World War One

Sudan's armed forces say they have captured a stronghold of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in North Kordofan, in a reported advance in the country's two-year civil war. The claim, carried by Al Jazeera and other outlets, comes as fighting between the army and the RSF continues to displace millions and fuel one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Front lines have been shifting in the army's favour in recent months.

Massad Boulos, the US senior adviser for Africa, has put forward a proposal for a 90-day ceasefire between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, according to The Jerusalem Post. The plan is the latest American attempt to halt a war that has displaced millions and created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises since fighting erupted in April 2023.

Massad Boulos met with a United Nations envoy to discuss efforts to bring peace to Sudan, where conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces has displaced millions and created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. The talks point to continued international diplomacy aimed at securing a ceasefire and a political settlement. Observers are watching closely for any sign of progress given repeated stalled mediation attempts.

A book review of The Wise Men, the classic group portrait of six American statesmen who shaped the postwar world, is drawing attention among history and Cold War readers. The review argues that the choices made by figures like Acheson, Kennan, Harriman, Lovett, McCloy and Bohlen still echo in today's foreign policy debates.

A shipping situation report says the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, with just one vessel transiting on the latest day against a pre-war baseline of 97, and the seven-day average stuck at roughly 3%. Bab al-Mandab, by contrast, is holding at about 80% of pre-war traffic, averaging around 27 vessels per day. The figures point to a war-driven shutdown of the world's most important oil chokepoint.

Reports circulating claim around 250,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine, while growing numbers of Russian men flee the country to escape conscription. If accurate, the figure would represent one of the heaviest military losses for Russia since the Second World War, intensifying debate over the war's cost and the Kremlin's mobilisation efforts.

A blogger has reviewed a book about the Battle of the Bulge, focusing on the December 1944 siege of Bastogne, where American forces held out while fog grounded German air support and armoured columns broke through Allied lines. The review highlights how weather and encirclement shaped one of the defining engagements of the Second World War in Europe.

The UN Security Council has scheduled a vote on sanctions concerning Sudan, with members divided over imposing a nationwide arms embargo on the country. The dispute comes as Sudan's civil war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces continues to drive one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Diplomats are negotiating the scope of any embargo before the vote.