US launches fresh strikes on Iran, as Trump warns of retaliation for deaths of soldiers

WASHINGTON, July 21: The US military says it launched another round of strikes against Iran to "further degrade" its capabilities to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

The strikes - the 10th consecutive night of attacks - come after US President Donald Trump vowed to punish Iran for the deaths of US soldiers.

Trump earlier said Iran had been hit "very hard" the previous night "in honour" of three US soldiers killed recently - two in Jordan and one in Iraq.

In response to the latest wave, Iran said it struck two oil tankers in the waterway, as well as US military assets in Bahrain and Kuwait, state news agency IRNA reported. President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran was now fighting a "full-scale war" with the US.

At the same time, Tehran said diplomatic messages were still being exchanged by both sides through intermediaries, despite a collapse of a ceasefire.

US Central Command (Centcom) said on X that the latest strikes had hit Iranian "military command centres, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems".

Commercial vessels have continued to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, Centcom said.

Iran said rescue teams were removing the crews from the two oil tankers it had struck while attempting to transit through the vital waterway, according to the state news agency IRNA.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz had reported being struck by an unknown projectile, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel and board a lifeboat.

It was not clear whether the tanker reported by UKMTO was among those cited by Iran.

On Tuesday night the Department of Defense confirmed the identities of two of the US soldiers – Pte Isabella Gonzales, 19, from Texas, and Lt Tyler James Feehan, 25, from Hawaii - who were killed in an Iranian strike on the Muwaffaq Salti base in Jordan over the weekend.

Centcom said earlier a third service member also went missing in action after the attack, and unidentified remains were later found in the area.

Elsewhere in the region, Jordan's military said late on Monday it had shot down three Iranian missiles as sirens sounded across the country warning of incoming fire.

Earlier in the day, Kuwait's armed forces said they had intercepted Iranian drones.

Bahrain said drones launched by Iran had targeted its air navigation systems - but traffic remained unaffected.

On the US strikes the previous night, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several cities had been hit including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini.

Iranian state media reported that two oil tankers had exploded as the vessels tried to cross the strait.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the tankers were going through what it called an "unsafe and hazardous southern route" of the strait and "exploded and were brought to a halt". Centcom disputed the claims.

Iran's Interior Minister arrives in Pakistan with 'good news' as US-Iran conflict escalates

ISLAMABAD, July 21: Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Pakistan on Monday for talks with the country's top leadership, as the military confrontation between Iran and the US continues to escalate.

Momeni was received by his Pakistani counterpart, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who had invited him to visit the country. Iran's official IRNA news agency confirmed Momeni's arrival in Islamabad in a post on X, saying the visit was aimed at “boosting cooperation between the two nations.”

According to Geo News, Naqvi said after receiving Momeni that the Iranian leader has come with some "good news" and that the visit will help further strengthen bilateral ties.

During the visit, Momeni will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, Geo News reported.

The visit comes amid heightened tensions in West Asia following days of military exchanges between the US and Iran. The US has carried out strikes on multiple targets in Iran, while Tehran has retaliated by targeting American interests in West Asia, further raising fears of a wider regional conflict.

ASEAN's top diplomats to meet in backdrop of US-Iran conflict

MANILA, July 20: Tensions between the US and Iran are likely to cast a shadow over a diplomatic gathering in Southeast Asia this week, injecting additional uncertainty into a region grappling with maritime tensions with China and a faltering regional effort to end Myanmar's civil war.

Foreign ministers from the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and major partners will gather in Manila against a backdrop of instability beyond the region since the US and Iran resumed open conflict, raising concerns about energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as inflation and global growth.

"We're looking at several occasions where they can raise this very, very critical topic," said Dominic Xavier Imperial, a spokesperson for the Philippines, the meeting host.

But Southeast Asia's top diplomats meeting on Tuesday face no shortage of challenges closer to home.

They will have an informal consultation on Myanmar's conflict, as ASEAN's peace initiative struggles to gain traction, five years after it was launched following a military coup that plunged the country into a civil war that has killed an estimated 100,000 people.

Likely to be discussed also are tensions in the South China Sea, for which ASEAN and China are after nearly 10 years still trying to conclude a code of conduct to prevent disputes from escalating.

Ahead of the gathering, US-ally the Philippines accused China's Coast Guard personnel of aggressively striking one of its navy personnel on the head with a baton near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on Monday. China's Coast Guard called that "false".

The US State Department condemned what it described as China's "dangerous and aggressive" actions, in what it called "China’s troubling pattern of provocation against lawful Philippine maritime operations".

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will join the ASEAN-led meeting in the days ahead and could meet on the sidelines. Also attending will be India, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Russia, Britain and the European Union, among others.

Without naming China, Rubio took a swipe at Beijing in an opinion piece published in Philippine newspapers upon his arrival in Manila on Tuesday, reaffirming US commitment to freedom of navigation, but warning such freedom was "by no means guaranteed".

"If those waters fall under the control of a power willing to use commerce as a geopolitical weapon, both the United States and the ASEAN states would face dire new threats to their sovereignty, security and economic futures," Rubio said in the piece.

Rubio reiterated a 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China's sweeping sovereignty claims in the South China Sea was final and binding and said the US would honour its obligations to the Philippines and other allies "as they confront new and coercive threats to our shared interests."

China does not recognise the arbitration ruling, which went in favour of the Philippines.

Separately, Australia on Tuesday announced a further $6.7 million contribution to a drones package for the Philippine Coast Guard to boost its maritime surveillance capacity, which includes long-range and underwater drone capabilities and training.

4 Indians killed in attack on ship at Ukraine's Odesa port, 1 critically injured

kYIEV, July 20: An attack on the MV Golden Leo as it departed Ukraine's southern port of Odesa on Sunday killed four Indian nationals and left another critically injured, India's Ministry of External Affairs said late on Monday.

According to Ukraine's navy, Russia struck the Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel with three cruise missiles. The ship was carrying a crew from India and Syria.

MEA said four Indian nationals were killed and one was hospitalised in a critical condition after the vessel MV GOLDEN LEO was attacked while departing Ukraine's Odesa port on the evening of July 19.

The ministry said there were 17 crew members on board the vessel, including five Indian nationals.

According to LSEG data, the MV Golden Leo is owned by Mumbai-based Ocean Grace Shipping Ltd.

“As per information available, four Indian nationals have tragically lost their lives, while one is hospitalized in a critical condition. Our Mission in Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation and is making every effort to extend all possible assistance to those affected," the MEA stated.

It added, “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased Indian nationals and wish the injured Indian national a speedy and full recovery.”

Condemning the attack, the ministry said, “India condemns such attacks and reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, is deplorable and should be avoided.”

Separately, a Russian attack on Odesa, Ukraine's largest seaport, killed three people and injured three others on Monday, Serhiy Lysak, head of the city's military administration, said.

He added that infrastructure facilities were hit in the attack, according to a report.

A search and rescue operation continued through the night after the attack, Ukraine's Seaports Authority said. It added that nine people, including crew members and one maritime pilot, were killed, while eight of the vessel's 17 crew members were rescued, according to a report.

Andy Burnham Becomes UK's 7th Prime Minister In A Decade

LONDON, July 20: Andy Burnham is officially Britain's new prime minister. Burnham formally accepted an invitation from King Charles III to form a government.

Buckingham Palace has released a photo of the two men shaking hands. The ceremony known as "kissing hands" marks the transfer of power from former leader Keir Starmer to Burnham.

Burnham replaced Starmer as leader of the center-left governing Labour Party last week.

After weeks as UK prime minister-in-waiting, Burnham went to Buckingham Palace on Monday to be appointed Britain's new leader by King Charles III.

He succeeds Keir Starmer, and Britain's political turbulence gave way, at least temporarily, to smooth choreography.

Burnham is the seventh UK prime minister since 2016 in a now well-rehearsed handover after replacing Starmer as leader of the center-left governing Labour Party on Friday.

Starmer made a short farewell speech outside the prime minister's 10 Downing Street residence, saying "my work is done."

US launches Iran strikes for ninth day as another American confirmed killed

DUBAI/CAIRO, July 20: U.S. forces struck Iran for a ninth consecutive day on Monday ​as the number of confirmed American military deaths in the renewed fighting rose to three and concerns grew over shipping through the ‌Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, U.S. Central Command said it started "a new wave of strikes" aimed at "degrading" Iran's ability to attack commercial vessels in the strait's vital shipping lanes.

The Central Command announcement gave no further details. But Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, citing its own reporters, said U.S. missiles struck several Iranian cities early Monday.

Explosions were heard in Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar ​Imam Khomeini, according to Tasnim.

In the latest American casualty reported in the war, the U.S. military said on Sunday that a service member was killed ​on Saturday in northern Iraq, where the U.S. has military bases, during a controlled detonation of what Central Command called ⁠unexploded ordnance on a downed Iranian attack drone.

Earlier in the weekend, the U.S. military said two of its service personnel died in Jordan and that a third was missing ​in action. On Sunday, Central Command said in a statement that "unidentified remains" had been found at the site of Friday's attack and that "an examination process to verify ​the remains is ongoing."

The latest casualty announcements brought the total number of U.S. military personnel killed since the war began to 17, with more than 420 others wounded.

