Bird flu is spreading locally and Australia faces more wildlife deaths. How bad could it get?

• A new report identifies a "threat axis" consisting of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, documenting 616 specific instances of security cooperation between the four nations. • The report warns of a "simultaneity problem," where these strategically aligned powers could coordinate actions to force the United States to manage multiple global crises at once.

• Iran is utilizing proxies and partners to launch attacks on regional states, allowing the Iranian government to maintain plausible deniability. • In response to Iranian efforts to control oil traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, the Iraqi federal government is actively developing alternative export routes.

• Dr. Binoy Kampmark reports on the potential removal of International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan in an article dated July 28, 2026. • The situation involves a complex intersection of political pressure and allegations of misconduct, specifically regarding the nexus between Khan's legal decisions and his personal fate.

• The U.S. and Saudi Arabia conducted joint airstrikes targeting Iranian-backed proxy groups located in Iraq. • In retaliation, Iran launched attacks against various sites within Jordan, expanding the geographic scope of the conflict.

• The United States and Saudi Arabia have partnered to launch military strikes against Tehran-backed militias operating within Iraq. • The escalation follows reported Iranian attacks on three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global maritime chokepoint.

• India faces significant energy import vulnerabilities, highlighted by the 2026 oil price surge and critical chokepoints at the Strait of Hormuz. • The nation has the potential to meet up to 25% of its domestic energy demand growth through internal resources by 2047.

• Former President Trump's decision to pause attacks on Iran highlights the limitations of U.S. military power in asymmetric conflicts. • Despite aerial campaigns, Tehran has not been bombed into submission, as Iran leverages its mountainous geography and drone/missile capabilities to maintain strategic leverage.

Comey’s lawyers say Secret Service tracked him and investigators turned to AI and a mafia killer to bolster the caseLawyers for former FBI director James Comey alleged on Tuesday that US Secret Service agents illegally surveilled Comey, Donald Trump requested regular updates into the investigation, and law enforcement turned to ChatGPT and a known mafia killer as they scrambled to find justification for criminally charging Comey for posting a picture of seashells that spelled out “8647”.The claims were laid out in a motion to dismiss a criminal case the US Department of Justice filed against Comey in April, in which it said the post by Comey – whom Trump fired in his first term – was a threat on the US president’s life. Continue reading...

Johannes Kongsnes Natland was recruited to murder unknown person by international crime gang linked to IranA Norwegian teenager has been found guilty of travelling to England to carry out a killing ordered by an international crime gang linked to Iran.Johannes Kongsnes Natland, 19, from Stavanger, Norway, agreed to shoot an unknown person for €25,000 (£21,500) in March last year. Two days after he arrived in the UK armed police arrested him in a hotel room in Huddersfield, seizing two guns and ammunition. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Sources say Fiona Cottrell told bankers the transfers, received 24-72 hours before her donations to Reform, came from her sonThe convicted fraudster George Cottrell transferred a total of more than $2m to his mother, Fiona Cottrell, in the days before her 2024 donations to Reform UK, the Guardian understands.Financial industry sources told the Guardian that Fiona received one deposit of $1.4m and two tranches of more than $300,000 each – money she attributed to having come from her son, George, when bankers asked about the deposits. Continue reading...

K-pop superstars will not submit Arirang album or its songs for 2027 ceremony, in wake of new Asian pop category being announcedBTS, the biggest pop act in east Asia, have withdrawn themselves from the 2027 Grammy awards, intimating that their decision is due to the addition of a new award for best Asian pop music performance.Writing on Instagram, each of the South Korean group’s seven members said: “We have decided not to enter the Grammys this year. I hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.” Continue reading...

Northumbria police said post by Glenn Gibbins, who was reinstated to the party after internal investigation, referenced Nigerian peopleA Reform councillor has been charged with posting a grossly offensive message on social media after allegedly making a racist comment about Nigerians.Glenn Gibbins, of Sunderland city council, has been charged with the offence under the Communications Act 2003, Northumbria police said. Continue reading...