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The US military has launched a ninth night of strikes against Iran, US Central Command said, adding that Iranian military command centers, air defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and communications networks were targeted. CENTCOM said that it was done to further diminish Iran's ability to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz. This came after the United States military announced the death of another soldier, saying he was killed in northern Iraq “during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance” from a downed Iranian drone.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn1.wionews.com/prod/wion/images/2026/20260720/image-1784515327227.png"></figure>&nbsp;As the CENTCOM announced the strikes, explosions were heard in five Iranian cities, including the major northwestern hub of Tabriz and two key ports. According to Mehr News Agency, the Iranian air defence systems also shot down a drone over southern Iran as CENTCOM attack began. In retaliation, Iran attacked Bahrain and Kuwait as sirens were sounded in both countries and residents were urged to seek shelter. Kuwait said its air defences were intercepting Iranian missiles and drones. It also accused Iran of causing fires and severe damage to power, water and oil facilities, prompting condemnation from Gulf governments.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/could-be-bombed-at-any-moment-what-iran-s-araghchi-told-trump-envoy-witkoff-during-negotiations-1784470981950">'Could be bombed at any moment': What Iran's Araghchi told Trump envoy</a>&nbsp;Meanwhile, as the West Asia war ignited once again, oil prices rose about 3 percent &nbsp;Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose 3% to about $90.78 a barrel, and US crude climbed almost 3% to $84.85 a barrel. Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, where 20% of the global oil supply flows, has been on the decline after tensions escalated last week. On Wednesday, the US reimposed its naval blockade of Iranian ports.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-in-address-to-nation-repeats-stolen-election-claims-alleges-china-compromised-220-million-voter-data-files-1784250898408">Trump in address to nation, repeats stolen election claims</a><h2>Iran suspends deal with US</h2>On Saturday, Iran announced it was suspending all of its ceasefire commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States. Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei slammed the US and said that the violations of the agreement "once again demonstrated to everyone the worthlessness of the American president's signature." He also said, “Now that the American enemy seeks to incite war and bear its most serious consequences, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons to offer it.” He added that Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran had suspended its commitments under the MoU as US military attacks continued, according to Iran's Fars news agency. "The US has violated and suspended all its commitments within the framework of the Islamabad MoU," Gharibabadi said.

The Iran US war may reignite the West Asia region once again as the fragile ceasefire brokered between the two countries with Pakistan as the mediator has failed. Iran has restarted its strike on Gulf nations that serve as US bases, while America has started bombing Iranian cities 

The US military has launched a ninth night of strikes against Iran, US Central Command said, adding that Iranian military command centers, air defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and communications networks were targeted. CENTCOM said that it was done to further diminish Iran's ability to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz. This came after the United States military announced the death of another soldier, saying he was killed in northern Iraq “during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance” from a downed Iranian drone. As the CENTCOM announced the strikes, explosions were heard in five Iranian cities, including the major northwestern hub of Tabriz and two key ports. According to Mehr News Agency, the Iranian air defence systems also shot down a drone over southern Iran as CENTCOM attack began. In retaliation, Iran attacked Bahrain and Kuwait as sirens were sounded in both countries and residents were urged to seek shelter. Kuwait said its air defences were intercepting Iranian missiles and drones. It also accused Iran of causing fires and severe damage to power, water and oil facilities, prompting condemnation from Gulf governments. Also Read: 'Could be bombed at any moment': What Iran's Araghchi told Trump envoy Meanwhile, as the West Asia war ignited once again, oil prices rose about 3 percent Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose 3% to about $90.78 a barrel, and US crude climbed almost 3% to $84.85 a barrel. Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, where 20% of the global oil supply flows, has been on the decline after tensions escalated last week. On Wednesday, the US reimposed its naval blockade of Iranian ports. Also Read: Trump in address to nation, repeats stolen election claims Iran suspends deal with US On Saturday, Iran announced it was suspending all of its ceasefire commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States. Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei slammed the US and said that the violations of the agreement "once again demonstrated to everyone the worthlessness of the American president's signature." He also said, “Now that the American enemy seeks to incite war and bear its most serious consequences, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons to offer it.” He added that Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran had suspended its commitments under the MoU as US military attacks continued, according to Iran's Fars news agency. "The US has violated and suspended all its commitments within the framework of the Islamabad MoU," Gharibabadi said.

The Iran US war may reignite the West Asia region once again as the fragile ceasefire brokered between the two countries with Pakistan as the mediator has failed. Iran has restarted its strike on Gulf nations that serve as US bases, while America has started bombing Iranian cities&nbsp;

US strikes Iran, sirens heard in Kuwait, one American soldier killed in Iraq: What's happening in West Asia

The Indian Embassy in Iran issued a travel advisory to its citizens intending to travel to Iran to postpone arrangements. It also urged citizens residing in the country to consider exiting Tehran temporarily, as the tension between the US and Iran escalates. It also urged Indians who consider staying in Iran to stay away from zones of military activity, such as the Southern coast. The warning marks a shift from India's position on June 24, when it acknowledged the improvement of the security situation while continuing to discourage non-essential travel.&nbsp;“Indian nationals intending to travel to Iran for any purpose should postpone travel for the time being, until the security environment improves,” read the advisory, though it stopped short of evacuation."Indians already in Iran should consider temporarily exiting Iran, using available flight options."The advisory urges nationals who choose to remain to exercise the highest possible level of caution. It urged Indian nationals presently in Iran who have not yet registered their details with the embassy to do so immediately.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tulsi-gabbard-brother-batarti-child-luring-hawaii-hotel-charges-1784477368896">Tulsi Gabbard's brother Batarti accused of luring children to hotel room in Hawaii</a>“They should carefully monitor the news to maintain full situational awareness, and should avoid locations seeing higher levels of military activity, such as those along the southern coast of the country. Instructions issued by local authorities should be complied with carefully,” read the advisory.The advisory was issued following the US strikes in Iran, which continued for eight consecutive days. The retalliation from Iran resulted in the death of two US service members in Jordan. Iran also targeted the Gulf nations in Bahrain and Kuwait, where a power and desalination plant was attacked.&nbsp;

India has advised citizens to postpone travel to Iran and urged Indians in Tehran to consider temporarily leaving as the US-Iran conflict continues to escalate.

The Indian Embassy in Iran issued a travel advisory to its citizens intending to travel to Iran to postpone arrangements. It also urged citizens residing in the country to consider exiting Tehran temporarily, as the tension between the US and Iran escalates. It also urged Indians who consider staying in Iran to stay away from zones of military activity, such as the Southern coast. The warning marks a shift from India's position on June 24, when it acknowledged the improvement of the security situation while continuing to discourage non-essential travel. “Indian nationals intending to travel to Iran for any purpose should postpone travel for the time being, until the security environment improves,” read the advisory, though it stopped short of evacuation."Indians already in Iran should consider temporarily exiting Iran, using available flight options." The advisory urges nationals who choose to remain to exercise the highest possible level of caution. It urged Indian nationals presently in Iran who have not yet registered their details with the embassy to do so immediately. Also Read: Tulsi Gabbard's brother Batarti accused of luring children to hotel room in Hawaii “They should carefully monitor the news to maintain full situational awareness, and should avoid locations seeing higher levels of military activity, such as those along the southern coast of the country. Instructions issued by local authorities should be complied with carefully,” read the advisory. The advisory was issued following the US strikes in Iran, which continued for eight consecutive days. The retalliation from Iran resulted in the death of two US service members in Jordan. Iran also targeted the Gulf nations in Bahrain and Kuwait, where a power and desalination plant was attacked.

India has advised citizens to postpone travel to Iran and urged Indians in Tehran to consider temporarily leaving as the US-Iran conflict continues to escalate.

India advises citizens to postpone Iran travel, urges Indians to leave Tehran amid US-Iran tensions

On July 10, Apple filed a 41-page complaint in the US District Court for the Northern District of California accusing OpenAI of stealing its trade secrets ‘at every level’ — from members of its technical staff up to OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer. Beyond the headlines, the complaint's real force is its specifics. Here is what Apple actually says was taken.&nbsp;The List: What Apple Says Was Stolen&nbsp;According to the complaint, the alleged theft covers the crown jewels of Apple's hardware machine: proprietary metal-finishing techniques and processes; design and component information for power systems and batteries; confidential details of vendors and contractors inside Apple's supply chain; the internal terminology Apple uses in supplier communications; and CAD files, design artifacts and physical prototypes.&nbsp;Notably, the complaint does not accuse OpenAI of copying the iPhone itself. The alleged target is Apple's manufacturing know-how — the processes, suppliers and design methods behind its devices — allegedly taken to accelerate OpenAI's push into consumer hardware, the business it entered by acquiring former Apple design chief Jony Ive's startup io in a deal reported at roughly $6.5 billion.&nbsp;The ‘Show And Tell’ Interviews&nbsp;The complaint's most striking allegation targets Tang Yew Tan — a 24-year Apple veteran who rose to vice president overseeing iPhone and Apple Watch product design, and who now serves as OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer. Apple alleges Tan directed Apple employees interviewing at OpenAI to bring ‘actual parts’ from Apple to job interviews for show-and-tell sessions, along with CAD files and prototypes.&nbsp;Recruiting-as-espionage, in Apple's telling: the interview process itself allegedly became a channel for moving confidential hardware information out of Cupertino.&nbsp;The Engineer Who Kept His Access&nbsp;The second named individual is Chang Liu, a former senior systems electrical engineer at Apple. According to the complaint, Liu discovered an authentication bug that let him reach Apple's internal network storage even after leaving — and messaged a colleague: ‘LOL, I found out I can access the network storage, so funny.’&nbsp;Within hours of departing Apple, Liu allegedly texted that he still had another company computer. Apple says he went on to access and download dozens of confidential files from its network while developing hardware at OpenAI, and that he kept a work-issued Apple laptop after his exit.&nbsp;A third former Apple employee now at OpenAI, Yu-Ting ‘Alyssa’ Peng, is described in the complaint as a conduit between the two companies. She is not named as a defendant, but Apple says her work laptop contained incriminating communications.&nbsp;The Systemic Claims&nbsp;Apple's larger argument is that this was not a few bad actors. More than 400 former Apple employees now work at OpenAI, the complaint notes, and Apple alleges the instances it has discovered are only a fraction of the total. Internal Apple documents marked ‘Need to Know’ were allegedly circulated to OpenAI new hires.&nbsp;The complaint also alleges OpenAI coached departing Apple employees on evading the company's exit-security procedures — including what employees reportedly called the ‘dreaded walkout’ — advising them not to sign exit agreements and to notify OpenAI immediately if questioned.&nbsp;Even io, the Jony Ive hardware startup at the centre of OpenAI's device ambitions, is accused of misusing Apple's proprietary industrial design techniques by misleading one of Apple's own manufacturing partners about what it was authorised to share.&nbsp;From Partnership To War&nbsp;The lawsuit caps a spectacular reversal. In 2024, Apple and OpenAI were partners — ChatGPT was integrated into the iPhone's operating system in one of the most-watched alliances in tech. Relations chilled after OpenAI declared its consumer hardware ambitions, bought io, and hired hundreds of Apple employees for its device effort.&nbsp;OpenAI's Response&nbsp;OpenAI has rejected the allegations. Its first statement said the company has no interest in other firms' trade secrets; on July 14 it went further, saying it was ‘not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit’ and defending its employees' freedom to work where they choose. All of Apple's claims remain allegations to be tested in court.&nbsp;The case now heads toward discovery — a process that could force both companies to expose exactly the kinds of secrets this lawsuit is about. For OpenAI, the stakes include its entire consumer hardware roadmap. For Apple, the suit is a warning shot to every AI lab recruiting from Cupertino: the walled garden has lawyers.

Apple's 41-page lawsuit accuses OpenAI of stealing metal-finishing secrets, battery designs, supplier details and prototypes — with 'show and tell' job interviews and an engineer who kept network access after quitting. The full list of allegations, and OpenAI's response.

