AL JAZEERA

With tensions high, Gantz says Israel is ready to strike Iran

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz has said the country’s military is ready to take action against Iran, calling it “a global and regional problem”.

The comments  came as tensions continue to rise in the region following a deadly drone strike last week on an Israeli-managed tanker off the coast of Oman.

THE GUARDIAN

Oman confirms tanker boarded off UAE was target of ‘hijacking incident

Oman has confirmed that a tanker boarded off the coast of the United Arab Emirates by a group of armed men was the target of a “hijacking incident”.

The incident, involving eight or nine armed men, ended after the group left the ship on Wednesday morning, according to a statement from the British navy.

THE GUARDIAN

Fears for Afghan city of Lashkar Gah as fierce clashes continue

Intense fighting has continued in Afghanistan’s key southern provincial capital of Lashkar Gah between the Taliban and government forces as the hardline Islamist group pushes on with its efforts to seize the city.

THE GUARDIAN

Commandos deployed as Afghan forces battle Taliban for control of cities

Afghan forces are battling to stop a first provincial city from falling to the Taliban following weekend offensives from the insurgents on urban centres in a major escalation in fighting.

THE GUARDIAN

Peru: new president appoints Marxist as prime minister

A day after being sworn in as Peru’s president, Pedro Castillo has appointed a far-left lawmaker and member of his Marxist party, Guido Bellido, as prime minister, ending expectations of a moderate government.

THE GUARDIAN

Israeli authorities inspect NSO Group offices after Pegasus revelations

Israeli authorities have inspected the offices of the surveillance outfit NSO Group in response to the Pegasus project investigation into abuses of the company’s spyware by several government clients.

THE GUARDIAN

Call for Hungarian ministers to resign in wake of Pegasus revelations

Hungary’s opposition has called for ministerial resignations from Viktor Orbán’s far-right government over allegations it selected journalists, media owners and opposition political figures as potential targets for invasive Pegasus spyware.

THE GUARDIAN

Guilty verdict in first Hong Kong trial held under national security law

The first person charged and tried under Hong Kong’s draconian national security law has been found guilty of terrorism and inciting secession, in a landmark ruling that sets a precedent for future cases brought under the law.

THE NEW YORK TIMES

U.S. Leaves Its Last Afghan Base, Effectively Ending Operations

KABUL, Afghanistan — American troops and their Western allies have departed Bagram, Afghanistan’s largest air base, officials said on Friday, turning over to the Afghan government the sprawling outpost from which the United States waged war for nearly two decades.

THE NEW YORK TIMES

Marking Party’s Centennial, Xi Warns That China Will Not Be Bullied

A century after the Communist Party’s founding, China’s leader said foreign powers would “crack their heads and spill blood” if they tried to stop its rise.