World politics

World politics

The updated constitution, introduced in March, also has a new clause defining North Korea's territory. It says this includes the area bordering China and Russia to the north, 'and the Republic of Korea to the south,' using South Korea's official name.

Avi Bluth, head of the Israeli military's Central Command, stated that Israeli soldiers can now shoot Palestinians on or below the knees when they approach the seam line, creating a deterrent effect he termed 'barrier consciousness.'

The lack of progress in diplomatic talks could continue to fuel safe-haven demand. At the same time, markets could remain cautious amid Japanese intervention to support the yen, which could weigh on the dollar to a certain extent.

The Royal Navy's preparations are being built around five key areas, he said, just one of which is the Hybrid Navy. This is a vision for a future fleet transformed into a mix of crewed, uncrewed and autonomous assets, comprising traditional air, surface and subsurface systems working with and alongside drones and other cutting-edge weapon systems.

The head of the University of Sydney's advanced carbon research lab, Prof Yuan Chen, states that the concept of avoiding petrochemicals is misaligned with scientific understanding, as almost all medical consumables come from petrochemical products.

High interest rates 'froze' housing markets and 'closed' construction markets, making stock markets super interest rate sensitive. Now, oil is becoming the primary economic lever.

Washington and its allies accused Beijing of detaining and holding up Panama-linked ships, claiming China's actions were a blatant attempt to politicise maritime trade.

Somalia's recent election to the African Union Peace and Security Council, alongside its membership in the United Nations Security Council, marks a turning point in its diplomatic trajectory. This shift reflects more than a procedural achievement; it signals the maturity of Somalia's diplomatic and security institutions, and the steady rebuilding of its international credibility after decades of conflict and state fragility.

In 2025, the five biggest military spenders were the United States ($954bn), China ($336bn), Russia ($190bn), Germany ($114bn) and India ($92bn), accounting for more than half (58 percent) of world military spending.