On July 10, Apple filed a 41-page complaint in the US District Court for the Northern District of California accusing OpenAI of stealing its trade secrets ‘at every level’ — from members of its technical staff up to OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer. Beyond the headlines, the complaint's real force is its specifics. Here is what Apple actually says was taken. The List: What Apple Says Was Stolen According to the complaint, the alleged theft covers the crown jewels of Apple's hardware machine: proprietary metal-finishing techniques and processes; design and component information for power systems and batteries; confidential details of vendors and contractors inside Apple's supply chain; the internal terminology Apple uses in supplier communications; and CAD files, design artifacts and physical prototypes. Notably, the complaint does not accuse OpenAI of copying the iPhone itself. The alleged target is Apple's manufacturing know-how — the processes, suppliers and design methods behind its devices — allegedly taken to accelerate OpenAI's push into consumer hardware, the business it entered by acquiring former Apple design chief Jony Ive's startup io in a deal reported at roughly $6.5 billion. The ‘Show And Tell’ Interviews The complaint's most striking allegation targets Tang Yew Tan — a 24-year Apple veteran who rose to vice president overseeing iPhone and Apple Watch product design, and who now serves as OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer. Apple alleges Tan directed Apple employees interviewing at OpenAI to bring ‘actual parts’ from Apple to job interviews for show-and-tell sessions, along with CAD files and prototypes. Recruiting-as-espionage, in Apple's telling: the interview process itself allegedly became a channel for moving confidential hardware information out of Cupertino. The Engineer Who Kept His Access The second named individual is Chang Liu, a former senior systems electrical engineer at Apple. According to the complaint, Liu discovered an authentication bug that let him reach Apple's internal network storage even after leaving — and messaged a colleague: ‘LOL, I found out I can access the network storage, so funny.’ Within hours of departing Apple, Liu allegedly texted that he still had another company computer. Apple says he went on to access and download dozens of confidential files from its network while developing hardware at OpenAI, and that he kept a work-issued Apple laptop after his exit. A third former Apple employee now at OpenAI, Yu-Ting ‘Alyssa’ Peng, is described in the complaint as a conduit between the two companies. She is not named as a defendant, but Apple says her work laptop contained incriminating communications. The Systemic Claims Apple's larger argument is that this was not a few bad actors. More than 400 former Apple employees now work at OpenAI, the complaint notes, and Apple alleges the instances it has discovered are only a fraction of the total. Internal Apple documents marked ‘Need to Know’ were allegedly circulated to OpenAI new hires. The complaint also alleges OpenAI coached departing Apple employees on evading the company's exit-security procedures — including what employees reportedly called the ‘dreaded walkout’ — advising them not to sign exit agreements and to notify OpenAI immediately if questioned. Even io, the Jony Ive hardware startup at the centre of OpenAI's device ambitions, is accused of misusing Apple's proprietary industrial design techniques by misleading one of Apple's own manufacturing partners about what it was authorised to share. From Partnership To War The lawsuit caps a spectacular reversal. In 2024, Apple and OpenAI were partners — ChatGPT was integrated into the iPhone's operating system in one of the most-watched alliances in tech. Relations chilled after OpenAI declared its consumer hardware ambitions, bought io, and hired hundreds of Apple employees for its device effort. OpenAI's Response OpenAI has rejected the allegations. Its first statement said the company has no interest in other firms' trade secrets; on July 14 it went further, saying it was ‘not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit’ and defending its employees' freedom to work where they choose. All of Apple's claims remain allegations to be tested in court. The case now heads toward discovery — a process that could force both companies to expose exactly the kinds of secrets this lawsuit is about. For OpenAI, the stakes include its entire consumer hardware roadmap. For Apple, the suit is a warning shot to every AI lab recruiting from Cupertino: the walled garden has lawyers.

Apple's 41-page complaint accuses OpenAI of trade secret theft ‘at every level’ — metal-finishing processes, battery and power designs, supplier details, CAD files and prototypes allegedly carried into ‘show and tell’ job interviews, and an engineer who kept accessing Apple's network after quitting. Here is the full list of what Apple says was taken, and OpenAI's response.

What all has Apple accused OpenAI of stealing? The full list from the blockbuster lawsuit

On July 16 in Shanghai, twenty-nine countries signed the founding agreement of a new world body for artificial intelligence, built by China, headquartered in China, and launched by Xi Jinping himself. Pakistan signed. Russia signed. Brazil and South Africa signed. India did not.&nbsp;What Is WAICO&nbsp;The World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation, WAICO, is an intergovernmental organisation headquartered in Shanghai, formally established on July 16 and unveiled at the World AI Conference the following day. Its founding accord commits members to promoting international cooperation and global governance of AI under the principles of the UN Charter, with the stated aim of ensuring the technology develops in a direction that is beneficial, safe and equitable for humanity. Reports from the ceremony say UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attended, a significant nod of legitimacy for a Chinese-convened body.&nbsp;Xi Jinping set the tone: ‘AI development should not be a solo performance by a single country, but a symphony of international cooperation.’ He also urged members to jointly oppose what he called the overstretching of national security concepts in AI, an unmistakable jab at Washington's export controls on advanced chips.&nbsp;Who Is In, And Who Is Not&nbsp;The founding membership tilts heavily toward the Global South: reports name Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Brazil, South Africa, Senegal, Belarus, Serbia, Cuba and Venezuela among the 29, with ten African and twelve Asian countries signing on.&nbsp;One absence stands out above all others. Every founding member of BRICS, Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, has signed on to WAICO. Except India. New Delhi's chair in Shanghai stayed empty while Islamabad took a founding seat.&nbsp;Why China Built It&nbsp;Analysts read WAICO as Beijing's move to institutionalise its influence over the rules of the global digital economy, promoting a state-centric model of AI governance that appeals to developing nations, and building a platform to shape AI policy discussions at the UN level.&nbsp;The timing is not accidental. WAICO arrives as American export controls on advanced AI chips tighten around China: rules announced in May 2026 require licenses for any Blackwell-class Nvidia chip transfer to Chinese entities, and US officials said this month that only a ‘trivial’ number of H200 chips have shipped under the limited licenses approved. Locked out of the hardware club, Beijing is building a governance club and inviting everyone Washington's rules leave behind.&nbsp;And the diplomacy has a technology twin. On the same day WAICO's agreement was signed, Chinese startup Moonshot AI released Kimi K3, the largest open-weight AI model ever built, its full weights free for the world to download from July 27. Open models for the world's developers, a governance bloc for the world's governments, the technology and the rulebook, both made in China.&nbsp;The India Question&nbsp;India's absence reads as a deliberate choice, and New Delhi's strategic establishment is openly wary. India's former Permanent Representative to the United Nations has warned that WAICO could end up determining the ‘new global AI order’ and that ‘India must be vigilant.’ The concern is straightforward: a Chinese-headquartered body writing global AI rules, with Pakistan at the founding table, is not a forum where New Delhi starts with influence.&nbsp;India's own AI debate is meanwhile dominated by sovereignty. Policy commentary in New Delhi this month has centred on ‘sovereign AI’ the push to build domestic capability rather than depend on foreign models, whether American or Chinese. India has the world's largest developer population outside the US and a fast-growing AI startup ecosystem, but no frontier model of its own.&nbsp;That leaves New Delhi with a genuine dilemma. Staying out of WAICO keeps India clear of Chinese-led rule-making, but it also means the rules get written without India in the room, in a body more than a fifth of the world's countries have already joined. Joining would legitimise a Beijing-convened order that India, four years after Galwan, has every strategic reason to distrust.&nbsp;What It Means&nbsp;The world's AI order is visibly splitting into blocs. On one side: American chip controls, closed frontier models, and alliances of advanced economies. On the other: Chinese open-weight models given away free, and now a formal governance organisation headquartered in Shanghai, recruiting the Global South state by state.&nbsp;The countries in the middle, the ones choosing which stack to build on and which table to sit at, are the prize. Twenty-nine of them just chose Shanghai.&nbsp;India is betting it can write its own rules and build its own capability instead. Whether an empty chair in Shanghai proves to be strategic patience or a strategic mistake is a question that will take years to answer, but the table has been set, and the seat next to Pakistan is filled.

China launched WAICO in Shanghai on July 16 — a new intergovernmental AI governance body with 29 founding countries including Pakistan, Russia, Brazil and South Africa. Every BRICS founder signed except India. What the new bloc is, why Beijing built it, and what India's empty chair means.

On July 16 in Shanghai, twenty-nine countries signed the founding agreement of a new world body for artificial intelligence, built by China, headquartered in China, and launched by Xi Jinping himself. Pakistan signed. Russia signed. Brazil and South Africa signed. India did not. What Is WAICO The World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation, WAICO, is an intergovernmental organisation headquartered in Shanghai, formally established on July 16 and unveiled at the World AI Conference the following day. Its founding accord commits members to promoting international cooperation and global governance of AI under the principles of the UN Charter, with the stated aim of ensuring the technology develops in a direction that is beneficial, safe and equitable for humanity. Reports from the ceremony say UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attended, a significant nod of legitimacy for a Chinese-convened body. Xi Jinping set the tone: ‘AI development should not be a solo performance by a single country, but a symphony of international cooperation.’ He also urged members to jointly oppose what he called the overstretching of national security concepts in AI, an unmistakable jab at Washington's export controls on advanced chips. Who Is In, And Who Is Not The founding membership tilts heavily toward the Global South: reports name Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Brazil, South Africa, Senegal, Belarus, Serbia, Cuba and Venezuela among the 29, with ten African and twelve Asian countries signing on. One absence stands out above all others. Every founding member of BRICS, Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, has signed on to WAICO. Except India. New Delhi's chair in Shanghai stayed empty while Islamabad took a founding seat. Why China Built It Analysts read WAICO as Beijing's move to institutionalise its influence over the rules of the global digital economy, promoting a state-centric model of AI governance that appeals to developing nations, and building a platform to shape AI policy discussions at the UN level. The timing is not accidental. WAICO arrives as American export controls on advanced AI chips tighten around China: rules announced in May 2026 require licenses for any Blackwell-class Nvidia chip transfer to Chinese entities, and US officials said this month that only a ‘trivial’ number of H200 chips have shipped under the limited licenses approved. Locked out of the hardware club, Beijing is building a governance club and inviting everyone Washington's rules leave behind. And the diplomacy has a technology twin. On the same day WAICO's agreement was signed, Chinese startup Moonshot AI released Kimi K3, the largest open-weight AI model ever built, its full weights free for the world to download from July 27. Open models for the world's developers, a governance bloc for the world's governments, the technology and the rulebook, both made in China. The India Question India's absence reads as a deliberate choice, and New Delhi's strategic establishment is openly wary. India's former Permanent Representative to the United Nations has warned that WAICO could end up determining the ‘new global AI order’ and that ‘India must be vigilant.’ The concern is straightforward: a Chinese-headquartered body writing global AI rules, with Pakistan at the founding table, is not a forum where New Delhi starts with influence. India's own AI debate is meanwhile dominated by sovereignty. Policy commentary in New Delhi this month has centred on ‘sovereign AI’ the push to build domestic capability rather than depend on foreign models, whether American or Chinese. India has the world's largest developer population outside the US and a fast-growing AI startup ecosystem, but no frontier model of its own. That leaves New Delhi with a genuine dilemma. Staying out of WAICO keeps India clear of Chinese-led rule-making, but it also means the rules get written without India in the room, in a body more than a fifth of the world's countries have already joined. Joining would legitimise a Beijing-convened order that India, four years after Galwan, has every strategic reason to distrust. What It Means The world's AI order is visibly splitting into blocs. On one side: American chip controls, closed frontier models, and alliances of advanced economies. On the other: Chinese open-weight models given away free, and now a formal governance organisation headquartered in Shanghai, recruiting the Global South state by state. The countries in the middle, the ones choosing which stack to build on and which table to sit at, are the prize. Twenty-nine of them just chose Shanghai. India is betting it can write its own rules and build its own capability instead. Whether an empty chair in Shanghai proves to be strategic patience or a strategic mistake is a question that will take years to answer, but the table has been set, and the seat next to Pakistan is filled.

On July 16 in Shanghai, 29 countries signed the founding agreement of WAICO, China's new intergovernmental AI governance organisation. Pakistan is in. Russia is in. Every BRICS founding member is in, except India. Here is what the new body is, why Beijing built it, and what India's empty chair means.

Xi Jinping's new AI bloc: China launches 'World AI Body' with Pakistan and Russia in, India out

Batarti Gabbard, brother of the former United States Director of National Intelligence, has been accused of attempting to lure children into a hotel room. He approached a group of children near a pool area in a Hawaii's Waikiki hotel on July 12 and offered them cash and chewing gum for accompanying him to the hotel room. He was charged in connection with the “stranger danger incident” on July 17, Honolulu police said.&nbsp;“At about 2:00 pm, an unknown man allegedly approached several children, including a 9-year-old boy, and offered them gum and money to accompany him to his hotel room,” said the Honolulu Police Department. He also enquired and noted down the names of the children in a notebook. A 42-year-old woman alerted the police about his activity. In an unrelated case, he was arrested on separate theft charges on July 16, 2026. He pleaded not guilty to the theft charge and was released on that matter.&nbsp;The 55-year-old Batarti Gabbard is also known by his Hindu name Bhakti Gabbard. He is the older brother of former US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and the son of Hawaii State Senator Mike Gabbard. Batarti had been diagnosed with Bipolar disorder, according to his wife, Kimberly Gabbard. She had recently filed a protective order following his “erratic, impulsive and bizarre behaviour” at the Ala Moana Centre on July 11.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Through investigation, the suspect was positively identified. On 7-17-26, Batarti Gabbard was arrested and charged with Custodial Interference in the Second Degree. <a href="https://t.co/Bq08EUfL9o">pic.twitter.com/Bq08EUfL9o</a>&mdash; Honolulu Police (@honolulupolice) <a href="https://x.com/honolulupolice/status/2078244987813433656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nagaland-landslides-mon-district-8-dead-heavy-rain-imd-warning-1784468077738">8 killed, 12 injured in Nagaland landslides as heavy rain batters Mon district</a>“Bhakti has had mental issues in the past but has been doing well for the last 10 years,” &nbsp;said Mike and his wife, Carol Gabbard, addressing the allegations against their son.&nbsp;They continued, “His wife kicked him out of the house, so he’s been sleeping on the streets. He gave away his car to a homeless person, lost his ID and phone and has no money. He’s renamed himself, Batarti, and also Jim Morrison Jr, as he’s having delusions of being a rock star.”&nbsp;“Bhakti told the doctor they would find cocaine, ice and pot in his blood tests. And this evening, he was admitted for a 72-hour hold at Queen’s, while they continue to monitor him and decide next steps,” said the couple. He is now held in the Queen’s Medical Centre for a 72-hour psychiatric hold and evaluation. He will be back in court on August 14 for this incident

Batarti Gabbard, brother of former US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, was charged after allegedly trying to lure children to a Hawaii hotel room.

