Around the world
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USA
Hormuz tensions return
The temporary June ceasefire with Iran has collapsed, as the US launched consecutive airstrikes and reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. Trump has warned Tehran that the US will bomb civilian infrastructure unless Iranian leaders return to negotiating. He earlier reversed a threat of a 20% fee on all Strait of Hormuz cargo shipping after Gulf countries promised increased investments. Iran has firmly rejected any US claims of authority over the strait.
UK
Tennis toppers
Italy’s Jannik Sinner defended his Wimbledon title by defeating Germany’s Alexander Zverev 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 6-3, 6-4 in the Gentlemen’s Singles category to claim his fifth Grand Slam crown. He said the victory was especially meaningful after his disappointing French Open campaign. Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova won her maiden Ladies’ Singles Wimbledon title after overcoming compatriot Karolina Muchova in a dramatic three-set final. The 21-year-old, who became the youngest women’s Wimbledon champion since 2011, dedicated the victory to her late mother.
CHINA
Slowest growth in years
The economy expanded at a 4.3% annual growth rate in the second quarter of 2026, marking its slowest pace of expansion in more than three years when COVID had brutally hit the country. It is below Beijing’s full-year growth target range of 4.5% to 5%, the least ambitious goal in decades, amid tensions with trade partners, including the US and the EU, and sluggish domestic demand. Some economists say the country’s economy is increasingly unbalanced as heavy state support and private investments pour into frontier technologies like AI, computer chips, and robotics while other areas such as job-creating manufacturing and services industries languish.
SPAIN
Border barrier ends
A landmark post-Brexit agreement removed all border restrictions with British overseas territory of Gibraltar from July 15, allowing free movement of people and goods. Around 15,000 people cross the Gibraltar-Spain border every day, many of them Spanish residents who work in Gibraltar. The deal is expected to ease daily travel and strengthen regional trade. Under the agreement, Gibraltar will join the EU customs union and the Schengen free-travel zone.
INDIA
High-altitude airships
The Indian Air Force has launched a 15,000-crore INR programme to develop Air Ship-based High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (AS-HAPS). Operating in the stratosphere at an altitude of 20 km, these unmanned airships will be designed to remain airborne for months. Bridging gap between drones and satellites, they will provide real-time surveillance and communications over borders and strategic zones. Multiple Indian aerospace companies will be competing to develop prototypes.
VIETNAM
Tourist tragedy
Fifteen Indian tourists died and several others were injured when a speedboat capsized off Phu Quoc island. Marking one of the country’s deadliest boating accidents, the tragedy has shaken the region. The bodies of the victims have been repatriated while authorities launched an investigation. One survivor remains in critical condition. Officials are currently examining whether safety regulations were violated during the trip.
JAPAN
Seabed gold galore
The country has found record concentrations of hidden gold at the Higashi-Aogashima hydrothermal field, 350 km south of Tokyo. A study in Scientific Reports revealed the gold is trapped within pyrite, often called ‘fool’s gold’, at the highest level ever recorded on the seafloor. It has renewed interest in deep-sea mining, although commercial extraction remains challenging. Scientists also warned that mining could threaten fragile underwater ecosystems.
News flash: UKRAINE: Russian attacks claim 293 lives in June, making it the deadliest month since April 2022
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