Tuesday, 4 August 2026
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that talks with Iran are under way and are Tehran's "last chance" before what he called a "decapitation", after cancelling planned strikes. Iran's foreign ministry denies any contact with Washington and says it speaks only to Oman.
Thirty-five commercial ships have been rerouted around the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command says; a projectile hit a cargo ship off Oman overnight into Tuesday. In Gaza, the US-led Board of Peace said Israeli forces will leave only after Hamas disarms fully; Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar condemned Israeli ceasefire violations. Drones killed at least 35 people at a court in North Darfur on Sunday, which the rights group Emergency Lawyers blames on Sudan's armed forces. Ukrainian drone strikes killed 11 on Russia's Black Sea coast and in Crimea, Russian officials said.
Japan and the US bought yen together on Friday, their first coordinated intervention since 2011. Oil fell and shares hit records on Monday, Amazon's market value passed $3 trillion, and 25 states sued the Trump administration over new tariffs. Alibaba released Qwen3.8-Max with open weights.
Under-reported: record-low Danube levels have forced several central European countries to shut part of their nuclear reactors, Le Monde reported, while Bloomberg put the Rhine at its lowest since 1880. Watch whether EU interior ministers back Italy and Denmark's call to suspend Spain from Schengen.
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Thirty-five commercial ships have been rerouted around the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command says; a projectile hit a cargo ship off Oman overnight into Tuesday. In Gaza, the US-led Board of Peace said Israeli forces will leave only after Hamas disarms fully; Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar condemned Israeli ceasefire violations. Drones killed at least 35 people at a court in North Darfur on Sunday, which the rights group Emergency Lawyers blames on Sudan's armed forces. Ukrainian drone strikes killed 11 on Russia's Black Sea coast and in Crimea, Russian officials said.
Japan and the US bought yen together on Friday, their first coordinated intervention since 2011. Oil fell and shares hit records on Monday, Amazon's market value passed $3 trillion, and 25 states sued the Trump administration over new tariffs. Alibaba released Qwen3.8-Max with open weights.
Under-reported: record-low Danube levels have forced several central European countries to shut part of their nuclear reactors, Le Monde reported, while Bloomberg put the Rhine at its lowest since 1880. Watch whether EU interior ministers back Italy and Denmark's call to suspend Spain from Schengen.
Important today
Venezuela raises earthquake death toll to 6,125
Trump calls talks Iran's 'last chance' as Tehran denies negotiating with Washington
Yen rebounds after joint US-Japan currency intervention
Board of Peace says Israeli withdrawal only after full Hamas disarmament
EU interior ministers meet after mass crossing into Ceuta
Truce mediators condemn Israeli strikes as Gaza death toll rises
Tankers reroute around Hormuz as Iran says Oman deal alone will not reopen strait
At least 35 killed in drone strike on court in North Darfur
Alibaba releases largest Qwen model with open weights
Ship hit off Oman as Iran strikes US base in Kuwait
Oil slides and shares hit records after US calls off Iran strikes
25 US states sue Trump administration over new tariff round
All stories
Global · 6
- Yen rebounds after joint US-Japan currency intervention
- Oil slides and shares hit records after US calls off Iran strikes
- AstraZeneca shares slide on Bristol Myers merger reports
- AI chip build-out drives debt and rising valuations
- Coldcard wallet flaw used to steal more than 1,300 bitcoin
- US to close five foreign missions, including in Canada and Japan
South America · 1
Middle East · 8
- Trump calls talks Iran's 'last chance' as Tehran denies negotiating with Washington
- Truce mediators condemn Israeli strikes as Gaza death toll rises
- Board of Peace says Israeli withdrawal only after full Hamas disarmament
- Tankers reroute around Hormuz as Iran says Oman deal alone will not reopen strait
- Ship hit off Oman as Iran strikes US base in Kuwait
- Israel blows up tunnels in south Lebanon during negotiations
- Barzani meets Syria's president on first Damascus visit since Assad's fall
- Palestinian Americans report surge in settler attacks in Turmus Ayya
Europe · 11
- EU interior ministers meet after mass crossing into Ceuta
- Death toll rises to 11 after Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian Black Sea coast and Crimea
- Record-low Danube and Rhine strain power supply and freight
- Apple challenges UK order for access to encrypted iCloud data
