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Added: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]Saudi Arabia has launched numerous unpublicized strikes on Iran in retaliation [music] for attacks carried out in the kingdom during the Middle East war. The Saudi attacks mark the first time that the kingdom is known to have directly carried out [music] military action on Iranian soil and show it is becoming much bolder in defending itself against the main regional [music] rival.

[00:00:27]US President Donald Trump said that the Americans financial [music] struggles are not a factor in his decision-making as he seeks to negotiate an end to the Iran war saying that preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon [music] is his top priority. Trump's remarks are likely to draw scrutiny as critics argue the administration should balance geopolitical [music] objectives with the economic impact.

[00:00:54]Israel has launched large-scale attacks across South Lebanon [music] ahead of talks between the two countries in Washington as Beirut reported 380 [music] people have been killed in Israeli attacks since an April the 17th ceasefire took effect. Hezbollah chief has vowed to turn the battlefield into hell [music] for Israeli forces.

[00:01:18]US President Donald Trump said he does not think [music] he will need China's help to end the war with Iran even as hopes for a lasting peace still [music] dwindled and Iran tightened its grip over the Strait of Hormuz which has [music] continued to block maritime traffic that normally provides 1/5 of the world's oil supply.

[00:01:39]UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is fighting for his [music] political survival after dozens of his own lawmakers called for him to resign and a handful of junior ministers [music] have resigned in protest. Starmer has so far defied calls to quit from [music] Labour lawmakers who blame him for heavy losses in local elections.

[00:02:02]UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said Keir Starmer has full support, adding that no potential [music] challenger has appeared to have enough backing to mount a serious challenge to the Labour leader, stating it's been 24 hours and nobody [music] has put themselves forward.

[00:02:22]Russian forces [music] have launched attacks in Ukraine's southern region, killing at least six people [music] after the expiry of US-mediated ceasefire. Ukrainian officials said Russia has launched more than 200 drones overnight, [music] putting an end to hopes that the 3-day ceasefire would be extended.

[00:02:44]A Dutch hospital [music] has quarantined 12 staff members as a preventative measure after tests from a hantavirus patient [music] were handled without observing strict protocols. As medics around the world works to stop the spread [music] of the outbreak, the 12 will be quarantined for 6 weeks.

[00:03:06]And for your top story this hour, Israeli strikes targeted vehicles on a highway connecting Beirut to southern Lebanon as a truce between Israel and Hezbollah collapses. The initial strike hit the Jiyyeh area around 20 km south of Beirut, followed by two similar attacks on the same route. Additional strikes were reported in Naqoura, Shai'tiya, Mansouri, Barhouche, Shakra, Majdal Zoun, and Quneitra.

[00:03:36]Israel had earlier ordered residents of six southern towns to evacuate ahead of military actions. The attacks come after Hezbollah launched a large-scale drone attack against northern Israel, described as the most significant drone assault in the country's history. The Lebanese health ministry have confirmed 13 deaths including a soldier, a child, and two rescue workers intensifying fears of wider violence in the region.

[00:04:06]We are now being joined by Peter Baum who's an international affairs editor of the weekly blitz joining us live from London. Peter, always a pleasure to have you on. Thank you so much for joining us here today. On News X world. Um, with this situation, um, Israel has launched more strikes on Lebanon.

[00:04:29]Um, and the attacks come after Hezbollah launched a large-scale drone attack against the northern Israel near the border.

[00:04:37]Israel told people in southern Lebanon to evacuate.

[00:04:42]And then they went and bombed a highway road where maybe some of them would be driving away from southern Lebanon to go to Beirut or move up north. Do you think that Israel sending these evacuation warnings are a genuine want to keep make sure the civilians of Lebanon are safe or do you think it's just to make them look good to the wider, um, wider world?

