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.

An analyst told RFI that the United States has 'alienated' Sudan's army amid what was described as a 'complex war'. The remarks point to friction between Washington and the Sudanese Armed Forces as the country's conflict continues, with the analyst suggesting US policy toward the army has been counterproductive.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A Times report claims Russia has reactivated its 'Dead Hand' semi-automatic nuclear retaliation system, designed to launch missiles automatically if leadership is decapitated. arms control expert Pavel Podvig disputes the framing, saying the system was never deactivated in the first place. The claim has drawn attention amid ongoing tensions over Russia's nuclear posture in the war in Ukraine.

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.

The U.S. Navy is moving forward with the first new nuclear warhead development programme the service has pursued in nearly four decades. The effort marks a significant step in the modernisation of America's strategic nuclear arsenal, which has been undergoing review as officials weigh ageing weapons systems against emerging global threats. Discussion has focused on what the programme means for arms control, deterrence policy and the future of the U.S. nuclear posture.

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.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for renewed negotiations among nuclear-armed states as Kazakhstan marked 35 years since the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. He warned that global arms-control safeguards are weakening and urged world powers to return to dialogue on disarmament. Kazakhstan closed the site in 1991 after decades of Soviet nuclear testing, and its anniversary has become a recurring moment for calls to reduce nuclear risks.

DR Congo, Sudan and Mali are Africa's leading importers of military drones, according to a report highlighted by Business Insider Africa. The same report notes that the United States and Iran are supplying rival sides in the Russia-Ukraine war, with Iran's drones supporting Russia while American systems back Ukraine. The findings underline how armed drones have become central to conflicts across Africa and beyond.

Donald Trump is publicly disputing his ambassador's account that he asked China's president whether he wanted to buy US arms. The denial has drawn attention to the conflicting versions of the exchange, with questions over what was actually discussed between the two leaders and why the US diplomat's recollection differs from the president's own.