- Russian expert claims capture of 600 square kilometres in July
- Moscow restaurant blast appears to have targeted Russian general
- Erlangen clinicians report remissions with CAR-T therapy
- Ukrainian strikes deepen damage to Russian retail and oil trade
- Belgium relied entirely on Russian LNG in July
- No deal yet on Patriot production in Ukraine, US envoy says
- Drone strike hits Turkish cargo ship in Black Sea
Africa · 2
Asia · 11
- Alibaba releases largest Qwen model with open weights
- China displays hypersonic missiles and AI strike planning
- China holds coast guard drills at disputed shoal as Manila hardens tone
- China and India resume border trade at Nathu La
- China targets half of power from non-fossil sources by 2030
- Death toll rises to 17 after peace rally bombing in Pakistan
- Survivors reach port after deadly Indonesian ferry fire
- Japan's prime minister tours Kumamoto as heat slows recovery
- China tightens protection of chip designs
- India's education minister resigns after NEET protests
- US adds 43 Chinese firms to forced-labour blacklist
North America · 11
- 25 US states sue Trump administration over new tariff round
- Spokane fires still uncontained after 60,000 people evacuated
- Pentagon signs $3bn missile deals as Iran war drains stockpiles
- FBI warns of cyberattacks on US municipal water systems
- White House gathers AI firms on voluntary security testing
- US escalates Cuba restrictions, citing security threat
- Cartel members burn Michoacán town after leader's arrest
- Amazon crosses $3 trillion in market value
- Two die in US cyclospora outbreak linked to imported lettuce
- US manufacturing expands at fastest pace since 2022
- Man dies at New Jersey ICE centre in 22nd custody death
Geopolitics · 28
- Venezuela raises earthquake death toll to 6,125
- Trump calls talks Iran's 'last chance' as Tehran denies negotiating with Washington
- Truce mediators condemn Israeli strikes as Gaza death toll rises
- Board of Peace says Israeli withdrawal only after full Hamas disarmament
- EU interior ministers meet after mass crossing into Ceuta
- At least 35 killed in drone strike on court in North Darfur
- Ship hit off Oman as Iran strikes US base in Kuwait
- Death toll rises to 11 after Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian Black Sea coast and Crimea
- Spokane fires still uncontained after 60,000 people evacuated
- China displays hypersonic missiles and AI strike planning
- Russian expert claims capture of 600 square kilometres in July
- China holds coast guard drills at disputed shoal as Manila hardens tone
- Moscow restaurant blast appears to have targeted Russian general
- Death toll rises to 17 after peace rally bombing in Pakistan
- Poor countries adjust HIV programmes after US funding cuts
- Israel blows up tunnels in south Lebanon during negotiations
- Barzani meets Syria's president on first Damascus visit since Assad's fall
- Survivors reach port after deadly Indonesian ferry fire
- Japan's prime minister tours Kumamoto as heat slows recovery
- US escalates Cuba restrictions, citing security threat
- Cartel members burn Michoacán town after leader's arrest
- Two die in US cyclospora outbreak linked to imported lettuce
- No deal yet on Patriot production in Ukraine, US envoy says
- Palestinian Americans report surge in settler attacks in Turmus Ayya
- Drone strike hits Turkish cargo ship in Black Sea
- US to close five foreign missions, including in Canada and Japan
- Man dies at New Jersey ICE centre in 22nd custody death
- India's education minister resigns after NEET protests
Economy · 15
- Yen rebounds after joint US-Japan currency intervention
- Tankers reroute around Hormuz as Iran says Oman deal alone will not reopen strait
- Oil slides and shares hit records after US calls off Iran strikes
- 25 US states sue Trump administration over new tariff round
- Record-low Danube and Rhine strain power supply and freight
- AstraZeneca shares slide on Bristol Myers merger reports
- Pentagon signs $3bn missile deals as Iran war drains stockpiles
- AI chip build-out drives debt and rising valuations
- China and India resume border trade at Nathu La
- China targets half of power from non-fossil sources by 2030
- Ukrainian strikes deepen damage to Russian retail and oil trade
- Belgium relied entirely on Russian LNG in July
- Amazon crosses $3 trillion in market value
- US manufacturing expands at fastest pace since 2022
- US adds 43 Chinese firms to forced-labour blacklist
Technology · 7
- Alibaba releases largest Qwen model with open weights
- Apple challenges UK order for access to encrypted iCloud data
- FBI warns of cyberattacks on US municipal water systems
- White House gathers AI firms on voluntary security testing
- Erlangen clinicians report remissions with CAR-T therapy
- Coldcard wallet flaw used to steal more than 1,300 bitcoin
- China tightens protection of chip designs