Batarti Gabbard, brother of the former United States Director of National Intelligence, has been accused of attempting to lure children into a hotel room. He approached a group of children near a pool area in a Hawaii's Waikiki hotel on July 12 and offered them cash and chewing gum for accompanying him to the hotel room. He was charged in connection with the “stranger danger incident” on July 17, Honolulu police said. “At about 2:00 pm, an unknown man allegedly approached several children, including a 9-year-old boy, and offered them gum and money to accompany him to his hotel room,” said the Honolulu Police Department. He also enquired and noted down the names of the children in a notebook. A 42-year-old woman alerted the police about his activity. In an unrelated case, he was arrested on separate theft charges on July 16, 2026. He pleaded not guilty to the theft charge and was released on that matter. The 55-year-old Batarti Gabbard is also known by his Hindu name Bhakti Gabbard. He is the older brother of former US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and the son of Hawaii State Senator Mike Gabbard. Batarti had been diagnosed with Bipolar disorder, according to his wife, Kimberly Gabbard. She had recently filed a protective order following his “erratic, impulsive and bizarre behaviour” at the Ala Moana Centre on July 11.

Batarti Gabbard, brother of former US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, was charged after allegedly trying to lure children to a Hawaii hotel room.

Tulsi Gabbard's brother Batarti accused of luring children to hotel room in Hawaii

Google is worth more than $4 trillion, employs many of the most decorated AI researchers alive, and invented the transformer architecture that powers the entire modern AI boom. And in mid-July 2026, its flagship AI model is missing. Gemini 3.5 Pro, promised for June, has now, according to reports, missed its third internal deadline, over a problem Google cannot seem to fix: coding.&nbsp;What Google Promised&nbsp;At its I/O developer conference in mid-May, Google announced the Gemini 3.5 family, shipped the Flash version, and said the flagship Pro model would arrive in June. June came and went without the model and without an explanation. It is now the second half of July, and Gemini 3.5 Pro remains locked in a limited enterprise preview available to a small group of approved customers.&nbsp;Three Deadlines, One Ground-Up Rebuild&nbsp;The first delay, from June into July, was attributed to quality refinement after early enterprise testing, reports cited token efficiency, coding performance and multi-step reasoning as the areas falling short.&nbsp;Then came the harder news. Bloomberg reported that Google was taking extra time to improve the model's capabilities, particularly in coding and that a late-June attempt to fix the problem by retraining on updated data produced disappointing results.&nbsp;The third deadline reportedly fell to something deeper: structural failures. Google is said to have concluded that the original model's problems with recursive tool-calling, the ability to chain software actions reliably, the core of ‘agentic’ AI, could not be fixed by fine-tuning alone, and ordered a ground-up rebuild. While the rebuilt Pro is prepared, the company is eyeing a stopgap release: an upgraded version of the smaller Flash model.&nbsp;Google's official line, in a statement: it is ‘currently testing 3.5 Pro, an upgraded Flash model, and other models with partners.’ The testing pool reportedly includes corporate partners and the US government, alongside testers on Google's Antigravity platform and the LMArena benchmarking site.&nbsp;Why Coding Is The Battlefield&nbsp;Coding is not one benchmark among many in 2026, it is the benchmark. Programming assistance is where AI models generate the most revenue, face the most scrutiny from professional users, and get compared head-to-head on public leaderboards every day.

Promised for June, Google's flagship Gemini 3.5 Pro has reportedly missed three deadlines and needed a ground-up rebuild over agentic coding failures. It remains in limited enterprise preview while a stopgap Flash upgrade is prepared — and rivals keep shipping.

Google is worth more than $4 trillion, employs many of the most decorated AI researchers alive, and invented the transformer architecture that powers the entire modern AI boom. And in mid-July 2026, its flagship AI model is missing. Gemini 3.5 Pro, promised for June, has now, according to reports, missed its third internal deadline, over a problem Google cannot seem to fix: coding. What Google Promised At its I/O developer conference in mid-May, Google announced the Gemini 3.5 family, shipped the Flash version, and said the flagship Pro model would arrive in June. June came and went without the model and without an explanation. It is now the second half of July, and Gemini 3.5 Pro remains locked in a limited enterprise preview available to a small group of approved customers. Three Deadlines, One Ground-Up Rebuild The first delay, from June into July, was attributed to quality refinement after early enterprise testing, reports cited token efficiency, coding performance and multi-step reasoning as the areas falling short. Then came the harder news. Bloomberg reported that Google was taking extra time to improve the model's capabilities, particularly in coding and that a late-June attempt to fix the problem by retraining on updated data produced disappointing results. The third deadline reportedly fell to something deeper: structural failures. Google is said to have concluded that the original model's problems with recursive tool-calling, the ability to chain software actions reliably, the core of ‘agentic’ AI, could not be fixed by fine-tuning alone, and ordered a ground-up rebuild. While the rebuilt Pro is prepared, the company is eyeing a stopgap release: an upgraded version of the smaller Flash model. Google's official line, in a statement: it is ‘currently testing 3.5 Pro, an upgraded Flash model, and other models with partners.’ The testing pool reportedly includes corporate partners and the US government, alongside testers on Google's Antigravity platform and the LMArena benchmarking site. Why Coding Is The Battlefield Coding is not one benchmark among many in 2026, it is the benchmark. Programming assistance is where AI models generate the most revenue, face the most scrutiny from professional users, and get compared head-to-head on public leaderboards every day.

Promised for June at Google I/O, Gemini 3.5 Pro has reportedly missed three internal deadlines, needed a ground-up rebuild over structural failures in agentic coding, and remains locked in a limited enterprise preview — while China's Kimi K3 tops coding leaderboards and rivals keep shipping. Inside the most expensive silence in AI.

Google's $4 trillion embarrassment: Gemini 3.5 Pro misses third deadline over coding failures

On July 16, a Beijing-based startup released the largest open-weight artificial intelligence model ever built — and within a day, it was ranked above America's best on a closely watched coding leaderboard. Kimi K3, from Moonshot AI, is a 2.8 trillion parameter system built inside a country that is, on paper, cut off from the world's most advanced AI chips.&nbsp;What Exactly Is Kimi K3&nbsp;Kimi K3 is what engineers call a sparse mixture-of-experts model. Its 2.8 trillion parameters are divided into 896 specialist ‘experts’, of which only 16, roughly 1.8 percent, activate for any given request. The design delivers the knowledge of a giant model at a fraction of the running cost. The model handles a context window of one million tokens, roughly 700,000 words and processes images natively.&nbsp;Moonshot says two architectural innovations power the system: Kimi Delta Attention and Attention Residuals, which the company claims sharply speed up processing at long context lengths while improving reasoning quality. Those claims, like all self-reported AI performance, await independent testing.&nbsp;The ‘open-weight’ part matters most. Unlike OpenAI's GPT models or Anthropic's Claude, whose inner workings are locked behind corporate APIs, Kimi K3's full weights, the model itself, are scheduled for public release by July 27. Anyone, anywhere, will be able to download and run it.&nbsp;The Benchmark That Turned Heads&nbsp;Within a day of release, Arena's Frontend Code evaluation, a blind test in which developers compare model outputs without knowing which system produced them, ranked Kimi K3 first at 1,679 points, ahead of Anthropic's flagship Claude Fable 5. Beating the top American model on a major public leaderboard, in blind testing, is the kind of result that moves markets and ministries.&nbsp;The honest caveat: one leaderboard is not the crown. On aggregate measures across all capabilities, K3 still trails both Claude Fable 5 and OpenAI's GPT-5.6 Sol, and Moonshot's claims of parity with earlier American flagships are self-reported. But the trajectory is the story, Fortune's verdict was that Kimi K3 pushes Chinese AI ‘into Fable-level territory’.&nbsp;The pricing lands like a weapon: $0.30 per million input tokens on cache hits, $3 on cache misses, and $15 per million output tokens, undercutting comparable American flagship pricing while giving the model itself away.&nbsp;Built Under Sanctions&nbsp;Kimi K3 exists despite or perhaps because of, a sweeping American technology blockade. US export controls bar China from buying Nvidia's most advanced processors. Rules announced in May 2026 require licenses for any Blackwell-class chip transfer to entities in China or Macau, and as of mid-July, US officials say only a ‘trivial’ number of Nvidia's H200 chips have shipped under the limited licenses approved.&nbsp;The controls were designed to keep Chinese AI years behind America's frontier. Kimi K3 is the latest evidence of the workaround economy they created instead: Chinese labs have optimised architectures, squeezed efficiency from restricted hardware, and turned constraint into engineering discipline. The pattern began with DeepSeek's R1 in January 2025, which shocked Silicon Valley by matching American reasoning models at a fraction of the training cost. Kimi K3 escalates it to the frontier's edge.&nbsp;Why China Gives Its Best AI Away&nbsp;There is strategy in the generosity. Open-weight releases spread Chinese AI infrastructure through the world's developer ecosystems the way Android spread Google, free, everywhere, foundational. Every startup in Jakarta, Lagos or Bengaluru that builds on Kimi K3 is a company whose AI stack runs on Chinese architecture. American labs keep their best models closed and charge for access; China is giving frontier-class capability away and buying global mindshare with it.&nbsp;The same week the model dropped, Beijing showed the other half of the play. On July 17, at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, President Xi Jinping launched WAICO, a new intergovernmental AI organisation headquartered in Shanghai, with 29 founding countries including Pakistan, Russia and Kazakhstan. Open models for the world's developers, a governance bloc for the world's governments: the technology and the rulebook, both made in China.&nbsp;What It Means For The AI Race&nbsp;For years, the comfortable assumption in Washington was that export controls bought America a lasting lead. The July scoreboard complicates that: China's biggest open model beating America's flagship on a public coding leaderboard, TSMC reporting that AI now drives two-thirds of its record revenue, and the world's developers preparing to download Chinese frontier weights for free.&nbsp;The race is not decided. On aggregate capability, America's closed flagships still lead, and benchmarks are snapshots, not verdicts. But the gap that sanctions were meant to enforce is visibly narrowing, and it is narrowing in public, one leaderboard at a time.&nbsp;Kimi K3's full weights arrive on July 27. The world's developers, including India's, will decide what happens next.

Moonshot AI's Kimi K3 opic's flagship on a blind coding leaderboard, built under US chip sanctions. Weights go public July 27, the same week Xi Jinping launched a global AI bloc.

On July 16, a Beijing-based startup released the largest open-weight artificial intelligence model ever built — and within a day, it was ranked above America's best on a closely watched coding leaderboard. Kimi K3, from Moonshot AI, is a 2.8 trillion parameter system built inside a country that is, on paper, cut off from the world's most advanced AI chips. What Exactly Is Kimi K3 Kimi K3 is what engineers call a sparse mixture-of-experts model. Its 2.8 trillion parameters are divided into 896 specialist ‘experts’, of which only 16, roughly 1.8 percent, activate for any given request. The design delivers the knowledge of a giant model at a fraction of the running cost. The model handles a context window of one million tokens, roughly 700,000 words and processes images natively. Moonshot says two architectural innovations power the system: Kimi Delta Attention and Attention Residuals, which the company claims sharply speed up processing at long context lengths while improving reasoning quality. Those claims, like all self-reported AI performance, await independent testing. The ‘open-weight’ part matters most. Unlike OpenAI's GPT models or Anthropic's Claude, whose inner workings are locked behind corporate APIs, Kimi K3's full weights, the model itself, are scheduled for public release by July 27. Anyone, anywhere, will be able to download and run it. The Benchmark That Turned Heads Within a day of release, Arena's Frontend Code evaluation, a blind test in which developers compare model outputs without knowing which system produced them, ranked Kimi K3 first at 1,679 points, ahead of Anthropic's flagship Claude Fable 5. Beating the top American model on a major public leaderboard, in blind testing, is the kind of result that moves markets and ministries. The honest caveat: one leaderboard is not the crown. On aggregate measures across all capabilities, K3 still trails both Claude Fable 5 and OpenAI's GPT-5.6 Sol, and Moonshot's claims of parity with earlier American flagships are self-reported. But the trajectory is the story, Fortune's verdict was that Kimi K3 pushes Chinese AI ‘into Fable-level territory’. The pricing lands like a weapon: $0.30 per million input tokens on cache hits, $3 on cache misses, and $15 per million output tokens, undercutting comparable American flagship pricing while giving the model itself away. Built Under Sanctions Kimi K3 exists despite or perhaps because of, a sweeping American technology blockade. US export controls bar China from buying Nvidia's most advanced processors. Rules announced in May 2026 require licenses for any Blackwell-class chip transfer to entities in China or Macau, and as of mid-July, US officials say only a ‘trivial’ number of Nvidia's H200 chips have shipped under the limited licenses approved. The controls were designed to keep Chinese AI years behind America's frontier. Kimi K3 is the latest evidence of the workaround economy they created instead: Chinese labs have optimised architectures, squeezed efficiency from restricted hardware, and turned constraint into engineering discipline. The pattern began with DeepSeek's R1 in January 2025, which shocked Silicon Valley by matching American reasoning models at a fraction of the training cost. Kimi K3 escalates it to the frontier's edge. Why China Gives Its Best AI Away There is strategy in the generosity. Open-weight releases spread Chinese AI infrastructure through the world's developer ecosystems the way Android spread Google, free, everywhere, foundational. Every startup in Jakarta, Lagos or Bengaluru that builds on Kimi K3 is a company whose AI stack runs on Chinese architecture. American labs keep their best models closed and charge for access; China is giving frontier-class capability away and buying global mindshare with it. The same week the model dropped, Beijing showed the other half of the play. On July 17, at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, President Xi Jinping launched WAICO, a new intergovernmental AI organisation headquartered in Shanghai, with 29 founding countries including Pakistan, Russia and Kazakhstan. Open models for the world's developers, a governance bloc for the world's governments: the technology and the rulebook, both made in China. What It Means For The AI Race For years, the comfortable assumption in Washington was that export controls bought America a lasting lead. The July scoreboard complicates that: China's biggest open model beating America's flagship on a public coding leaderboard, TSMC reporting that AI now drives two-thirds of its record revenue, and the world's developers preparing to download Chinese frontier weights for free. The race is not decided. On aggregate capability, America's closed flagships still lead, and benchmarks are snapshots, not verdicts. But the gap that sanctions were meant to enforce is visibly narrowing, and it is narrowing in public, one leaderboard at a time. Kimi K3's full weights arrive on July 27. The world's developers, including India's, will decide what happens next.

