US launches fresh strikes on Iran as Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens

The United States has launched a fresh wave of military strikes against Iran after President Donald Trump declared that the interim ceasefire agreement between the two countries was effectively over, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.

The US military said the strikes targeted more than 140 sites across Iran in response to attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important oil routes.

Washington insists the waterway remains open to international navigation, despite Iran announcing it had closed the strait until further notice.

The escalation comes after Iran reportedly targeted a commercial vessel transiting the strait, prompting retaliatory U.S. action. Tehran has increasingly sought to assert control over the narrow waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also expanded its military operations, claiming attacks on US military facilities in Jordan while launching missiles and drones towards Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Regional governments said their air defences intercepted several incoming projectiles.

The renewed hostilities have further undermined hopes of turning last month’s temporary ceasefire into a lasting peace agreement, with oil markets reacting sharply to the heightened risk of disruption to global energy supplies.

At least 27 killed as massive fire tears through Bangkok entertainment venue

A devastating fire at a popular entertainment venue in Thailand’s capital has killed at least 27 people and left several others injured, authorities said.

The blaze broke out shortly after midnight at Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, a well-known bar and restaurant in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district. Firefighters arrived within minutes but found flames rapidly engulfing the building as terrified patrons struggled to escape.

Anutin Charnvirakul, Thai Prime Minister who visited the scene, said the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Preliminary accounts from performers at the venue suggested the blaze may have started at an electrical cut-out switch before spreading rapidly.

Many victims were found inside restrooms at the rear of the building, where they had apparently sought refuge from the smoke and flames but became trapped. Fire crews brought the inferno under control within 30 minutes.

Images from inside the building showed extensive structural damage, while local media reported that several people remain missing as rescue teams continue search operations.

China evacuates nearly two million as Typhoon Bavi batters eastern coast

Chinese authorities have evacuated nearly two million residents after Typhoon Bavi made landfall along the country’s eastern coast, bringing destructive winds and torrential rain.

The storm first struck the coastal city of Taizhou before making a second landfall near Wenzhou, after earlier sweeping past Japan and Taiwan. Although it has weakened into a severe tropical storm, forecasters warned that its vast rain bands continue to pose serious flooding and landslide risks.

More than 1.7 million residents were evacuated in Zhejiang province alone, while additional evacuations took place in neighbouring regions. Hundreds of flights were cancelled, train services suspended, and schools and businesses closed as authorities activated emergency response measures.

The storm previously triggered deadly landslides in the Philippines, where at least 17 people were killed. Meteorologists expect Bavi to continue moving northwest before weakening further over eastern China.

Veteran US Senator Lindsey Graham dies after sudden illness

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the United States’ most influential foreign policy voices and a close ally of President Donald Trump, has died at the age of 71 following what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness.”

Graham, who represented South Carolina in the Senate since 2003, had only recently returned from a visit to Kyiv, where he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. There had been no public indication of health concerns before his trip.

Trump paid tribute to Graham as “a true American patriot” who would be “greatly missed,” revealing they had spoken only hours before his death.

According to US media reports, emergency responders were called to Graham’s Washington residence following reports of cardiac arrest. His death brings an end to a political career spanning more than two decades, during which he became a leading advocate for an assertive U.S. foreign policy and military engagement abroad.

Venezuela earthquake death toll climbs to 4,490

Authorities in Venezuela say the death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck the country on June 24 has risen to 4,490.

Jorge Rodríguez, National Assembly President said nearly 17,000 people were injured while more than 6,400 survivors have been rescued. Almost 18,000 residents remain displaced after the powerful earthquakes devastated parts of Caracas and surrounding coastal communities.

Emergency workers continue recovery operations as thousands remain in temporary shelters and authorities assess widespread damage to homes and infrastructure.

AFRICA

South Africa deports over 53,000 migrants in nationwide crackdown

South Africa says more than 53,000 undocumented foreign nationals have been deported or voluntarily repatriated since launching a nationwide migration enforcement campaign five weeks ago.

Officials said most of those removed were citizens of Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique, with deportations expected to continue in the coming weeks. The operation follows widespread anti-immigration protests that have fuelled violence, intimidation and looting in several communities.

Demonstrators have accused undocumented migrants of worsening unemployment, crime and pressure on public services, while several African governments, including Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and Kenya, have organised repatriation flights for citizens wishing to leave South Africa.

The United Nations has urged South Africa to avoid scapegoating migrants for broader socio-economic challenges and called for respect for human rights during enforcement operations.

Senegal court blocks constitutional reforms backed by parliament

Senegal’s Constitutional Court has struck down proposed constitutional amendments approved by parliament, ruling that the reforms violate the country’s constitution.

Among the rejected provisions was a measure that would have prevented a sitting president from simultaneously leading a political party. The ruling comes shortly after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced plans to establish his own political party.

The reforms had been championed by the ruling Pastef party, led by National Assembly Speaker and former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. The court’s decision represents a significant setback for the government’s constitutional reform agenda and preserves the existing balance between political office and party leadership.

Algeria restores air links with Mali after diplomatic dispute

Algeria has reopened its airspace to flights from Mali, ending more than a year of aviation restrictions imposed during a diplomatic standoff between the two neighbours.

Relations deteriorated after Algeria said it had shot down a Malian military surveillance drone that allegedly violated its airspace, a claim Bamako rejected. Alongside reopening its skies, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has ordered the return of the country’s ambassador to Mali.
The moves signal a thaw in relations between the two countries after months of strained diplomatic ties.

Egypt’s current account deficit more than doubles

Egypt’s current account deficit widened sharply to $5.1 billion during the January–March quarter, more than double the $2.3 billion recorded during the same period last year, according to central bank figures.

The deterioration was driven mainly by a larger merchandise trade deficit despite stronger inflows from tourism, remittances and Suez Canal revenues.

Remittances from Egyptians abroad rose to $12.8 billion, tourism earnings increased to $4.2 billion, while Suez Canal revenues climbed to $1 billion. Foreign direct investment remained broadly stable at $3.7 billion, slightly below the previous year’s level.

Sudan army demands full RSF withdrawal under proposed US peace plan

Sudan’s military has insisted that any U.S.-backed peace agreement to end the country’s civil war must require the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to withdraw completely from all cities it has occupied.

Documents seen by Reuters show Washington proposed a 90-day humanitarian ceasefire alongside negotiations towards a permanent truce and civilian-led political transition. The proposal also envisaged limited RSF withdrawals under UN supervision, initially focusing on North Darfur and North Kordofan.

Sudan’s military accepted most elements of the proposal but rejected the limited withdrawal plan, arguing that the RSF must vacate every city captured since the conflict began in May 2023 before any comprehensive peace agreement can proceed. The dispute highlights the major obstacles facing diplomatic efforts to end one of Africa’s deadliest ongoing conflicts.