Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that New Delhi acknowledged before its Supreme Court that Katchatheevu belongs to Sri Lanka. Attorney General R. Venkataramani told the court last week that India did not intend to reopen the 1974 and 1976 agreements. Dissanayake cited this legal position as evidence of good bilateral relations. The island nation has long claimed sovereignty over the small island in the Palk Strait.
Anduril Industries will invest US$3.7 billion to build a software-defined shipyard. The facility aims to overhaul US submarine manufacturing capabilities. The project addresses urgent needs in naval industrial capacity within the Indo-Pacific region. A multibillion-dollar private initiative to overhaul US submarine manufacturing marks an urgent push to revitalize naval industrial capacity at a pivotal moment in the Indo-Pacific balance of power.
The Reserve Bank of India raised interest rates for the first time in four years. Governor Sanjay Malhotra acted amid high inflation and record lows for the rupee. The decision signals significant pressure on India's economic stability. It’s not often that events in Mumbai reverberate through global markets. But the Reserve Bank of India’s first interest rate hike in almost four years speaks volumes about the chaotic state of play.
Armed resistance in Afghanistan is becoming more geographically dispersed and organizationally distinct. This shift challenges the Taliban's claim of full control. The group governs all provincial capitals but faces growing internal opposition. International acceptance hinges on their ability to maintain order. Five years after seizing Kabul, the Taliban’s strongest argument for international acceptance rests on control. The Taliban governs every provincial capital and faces no conventional army capable of marching on Kabul.
Hurricane Isaias moved north on Sunday, leaving nearly 396,000 customers without power across the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama. The storm brought moderate to heavy rainfall to the central Appalachians and mid-Atlantic region. Authorities issued warnings for flash flooding that could extend into the Appalachian mountains. At least four deaths have been linked to the storm so far. At least four deaths linked to storm amid warnings of flash flooding that could stretch into AppalachiansAs what was left of Hurricane Isaias moved north on Sunday, bringing moderate to heavy rainfall across the central Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic region, nearly 396,000 customers across the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama remained without power.
Central Asian states are shifting military procurement away from Russia toward India, China, Turkey, and Europe. This diversification grants them greater political flexibility in negotiations with Moscow. Analysts warn that mixing equipment from multiple suppliers creates long-term logistical and operational challenges. The shift reflects a strategic move to reduce reliance on a single arms supplier. Central Asian nations are increasingly turning to India, China, Turkey, and Europe for military equipment to reduce their dependence on Russia.
Guinea-Bissau approved a trial withholding hepatitis B vaccines from newborns. Danish researchers will conduct the study. It aligns with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine vision. The decision allows the controversial research to proceed in the country. Recommended dose of hepatitis B vaccine will be withheld from thousands of newborns by Danish researchersA controversial research trial that will withhold hepatitis B vaccines from some African newborns was given approval to move forward this week. It is a central part of the vaccine vision for Robert F Kennedy Jr, the secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and a longtime.
A Starlink trial in Italy connected a smartphone to the internet without mobile coverage or external antennas. The test drew attention in Iran. Iranian authorities heavily filter internet access. They imposed a near-total blackout during the January protests. A Starlink trial on an Italian hilltop connected an ordinary smartphone to the Internet without mobile coverage, a satellite dish, or an external antenna.
Millions of Afghans struggle to afford basic food. Some have turned to selling a healthy kidney to survive. The financial gain is often modest and fails to clear family debts. One woman reported her health deteriorated significantly after the procedure. As millions of Afghans struggle just to afford food, some have turned to selling one of their last remaining resources: a healthy kidney.
Crisis Group analysts track global conflicts and crises weekly. They highlight under-reported trends and major developments. Field experts explain why specific hotspots matter. The report outlines necessary actions for each monitored region. On Our Radar scans conflicts and crises around the globe every week and features some of the hotspots Crisis Group’s analysts are closely watching. Whether an under-reported trend or a headline-grabbing development, our field experts explain why it matters or what should be done.
Oil and gas prices drive the U. S.-Israeli war with Iran. Washington seeks lower prices while Tehran aims to keep them high. Five market developments could influence whether fighting escalates or de-escalates. Energy costs remain central to the conflict's trajectory. Oil, gas and fuel prices are central to the U. With both sides determined to prevail, five market-shaping developments in particular could affect whether fighting ramps up or de-escalates.
Sky News correspondent Yousra Elbagir reports from inside Sudan's war. She covers areas around El Obeid and El Fasher. The discussion details how civilians survive the ongoing conflict. The episode also explores potential paths to ending the war. In this episode of The Horn, Alan speaks with Yousra Elbagir, Sky News’s Africa correspondent, about her reporting from inside Sudan’s war, including around El Obeid and El Fasher, how Sudanese are surviving the war and how the war could end.
Crisis Group's Africa director Murithi Mutiga discusses renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia. She analyzes how the conflict might unfold. The conversation covers risks of regional escalation. Diplomacy remains a potential tool to prevent all-out war. This week on Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group’s Africa director Murithi Mutiga about renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia, how the conflict could unfold, the risks of regional escalation and whether diplomacy can still stop the slide into all-out war.
Representative Brian Fitzpatrick is forcing a House vote on legislation to block Russian oil purchases. This move directly challenges President Donald Trump's decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel exports. Lawmakers warn the policy shift could help finance Moscow's war against Ukraine. The procedural maneuver tests the limits of congressional authority over executive trade decisions. Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick plans to force a House vote on legislation blocking Russian oil purchases, challenging President Donald Trump's decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel exports as lawmakers warn the move could help finance Moscow's war against Ukraine.
Dozens of CIA officers have reported debilitating symptoms over the past decade. The condition, known as Havana syndrome, remains unexplained. Officials have not confirmed whether the incidents stem from mass hysteria or targeted energy weapon attacks. Dozens of CIA officers have been afflicted by debilitating symptoms over the past decade. Are they the result of ‘mass hysteria’? Or are they from attacks with an energy weapon and, if so, who is responsible?
Belarus will remove contaminated status from 177 cities and towns on January 1, 2027. This change affects 566,400 people. The land was contaminated by the 1986 nuclear accident in Soviet Ukraine. A total of 930,600 people live in the affected territory. A recent announcement that 177 cities, towns and villages will lose their “contaminated” status on January 1, 2027 affects some 566,400 people from a total of 930,600 living on Belarusian territory that was contaminated by the 1986 nuclear accident in Soviet Ukraine.
India exported Akash missile systems to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh confirmed the deals. Central Asian states seek alternative suppliers. This move counters Russia's waning dominance. It also addresses Sino-Indian rivalry. A flurry of landmark arms deals is reshaping Central Asia’s strategic landscape, as regional states leverage alternative defense suppliers to assert their sovereignty amid Russia’s waning dominance and an intensifying Sino-Indian rivalry.
