Western official and Iran officials says the ME nation’s Revolutionary Guards are tightening control over Tehran’s oil exports
Six specialists – Western officials and security experts as well as Iranian and trading sources – said the Guards control up to 50 per cent of Iran’s oil exports, a sharp increase from about 20 per cen three years ago. The sources declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Russia arrests, detains man it says was architect of chemical weapons chief Igor Kirillov assassination
In a video published by the Baza news outlet, which is known to have sources in Russian law-enforcement circles, the suspect is seen sitting in a van describing his actions. It was not clear under what conditions he was speaking and Reuters could not immediately verify the video’s authenticity.
Ukraine kills top Russian general in Moscow it accuses of chemical weapons crimes
Former president Dmitry Medvedev, now a senior Russian security official, was cited by the state RIA news agency as saying that Ukraine’s military and political leadership now faced imminent revenge for Kirillov’s murder.
High ranking Russian general accused by Kyiv of chemical weapon crimes killed by bomb in Moscow
Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out a string of targeted assassinations on its soil since the start of Moscow’s full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022.
Nuclear: Moscow vows to retaliate as Putin accuses West of pushing Russia to its ‘redlines’
Putin, who said Russian forces in Ukraine has taken control of 189 settlements so far this year, said Russia’s nuclear weapons were there for deterrence.
Russian missiles batter Ukraine’s embattled power grid to armtwist Kyiv into discussing peace
Russia launched 93 missiles, including one manufactured in North Korea and nearly 200 drones during the attack, Zelenskiy said. Air defences intercepted 81 of the missiles, including 11 shot down by F-16 fighter jets, he added.
France’s Macron to name new PM in coming days, blasts far-right and left-wing parties for uniting to create ‘a mess’
It was unclear if a new government will be in place before a ceremony on Saturday to reopen Notre-Dame Cathedral, which has been renovated after a devastating fire. World leaders including US President-elect Donald Trump are expected to attend.
President Macron to replace PM Michel Barnier as France’s political crisis deepens
The fall of France’s government leaves the country without a clear path towards reducing its fiscal deficit and the most likely outcome is less belt-tightening than previously planned, credit rating agency Standard and Poor’s (S&P) said.
French government on verge of collapse asr left, far-right no-confidence motions
The parties announced their no-confidence motions after Barnier said earlier on Monday that he would try to ram a social security bill through parliament without a vote as a last-minute concession proved insufficient to win RN’s support for the legislation.
British R&Bs icon Elton John loses eyesight, struggles to see his new stage musical
John wrote the score for ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ a stage musical based on the 2006 movie about a young journalist navigating the glamour and egos of a glossy fashion magazine.
