Top news clusters today

Iran refuses to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without the lifting of sanctions and war reparations, prompting President Trump to demand compensation for decades of Iranian-linked damages and casualties.

A Syrian court has sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher to death in absentia for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Former security official Atef Najib was also sentenced to die

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake in western Colombia has killed at least 240 people and left thousands missing. Rescue operations continue across heavily damaged regions including Chocó and Risaralda.

Negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz have reached an advanced stage between Oman and Iran, but deadlock persists as the U.S. demands reparations and Iran requires a regional ceasefire and unfreezing of-

The Turkish Parliament passed a landmark law to facilitate the 'Terror-free Turkey' process, allowing for conditional pardons for PKK members if the group lays down its arms and dissolves.

Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Donald Trump’s 15-point Gaza peace plan, insisting that the Israeli military will not withdraw until Hamas is genuinely and completely disarmed.

Copernicus reports record-breaking July 2026 temperatures, with extra-polar ocean temperatures hitting 20.96°C and Western Europe experiencing its warmest June-July period ever.

President Zelenskyy warns of Russian escalation, citing North Korean missile support, planned mass troop mobilizations, and the submission of peace proposals to the United States.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, establishing a collective defense pact where an attack on one is an attack on all, signaling a shift in regional security dynamics.

Oil prices have surged past $90 per barrel as tensions rise between the U.S. and Iran over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, threatening global energy supplies and market stability.

Iran has set six major conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including lifting U.S. sanctions, releasing frozen assets, and paying war reparations, complicating ongoing talks with Oman.

President Zelenskyy warns that 30,000–50,000 North Korean troops are being deployed to Russia, while also reporting North Korean missile use in Ukraine and a successful $12.2 billion Ukrainian logistics strike.

July 2026 was the second warmest July globally and the hottest on record for the contiguous US, marked by extreme heat, record ocean temperatures, and widespread drought across the Northern Hemisphere.

The DRC is battling a record-breaking Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus, with over 2,000 deaths. The WHO warns the virus began in February, outpacing response efforts amid regional conflict.

President Trump has proposed two options for the Iran conflict: continued economic pressure to force collapse or a major military offensive, as the U.S. seeks war reparations from Tehran.

Iran released a video of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to counter reports that he is in critical condition following injuries sustained in February military strikes.

The Pentagon has ordered defense contractors to accelerate weapons production following severe depletion of Patriot and THAAD missile stockpiles during the conflict with Iran.

The death toll from Venezuela's June 24 earthquakes has reached 6,301. Authorities are assessing thousands of homes, while engineers call for updated seismic building codes to aid reconstruction.

New Mexico judge orders Meta to pay $567 M for child‑safety harms, adds $420 M for treatment and mandates extensive youth‑protection measures; Meta will appeal.

President Trump has demanded 50 years of reparations from Iran for regional conflicts and protests, complicating efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and causing oil prices to surge.

Russia launched massive missile strikes on Ukraine, using North Korean and Zircon missiles to hit Zaporizhzhia and Kyiv. Ukraine seeks domestic Patriot missile production to counter increasing Russian missile's

Spider‑Man: Brand New Day set a new domestic $500 M record in 7 days, earned $1.155 B worldwide in its first week, and hit Rs 336 cr net in India, aided by a BMW partnership and multiple premium formats.

Colombia faces a humanitarian crisis following a 7.4 magnitude earthquake and increased activity at the Puracé volcano. Authorities have declared emergencies in Cauca amid high casualties and volcanic ash risks

Former Guerrero governor Ángel Aguirre Rivero has been arrested for allegedly ordering the destruction of evidence related to the 2014 disappearance of 43 Ayotzinapa students.

A drone carrying Semtex explosives targeted a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport. US officials suspect Russian involvement, prompting Germany to expand its Federal Police anti-drone units.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a trilateral pact featuring a mutual defense clause similar to NATO's Article 5 to enhance regional deterrence.

A deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, has surpassed 4,000 cases and 1,800 deaths, with a lethality rate of approximately 45% mirroring the fastest-foc

An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has killed over 2,000 people, spreading at an unprecedented speed due to the rare Bundibugyo virus and regional instability.

Operation Mondragón, a joint Spain‑Ecuador‑Europol raid, seized 21 tonnes of cocaine, €1 million cash and arrested eight suspects, exposing a network that moved drugs via legitimate firms and Albanian financing

President Donald Trump reportedly used a catering truck and a decoy Air Force One flight to secretly flee Turkey for the UK following credible Iranian assassination threats.

Spider‑Man: Brand New Day posted a $360 M domestic opening, the biggest ever, and reached $1 B worldwide in six days, becoming the second‑fastest film to do so while setting records in dozens of markets.

Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen claims Israeli agents repeatedly infiltrated Iran's Fordow nuclear site to gather intelligence, calling US military strikes on the facility the ‘fulfillment of all my dreams.’

Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi has arrived in Tehran for talks aimed at mediating the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States.

Speculation mounts over the health of Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei following reports of critical injuries. Iran released an undated video of him to counter claims of his incapacitation.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order reducing recommended childhood vaccines from 18 to 11 and calling for the separation of combined MMR shots into individual doses, despite warnings from health-ex

Russia has released former US Marine Robert Gilman on humanitarian grounds following discussions between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Gilman is returning to the US for medical treatment.

U.S. intelligence warns that Russia may launch a limited attack on a NATO member between 2026 and 2029 to test the alliance's resolve and Article 5 commitment, likely targeting Poland or the Baltic states.

A 24-year-old man was arrested in São Paulo after confessing to the asphyxiation of his two daughters, aged 3 and 5, in a suspected case of vicaricidio intended to punish their mother.

Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a 15-point Gaza peace plan proposed by Donald Trump, insisting the IDF will not withdraw until Hamas is fully disarmed of all weapons.

U.S. has used ~80% of THAAD, half of Patriot missiles and nearly all ATACMS/PrSM in the Iran war; Trump and the Pentagon deny shortages, while Gulf allies warn of reduced deterrence.

Meta released Muse Glimmer, an open-weights AI model designed for local execution on consumer computers. CEO Mark Zuckerberg also published a manifesto advocating for distributed, open-source superintelligence.

Western Europe faces record heat and drought, with June-July temperatures hitting 21.62°C. Heatwaves in France and the UK, alongside drying rivers like the Rhine and Danube, are straining energy and water infra

Nvidia is partnering with six Wall Street giants, including BlackRock and Goldman Sachs, to launch financing platforms aiming to mobilize $500 billion for global AI infrastructure development.

Russian missile and drone barrage on Kyiv region killed 17, injured 44, exposing Ukraine’s air‑defence shortfalls.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino faces intense criticism from UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC following a failed plan to sell World Cup commercial stakes to private investors, sparking calls for accountability.

An 81 % chance very strong El Niño 2026‑27 could add ~49 million to acute hunger (total 274 million), with 83 % spikes in Central America and 75 % in Southern Africa; jobs in Caribbean at risk; WMO warns peak +

Typhoon Dolphin made landfall in eastern China, prompting a red alert and the evacuation of over 1 million people. The storm caused massive flight cancellations in Shanghai and heavy damage in Okinawa.

Donald Trump confirmed he secretly switched from Air Force One to a military jet in Turkey last month to evade a credible Iranian assassination threat, using a catering truck to facilitate the transfer.

Simon Levy has been convicted of murdering two women and raping a third in London. The case has triggered investigations into major police and prosecutorial failures that allowed him to remain free on bail.