China is fast-tracking J-35 stealth jets to Islamabad.

Source: Dawn

Chinese Prof. Zhang Weiwei on Taiwan and Gulf countries:

These Gulf states spent so much money building American bases… and when trouble broke out, the Americans led the retreat.

They spent so much money and got played for fools, then kept getting hit by Iran over and over.

Trump still claims to have won. He always claims victory — but in reality, he’s long been beaten black and blue.

He never imagined things would turn out this humiliating.

I believe that people in Taiwan, when they look at the real situation, will see it clearly.

Hopefully they've also learned a lesson from this Iran conflict.

New cover of The Economist.

“Never interrupt your enemy when he’s making a mistake.”

Chaos Erupts at Zimbabwe Hearing on President Term Extension

Zimbabwe hearing in Harare on extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term form 5 to 7 years turned violent, with popular critics attacked amid proposed reforms to shift presidential elections to parliament.

READ MORE

“How the Iran War Cracked Dubai’s Liberal Facade”

TIME reports that while Dubai brands itself as “the safest city in the world,” the Iran war has exposed a harsher reality.

After Iranian drone and missile strikes, authorities imposed sweeping censorship and arrests under cybercrime laws.

Even survivors who shared photos privately were detained. One expat says:

“The UAE is so much about public perception and they’re trying to protect that image.”

Officials argue sharing footage could create “a false impression of the country’s actual situation,” but rights groups say the crackdown has been broad and “draconian.”

Despite marketing itself as a carefree oasis, the war has shattered the illusion of invulnerability.

As one critic put it:

“Had they simply focused on defending the country… they would have come out looking praiseworthy.”

Instead, censorship and arrests may have caused lasting reputational damage — testing whether residents will accept “more of a dictatorship than the West” so long as safety remains intact.

Discussions are taking place about a possible ceasefire with Iran in return for the reopening of the Hormuz Strait.

The officials said it is unclear if a deal can be reached.

Source: Barak Ravid

A 99-year-old Iranian woman was reportedly killed in U.S.–Israeli airstrikes in western Tehran.

The U.S. has lost 16 MQ-9 Reaper drones since the Iran war began, including two near Isfahan this week.

Each Reaper costs around $30 million — making the losses potentially worth nearly $500 million.

Source: CBS

West Bank Shops Close to Protest Death Penalty Bill for Palestinian Prisoners

Israel’s Knesset approved death penalty for Palestinian pisoners, triggerring a West Bank strike Wednesday amid global condemnation. Rights groups warn the descriminatory bill violates international law & deepens tensions in occupied Palestinian territories.

READ MORE

JD Vance has been communicating with Pakistani intermediaries about the Iran conflict, signaling that Trump is open to a ceasefire if U.S. demands (like reopening the Strait of Hormuz) are met.

He also warned Iran that failure to agree could lead to increased pressure on its infrastructure.

Pakistan is acting as a go-between, and Vance is taking a growing role in negotiations as the conflict enters its fifth week.

Source: Reuters

Armenia's Pashinyan to Putin:

Armenia is not participating in the work of the CSTO because the authorities cannot explain to the Armenian people why the organization did not intervene in the situation in Karabakh.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei:

I emphatically declare that the consistent policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, following on the path of Imam Khomeini and the martyred Leader, is to continue supporting the Resistance against the Zionist-US enemy.

NEW: Concerns are growing that Trump may settle for Iran war’s achievements and declare it over.

Source: Israeli Broadcasting Authority, citing an Israeli source

📸 Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa met King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, where they discussed strengthening UK–Syria cooperation.

King Charles expressed support for Syria and the Syrian people’s efforts to rebuild the country.

BREAKING: Trump threatened to stop weapons for Ukraine unless Europe joined Hormuz coalition.

Source: FT

BIG: Switzerland is threatening to cancel its U.S. Patriot missile defense order and has already stopped payments, because the U.S. pushed Swiss deliveries back.

It worries the Patriot dispute could also mess up its much bigger F-35 fighter jet purchase and even other U.S. weapons/support contracts.

Source: Breaking Defense

Chinese firms are reselling surplus LNG — including cargoes linked to Russian projects — at two to three times the original purchase price, exporting record volumes to Asian buyers such as Japan, despite Tokyo’s sanctions on Russian energy.

Source: Reuters

The Pentagon is sending 18 more A-10 Thunderbolt II planes to the Middle East, doubling its fleet there.

Source: NYT

Trump:

We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow “Birthright” Citizenship!

A dense wave of African dust swept across Crete, Greece, reducing visibility and disrupting flights.

A former Trump envoy, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, has joined the advisory board of Powerus, a U.S. startup working with Ukrainian drone companies to supply tech to the U.S. military.