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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
Abandoning strategic neutrality, Kazakhstan joins the Abraham Accords
The Kazakh president’s desperate bid for US favor has seen him exalt Trump as a messianic leader and sign onto Tel Aviv’s colonial pacts, risking hard-won regional balance and domestic legitimacy.
By Hazal Yalin
BREAKING | Local sources report explosions in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
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❗️BREAKING | Gaza Civil Defense:
"We are receiving distress calls from displaced families in several camps after their tents were damaged and flooded by the rain.
We appeal to the international humanitarian community to address the suffering of half a million families displaced by the Israeli assault."
❗️Cyprus tells Turkiye to drop two-state demand if it wants progress on EU membership bid
Cyprus said today that Turkiye must abandon its push for a two-state arrangement on the divided island if it wants to advance its long-frozen bid to join the EU.
Speaking in Berlin after meeting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said Ankara’s stance on Cyprus remains a major barrier to its EU aspirations. He also argued that Turkiye should not receive access to the bloc’s defense fund.
Merz said Christodoulides had asked for Germany’s help in trying to break the stalemate over Cyprus and highlighted Berlin’s close ties with Ankara.
"We discussed various options for how this could be achieved," Merz told reporters at a joint press conference. "We discussed a very concrete proposal, which I received with interest, and that we could take a step in this direction during the Cypriot presidency. I expressed the German government's readiness to actively participate in this process."
UPDATE | US officials allege that Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker as it traveled through the Strait of Hormuz.
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⭕️ Aramco to seal two US LNG supply deals during Crown Prince’s Washington visit
Saudi Aramco is poised to finalize two US liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply agreements with Woodside Energy and Commonwealth LNG during Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s visit to Washington next week, sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters.
The company is targeting 20 million tons per annum of LNG capacity, with 4.5 million tons already underway, Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said during an August analyst call.
Aramco is expected to secure up to 2 million tons per annum (mtpa) of LNG from Commonwealth LNG’s planned facility in Cameron, Louisiana, according to three industry sources.
In a parallel deal, Aramco is set to acquire a stake in Woodside’s $17.5 billion Louisiana LNG project and lock in an offtake agreement for up to 2 mtpa of supply, four sources said.
❗️Eritrea’s Afwerki rejects foreign military presence in Red Sea
Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki said there is “no justification” for foreign military bases on the Red Sea or for external intervention in the affairs of coastal states, according to a 12 November report by the Information Ministry’s Shabait website.
His comments came after a five-day official visit to Egypt earlier this month, during which he met President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to discuss strengthening bilateral ties, enhancing Red Sea security cooperation, and addressing the war in Sudan.
According to the BBC, Afwerki stressed that Red Sea littoral states must rely on their own capabilities to protect their coastlines and should not trade sovereignty for foreign military protection. While some countries may need additional resources, he said, “no external power can replace the internal capabilities of each littoral state.”
He called for a cooperative security framework among Red Sea states, anchored in legal and institutional mechanisms.
❗️The Media Directorate at the Presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic:
– "We affirm that the information published in some press reports claiming that President Ahmad al-Sharaa has cooperated with the US-led coalition against ISIS and Al-Qaeda since 2016 is false. We would like to clarify that these claims have no basis in truth."
– "We note that President Ahmad al-Sharaa neither coordinated nor cooperated with any foreign party in this regard, nor did he issue any directives related to such matters. We stress that all decisions and measures taken at the time were made independently and domestically, without any coordination with or request from any external party."
US war chief announces operation 'Southern Spear' to destabilize Venezuela
President Trump has stated that a land invasion of Venezuela may be next
BREAKING | Israeli artillery shelling targets Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza.
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BREAKING | Two Israeli airstrikes target northwest of Rafah city in southern Gaza.
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❗️Maduro calls for US to make peace and avoid another forever war
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro has called on US President Donald Trump to avoid dragging the US into an Afghanistan-style “forever war,” amid a growing American military presence in the region. Speaking outside the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Maduro called for peace instead of conflict as the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, arrived nearby.
“No more forever wars. No more unjust wars. No more Libya. No more Afghanistan. Long live peace,” the 62-year-old leader declared during a pro-government rally.