On July 16, Beijing-based Moonshot AI released Kimi K3 — the largest open-weight AI model ever built. Within a day it ranked above America's flagship on a blind coding leaderboard. It was built inside a country cut off from the world's most advanced AI chips, its full weights go public on July 27, and it landed the same week Xi Jinping launched a new global AI governance bloc in Shanghai.

China's 2.8 trillion parameter monster that beat US' best AI built under US chip sanctions

An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale struck the Andes region of Peru late Saturday night killing five people and injuring 20 others, said local authorities on Sunday. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck at 9:24 p.m. local time on Saturday with its epicenter located 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) west-southwest of Sicaya in Huancayo province. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.21 miles).&nbsp;Peru’s National Civil Defense Institute said in a statement the total number of people missing is still unknown.&nbsp;Several buildings collapsed or suffered structural damage as the epicenter was at a shallow depth and many houses in that area are made of adobe or a wood, cane and mud blend called “quincha."&nbsp;The agricultural region of Chongo Bajo, about 300 kilometers (180 miles) east of Lima, was amongst the worst affected areas.&nbsp;“Forty-eight houses were destroyed and 300 people were left homeless,” said the director of the National Civil Defense Institute.&nbsp;

Peru’s National Civil Defense Institute said in a statement the total number of people missing is still unknown.

An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale struck the Andes region of Peru late Saturday night killing five people and injuring 20 others, said local authorities on Sunday. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck at 9:24 p.m. local time on Saturday with its epicenter located 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) west-southwest of Sicaya in Huancayo province. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.21 miles). Peru’s National Civil Defense Institute said in a statement the total number of people missing is still unknown. Several buildings collapsed or suffered structural damage as the epicenter was at a shallow depth and many houses in that area are made of adobe or a wood, cane and mud blend called “quincha." The agricultural region of Chongo Bajo, about 300 kilometers (180 miles) east of Lima, was amongst the worst affected areas. “Forty-eight houses were destroyed and 300 people were left homeless,” said the director of the National Civil Defense Institute.

Peru’s National Civil Defense Institute said in a statement the total number of people missing is still unknown.

Earthquake measuring 5.5 on Richter scale jolts Peru, 5 killed

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in an interview to Mehr news agency, sponsored by the government of Iran, said that US threats do not scare them. He spoke about how hostile the environment was when Iranian officials were holding talks with US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff.&nbsp;While speaking to the news agency he recalled having told Witkoff something that stunned everybody. Though, It was not clear which part or location of the talks he was referring to.&nbsp;“I said to Witkoff, 'Have you ever been in a meeting where you thought it could blow up into the air at any moment?' They just stared at me in stunned silence,” said Araghchi.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-claims-us-strike-on-nuclear-power-plant-under-construction-calls-it-violation-of-international-law-1784464942229">Iran claims US strike on nuclear power plant under construction, calls it violation of international law</a>&nbsp;"Have you ever, while talking on the phone, thought you could be blown up, vanish, and while speaking with your family, wondered, "This might be our last conversation"?, he further questioned the US envoy.&nbsp;<h2>"This isn't a place like Venezuela"</h2>&nbsp;He then said that US can't threaten them or buy them as they have been through all this and stood tall.&nbsp;"This isn't a place like Venezuela, where if you eliminate one person, the others get scared and step back," he said.&nbsp;Araghchi then went on to explain how Iran's refusal to concede to US' demand at the negotiating table before the 12-day war caused them to choose the more difficult path.&nbsp;"They chose that difficult path and suffered defeat in the 12-day war, said Araghchi adding, "In my view, they also fell into another miscalculation after the 12-day war."&nbsp;<h2>"US did not take Iranian resistance into account"</h2>&nbsp;He highlighted that US had not taken the resistance from Iran into account for which they later increased their equipment and weapons but were forced to end the war.&nbsp;"The Zionist regime thought that with a few days of attack, it would destroy everything, disperse it, and perhaps the regime would collapse, and the Islamic Republic would surrender.&nbsp;"When this did not happen—and they were not prepared for the war to drag on—and they saw that the people did not turn their backs, but on the contrary supported the regime and stood behind it, they had to end the war," said Araghchi.&nbsp;&nbsp;

I said to Witkoff, Have you ever been in a meeting where you thought it could blow up into the air at any moment?They just stared at me in stunned silence, said Araghchi.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in an interview to Mehr news agency, sponsored by the government of Iran, said that US threats do not scare them. He spoke about how hostile the environment was when Iranian officials were holding talks with US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff. While speaking to the news agency he recalled having told Witkoff something that stunned everybody. Though, It was not clear which part or location of the talks he was referring to. “I said to Witkoff, 'Have you ever been in a meeting where you thought it could blow up into the air at any moment?' They just stared at me in stunned silence,” said Araghchi. ALSO READ: Iran claims US strike on nuclear power plant under construction, calls it violation of international law "Have you ever, while talking on the phone, thought you could be blown up, vanish, and while speaking with your family, wondered, "This might be our last conversation"?, he further questioned the US envoy. "This isn't a place like Venezuela" He then said that US can't threaten them or buy them as they have been through all this and stood tall. "This isn't a place like Venezuela, where if you eliminate one person, the others get scared and step back," he said. Araghchi then went on to explain how Iran's refusal to concede to US' demand at the negotiating table before the 12-day war caused them to choose the more difficult path. "They chose that difficult path and suffered defeat in the 12-day war, said Araghchi adding, "In my view, they also fell into another miscalculation after the 12-day war." "US did not take Iranian resistance into account" He highlighted that US had not taken the resistance from Iran into account for which they later increased their equipment and weapons but were forced to end the war. "The Zionist regime thought that with a few days of attack, it would destroy everything, disperse it, and perhaps the regime would collapse, and the Islamic Republic would surrender. "When this did not happen—and they were not prepared for the war to drag on—and they saw that the people did not turn their backs, but on the contrary supported the regime and stood behind it, they had to end the war," said Araghchi.

“I said to Witkoff, 'Have you ever been in a meeting where you thought it could blow up into the air at any moment?' They just stared at me in stunned silence,” said Araghchi.

'Could be bombed at any moment': What Iran's Araghchi told Trump envoy Witkoff during negotiations

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have said that two ships were involved in an “accident" after attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz following an ”unsafe route". The Iranian state-affiliated media Tasnim News Agency reported that the two ships were forced to stop while two others abandoned navigation and diverted their route away.The IRGC reported that the four "violating vessels," backed by the “American terrorists” switched off their navigation systems and ignored repeated warnings issued by the IRGC Navy's Strait of Hormuz Control Base as they tried to pass through the halt. They were brought to a halt following an incident. However, it did not mention any details of the incident or identify the ships.&nbsp;The IRGC said that it maintains complete control over the Strait of Hormuz and that only passage authorised by the Iranian authorities is a safe shipping lane in the Strait of Hormuz. It reiterated that "not a single drop of oil, gas, or chemical fertiliser" will pass without prior authorisation and coordination with Iran. It also announced that vehicles influenced by “American propaganda” will certainly be involved in the incidents.The US had dramatically intensified its military campaign against Iran, with Saturday marking the eighth consecutive night of US attacks on Iran since the conflict between the two countries was renewed this month, eroding fragile ceasefire negotiations brokered by Islamabad.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/all-party-meeting-opposition-walkout-dmk-support-nda-delimitation-bill-monsoon-session-1784460473865">All-party meeting: Opposition walks out as DMK signals support for NDA's Delimitation Bill</a>“The strikes are designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night,” said CENTCOM. The latest wave of military action targets the military installation in the southern shipping corridors and the northern Kurdish borders. The rationale behind the attack in the southern corridor seems to reduce IRGC offensive capacity in the southern shipping corridor, while the attack on the northern Kurdish border appears like an attempt to lay the groundwork for an invasion via Iraq.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Iran's IRGC said ships were halted after attempting an unauthorised Strait of Hormuz crossing, as US-Iran military tensions intensified in the strategic waterway.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have said that two ships were involved in an “accident" after attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz following an ”unsafe route". The Iranian state-affiliated media Tasnim News Agency reported that the two ships were forced to stop while two others abandoned navigation and diverted their route away. The IRGC reported that the four "violating vessels," backed by the “American terrorists” switched off their navigation systems and ignored repeated warnings issued by the IRGC Navy's Strait of Hormuz Control Base as they tried to pass through the halt. They were brought to a halt following an incident. However, it did not mention any details of the incident or identify the ships. The IRGC said that it maintains complete control over the Strait of Hormuz and that only passage authorised by the Iranian authorities is a safe shipping lane in the Strait of Hormuz. It reiterated that "not a single drop of oil, gas, or chemical fertiliser" will pass without prior authorisation and coordination with Iran. It also announced that vehicles influenced by “American propaganda” will certainly be involved in the incidents. The US had dramatically intensified its military campaign against Iran, with Saturday marking the eighth consecutive night of US attacks on Iran since the conflict between the two countries was renewed this month, eroding fragile ceasefire negotiations brokered by Islamabad. Also Read: All-party meeting: Opposition walks out as DMK signals support for NDA's Delimitation Bill “The strikes are designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night,” said CENTCOM. The latest wave of military action targets the military installation in the southern shipping corridors and the northern Kurdish borders. The rationale behind the attack in the southern corridor seems to reduce IRGC offensive capacity in the southern shipping corridor, while the attack on the northern Kurdish border appears like an attempt to lay the groundwork for an invasion via Iraq.

Iran's IRGC said ships were halted after attempting an unauthorised Strait of Hormuz crossing, as US-Iran military tensions intensified in the strategic waterway.

IRGC claims two ships were involved in an 'accident' after Strait of Hormuz 'violation'

Iran on Sunday (July 19) claimed that the US military struck the site of the nuclear power plant under construction in Darkhovin, in the country's southwest. Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization condemned the attack and called it a violation of international law.&nbsp;US forces "in an aggressive and brutal act contrary to international law, attacked the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant... with a number of projectiles on Sunday," said the organisation in a statement carried by state TV.&nbsp;Construction of the nuclear power plant in Darkhovin, in southwestern Iran’s Khuzestan province began in 2022.<h2>International Atomic Energy Agency reiterates call for military restraint</h2>&nbsp;The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reacted to the attack on the nuke plant saying that there was no nuclear material when the members of the organisation last visited the site.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The IAEA is looking into reports of an overnight attack on the construction site of a planned nuclear power plant in Darkhovin, Iran. The facility is in the very early stages of construction and contained no nuclear material when last visited by the IAEA.”&nbsp;"While the reported attack is not believed to pose any radiological risk, DG <a href="">@rafaelmgrossi</a>reiterates call for military restraint in the vicinity of all nuclear-related sites," IAEA said further.<h2>'Oil tankers ignored warnings'</h2>&nbsp;Meanwhile, the Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said Sunday that four oil tankers ignored warnings, turned off their navigation systems, and tried to cause "disruption" in the strait and pass through it through an unsafe route with U.S. support. This led to two of the vessels meeting with an accident after which they were stopped and the other two dissuaded from continuing their route.&nbsp;The IRGC once again claimed that the strait is completely under their control, and the only secure route for transiting the waterway is the one designated by Iran.&nbsp;A day before, on Saturday, IRGC claimed two unidentified oil tankers exploded after hitting mines while trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz.&nbsp;The US Central Command shot back on X: "Like most IRGC claims, this is false." Iran also says it "stopped" four more ships attempting to pass through the strait. Neither claim has been independently verified, as the vital shipping route remains effectively closed amid a week of escalating US-Iran strikes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Construction of the nuclear power plant in Darkhovin, in southwestern Iran’s Khuzestan province began in 2022. It was attacked by US military with projectiles on Sunday.

Iran on Sunday (July 19) claimed that the US military struck the site of the nuclear power plant under construction in Darkhovin, in the country's southwest. Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization condemned the attack and called it a violation of international law. US forces "in an aggressive and brutal act contrary to international law, attacked the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant... with a number of projectiles on Sunday," said the organisation in a statement carried by state TV. Construction of the nuclear power plant in Darkhovin, in southwestern Iran’s Khuzestan province began in 2022. International Atomic Energy Agency reiterates call for military restraint The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reacted to the attack on the nuke plant saying that there was no nuclear material when the members of the organisation last visited the site. “The IAEA is looking into reports of an overnight attack on the construction site of a planned nuclear power plant in Darkhovin, Iran. The facility is in the very early stages of construction and contained no nuclear material when last visited by the IAEA.” "While the reported attack is not believed to pose any radiological risk, DG @rafaelmgrossi reiterates call for military restraint in the vicinity of all nuclear-related sites," IAEA said further. 'Oil tankers ignored warnings' Meanwhile, the Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said Sunday that four oil tankers ignored warnings, turned off their navigation systems, and tried to cause "disruption" in the strait and pass through it through an unsafe route with U.S. support. This led to two of the vessels meeting with an accident after which they were stopped and the other two dissuaded from continuing their route. The IRGC once again claimed that the strait is completely under their control, and the only secure route for transiting the waterway is the one designated by Iran. A day before, on Saturday, IRGC claimed two unidentified oil tankers exploded after hitting mines while trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz. The US Central Command shot back on X: "Like most IRGC claims, this is false." Iran also says it "stopped" four more ships attempting to pass through the strait. Neither claim has been independently verified, as the vital shipping route remains effectively closed amid a week of escalating US-Iran strikes.