[00:05:11]I don't know. I think it's part of them the IDF's protocol for decades now that if they are going to attack a particular site, building, location where they have deemed to have received decent intelligence, they will try as much as possible to, uh, try to get the local communities to evacuate. We've seen that where they do it by telephone calls, by text messages, even by leaflets being, um, um, uh, uh, distributed. So, I don't think they do this to make them look good in the wider world. It's part of the IDF's normal protocols. On these, um, very recent attacks, I um, been doing some research and been speaking to people in Beirut this morning. Um, apparently there were two, um, specific targeted attacks on vehicles. Uh, the first one, both in space of an hour. The first one was on, um, south of Beirut on the, uh, Jounieh highway, I believe. Um, uh, a 4x4 and the second was, um, a van, um, um, south of Beirut, um, on the Beirut-Saida highway. I'm I'm sure the vast majority of your, uh, listeners and viewers will not be familiar with the two with the, um, with the with the two roads. Now, the attacks, um, were were targeted at two particular vehicles. Very recently, Israeli intelligence has been quite good in, um, uh, targeting and eliminating Hezbollah operatives. Although there has been nothing, um, from the IDF as yet on these two attacks, there has been a very vague report from a, um, uh, a newspaper publication based in, uh, Beirut, which is, uh, I would say tenuously affiliated to Hezbollah, called Al Akhbar. And, um, they have just, um, issued basically what I what I've told to you. But, um, we'll await from the IDF to see whether, um, these two particular targeted attacks, um, have eliminated, uh, Hezbollah operatives, which the feedback I'm currently getting, although not verified and I wouldn't want to do this, but it's just feedback that I've been getting so far that the both vehicles were being manned by Hamas sorry by Hezbollah operatives but yet to be confirmed Ellie. Mhm.

[00:07:54]And um with these situations yet to be confirmed of Hezbollah be it um being in these areas or meant to be at this certain place um these Israeli strikes targeted not only southern Lebanon but as I said the connecting Beirut to the south is do you think Israel is attempting disrupt Hezbollah's um logistics network from being able to travel from point A to point B? Um do you think this is a strategic thing to target Hezbollah to make sure that they can't keep moving across the two places or is this sending a broader strategic message to Lebanon and Iran?

[00:08:36]No for sure Ellie your your your first analysis absolutely spot on. Um is the Israelis the IDF has recognized similar to the conflict in Iran that disrupting the supply chain and communications lines depot depot storage facilities is is the objective in this and I'm sure we will continue to see more of this irrespective of any ongoing talks between the Israeli and Lebanese governments. Israel would rather not be in this position and would much prefer as the Trump administration would that the Lebanese government take responsibility for dismantling diluting that Hezbollah is not the military force that she currently is but unfortunately the Lebanese government and their armed forces are not yet in a position to achieve that objective and so it's left to Israel to do that and as you said at the beginning of the um uh this interview, um Hezbollah actually fired drones into um into uh northern Israel. There was one other piece of news that I'm not sure if you have covered but it's been very um tenuously covered by some of the major um uh media outlets and that is very recently. I'm talking about the last 72 hours.

[00:10:09]Israel has unearthed and I think has now destroyed a feat of engineering which could only be considered as being remarkable by Hezbollah um in the um in the tunnels um in in Lebanese territory. Um a a massive tunnel um five two to five kilometers long stored full of weapons and ammunition and supplies that would house a an army for several months rather like the infrastructure tunnels that we had seen um in the Gaza conflict and this was right uh where UNIFIL forces were operating, mainly Spanish and and Irish troops I believe. So UNIFIL um so I uh were they asleep at the wheel? Did they know about it and didn't say anything about it but um it's apparently it's quite a remarkable uh as I say a remarkable piece of engineering but I I believe the Israelis have now destroyed uh the tunnels having um gathered in a quite a large amount of ammunition. So I I expect uh going forward Ellie, we'll see a few more skirmishes such as we've seen um um in the last uh 24 hours, uh the two targeted attacks on the um uh Lebanese to Beirut highways. Um this will come as no surprise and I think the the world at large and all good faith actors understand that until the Lebanese government can come up to do the job that the Israelis are doing, we see no sign of that as yet. We're going to continue to see these kind of skirmishes and unfortunately, as always, there will be some collateral damage.

[00:11:59]Yes, Peter, stay with us, please, as I'll be joining back with you very shortly.

