Geopolitics

Geopolitics: wars, alliances, sanctions, trade and the decisions between governments that shape the world.

1271 articles · page 13 of 27

Geopolitics

Australians warned to avoid Riyadh airport after deadly Houthi strikes

Australia has warned its citizens to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia and avoid King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, after a missile attack claimed by Iran-backed Houthi rebels killed 12 people and wounded more than 300. The advisory, issued Sunday by Smartraveller, urges Australians not to depart for the airport until flights are confirmed with airlines and to minimise time at the terminal.

· 4 sources
Geopolitics

US slaps sanctions on International Criminal Court after former judge wins Nobel Peace Prize

The Trump administration has imposed sanctions targeting the International Criminal Court, hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the measures are designed to cripple the court's operations, escalating a long-running dispute over the ICC's jurisdiction and its arrest warrants against Israeli and Russian leaders.

Geopolitics

Oil tanker captains paid up to $143,000 monthly to navigate Strait of Hormuz as attacks escalate

Oil tanker captains in the Persian Gulf are being paid up to $US100,000 (about $143,000) a month to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran and the United States continue to impose separate blockades of the critical waterway. Industry insiders and maritime unions say the huge sums are being used to persuade seafarers to run the strait despite a recent wave of attacks from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on vessels attempting to pass the dangerous choke-point.

· 2 sources
Geopolitics

Dozens wounded in third Houthi strike on Riyadh airport as flights remain suspended

A third Houthi missile attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport has left dozens wounded, according to witnesses and hospital sources, prompting the complete suspension of all flights to and from the Saudi capital. The strike on Saturday came without warning and marked the deadliest day in the kingdom in over a decade, with at least 12 people killed and more than 300 injured across this week's three attacks.

· 3 sources
Geopolitics

Riyadh Airport Attack Kills 12, Trump Weighs US Intervention

A second missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 12 people and wounded over 300 on Saturday, prompting US President Donald Trump to signal he is actively evaluating whether the United States should join Saudi Arabia's military campaign against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen. The strike struck a complex housing domestic terminals and suspended all airport operations.

· 7 sources
Geopolitics

US hosts 'productive' Miami talks on ending Russia-Ukraine war as Putin casts doubt

US, Ukrainian and European officials met in Miami for what US envoy Steve Witkoff described as "constructive discussions" on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, even as Russian President Vladimir Putin told US President Donald Trump that a resumption of negotiations is unlikely. The talks covered security guarantees, energy resilience, grain exports and post-war reconstruction, against a backdrop of deadly Russian strikes on Ukraine.

Geopolitics

Documentary 'NAZA' Exposes Israeli Military's Civilian Casualty Protocols in Gaza

A new documentary by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor features anonymous interviews with two dozen Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers who speak candidly about the killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Titled NAZA, an acronym for the number of civilian deaths deemed acceptable to eliminate a single Hamas member, the film has generated widespread discussion since its premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

· 3 sources
Geopolitics

UK and Australia reject Trump-Putin diesel deal as Zelenskyy says strikes were Russia's 'thanks'

The UK has joined Australia in rejecting Donald Trump's deal with Vladimir Putin for Russian diesel supplies, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a deadly wave of Russian strikes was Moscow's 'thanks' for the agreement. The British defence secretary spoke out as Trump faced growing criticism at home over a deal that appears to contradict the US sanctions law he signed three weeks ago.

· 13 sources
Geopolitics

US sanctions ICC as an institution, giving it 180 days before full impact

The Trump administration has imposed sweeping financial sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), targeting the tribunal itself rather than individual officials and banning US transactions with the court after a six-month grace period. The court condemned the measures as an assault on the rule of law, and the move drew immediate criticism from allies. The announcement landed hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay received the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

· 10 sources
Geopolitics

Ukraine's 1,000-drone blitz hits Russian energy and tech as 'energy ceasefire' collapses

Ukraine launched one of its largest aerial bombardments of the war, using more than 1,000 drones to strike Russian oil depots, logistics centres and data hubs overnight. The attack came as a Trump-declared 'energy ceasefire' quickly unravelled, with Kyiv accusing Moscow of continuing strikes on Ukraine's power grid and US President Donald Trump pausing a new sanctions package on Russia.

· 7 sources
Geopolitics

Hezbollah's decision to join Gaza war has permanently weakened its political standing, analysts say

Hezbollah's decision to join the war on Israel on October 8, 2023, in support of Palestinians has fundamentally reshaped Lebanese politics and left the group politically weakened, according to analysts. The move set off a chain of events that culminated in the September 2024 pager attack, the assassination of much of its leadership, and the election of a president and government that have taken a much stronger line against the once-dominant group.