Construction of the nuclear power plant in Darkhovin, in southwestern Iran’s Khuzestan province began in 2022. It was attacked by US military with projectiles on Sunday.

Iran claims US strike on nuclear power plant under construction, calls it violation of international law

A ferry carrying 116 passengers sank off the coast of Guyana on Sunday (July 19), local authorities said. So far, 53 people have been rescued from the MV Barima ferry that capsized near Iron Punt, on its route from Georgetown to Port Kaituma.&nbsp;Public Works Minister of Guyana Juan Edghill said in a statement shared on social media said “At about 3:15 pm this afternoon (1915 GMT), the MV Barima departed with 116 passengers plus crew for port Kaituna."&nbsp;Following a distress call received at 23:01 local time (03:01 +1 BST), an extensive search-and-rescue operation was launched, with both state and private vessels mobilized to the scene, said Edghill.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/specific-and-credible-threat-aqaba-airport-seaport-in-jordan-evacuated-says-us-embassy-1784457463370">'Specific and credible threat': Aqaba airport, seaport in Jordan evacuated, says US embassy</a>&nbsp;Immediately after the incident came to light and 53 people were rescued a medical team was sent to the site to attend the passengers rescued by Guyana’s coast guard and by private boats, said the minister.&nbsp;The state of the operation is currently unclear and it is not known whether authorities would be able to rescue the remaining passengers.&nbsp;Built in 1939 the 40m (131ft) long vessel, according to &nbsp;a listing on Vessel Finder, was fitted with 250 life jackets, two rigid life crafts and six inflatable life crafts, the minister added.&nbsp;

Following a distress call received at 23:01 local time (03:01 +1 BST), an extensive search-and-rescue operation was launched, with both state and private vessels mobilized to the scene.

A ferry carrying 116 passengers sank off the coast of Guyana on Sunday (July 19), local authorities said. So far, 53 people have been rescued from the MV Barima ferry that capsized near Iron Punt, on its route from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. Public Works Minister of Guyana Juan Edghill said in a statement shared on social media said “At about 3:15 pm this afternoon (1915 GMT), the MV Barima departed with 116 passengers plus crew for port Kaituna." Following a distress call received at 23:01 local time (03:01 +1 BST), an extensive search-and-rescue operation was launched, with both state and private vessels mobilized to the scene, said Edghill. ALSO READ: 'Specific and credible threat': Aqaba airport, seaport in Jordan evacuated, says US embassy Immediately after the incident came to light and 53 people were rescued a medical team was sent to the site to attend the passengers rescued by Guyana’s coast guard and by private boats, said the minister. The state of the operation is currently unclear and it is not known whether authorities would be able to rescue the remaining passengers. Built in 1939 the 40m (131ft) long vessel, according to a listing on Vessel Finder, was fitted with 250 life jackets, two rigid life crafts and six inflatable life crafts, the minister added.

Following a distress call received at 23:01 local time (03:01 +1 BST), an extensive search-and-rescue operation was launched, with both state and private vessels mobilized to the scene.

Ferry carrying 116 passengers sinks off the coast of Guyana, 53 rescued so far

Russia launched one of the most devastating overnight attacks on Ukraine on Saturday. The overnight barrage targeting Ukraine's capital was the third major attack in the last 35 days. Ukrainian officials said one person has been killed and around 16 others were injured, as reported by Reuters. Russia bombarded Ukraine's capital with around 41 strikes in different locations before dawn on Sunday.“The enemy launched more than 40 missiles of various types – most of them against the capital – and 120 attack drones,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The Ukrainian air force said it had shot down 18 of the 41 missiles. It also added that It added that 108 out of roughly 120 drones had also been downed. Residential buildings, warehouses, a supermarket and a dormitory were among the structures damaged in the attack, said Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, adding that three people were in serious condition.The attack comes amid Ukraine's own expanded attack on Russia. Over the weekend, Kyiv targeted two warehouses belonging to Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries. Russian authorities said that the attack killed at least eight people and injured 62 others.&nbsp;“We continue to respond to Russian strikes in a fully justified and accurate manner. Today, Ukraine’s long-range sanctions reached designated targets that support and finance Russia’s aggression. SSU units struck three oil depots in the Stavropol region at once, while units of our Armed Forces hit another fuel facility in the same region. Direct hits were recorded on three Russian shadow fleet tankers in the Black Sea,” said Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in a post on the social media platform X on Sunday, July 19.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jd-vance-jeffrey-epstein-mossad-cia-joe-rogan-podcast-1784223416182">JD Vance claims Jeffrey Epstein had ties to Mossad or CIA during Joe Rogan interview</a>Ukraine has recently reached an agreement with Washington, which allowed it to produce the Patriot interceptors within Ukraine amid a dwindling stock of US-made missile defence systems. This is likely to significantly increase Ukraine's defence capability from Russian missile and drone attacks. "Protection ​against ballistic missiles is our constant and top priority right now," Zelenskiy said on X on Sunday. "Interceptors are needed ​every day."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">We continue to respond to Russian strikes in a fully justified and accurate manner. Today, Ukraine’s long-range sanctions reached designated targets that support and finance Russia’s aggression. SSU units struck three oil depots in the Stavropol region at once, while units of our… <a href="https://t.co/3YWEDFBknE">pic.twitter.com/3YWEDFBknE</a>&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/2078772615087284424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the “massive” overnight strikes on “defence industry facilities and logistics centres in the city of Kyiv.” Following the bombardment, the Russian Defence Ministry posted a short, defiant message on its official Telegram channel stating: “We're loaded and carrying on.”&nbsp;

Russia launched one of its largest overnight attacks on Kyiv, firing over 40 missiles and 120 drones. At least one person was killed as Ukraine intensified strikes inside Russia.

Russia launched one of the most devastating overnight attacks on Ukraine on Saturday. The overnight barrage targeting Ukraine's capital was the third major attack in the last 35 days. Ukrainian officials said one person has been killed and around 16 others were injured, as reported by Reuters. Russia bombarded Ukraine's capital with around 41 strikes in different locations before dawn on Sunday. “The enemy launched more than 40 missiles of various types – most of them against the capital – and 120 attack drones,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The Ukrainian air force said it had shot down 18 of the 41 missiles. It also added that It added that 108 out of roughly 120 drones had also been downed. Residential buildings, warehouses, a supermarket and a dormitory were among the structures damaged in the attack, said Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, adding that three people were in serious condition. The attack comes amid Ukraine's own expanded attack on Russia. Over the weekend, Kyiv targeted two warehouses belonging to Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries. Russian authorities said that the attack killed at least eight people and injured 62 others. “We continue to respond to Russian strikes in a fully justified and accurate manner. Today, Ukraine’s long-range sanctions reached designated targets that support and finance Russia’s aggression. SSU units struck three oil depots in the Stavropol region at once, while units of our Armed Forces hit another fuel facility in the same region. Direct hits were recorded on three Russian shadow fleet tankers in the Black Sea,” said Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in a post on the social media platform X on Sunday, July 19. Also Read: JD Vance claims Jeffrey Epstein had ties to Mossad or CIA during Joe Rogan interview Ukraine has recently reached an agreement with Washington, which allowed it to produce the Patriot interceptors within Ukraine amid a dwindling stock of US-made missile defence systems. This is likely to significantly increase Ukraine's defence capability from Russian missile and drone attacks. "Protection against ballistic missiles is our constant and top priority right now," Zelenskiy said on X on Sunday. "Interceptors are needed every day."

Russia launched one of its largest overnight attacks on Kyiv, firing over 40 missiles and 120 drones. At least one person was killed as Ukraine intensified strikes inside Russia.

Russia bombards Kyiv with 40+ missiles as Ukraine strikes Russian shadow fleet in Black Sea

The US embassy in Jordan said on Sunday (July 19) that the international airport and seaport in Aqaba, southern Jordan, were evacuated by Jordanian authorities due to a “specific and credible threat." The embassy while making the announcement of evacuation also advised its citizens not to travel to these sites, and to refrain from traveling to military bases in Jordan and follow instructions issued by Jordanian authorities.&nbsp;Taking to X the embassy wrote, “We strongly advise all Americans to refrain from traveling to either the airport or seaport."&nbsp;The embassy, however, did not give any specific details about the nature of the threat or say how long the evacuation was expected to remain in effect.&nbsp;The Jordanian authorities have denied the claims. "Jordan's Aqaba seaport is working normally and has not been evacuated, the director general of the Aqaba Company for Ports told Reuters.&nbsp;“Jordanian authorities have not detected any potential threats during the past several hours,” said state news agency, citing a government spokesperson.<h2>US troop casualties</h2>&nbsp;Notably, two US soldiers were killed in an Iranian attack on a US base in Jordan on Friday, and one soldier remains missing, said US Central Command said Saturday.&nbsp;They were the first US military fatalities since the fresh fighting began with Iran.&nbsp;American officials have also reported that dozens of troops have been wounded in Jordan in recent days. In the wake of these attacks Washington has reinforced its military presence by deploying additional fighter jets and aerial refueling aircraft to the region.&nbsp;The US State Department has advised its citizens &nbsp;to reconsider travel to the Middle East in order to avoid the risk of unpredictable escalation, flight cancellations and periodic airspace closures.Aqaba is a vital commercial and transportation hub on Jordan’s Red Sea coast and lies near several sensitive regional borders and strategic shipping routes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The embassy, however, did not give any specific details about the nature of the threat or say how long the evacuation was expected to remain in effect.

The US embassy in Jordan said on Sunday (July 19) that the international airport and seaport in Aqaba, southern Jordan, were evacuated by Jordanian authorities due to a “specific and credible threat." The embassy while making the announcement of evacuation also advised its citizens not to travel to these sites, and to refrain from traveling to military bases in Jordan and follow instructions issued by Jordanian authorities. Taking to X the embassy wrote, “We strongly advise all Americans to refrain from traveling to either the airport or seaport." The embassy, however, did not give any specific details about the nature of the threat or say how long the evacuation was expected to remain in effect. The Jordanian authorities have denied the claims. "Jordan's Aqaba seaport is working normally and has not been evacuated, the director general of the Aqaba Company for Ports told Reuters. “Jordanian authorities have not detected any potential threats during the past several hours,” said state news agency, citing a government spokesperson. US troop casualties Notably, two US soldiers were killed in an Iranian attack on a US base in Jordan on Friday, and one soldier remains missing, said US Central Command said Saturday. They were the first US military fatalities since the fresh fighting began with Iran. American officials have also reported that dozens of troops have been wounded in Jordan in recent days. In the wake of these attacks Washington has reinforced its military presence by deploying additional fighter jets and aerial refueling aircraft to the region. The US State Department has advised its citizens to reconsider travel to the Middle East in order to avoid the risk of unpredictable escalation, flight cancellations and periodic airspace closures. Aqaba is a vital commercial and transportation hub on Jordan’s Red Sea coast and lies near several sensitive regional borders and strategic shipping routes.

The embassy, however, did not give any specific details about the nature of the threat or say how long the evacuation was expected to remain in effect.

'Specific and credible threat': Aqaba airport, seaport in Jordan evacuated, says US embassy

Delhi has emerged as the world’s most affordable major city for a romantic date, while also offering some of the cheapest property and internet costs globally. However, the capital’s low salary levels and quality-of-life challenges continue to weigh on its overall ranking.According to Deutsche Bank’s “Mapping the World’s Prices 2026” report, Delhi recorded the lowest cost for a “cheap date” among 69 cities surveyed. A date including a meal for two, cinema tickets, transport, coffee, a bottle of wine, clothing purchases and a taxi ride costs around $103 (nearly Rs 9,920) in Delhi.In comparison, Geneva topped the list as the most expensive city for a date, with the same experience costing around $475 (approximately Rs 45,750).The report also highlighted Delhi’s affordability in other areas. The city offered the world’s cheapest broadband internet connection, with a monthly plan costing about $7.3 (around Rs 703). Property prices in central Delhi were also among the lowest compared with global cities, averaging nearly $2,465 per square metre.However, affordability came alongside lower earnings. Delhi ranked 66th out of 69 cities in terms of monthly net salary, with residents earning an average of $538 (around Rs 51,800) per month. The figure is nearly 10 times lower than New York’s level and far behind Zurich, which topped the salary rankings with average monthly pay of $8,363.The report noted that Delhi’s salaries have declined in dollar terms over the past decade, falling nearly 17.7 per cent compared with 2016 levels. Despite some improvement in property values since 2019, the city continues to face challenges related to purchasing power, pollution, commute times and healthcare.Delhi also remained among the cheapest cities for daily expenses. A cappuccino costs about $2.40, while a three-bedroom apartment in the city centre rents for approximately $685 per month.The report, prepared by Deutsche Bank researchers Jim Reid and Galina Pozdnyakova, used crowdsourced data from Numbeo, adjusted and analysed by the bank’s research team. It ranked Delhi 52nd overall on its cost-based “Oasis” index, reflecting the city’s relatively low prices but highlighting the gap between affordability and living standards.

