Labour should ditch triple-lock pensions promise, says OECD

• The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is scaling up containment efforts to combat an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. • The disease has expanded into two additional provinces, Haut-Uele and Tshopo, with specific cases reported in Kisangani.

• The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a long-standing territorial dispute dating back to the end of the nineteenth century. • Tensions escalated into a cycle of violence between Hamas and Israel, resulting in deteriorating humanitarian conditions within the Gaza Strip.

• The UN human Rights Office (OHCHR) reports that Sudan's war economy is creating a "self-perpetuating" cycle of conflict, where the exploitation of resources fuels ongoing violence. • The OHCHR is calling on warring parties and international corporations involved in the Sudanese commodity value chain to strictly comply with international law.

• The European Union has banned the import of gold from Sudan to disrupt the financing of the ongoing conflict between the regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). • To further cripple mining operations, the EU is also restricting the export of cyanide and mercury, chemicals essential for gold extraction.

• President Trump is struggling to secure concessions from Iran as a recently brokered cease-fire memorandum of understanding has collapsed. • Unlike other international adversaries, Iran has remained resistant to Trump's typical tactics of tariff threats and aggressive social media posts.

• External Affairs Minister (EAM) Jaishankar unveiled India's campaign for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), promoting a "Shanti" vision for global peace and security. • Jaishankar emphasized India's commitment to an equitable world order and its role as a development partner, highlighting active Indian-funded projects across 79 countries.

• A precarious ceasefire between the US and Iran is beginning to fray, leading to a resumption of hostilities and increasing geo-economic instability in the region. • The conflict has disrupted global supply lines, causing oil prices to climb by over 3% in a single day to reach their highest level in four weeks.

• President Trump signed an executive order on Monday, July 13, 2026, reducing the size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah by over 90%. • The affected areas span more than 3.2 million acres of land in southern Utah, much of which is considered sacred by Native American communities.

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has officially launched India's campaign for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2028-29 term. • During the launch, Jaishankar met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres to discuss critical global developments, including the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia.

• UN aid coordination office OCHA reported on Tuesday that humanitarians are facing significant challenges delivering aid to communities near the “Yellow Line” in northern Rafah, Gaza. • The announcement follows a consultation between the UN and representatives from 17 displacement sites, which currently host approximately 3,000 families.

• President Donald Trump announced the launch of "major combat operations" against Iran on February 28. • The offensive consists of massive joint airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel.

Worse-than-expected expansion of 4.3% in three months to June comes amid concerns over lopsided economyBusiness live – latest updatesChina has posted worse-than-expected growth figures for the three months to June, with the economy expanding just 4.3% – one of its lowest quarterly readings on record.The rate, which came in under the government’s target of 4.5-5%, was one of the weakest since reporting on official quarterly GDP figures began in the early 1990s. Continue reading...