For its part, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a surprise strike against "the enemy's special operations headquarters in Syria's Al-Tanf area."

Iran earlier conducted a drone attack on U.S. military assets and equipment at Kuwait's Al-Adiri camp ​and Ali Al Salem Air Base, Iranian state TV reported early on Sunday. Iran had previously hit both bases as part of its attacks against U.S. ​assets and allies in the Gulf over the past week.

Kuwait's government said a desalination plant had been attacked for the second day running, causing a fire, in what it called a direct ‌strike on ⁠vital civilian infrastructure.

Concerns about the flow of energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz have persisted since the United States and Iran resumed open hostilities after accusing each other of repeatedly violating a ceasefire deal.

The Royal Navy's United Kingdom Maritime Operations Centre said late Sunday that it received a report that a vessel was on fire not far from the Omani coast, although it had not verified a cause.

Oil prices jumped 3% on Monday, with Brent crude futures surpassing $90 a barrel, the highest level ​since June 11.

Monday's attacks came the day ​after Central Command said its eighth ⁠consecutive wave of attacks hit Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defense facilities.

The U.S. and Iran have intensified attacks as an interim ceasefire agreement signed a month ago has unraveled and a struggle for control of the Strait of Hormuz has ​deepened, raising the risk of a return to all-out hostilities.

"We hit them very hard again tonight, and we did it ​in honor of" ⁠the U.S. service members killed since Friday, Trump told reporters after he returned from attending the World Cup final.

The U.S. Embassy in the Gulf state of Bahrain warned that it had information suggesting Iran may seek to target unspecified locations in central Manama, that nation's capital, and urged Americans there to remain vigilant.

The conflict, which began when the U.S. ⁠and Israel ​attacked Iran on February 28, seeking to disable Tehran's nuclear and missile programs and weaken its regional proxies, has killed ​thousands of people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and led to major energy supply disruptions and fears over global inflation.

India asks citizens to postpone Iran travel, advises those there to leave

TEHRAN, July 20: In a revised travel advisory posted on X, the Indian Embassy in Tehran said recent days had witnessed a sharp rise in instability and violence across Iran. The embassy advised Indian nationals planning to travel to Iran for any purpose to postpone their visit until the security situation improves.

India on Sunday advised its citizens to postpone all travel to Iran and urged those already in the country to consider leaving temporarily as the security situation continues to deteriorate amid the escalating US-Iran conflict.

In a revised travel advisory issued by the Indian Embassy in Tehran, the mission said recent days had witnessed a sharp increase in instability and violence across Iran.

The embassy advised Indian nationals planning to visit Iran "for any purpose" to defer their travel until the security environment improves. It also urged Indians already in the country to consider temporarily leaving using available commercial flight options.

For those choosing to remain in Iran, the embassy advised exercising the highest level of caution, closely following news developments and avoiding areas witnessing heightened military activity, particularly along Iran's southern coast.

It also asked Indian nationals to strictly comply with instructions issued by local authorities.

The embassy further requested Indians in Iran who have not yet registered with the mission to do so immediately and regularly monitor its official website and social media platforms for further updates.

The advisory comes as conflict between the US and Iran continues to intensify, prompting several countries to review travel guidance for their citizens.

Democratic Taiwan must not become 'China's Taiwan': President Lai

TAIPEI, July 19: Taiwan must work together to protect its democracy and not ‌become part of China, President Lai Ching-te said on Sunday, calling on members of his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to oppose the "red terror" coming from Beijing.

Lai, who won election two years ago, and his ruling DPP, champion Taiwan's separate identity from China, a position ​that frequently angers Beijing which views the island as an inviolable part of Chinese territory.

Speaking to the ​DPP's annual convention, Lai said Taiwan must remain vigilant in times of peace, pointing ⁠to what he said was China's "legal warfare", such as its new ethnic unity law which gives Beijing the basis to ​take action against people outside its borders.

That has alarmed Taiwan, because it could give Beijing another legal basis to try and ​prosecute or arrest Taiwanese it views as separatists. China has rejected all criticism of the law. China's legal system has no jurisdiction in Taiwan.

"I also expect comrades within the party to stand on the front lines, unite as one, and jointly oppose the threat ​posed by China's 'red terror' to Taiwanese society," Lai added, speaking in Taiwanese, also known as Hokkien or Hoklo, ​rather than the main language of government, Mandarin.

"We must work together to protect our democratic and free way of life, and ‌absolutely ⁠never allow 'democratic Taiwan' to turn back and become 'China's Taiwan'," he said.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China has rebuffed Lai's repeated calls for talks, calling him a "separatist".

Lai, who is also DPP chairman, reiterated that Taiwan is already an independent country, whose constitutional name is the Republic of China, and ​it is not subordinate to ​the People's Republic of ⁠China.

"Regardless of ethnic group, regardless of who came earlier or later, anyone who identifies with Taiwan is a master of the country. Taiwan's future must be decided jointly ​by the 23 million people of Taiwan," he said.

The defeated Republic of China ​government fled to ⁠Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists, who formed the People's Republic.

To this day neither government formally recognises the other and no peace treaty to end the civil war or armistice has ever been ⁠signed.

Over the ​past decade of DPP government, Lai said Taiwan had not backed ​down in the face of "authoritarian expansion", disinformation attacks, military threats, and diplomatic pressure.

"Taiwan has shown the world that democracy is not a weakness; ​democracy is strength," he added.

Iran's hardliners accuse leadership of ‘coup’ against Islamic Republic: Report

TEHRAN, July 18: As Iran and the US have a go at each other and Tehran's neighbours also bear the brunt, the Iranian leadership might also be fighting an internal fight — the perception of being part of a soft coup against the Islamic Republic.

According to a report by CNN, the hardliners in Iran have a theory that is gaining ground among them that Iran’s wartime leaders who negotiated and signed the agreement with the US are staging a soft coup while the new supreme leader remains largely invisible.

The report backs the theory up with a few anecdotes from the funeral of late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the initial US-Israeli strikes on February 28.

According to it, when Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian walked alongside Ali Khamenei’s coffin in Tehran last week, some of the hardline mourners chanted “death to the compromiser”, aimed directly at him. His foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, faced rocks thrown at him and was accused of being a “traitorous sellout” not far from where the President was, the report added.

The hardline factions that attended the funeral in large numbers believe that instead of avenging Khamenei’s killing, Iranian officials have surrendered by signing an agreement that defies the orders of the new Supreme Leader and Ali Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, the CNN report said.

But Mojtaba has remained out of public view, neither addressing the nation directly nor visibly asserting his authority, even as officials negotiate or govern in his name.

Hardliners have accused Iran’s visible leadership of plotting to consolidate power by suspending parliament, defying the Supreme Leader’s orders in negotiations and attempting to disperse the nightly street rallies that had become a potent power base.

In Mojtaba’s absence, chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Pezeshkian and Araghchi have become the most visible faces in charge of Iran. Without access to the new supreme leader, hardliners who are unhappy with their performance have instead accused them of plotting a coup, Arash Azizi, a US-based Iran expert and author of the book “What Iranians Want,” told CNN.

“Mojtaba’s continued absence means that they don’t have access to him and also that Ghalibaf and allies are effectively in charge of the country… the ultra-hardliners have thus accused Ghalibaf and Pezeshkian of plotting a ‘coup’ against Mojtaba,” Azizi said.

US, Iran continue to exchange strikes

TEHRAN, July 18: The United States and Iran exchanged strikes aimed at infrastructure and military targets on Saturday as an Iranian negotiator said Tehran had suspended its commitments under the interim deal with the US — snapping another fragile thread as the war shows no end in sight.

The battle over the Strait of Hormuz intensified in a conflict increasingly focused on control of the essential waterway that previously carried a fifth of the world's crude oil. The widening strikes threatened civilians and services, including desalination plants for drinking water, as the global economy was again on alert.

The US Central Command said early Saturday that its seventh straight night of strikes hit “surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities.”

The US has violated its commitments under the deal that was signed about a month ago, and now Iran is “no longer implementing them,” Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, told state TV.

There was no new word on mediation efforts.

Japan Ex-Minister Blames India For Delay In Bullet Train Project, India Rejects Remarks

NEW DELHI, July 17: As remarks by a former Japanese minister on delays in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project triggered a controversy, India on Friday dismissed the criticism, stating it is an "individual opinion" that is "at considerable variance with facts".

Hideki Makihara, a member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, sought to blame New Delhi for the timeline delays. He particularly flagged concerns over the Japanese side allegedly being "excluded from the signaling system" of the high-speed rail network.

Japan has been playing a key role in implementation of the mega project in terms of financing it as well as sharing technology, and engineering expertise.

"It is an individual opinion and at considerable variance with facts. India-Japan discussions on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed train project are progressing well. Japan will provide E10 series trains, but only in early 2030s," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

"The train in question is still under development. Meanwhile, construction work has rapidly progressed. First section will be opened in 2027 itself. Therefore, both sides agreed to start the operations with Indian high speed train," he said.

Jaiswal was responding to a question on Hideki's criticism.

"The signalling equipment has been ordered accordingly and is in line with international specifications. No Japanese offer was received in this context. The project execution is in line with the common goal of starting the high speed train project at the earliest," he said.

In a social media post, Hideki said he was involved in the project.