Delhi is the world's cheapest major city for a romantic date and offers the lowest broadband costs, but ranks among the lowest globally for salaries and does not feature in the top quality-of-life rankings.

Delhi has emerged as the world’s most affordable major city for a romantic date, while also offering some of the cheapest property and internet costs globally. However, the capital’s low salary levels and quality-of-life challenges continue to weigh on its overall ranking. According to Deutsche Bank’s “Mapping the World’s Prices 2026” report, Delhi recorded the lowest cost for a “cheap date” among 69 cities surveyed. A date including a meal for two, cinema tickets, transport, coffee, a bottle of wine, clothing purchases and a taxi ride costs around $103 (nearly Rs 9,920) in Delhi. In comparison, Geneva topped the list as the most expensive city for a date, with the same experience costing around $475 (approximately Rs 45,750). The report also highlighted Delhi’s affordability in other areas. The city offered the world’s cheapest broadband internet connection, with a monthly plan costing about $7.3 (around Rs 703). Property prices in central Delhi were also among the lowest compared with global cities, averaging nearly $2,465 per square metre. However, affordability came alongside lower earnings. Delhi ranked 66th out of 69 cities in terms of monthly net salary, with residents earning an average of $538 (around Rs 51,800) per month. The figure is nearly 10 times lower than New York’s level and far behind Zurich, which topped the salary rankings with average monthly pay of $8,363. The report noted that Delhi’s salaries have declined in dollar terms over the past decade, falling nearly 17.7 per cent compared with 2016 levels. Despite some improvement in property values since 2019, the city continues to face challenges related to purchasing power, pollution, commute times and healthcare. Delhi also remained among the cheapest cities for daily expenses. A cappuccino costs about $2.40, while a three-bedroom apartment in the city centre rents for approximately $685 per month. The report, prepared by Deutsche Bank researchers Jim Reid and Galina Pozdnyakova, used crowdsourced data from Numbeo, adjusted and analysed by the bank’s research team. It ranked Delhi 52nd overall on its cost-based “Oasis” index, reflecting the city’s relatively low prices but highlighting the gap between affordability and living standards.

Delhi is the world's cheapest major city for a romantic date and offers the lowest broadband costs, but ranks among the lowest globally for salaries and does not feature in the top quality-of-life rankings.

Delhi beats New York, London and Zurich on cheap romantic dates – but loses on salaries

Facebook users across the world reported widespread issues accessing the platform's desktop website on Sunday (Jul 19), leaving thousands unable to log into their accounts. Users reported that the web version either failed to load or blocked access altogether.The disruption appeared to be limited to Facebook's desktop site, while the mobile app continued to function normally for many users. This allowed some users to access their accounts via smartphones despite being locked out on computers.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/delhi-beats-new-york-london-and-zurich-on-cheap-dates-but-loses-on-salaries-1784450878850">Delhi beats New York, London and Zurich on cheap romantic dates – but loses on salaries</a> Outage-tracking website Down Detector recorded more than 3,000 user reports, indicating that the issue was affecting people in multiple countries. Many frustrated users also turned to other social media platforms to report the problem, share screenshots and check whether others were facing similar difficulties.Several users said they encountered login errors or blank pages when trying to access Facebook through web browsers. Others reported being unexpectedly signed out of their accounts and unable to log back in.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/cannon-event-16th-century-artefact-weighing-3-000-tonnes-stolen-from-mp-s-narwar-fort-1784370844593">Cannon event! 16th century artefact weighing 3.5 tonnes stolen from MP’s Narwar Fort</a>Hours after the first reports surfaced, the issue had still not been fully resolved for many users. Meta, Facebook's parent company, had not immediately issued any statement explaining the cause of the disruption.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Thousands of Facebook users worldwide faced a desktop website outage on Sunday, with login issues reported. The mobile app remained functional as Meta users awaited a fix.

Facebook users across the world reported widespread issues accessing the platform's desktop website on Sunday (Jul 19), leaving thousands unable to log into their accounts. Users reported that the web version either failed to load or blocked access altogether. The disruption appeared to be limited to Facebook's desktop site, while the mobile app continued to function normally for many users. This allowed some users to access their accounts via smartphones despite being locked out on computers. Also read | Delhi beats New York, London and Zurich on cheap romantic dates – but loses on salaries Outage-tracking website Down Detector recorded more than 3,000 user reports, indicating that the issue was affecting people in multiple countries. Many frustrated users also turned to other social media platforms to report the problem, share screenshots and check whether others were facing similar difficulties. Several users said they encountered login errors or blank pages when trying to access Facebook through web browsers. Others reported being unexpectedly signed out of their accounts and unable to log back in. Also read | Cannon event! 16th century artefact weighing 3.5 tonnes stolen from MP’s Narwar Fort Hours after the first reports surfaced, the issue had still not been fully resolved for many users. Meta, Facebook's parent company, had not immediately issued any statement explaining the cause of the disruption.

Thousands of Facebook users worldwide faced a desktop website outage on Sunday, with login issues reported. The mobile app remained functional as Meta users awaited a fix.

Facebook, Instagram down? Thousands affected by ‘global outage’

The aftermath of two powerful earthquakes in Venezuela has triggered questions over the country’s disaster preparedness, with delays in troop mobilisation, unclear responsibilities and shortages of emergency equipment reportedly slowing rescue efforts.According to a Reuters report, citing sources familiar with the operation, the Venezuelan military struggled to respond effectively in the first critical days after the earthquakes, highlighting a lack of basic resources and confusion within the chain of command. The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes struck the country’s coast last month, leaving nearly 5,000 people dead, according to government figures.The destruction was most severe in La Guaira state, where collapsed residential buildings trapped hundreds of people under debris. The region’s importance – home to the country’s main airport and a major port – made the speed of emergency response crucial for rescue and relief operations.But instead of an immediate large-scale military mobilisation, local residents and volunteers became the first responders. Many civilians spent hours digging through rubble using basic tools, pulling out survivors and recovering bodies before organised rescue teams reached several affected areas.Sources cited by Reuters said the military’s slow response was partly due to a lack of a clear emergency plan. Officers reportedly waited for instructions from higher authorities, as troops are required to operate under direct orders. The uncertainty over who was responsible for coordinating the response further delayed action.The confusion extended to rescue teams arriving from abroad, with one source claiming that delays in assigning search areas wasted valuable time during the period when trapped victims had the highest chance of survival.Beyond coordination issues, Venezuela’s armed forces also faced logistical challenges. Some units reportedly lacked sufficient vehicles, while others did not have essential rescue equipment such as cutting tools, hammers and helicopters suitable for emergency operations.The crisis has renewed debate over the state of Venezuela’s military, which has expanded significantly over the years but has struggled with economic constraints. Critics say resources have increasingly focused on maintaining personnel rather than improving operational readiness and disaster response capabilities.Acting President Delcy Rodriguez rejected accusations of government failure, saying thousands of officials were deployed and dismissing claims of chaos as politically motivated criticism. She later announced a central authority to oversee the military response.However, the earthquake response has raised concerns over whether Venezuela’s security forces are adequately prepared for future emergencies, highlighting the gap between military size and actual disaster-response capacity. &nbsp;

Reuters report says Venezuela’s quake response was slowed by delayed military orders, command confusion and equipment shortages, as civilians led rescue efforts after deadly 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes.

The aftermath of two powerful earthquakes in Venezuela has triggered questions over the country’s disaster preparedness, with delays in troop mobilisation, unclear responsibilities and shortages of emergency equipment reportedly slowing rescue efforts. According to a Reuters report, citing sources familiar with the operation, the Venezuelan military struggled to respond effectively in the first critical days after the earthquakes, highlighting a lack of basic resources and confusion within the chain of command. The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes struck the country’s coast last month, leaving nearly 5,000 people dead, according to government figures. The destruction was most severe in La Guaira state, where collapsed residential buildings trapped hundreds of people under debris. The region’s importance – home to the country’s main airport and a major port – made the speed of emergency response crucial for rescue and relief operations. But instead of an immediate large-scale military mobilisation, local residents and volunteers became the first responders. Many civilians spent hours digging through rubble using basic tools, pulling out survivors and recovering bodies before organised rescue teams reached several affected areas. Sources cited by Reuters said the military’s slow response was partly due to a lack of a clear emergency plan. Officers reportedly waited for instructions from higher authorities, as troops are required to operate under direct orders. The uncertainty over who was responsible for coordinating the response further delayed action. The confusion extended to rescue teams arriving from abroad, with one source claiming that delays in assigning search areas wasted valuable time during the period when trapped victims had the highest chance of survival. Beyond coordination issues, Venezuela’s armed forces also faced logistical challenges. Some units reportedly lacked sufficient vehicles, while others did not have essential rescue equipment such as cutting tools, hammers and helicopters suitable for emergency operations. The crisis has renewed debate over the state of Venezuela’s military, which has expanded significantly over the years but has struggled with economic constraints. Critics say resources have increasingly focused on maintaining personnel rather than improving operational readiness and disaster response capabilities. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez rejected accusations of government failure, saying thousands of officials were deployed and dismissing claims of chaos as politically motivated criticism. She later announced a central authority to oversee the military response. However, the earthquake response has raised concerns over whether Venezuela’s security forces are adequately prepared for future emergencies, highlighting the gap between military size and actual disaster-response capacity.

Reuters report says Venezuela’s quake response was slowed by delayed military orders, command confusion and equipment shortages, as civilians led rescue efforts after deadly 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes.

Venezuela earthquake: Did delayed military orders, confusion slow rescue operations?

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's black leather jacket was sold for a whopping $960,000 at a New York auction on Friday (July 17). This was approximately 16 times higher than the estimated value of $60,000, according to Sotheby's. Informing about the price, the auctioneer, in a press release said that 45 collectors bid on the Tom Ford jacket, with Sotheby's Head of Modern Collectibles Brahm Wachter calling it “an object so closely tied to one of the defining figures of the AI era.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/can-ai-data-centres-run-without-water-nvidia-introduces-near-zero-water-cooling-technology-1782220113124">Can AI data centres run without water? Nvidia introduces near-zero-water cooling technology</a><h2>Who is Jensen Huang?</h2>Jensen Huang is the billionaire co-founder, president and CEO of NVIDIA, one of the world's most valuable technology companies. He co-founded Nvidia in 1993 with Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem, launching the company with $40,000 in seed funding. Born in Taiwan in 1963, Huang moved to the United States as a child and later earned a master's degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Under his leadership, Nvidia evolved from a graphics chip maker into the dominant force behind the AI revolution, with its GPUs powering everything from generative AI models to data centres and advanced gaming.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nvidia-q1-fy2027-record-revenue-ai-boom-data-centre-growth-1779368905223">NVIDIA posts record $81.6 billion revenue: Why NVIDIA is the biggest winner of the global AI boom</a><h2>Why is his jacket famous?</h2>Huang's black leather jacket has become his signature style, much like Steve Jobs was known for his black turtleneck and Mark Zuckerberg for his gray T-shirts. He has worn a leather jacket at nearly every major keynote, product launch and public appearance for years, making it closely associated with Nvidia's rise and the AI boom. The jacket has become a symbol of Huang's leadership and the company's success, which is why one of his Tom Ford jackets attracted global attention when it sold for $960,000 at a Sotheby's auction.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's signature Tom Ford black leather jacket sold for $960,000 at a Sotheby's auction in New York—16 times its estimated value. The collectible drew 45 bidders, highlighting Huang's iconic status in the AI era and Nvidia's soaring influence.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's black leather jacket was sold for a whopping $960,000 at a New York auction on Friday (July 17). This was approximately 16 times higher than the estimated value of $60,000, according to Sotheby's. Informing about the price, the auctioneer, in a press release said that 45 collectors bid on the Tom Ford jacket, with Sotheby's Head of Modern Collectibles Brahm Wachter calling it “an object so closely tied to one of the defining figures of the AI era.” Also Read: Can AI data centres run without water? Nvidia introduces near-zero-water cooling technology Who is Jensen Huang? Jensen Huang is the billionaire co-founder, president and CEO of NVIDIA, one of the world's most valuable technology companies. He co-founded Nvidia in 1993 with Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem, launching the company with $40,000 in seed funding. Born in Taiwan in 1963, Huang moved to the United States as a child and later earned a master's degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Under his leadership, Nvidia evolved from a graphics chip maker into the dominant force behind the AI revolution, with its GPUs powering everything from generative AI models to data centres and advanced gaming. Also Read: NVIDIA posts record $81.6 billion revenue: Why NVIDIA is the biggest winner of the global AI boom Why is his jacket famous? Huang's black leather jacket has become his signature style, much like Steve Jobs was known for his black turtleneck and Mark Zuckerberg for his gray T-shirts. He has worn a leather jacket at nearly every major keynote, product launch and public appearance for years, making it closely associated with Nvidia's rise and the AI boom. The jacket has become a symbol of Huang's leadership and the company's success, which is why one of his Tom Ford jackets attracted global attention when it sold for $960,000 at a Sotheby's auction.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's signature Tom Ford black leather jacket sold for $960,000 at a Sotheby's auction in New York—16 times its estimated value. The collectible drew 45 bidders, highlighting Huang's iconic status in the AI era and Nvidia's soaring influence.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's signature black leather sells for whopping...

