Arm

Vladimir Putin has ordered an expansion of the Russian army, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said North Korea is preparing to deploy additional troops to fight alongside Russian forces. The moves point to an escalation of manpower on both sides as the war in Ukraine continues, raising concerns among Western allies about growing foreign involvement in the conflict.

President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree increasing the size of the Russian armed forces to 2,441,630 personnel, including 1,550,500 military personnel, effective immediately. The decree replaces all previous decrees on army size and marks the seventh expansion of Russia's manpower levels since the start of the war in Ukraine. Observers note the move continues a steady pattern of force growth through presidential decrees rather than formal mobilization.

North Korea has told the United Nations that its status as a nuclear-armed state is irreversible and rejected outside pressure to abandon its weapons programme. The declaration signals Pyongyang's refusal to negotiate denuclearization, drawing renewed attention to diplomatic deadlocks and regional security concerns involving the US, South Korea, and other parties.

Ethiopia's army chief has publicly accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting Tigrayan rebel forces, according to international reports. The allegations mark a sharp escalation in rhetoric from Addis Ababa, implicating three of its neighbours in the ongoing conflict in the country's north. The claim risks worsening already strained relations across the Horn of Africa and the Nile basin.

Sudan's government has called for foreign interference in the country to end and for the Rapid Support Forces to be disarmed, according to a report by Middle East Monitor. The demand comes as Sudan's civil war between the army and the RSF continues to displace millions, with Khartoum repeatedly accusing outside powers of arming and backing the paramilitary group.

Germany is shifting its economic strategy toward large-scale military rearmament, with defence spending increasingly framed as an engine for industrial growth. Observers are debating whether the country can revive its stagnant economy through arms production and defence investment, and what the move means for European security and Germany's fiscal priorities. The debate has drawn wide attention among economics and policy audiences.

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 remains governed by two rival authorities, with Washington recognising neither as legitimate. The army-backed administration controls much of the formal state machinery, while the Rapid Support Forces exercise power across territory they hold. US officials say neither side represents constitutional governance, leaving Sudan effectively run by competing authorities without international recognition. Observers warn the standoff complicates diplomacy and aid delivery in a country already devastated by war.

The Pentagon is reportedly weighing a new nuclear strategy aimed at deterring regional conflicts rather than solely major-power war. The reported shift would adjust how US nuclear weapons fit into plans for limited, regional contingencies. The Globe Post reported the story, but no further details on the proposals, their scope, or official confirmation have emerged so far, and reaction from lawmakers, allies, or arms-control groups has not been recorded.

An analyst told RFI that Washington has 'alienated' Sudan's army amid what he described as a 'complex war' in the country. The comment reflects criticism of US diplomacy as Sudan's conflict continues, with debate over whether American policy is undermining relations with a key party to the war.

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-scale strikes on Kyiv, with claims that the attacks killed 'NATO specialists' and destroyed Ukrainian military infrastructure. The assertion about NATO personnel has drawn attention, as it suggests direct Western involvement in the conflict. No independent confirmation of the claims is available, and such statements typically come from Russian state-aligned reporting amid ongoing escalation of long-range attacks on the Ukrainian capital.

The Pope called on Europe to return to the path of dialogue rather than military buildup, saying this is the only way to end what he described as a 'senseless slaughter'. His remarks push back against rising rearmament across the continent and argue that diplomacy, not arms, offers a real route to peace.

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.

North Korea has cautioned the United Nations about what it calls Japan's 'attempts at rearmament'. The warning, reported by Anadolu Agency, reflects Pyongyang's long-standing opposition to Japan's military buildup. Details of the specific UN communication and Japan's response were not provided in the report.

A top Iranian army commander has stated that Iran controls both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which a large share of the world's oil passes. The remark underscores Tehran's leverage over global energy shipments and comes amid heightened tensions involving the United States, Israel and regional naval forces.

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 be interested in buying American weapons. The remarks come after a Taiwanese minister described the 'severe' military threat posed by Beijing to the self-ruled island, raising questions about US arms policy toward Taiwan and the wider strategic relationship with China.

South Sudan's address to the United Nations General Assembly carried a clear message: 'Ballot must replace the bullets' as the country prepares for its first elections since independence. The statement, made ahead of planned national elections, underscores the government's pledge to shift from armed conflict to democratic politics. Observers are watching closely whether long-delayed polls can proceed peacefully in a nation still recovering from civil war.

Scientists are developing new approaches to control mosquitoes, the animal responsible for more human deaths than any other, as climate change lengthens mosquito seasons and expands the areas where the insects can spread diseases such as malaria and dengue. Reporting highlights that longer warm periods give mosquitoes more time to breed and transmit dangerous illnesses, prompting research into novel targeting methods.

A suspected bomb plot near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire is under investigation. A farmer driving home in the early hours reportedly found three white vans blocking a village road with no one inside, turned around, and then saw a group of men nearby. Details of the incident are circulating widely in the UK as police respond.

The arms embargo on Darfur is due to lapse on Saturday and would have to be renewed by the UN Security Council to stay in force. Discussion tied to the German daily taz highlights the embargo's relevance to Sudan's war, the Rapid Support Forces, and regional actors including the United Arab Emirates, as well as spillover into Libya, Colombia and Puntland.

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.