"But what stood out in meetings and negotiations was the sheer recklessness of the Indian side, repeated over and over. They just don't keep promises, no matter what," he wrote in Japanese.

"Even if they make a promise, they flip it right away. They keep pushing their own self-interest.

"For the honour of all the Japanese folks who poured their hearts into this, I have to say it: I feel 100 per cent that the reason this hasn't moved forward is entirely on the Indian side."

Referring to the recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Hideki said there was no clear outcome on the Shinkansen (bullet train) project, adding Japan has been "excluded from the signal system, the key to safety".

Initially, India is expected to deploy indigenously built high-speed trains for in the early phase of the project, but Japan will later supply its next-generation E10 series Shinkansen trains in the early 2030s.

Andy Burnham confirmed as new Labour leader, UK PM-designate

LONDON, July 17: Andy Burnham has been confirmed as the new Labour Party leader and UK PM-designate, who will replace outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, will take charge at 10 Downing Street next week.

Labour Party's National Executive Committee (NEC) chair Shabana Mahmood made the announcement at a special party conference in London on Friday. "There was only one nominated MP… hardly a nail-biter," she said.

Burnham will be invited by King Charles III to form a new government on Monday, after Starmer formally tenders his resignation to the British monarch.

The announcement was a forgone conclusion after he secured nominations from 379 of the 403 Labour lawmakers in the House of Commons as of Thursday night.

“We’re going to give them hope back. This is a proud moment you have given me and my family today, and an emotional one, but it is one for which I am ready,” Burnham said in his first speech as leader. He said that he had not yet made up his mind about the composition of his top team.

"I haven't made any decisions yet about who will be in that top team. But I will soon, and when I have, you will see it reflects all parts of our party, all communities," Burnham said.

After winning a special election for a seat in Parliament a month ago, he pledged to build a politics “based on unity and hope” and an economy that spreads growth evenly across the country.

U.S. strikes hit around Iran's Qeshm island, says state media

TEHRAN, July 16: On Thursday Tehran warned it would target infrastructure across the region if U.S. President Donald Trump followed through on a threat to attack power plants and bridges in Iran.

That followed a fresh exchange of strikes between the two countries.

Iranian news agencies reported that the United States launched strikes around Iran’s Gulf island of Qeshm near the Strait of Hormuz, as renewed hostilities flared between the two countries.

Fars news agency reported an “American missile strike in the vicinity of Qeshm”, citing local authorities, while Tasnim news agency said one of its correspondents reported locations around Qeshm “were struck by projectiles”.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they struck a U.S. airbase in Jordan with ballistic missiles in response to what they described as an American attack near a children’s cancer hospital in the Islamic Republic.

Meanwhile, Iran has asked Yemen’s Houthi movement to stand ready to close the Red Sea oil route if the United States strikes Iranian power infrastructure, posing a potent ‌new threat to global energy supplies.

Delhi urges halt to Indian seamen on Hormuz ships

NEW DELHI, July 16: India urged local shipowners and firms that recruit sailors not to deploy seafarers on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, as fighting between the United States and Iran intensifies.

India is one of the largest contributors of sailors to merchant shipping worldwide, with more than 320,000 active seafarers in 2025, according to its shipping ministry.

India’s Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) appealed in a statement on Wednesday that there should be “no deployment of Indian seafarers on vessels undertaking voyages involving passage through the Strait of Hormuz until further orders”.

Iran-backed Houthi leader in Yemen threatens escalation with Saudi Arabia

SANAA, July 16: The leader of Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said that his group was ready to escalate its conflict with Saudi Arabia after the two sides exchanged strikes on each other’s airports.

In the most significant confrontation since a 2022 truce, Saudi warplanes struck Sanaa International Airport on Sunday. In response, the Houthis launched missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport on Monday. There were no casualties reported.

Tensions flared earlier this month when the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of trying to prevent the return of an Iranian plane carrying a Houthi delegation to Tehran for the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

More than 500 feared dead after boats sink off Myanmar coast, UN says

GENEVA, July 16: Two boats carrying more than 500 people may have capsized off the coast of Myanmar in recent days, UN agencies said on Thursday, as refugees from the war-torn country continue to make perilous maritime journeys in search of safety and better opportunities.

"According to preliminary information, the two vessels departed from Myanmar's Rakhine State in late June carrying mostly Rohingya passengers, reportedly including some who had travelled from refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh," the International Organization for Migration and the UN Refugee Agency said in a joint statement, saying more than 500 were feared dead.

"While the incidents and casualty figures have yet to be officially confirmed, UNHCR and IOM are gravely concerned by the potentially devastating loss of life."

Members of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority for years have risked their lives on flimsy wooden vessels, driven by violence at home and desperate conditions in crowded refugee camps in Bangladesh, hoping to reach safety and opportunity in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia or Thailand.

Russia faces Hormuz-like crisis after Ukraine strikes 116 vessels in Azov Sea

MOSCOW, July 15: In what appears to be a repeat of Strait of Hormuz-like situation in West Asia, Russia is exploring alternative shipping routes after Ukraine launched a series of intense drone strikes on vessels in the Azov Sea, reportedly targeting 116 ships over the past nine days.

The Azov Sea, bordered by Russia, Crimea and occupied southern Ukraine, is a crucial export corridor for agricultural goods, including grain from occupied Ukrainian territories that Kyiv says has been 'stolen'. It also serves as a key supply route to Crimea.

Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russian shipping in recent days, triggering fuel shortages across parts of Russia, according to reports.

The sustained strikes have forced Moscow to suspend traffic through the Azov Sea by shutting both of its strategic chokepoints, the Don-Azov Channel, which connects the sea to Russia's inland waterways, and the Kerch Strait, linking it to the Black Sea, CNN reported.

Russia's agriculture ministry acknowledged that it is looking for alternative shipping routes, while maintaining that the situation in the Azov Sea would not affect domestic food supplies or the country's export capabilities.

The commander of Ukraine's drone forces said on Tuesday that Ukraine had hit "116 vessels over the past nine days", including several tankers and cargo ships operating in the Azov Sea, according to AFP. HT could not independently verify the claim.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the objective of the attacks was to damage Russia's ‘shadow fleet’ and restrict fuel supplies to Crimea.

The disruption has also affected Russia's exports, particularly food shipments to African nations.

Responding to the attacks, Lavrov said: "The president (Vladimir Putin) is working for this to stop."

"In any case, we will continue to fulfil all our obligations to supply food to our African friends, both under commercial contracts and as part of humanitarian aid," he added.

Russia and Ukraine are among the world's largest producers of wheat and other grains, making their exports critical to global food supplies.

Lavrov also accused European countries of trying to "steer the United States off course" from efforts to reach a settlement in the Ukraine war.

US President Donald Trump recently defended Ukraine's strikes inside Russia, saying: "It's an escalation, but it's also an escalation that can help lead to an end."

Meanwhile, Russia has intensified attacks in recent weeks on infrastructure at Ukraine's Black Sea ports and on cargo vessels entering Odesa to export grain and other agricultural products.

Despite the escalation, Ukraine's Deputy Economy Minister Taras Vysotskiy said the government is doing everything possible to protect its seaports and ensure grain exports remain at least at last season's levels.

The attacks have heightened concerns in the shipping industry, with brokers saying many shipowners are refusing to send vessels to Ukrainian ports because of increased war risks, while traders have suspended purchases.

"The state recognises the priority of maintaining agricultural exports," Vysotskiy said.

"It will be difficult, but we will do everything possible to preserve minimum guaranteed export volumes to support international food security at a level no lower than last year," he added.

US Hits 140 Iranian Targets After Hormuz Closure, Tehran Strikes UAE, Qatar

TEHRAN, July 12: The Middle East is on the boil again after the US early Sunday launched a new round of strikes on Iran following Tehran's announcement that it's closing the Strait of Hormuz - the world's most vital energy conduit - "until further notice." Iran then responded with missile attacks at Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

The tensions escalated when Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced the closure of the strait after firing on a vessel it said was taking an "unauthorised route". It said multiple vessels “disregarded our warnings and instructions to correct their course and proceed along the approved route.” One of them “was struck by a warning shot and brought to a stop," it said.

"Following this incident... the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice and until the end of American interventions in this region and no vessels will be allowed to pass through," Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA.

It warned that any retaliation over the incident would be met with a "severe response."

Shortly after the announcement, the US launched its third round of strikes on Iran this week, saying Tehran "blatantly attacked" a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the strait.

A civilian crew member is missing, and the vessel is unable to continue the journey due to an onboard fire and significant engine room damage, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement posted on X.

The strikes began at 7:15 pm (2315 GMT) Saturday in Washington and were taking place at the direction of President Donald Trump, CENTCOM said.

"Iran was provided yet another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the Memorandum of Understanding after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels but has again failed. In response, the United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait," it said.

US defense secretary Pete Hegseth said that "Iran made a poor choice".

"Now they pay," he said on X while responding to CENTCOM's post on X.

About four hours later, CENTCOM said the strikes were completed and claimed that it hit some 140 targets, far more than the last two rounds.

"Targets included Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage facilities, communication networks, and coastal surveillance locations," it said.

The attacks “degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait," it said.

