Americans far more likely to view politics as greatest threat to safety, study finds

• Pakistan has requested a $10 billion bilateral exchange stabilisation facility from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to bolster its foreign exchange reserves. • The request follows Pakistan's recent diplomatic efforts in mediating talks regarding the conflict in Iran.

• UN human rights experts condemned the M23 armed group on Tuesday for orchestrating a "reign of terror" in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. • The Rwanda-backed group is accused of systemic sexual torture and violence targeting civilians within the territories it controls.

• The U.S. military has concluded its 11th consecutive night of strikes against Iran, marking a significant escalation in regional hostilities. • These military actions have largely overshadowed diplomatic attempts to revive a collapsed interim ceasefire deal.

• A global weekly roundup highlights a period of intense strategic competition characterized by military escalation, economic fragmentation, and a race for technological advantage. • Key trends include the rise of influence for nations developing advanced technologies and the emergence of complex humanitarian crises driven by conflict, climate change, and disease.

• Diplomatic consultations were recently held in Cairo to address the strategic stability and security of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region. • The meetings focused on the region's growing geopolitical importance, specifically regarding maritime security and international trade routes.

• The Middle East conflict is creating significant economic uncertainty for Pakistan, threatening to disrupt the country's fragile macroeconomic stability. • Key risks include fueling sticky inflation, widening external financial pressures, and increasing volatility in global energy prices.

• The United States and Iran have entered their 10th day of renewed fighting, with ongoing attacks across the Middle East threatening to derail diplomatic efforts. • Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni visited Pakistan, which is serving as a key mediator, in an attempt to salvage a collapsed interim deal between the two nations.

• The Houthis have announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, threatening to disrupt maritime traffic in the region. • This escalation risks expanding the existing shipping crisis in the Middle East, potentially impacting global trade and energy security.

• The UN Security Council is conducting its monthly debate on Syria as Secretary-General António Guterres travels to Damascus. • The session occurs amid reports of an Israeli attack in occupied territory and ongoing tensions regarding the US-Iran war.

Foreign minister Penny Wong will deliver speech criticising China’s recent launch of a nuclear-capable submarine-launched missileGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPenny Wong will warn China that Australia and other neighbouring nations will not be bullied by its “provocative” actions, after its involvement in another “destabilising and dangerous” incident this week.The foreign affairs minister – who will deliver the address on Thursday in the Philippines, where the 59th Asean foreign minister’s meeting is being held – will also caution world leaders against placing a toll on the strait of Hormuz after both Iran and the US threatened to do amid the protracted conflict. Continue reading...

Family and boxing community grieving deeply after Rapp was killed by motorist while she was cycling in TexasThe violent death of the US boxer Hannah Rapp, whom authorities say was killed recently by a motorist while she cycled, has left her sport, her communities outside the ring and her loved ones grieving deeply just weeks after she took her first world title shot.A statement from the Bryan Boxing gym where Rapp trained in Texas commemorated her as “an amazing lady and soul” while the Aggieland Cycling club to which she belonged recalled how her “kindness and excitement for life [buoyed] all who knew her”. Continue reading...

Andy Biggs – a hard-right congressman endorsed by Donald Trump – won the Republican nomination for Arizona governorHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Andy Biggs – a hard-right congressman endorsed by Donald Trump – won the Republican nomination for Arizona governor, saying he will “work with people that don’t necessarily agree with me”.As he wages war on Iran to prevent that country from enriching uranium, Donald Trump has reportedly approved a deal with ⁠Saudi Arabia to have US firms build a civilian nuclear energy program in the kingdom, which could include a uranium enrichment facility, US officials told the Wall Street Journal. The deal, which the administration plans to submit ⁠to Congress ⁠in the ​coming days, does not include safeguards to stop ‌materials being used in nuclear weapons programs, Reuters reports.The US-Israeli war on Iran has cost the Pentagon $37.5bn so far, defense secretary Pete Hegseth told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday.“Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal, the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people,” New York mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a video statement in which he called the International Criminal Court warrant for the Israeli prime minister’s arrest justified but admitted that he lacks the legal authority to enforce it.Donald Trump announced a new package of tariffs on Tuesday, this time on generic drugs made overseas, to begin in 2028.The Senate intelligence committee on Tuesday advanced the nomination of Jay Clayton to serve as the US intelligence director, despite criticism from Democrats.The Trump administration paused more than $1bn in Medicaid funding to California and Minnesota, two states run by elected Democrats, citing “suspected fraud and noncompliance”. Continue reading...