In a big move, Libya has decided to connect Libyan commercial banks to China’s payment and settlement system. The Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, Naji Mohammed Issa and the Governor of the People’s Bank of China, Pan Gongsheng announced the step on Saturday (Jul 19). The meeting between the two sides took place during Issa’s visit to Beijing, where he met Gongsheng on Friday. CIPS was launched by the People’s Bank of China in 2015 to facilitate international transfers using Chinese Yuan.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-pakistan-brokering-a-peace-deal-between-rival-factions-in-libya-what-reports-claim-1783413069953">Is Pakistan brokering a peace deal between rival factions in Libya? What reports claim</a>&nbsp;According to the statement published by the Libyan bank, the two sides reviewed the volume of trade between the two countries and discussed ways to strengthen it and increase its growth rate. “The importance of launching a new phase of genuine strategic partnership between the two central banks was discussed. It was agreed to connect Libyan commercial banks to China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System, CIPS, which will simplify financial transfers and make them easier to conduct," Issa said. Without naming the US, the statement added that the two sides agreed to address obstacles and facilitate trade procedures in a way that would further increase the volume of trade between the two countries.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/b2-spirit-libya-2011-operation-odyssey-dawn-missouri-25-hour-mission-explained-1783878074326">'Night to Libya And Back': How US opened a war nobody expected with a plane nobody saw coming</a>&nbsp;According to reports, CIPS serves as an infrastructure that enables banks to send and receive yuan-denominated payments directly, reducing reliance on the US dollar by eliminating the need to process transactions through intermediary banks. According to statement, the two sides also agreed to allow letters of credit to be opened directly through Chinese banks. They also agreed to arrange a visit to Beijing by an official Libyan banking delegation, headed by the governor of the Central Bank and accompanied by the directors of Libyan commercial banks, to meet their Chinese counterparts at the earliest possible opportunity. The statment also added that the planned visit would aim to establish cooperation between commercial banks in the two countries and to benefit from China’s experience in electronic payments and direct financial transfers.

Libya will connect its commercial banks to China's Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS), allowing yuan-based transactions and reducing reliance on the US dollar. The move aims to boost bilateral trade, simplify cross-border payments, and deepen Libya-China financial cooperation.

In a big move, Libya has decided to connect Libyan commercial banks to China’s payment and settlement system. The Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, Naji Mohammed Issa and the Governor of the People’s Bank of China, Pan Gongsheng announced the step on Saturday (Jul 19). The meeting between the two sides took place during Issa’s visit to Beijing, where he met Gongsheng on Friday. CIPS was launched by the People’s Bank of China in 2015 to facilitate international transfers using Chinese Yuan. Also Read: Is Pakistan brokering a peace deal between rival factions in Libya? What reports claim According to the statement published by the Libyan bank, the two sides reviewed the volume of trade between the two countries and discussed ways to strengthen it and increase its growth rate. “The importance of launching a new phase of genuine strategic partnership between the two central banks was discussed. It was agreed to connect Libyan commercial banks to China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System, CIPS, which will simplify financial transfers and make them easier to conduct," Issa said. Without naming the US, the statement added that the two sides agreed to address obstacles and facilitate trade procedures in a way that would further increase the volume of trade between the two countries. Also Read: 'Night to Libya And Back': How US opened a war nobody expected with a plane nobody saw coming According to reports, CIPS serves as an infrastructure that enables banks to send and receive yuan-denominated payments directly, reducing reliance on the US dollar by eliminating the need to process transactions through intermediary banks. According to statement, the two sides also agreed to allow letters of credit to be opened directly through Chinese banks. They also agreed to arrange a visit to Beijing by an official Libyan banking delegation, headed by the governor of the Central Bank and accompanied by the directors of Libyan commercial banks, to meet their Chinese counterparts at the earliest possible opportunity. The statment also added that the planned visit would aim to establish cooperation between commercial banks in the two countries and to benefit from China’s experience in electronic payments and direct financial transfers.

Libya will connect its commercial banks to China's Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS), allowing yuan-based transactions and reducing reliance on the US dollar. The move aims to boost bilateral trade, simplify cross-border payments, and deepen Libya-China financial cooperation.

Libya joins China's payment system to reduce dependence on the US dollar

Iran reportedly shipped nearly 70 million barrels of crude oil worth an estimated $5-6 billion during a brief pause in US restrictions, building a financial cushion before Washington reinstated its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. The shipments, carried out between mid-June and mid-July, are expected to generate billions in revenue for Tehran in the coming months, with much of the crude ultimately destined for China.According to a Wall Street Journal report, around 20 Iranian oil tankers began arriving off Malaysia’s eastern coast in late June after the United States temporarily lifted restrictions on Iranian shipping. Independent estimates from advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and oil market analysts cited by the newspaper suggest Tehran exported roughly 70 million barrels during the one-month window. The US has since reimposed restrictions, once again limiting Iranian exports through the Strait of Hormuz.Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-targets-us-bases-in-bahrain-kuwait-and-jordan-as-conflict-in-middle-east-escalates-1784372546894"> Iran targets US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan as conflict in Middle East escalates</a><h2>Oil shipped to China</h2>Analysts say Iran relied on its long-established sanctions-evasion network to move the oil. Tankers reportedly sailed to the Eastern Outer Port Limits, an area outside Malaysia’s territorial waters, where crude was transferred at sea to other vessels using large hoses. These receiving tankers then transport the oil to private Chinese refiners, often referred to as “teapot” refineries, which purchase Iranian crude at discounted prices.Several tankers, including the Diona, Hero II, Sonia 1 and Stream, reportedly reached the Malaysian transfer zone during the period. Experts believe the sudden increase in tanker traffic reflects Tehran’s effort to maximise exports before tighter US enforcement resumed.Watch | US-Iran war: Iranian media reports US attacks on Sirik port in Hormuz Strait<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-iran-war-iranian-media-reports-us-attacks-on-sirik-port-in-hormuz-strait-1784432514802/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-iran-war-iranian-media-reports-us-attacks-on-sirik-port-in-hormuz-strait-1784432514802/embed</a>Charlie Brown, a Singapore-based analyst with United Against Nuclear Iran, told the outlet that Iran acted quickly to build a significant export buffer once restrictions were eased. Jonathan Panikoff, Middle East expert at the Atlantic Council, said Iran's struggling economy makes oil revenue critical, adding that the government is likely to prioritise those earnings to support its strategic objectives amid renewed tensions with the United States.Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Iran exported nearly 70 million barrels of oil worth $5-6 billion during a brief US sanctions pause, with much of the crude sent to China before Washington restored restrictions.

Iran reportedly shipped nearly 70 million barrels of crude oil worth an estimated $5-6 billion during a brief pause in US restrictions, building a financial cushion before Washington reinstated its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. The shipments, carried out between mid-June and mid-July, are expected to generate billions in revenue for Tehran in the coming months, with much of the crude ultimately destined for China. According to a Wall Street Journal report, around 20 Iranian oil tankers began arriving off Malaysia’s eastern coast in late June after the United States temporarily lifted restrictions on Iranian shipping. Independent estimates from advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and oil market analysts cited by the newspaper suggest Tehran exported roughly 70 million barrels during the one-month window. The US has since reimposed restrictions, once again limiting Iranian exports through the Strait of Hormuz. Also read | Iran targets US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan as conflict in Middle East escalates Oil shipped to China Analysts say Iran relied on its long-established sanctions-evasion network to move the oil. Tankers reportedly sailed to the Eastern Outer Port Limits, an area outside Malaysia’s territorial waters, where crude was transferred at sea to other vessels using large hoses. These receiving tankers then transport the oil to private Chinese refiners, often referred to as “teapot” refineries, which purchase Iranian crude at discounted prices. Several tankers, including the Diona, Hero II, Sonia 1 and Stream, reportedly reached the Malaysian transfer zone during the period. Experts believe the sudden increase in tanker traffic reflects Tehran’s effort to maximise exports before tighter US enforcement resumed. Watch | US-Iran war: Iranian media reports US attacks on Sirik port in Hormuz Strait https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-iran-war-iranian-media-reports-us-attacks-on-sirik-port-in-hormuz-strait-1784432514802/embed Charlie Brown, a Singapore-based analyst with United Against Nuclear Iran, told the outlet that Iran acted quickly to build a significant export buffer once restrictions were eased. Jonathan Panikoff, Middle East expert at the Atlantic Council, said Iran's struggling economy makes oil revenue critical, adding that the government is likely to prioritise those earnings to support its strategic objectives amid renewed tensions with the United States. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Iran exported nearly 70 million barrels of oil worth $5-6 billion during a brief US sanctions pause, with much of the crude sent to China before Washington restored restrictions.

Did Iran secretly ship 70 million barrels of oil to China? Report claims $6 billion crude exported before blockade restored

An earthquake of magnitude 5 struck Iran’s Saland area of the southwestern Khuzestan province on Sunday (Jul 19). According to a state media report citing the Iranian Red Crescent Society, the quake occurred at a depth of about 12 kilometres (7.5 miles). It added that two rescue teams have been sent to the villages in the region near the epicentre to assess possible damage.The earthquake came at a time when tensions are escalating between the US and Iran as both sides continue to trade attacks for a week now after the ceasefire collapsed. While the American forces have continued to attack targets in Iran, Tehran has struck several US military sites across the Gulf. In a recent Iranian strike at a US base in Jordan, two service members were killed, and another went missing.Iran is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, largely due to its position along the boundary where the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide. The ongoing movement of these plates creates frequent seismic activity, especially in provinces such as Khuzestan, Kermanshah and Hormozgan in the western and southern parts of the country.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/did-iran-secretly-ship-70-million-barrels-of-oil-to-china-report-claims-6-billion-crude-exported-before-blockade-restored-1784435146287">Did Iran secretly ship 70 million barrels of oil to China? Report claims $6 billion crude exported before blockade restored</a>While many earthquakes in Iran are mild and cause little impact, shallow tremors can be particularly dangerous as they occur closer to the Earth’s surface. Such quakes can generate stronger shaking and increase the risk of damage, especially in densely populated regions.The latest earthquake adds to a series of seismic events reported across Iran in recent months. In June 2026, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake hit the southern Hormozgan province, though officials said there were no reports of significant damage or casualties. Scientists continue to monitor Iran’s fault lines closely as the country remains vulnerable to recurring seismic activity.Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck Iran's Saland area in Khuzestan province on Sunday, prompting authorities to deploy two Red Crescent rescue teams to nearby villages to assess damage.

An earthquake of magnitude 5 struck Iran’s Saland area of the southwestern Khuzestan province on Sunday (Jul 19). According to a state media report citing the Iranian Red Crescent Society, the quake occurred at a depth of about 12 kilometres (7.5 miles). It added that two rescue teams have been sent to the villages in the region near the epicentre to assess possible damage. The earthquake came at a time when tensions are escalating between the US and Iran as both sides continue to trade attacks for a week now after the ceasefire collapsed. While the American forces have continued to attack targets in Iran, Tehran has struck several US military sites across the Gulf. In a recent Iranian strike at a US base in Jordan, two service members were killed, and another went missing. Iran is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, largely due to its position along the boundary where the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide. The ongoing movement of these plates creates frequent seismic activity, especially in provinces such as Khuzestan, Kermanshah and Hormozgan in the western and southern parts of the country. Also read | Did Iran secretly ship 70 million barrels of oil to China? Report claims $6 billion crude exported before blockade restored While many earthquakes in Iran are mild and cause little impact, shallow tremors can be particularly dangerous as they occur closer to the Earth’s surface. Such quakes can generate stronger shaking and increase the risk of damage, especially in densely populated regions. The latest earthquake adds to a series of seismic events reported across Iran in recent months. In June 2026, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake hit the southern Hormozgan province, though officials said there were no reports of significant damage or casualties. Scientists continue to monitor Iran’s fault lines closely as the country remains vulnerable to recurring seismic activity. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck Iran's Saland area in Khuzestan province on Sunday, prompting authorities to deploy two Red Crescent rescue teams to nearby villages to assess damage.

Magnitude 5 earthquake strikes Iran as military escalation with US continues

The US forces on Saturday (July 18) launched yet another series of air strikes against Iran at US President Donald Trump’s direction, a day after two US service members were killed in Jordan. The announcement was made by CENTCOM which also added - as “partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks” with another service member “missing in action”, CENTCOM said. Fresh explosions were heard in Sirik which is the strategic Iranian city overlooking the Strait of Hormuz.&nbsp;&nbsp;The US Central Command said in a post: “The strikes are designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-suspends-commitments-under-ceasefire-mou-over-us-violations-as-conflict-escalates-1784383044459">Iran suspends commitments under ceasefire MoU over 'US violations' as conflict escalates</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today at 6 p.m. ET, U.S. forces began launching new airstrikes against Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction. The strikes are designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard…&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2078605013878710482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Two US servicemen killed</h2>Two US service members were killed and another went missing in action in Jordan after Iranian ballistic missiles and drones targeted US and partner forces, the Pentagon said. "Two U.S. service members in Jordan were killed in action as US Central Command and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Additionally, one service member is currently missing," CENTCOM said in a statement. "Four American service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals. They have since been discharged. Other personnel who were evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty," it added. Iran also said that its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) carried out an attack on a US base in Jordan's Al Azraq. Iranian state television reported that the missile and drone strike destroyed at least two US fighter aircraft and three other aircraft.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-s-signature-worthless-and-invalid-iran-s-supreme-leader-vows-to-teach-us-unforgettable-lessons-1784393918947">Trump's signature 'worthless and invalid': Iran's supreme leader vows to teach US 'unforgettable lessons'</a><h2>Iran suspends deal with US</h2>On Saturday, Iran announced it was suspending all of its ceasefire commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States. Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei slammed the US and said that the violations of the agreement "once again demonstrated to everyone the worthlessness of the American president's signature." He also said, “Now that the American enemy seeks to incite war and bear its most serious consequences, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons to offer it.” He added that Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran had suspended its commitments under the MoU as US military attacks continued, according to Iran's Fars news agency. "The US has violated and suspended all its commitments within the framework of the Islamabad MoU," Gharibabadi said. &nbsp;

The US military says it has launched a round of airstrikes against Iran to “swiftly punish” it for killing two American service members in an attack in Jordan.

