Burnham slammed for backing Starmer's war policyIn his first pronouncement on foreign policy and the military build-up, Mr Burnham emphasised backing for the continuing Ukraine conflict and support for the escalating arms bill. He also failed to mention Palestine or the crisis in Gaza at all in the article, which appeared in The Times, despite claiming he would be “guided by our values.” He also pledged to retain Jonathan Powell as national security adviser in No 10.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/burnham-slammed-backing-starmers-war-policyUK Labour government rams through authoritarian National Security BillThe Commons passed the Bill unopposed after agreeing to six amendments proposed by the House of Lords supposedly meant to safeguard against its extraordinary attacks on press freedoms and the activities of NGOs, without addressing the equally chilling impact on anti-war and anti-genocide protests.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2026/07/09/ksbb-j09.htmlRussia's Saratov oil refinery at a halt since Wednesday's drone attack, sources sayRussia's Saratov oil refinery stopped oil processing on Wednesday following damage from a drone attack, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Ukraine has increased attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure in recent months to try to undermine Moscow's war effort.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russias-saratov-oil-refinery-halt-since-wednesdays-drone-attack-sources-say-2026-07-09/ Turkey brokers intra-Somalia talks as federal rifts test Ankara’s influence Turkey brokered a first round of talks this week between Somalia’s federal government and opposition representatives in a bid to break a deepening political impasse over the country’s constitutional reforms. The two-day talks, held in Mogadishu on Tuesday and Wednesday, brought together “representatives of the Federal Government of Somalia and opposition representatives,” according to an official Somali statement released by the country’s state broadcaster.
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/07/turkey-brokers-intra-somalia-talks-federal-rifts-test-ankaras-influenceCould a new Jewish-Arab party split the anti-Netanyahu vote?A Place for Us All, founded by activists from the grassroots movement Standing Together, says it aims to attract younger voters, women and politically disengaged Israelis who have lost faith in existing parties. Its founders have argued that the party can expand the electorate by bringing new voters into politics rather than drawing support away from existing opposition parties.
https://www.newarab.com/news/could-new-jewish-arab-party-split-anti-netanyahu-vote Iran fast-tracks 11 million barrels of oil as Trump threatens blockade The vessels were dispatched immediately after a second day that US military strikes targeted civilian infrastructure like railway bridges, killing 14 people and injuring 78, leaving 47 in hospital, according to Iranian health ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour. The renewed strikes threaten to shatter the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, bringing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to a cautious standstill.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iran-fast-tracks-11-million-barrels-oil-trump-threatens-blockadeMexico investigates whether US lied about role in capture of drug lord“If recent reports are confirmed,” said the Mexico attorney general, Ernestina Godoy, on Wednesday, “then all signs point to three serious issues: a series of violations of Mexican and international law; a pact made outside the bounds of the law; and a lie told by a US diplomat, which would constitute a breach of the cornerstone principle of good faith in diplomatic relations.” “The issue here is whether there was a violation of sovereignty,” said the president, Claudia Sheinbaum, at a news conference on Thursday.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/09/mexico-drug-lord-arrest-sinaloa-cartel-investigationVenezuela: Acting President Rodríguez Meets Israeli MissionFor its part, the IDF indicated that its engineering personnel delivered a “national rehabilitation” plan to the Venezuelan government. Photos published on social media showed Brigadier General Elad Edri, chief of staff of the IDF Home Front Command, presenting a slide show titled “Project for the Reconstruction of the Future” with Venezuelan and Israeli flags. The Israeli Foreign Ministry added that, at Rodríguez’s request, its delegation will stay in the Caribbean nation for two additional weeks to “begin implementing the reconstruction plan prepared by Israeli experts.”
https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuela-acting-president-rodriguez-meets-israeli-mission/Milei’s allied governors open door to suspension of PASO primaries The debate over the future of Argentina’s Open, Simultaneous and Mandatory Primaries, or PASO, has once again taken centre stage. The government is pushing for an electoral reform that would eliminate the primaries, but the bill has not yet been sent to Congress and is already causing friction between allied and opposition governors. Negotiations are now being led by newly installed Cabinet Chief Diego Santilli, who has been holding talks with provincial governors to gather the support needed before the bill reaches Congress.
https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/mileis-allied-governors-open-door-to-suspension-of-paso-primaries.phtmlhttps://archive.ph/EBiKWSome health workers in Congo’s Ebola outbreak go on strike over pay issues as deaths near 600In Ituri province, the hardest hit among the three provinces in eastern Congo affected by the outbreak, some of the health professionals and other front-line workers told The Associated Press they’ve not been paid their wages and bonuses since the outbreak was declared on May 15. They also alleged they were working with limited gear, and were being treated unfairly by authorities as well as response teams.
https://apnews.com/article/congo-ebola-healthworkers-ituri-bunia-strike-pay-159288cd2a4be74e6cd61255e0f12044Ethiopian PM says Sudan, Eritrea and TPLF pose no threat to EthiopiaEthiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has dismissed concerns over an alleged alliance between Sudan, Eritrea and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), insisting the grouping poses no threat to Ethiopia’s sovereignty.
https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/ethiopian-pm-says-sudan-eritrea-and-tplf-pose-no-threat-to-ethiopiaFurore in Nigeria over fake federal agency set up in government HQThe fake agency came to light last October when Femi Gbajabiamila, the president’s chief of staff, wrote to the police alleging that his signature, along with official seals and reference numbers, had been forged by Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who was claiming to have been appointed by the presidency to head the presidential foreign intervention promotion council (PFIPC).
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/09/bola-tinubu-under-pressure-fake-nigerian-government-agency-political-storm