Iran's state-run media reported explosions at multiple areas along the country's southern coasts, including the energy and petrochemical hubs of Bushehr and Asalouyeh. Blasts were also reported at the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Bandar-e Dayyer, and the Sirik area near the Strait of Hormuz.

The United Arab Emirates defence ministry said that air defences were engaging missile and drone threats, while neighbouring Bahrain also sounded air raid sirens.

The UAE defence ministry said sounds heard across the country "are the result of ongoing engaging operations of missiles and UAV's".

Bahrain's interior ministry urged citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.

Blasts were also heard in nearby Qatar, followed by a missile alert. Kuwait's military said it was intercepting incoming fire.

Iran has repeatedly attacked its Gulf neighbours that are home to US military assets since the war broke out on February 28.

US Hits Iran's Qeshm Island

TEHRAN, July 12: Iranian state media are reporting new attacks on military targets on Iran’s Qeshm island, near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency cited the island’s governor as saying just under a dozen projectiles had been fired since Sunday afternoon.

While initially it was being reported that no casualties had taken place, Iranian state media reported later that one person had died and two were injured in the attacks.

There was no immediate comment by the U.S. military, which earlier Sunday said it struck about 140 targets in Iran in response to the latest Iranian strike on a commercial ship on the strait.

The largest island in the Persian Gulf is home to about 150,000 people.

Blasts were also reported in the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Bandar-e Dayyer, as well as Sirik, a coastal area near the Strait of Hormuz.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that the Strait of Hormuz had been closed and said no vessels would be allowed to pass through until what it described as foreign interference comes to an end.

15 Indian tourists die after boat capsizes near Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island

HANOI, July 11: A boat carrying capsized near Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island, killing at least 15 Indian tourists. The Indian Embassy in Vietnam said it is in touch with local authorities and is closely monitoring the situation.

Authorities confirmed that a total of 15 Indian tourists are among the people who have died in the incident. The boat was carrying 36 tourists, including 32 Indians and four crew members, when it capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai Island off Vietnam’s Phu Quoc, the authorities said.

The Indian embassy shared the names of the 32 people who were onboard, later on X. It also said control rooms have been established at the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City and at the Embassy in Hanoi to provide information and assistance.

The Indian embassy in Vietnam has given following numbers to reach the first control room: 84 36 281 7930, 84 91 552 37 14 and 84 33 452 0414. The other one in Hanoi can be reached at: 84 91 308 9165.

The boat capsized around 400 metres (1,310 feet) off Hon May Rut Ngoai Island near Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island, authorities told state media.

Eyewitnesses said nearby boats rushed to the scene and began pulling passengers from the water before border guards, the navy, coast guard and other rescue teams joined the operation. Rescue efforts were hampered as several passengers were trapped inside the overturned vessel, a report said.

Authorities said 21 people were rescued, while all 15 victims were recovered. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Phu Quoc, located in the Gulf of Thailand, is one of Vietnam's most popular beach destinations. Hon May Rut Island, about 10 kilometres (6 miles) south of Phu Quoc, is known for its white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, attracting millions of domestic and international tourists every year.

Nguyen Tien Hai, a provincial official of the ruling Communist Party, said authorities were still working to confirm the exact number of survivors, according to the state media report cited by AFP. Hai said preliminary assessments indicated that the speedboat may have overturned due to strong winds and high waves.

Canada to bring business delegation to India in October

OTTAWA, July 11: Canada’s Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu will lead a business delegation from the country to India in October this year.

Sidhu made that announcement on Friday even as negotiators from India were engaged in the third round of talks towards a comprehensive economic partnership (CEPA) in Ottawa in recent days.

Sidhu called on the country’s businesses to join Team Canada Trade Mission to India which is scheduled from October 12 to October 16.

“India is one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies, and Canadian businesses have a real opportunity to grow alongside it,” he said, in a statement.

With Canada-India bilateral trade is currently over CA$31 billion, the intent of the CEPA is the double that figure by 2030.

“Earlier this year, we hosted the largest ever business delegation from India to any country in the world. Now we’re building on that momentum by bringing a dynamic trade mission to India. If you’re a Canadian business looking to expand into one of the world’s most dynamic markets, I encourage you to apply to join me,” Sidhu said, as Global Affairs Canada, the country’s foreign ministry, opened the application process towards joining the delegation.

That fresh negotiations towards the CEPA will take place was announced when Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Mark Carney met on the margins of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, in November 2025. They were officially launched when Carney, on his maiden visit to India as PM, held a bilateral with Modi in New Delhi this March.

The two PMs have set a deadline of the end of the year for concluding the negotiations.

They met again last month on the margins of the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Evian, France, and “expressed satisfaction” with the progress in the CEPA negotiations, according to a readout from the Canadian PMO at the time. That readout added they reaffirmed their “commitment to building a forward-looking strategic partnership.”

Both leaders said they want talks to conclude by the time the G20 Leaders’ Summit is held in Miami in December. Modi added in Evian that he will try and visit Canada before the end of this year.

Qatari negotiators in Iran for talks to de-escalate US-Iran tensions

DOHA, July 10: Qatari negotiators are in Iran to meet Iranian officials in an effort to de-escalate tensions and create conditions for broader negotiations to continue, a source with knowledge of the situation said on Friday, adding that the talks were being conducted in coordination with the United States.

The talks aim to address the implementation of the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding and the issues that triggered the recent escalation between Washington and Tehran, including disputes over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the source said.

Qatar has urged the United States and Iran to honour their memorandum of understanding and continue talks to prevent further escalation.

The Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, said in a post on X that he had made the appeal during a call with Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty.

He also stressed the need to protect freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that safe passage remains essential to regional security.

India-Australia Ties Enter New Phase With Uranium, Critical Mineral Exports

MELBOURNE, July 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third visit to Australia has ended with a flurry of announcements on energy, defence and trade, with Australia's Federal Minister for Resources, Madeleine King, saying that the two nations are entering a new phase of their relationship, one built firmly around uranium, critical minerals and resilient supply chains.

Speaking shortly after a lunch hosted by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for Modi at the Melbourne Cricket Ground's Lawn Room, Minister King described the visit as a "joyful, very happy occasion" capping off what she called an even bigger and louder chapter in India-Australia ties than Modi's landmark 2014 trip.

The centerpiece of the visit was a fresh push on uranium exports to India, an idea first floated under the 2015 civil nuclear agreement but which failed to gain real traction after an earlier attempt in 2010.

According to King, what has changed is the world around both countries. Disruptions to global energy supplies, most notably through the conflict in the Middle East and the resulting turbulence at the Strait of Hormuz, have made energy security a shared priority rather than an afterthought.

Australia's uranium exports to India, she noted, build on a trade relationship that stretches back further than most people realise. Coal was, in fact, Australia's first-ever commodity export, shipped to India as far back as the 1790s. Now, with what King described as "thorough administrative agreements" in place, that centuries-old energy relationship is extending into nuclear fuel, a critical piece of Modi's plan to decarbonize India's economy.

Beyond uranium, he said we have deepened cooperation this year on critical minerals and rare earths through joint participation in supply-chain initiatives discussed at meetings in Washington and Delhi. King was candid about the urgency: the global market for critical minerals is currently dominated by a single supplier, and export restrictions from that source have exposed just how fragile existing supply chains are.

Australia, she said, has the geological advantage but needs greater investment to move beyond extraction and into processing, and she's hoping Indian companies will step in as partners in that effort.

She pointed to Adani's existing investment in the Carmichael coal mine in Queensland as a template for the kind of deeper industrial collaboration she wants to see repeated in the critical minerals space, given how central these materials are to everything from mobile phones and electric vehicles to national security and defence manufacturing.

On the long-pending comprehensive trade agreement between the two countries, King confirmed a senior Australian business delegation is expected to travel to India in December, raising expectations of further announcements on the economic front. She said she hopes to be part of that delegation herself and added that Albanese has a personal fondness for India, having backpacked through the country in his younger years.

In a lighter moment, the conversation touched on cricket diplomacy, with King revealing plans for a Big Bash League match to be played in Chennai between the Melbourne Renegades and her own team, the Perth Scorchers, a nod to how sport continues to run alongside diplomacy and trade in the India-Australia relationship.

King also reflected on Modi's address to an estimated 30,000-strong Indian community gathering in Melbourne the previous night, echoing the prime minister's sentiment that the Indian community brings energy and value wherever it settles. As a minister from Western Australia, a state with a significant Indian population, she said the contribution of the community, along with the steady flow of Indian students studying in Australia, forms what she called the "bedrock" of the bilateral relationship.

Taken together, she said India and Australia are recalibrating their partnership at a moment when global energy and mineral supply chains are under strain. With uranium exports moving from agreement to implementation, critical minerals cooperation gathering pace, and a trade deal edging closer with a business delegation set for December, both sides appear to be betting that shared geography across the Indian Ocean and a shared passion for cricket can finally translate into the kind of economic partnership officials on both sides have long talked about but rarely delivered at scale.

Israeli army says it killed Hamas commander in Gaza strike

TEL AVIV, July 10: Israel’s military says it killed a Hamas commander it alleged took part in the October 7, 2023, attacks.

It identified the Palestinian as Yahya Saeed Muhammad Hamdan, head of the Qassam Brigades Nukhba forces unit that attacked Reim. He was killed in southern Gaza on Thursday, the army said.

