Arm

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree, effective immediately, raising the size of the Russian armed forces to 2,441,630 personnel, including 1,550,500 military personnel. The decree replaces all previous staffing decrees and marks the seventh increase in Russia's military strength since the invasion of Ukraine, continuing a steady pattern of force expansion.

Iran has denied any connection to an attack on an airbase, while a UK minister warned that Iranian 'proxies' may be behind such strikes. The denial comes amid heightened regional tensions, with officials in London suggesting Tehran backs armed groups capable of launching attacks on military installations. Tehran rejects any role in the incident.

Sudanese authorities have declared that foreign interference in the country must end and that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces must be disarmed. The statement adds to Khartoum's diplomatic pressure as the conflict with the RSF continues, with the government framing outside involvement and the paramilitary's weapons as central obstacles to stability.

Sudan's war has left the country with two rival power structures and no internationally endorsed government. The army-backed administration controls much of the formal state machinery, while the Rapid Support Forces exercises authority over territory it holds. Washington's position that neither side represents legitimate constitutional rule leaves Sudan effectively without a recognised governing authority, raising questions about diplomacy, aid and the war's endgame.

An analyst told RFI that Washington has 'alienated' Sudan's army amid what he described as a 'complex war' gripping the country. The assessment points to strained relations between the United States and Sudan's military leadership as the conflict continues, with criticism that US policy has misjudged the army's role in the war.

Sudan's government has declared that foreign interference in the country must end and that the Rapid Support Forces must be disarmed. The statement comes amid the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which has displaced millions and drawn accusations of outside backing for the paramilitary group. The government insists that disarming the RSF is essential to restoring stability and sovereignty.

A 60 Minutes report examines how the race to build artificial intelligence is driving a rapid expansion of data centers across the United States, and the growing resistance from communities where the facilities are being built. Residents have raised concerns over energy demands, water use, noise and strain on local power grids, turning data center approvals into a contested political issue in towns across the country.

Fuel prices are climbing worldwide as threats issued by Donald Trump and ongoing armed conflicts weigh on energy markets. Traders and analysts are tracking how sanctions rhetoric, military escalation and supply disruption risks could push crude oil and refined fuel costs further up, leaving governments and consumers bracing for more expensive energy in the weeks ahead.

Russian forces carried out large strikes on Kyiv, with claims that targets included hubs used by 'NATO specialists' and Ukrainian military infrastructure. The reports come from Russian and pro-Russian outlets, which regularly describe foreign personnel as operating alongside Ukrainian forces. Ukraine and NATO have not confirmed any such casualties, and previous similar claims have often been unverifiable. The strikes fit the ongoing pattern of Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital's military and energy facilities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree raising the official size of the Russian armed forces to 2,441,630 personnel, according to Russian state agency TASS. The increase continues a pattern of expansion since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and signals Moscow's intent to sustain a prolonged military campaign.

US ambassador David Perdue says President Trump asked Xi Jinping whether China would want to buy American weapons. The remark comes after a Taiwanese minister described the military threat from Beijing to the self-ruled island as severe. Comments about arms sales to China are raising questions about US policy toward Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.

A top Iranian army commander has asserted that Iran controls both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway through which a large share of the world's oil passes. The statement comes amid heightened tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel, and is being widely discussed alongside concerns about oil prices, shipping security and the risk of a wider regional war.

An analysis argues the world is entering a new nuclear age, with more countries reconsidering acquiring or expanding nuclear weapons capabilities. Rising geopolitical tensions, the erosion of arms control agreements, and doubts over existing security guarantees are driving states to re-examine nuclear options they had previously forsworn, raising concerns about proliferation and global stability.

Mosquitoes kill more people than any other animal on Earth, and scientists say the threat is growing. As the climate warms, mosquito seasons are lasting longer, giving the insects more time to spread dangerous diseases such as malaria and dengue. Researchers are now exploring new methods to target and control mosquito populations before the expanding range of the insects puts more communities at risk.

South Korean commentators are warning that a potential agreement between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could come at Seoul's expense. The concern is that a deal on denuclearization or arms reduction might be struck over the heads of South Korean officials, leaving the country strategically exposed on security matters that directly affect it.

A suspected plot near RAF Fairford is under discussion after a farmer driving home in the early hours reportedly found three white vans blocking a village road with no one inside. Suspicious, she turned around before seeing a group described as Middle Eastern-looking men, according to the account circulating online. Details of any arrests or official response have not yet been confirmed.

Bill Gates has said that reaching an international agreement on artificial intelligence could prove more difficult than the nuclear arms control negotiations of the Cold War era. His comment points to the challenge of getting rival powers to cooperate on a technology that is fast-moving, diffuse and commercially valuable, unlike the countable weapons of nuclear treaties.

Bill Gates said reaching international agreements on artificial intelligence will be more difficult than the nuclear arms control negotiations of the Cold War era. He argued AI is evolving faster and is more diffuse than nuclear technology, making global rules harder to design and enforce. His remarks are feeding a wider debate among governments and tech leaders over how to regulate AI without stifling innovation.

China and the United States have reached an eight-point consensus in which both oppose Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and object to tolls or restrictions on key waterways. The rare agreement between the two powers signals shared concern over maritime passage and nuclear proliferation, drawing attention from observers tracking US-Iran tensions and freedom of navigation issues.

Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps says it has retaken 51 square kilometres of territory and captured 250 Russian soldiers, completing what it calls its third Vivaldi 'Season' of operations. The claim, reported by the Kyiv Post, points to continued Ukrainian offensive gains along the front, though independent verification of the figures and the extent of the retaken ground has not been established.

Le Parisien reports that Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's minister for digital transformation, is backing plans to deploy an 'army of robots' on the battlefield to reduce the number of soldiers exposed at the front. The initiative points to ground and aerial unmanned systems taking over dangerous combat tasks as Ukraine faces manpower shortages amid the war with Russia.

Russia has carried out a successful test of its Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, a heavy strategic weapon capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads. Defence analysts are examining what the test signals about Moscow's nuclear posture, the modernisation of its strategic forces, and the consequences for arms control and international security at a time of heightened East-West tensions.

US national security adviser Mike Waltz says President Trump will keep 'all options on the table' to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The statement underscores the administration's hard line on Tehran's nuclear programme, leaving open the possibility of both diplomatic and military measures as tensions over Iran's nuclear ambitions continue.

Bond investors are positioning in ways that increasingly point to concern about the economic outlook, according to Bloomberg. Signals from Treasury markets, such as moves in yields and curve shape, are being read as edging closer to levels historically associated with recession warnings. Traders and analysts are watching whether the warning becomes fully fledged.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved the official staffing strength of Russia's Armed Forces, according to Russian media. The decree fixing the authorized number of military personnel is drawing attention as the war in Ukraine continues, with readers discussing how large the Russian military will now be and what the figure signals about Moscow's military plans and manpower needs.