CDC cuts leave US less prepared for disease outbreaks, former officials warn

• Pakistan has reportedly requested a $10 billion exchange stabilisation facility from the United States to bolster its dwindling foreign exchange reserves. • Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb discussed the request and Pakistan's economic vulnerabilities during a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington on Tuesday.

• Yemen’s Houthis have declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, escalating regional tensions by opening a new front in the Middle East conflict. • The U.S. military has conducted airstrikes against Iran for the 10th consecutive night, while an Israeli drone strike in Gaza City resulted in the deaths of a family of six.

• Author Laala Bechetoula has released a book titled "Gaza Hashem: A Tale Told by the Children," dated July 20, 2026. • The work is written for adults but utilizes the voices and simple language of Gazan children as the primary moral narrators.

• Pakistan has requested a $10 billion exchange stabilisation facility from the United States to bolster its foreign exchange reserves and support the rupee. • The move follows a period of IMF-backed reforms that stabilized the economy but imposed high political costs through increased taxes and spending restraints.

• The United States and Iran are engaged in escalating attacks as officials express doubt over whether diplomacy can prevent a full-scale return to war. • Amidst these tensions, a new 30-year deal is expected to be established, focusing on long-term strategic development.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

National emergency test alert will be sent to all mobile devices on 27 July, with domestic violence advocates advising how to turn off safe phonesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVirtually every phone in the country will blare an emergency siren at 2pm AEST on Monday 27 July, as part of the first Australia-wide test of a new national warning system called AusAlert.Most phones, and some smartwatches and tablets, will receive a pop-up notification and an alert sound that cannot be silenced – even if your device is on “do not disturb” or silent mode. Continue reading...

Military and SES personnel being taught analog communication and navigation techniques as experts warn solar flare could knock out ‘critical space infrastructure’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s emergency services and military personnel are being trained to read paper maps, navigate without GPS support, and sail by the stars in case something knocks out the nation’s space capabilities.A panel at the 19th Australian space forum in Adelaide on Wednesday was asked to consider what would happen “if we suddenly lost access to critical space infrastructure – no satellites, no GPS, no remote sensing, no secure communications?” Continue reading...