#regional-security

#regional-security

Chancellor Friedrich Merz is on a three-day visit to the Gulf region as Germany seeks closer partnerships on business, energy and security. DW has the latest. Merz met with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Thursday Image: Kay Nietfeld/dpa/picture alliance Skip next section What you need to know Chancellor Friedrich Merz is in Doha on his second stop of a three-day visit to the Gulf region On Wednesday, Merz met with the Saudi Crown Prince seeking 'new level' in ties

Abdoulaye Diop, the foreign minister of Mali, hosted a senior US official on Monday to chart a "new course" in relations between the United States and the junta-led nation. Nick Checker, who heads the US State Department's Bureau of African Affairs, reaffirmed Washington's respect for Mali's sovereignty. Ahead of Checker's visit, the bureau posted on X that the United States also looked forward to "consulting with other governments in the region, including Burkina Faso and Niger, on shared security and economic interests."

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warns that attacking Iran would be wrong and says Tehran is ready to return to negotiations. He urges a step-by-step diplomatic approach and cautions against escalation.

"Both sides agreed on "shuttle diplomacy" three years ago, with regular meetings at the highest level. Lee's national security adviser, Wi Sung Lac, said the summit's goal was to build trust between the South Korean and Japanese leaders. Lee and Takaichi discussed ways to boost cooperation in a raft of areas including cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, combating cross-border crime, and promoting people-to-people exchanges."

Trump initially wrote on his Truth Social platform, warning Iran that if it "violently kills peaceful protesters," the United States "will come to their rescue." At least seven people have been killed so far in violence surrounding the demonstrations, sparked in part by the collapse of Iran's rial currency. "We are locked and loaded and ready to go," Trump wrote, without elaborating.

Beijing has carried out its biggest-ever military drills off the self-governed island. China has launched more rockets as it continues its huge live-fire exercises off Taiwan. The drills, which Beijing named Justice Mission 2025, are widely seen as a show of force as China seeks to assert its claim that Taiwan is part of its sovereign territory. list of 3 itemsend of list

While Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this year achieved his dream of dragging the US into a military confrontation with Iran, it came at a steep and unprecedented cost for Israel. Seeing Netanyahu beg Donald Trump to be bailed out from a quagmire, a rising number of Americans openly acknowledge that Israel is not an ally but a liability. In September, the US's Arab allies also reached the conclusion that we Iranians have always underscored: Israel's recklessness is a threat to all.

Last week, Israel became the first country to formally recognise the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state. Israel described the move as being in the spirit of the United States-brokered Abraham Accords, which normalised ties between Israel and several Arab countries. We further note with deep concern reports that this recognition may serve as a pretext for the forced relocation of Palestinians to Northwestern Somalia, Somalia's letter to the UNSC stated.

Authorities in Nigeria said on Tuesday that the plane had made an unplanned stop at the Bobo-Dioulasso airport in accordance with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols due to a technical concern on its way to Portugal for a ferry mission. Ehimen Ejodame, a spokesperson for the Nigerian air force, neither confirmed nor denied comments about authorisation, or the lack of it, to make the landing but said an investigation into the incident was continuing.

Israeli attack on refugee camp in Lebanon opens very dangerous door

Japan's postwar constitution forbids it from using force as a means of settling international disputes but a 2015 law passed when Takaichi's mentor, Shinzo Abe, was prime minister permits it to exercise collective self-defence in certain situations, even if it is not directly under attack. China's ruling Communist party claims Taiwan is a province and has vowed to annex it by military force if it can't convince or coerce Taiwan to accept what it calls reunification.

Known colloquially as the "Chicken's Neck," the Siliguri Corridor is a narrow 22-kilometer strip linking mainland India to its seven northeastern states. Sandwiched between Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and China, it remains one of India's most sensitive geopolitical chokepoints. According to media reports this week, India's military has reinforced its eastern frontier by establishing three fully operational garrisons at strategic points around the Siliguri Corridor near the India-Bangladesh border.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, capping an extraordinary period for the 42-year-old rebel-turned-ruler. Little under a year ago, al-Sharaa led Islamist fighters from Syria's northwest in a lightning offensive that toppled Bashar Assad after 14 years of civil war. What was on the agenda for Trump and Sharaa? This week's talks, the first ever between a Syrian president and a US leader in Washington, were said to be centered on regional security.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he has granted South Korea the approval to to build a nuclear-powered submarine in the United States. The remarks come as Trump is in South Korea, where he met with President Lee Jae Myung. Trump's announcement also came ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. China is also in possession of nuclear submarines.

I would. If you want to put out the word, I'm open to it. I had a great relationship with him.

China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with [North Korea] in international and regional affairs, oppose all forms of hegemonism, and safeguard the common interests of both sides and international fairness and justice

They include an arms embargo, asset freezes and travel bans, and nuclear, missile and banking sanctions that are expected to impact all sectors of the beleaguered Iranian economy, as most of over 90 million people pay the price over the coming months. The sanctions are binding for all member states, to be enforced using nonmilitary measures. Iran's turbulent regional situation has some fearing more military strikes by Israel and the United States,

In less than a fortnight, Israel brought to its knees a major regional adversary, geographically nearly 75 times its size and 1,000 miles away. As we learned on a recent trip to Israel with the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, Israel-with crucial U.S. support-crippled Iran's nuclear and missile capabilities, dismantled its air defenses, and decapitated its command and control. At the Pentagon's request, Israeli pilots cleared the way for U.S. B-2 bombers.

The Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) Joint Defence Council held an emergency session in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday, to discuss urgent regional security measures in response to the recent Israeli strike on a Hamas office in Qatar's capital, which killed six people. GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi said the attack on the State of Qatar can be considered an attack on all GCC countries.

The Chinese embassy in Papua New Guinea said it respected the country's right to conclude a bilateral treaty with other countries on a voluntary basis. However, such a treaty should not be exclusive in nature, nor should it restrict or prevents a sovereign country from cooperating with a third party for any reason. It should also refrain from targeting any third party or undermining its legitimate rights and interests. We hope that the PNG side will continue to uphold independence and self-reliance, properly handle issues bearing on its sovereignty and long-term interests, it said.

Israel's strike on Hamas leaders in Doha is condemned around the world. Israel's bombing of a residential building in the capital, Doha, that was housing Hamas leaders, has drawn global condemnation. Fighter jets fired missiles into a residential compound in central Doha, where leaders of Hamas were meeting to discuss a US proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) security forum now bears greater responsibility for safeguarding regional peace and stability, Chinese President Xi Jinping has told about 20 world leaders he hosted for a summit in northern China's Tianjin. Xi also underscored the SCO's mission for the development and prosperity of its member states as he hosted and addressed the high-profile gathering at a banquet on Sunday evening.

If confirmed, the strike would mark the latest blow in a string of hits to Iran's military power since Israel launched its surprise attack last week targeting the country's nuclear capabilities.

Trump stated that through his deals, he aims to redefine US relations in the Middle East, suggesting that future interactions will prioritize commerce over conflict.