Democrats Block Trump Defense Budget
Democrats who won solid majorities in both chambers of Congress are signaling they will block President Donald Trump’s $1.5 trillion fiscal 2027 defense budget request, Bloomberg reports.
Europe Faces Patriot Missile Crunch
European stocks of PAC-2 and PAC-3 Patriot interceptors are at minimal levels, Bloomberg reports, as allies hesitate to send more to Ukraine without U.S. replenishment guarantees.
Marine Corps Seeks Nine More Amphibs
The U.S. Marine Corps says it needs 40 amphibious warships — nine more than today’s 31 — to keep three Amphibious Ready Groups with Marine Expeditionary Units deployed at once.
Egypt Flags Mediterranean Gas Find
Egypt’s Petroleum Ministry says the Naseem-1X well in the Mediterranean’s Tiba concession holds about 200 billion cubic feet of gas in place, with Eni and Woodside planning a fast pipeline tie-in.
EU Sues IBM Over Border System Plagued With Issues
EU filed a case against IBM, Atos, and Leonardo over the biometric system, which was due to launch in 2022, and its delayed rollout years later led to hours-long queues at European airports.
‘I’m surrounded by millions of people but I could still die from the heat’ – This is climate breakdown
He went to Saudi Arabia to perform the sacred hajj pilgrimage – then the heat came. This is Zirrar Ali’s story
Location: Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Disaster: Heatwave, 2024
After a transformative trip to Iran and one of its mosques, Zirrar started believing in God and writing about the soul of travel. Six years later, Zirrar and his elderly father were participating in the sacred five-day Muslim pilgrimage, the Hajj, when temperatures soared over 51°C. Temperature increases from climate change have made Hajj pilgrimages that happen in the summer, and even during the previously safer spring months, more dangerous.
Continue reading...Magyar Flags Orban Brother Detention
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar says press reports indicate former PM Viktor Orbán’s brother Áron was detained on suspicion of people smuggling tied to fraudulent visas.
Syria Reportedly Joining Mecca Pact
Syria is reportedly preparing to join the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement with Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, Associated Press reported, citing officials who disagree on whether a decision is already locked in.
Europe Seeks Seat at Russia-Ukraine Talks
France and the EU say they will be represented at the U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi as Moscow says the main sessions should remain trilateral.
Three Guys Cloned Voices of CEOs With AI for $129M Fraud
Prosecutors say the men, arrested in Spain and the U.K., used generative AI to impersonate chief executives and lawyers, persuading employees to wire money.
Türkiye Eyes Joint Warships With Egypt
Türkiye aims to jointly build warships with Egypt under the MILGEM project, Navy Commander Adm. Ercüment Tatlıoğlu said at the Sea of Friendship-2026 exercise, Anadolu Agency reported.
Erdogan Offers Iran Peace Diplomacy
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says he conveyed Türkiye’s concerns about potential new attacks on Iran to U.S. President Donald Trump and offered to help open a path to peace.
Mamdani Courts Progressives for 2028
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is privately meeting labor leaders to unite progressives behind a left-wing 2028 presidential candidate, Axios reported.
No Sign Putin is Ready for a Deal: Norway's Støre
Jonas Gahr Støre defended calling Vladimir Putin directly, alongside Finland’s Alexander Stubb, but said there was no sign “so far” that he was genuinely open to a deal to end the war.
Top Astrophysicist Leaves U.S. for Dutch Lab
Kelly Holley-Bockelmann left Vanderbilt for a Dutch space lab after Trump-era funding threats and diversity bans disrupted her gravitational-wave work.
Covert Russian Network Exploited French Riots: EU
A European Union assessment says Operation Overload impersonated Western media outlets to push false claims during the October unrest.
Trump Meets Qatar PM Behind Closed Doors
President Trump will meet Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in a closed-press Oval Office session Monday as Doha mediates U.S.–Iran talks.
Iraqi PM Cites Leaked Iran War Plans
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi told the Coordination Framework he had seen leaked war plans presented to President Trump, including a U.S. push into southern Iran through Iraq, Al-Mada reported.
Blinken Backs Demilitarized Palestine
Former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a Palestinian state can be demilitarized and its society “deradicalized” to make Israel secure, speaking Sunday alongside Mike Pompeo.
G7 Meets in Paris Amid Ukraine, Iran Tensions
G7 foreign ministers meet in Paris as allies seek clarity from Washington on Ukraine's defense, Iran tensions and divisions over Middle East security.