[00:12:04]Hamas has warned of grave consequences following the passage of a new Israeli law establishing a special military court for Hamas members and granting it the explicit power to issue and carry out death sentences, calling the measure a dangerous escalation and a new crime against Palestinian prisoners. The law passed by the Knesset Knesset with 62 votes to 48 makes death by hanging the default punishment for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank convicted of killing Israelis and was championed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is seen celebrating with champagne in the parliamentary chamber. According to reports, Israel is already killing Palestinians on a regular basis in detention facilities and in the field and this law is simply another tool in that toolbox. The UN has separately revealed that Israeli forces were responsible for the 93% of the 70 children killed in West Bank since January 2025 with March 2026 seeing the highest level of settler attacks in at least 20 years.

[00:13:14]Once again, we are being joined by Peter Bourne. Thank you, Peter, for joining us back here. Now, this This I can't I can't quite believe.

[00:13:25]Israel has has a new law introducing military courts with the power to impose death sentences on Hamas members. Um and it's already been said that um Israel have these um detention centers for Palestinian people. Majority of the time it's innocent Palestinians as reports have been coming out since last year. Um children are being killed.

[00:13:54]March 2026.

[00:13:56]Um When is the time for the United Nations, for anyone around the world to actually step in and realize that this needs to be put to an end?

[00:14:10]Um okay, I must um educate you on some of your um very emotional uh content narrative for your viewers.

[00:14:23]The new Israeli law at no part during that um document and it's quite uh um an intensive and well-written document. At no time does it ever mention the word Palestinian or Palestinian prisoner or indeed Hamas member.

[00:14:44]All it mentions is terrorists.

[00:14:47]So, any terrorist engaging in acts of terrorism resulting in the deaths of Israelis potentially under this new law could suffer capital punishment. Never mentions the word Palestinian, only terrorists. So, if the terrorist came from Egypt an Egyptian national, a non-Hamas member, a non-Palestinian, or any other country they would be potentially subject to capital punishment.

[00:15:19]And that is true I think, not only of terrorists, but of there are something like 37 um Arab nations, Muslim countries, who have similar laws. So, Israel is not unique in that.

[00:15:36]It's unique that they've only just passed that legislation, but at no stage, Ellie, does it mention the Does the legislation mention the word Palestinian?

[00:15:45]Now, when it comes to the death of Palestinians and Palestinian children, which you, again, emotionally and quite understandably and rightly uh accuse Israel of doing, um and yet uh Hamas uh summarily execute Palestinians and Palestinian children who are opposed to their um their control. Indeed, something like 600 Palestinian children were died uh um whilst constructing the tunnels that Hamas forced them to operate. So, let's begin a clearer understanding of the the context here. Now, when it comes to Israelis and the settler community um undertaking acts of violence against Palestinians, of course, in any democracy, they should be punished, and it is right that Israel has been uh sporadically very lax in um uh undertaking um the correct measures against uh some of the settler community which engaged in those acts of violence. And the reason they've been lax is because Netanyahu relies on that particular community um as as a support base. But, more recently, the IDF have become uh more engaged with the settler community. There have been imprisonments, there have been fines, there have been um um cases where the Israeli government have um um, taken account of of uh what the are doing and indeed there are some settlers I believe in Israeli awaiting trial at the moment. So, the the United Nations um, continued demonization of Israel [clears throat] for the acts of the settler community uh, is is should be taken um, in the context in the in the wider area and for Hamas to accuse Israel of uh, um, of being um, irresponsible let's say and condemning them for this uh, new law against terrorism uh, is somewhat a paradox and ironical given how Hamas themselves treat Palestinians. So, I don't think the Israelis would be too perturbed by either what Hamas say or indeed what the United Nations say which let's face it in the last few decades has just acted as the Peter but the the UN has revealed with special reports that Israeli forces were responsible for 93% of the 70 children that were killed. How is that not credible?

[00:18:26]I tell you how it's not credible Ellie cuz the United Nations also revealed that there was a famine and genocide in Gaza when there clearly was not. So, as I say for anyone to take and it's not the UN it's a certain committee of the UN which has Iran as part of the Human Rights Committee on the UN. So, for anyone and especially any media outlet and someone as such as News X which is a credible news news outlet to suggest that you the UN has any credibility in this is rather absurd. The UN has lost all credibility as the Trump administration realized.

