MIDDLE EAST - Israel’s retaliation attack on Iran has pushed the world to the brink of WW3 according to a range of conflict experts. Shadowy Iranian backed proxy forces are now said to be “primed and ready” to invade Gaza and ramp up the war in the Middle East to a whole new level. The Israeli missile hit Iran early on Friday morning, according to US officials, and blasts were heard in the central province of Isfahan, which is home to nuclear facilities, a large airbase and a major missile production complex. Now Middle East analysts said that as a result of the retaliation from Israel we could see a fresh war in Gaza or even a worldwide conflict. Intelligence expert Professor Anthony Glees said that “Iranian backed Hezbollah forces are said to be primed and ready to go” in northern Gaza, reports the Sun.

IRAN - Iran activated its air defence systems overnight after reports of an explosion near the central city of Isfahan, which is home to one of the country's top nuclear facilities. Iran warned it would revise its nuclear doctrine should Israel threaten its nuclear facilities, noting Tehran would "no longer stick" to its pledges in such a scenario. The warning came only hours before US officials claimed Israel had launched a missile strike against an unidentified site near the city of Isfahan. Iran confirmed it had deployed air defence batteries to bring down a "suspicious object" but did not expand on whether a full-on attack had taken place. Isfahan and the surrounding region are home to several military facilities, including nuclear facilities and a major airbase.

IRAN - Ebrahim Raisi, the Iranian president, has warned that the “tiniest invasion” of his country by Israel would set off a “massive and harsh response”. A senior Iranian military commander has warned that Tehran could reconsider its nuclear strategy amid warnings of a “massive and harsh response” to any Israeli attack. The statement by Ahmed Haghtalab, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander in charge of nuclear security, is a rare admission that Iran could use its stock of enriched uranium to make nuclear bombs.

VANUATU - Every day, the finest fruit and vegetables Vanuatu has to offer are sold at the bustling Port Vila market on the island of Efate. There are golden yellow bananas fanned out among floral-patterned tablecloths, giant grapefruits organised in long rows, and muddy brown yams laid out in front of the stalls. It’s a spread that is as healthy as it is colourful. Yet the high costs of such foods means that the local people of Efate, one of 83 tropical islands that make up the Pacific nation of Vanuatu, are more likely to eat processed foods, like noodles and canned meat, imported from the West. The mass consumption of these products, experts say, has driven a rise in obesity rates across the country. Almost a third of the population is obese, according to the Global Nutrition Report, while many more are considered overweight.

MIDDLE EAST - Israel has conducted strikes in Iran in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault earlier this week, defying US President Joe Biden's warning that more attacks could plunge the Middle East further into conflict. The city of Isfahan in central Iran was struck at 5am local time, with Israeli projectiles reported to have targeted an Air Force base near Isfahan which long has been home to Iran's fleet of American-made F-14 Tomcats - purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

USA - Iran’s barrage of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and suicide drones against the brave and courageous people of Israel last weekend failed miserably. The Israelis successfully defended their nation in the face of a barbaric assault on their sovereignty from an Iranian dictatorship that is increasingly isolated on the world stage. Iran has in effect declared war on Israel and poses a deadly threat to regional and international security. Several Gulf States provided backing for Israel in their hour of need, including Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The navies of the United States and United Kingdom shot down multiple drones headed for Israel, with support from France as well. Aside from the usual suspects of Russia and China, and a few other enemies of freedom, Israel received support from much of the world in the face of Iranian aggression.

MIDDLE EAST - A meteorologist has warned of looming 'weather wars' between countries if 'cloud seeding' gets out of hand - after flooding in Dubai spawned concerns about artificially manipulating the rainfall. Johan Jaques, a senior meteorologist at environmental technology company KISTERS, warned there could be 'unintended consequences' to using the relatively young technology, potentially leading to 'diplomatic instability'. 'Anytime we interfere with natural precipitation patterns, we set off a chain of events that we have little control over,' he said. 'Interference with the weather also raises all kinds of ethical questions, as changing the weather in one country could lead to perhaps unintended yet catastrophic impacts in another, after all, the weather does not recognise intentional borders.'

