"The Saudi foreign minister's enormously ambitious task is to de-escalate tensions betweenPakistan and India.
Most countries, including those in the Middle East, have taken a firmly neutral stance and called for the cooling of hostilities.
There are two notable exceptions: Israel and Turkey.
Israel strongly backed India after the initial attack in April, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promising that "Israel stands with India in its fight against terrorism".
Turkey explicitly backed Pakistan on Wednesday and condemned India for taking "provocative steps" against the country and its civilians." EM
"U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday that India and Pakistan should de-escalate tensions, but he added that the U.S. cannot control the nuclear-armed Asian neighbors and a war between them would be "none of our business".
India is an important partner for Washington, which aims to counter China's rising influence, while Pakistan remains a U.S. ally despite its diminished importance after Washington's withdrawal from neighboring Afghanistan in 2021." MS
"The conflict between India and Pakistan continued on Thursday, with each side accusing the other of using drones to attack military targets in a major escalation of hostilities.
The Pakistani military claimed it was able to shoot down 25 of India’s Israeli-made Harop drones overnight. A civilian was reportedly killed, and several soldiers were injured, by debris from the destroyed drones.The Harop is a long-range drone that can “loiter” over a target site for hours, gathering information or attacking high-value targets by detonating their explosive payloads.
The Indian Armed Forces (IAF) is one of Israel’s major clients for drone technology. The IAF reportedly purchased dozens of Harop drones beginning in 2009, at a cost of around $10 million apiece, so if Pakistan really shot down 25 of them, it would represent a significant depletion of India’s drone capability.
Pakistan said the Indian drones went after military targets, including an air-defense radar system in Lahore. India’s “Operation Sindoor” strikes, launched on Tuesday night in response to a brutal April 22 terrorist attack in Kashmir, carefully refrained from hitting Pakistani military facilities to avoid escalation." Breitbart
"The minerals deal is now official and legally binding for Ukraine as on Thursday Ukraine's parliament voted in favor of ratifying thecontroversial resources agreement with the United States. This was a final key step in its adoption.
The Zelensky government is hoping this will more firmly secure future military assistance from Washington. The vote was unanimous: 338 Ukrainian lawmakers approved of ratifying it, and none opposed. Trump administration rhetoric toward Kiev has softened. For example, Trump is no longer demanding that Ukraine quickly move toward holding new presidential and parliamentary elections." ZeroHedge
"President Trump unveiled a U.S.-U.K. trade framework he called a "breakthrough," designed to lower trade barriers and expand market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, energy, and industrial goods. While the full details remain under negotiation, the deal promises expedited customs clearance for U.S. products entering the U.K. and retains the existing 10% universal tariff rate, with carveouts for steel, aluminum, and automobiles (reduced to zero).
"It's very conclusive and we think everyone's going to be happy," President Trump told reporters, adding, "Many countries want to make a deal, and many countries are very unhappy that we happened to choose this one." ZeroHedge
"Starting the last several months, and, in some cases, dating back several years, China has gone dark in reporting the following: land sales, foreign investment, unemployment numbers, business confidence, numbers of investors in financial markets, real estate valuation, retailsales, and even vital data on cremations so that health authorities have no idea what is going on. The bureaus have simply stopped reporting.
With the second largest economy, and widespread doubt about the country’s economic health, this is gravely concerning.
Close watchers have long raised doubts about China’s GDP data. We are told that the economy grew 5 percent last year, which would be extremely impressive. But such huge measures are subject to manipulation in every country but especially in one that has made the promise of extreme economic growth central to the power and permanent control by the CCP. Experts have suggested that growth rates have been exaggerated by 2 to 3 percentage points. China suddenly faces its own grave economic challenges, which could grow so substantially as to threaten even the political stability of the country. Right now, outside observers have been largely blinded as to how serious the situation has become. We just don’t have the data." ZeroHedge
"193 recorded combat engagements on the frontline, with Ukrainian Defense Forces repelling the highest number of Russian assaults in the Pokrovsk sector.
In the Kharkiv sector, Ukrainian forces repelled four Russian attacks near Vovchansk.
In the Kupiansk sector, there were also four enemy attacks near Synkivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Nova Kruhliakivka, and towards Novoosynove.In the Lyman sector, Russian forces launched 27 attacks near Nadiya, Novoyehorivka, Ridkodub, Hrekivka, Novomykhailivka, Kolodiazi, Zelena Dolyna, and Torske.
In the Siversk sector, the Ukrainian defenders repelled five enemy assaults near Bilohorivka and Fedorivka.
In the Kramatorsk sector, six engagements occurred near Chasiv Yar and Kurdiumivka.
In the Toretsk sector, the enemy attacked the Ukrainian positions nine times near Krymske and Toretsk.
In the Pokrovsk sector, the Ukrainian defenders stopped 71 assault and offensive actions by Russian forces near Oleksandropil, Yelyzavetivka, Hrodivka, Myroliubivka, Dachenske, Zvirove, Kotlyne, Udachne, Novooleksandrivka, Kotliarivka, Preobrazhenka, and Andriivka.
In the Novopavlivka sector, Ukraine’s forces repelled 28 Russian attacks near Rozlyv, Novosilka, Novopil, Pryvilne, Burlatske, and towards Odradne.
In the Orikhiv sector, the Ukrainian defenders repelled three enemy assaults near Stepove and Shcherbaky.
In the Prydniprovske sector, Russian forces made five unsuccessful attempts to advance.
In the Kursk sector, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 19 enemy attacks. The enemy also conducted nine airstrikes at Ukrainian positions and settlements using 17 guided bombs and carried out 274 artillery strikes, including six from multiple rocket launchers." Ukrin
"Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago was chosen by the College of Cardinals to be thenew pope of the Catholic Church, making him the first American pope in the Church’s 2,000-year history. The Chicago native chose the papal name Leo XIV. White smoke appeared above the Sistine Chapel at approximately 6:08 p.m. Rome time, followed by the chiming of the Vatican’s bells." Breitbart
