World
Philippines and China Blame Each Other After Sailor Hurt in Second Thomas Shoal Clash
A boat collision and physical fight near a contested South China Sea reef left a Philippine navy sailor with a head injury, drew a U.S. condemnation of China, and unfolded as regional diplomats met in Manila.
Azerbaijan's President Says Former German and Russian Officials Met in Baku Over Ukraine
Ilham Aliyev confirmed a private July meeting of ex-officials from both countries; Berlin says its government was not involved, and Kyiv calls the talks irrelevant to the peace process.
Houthis Declare Naval Blockade on Saudi Arabia; Oil Prices Rise as Analysts Weigh Supply Risk
Yemen's Houthi movement says it is barring Saudi ships from the Bab el-Mandeb strait, adding a second maritime front to the ongoing U.S.-Iran war; crude rose modestly and analysts disagree on how much oil is actually at risk.
New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Speaks With Trump and Zelensky in First Calls in Office
Days after replacing Keir Starmer without a general election, Britain's new Labour leader affirmed support for Ukraine and held a first phone call with President Trump that touched on trade, defense and North Sea oil.
Taiwan Reports Elevated Chinese Naval Activity Around the Island During July Defense Exercises
Taipei's defense ministry logged rising numbers of Chinese warships and coast guard vessels as Taiwan ran drills to defend supply chains and infrastructure; the two governments describe the same movements in sharply different terms.
State Department Reissues Departure Guidance for Americans in the Middle East as Iran War Widens
Amid renewed U.S.-Iran fighting and a global "Worldwide Caution" alert, the U.S. is urging citizens across the Gulf to leave by commercial routes while embassies operate under ordered-departure status.
RSF Forces Encircle Sudan's El Obeid as UN, U.S. and European Governments Warn of Possible Mass Atrocities
About 500,000 civilians are trapped in the North Kordofan capital as the paramilitary RSF besieges an army-held city, drawing warnings, disputed casualty numbers, and scrutiny of U.S. and UAE policy.
Ukrainian Drones Strike Two Warehouses and an Oil Depot Deep Inside Russia, Killing at Least Eight
Overnight strikes on July 18 hit logistics sites in the Tambov and Moscow regions and an oil depot near Moscow; Ukraine calls the sites military supply hubs, Russia calls them civilian retail warehouses.
China Denies Trump's Claim That Beijing Interfered in the 2020 U.S. Election
President Trump released declassified documents alleging China obtained U.S. voter data; Beijing called the accusations fabricated as both governments proceed with a planned September summit.
China Launches 29-Nation World AI Cooperation Organization in Shanghai, Setting Up a Rival to the US-Led AI Framework
Xi Jinping unveiled a new intergovernmental AI governance body headquartered in Shanghai, formalizing a parallel track to Washington's Pax Silica coalition as the two powers compete to write the rules for artificial intelligence.
US Imposes New Sanctions on Sudan and Demands Chemical-Weapons Inspections; Sudan Denies the Allegation
Washington, having determined that Sudan's army used chemical weapons in 2024, has expanded sanctions and demanded OPCW inspections; Sudan's military government rejects the finding as unproven and politically motivated.
IEA Report Estimates $6.5 Trillion in Non-China Industry Exposed to Rare-Earth Supply Disruption
An intergovernmental energy agency's July 2026 assessment quantifies the downstream production at risk if China fully enforces its rare-earth export controls, weeks after Beijing blacklisted two U.S. mining firms in a tit-for-tat with Washington.