Drones
What is the UAE's Barakah nuclear plant, nearly hit by a drone?
Will Gulf states join war? What is the UAE's Barakah nuclear plant, nearly hit by a drone? A drone attack that caused a fire close to the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates has raised further concerns about nuclear security and military escalation in the Gulf as discussions of peace between Iran and the United States hang in the balance. Barakah was the first nuclear power station to be built on the Arabian Peninsula. What is the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant? Barakah is a nuclear energy plant located in Al Dhafra, the largest municipal region of the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Russian drone hits Chinese ship off Ukraine before Putin visits Xi Jinping
What are Russia's gains from the Iran war? 'We are not losers; we are winners' Russian drones have hit two ships in the Black Sea approaching ports in Ukraine's Odesa region, including a Chinese-owned cargo vessel, one day before Russian President Vladimir Putin heads to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping. Ukraine's seaports authority said the strikes hit two civilian vessels on Monday, one under a Marshall Islands flag and the other under Guinea-Bissau's flag, both of which were heading to ports in the region. It posted a photograph of the ship showing its name with one of its sides partially charred. Russia has regularly attacked civilian vessels in the port area of Odesa, a vital maritime hub for Ukrainian agricultural exports, since it invaded Ukraine four years ago . Monday's attack comes just before Putin's two-day trip to Beijing, where he is to have talks with Chinese President Xi.
Mali drone strikes kill at least 10 civilians at wedding
Drone strikes by Mali's army have killed at least 10 civilians as they prepared to celebrate a wedding in the central region of San in another escalation of the conflict since armed groups launched a widespread coordinated assault late last month. The strikes on Sunday occurred during a security crisis after attacks on the military government's positions last month by fighters from the al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Tuareg separatists known as the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). "What was supposed to be a moment of joy in the village turned into immense sorrow," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The tragedy occurred as the villagers were preparing the second edition of this traditional collective wedding, a major cultural event for this community," a security source who requested anonymity for safety reasons told AFP. The strikes targeted "a procession of motorbikes following one another", he added.
How ISWAP and Boko Haram are reshaping the Lake Chad Basin
The killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the second-in-command of ISIL (ISIS), by United States and Nigerian forces marks a notable achievement for "counterterrorism". Yet for analysts observing the Lake Chad Basin, it highlights how persistent and complex insecurity in the region has become. Al-Minuki, a Nigerian national from Borno State, was operating out of a compound near Lake Chad, at the centre of one of the world's most active armed group theatres. Perhaps equally significant is the parallel resurgence of Boko Haram, which quietly rebuilt itself while security agencies primarily focused on the more dominant ISWAP. "While regional forces focused on countering ISWAP's threats, partly due to the group's advanced drone capabilities, Boko Haram appears to have taken advantage of the relative attention on its rival to regroup," Nimi Princewill, a security expert in the Sahel, told Al Jazeera.
Cuba says U.S. fabricating pretext for conflict after report on drone purchase
Cuba says U.S. fabricating pretext for conflict after report on drone purchase Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez speaks during a news conference in Havana in October 2025. HAVANA - Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez accused the U.S. on Sunday of fabricating a fraudulent case to justify economic sanctions and potential military intervention. The minister's comments followed a report by Axios the same day citing classified intelligence, which said Cuba had acquired more than 300 military drones. Cuba neither threatens nor desires war, Rodriguez said in a post on social media, adding that the country prepares itself to confront external aggression in the exercise of the right to legitimate self-defense recognized by the U.N. Charter. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
U.S. and Iran far from Hormuz deal as Trump says clock is ticking
U.S. and Iran far from Hormuz deal as Trump says clock is ticking A ship remains anchored in the Strait of Hormuz near Larak Island, Iran, on Saturday. The U.S. and Iran remained far apart Sunday on a deal to end weeks of war and reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz, as a drone attack sparked a fire at a United Arab Emirates nuclear plant, spotlighting the risks of a fragile ceasefire. U.S. President Donald Trump made clear his patience is wearing thin, posting on social media Sunday that For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won't be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!" Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency said the U.S. had set five main conditions for a peace deal, including the removal of uranium used by Iran's nuclear program to the U.S.; no U.S. reparations to Tehran and the unfreezing of less than a quarter of Iran's suspended assets. Fars didn't give a source for the information, and the U.S. hasn't publicly commented on such stipulations.
Iran war live: Trump threatens Tehran; Saudi, UAE report drone attacks
Could the war trigger a hunger crisis? How well do you know Iran? This video may contain light patterns or images that could trigger seizures or cause discomfort for people with visual sensitivities. US President Donald Trump warns Iran that the "clock is ticking" for a peace deal to be reached with Washington. Saudi Arabia says it intercepted three drones, as the UAE reported a separate drone strike near its Barakah nuclear power plant that sparked a fire.
Inside the 'kill-zone' on Ukraine's front line, where new weapons have transformed war
Inside the'kill-zone' on Ukraine's front line, where new weapons have transformed war After 225 days stuck in a front-line foxhole, the Ukrainian infantryman's muscles were so weak he could barely walk. His commanders had tried five times to swap him with another soldier - but they could never reach him. Rotating soldiers on the front line in eastern Ukraine is extremely difficult because of the constant threat of drones. This area near Kostyantynivka is currently one of the most dangerous hotspots and the Ukrainian military admits that Russian forces have reached its outskirts. Known as Kenya, the infantryman took two days to walk 11km (6.8 miles) to get back to his brigade, avoiding mines and hiding from drones to get out.
Drone strike sparks fire on perimeter of UAE's Barakah nuclear power plant
Could the war trigger a hunger crisis? How well do you know Iran? Drone strike sparks fire on perimeter of UAE's Barakah nuclear power plant A drone strike has sparked a fire on the perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), raising new concerns over a potential new regional escalation amid a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States. Authorities in Abu Dhabi said the blaze broke out at an electrical generator outside the plant's inner perimeter in the Al Dhafra region on Sunday. No injuries were reported, and officials said radiation levels remained normal.