“The terrorist posed an immediate threat to our forces operating in the area and was neutralised in a precision air strike,” it said in a statement.

Pakistan, Qatar working to bring US and Iran to talks table, says report

DOHA, July 9: Pakistan and Qatar are working to bring US and Iran back to the negotiations table after fresh strikes reignited the Middle East tensions, CNN reported.

Meanwhile, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday held a telephonic conversation with Pakistan army chief Asim Munir as he warned against US ‘adventurism’, Iranian state media IRNA reported.

Araghchi strongly condemned the US’s attacks on Iran, saying they amounted to a clear violation of the UN Charter and the MoU that stipulated an end to the war on all fronts.

The US military said on Wednesday it had launched a fresh round of strikes on Iran to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remained open to maritime traffic. US airstrikes carried out across Iran over the past two days have killed at least 14 people and injured another 78, Iran's health ministry said on Thursday.

The fresh flareup comes at a time when Iran is preparing for the burial of its slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US strikes on February 28.

Iran launched attacks on Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait on Wednesday in response to an earlier wave of US airstrikes on its territory. Hours later, the US carried out fresh strikes after President Donald Trump said recent Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz showed that the fragile ceasefire had effectively come to an end.

The latest escalation heightened concerns that the conflict in West Asia could flare up again. It came just a day after the US military struck several military installations and port facilities following Iran's attacks on multiple merchant ships off the coast of Oman.

Meanwhile, Iran has warned the US saying that its military bases in the West Asia will be struck of aggression is repeated, Iran's Tasnin News Agency reported.

At least 28 killed in China shoe factory fire, over 200 rescued, says report

BEIJING, July 9: At least 28 people have reportedly been killed in China after a fire broke out at a shoe factory in Jinjiang in southeastern part of the country on Thursday.

As flames engulfed the multi-storey building, workers were trapped on the rooftop, state news agency Xinhua reported, adding that 239 people were inside the factory when it went up in flames.

Rescue teams managed to evacuate 213 people, with two of them dying during treatment at a hospital. Another 26 people previously reported missing at the scene were confirmed dead, the report added.

Videos released by state media in the afternoon showed flames massive flames emanating from the building with thick black smoke rising in the sky. Some people, apparently trapped by the blaze, could be seen on the rooftop surrounded by smoke.

Jinjiang is situated in the coastal Fujian province and is known as China's shoe capital given its huge share in footwear and clothing manufacturing.

Officials sited by local reports said that preliminary findings indicate that the fire started on the ground floor of the factory. Shoe-making materials stored in the building were highly flammable and could cause a blaze to spread rapidly, the official said.

Due to the materials and adhesives present, the smell at the scene was pungent, causing eye irritation, CCTV said. Large amounts of items had also been piled up in the stairwells, hampering rescue and firefighting efforts, the state broadcaster quoted firefighters as saying.

People in charge of the company and "other relevant personnel" have been taken into custody, with the company's bank accounts frozen, Xinhua said.

Trump threatens deeper strikes on Iran, says power plants could be next

ANKARA, July 8: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the ceasefire deal with Iran is “over.” "For me, the memorandum of understanding is over. I don't want to deal with them anymore. They're scum. And if they get a nuclear weapon.. They're liars.. In my eyes, it's a waste of time to continue talking to them. They're crazy, for me it's over," he said at NATO Summit in Turkey.

Tensions escalated between the United States and Iran on Wednesday after Washington launched fresh strikes and Tehran warned of a 'crushing' response.

Trump said he expected the military flare-up with Iran overnight to end very quickly despite earlier statements saying the ceasefire was "over".

"I think anything that happens is going to be over very quickly and will only make it safer, including for oil... Anything that happens is going to happen very fast. We're not looking for long term," he said at the end of a two-day NATO summit in Ankara.

Iran on Wednesday accepted responsibility for attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain after it vowed a “crushing” response to US attacks. IRGC said it struck 85 US military sites across Bahrain and Kuwait, including Ali Al-Salem Airbase in Kuwait and the Fifth Fleet naval base in Salman Port, Bahrain, according to a statement carried by Iran’s state television. Iran warned of more attacks if the US repeats strikes on Tehran.

Kuwaiti air defenses are currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks, its military said on X, urging the public to follow safety instructions.

In Bahrain, sirens were sounded, its interior ministry said, urging citizens to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.”

US revokes Iran oil sanctions waiver, resumes strikes

WASHINGTON, July 8: The Donald Trump administration on Tuesday revoked, with immediate effect, an oil sanctions waiver that allowed the purchase of Iranian energy without attracting US sanctions, following fresh American military strikes on Iran over attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and weeks after both countries agreed to a ceasefire under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

US Central Command said it hit over 80 targets as an immediate response to Iran's latest attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The US military added that it struck Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near the strait.

The US Treasury announced the decision on the same day that the United States military resumed strikes on Iran, saying the action was intended to punish Tehran for attacking three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The development comes only weeks after Washington and Tehran announced an MoU to halt hostilities following their months-long conflict.

“As President Trump and the administration have repeatedly affirmed, the MoU in effect with Iran is entirely performance-based. Iran will only reap benefits if they exhibit good behavior,” a US official was quoted as saying while announcing the revocation of the general license. The waiver had been granted in late June and was originally scheduled to remain in force for 60 days until August 21.

Earlier in the day, US Central Command condemned Iran’s actions as “unwarranted” and “dangerous”, calling them a “clear violation of the ceasefire”.

“US Central Command forces have begun launching a series of powerful strikes against Iran to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway. The US strikes are in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire,” the command said in a post on X.

One of the vessels targeted by Iran was the Qatari ship Al-Rekayyat, which was reportedly bound for India carrying energy shipments.

The general license, which had been expected to remain in effect until August 21 before its revocation, was seen as particularly beneficial for countries such as India, which maintained a significant energy trade with Iran before U.S. sanctions were imposed.

Calling it a “blatant act of aggression,” Iran's top joint military command warned that its armed forces would deliver a "crushing response" after accusing the US military of carrying out strikes on parts of southern Iran.

It also warned that Tehran would not tolerate any US interference in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, condemned the recent US strikes, saying they violated the MoU. Listing what he called the violations, he said: "Violating Iranian adjustments in the Strait, persistent threats of further strikes, reinstating oil sanctions, attacks on southern Iran, and continued Zionist aggression in Lebanon."

NATO says strikes on Iran ‘necessary'

Amid ongoing NATO meeting, where US President Donald Trump is also present, Secretary General Mark Rutte said the latest attacks on Iran were "absolutely necessary," expressing support for the strikes amid escalating tensions in the region.

French far-right chief Marine Le Pen cleared to run for President but with ankle tag

PARIS, July 7: French far-right chief Marine Le Pen's political future remained uncertain on Tuesday after a court cleared her to run but wearing an ankle tag, potentially hampering a campaign for next year's presidential elections when her party has its strongest chance yet of winning power.

A lower court last year had sentenced Ms. Le Pen, 57, to a five-year ban from public office and a two-year sentence over a fake jobs scam at the European Parliament, threatening the three-time presidential candidate's hopes to replace outgoing centrist President Emmanuel Macron.

The Paris appeals court found Ms. Le Pen guilty over the scam but reduced that sentence, banning her from office for 15 months as well as sentencing her to one year to be served with an electronic tag.

Dating from March 2025, the ban is expected to have expired this year, clearing the way in principle for her to run in polls set for April and May next year.

But she has said she may not run if the sentence prevents her from campaigning. "When you're a presidential candidate, you need to be completely free to move around," she said last week in a televised interview.

"I can't depend on a magistrate to allow me to go to a rally."

Mr. Le Pen, who left the court on Tuesday with her head bowed, could still hand the candidacy to her 30-year-old lieutenant, Jordan Bardella, the leader of the National Rally (RN) party.

She is expected to announce her decision later.

India, Indonesia Chart Roadmap To Deepen Defence, Maritime And Economic Ties

JAKARTA, July 7: India and Indonesia on Tuesday unveiled an expansive roadmap to elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto agreeing to significantly deepen cooperation in defence, maritime security, critical minerals, digital connectivity, trade and regional security amid growing geopolitical uncertainty in the Indo-Pacific.

The joint statement issued after bilateral talks in Jakarta outlined an ambitious agenda spanning defence industrial collaboration, counter-terrorism, supply chain resilience, energy security, cultural exchanges and multilateral coordination, reflecting the increasing strategic importance both countries attach to one another.

Modi is on a three-day state visit to Indonesia from July 6 to 8 at the invitation of President Prabowo. The visit follows Prabowo's visit to India in January 2025 as the Chief Guest for India's 76th Republic Day celebrations and is being viewed as a key milestone in strengthening ties between two of Asia's largest democracies and major maritime powers.

The two leaders held delegation-level and one-on-one discussions at Jakarta's Istana Merdeka, addressed issues ranging from bilateral cooperation to regional developments, witnessed the exchange of several agreements and inaugurated restoration work at the UNESCO-listed Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta with Indian assistance.

One of the most significant outcomes of the visit was the decision to substantially expand defence and maritime cooperation. Both countries agreed to intensify collaboration in joint military exercises, defence technology, co-production of military equipment, hydrography, maritime domain awareness, defence research, shipbuilding and maintenance facilities.

