Middle East Diplomacy

World

Peace Talks Delayed, Then Drone Strike: Russian Attack Kills Ukrainian Miners Returning From Shift

A Russian drone strike targeted a bus carrying coal miners in central Ukraine, killing at least a dozen workers hours after Kyiv announced a postponement of diplomatic negotiations. The attack, condemned as a deliberate strike on civilians, marks one of the deadliest single incidents for Ukraine's energy sector since the invasion began.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

HSBC Doubles Down on Hong Kong Investment Banking Amid Strategic Pivot

HSBC Holdings is aggressively rebuilding its investment banking operations in Hong Kong and key Asian hubs, reallocating senior talent and capital to capture growth in IPOs and capital markets, as its strategic focus shifts decisively eastward.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Drone Strike on Miner Bus in Dnipro Kills 12 Amid Stalled Peace Talks

A Russian drone attack struck a bus carrying miners in Dnipro, killing at least a dozen workers. The assault comes as planned peace negotiations face delays, casting further doubt on diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year conflict.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

China's Pork Palate Shifts: Nostalgia and Premium Demand Drive Black Hog Revival

As China's pork industry grapples with overcapacity and falling prices, a growing appetite for premium, flavorful black pork among the middle class is offering a lifeline to farmers and reshaping market strategies.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Palantir Expands Industrial and Sovereign AI Footprint with HD Hyundai Partnership and EMEA Data Center Role

Palantir Technologies strengthens its position in industrial digital transformation and secure AI infrastructure through a broadened partnership with South Korea's HD Hyundai and a new role in developing sovereign AI data centers across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Jan 31, 2026

Business

Electricity Bills Set to Keep Climbing Through 2026, Experts Warn Relief Is Not on the Horizon

With rising demand, grid investments, and volatile fuel costs, electricity prices are outpacing wage growth, squeezing not just low-income but now middle-class households. Policy interventions face long lead times, leaving little hope for near-term bill relief.

Jan 30, 2026

World

ASEAN Holds Firm on Myanmar Peace Plan Despite Stalemate, Eyes Post-Election Engagement

As Southeast Asian foreign ministers gather in Cebu, ASEAN reaffirms its commitment to a stalled five-point peace consensus for Myanmar. While acknowledging the plan's failure to halt the civil war, Thai diplomats suggest recent elections—though widely criticized—could offer a new avenue for dialogue and humanitarian access.

Jan 30, 2026

US

Punxsutawney Phil Predicts Six More Weeks of Winter in 140th Annual Groundhog Day Spectacle

The famed Pennsylvania groundhog saw his shadow on Gobbler's Knob, forecasting a prolonged winter season as thousands braved the cold for the iconic ceremony, while meteorologists warn of ongoing cold spells across the eastern U.S.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Diplomatic Thaw Emerges as Iran Signals Readiness to Revive Nuclear Talks with U.S.

Amid a fragile de-escalation, Tehran confirms it is reviewing regional mediation proposals and expects a framework for renewed negotiations with Washington within days, though significant hurdles remain.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Nigeria Files 57 Terrorism Charges Over 2025 Yelwata Massacre That Left 150 Dead

Nine men face prosecution for one of Nigeria's deadliest rural attacks in recent years, as authorities seek to demonstrate action on persistent security crises in the volatile Middle Belt region.

Feb 2, 2026

World

U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff Heads to Israel for High-Stakes Talks on Iran, Gaza

Senior U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is set to arrive in Jerusalem for meetings with Prime Minister Netanyahu and military leaders, as Washington seeks to navigate escalating regional tensions with Iran and advance efforts to end the Gaza conflict.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Essar Commits $100 Million to Boost Gas Output from Key Indian CBM Field

Essar Oil and Gas Exploration & Production (EOGEPL) is injecting $100 million into its flagship Raniganj East CBM block in West Bengal, aiming to scale up domestic natural gas production and explore shale potential in a bid to reduce India's import reliance.

Feb 2, 2026

World

China Executes Four Over Deadly Myanmar Scam Empire, Intensifying Regional Crackdown

Chinese courts have executed four individuals convicted of running a multi-billion dollar scam and gambling network from Myanmar, responsible for multiple deaths. The move signals Beijing's escalating pressure on Southeast Asia's industrial-scale cybercrime hubs.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Pakistan's Military Intensifies Crackdown in Balochistan After Wave of Coordinated Attacks

Following a devastating series of insurgent assaults that left at least 33 dead, Pakistani security forces have launched a sweeping counter-operation, resulting in the deaths of 177 militants over 48 hours—a death toll not seen in decades, officials confirmed Monday.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Moscow Claims Capture of Prydorozhnie in Zaporizhzhia, Advancing Southern Front

Russian forces have reportedly seized the settlement of Prydorozhnie in southeastern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, according to a defense ministry statement. The claim, yet to be independently verified, marks the latest in a series of incremental territorial gains.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Iran Escalates Diplomatic Row, Summons EU Ambassadors Over Revolutionary Guard Terror Designation

Iran has summoned the ambassadors of all European Union member states in Tehran in a sharp diplomatic protest against the bloc's move to formally designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Civilian Bus Struck by Russian Drone in Dnipropetrovsk, Killing 12 Miners

A Russian drone attack on a bus carrying Ukrainian miners home from work has left at least 12 dead and 8 wounded, officials say, in what is being condemned as a deliberate strike on civilians.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Thai Heartland Reckoning: Rural Voters Rethink Loyalties, Threatening Pheu Thai's Populist Dominance

In Thailand's crucial northeast, a profound political realignment is underway. Farmers, disillusioned by unmet promises and economic hardship, are abandoning decades of party loyalty to back individual candidates, testing the foundations of the Shinawatra family's political machine ahead of pivotal elections.

Feb 2, 2026

World

China Executes Four in Myanmar-Linked Scam Syndicate, Widening Crackdown on Cross-Border Crime

Chinese authorities have executed four individuals convicted of running a multi-billion dollar telecom fraud and gambling network from Myanmar, responsible for six deaths. The move follows last week's execution of 11 others, signaling Beijing's intensifying campaign against organized cybercrime in Southeast Asia.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Khamenei Warns U.S. Attack on Iran Would Ignite Wider Regional Conflict

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has issued a stark warning that any U.S. military action against Tehran would escalate into a regional war, accusing Washington of coveting Iran's energy resources. The warning comes amid heightened tensions and internal unrest following deadly protests.

Feb 2, 2026