US-Iran talks in doubt as both sides deny planned Doha meeting

Fresh uncertainty has emerged over efforts to end the four-month conflict between the United States and Iran after Tehran insisted no negotiations with Washington are scheduled, despite the White House announcing that senior US officials will travel to Qatar this week.

Donald Trump, US President  is dispatching his envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to Doha to lead the American delegation, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. However, Esmaeil Baghaei, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Iran’s delegation would only be in Qatar for technical discussions unrelated to the United States.
“We will not have any negotiation meetings at any level with the American side in the coming days,” Baghaei said.

The conflicting statements underscore the fragile nature of the interim ceasefire reached on  June 17 after months of fighting that disrupted global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and rattled international energy markets. While Washington continues to push for negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme, Tehran maintains that no direct talks are currently on the agenda.

Putin acknowledges Russia’s fuel shortages after Ukrainian strikes

Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly admitted that Ukraine’s sustained missile and drone attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure have caused widespread fuel shortages, marking his clearest acknowledgement yet of the war’s domestic impact.

Speaking during a meeting with senior government officials and oil executives, Putin conceded that motorists and businesses continue to face serious supply problems.
“You’re well aware that problems persist for both motorists and businesses,” he said. “Unfortunately, there are still queues at petrol stations, and finding the right grade of petrol isn’t always easy.”

He also warned that fuel shortages were affecting Russia’s agricultural sector, saying the success of this year’s harvest depended on maintaining reliable fuel supplies.

Independent outlet Mediazona reports that at least 56 Russian regions have introduced fuel restrictions as repeated Ukrainian strikes damage refineries, storage facilities and transport infrastructure across the country.

Six killed in shooting at German mother-and-child shelter

A gunman has killed six people at a shelter for mothers and children in the northern German town of Stade in what authorities believe was linked to a child custody dispute.

Police said the 45-year-old suspect had attended an appointment at the shelter before opening fire, killing four women and two men, all employees of the facility. His three-month-old daughter and the child’s mother were unharmed.

The suspect, the child’s mother and another woman are currently in police custody as investigators work to establish the motive.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed shock over the attack, saying he was “deeply shocked by the extent of violence in a place that is meant to provide protection”. Mass shootings remain relatively rare in Germany, making the attack one of the country’s deadliest incidents in recent years.

Frustration grows over Venezuela’s earthquake response

Anger is mounting across parts of Venezuela as survivors of last week’s devastating earthquakes accuse authorities of failing to provide adequate relief and reconstruction support.

Residents in the badly affected community of El Junquito, west of Caracas, say government assistance has been slow to arrive, leaving local volunteers and farmers to distribute food, water and other basic supplies.

“We are waiting for answers, for debris to be cleaned up, for inspections, for people who have been really affected to be helped,” resident Keily Ibarra said, urging authorities to respond more effectively.

Entire sections of the town remain in ruins following the twin earthquakes, with collapsed buildings still awaiting clearance. Many displaced families continue to live in makeshift tents while engineers assess damaged structures, raising concerns about public safety and the pace of recovery efforts.

Rubio meets eastern Libyan commander as US pushes reunification

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has met Saddam Haftar, deputy commander of Libya’s eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA), as Washington intensifies diplomatic efforts to reunify the politically divided country.

According to the US State Department, the discussions focused on unifying Libya’s military, economic and political institutions while advancing efforts towards national elections and long-term stability.

Rubio praised Libyan leaders working to overcome years of political divisions and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to supporting a unified government capable of leading the country.

The meeting follows US-backed efforts earlier this year to broker agreements between Libya’s rival administrations in Tripoli and Benghazi, including a deal covering public sector salaries and oil revenue management.

AFRICA

DR Congo bans mass gatherings to curb Ebola spread

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have banned mass gatherings in Kinshasa and three neighbouring provinces as they step up measures to prevent the spread of the country’s worsening Ebola outbreak.

Although no confirmed Ebola cases have been reported in Kinshasa, officials fear the virus could reach the capital of about 18 million people from affected eastern provinces. The restrictions also cover Tshopo, Haut-Uele and Bas-Uele provinces, which border outbreak zones.

Opposition leaders have strongly criticised the decision, arguing it is aimed at preventing an anti-government protest scheduled for 8 July rather than protecting public health.
Government officials insist the measures are purely preventive, citing concerns that increased population movement could accelerate transmission of the virus, which has already claimed hundreds of lives in eastern Congo.

Senegal police disperse constitutional reform protesters

Police in Senegal fired tear gas outside parliament after protesters gathered to oppose proposed constitutional reforms that critics say could reshape the country’s political balance.

The amendments include preventing a sitting president from simultaneously serving as leader of a political party. While lawmakers approved the proposal in parliament, Justice Minister Moussa Sarr said the reforms must still be endorsed through a national referendum before taking effect.

Supporters of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye have called for the legislation to be withdrawn, arguing it could alter the country’s democratic framework.
The reform drive is backed by the ruling Pastef party, led by parliamentary speaker Ousmane Sonko, and has intensified debate over the future direction of Senegal’s political system.

Guinea targets regional gold refining leadership

Guinea plans to establish itself as West Africa’s leading gold refining hub as governments across the region seek to process more of their mineral wealth domestically instead of exporting raw materials.

Mines Minister Bouna Sylla said Guinea’s strategy is driven by economics rather than politics, arguing that competitive refineries will naturally attract business from neighbouring countries.

His comments come days after President Mamady Doumbouya imposed an immediate ban on raw gold exports as part of wider efforts to increase domestic value addition and industrialisation.

The move places Guinea alongside several other African producers seeking to capture a greater share of profits from soaring global gold prices by developing local refining and processing industries.

IMF ties Malawi financial support to economic reforms

The International Monetary Fund says it remains prepared to approve a new lending programme for Malawi but insists any agreement will depend on the government’s commitment to implementing difficult economic reforms.

IMF Resident Representative Nelnan Koumtingue said discussions remain focused on supporting Malawi’s National Economic Recovery Plan through a possible Extended Credit Facility after recent talks ended without a final agreement.

The government’s five-year recovery strategy seeks to address mounting debt, strengthen public finances, tackle corruption and expand social protection while stabilising the economy.

Malawian officials say negotiations remain constructive, although no timeline has been announced for reaching a formal agreement.

Ethiopia reaches preliminary deal on $1 billion debt restructuring

Ethiopia has reached a preliminary agreement with major international bondholders to restructure its defaulted $1 billion sovereign bond, marking a significant step towards resolving its prolonged debt crisis.

The finance ministry said the proposal would see investors receive a new $880 million bond carrying a 6.15 percent interest rate, alongside payment of nearly $100 million in missed interest and additional consent fees.

The agreement also includes a “New Money Warrant” allowing investors to participate in future Ethiopian bond issuances worth up to $1 billion, although the government retains the option of settling the arrangement with cash payments.

The restructuring is regarded as one of the most important tests of the G20 Common Framework for debt relief, which has struggled to deliver timely agreements amid disagreements between bilateral lenders, China and private creditors.