Hours later, Trump’s war secretary, Pete Hegseth, escalated tensions by announcing what he called Operation Southern Spear. He described the mission as a defense of “America’s neighborhood” against “narco-terrorists” and pledged to protect the homeland from drugs he said were “killing our people.”
The operation is intended to use a mix of robotic and autonomous systems to monitor the Caribbean.
Russia presents ‘counterproposal’ to US draft UNSC resolution for Gaza
The US mission at the UN has accused Russia of ‘attempts to sow discord’ by putting forward its own draft
VIDEO | As winter grips the region, rainwater floods the Gaza Strip, leaving many displaced Palestinians struggling for shelter, blankets, and warm clothing.
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❗️Lebanon’s olive sector faces worst harvest in half a century
Lebanese olive farmers are reporting catastrophic losses this season, with many groves yielding only a fraction of their usual output amid drought, extreme heat, pest infestations, and the country’s prolonged economic collapse. According to a report from Xinhua, preliminary figures point to an estimated 80 percent drop in nationwide production, which are the lowest levels recorded in more than 50 years, leaving both growers and olive presses struggling to stay afloat.
The sector’s decline has rippled across rural communities, where rising labor costs, shortages of fertilizers and pesticides, and fuel insecurity have forced many farmers to abandon their groves altogether. Press owners say they are operating at roughly half their normal capacity, while experts warn that the heat and lack of water have even altered the oil’s quality.
Officials say that climate change, drought, and damage from Israeli attacks have further worsened the crisis, with some fields destroyed or inaccessible. Farmers and cooperatives are now calling for a national rescue plan that includes damage assessments, in-kind support, and the restoration of vital irrigation networks to save one of Lebanon’s most important agricultural traditions.
IRGC seizes Azerbaijan-linked oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz: Report
Western sources blamed the IRGC Navy for the alleged seizure
China–Japan tensions spike over Tokyo's 'provocative' remarks over Taiwan
The new Japanese PM recently said that China's 'use of force' around Taiwan could trigger a military response from her government
UN orders probe into RSF atrocities in Sudan as African Union warns of 'real' genocide risk
The UAE government has, for years, been backing the RSF, which captured the city of El-Fasher last month and committed mass killings of civilians
Lebanon tightens restrictions on financial institutions under US pressure
The US Treasury claims Iran has funneled over $1 billion to Hezbollah since the start of the year
BREAKING | Israeli tanks fire towards the southeastern area of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.
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⭕️ MrBeast arrives in Saudi Arabia to launch Beast Land as kingdom boosts global entertainment push
MrBeast, the world's most watched YouTuber, is now iin Riyadh to unveil Beast Land, a theme park inspired by his videos where participants take on elaborate endurance challenges for major cash rewards.
"It's probably one of the best days of my life," the 27-year-old creator, whose real name is James Donaldson, told Reuters ahead of Thursday’s launch, part of a wide-ranging Saudi media tour that included at least nine interviews.
"One of the top requests I get is: I want to be in a MrBeast video ... So now (we are) creating that in real life where you guys can come visit it and experience what it is like," he said.
⭕️ JPMorgan expands in Dubai as it targets more midcap business across West Asia
The US bank JPMorgan has expanded its operations in Dubai as part of a wider effort to increase business with medium-sized companies across the Middle East and other regions, an executive told Reuters.
The move, previously unreported, positions the bank in direct competition with rivals such as Citigroup and follows JPMorgan’s recent investments in covering so-called midcaps in Austria and Poland. The bank is also considering strengthening its footprint in Turkiye.
Midcap clients offer JPMorgan an additional revenue stream beyond its usual emphasis on major blue-chip corporations. "There's a global focus on doing more in the midcap space," said Stefan Povaly, the London-based co-head of corporate banking for Europe, West Asia and Africa.
❗️South Africa admits 130 Palestinians after initial entry denial, probes irregular travel arrangements
South Africa has allowed 130 Palestinians without travel documents to enter the country after initially denying them entry.
According to border officials, 153 Palestinians arrived at Johannesburg airport on Thursday on a chartered Global Airways flight from Kenya without departure stamps, return tickets, or accommodation details. None had applied for asylum, prompting the initial refusal of entry.
Authorities approved entry for 130 of the travelers under a standard 90-day visa waiver, while 23 others had already moved on to further destinations.