USA - In the first quarter of 2024, the two biggest manufacturers of electronic vehicles, Tesla and its Chinese rival BYD reports dramatic sales drops compared against the same time last year. Elon Musk's announcement that Tesla will lay off ten percent of its workforce shocked many but it may be inline with figures that suggest the global demand for electronic vehicles is slumping across the world. BYD cut prices on its vehicles across China accompanied with a catchy slogan: 'Electricity is cheaper than oil,' in order to help stem the tide.

JAPAN - The tremor occurred off the southwestern coast of the island Wednesday night. A 6.3-magnitude earthquake has rocked the island of Shokoku in Japan. The quake occurred off the southwestern coast of the island, according to the US Geological Survey. It happened at around 11:14 pm local time. No tsunami warnings have been issued so far, and US authorities find that there is little to no chance of landslides or liquefaction, which happens when the ground loses its strength, placing buildings at risk of collapse.

AUSTRALIA - The powerful earthquake hit South Australia on Wednesday, with one local reporting the shock was felt "far and wide". A powerful earthquake has hit Australia, with shockwaves being reportedly felt several kilometres away from the epicentre. The earthquake hit Jamestown, around 200km north of Adelaide. One local wrote on social media: "Sounded like a train going down Sixth Street, no wonder my poor old house is cracking up!"

INDONESIA - Authorities in Indonesia have issued a tsunami alert after a volcano erupted five times in the province of North Sulawesi, spewing a column of smoke more than a mile into the sky and forcing the evacuation of thousands of people from their homes. Mount Ruang, a stratovolcano, first erupted at 9.45pm local time on Tuesday and then four times on Wednesday, Indonesia’s volcanology agency said. Officials worry that part of the volcano could collapse into the sea and cause a tsunami, as happened in 1871. Tagulandang island to the volcano’s north-east is again at risk. The alert level for the volcano, which has a peak of 725 metres above sea level, was raised on Wednesday evening from three to four, the highest level in the four-tiered system.

USA - Someone is making ridiculous, absurd, insane decisions. Someone wants America destroyed. Someone wants America weak and impotent. Someone wants to turn Americans into serfs and slaves, dependent on government to survive. Someone wants America part of a One World government with all other poor and powerless nations of the world.

UK - The number of people on long-term sick leave has soared to a new high in a worrying sign about the state of Britain's workforce. Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed 2.829 million people were described as long-term sick between last December and February – up by 16,000. In all, long-term sickness accounted for 30.1 per cent of 16 to 64-year-olds considered to be economically inactive. Economists warned that long-term sickness, particularly among younger workers, risked 'scarring careers'. Charlie McCurdy, economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: 'Britain is in the midst of the longest sustained rise in economic inactivity due to ill-health since the 1990s. This rise has affected all age groups – but especially young people and older generations. The rise among the young – driven primarily by poor mental health – is worrying, as long periods out of work can permanently scar their careers.'

UK - Sitting on a bench with a can of beer in hand, 38-year-old James explains that he has not had a job for eight years and is content to live on welfare. 'At the end of the day, working — it's not worth it for me,' he says. 'I get my housing costs paid for and I get £1,300 a month. To be honest, I'm better off not working.' It appears that the younger generation are more likely to be afflicted by negativity about their mental health. Strikingly, the think tank found that some 12 per cent of people in their 20s and early 30s say they are 'disabled' because of their mental health — more than in any other age group. In place of ambition and personal responsibility, there is now a mood of entitlement, fatalism, lethargy and fragility, epitomised by demands for more generous benefits and attacks on politicians who attempt to address the issue.

MIDDLE EAST - A member of the Saudi Arabian royal family had reportedly told the broadcaster Kan that, in his view, Iran had started the Gaza war by instructing its proxy group Hamas to massacre Israelis on October 7. Tehran's intention, according to this nameless royal, was to thwart the imminent normalisation of diplomatic relations between Israel and the Saudis. Why is that so important? Because it symbolises the extraordinary transformation under way in the politics of the Middle East. For a Saudi royal to express such a view – that a Muslim country instigated the conflict for the purpose of spreading discord – would have been unimaginable only a few years ago.