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Description: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have captured two cargo vessels in the Strait of Hormuz using speedboats. The Liberian – flagged Epaminondas and the Panama – flagged MSC Francesca were rerouted to Iranian territorial waters for inspection. The attack arrives after the US also captured another Iranian ship on the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz and in the midst of a recently extended ceasefire. Conflicting reports showed that Trump flirted with the idea of cutting the ceasefire short on Sunday or within the next week if a concise response is not solicitated from the Iranians. The Strait of Hormuz remains an immediate point of confliction where either s
Description: Having repaired the Druzhba pipeline, Ukraine officials stated that oil should be flowing promptly from Russia to Slovakia and Hungary, ensuring the 90 billion euros EU loan goes forward. Hungary under Orban has been strongly opposed to the loan, blaming Ukraine of energy blackmail in cahoots with the European Union. Russia stated that it plans of cutting oil flow to Germany passing through the Druzhba pipeline from Kazakhstan from 01 May potentially as a sign of restraining Europe energetically in times of global energy crisis. Ukrainian officials have stated that two thirds of the 90 billion euros would be spent on defense while one third on other expenses rel
Description: According to the latest UN report on the civil war in Sudan, the Libyan National Army (LNA) under the command of General Khalifa Haftar as well as militias loyal to Haftar, such as the Subul al – Salam Battalion (SSB), supported the Sudanese paramilitary group, RSF, with weapons and equipment. LNA and SSB were also responsible for enabling Colombian mercenaries to enter Sudan via the air base located in Kufra in the tristate border area between Sudan, Libya and Egypt. The UAE was also mentioned to have provided direct financial support, equipment and weapons to the RSF in the UN report, which was already know, however, the UAE maintained its denial policy toward
Description: South Korea’s president, Lee Jae Myung met with Vietnamese leader, To Lam, in Hanoi, where they signed 12 memorandums of understanding for enhancing cooperation on nuclear energy, security and high – tech development. The leaders are aiming to expand industrial cooperation as South Korea is Vietnam’s largest foreign investor, having multiple manufacturing companies operating in the country. The leaders also discussed close cooperation in the semiconductor industry with South Korea’s Samsung potentially expanding its area of operations in Vietnam. Impact: South Korea and Vietnam are likely to expand their energy and technological partnership in a
Description: US president Donald Trump announced late on Tuesday that upon receiving an official request from Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, he indefinitely extended the ceasefire with Iran in order for Pakistan to continue its mediation efforts. The announcement accommodated the Pakistani mediators while being rejected by Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, who stated that the US is employing an elaborate postponement to rearm and prepare for a surprise attack. He also added that Iran never requested an extension of the ceasefire and it was a unilateral decision made by the American president. Several attacks on m
Description: In its most serious reversal of domestic policy, Japan’s government has lifted the ban on lethal weapons, allowing the country to produce and export military equipment ranging from naval destroyers, drones, missiles, and fighter jets. Prime minister Sanae Takaichi stated that Japan would remain in a self – defensive posture, however, it would increase its capability to defend itself and develop the country’s military industrial complex. The move reversed eight decades of pacifist constitutional policy which obliged the country not to develop or export lethal weapons. The policy measure arrives as Japan concluded a historic $6.5 billion defense agreement to devel
Description: Myanmar’s military president, General Min Aung Hlaing, invited rebel groups such as the Karen National Union, the Chin National Front and the All-Burma Students’ Democratic Front to join a potential peace framework which is expected within the next 100 days. Hlaing stated that rebel groups in the country would have more than 3 months to officially join multilateral negotiations which would be led in the framework of peace, economic and infrastructure development for ending the civil war in the country. The National Unity Government, the leading anti – military group in the country, renounced the proposal and stated that alongside another rebel group, the People’
Description: Romanian prime minister, Ilie Bolojan, faces a potential no confidence vote after the leftist Social Democrat party threatened to withdraw 6 ministers out of the ruling four party coalition. Bolojan faces increased scrutiny over the proposed austerity measures and tax increases aimed to decrease Romania’s surging budget deficit of 9%, one of the highest among European Union members. The far – right Alliance for Uniting Romanians, led by George Simion, who lost the presidential elections at the end of last year to Nicusor Dan, also threatened to file a no confidence motion against Bolojan’s government. Protracted political crisis could block Romania’s 11 billion
Description: Cuba’s foreign ministry’s under director of Cuba – US affairs, Alejandro Garcia, confirmed that Cuban officials met with representatives from the US State Department in Havana, including meetings with Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, grandson of the former president Raul Castro. The negotiations focused on the US oil blockade of the island country following the capture of the Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro earlier this year. The meeting also arrives as Cuban president Miguel Diaz Canel exchanged threats with US president Trump who threatened to invade the island if Cuba failed to agree to US conditions to lift the oil blockade. The island has been grappled
Description: Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, stated that Iran would not negotiate under threats or duress and currently the Islamic Republic is still deliberating whether to send a delegation to Islamabad for the second round of peace talks with the US. Tensions escalated with the double blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and especially after US Marines seized the Iranian vessel in the Omani part of the Strait of Hormuz. Pakistan intensified security measures in the capital awaiting the US and Iranian delegations as diplomatic efforts intensified over the past couple of weeks. Turkey also expressed optimism that both sides would determine that diplomatic engagement i