[00:19:06]They I don't think Trump has had a conversation with the Secretary General of the UN, the Portuguese Guterres, for something like 9 months now. The UN has absolutely no credibility as the organization it should have been when it first formed after the Second World War, or during 1945. It has It's lost all credibility as an organization. It's simply there to demonize the [snorts] Jewish state of Israel. That's what its main purpose is, for nothing else.

[00:19:40]Okay. Um thank you, Peter, uh for joining us here today on Newsmax World.

[00:19:47]Nvidia's president and CEO, Jensen Huang, is now on board Air Force One bound for Beijing. Huang was not originally part of Trump's China delegation, but after seeing media coverage of the Nvidia's chief absence, Trump personally called Huang and asked him to join, prompting the world's most powerful chip executive to fly to Alaska just to board Air Force One. Nvidia's presence on the trip had been considered politically awkward, with concerns that bringing the world's largest chip maker to Beijing could invite unwanted scrutiny over the highly contested questions of selling Nvidia's chips to China. Huang joins a star-studded US business delegation, including Apple's Tim Cook and Tesla's Elon Musk. At Trump's first overseas trip since the US went to war in the Middle East. Nvidia's revenue from China has effectively dropped to zero in recent quarters, down from a staggering $25 billion just 2 years ago, when China represented 32% of the company's total revenue.

[00:20:57]We are now being joined by Dr. Jeet Bhattacharya, who is an economist and policy expert joining us live from New Delhi. Dr. Jeet, always a pleasure to have you on. Thank you. Um Donald Trump personally inviting uh Jensen Huang onto Air Force One. Um does this show the growing geopolitical importance of this?

[00:21:19]And has the AI chip industry now become as strategically significant as oil once was in global diplomacy?

[00:21:30]You know, technology and semiconductor has been at the center of geopolitical conversation for at least the last 20 25 years. And it's really sharpened in the last 5 6 years, specially when AI has has become kind of the differentiator between um nations who control very um significant technologies. AI is obviously going to be a game changer.

[00:21:55]Now, as we all know that AI is dependent on the powerful chips that Nvidia makes.

[00:22:01]And the US government had started off by actually banning the sale of these chips to US. And specially as we speak now, even even as we speak, Nvidia's H200 chips are still banned in China. And therefore um as and when um the the US government removed some of the obstacles, the Chinese government actually stepped in and put some obstacles in those same chips.

[00:22:27]Uh and China has been promoting the chips being manufactured from their domestic companies with um subsidies such as free electricity, uh free water, and so on because these chips are extremely power guzzling. And compared to Nvidia's chips, China's domestic chips are far more power guzzling because they're not as optimized as Nvidia chips. So, what Nvidia and the US is looking at is to somehow let Nvidia's chips get in back into the supply chain of artificial intelligence in China, which will uh in the US's views uh limit the rise of China's own chips, and therefore China will continue to be dependent on the American chips, especially chips like H200 of Nvidia and the subsequent series that will be coming out, and hence in some way keep China dependent on the US technology.

[00:23:24]And also the fact that China is keen to actually host US on this issue shows that China is still keen to actually reach out for American technology where US still maintains a lead over China. So, it's a very reciprocal arrangement that seems to be coming out, and I think some of the pragmatism is coming in instead of having an antagonistic strategic view of China.

[00:23:51]This particular meeting seems to be more a pragmatic step to make sure that the global trade continues, especially in areas that are important for both the US and China.

[00:24:04]Dr. Gigi, stay with us, please, as we just going to move on to Amid rising tensions in West Asia, India has raised import issues duties on gold and silver to 15% from 6%. The move comes as global uncertainty has increased demand for safe haven assets like gold. The government says the step is aimed at reducing overseas purchases of precious metals and easing pressure exchange reserves. India has imposed a 10% basic customs duty along with a 5% agricultural infrastructure and development cess on imports. The decision is expected to impact the demand in India, the world's second largest consumer of gold. Officials believe the duty hike could help narrow the trade deficit and support the rupee.