The US forces on Saturday (July 18) launched yet another series of air strikes against Iran at US President Donald Trump’s direction, a day after two US service members were killed in Jordan. The announcement was made by CENTCOM which also added - as “partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks” with another service member “missing in action”, CENTCOM said. Fresh explosions were heard in Sirik which is the strategic Iranian city overlooking the Strait of Hormuz. The US Central Command said in a post: “The strikes are designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night.” Also Read: Iran suspends commitments under ceasefire MoU over 'US violations' as conflict escalates

The US military says it has launched a round of airstrikes against Iran to “swiftly punish” it for killing two American service members in an attack in Jordan.

US launches fresh strikes to 'swiftly punish' Iran for killing US servicemen in Jordan

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in an interview published Saturday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested for war crimes if he visits the city in September for the United Nations General Assembly. He, however, said that he would not &nbsp;to amend laws to get him arrested.&nbsp;"I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague," Mamdani told The New York Times. "He's a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court."&nbsp;Mamdani, who has earlier called Israel an "apartheid regime," further said, "That is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years."&nbsp;New York City Mayor said he was not &nbsp;not sure if he has the power to order the New York Police Department to detain a foreign leader but said he was in "an active conversation" with the city's Law Department to ascertain whether he has such powers or not to detain a foreign leader.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-s-signature-worthless-and-invalid-iran-s-supreme-leader-vows-to-teach-us-unforgettable-lessons-1784393918947">Trump's signature 'worthless and invalid': Iran's supreme leader vows to teach US 'unforgettable lessons'</a>&nbsp;"Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that's what we will do, but we won't be writing our own laws to that end," he said.&nbsp;Mamdani's earlier statement on Netanyahu&nbsp;This is not the first time that Mamdani had threatened such action against Netanyahu, he has previously said he would direct the New York Police Department (NYPD) to enforce arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin.&nbsp;In 2024, the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) said it has reasons to believe that Netanyahu was responsible for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity for Israel's military offensive in Gaza following Hamas' unprecedented October 7, 2023, attack.&nbsp;

Mamdani, who has earlier called Israel an apartheid regime, further said, That is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in an interview published Saturday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested for war crimes if he visits the city in September for the United Nations General Assembly. He, however, said that he would not to amend laws to get him arrested. "I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague," Mamdani told The New York Times. "He's a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court." Mamdani, who has earlier called Israel an "apartheid regime," further said, "That is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years." New York City Mayor said he was not not sure if he has the power to order the New York Police Department to detain a foreign leader but said he was in "an active conversation" with the city's Law Department to ascertain whether he has such powers or not to detain a foreign leader. ALSO READ: Trump's signature 'worthless and invalid': Iran's supreme leader vows to teach US 'unforgettable lessons' "Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that's what we will do, but we won't be writing our own laws to that end," he said. Mamdani's earlier statement on Netanyahu This is not the first time that Mamdani had threatened such action against Netanyahu, he has previously said he would direct the New York Police Department (NYPD) to enforce arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In 2024, the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) said it has reasons to believe that Netanyahu was responsible for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity for Israel's military offensive in Gaza following Hamas' unprecedented October 7, 2023, attack.

Mamdani, who has earlier called Israel an "apartheid regime," further said, "That is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years."

Mamdani still mulling Netanyahu's arrest during UN meet, says 'discussing it with law department'

An Indian man working as a truck driver in Canada has been identified as the victim in a homicide investigation after his body was found inside a sewage culvert in Hamilton, Ontario on Wednesday (July 15). &nbsp;&nbsp;The victim Taranpreet Singh Sidhu (29), had moved to Canada from India in 2022 and worked as a truck driver in Brampton. He had also lived in Halifax.&nbsp;Hamilton Police said emergency crews were dispatched to the north end of Fruitland Road at approximately 8:15 a.m. on July 15 after reports of an unresponsive person found in a culvert. Sidhu was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/at-least-8-killed-several-injured-in-firecracker-factory-blast-in-gujarat-1784378107614">At least 9 killed, several injured in firecracker factory blast in Gujarat</a>&nbsp;According to police, Sidhu was not killed in the area where his body was located. Investigation is on to ascertain the cause of his death, while his death is being treated as a homicide.&nbsp;Before the discovery of Sidhu's body, Hamilton Police had been working with Peel Regional Police as part of the investigation. Detectives have been reviewing surveillance footage, examining digital evidence, and interviewing witnesses to piece together Sidhu's movements in the days leading up to his death.&nbsp;Investigators have also carried out an extensive review of surveillance footage from the area where Sidhu's body was discovered. However, police have not released details about the vehicle they believe was used to transport his body.&nbsp;Investigators have urged the public to come forward with any information available to them on Sidhu. Surveillance, dashcam or doorbell camera footage is what the police is looking for at the moment to find any trace of his movement. &nbsp;

According to police, Sidhu was not killed in the area where his body was located. Investigation is on to ascertain the cause of his death.

An Indian man working as a truck driver in Canada has been identified as the victim in a homicide investigation after his body was found inside a sewage culvert in Hamilton, Ontario on Wednesday (July 15). The victim Taranpreet Singh Sidhu (29), had moved to Canada from India in 2022 and worked as a truck driver in Brampton. He had also lived in Halifax. Hamilton Police said emergency crews were dispatched to the north end of Fruitland Road at approximately 8:15 a.m. on July 15 after reports of an unresponsive person found in a culvert. Sidhu was pronounced dead at the scene. ALSO READ: At least 9 killed, several injured in firecracker factory blast in Gujarat According to police, Sidhu was not killed in the area where his body was located. Investigation is on to ascertain the cause of his death, while his death is being treated as a homicide. Before the discovery of Sidhu's body, Hamilton Police had been working with Peel Regional Police as part of the investigation. Detectives have been reviewing surveillance footage, examining digital evidence, and interviewing witnesses to piece together Sidhu's movements in the days leading up to his death. Investigators have also carried out an extensive review of surveillance footage from the area where Sidhu's body was discovered. However, police have not released details about the vehicle they believe was used to transport his body. Investigators have urged the public to come forward with any information available to them on Sidhu. Surveillance, dashcam or doorbell camera footage is what the police is looking for at the moment to find any trace of his movement.

According to police, Sidhu was not killed in the area where his body was located. Investigation is on to ascertain the cause of his death.

Indian man found dead in Canada's Hamilton, homicide investigation underway

Two US service members were killed and another went missing in action in Jordan after Iranian ballistic missiles and drones targeted US and partner forces, the Pentagon said on Saturday.&nbsp;US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the attack took place on Friday while American and partner forces were defending against the Iranian barrage. The military said four US service members were medically evacuated to hospitals in Jordan but have since been discharged. Personnel treated for minor injuries have returned to duty.&nbsp;"Two U.S. service members in Jordan were killed in action as U.S. Central Command and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Additionally, one service member is currently missing," CENTCOM said in a statement.&nbsp;"Four American service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals. They have since been discharged. Other personnel who were evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty," it added.<h3>Iran suspends MoU commitments as tensions deepen</h3>The development comes as the United States continues strikes inside Iran for a seventh consecutive day following Tehran's attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.&nbsp;Earlier on Saturday, Iran announced it was suspending all of its ceasefire commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States, marking a fresh escalation in tensions between the two countries.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="http://wionews.com/world/trump-s-signature-worthless-and-invalid-iran-s-supreme-leader-vows-to-teach-us-unforgettable-lessons-1784393918947">Trump's signature 'worthless and invalid': Iran's supreme leader vows to teach US 'unforgettable lessons'</a>&nbsp;Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran had suspended its commitments under the MoU as US military attacks continued, according to Iran's Fars news agency.&nbsp;"The US has violated and suspended all its commitments within the framework of the Islamabad MoU," Gharibabadi said.&nbsp;Later, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since assuming office following the death of his father, issued a fresh warning to Washington. He said the renewed US attacks despite the framework agreement proved that President Donald Trump's signature could not be trusted.&nbsp;"Now that the American enemy seeks to incite war and bear its most serious consequences, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons to offer it," Khamenei said in a statement carried by state television.&nbsp;He added that US violations of the agreement "once again demonstrated to everyone the worthlessness of the American president's signature."

Two US service members were killed and another went missing in Jordan after an Iranian missile and drone attack, as Tehran suspended its MoU commitments with Washington and issued fresh warnings to the United States.

Two US service members were killed and another went missing in action in Jordan after Iranian ballistic missiles and drones targeted US and partner forces, the Pentagon said on Saturday. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the attack took place on Friday while American and partner forces were defending against the Iranian barrage. The military said four US service members were medically evacuated to hospitals in Jordan but have since been discharged. Personnel treated for minor injuries have returned to duty. "Two U.S. service members in Jordan were killed in action as U.S. Central Command and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Additionally, one service member is currently missing," CENTCOM said in a statement. "Four American service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals. They have since been discharged. Other personnel who were evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty," it added. Iran suspends MoU commitments as tensions deepen The development comes as the United States continues strikes inside Iran for a seventh consecutive day following Tehran's attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier on Saturday, Iran announced it was suspending all of its ceasefire commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States, marking a fresh escalation in tensions between the two countries. Also Read: Trump's signature 'worthless and invalid': Iran's supreme leader vows to teach US 'unforgettable lessons' Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran had suspended its commitments under the MoU as US military attacks continued, according to Iran's Fars news agency. "The US has violated and suspended all its commitments within the framework of the Islamabad MoU," Gharibabadi said. Later, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since assuming office following the death of his father, issued a fresh warning to Washington. He said the renewed US attacks despite the framework agreement proved that President Donald Trump's signature could not be trusted. "Now that the American enemy seeks to incite war and bear its most serious consequences, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons to offer it," Khamenei said in a statement carried by state television. He added that US violations of the agreement "once again demonstrated to everyone the worthlessness of the American president's signature."

Two US service members were killed, and another went missing in Jordan after an Iranian missile and drone attack, as Tehran suspended its MoU commitments with Washington and issued fresh warnings to the United States.

US military confirms two service members killed in Jordan as Iran-US tensions deepen

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in a written statement on Saturday said US attacks prove Trump's signature on deal 'worthless'. He said that US repeatedly breached commitments under Memorandum of Understanding.&nbsp;He warned that Iran will teach US 'unforgettable lessons'.&nbsp;"Now that the American enemy seeks to incite war and bear its most serious consequences, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons to offer it," Khamenei said, in a statement carried by state TV.&nbsp;He further said that US violations of the deal "once again demonstrated to everyone the worthlessness of the American president's signature".<h2>Iran suspends all its ceasefire commitments&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;Earlier today, Iran announced it is suspending all its ceasefire commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States, marking a fresh escalation in tensions between the two countries.&nbsp;Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran had suspended its commitments under the MoU as US military attacks continue, according to Iran's Fars news agency.&nbsp;“The US has violated and suspended all its commitments within the framework of the Islamabad MoU,” Gharibabadi said.&nbsp;He added that Iran had halted its obligations under the agreement because it is "busy defending the country."&nbsp;"We were in negotiations. Unfortunately, the Americans themselves took these aggressive actions, violating their commitments under the memorandum of understanding in this regard. Practically, America has trampled on all its commitments and suspended them all. We have also suspended all our commitments under that memorandum of understanding, known as the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, and we are not currently fulfilling those obligations," he stated.

Khamenei said that US repeatedly breached commitments under Memorandum of Understanding.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in a written statement on Saturday said US attacks prove Trump's signature on deal 'worthless'. He said that US repeatedly breached commitments under Memorandum of Understanding. He warned that Iran will teach US 'unforgettable lessons'. "Now that the American enemy seeks to incite war and bear its most serious consequences, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons to offer it," Khamenei said, in a statement carried by state TV. He further said that US violations of the deal "once again demonstrated to everyone the worthlessness of the American president's signature". Iran suspends all its ceasefire commitments Earlier today, Iran announced it is suspending all its ceasefire commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States, marking a fresh escalation in tensions between the two countries. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran had suspended its commitments under the MoU as US military attacks continue, according to Iran's Fars news agency. “The US has violated and suspended all its commitments within the framework of the Islamabad MoU,” Gharibabadi said. He added that Iran had halted its obligations under the agreement because it is "busy defending the country." "We were in negotiations. Unfortunately, the Americans themselves took these aggressive actions, violating their commitments under the memorandum of understanding in this regard. Practically, America has trampled on all its commitments and suspended them all. We have also suspended all our commitments under that memorandum of understanding, known as the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, and we are not currently fulfilling those obligations," he stated.

Khamenei said that US repeatedly breached commitments under Memorandum of Understanding.

Trump's signature 'worthless and invalid': Iran's supreme leader vows to teach US 'unforgettable lessons'

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