The joint statement also highlighted the elevation of defence ties through cooperation on the BrahMos missile system and an Air-to-Air Missile Cooperation Agreement, signalling growing trust between the two strategic partners.

India and Indonesia reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening maritime security in the Indo-Pacific, renewing cooperation on maritime safety, coastal surveillance, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, pollution control and search-and-rescue operations. Indonesia also welcomed closer engagement with India's Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region, where an Indonesian liaison officer has now been positioned.

Economic cooperation emerged as another major pillar of the discussions.

The leaders acknowledged the complementarities between India's "Viksit Bharat 2047" vision and Indonesia's "Indonesia Emas 2045" national development agenda, expressing confidence that deeper economic integration could unlock significant new opportunities.

Both sides committed themselves to addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers, improving market access and accelerating bilateral investment through existing economic dialogue mechanisms.

Particular emphasis was placed on collaboration in critical minerals and rare earths, sectors that have acquired strategic importance amid global efforts to diversify supply chains for electric vehicles, clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing.

The two countries welcomed agreements involving India's Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL), Indonesian steel major Krakatau Steel and other entities to explore stainless steel manufacturing and strengthen mineral supply chains.

Financial connectivity also featured prominently in the discussions.

Both governments welcomed progress towards operationalising local currency settlement mechanisms between the Reserve Bank of India and Bank Indonesia as well as implementation of a cross-border QR payment linkage. Officials believe these initiatives will reduce transaction costs, facilitate tourism, support students and boost trade, particularly among micro, small and medium enterprises.

Indonesia also launched the Indonesia Open Network (ION), modelled on India's Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), to expand digital commerce opportunities for Indonesian businesses.

On security, both leaders adopted a strong position against terrorism, condemning it "in all its forms and manifestations" and calling for decisive international action against globally proscribed terrorists and organisations listed under the UN Security Council sanctions regime.

India and Indonesia agreed to intensify cooperation against terror financing, online radicalisation, cyber threats, organised crime and violent extremism while advancing negotiations for a bilateral counter-terrorism agreement.

Emerging technologies received considerable attention during the summit.

The two countries agreed to strengthen collaboration in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital public infrastructure, financial technology, computer emergency response systems and protection of critical information infrastructure.

The leaders also reaffirmed cooperation in science, innovation and outer space. Indonesia appreciated India's support for launching Indonesian satellites and training space professionals, while India acknowledged Indonesia's continued support for its satellite and Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme through facilities at Biak.

Connectivity projects also gained momentum.

President Prabowo welcomed India's interest in participating in the integrated development of Sabang Port near the entrance to the Malacca Strait, a strategically important maritime location close to India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Both governments agreed to explore modalities for cooperation covering shipbuilding, port infrastructure, cruise tourism, offshore energy support services and digital connectivity.

The leaders also called for greater maritime and air connectivity and agreed to expedite plans under the Andaman-Aceh connectivity initiative.

Beyond strategic cooperation, the visit carried a strong cultural dimension.

Modi and Prabowo jointly inaugurated restoration work at the Prambanan Temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, being undertaken with Indian assistance. India also presented a replica of the ninth-century Nalanda Copper Plate to Indonesia.

Recognising deep civilisational links, the two countries announced that 2026-27 would be commemorated as the "Tagore-Dewantara Year of India-Indonesia Cultural and Educational Diplomacy", marking the centenary of Rabindranath Tagore's 1927 visit to Indonesia through year-long cultural, educational and academic programmes.

On regional issues, the two leaders reaffirmed support for a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific anchored in international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They reiterated support for ASEAN centrality, deeper ASEAN-India cooperation and stronger coordination through forums including BRICS, the G20, the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the East Asia Summit.

Indonesia reaffirmed its support for India's BRICS chair ship in 2026, while India pledged support for Indonesia's role as a BRICS member.

The joint statement also reflected convergence on reforming global governance institutions, including expansion of the UN Security Council, strengthening the voice of the Global South and building more resilient international supply chains.

As geopolitical competition intensifies across the Indo-Pacific, the outcomes of PM Modi's visit underscore New Delhi's efforts to strengthen partnerships with key Southeast Asian nations while reinforcing Indonesia's growing role as a pivotal regional power. The breadth of agreements announced suggests that India-Indonesia ties are evolving beyond traditional diplomatic engagement into a comprehensive strategic partnership encompassing security, technology, trade and shared regional leadership.

3 ships hit by projectiles in Strait of Hormuz, Qatar blames Iran

DOHA, July 7: Three tankers were hit in the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, British maritime security agency UKMTO reported on Tuesday, after Qatar blamed Iran for an attack on one of its ships.

According to the maritime agency, the tanker was struck by a drone, but no structural damage was reported.

"UKMTO has received a report of a further incident involving a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The tanker was struck by an unknown Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and has sustained minor structural damage. No casualties or environmental impact reported," it said in a post on X.

Earlier, UKMTO had reported two other vessels being hit in the Strait of Hormuz. Both ships were hit while travelling off the coast of Oman. One of the ships is believed to have sustained structural damage, while the other caught fire.

Iranian state television said the liquefied natural gas tanker came under attack after ignoring warnings, but did not directly claim the assault. There was no official claim from the Islamic Republic for the attack.

Majed Al-Ansari, a spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry, said targeting the Qatari tanker, Al Rekayyat, in the strait was an “unacceptable attack” on international navigation and global energy security. He called it a “serious and explicit violation” of international law.

Iran, which has repeatedly declared that only its approved route through the Strait of Hormuz is safe, is suspected of attacking other ships that have used another route close to the Omani shore.

The US is eager to press ahead with negotiations with Iran aimed at fully reopening the Strait, rolling back Tehran’s disputed nuclear program and reaching a permanent end to the war launched on February 28. Previous attacks in the Strait have sparked retaliatory strikes by the US. Iran then attacked the Gulf Arab states.

In peacetime, a fifth of all traded oil and natural gas passed through the channel, which has become the region's and the world economy's biggest source of tension.

Meanwhile, talks between Iran and the US appeared to be on hold until after the burial of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the beginning of the war. Mourners at his funeral have called for the death of US President Donald Trump.

Authorities flew Khamenei's body to the Shiite seminary city of Qom, where mourners honoured him on Tuesday.

Ukraine Strikes 8 Russian 'Shadow Fleet' Tankers Delivering Fuel To Crimea

KYIV, July 7: Ukrainian drones struck eight tankers from Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" that were delivering fuel to Crimea overnight, Kyiv's military said on Tuesday, part of a mounting effort to isolate the Russian-occupied peninsula.

In a statement on Telegram, Ukraine's drone forces said they had struck the vessels - each under international sanctions and with a deadweight of around 7,000 tons - in the Sea of Azov.

It came a day after the same forces said they had hit two other shadow-fleet vessels around the same area.

Ukraine has stepped up attacks on logistics and energy infrastructure in Crimea in recent weeks, sparking fuel shortages and a state of emergency in the territory, which is critical to Russia's war on its smaller neighbour, now in its fifth year.

Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, ahead of its full-scale invasion in 2022.

"Striking the enemy's naval logistics complicates the supply of fuel and ammunition necessary to support the activities of Russian troops, primarily in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea," the drone forces said.

The unit posted black-and-white, drone-view footage showing ships being targeted and erupting into flames. Reuters could not independently verify the information.

Kyiv has long urged its international allies to crack down on vessels skirting sanctions by delivering Russian oil to international markets.

Ukrainian forces have attacked with sea drones to disable some tankers transporting Russian oil in the Black Sea, part of a campaign to reduce Moscow's revenue streams.

There have also been a series of unexplained blasts on tankers that have called at Russian ports. Ukraine has not confirmed or denied its role in those attacks, though maritime security sources suspect Ukraine is behind them.

Putin, Trump will talk again in ‘near future’ on Ukraine war: Kremlin

MOSCOW, July 6: The Kremlin said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump had agreed in a weekend call that they would talk again "in the near future," suggesting they are likely to talk this week during or after the NATO summit.

Trump is planning to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday in Turkey where he will be attending the NATO summit, a senior U.S. official said on Sunday. The idea, the official said, was to make a renewed push to end the war in Ukraine.

The same official said Trump would likely follow up with Putin after talking to Zelenskyy. Asked on Monday if Trump would phone Putin after meeting Zelenskyy, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters:

"Yes, indeed, both President Putin and President Trump have agreed that their contacts will continue in the near future."

Peskov said Trump had held a pretty consistent position on the conflict in Ukraine.

"You know, President Trump, the U.S. president, has a fairly consistent stance, and all these fabrications about him supposedly changing his views like a weather vane are, of course, untrue," said Peskov.

“He is consistent and confident in his understanding of what is happening, but, most importantly, he (Trump) is open to listening to the information that is conveyed to him by Putin.”

No Mojtaba at Ali Khamenei's funeral: Three other sons make appearance but new Supreme Leader not seen

TEHRAN, July 5: Theories around what may have happened to Mojtaba Khamenei, successor to his slain father Ali Khamenei as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, gained ground as he has not appeared at the funeral ceremony of the father.

Three other sons of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes on February 28, prayed beside the coffins of their father and four other family members on Sunday. State TV showed Mostafa, Meysam and Masoud Khamenei praying near the coffins laid out in the vast courtyard of Tehran's Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, a sprawling religious complex.

