Japan earthquake death toll rises as rescue teams search for missing amid aftershocks

• The Harvard Political Review argues that the Iranian regime should be ended, but cautions against another U.S. military invasion. • Since the election of the new Supreme Leader in March, no single opposition group has successfully challenged the regime due to a lack of financial resources.

• Military hostilities have renewed in the Gulf region, with escalating strikes overshadowing diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. • Both opposing sides are continuing a cycle of retaliation, with neither party showing a willingness to reduce tensions or lower the temperature.

• India is evolving its strategic outlook by moving beyond a traditional focus on geography to a "geometry of interests." • This shift is driven by India's commitment to strategic autonomy, democratic institutions, and humanitarian assistance, which have built global trust.

• Senior Ukrainian negotiator Sergiy Kyslytsya stated in an NPR interview that Russia is increasingly running out of options, shifting the strategic leverage in Kyiv's favor. • Kyslytsya argues that current battlefield dynamics and international support have positioned Ukraine to force Russia into more serious and meaningful negotiations.

• UN Security Council members met on Tuesday to receive updates on the escalating regional tensions involving the US, Iran, Israel, and Hamas. • Reports from the UN relief agency OCHA highlight a dangerous situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, citing Israeli settlement expansion, settler violence, and movement restrictions.

• President Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House for high-level diplomatic discussions. • President Zelenskyy used the meeting to urgently request additional U.S. assistance for Ukraine's air defense systems to counter ongoing threats.

• On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, the Iranian government reported significant human and economic losses resulting from its ongoing war with the United States. • International diplomatic efforts are currently focused on stabilizing security within the Strait of Hormuz to protect global shipping and oil markets.

• Iran's foreign ministry rejected claims that the U.S. can dictate the "timing of war and peace," countering assertions by Donald Trump that Tehran had requested negotiations. • The statement follows efforts by mediators to revive a collapsed interim deal and restore diplomatic relations between the two nations.

• Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif warned that Pakistan would go to war against India if its water security is threatened. • The threat is tied to the potential suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, which governs the sharing of river waters between the two nations.

Exclusive: Of more than 1,000 medicinal cannabis products available, only two have been evaluated by the drug regulatorFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDoctors are commonly prescribing high-dose medicinal cannabis containing up to four times the concentration of THC tested in clinical trials, a review has found.Researchers from Monash University evaluated the available evidence for the efficacy and safety of higher THC potency medicinal cannabis products, in line with those being prescribed in Australia. THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main psychoactive ingredient of cannabis. Continue reading...

Opposition leader says he is ‘not a party to proceedings’ being investigated by NSW corruption watchdog as fellow liberals close ranksAngus Taylor says no payments were made in relation to a growing corruption case involving members of the NSW Liberal party, insisting he is not a party to the proceedings.Fellow Liberals also closed ranks around the federal opposition leader, sidestepping questions about the hearing by noting his statements and the fact he is not a party to the corruption inquiry’s work. Continue reading...

Potential toxic substance detected in several of 15 elephants found dead in Kenya’s Amboseli national parkOfficials are investigating the deaths of 15 elephants over the past month in Kenya’s Amboseli national park.The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said 10 of the elephants showed signs of partial paralysis before dying within two days. Continue reading...