According to the official Saudi Press Agency, the Saudi and Iranian sides “affirmed their commitment to implementing the Beijing Agreement in its entirety." Saudi Arabia and Iran are working to patch things up, spurred by a China-backed agreement that has been in place for several years. They were rivals from 2012 to 2022, but times have changed. Riyadh understood that its confrontation with Iran had diminishing returns. Saudi Arabia was dragged into a conflict in Yemen in 2015 when the Iranian-backed Houthis tried to storm Aden. It then suffered years of drone and ballistic-missile attacks fr...

According to the official Saudi Press Agency, the Saudi and Iranian sides “affirmed their commitment to implementing the Beijing Agreement in its entirety." Saudi Arabia and Iran are working to patch things up, spurred by a China-backed agreement that has been in place for several years. They were rivals from 2012 to 2022, but times have changed. Riyadh understood that its confrontation with Iran had diminishing returns. Saudi Arabia was dragged into a conflict in Yemen in 2015 when the Iranian-backed Houthis tried to storm Aden. It then suffered years of drone and ballistic-missile attacks fr...

US Customs and Border Protection officials are seeking authority to compel tourists entering the country to open up their social media posts over the past five years, the Department of Homeland Security announced on Wednesday. The 11-page proposal has been published in the Federal Register for a public comment period of 60 days and is not yet legally binding. The requirement would apply to platforms such as TikTok, X and Instagram. All tourists entering the country through the automated Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will be affected. ESTA facilitates visa-free travel from m...

German cycling star Florian Lipowitz has signed a contract extension with Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe, the team said on Wednesday during its media day in Mallorca. The length of the deal is unknown, but the team called it a long-term commitment. "I'm super happy to continue with the team. I've been with them for three years. We have a special relationship. I'm looking forward to it," Lipowitz said. Lipowitz had a great 2025 season, finishing the Tour of France in third in his debut and also claiming the white jersey for best young rider. He became the first German to finish on the Tour podium sinc...

Lithuania has signed a deal to buy French CAESAR Mk 2 wheeled howitzers worth around €252 million ($293 million) from arms manufacturer KNDS France, the Defence Ministry in Vilnius said on Wednesday. The agreement, Lithuania's second purchase of the self-propelled artillery guns, is the largest arms deal to date between the two countries, the ministry said, without disclosing how many howitzers had been ordered. "These modern systems will give the Lithuanian military greater mobility and firepower, and a closer partnership with the French defence sector will strengthen our relations with an im...