Masoud Khamenei was seen crying and wiping his tears with a keffiyeh — the chequered scarf that is a symbol in Iran of militant revolutionary ideals and solidarity with Palestinians — as an imam recited funeral prayers.

The regime is holding a week of mass funeral processions for Ali Khamenei, including taking his remains to Shi'ite (Shia) religious sites in neighbouring Iraq. After a day of lying in state indoors for senior Iranian leaders and foreign officials to visit, Ali Khamenei's coffin was displayed outdoors on Saturday under glass. The coffins of his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and 14-month-old granddaughter were laid out next to his.

There has still been no public sighting or real-time image released of Mojtaba, who is likely to have been injured in the attack that killed his father and the other family members when Israel and the US bombed Iranian targets to start the war that effectively ended this month.

Mojtaba Khamenei's face was disfigured and he suffered a significant injury to one or both legs, Reuters has reported citing unnamed people close to his inner circle.

A ceasefire has at present suspended the four-month-old war under an agreement with Washington. Iran's authorities say the deal will bring the country huge economic benefits, in what they describe as a victory over a superpower.

US President Donald Trump told the news website Axios that peace talks had been paused for a week for the events surrounding the funeral.

On Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf prayed behind the coffins.

Crowds of Iranians, many weeping and some beating their chests, have thronged the Mosalla. The Iranian metro railway network said it had clocked 7 million trips from late on Saturday to Sunday morning as people flocked to the centre.

After what authorities are billing as a massive procession in central Tehran on Monday, the remains will be taken to the seminary city of Qom, the centre of Iran's Shi'ite hierarchy, for ceremonies on Tuesday.

From there the body will be flown to Iraq for ceremonies in the Shi'ite holy ⁠shrine cities of ​Najaf and Kerbala on Wednesday. It will return to Iran on Thursday for another ​procession in Mashhad, to be buried near the tomb of another of the medieval Shi'ite imams.

Authorities plan to mobilise millions of people for big processions over the coming days, offering transport, food and lodging.

Tehran prepares for up to 3,000 deaths during Khamenei funeral, says report

TEHRAN, July 4: Iranian authorities are preparing for the possibility that week-long funeral ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei could result in between 1,500 and 3,000 deaths, Germany's Die Welt reported, citing a classified document and municipal sources in Tehran.

According to the report, Iranian officials have drawn up contingency plans for a potential mass-casualty incident during the funeral processions, which are expected to draw massive crowds from across the country.

Die Welt said a classified letter from the Iranian Red Crescent and the National Crisis Management Organisation to First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref projected a possible death toll of between 1,500 and 3,000 people.

Iran officially began six days of public funeral ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday morning, state television reported. The funeral processions will later continue in Iraq before his burial.

Iranian authorities say they expect between 15 and 20 million people to take part in the events in Tehran alone over the next three days.

The funeral ceremonies will commemorate Khamenei, who led the Islamic Republic from 1989 until he was killed at the age of 86 on the first day of the United States and Israeli war with Iran on February 28.

The events are expected to be closely watched for any public appearance by Khamenei's son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei. He was named Supreme Leader a week after his father's death but has not yet appeared in public.

By Friday evening, hundreds of supporters of the Islamic Republic had already gathered outside Tehran's Grand Mosalla religious complex, waiting for it to open to the public at 6 am local time on Saturday.

His body will lie in state at Tehran's Grand Mosalla on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday, it will be taken in a funeral procession through the streets of Tehran before being moved to the Shia seminary city of Qom, about 120 kilometres south of the capital. Funeral ceremonies will continue there on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Khamenei's body will be taken to Karbala in Iraq, home to the shrine of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who is regarded by Shia Muslims as a symbol of resistance.

The day also marks the anniversary of the protests against Khamenei's rule, during which thousands of people were killed by security forces.

After the ceremonies in Karbala, Khamenei's body will be taken to Mashhad, Iran's second largest city.

Iranian authorities have said Khamenei will be buried at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.

Imam Reza was the eighth Imam in Shia Islam. The shrine attracts millions of pilgrims every year, and a hadith, or saying, says that those who visit it seeking relief from sorrow or forgiveness for their sins will find comfort.

Several prominent Shia clerics have been buried at the shrine, including former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in 2024.

BLA claims over 30 Pakistani personnel killed in Gwadar suicide bombing

ISLAMABAD, July 4: The banned separatist group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for a suicide commando attack on a Pakistan coast guards camp in the coastal town of Jiwani in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, alleging that more than 30 security personnel were killed and several others injured, The Balochistan Post reported.

According to a statement attributed to BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch, the attack was carried out by the group's Majeed Brigade at a coast guards facility in the Panwan area of Jiwani, located in the strategically important Gwadar district. The group described the operation as a "fidayee" (suicide) assault and claimed its fighters breached the camp before launching the attack.

The BLA said the assault resulted in the deaths of more than 30 Pakistani personnel and injuries to dozens of others. However, Pakistani authorities had not immediately confirmed the casualty figures, and the claims could not be independently verified.

In its statement, the group said the operation was conducted by its elite Majeed Brigade unit and described it as part of its ongoing campaign against Pakistani security forces in Balochistan. The BLA has frequently targeted military, paramilitary and government installations in the province, where a long-running separatist insurgency has persisted for years.

The latest claim comes amid heightened militant activity in Balochistan, Pakistan's largest but least populated province. Separatist groups operating in the region have repeatedly carried out attacks on security forces, infrastructure projects and state institutions, demanding greater autonomy and control over the province's natural resources.

The BLA, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by Pakistan and several other countries, has been behind some of the deadliest attacks in the province in recent years, including assaults on security installations and high-profile suicide bombings.

There was no immediate official statement from Pakistani officials confirming the details of the attack or the casualty figures claimed by the insurgent group.

World leaders pay tribute to Iran’s late leader Khamenei in Tehran

TEHRAN, July 3: Foreign leaders and regional delegations gathered in Tehran to pay their respects at the casket of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. His flag-draped coffin lay in state at the Grand Mosalla as Iran began a week-long state funeral.

Emotional scenes unfolded at funeral ceremony as top Iran leaders, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, were seen weeping.

Khamenei's body arrived at Tehran's Grand Mosalla religious complex on Friday ahead of his funeral, state media reported.

Khamenei's flag-draped coffin sat at Tehran's Grand Mosalla alongside family members killed in the Israeli airstrike that came in the first moments of the war on February 28.

The dead being honored include a son-in-law, his eldest daughter, a 14-month-old granddaughter and the wife of Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

Mojtaba Khamenei, son of slain leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has not been seen at the funeral where top Iran leaders have gathered for the funeral ceremony. Mojtaba, who took charge as Iran's Supreme Leader following his father's death, hasn't made a public appearance since the war broke out. Some reports said that he suffered serious injuries in the missile strikes that killed several of his family members, including his wife and sister.

A team of Indian dignitaries, including former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid, who heads the party's foreign affairs department, paid tributes to Iran's former Supreme Leader on Friday in Tehran.

Ahmad Vahidi, head of the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of the military, also made his first appearance since the start of the war in February.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has been mediating between Iran and the US to end the Middle East war, Russian ex-president Dmitry Medvedev and the foreign minister of Afghanistan's Taliban government also paid their respects.

Delegations from Palestinian militant group Hamas and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah joined the mourning, a day before a public ceremony was set to begin.

Chairman of Hamas leadership council Mohammad Ismail Darwish attended the funeral where paid tributes to the slain leader.

Representatives from around 30 countries are expected to attend the funeral, with other allies including China and Iran's neighbours in the Caucasus region saying they would be sending representatives.

Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called on people on Thursday to attend the funeral in large numbers, saying a massive turnout would be a way to avenge the supreme leader's death in US Israeli strikes on the opening day of the war.

Officials expect between 15 million and 20 million people to attend the ceremonies, which would make it the largest state funeral in Iran's history.

Public holidays have been declared in Tehran, as well as in the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad, where the later stages of the funeral and burial ceremonies will take place.

Man holding Tibetan flag dies after setting himself on fire outside UN

NEW YORK, July 3: A man has died after setting himself on fire while holding a Tibetan flag outside the United Nations headquarters in New York, police said.

The New York Police Department said on Thursday that law enforcement personnel responding to an emergency call made at about 6:30pm local time (22:30 GMT) found a 52-year-old man with severe burns throughout his body.

The man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said, adding that an investigation was ongoing.

A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement “We are saddened by this tragic and horrific incident, and offer our condolences to his family.”

US media and a pro-Tibet activist said the individual was a pro-Tibet campaigner. Police did not confirm this claim or provide any potential motive for his action.

Tencho Gyatso, president of the International Campaign for Tibet, named the deceased man as Lobga Rangzen.

“Lobga was a tireless advocate for Tibet who devoted himself to peacefully raising awareness of the human rights crisis in Tibet,” Gyatso said in a statement.

Gyatso said Rangzen had condemned China’s new “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress” that Beijing said aims to forge a “shared” national identity among ethnic groups.

Overseas campaigners have argued it will further degrade the rights of ethnic minorities, like Uighurs and Tibetans, that Beijing is accused of persecuting.

The United States and the European Union have also expressed concern about the new law, which gives Beijing the legal basis to also take action against people outside its borders.

