World News

Iran risks peace talks with US to maintain leverage over Strait of Hormuz

Iran sees its control over the Strait of Hormuz as critical leverage in peace talks with the United States; it seems willing to risk the cease-fire to maintain that power

Qatar to release $6 bn in frozen assets amid US talks: Iranian president

Pezeshkian is the highest-ranking official within Iran to reference the release of the funds held by Qatar, a key mediator in the negotiations with Pakistan

China imposes export controls on 40 Japanese entities as tensions rise

20 Japanese firms have been placed on a control list, which prohibits Chinese and foreign exporters from selling to them dual-use items made in China

Hezbollah rejects US-brokered Israel-Lebanon security deal as 'surrender'

In the latest example of ongoing hostilities despite repeated ceasefires and agreements, Israel launched a drone strike in Lebanon's south on Saturday

West Asia crisis: Iran, US agree to halt attacks and resume talks

A return to diplomacy would follow several days of strikes and counterstrikes since an Iranian projectile hit a cargo vessel in the Strait of ​Hormuz on Thursday

Ukraine hits another Russian oil refinery as Putin admits fuel shortage

Ukraine has markedly stepped up its long-range attacks on Russian military industries and energy facilities in recent months, aiming to cut Moscow's revenue for its invasion

Venezuelan tremors: Earthquakes push healthcare system to the brink

Two powerful 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck within a minute of each other on Wednesday evening

US lags in social media restrictions for kids, but a reform push is growing

Parents whose children died from harms linked to social media use are driving a growing movement for stronger safeguards, accountability measures and online safety legislation

France records around 1,000 additional deaths amid extreme heatwave

Temperature records were toppled in several countries on the weekend as the heat wave slowly moved toward eastern parts of the continent

Saudi Aramco helicopter crash leaves 14 dead; investigation under way

Aramco had resumed crude oil loadings on Friday at its Ras Tanura terminal in the Gulf after they were halted for nearly four months

Iran attacks Bahrain, Kuwait following US strikes, threatens to halt talks

Both Bahrain and Kuwait denounced the Iranian attacks, though it wasn't clear what, if anything, had been hit

Rising debt, AI boom and financial fragilities raise global risks: BIS

Bank for International Settlements said rising public debt, financial vulnerabilities and uncertainties surrounding the AI boom are increasing risks to the global economy, despite resilient growth

Skydiving plane crashes in France, killing all 11 people on board

The plane crashed near the city of Nancy at 11 am local time, Yves Seguy, the prefect of the Meurthe-et-Moselle region, told reporters near the scene of the crash

Ukraine strikes two Russian oil refineries overnight, intensifying attacks

Zelenskyy said the strikes on refineries in Krasnodar and Yaroslavl were part of efforts to weaken Russia's ability to sustain its war, as Kyiv steps up attacks on fuel infrastructure

Israel weighs US listings for state-owned defence firms IAI and Rafael

Israeli officials and company representatives are set to visit the US in July to explore IPO options for state-owned defence companies IAI and Rafael as the govt considers selling up to 30% of stakes

Bird flu is deadly for backyard chickens and cats, warns vet expert

The highly pathogenic H5N1 virus, which can spread among birds, mammals and occasionally humans, has been detected in seabirds in two Australian states, prompting warnings for poultry and pet owners

US says it struck 10 Iran targets as ceasefire strained by new attacks

The strikes targeted Iranian surveillance, air defence and drone facilities near the Strait of Hormuz after Washington accused Tehran of breaching the ceasefire agreement

Another 5.6-magnitude quake hits Venezuela days after deadly twin temblors

The offshore tremor struck near Aragua days after twin earthquakes devastated parts of Venezuela, while rescue and recovery operations continued amid complaints of poor coordination

Venezuela earthquake: Death toll tops 1,400 as rescue efforts intensify

More than 1,600 foreign rescuers have joined search operations in the hardest-hit coastal areas as authorities race to find survivors amid hundreds of aftershocks

6.1-magnitude quake off northeast Japan rattles coast, no tsunami alert

The quake struck off coast of Iwate Prefecture, with a depth of about 40 kilometers (25 miles), on Sunday morning, and shook Aomori Prefecture and other nearby regions