By Mikael Nordstrom
Stockholm-based correspondent covering defence, NATO, the Arctic and Europe looking outward.
Inside Gaza's Hunger Crisis: Aid Drops 37% as Funding Runs Dry
Aid deliveries to Gaza have fallen by 37% since the October 2025 ceasefire, leaving 1.6 million people facing acute food insecurity. Communi
Iran's World Cup Team Gets State Send-Off Amid US Visa Uncertainty
Iran's football team received a state-organized farewell in Tehran, featuring anti-US chants and Hezbollah flags. Players and officials face
Unidentified Vessel Seized Off UAE Coast, Heads Toward Iranian Waters, UK Agency Reports
A vessel was taken by unknown personnel near the UAE coast and is now bound for Iranian territorial waters. The UKMTO is investigating, as r
Iran Conflict Drives US Inflation to 3.8% as Petrol Costs Surge 28%
US consumer prices rose 3.8% in April, driven by a 28% surge in petrol costs linked to the Iran war. Real wages fell for the first time in t
Iran Threatens Weapons-Grade Enrichment as Ceasefire with US Nears Collapse
Iranian officials threaten to enrich uranium to weapons-grade 90% if the US resumes military strikes. The ceasefire, brokered in April, is o
Iran Executes Young Aerospace Engineer Erfan Shakourzadeh on Espionage Charges
Iran executed Erfan Shakourzadeh, a 29-year-old aerospace engineer, on Monday for alleged spying for the CIA and Mossad. He claimed his conf
Trump Heads to Beijing for Talks on Iran and Trade in First China Visit Since 2017
US President Donald Trump will visit China from May 13 to 15, his first state visit there since 2017. Talks with President Xi Jinping will f
Israeli Strikes Kill 39 in Lebanon as Ceasefire with Hezbollah Unravels
Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon killed at least 39 people on Saturday, including a girl and a Syrian father. Hezbollah responded wit
Portuguese Businessman Found Dead Inside Crocodile in South Africa
Gabriel Batista, a Portuguese businessman, disappeared on 27 April after his vehicle was swept away while crossing a partially submerged bri
ADB Warns Pacific Growth at Risk as Energy and Fertiliser Costs Bite
Pacific economic growth may slow from 4.2% in 2025 to as low as 2.0% in 2026, the ADB warns. Small island states like Tonga spend over 10% o
Israeli Airstrike Kills Hezbollah Commander in Beirut Suburbs, Breaking Ceasefire
An Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs killed a senior Hezbollah commander, the first attack on the area in nearly a month. At le
US Military Strikes Iranian Tanker as Trump Pushes for Nuclear Deal
US forces disabled an Iranian-flagged tanker in the Gulf of Oman, enforcing a blockade. Trump says talks are progressing but threatens bombi