[00:24:57]Industry representatives have warned that the higher import taxes may also lead to the rise in gold smuggling.

[00:25:05]Billion deale- dealers now expect imports to fall again following the latest duty increase.

[00:25:14]Once again, we are being joined by Dr. Jujit. Thank you for joining us back here for this um Gold has traditionally been India's preferred safe haven asset during periods of instability. Will higher import duties actually curb demand or simply push consumers towards unofficial and unregulated channels?

[00:25:38]You know, let's look at the issue first from the government perspective. Uh almost 10% of India's imports uh is gold and silver.

[00:25:46]And uh in a in a situation where the rupee is really sliding fast because of increasing imports both in terms of oil and gas as well as gold and silver, it's putting tremendous amount of pressure on rupee, which then translates to increase inflation, which then hits the most vulnerable sections of our society. And therefore, something needs to be done to curb both the imports of gold and silver as well as imports of oil. So, in this particular case in terms of gold and silver, yes, uh you know, the logic that every time um the the the custom duty the basic custom duty is increased, uh there could be a possibility of smuggling. But, that's more in the realm of enforcement um and it will not be a very widespread uh issue that will happen. And what needs to be done right now needs to be done and and the requirement right now is to make sure that there is a uh reduction in the demand for gold and silver within the country so that we can uh protect and safeguard our currency and everything else related to that including inflation. And hence um uh yes, there will be a bit of smuggling but I don't think personally that that's going to have a very significant impact.

[00:27:00]It'll be a very small portion of the legitimate trade that will happen and hence it'll achieve this outcome that the government is looking at and and also more importantly there are other tools that are there in the government's hands such as the WTO aligned anti-dumping duties and there are a whole bunch of anti-dumping duties that are waiting for the government's approval and once those are approved again there will be a significant reduction in the imports of those products where there is there are foreign players dumping those goods into India. So there are multiple measures that are being taken there are multiple measures that can be taken and yes there will be some some some pushback or some sidestepping of those measures but largely they will achieve the outcome and the policy outcome that the government is looking at. Dr. thank you so much for joining us here today on News X World. So sorry it was short as we are just running out of time.

[00:28:00]Next up Vietnamese Foreign Minister Lee Hoi Trung has arrived in Pyongyang marking a significant step in the strengthening ties between Hanoi and North Korea acting as a special envoy for the president to Lam Trung has received at the airport yesterday by North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Pak Song Il. While the official mission remains confidential analysis believe that the Trung is there to brief Kim Jong-un's government on Vietnam's recent leadership consolidation especially to Lam's dual role as party chief and president. But there are a larger regional player work here. The visit follows a high-profile trip by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung to Vietnam last month. The timing has fueled intense speculation that Hanoi where a friend to both north and south, may be positioning themselves as a key diplomatic mediator for inter-Korean relations.

[00:28:57]The builds on the momentum from last October when Thu Lam became the first Vietnamese leader in nearly 20 years to North Korea. Beyond high-level politics, both nations are reportedly looking to expand cooperation in agriculture and sports, sectors that sit comfortably outside the reach of international sanctions.

[00:29:23]And next, tens of thousands of protesters flooded the streets in Buenos Aires decrying that President Javier Milei's aggressive budget cuts to the nation's tuition-free public universities. While Milei dismisses these institutions as woke per- bations of the left, democratas argue that plunging salaries and frozen funding are dismantling a system that has produced five Nobel laureates.

[00:29:53]As inflation erodes wages by nearly 33% and corruption scandals plague has his inner circle, Milei faces his sharpest dip in approval since taking office.

[00:30:05]Despite the government labeling the march purely political, the sheer scale of the crowds signaling a deeper rift over the future of Argentina's social contract. Listen in to some of the protesters.

[00:30:37]Eh, hay muchos universitarios que van a estar los primeros universitarios de la familia. Eh, así que nada, me parece que eso es lo más importante.

[00:31:18]>> And that is all we have time for for this hour. Keep watching News X World for more news updates from around the world.