There have been more than 150 self-immolations by Tibetans between 2009 and 2022, according to the International Campaign for Tibet.

Beijing in 1950 sent troops to Tibet, the vast high-altitude plateau it says has been an integral part of China for more than seven centuries.

International human rights groups and exiles have routinely condemned what they call China’s oppressive rule in Tibetan areas – assessments China rejects.

The 90-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has been based in India since fleeing the Tibetan capital Lhasa after Chinese troops crushed an uprising in 1959.

China does not recognise Tibet’s government-in-exile, the Central Tibetan Administration, and has not held dialogue with the Dalai Lama’s representatives since 2010.

The Dalai Lama’s longstanding “Middle Way” policy seeks autonomy and a “resolution to the Sino-Tibet conflict through non-violence, dialogue and mutual benefit”.

India, Japan sign pacts on AI, metals and energy after Modi-Takaichi talks

NEW DELHI, July 2: India and Japan agreed on Thursday to boost cooperation in artificial intelligence, metals, energy and defence as well as prepare a joint roadmap for economic security, as the Asian nations sought to further strengthen their ties.

The agreements were ​signed after talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi, who is on ​a three-day visit to New Delhi.

"Japan and India will leverage each other's strengths to ⁠grow strong and prosperous together," Takaichi told reporters after the talks. "Amid a turbulent international landscape, ​building such a mutually complementary cooperative relationship has become increasingly important."

Her visit follows a trip by Modi ​to Tokyo last year, when Japan pledged to more than double its investment in India to more than $61 billion over the next decade, highlighting deepening economic ties.

Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $27.5 billion in fiscal year 2025/26, ​while Japanese investment in India was $3.2 billion between April and December 2025, according to Indian government ​data.

The two leaders held "wide-ranging talks on the full spectrum of India-Japan ties, including trade and investment, ‌economic ⁠security, energy, emerging technologies, defence and people-to-people exchanges", the Indian foreign ministry said.

Both sides adopted three "landmark" documents on economic security, energy resilience and AI, it added.

"The convergence of Japan's precision technology and India's software capabilities will give a new momentum and strength to global AI development," Modi told reporters.

Neither prime ​minister took questions.

Modi said ​the two countries, which are ⁠also members of the Quad grouping, signed an agreement on their first co-development project in the defence sector. Australia and the U.S. are the other two members ​of the Quad grouping, which is widely seen as a bloc formed ​to counter ⁠China's rising influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Japan is among India's largest investors, backing major infrastructure projects including a high-speed rail corridor between the cities of Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Japanese firms have also increased investments in ⁠Indian companies, ​including a recent $1.6 billion deal for a 20% stake ​in Yes Bank.

Takaichi is accompanied by a large business delegation.

Pak Army Handed Guns To Kashmiris, Now They Call Us Terrorists: PoK Leader

RAWALKOT, July 2: The anti-government protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have entered the 24th day, with over 80,000 demonstrators gathered at the Eidgah grounds in Rawalakot, with Sardar Aman Khan, the leader of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), making one of the biggest revelations about Pakistan's state-sponsored terror infrastructure.

Khan claimed that it is Pakistan's military that originally supplied weapons to Kashmiris. He said that the Pakistan Army pushed weapons and ammunition into Jammu and Kashmir.

"It was the Pakistan Army itself that handed guns to Kashmiris. And today, they have the audacity to call us terrorists," he said.

While addressing the gathering, Khan also referred to a Jaish-e-Mohammed event last year in February in which armed participants marched through the city carrying dangerous weapons such as AK-47s and swords.

He said that the Deputy Commissioner of Rawalakot allowed and provided security to the rally.

"Deputy Commissioner Rawalkot, you used to organise rallies here with guns and swords. Do you remember? And you will call us terrorists. All these people (protesters) are heirs of this land," he said.

His address was met with loud applause from the crowd.

Khan warned the Pakistani government that if the 38 demands of the movement were not accepted and implemented, the issue would no longer be limited to that and would instead become a movement to demand that Pakistan completely vacate Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Two days earlier, protesters in Rawalakot voiced opposition to Islamabad's control of the region.

During the demonstration, speakers claimed that the region should no longer be considered under Pakistan's control and warned about seeking stronger engagement with India.

In his address, Khan said that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was not part of Pakistan and claimed that Pakistan needed the region more than them.

The protests are not limited to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and supporters living abroad have organised demonstrations outside Pakistani diplomatic missions in several countries.

'World Order Will Collapse': Pakistan's Cry For Help Over Indus Waters

ISLAMABAD, July 1: Amid fears of water shortage during the severe heatwave, a desperate Pakistan hosted an "international conference", warning that every "world order that is on paper" will collapse if the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) is not upheld.

India had suspended the water-sharing treaty, brokered by the World Bank, as one of the punitive measures against Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025 that killed 26 civilians.

The treaty has governed the distribution and use of the Indus River and its tributaries between the two nuclear-armed neighbours since 1960.

Pakistan is worried about a possible water crisis as the usual sweltering summers are likely to become even more devastating this year amid the El Niño weather pattern taking hold over the equatorial Pacific waters.

Speaking at the so-called international conference titled 'The Indus Waters Treaty: A Key Instrument for Peace and Regional Stability' in Islamabad, Pakistan's deputy prime minister, Ishaq Dar, claimed India's decision to revoke the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) was "illegal" and said water should never be used as a political tool.

"No party can unilaterally suspend or terminate its obligations under a treaty that contains no such provision," Dar claimed while addressing a seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty in Islamabad, Radio Pakistan reported.

He said the Indus Waters Treaty is not merely a water-sharing arrangement but a "vital instrument of regional peace, stability and cooperation".

"Shared waters must never be weaponised. They should remain a bridge between nations, guided by cooperation, dialogue, and respect for international law for the benefit of present and future generations," he said.

He described water as essential to human dignity, food security, economic development, and environmental sustainability, arguing that rivers crossing international borders should foster cooperation rather than confrontation.

He also reiterated Pakistan's position that any attempt to divert, interrupt or reduce water allocated to Pakistan under the treaty would be treated as an "act of war," referring to a decision adopted by Pakistan's National Security Committee after India announced the suspension. Dar claimed that any attempt to deprive Pakistan of the waters "rightfully allocated" to it would have "profound consequences" for regional peace and security.

In his address at the seminar, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the Indus River was not for negotiations. The former foreign minister proposed a new "international convention against the weaponisation of waterways".

"If anyone believes that Pakistan will surrender Sindh, they do not know Pakistan. They do not know Sindh. They do not know Punjab. They do not know Balochistan. They do not know Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They do not know Kashmir or Gilgit Baltistan. They do not know the people who have lived by these rivers for thousands and thousands of years. We want peace, but peace with dignity. We want dialogue, but dialogue under law. We want coexistence, but not submission. So from this seminar, from this city, from this moment let a message go forth. Pakistan will defend its water, its people, its treaty, its sovereignty and its future," he said.

Issuing hollow warnings to cover up Islamabad's diplomatic isolation, Bhutto Zardari said, "any attempt to undermine Pakistan's water rights would receive a national response".

He further stated that "Pakistan would not compromise on the fundamental rights of its people". Failing to address India's core security concern regarding state-sponsored militancy, Bhutto Zardari argued that "the use of water as a weapon was contrary to international law".

One of the strongest remarks came from Pakistani Minister Musadik Malik, who claimed that the future of the treaty would determine the credibility of international agreements worldwide.

"The Indus Waters Treaty has witnessed three wars between the two nuclear powers. If this treaty doesn't hold, no world order that is on paper post World War II will remain secure," Malik said.

"When a law needs to be tested, it must be done at the weakest point and not the strongest point. The Indus Waters Treaty is the strongest pact the world has ever seen," Malik added.

Pakistan in recent months has repeatedly accused India of violating the treaty since New Delhi announced its suspension. During Tuesday's seminar, Mehar Ali Shah, chairman of Pakistan's Indus River System Authority, alleged that India reduced water flows in the Chenab River in recent months in violation of the treaty.

There was no immediate comment from New Delhi. However, speaking at a United Nations event marking World Water Day 2026, India's Permanent Representative Harish Parvathaneni said New Delhi was compelled to put the treaty in abeyance after repeated provocations and failure of bilateral engagement. He said the Indus Waters Treaty will remain in abeyance until Pakistan takes credible and irreversible steps to end support for terrorism.

Brokered by the World Bank and signed in 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty regulates the distribution of water from the Indus River system. Under it, India controls the eastern rivers, Ravi, Sutlej and Beas, while Pakistan receives the waters of the western rivers -- the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab.

Until May 2025, the treaty survived multiple wars between the two countries, including conflicts in 1965 and 1971, as well as the 1999 Kargil conflict, and has long been regarded as one of the few enduring agreements between the neighbours.

Putin Faces a Political Crisis as Fuel Shortages Ripple Through Russia

MOSCOW, July 1: Fuel shortages across Russia have triggered a new political challenge for President Vladimir Putin, as a relentless Ukrainian drone campaign aimed at the country’s oil refineries has brought the war home for most ordinary Russians.

While Ukraine has targeted Russian energy facilities for years, the quantity and firepower of Ukrainian drones and missiles have risen. This has allowed Kyiv to hit refineries as far as Moscow.