"The Palestinians had no idea where they were bundled off to, only when in Kenya did they realize they were coming to South Africa. Some had visas for Canada, Australia and Malaysia, they were eventually permitted to leave for those countries," said Imtiaz Sooliman, chair and founder of local humanitarian organization Gift of the Givers.
❗️Testimony of recently freed Palestinian captive Khaled Barakat from Sde Teiman prison camp, as documented by the Palestinian Center for Prisoners’ Rights:
– “I spent 130 days in the camp blindfolded, with my hands and feet shackled, and police dogs attacked us daily.”
– “We were held in metal cages, each containing 130 detainees. We were monitored every minute, and any suspicion of a spontaneous movement meant nonstop beatings and insults.”
– “Israeli soldiers broke my ribs and the ribs of several other prisoners due to the intensity of the torture. Until the moment of my release, I was never seen by a doctor, and the pain continues because the bones healed improperly.”
– “One of the hardest things we faced was that we were allowed to use the bathroom only once a day at best, and we had to relieve ourselves while shackled and restrained.”
– “There were surveillance cameras everywhere, and we had to use a bucket to relieve ourselves, which they refused to empty until its contents overflowed into the prisoners’ rooms.”
– “I was transferred between several detention sites, and in Ofer Prison I was subjected to continuous torture and beatings for days. We were taken out one by one to be severely beaten with sticks and sharp tools.”
– “There was a diabetic prisoner with us who was beaten repeatedly. After days of his foot becoming infected, worms began coming out of it; they transferred him to the hospital, and he returned days later with his foot amputated.”
– “Dogs attacked us before entering the prison, and we were subjected to electric shocks during transport. Inside the bus, soldiers beat us with metal handles the entire way.”
– “The prison administration took away the mattresses we slept on during winter, and we had no winter clothing. Most of the prisoners were infected with scabies.”
– “The Red Cross never visited us during the entire period of detention. We were threatened with being killed after our release, and soldiers repeatedly told us they had bombed our homes and killed our families.”
📹 Are ICE and CBP using Israeli hacking tools on immigrants and ordinary Americans — and is the Trump administration covering it up?
Civil rights lawyers are suing the Trump administration to force the release of records that could reveal whether US immigration agencies are using advanced Israeli spyware to monitor immigrants, activists, and potentially millions of ordinary Americans.
Just Futures Law and the Center for Constitutional Rights say ICE and CBP have relied on tools from Israeli firms Cellebrite and Paragon that uses technology capable of extracting vast amounts of private data from phones and infiltrating encrypted apps.
As governments worldwide are exposed for targeting civil society with these tools, lawyers argue that Americans deserve transparency: to know whether Israeli spyware is being used against them, and how deeply the Trump administration may be involved in hiding the truth.
BREAKING | Israeli warplanes target the east of Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.
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VIDEO | Israeli forces release older footage showing the evacuation of a soldier who was injured in battles with the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip during the genocide.
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❗️Spokesman for Hamas, Hazem Qassem:
– “The escalating disaster in the Gaza Strip, following rainfall on the tattered tents and destroyed homes, places the entire international community before an unprecedented moral, humanitarian, and legal responsibility in its history.”
– “The continued inability of all Arab, Islamic, and international systems to provide relief to Gaza amid this disaster, with the onset of winter, tempts the occupation to tighten its siege on the Gaza Strip and increase the suffering of its people catastrophically.”
❗️North Korean troops aid Russia in mine-clearing after repelling Ukrainian incursion
North Korean troops who assisted Russia in pushing back a large Ukrainian offensive in the western Kursk region are now heavily involved in mine-clearing efforts there, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
Under both countries' mutual defense agreement, North Korea sent around 14,000 soldiers to support Russian forces in Kursk last year.
Footage released by the Russian Defence Ministry showed North Korean personnel being briefed on various types of mines and detection tools, participating in drills, and singing patriotic songs.
"They're great lads, they learn quickly, listen carefully and take notes," said a Russian commander identified as "Veles."
Another commander, "Lesnik," added: "They are on an equal level with my sappers, carrying out the same tasks as my lads."
Indonesia says 20,000 troops trained for Gaza ‘stabilization force’
Internal US documents recently highlighted major concerns in Washington over the feasibility of the plan to deploy international troops to Gaza