Headlines

After war losses, Hezbollah seen gaining from Iran-US deal

BEIRUT/DUBAI, June 17 - Iran's interim deal with the U.S. looks set to bolster Hezbollah's political and financial hand in Lebanon, with Tehran promising more funding for its ally once cash starts to flow, according to four sources familiar with ties between Tehran and the group.

Asia

Al-Mirsad: the new, modern face of Taliban propaganda

For much of the last two decades, the Taliban fought its war with rifles, roadside bombs and guerrilla ambushes. Today, one of its most important battlefields lies not in the mountains of Afghanistan but in the information domain. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA)

Asia

Cambodia scam centre leader extradited to China

Liu Ren established the Jin Bei Group in Cambodia in 2016, with the company operating "telecom fraud parks" in the country and committing "large-scale telecom and online fraud involving massive sums of money".

Asia

G7 leaders demand ceasefire in Lebanon, welcome Iran deal

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France/DUBAI, June 17 - Leaders of the G7 countries demanded a ceasefire in Lebanon on Wednesday and said they will diversify energy supply routes to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz in response to the war in Iran, as they welcomed an interim deal to

Asia

Peace deal won’t end Thailand-Cambodia’s humanitarian crisis

On May 28, 2025, a localized skirmish along the Thailand-Cambodia border rapidly escalated into one of the region’s most significant military conflicts in recent decades. More than a year later, a tenuous ceasefire is in place, and recent talks — both at the ASEAN Leaders

Asia

How (and why) AI is eroding US democracy

In the first few weeks of his presidency, Donald Trump announced a massive AI infrastructure project dubbed Stargate. It was an unexpected and rather odd event for a new administration’s first major initiative. It now seems obvious that the project was a highly coordinated

Asia

Can Vietnam satisfy Washington before trade ties fray?

Vietnam’s relationship with the United States is entering a new phase. While the two countries have strengthened cooperation on semiconductors, critical minerals and Indo-Pacific security, Hanoi’s record trade surplus with Washington is testing the economic foundations of the

Asia

G7 leaders tackle reliance on China for critical minerals

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France, June 17 - G7 host France is pushing partners to agree a statement on critical minerals on Wednesday that could include measures to help the West reduce its reliance on China and shield investors from counter-measures and dumping, diplomats said.

Asia

All the ways Iran beat Trump into submission

After three months of war with two of the world’s most technologically and militarily advanced countries, Iran has proved far more resilient than anticipated. Indeed, strategically at least, Tehran appears to now have the upper hand in the conflict. How has this situation come

Asia