wounds during the assault on Friday in Abu Falah, a Palestinian village north of Ramallah. She said masked settlers knocked her down and hit her repeatedly with wo
LONDON: Young Palestinian men armed with slingshots and stones helped save Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine from Israeli settlers who beat her while she was covering the olive harvest in the occupied West Bank, The Guardian newspaper reported. Levine, 64, suffered four fractured vertebrae, two broken ribs and four puncture wounds during the assault on Friday in Abu Falah, a Palestinian village north of Ramallah. She said masked settlers knocked her down and hit her repeatedly with wo

Property sales of illegal Israeli settlement lands challenged in complaint in Canada Yasmine El-Sabawi on Wed, 10/21/2026 - 16:46 Lawyers say four Israeli companies and a Canadian marketing firm likely engaged in 'materially false' promotion by saying homes were inside Israel rather than occupied Palestinian territory A Star of David is painted on a structure on the outskirts of the Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya, northeast of Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on 21 October 20

French bond yields have topped 5%, their highest level since 2002, after widespread protests and violence over the weekend. It's a sign that investors are losing confidence in France's finances, as the government grapples with budget and debt problems. Also in the show - chipmaker Nvidia says it's invested $10 billion in European tech firms to boost the 'AI economy,' and the UK approves a controversial natural gas field as PM Andy Burnham faces pressure over energy costs.

Gulf exports more oil than it did before Iran war despite surge in Hormuz attacks The Middle East is now exporting more oil than it did before the US-Israeli war on Iran began on 28 February, posing a challenge to the Islamic Republic as it looks to cement its control over the Strait of Hormuz and as the US and Israel threaten a new attack. Gulf countries exported 24.6 million barrels per day (bpd) in the week ending 18 October, surpassing prewar levels of 23.3 million bpd, according to data re

Gulf exports more oil than it did before Iran war despite surge in Hormuz attacks Sean Mathews on Wed, 10/21/2026 - 18:49 Ship to ship transfers and transits through the Red Sea are frustrating Iran's attempts to control the Strait of Hormuz Vessels are seen in the Strait of Hormuz, from Musandam, Oman, on 19 October 2026 (Stringer/Reuters) Off The Middle East is now exporting more oil than it did before the US-Israeli war on Iran began on 28 February, posing a challenge to the Islamic Repu
The successful export of Ukrainian weapons and technologies depends on whether partners have appropriate military doctrines, since NATO relies on doctrines from previous eras, while new Ukrainian technologies are still under development, Ukraine's ambassador to the United Kingdom Valeriy Zaluzhny has said.
LONDON: Amana, a prominent Israeli settler organization under British and Canadian sanctions, is advancing plans to build 122 homes in the Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, according to the Israeli nonprofit Ir Amim. The development would be the first settlement project in East Jerusalem for Amana, which has helped drive settlement growth across the occupied West Bank for decades, Ir Amim said on Wednesday in a statement received by Arab News. The proposal would replace existing residen

Government websites in Europe and elsewhere went offline on Wednesday after the disclosure of critical vulnerabilities in a widely used programming language sent website operators around the world scrambling to protect their systems. Developers of the PHP programming language on Wednesday released urgent new fixes to vulnerabilities that had quietly been lurking in their software for years until they were uncovered using AI, saying that all users were “encouraged to update immediately.” With tec

LONDON: Oil exports from the Arabian Gulf have rebounded to exceed the levels from before the regional war started and despite a recent surge in Iranian attacks on shipping, US media reported. The total amount of oil shipped out of the region in the week through Oct. 18 averaged more than 24 million barrels a day, compared to pre-war levels of 23.3 million, the Wall Street Journal reported using data from ship-tracking firm Kpler.The figures include the increasing amounts shipped through the Str

ISLAMABAD: A Senate panel expressed concern on Wednesday over the alleged inappropriate conduct of Airports Security Force (ASF) personnel when scanning parliamentarians and passengers at Karachi’s airport and directed that the official concerned be summoned to the next meeting. The Senate Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges met in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi to consider various privilege motions. Senators Jan Muhammad, Dost Ali Jaisar, Saadia Abbasi,

LONDON: Five foreign firms have abandoned plans to build a cable car from West Jerusalem to East Jerusalem that could see dozens of Palestinian families lose their land and property rights, The Guardian has reported. Despite the withdrawal of a fifth company, local authorities have said the project is proceeding as planned, after it appeared to have stalled for four years until late September. That month, the Jerusalem Development Authority issued a notice of intent to award a contract without a