Africa
UK urges Ethiopia and Eritrea to de-escalate, saying it opposes any action that breaches a neighbour’s border
In a statement dated 15 October, the UK government voiced great concern over the Horn of Africa, opposed any breach…
Desk
Politics & Diplomacy
Political and diplomatic developments, international relations, agreements, negotiations and official statements shaping global affairs.
Asia-Pacific
CICA summit in Baku admits Laos as a member and adopts the Baku Declaration
Leaders at the 7th CICA summit on 15 October approved Laos as a new member and adopted the Baku Declaration,…
Asia-Pacific
Philippines: Marcos to summon Chinese ambassador over “if we wanted to use force, we would win easily” – Beijing warns on the South China Sea
Philippine President Marcos will discuss with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan his remark that China “would easily win” if it wanted…
Middle East & North Africa
Iran to Saudi Arabia: “We reject every claim of a role in Yemen’s operations” – and offers new mediation
Iran rejected Saudi Arabia's accusation that it encourages the Houthis' escalation against the kingdom, while repeating its offer of good…
Middle East & North Africa
Trump: “Israel has helped Saudi Arabia a lot” – normalisation under the Abraham Accords on the table “maybe more than ever”
Trump said he believes Saudi Arabia would accept Israel's offer of help against the Houthis and that normalisation under the…
Politics & Diplomacy
Trump enforces and “freezes” the Graham Act’s Russia sanctions and tariffs on the same day – “in the national interest”
Trump signed an executive order implementing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 and, in the…
Europe
EU tells UN First Committee the NPT is the ‘cornerstone’ of non-proliferation, warns on New START expiry and Russian nuclear rhetoric
Speaking for the EU and its member states, Klemen Polak urged the US and Russia to keep New START limits,…
Middle East & North Africa
Netanyahu: a “very short and very blunt” conversation with al-Sharaa – the first public contact between Israeli and Syrian leaders, and Damascus’s reply
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu revealed he spoke by phone with Syrian President al-Sharaa during the July 2025 clashes in Sweida.…
Politics & Diplomacy
Starshield: the order to “slow down” service to Ukraine came from the White House, Reuters reports – Trump: “It wasn’t me” – Zelensky: speeds not yet restored
Reuters reports that the order to limit SpaceX's Starshield service for Ukraine's military came from inside the White House. Trump…
Europe
Germany’s Bundestag opens debate on a reserve law that ends “double voluntariness” and targets 200,000 reservists by 2033
The Reserve Strengthening Act would let the Bundeswehr require reservists to serve, with a target of at least 200,000 by…
Politics & Diplomacy
UN First Committee turns to confidence-building on nuclear risk as US, China, Iran and Israel trade positions
On 16 October the UN General Assembly’s First Committee heard proposals to revive confidence-building measures, while the US, China, France,…
Balkans
European Council calls enlargement a “geostrategic investment” and backs work on Montenegro’s accession treaty
In conclusions adopted in Brussels on 16 October, EU leaders say enlargement is a geostrategic investment, keep the process merit-based…