How BT’s ‘no nonsense’ first female chief helped turn company around

• The US and Israel have launched a war against Iran, resulting in an irreversible transformation of the strategic landscape across the Gulf region. • Analysts suggest that any potential diplomatic deal between the US and Iran must be decoupled from the broader Middle Eastern conflicts regarding Palestinian rights and land.

• UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has warned that artificial intelligence poses a "Hiroshima"-style existential threat to humanity if global regulations are not established. • Cooper highlighted AI as part of a broader set of systemic risks, including the climate crisis, irregular migration, and foreign interference.

• India is evaluating four critical geopolitical shifts resulting from the ongoing conflict in Iran to mitigate economic and strategic risks. • To reduce energy vulnerability, India is advised to expand its strategic petroleum reserves from the current eight-day capacity to between 30 and 60 days.

• A major UN summit opened in Geneva on Monday to address the urgent need for global AI governance and safety frameworks. • The summit focuses on balancing the potential for AI to benefit humanity with the need to prevent "catastrophic harm" and ensure fair distribution of technology.

• Coface chief APAC economist Bernard Aw warns that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will not signify a quick return to pre-war normalcy for Asia. • While alternative routes exist, they remain tied to the Middle East's energy production system and are subject to the same geopolitical risks and infrastructure disruptions.

• Acting President Delcy Rodríguez of Venezuela is struggling to manage the aftermath of two powerful earthquakes that have triggered a humanitarian crisis. • The disaster has sparked fierce public criticism and provided an opening for Venezuelan opposition leaders currently in exile to attempt a return.

• Funeral processions have begun for Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei following his passing. • Notably, neither his son Mojtaba Khamenei nor his other three sons attended Friday's ceremony.

• A new US-backed framework agreement has been introduced as a diplomatic push to end the ongoing hostilities between Lebanon and Israel. • The initiative aims to provide a rare opportunity for peace in a region that has been exhausted by decades of persistent conflict.

• The U.S. has experienced a strategic failure in Iran, which the author attributes to the Trump administration's "Donroe Doctrine" and a reliance on unilateral actions. • A blockade of the Strait of Hormuz reportedly backfired, resulting in the empowerment of Iran and a significant decline in American international credibility.

• World Tibet Day highlights the ongoing struggle for Tibetan independence and its implications for Asian geopolitical stability. • Advocates argue that China's occupation of Tibet in the 1950s removed a critical strategic buffer, placing the Chinese military directly on India's northern frontier.

Australian government confirms it was informed by China of its intent to conduct the test on Monday China has conducted a long-range missile test in the Pacific, in a move the Australian government has condemned as “destabilising to the region”.A ⁠test missile topped with ‌a ‌dummy warhead landed ‌in “designated waters” of the Pacific, China’s state news agency Xinhua ‌reported on Monday. The missile test was a “routine arrangement” of China’s annual ⁠military training, with prior notification to relevant countries, Xinhua said. Continue reading...

‘Over-enforcement poses significant risk to the communities that we try to protect,’ royal commission told A decision aimed at reducing “censorship” on major social media sites including Facebook and Instagram potentially led to greater levels of hate speech, the royal commission into antisemitism has heard.Meta announced in January 2025, after the re-election of Donald Trump in the US, that it would “reduce censorship”, get rid of factcheckers and only tackle illegal and very serious violations proactively, relying on users to report less serious breaches. Its platforms include Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Continue reading...