Fears of worsening violence looms in Baghdad, emphasizing the challenges faced by Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr, the leader of parliament’s biggest bloc as he attempts to form a majority government have October’s contested election. There were two explosions Sunday targeting two banks associated with Kurdish politicians in the Karrada district

Oil prices climbed to their highest level since 2014 as possible supply disruptions due to attacks in the Mideast Gulf added to a tight supply outlook. Brent crude rose $0.88 or 1%, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude jumped 1.5% or $1.23. Both benchmarks were highest since October 2014.  After

Drones caused an explosion on three oil tankers in Abu Dhabi and may have caused a separate fire at an extension of the Abu Dhabi Airport. The suspected drone attacks killed three people and injured six. Senior Emirati diplomat Anwar Gargash blamed Yemen’s Houthi rebels for the attack and the

Tonga has released its first government update after a volcanic eruption triggered a Tsunami. Tonga said it had been hit by an unprecedented disaster and confirmed three deaths, two locals and one British national. The smaller outlying islands were particularly affected with all of the houses destroyed or just one

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Germany and Ukraine this week following the Russian threat toward Ukraine. Blinken will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. The goal is to reinforce the US commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty.  In Berlin, Blinken will discuss

NATO signed a deal on Monday to strengthen its cyber support for Ukraine after a hacking attack against Kyiv. These attacks have prompted fears that Russia could be plotting an invasion. Ukraine said Sunday that it had evidence Moscow was behind last week’s attack on government websites, however the Kremlin

Great reporting by Microsoft here: Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) has identified evidence of a destructive malware operation targeting multiple organizations in Ukraine. This malware first appeared on victim systems in Ukraine on January 13, 2022. Microsoft is aware of the ongoing geopolitical events in Ukraine and surrounding region and

There is more pressure from the international community to resolve the Ethiopia and Tigray conflict. The Norwegian Nobel Committee called on Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to end the bloodshed in Tigray on Thursday. The fighting in the country between Tigrayan forces and federal troops has gone on for 14

On Friday, North Korea fired two ballistic missiles, its third missile test this month. These missiles were fired hours after North Korea warned of a stronger and certain reaction if the United States helped impose more sanctions as a response to its recent series of missile tests. Two short-range ballistic

Thirty people were rescued as one man died after they tried to cross the Channel to the UK. The man fell overboard a small migrant boat as it got into difficulty off the French coast at Berck-sur-Mer. Most people rescued by French rescue services were in the dinghy, but five