Multiple people trapped inside shopping centre in Japan after earthquake – live updates

• The Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen has escalated attacks to exploit a period of vulnerability within Saudi Arabia. • The group aims to leverage this conflict to secure significant political concessions regarding the ongoing war in Yemen.

• Intensified hostilities in Ukraine and surrounding areas are devastating civilians and threatening global food security, according to senior UN officials. • The conflict has led to a 20 per cent spike in wheat prices since the start of July, as well as attacks on third-party merchant vessels.

• A new war in Yemen is looming, with signs indicating a re-eruption of conflict is imminent. • Recent developments have strengthened anti-Houthi forces in the country, potentially altering the balance of power.

• The Houthi threat to Saudi oil exports is worsening the energy crisis in Asia. • Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines are already reeling from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, exacerbating the issue.

• Tensions exist between Armenia and Azerbaijan over a disputed border region. • A joint declaration of peace has been agreed upon, along with a request to dissolve the OSCE Minsk Group.

• UNESCO has identified six World Heritage sites at risk due to conflict, insecurity, and environmental pressures. • The Palestinian site is under threat from the ongoing Middle East conflict, development, and plans for a national park that may divide the property.

• Tensions are rising in Ethiopia's Tigray region due to the incomplete implementation of the Pretoria Agreement. • Key sticking points include the failure to fully disarm Tigray Defense Forces and the continued presence of Eritrean troops on Ethiopian soil.

• The United States has experienced a pause in direct fire exchanges with Iran, though experts suggest this is driven by more than just diplomatic efforts. • A critical shortfall in the inventory of ballistic missile and drone defense systems has emerged as a primary challenge for the U.S. military during the conflict.

• The UN Security Council convened on Monday at Ukraine's request to address the escalation of large-scale Russian military strikes. • Recent attacks, including an overnight strike on Kyiv on July 19, resulted in at least one civilian death and over a dozen injuries.

• Iraq continues to struggle with severe political instability and recovery challenges six years after the war against the Islamic State. • Humanitarian needs remain critical, with three million people requiring assistance and over one million individuals still internally displaced.

Chris Philp says patrol vessel may have been trying to stop him highlighting the small boats crisisUK politics live – latest updatesA Conservative MP has claimed a French warship fired warning shots near a boat he was on in the Channel in an attempt to stop him covering the small boats crisis.Chris Philp, who is his party’s home affairs spokesperson, was being interviewed by the BBC a couple of miles off Boulogne on Tuesday when the warship Flamant passed by. As it did so, a French navy officer standing at the stern fired 17 shots from a handgun, aiming away from Philp. Continue reading...

Controversial move to classify Iran war as two separate campaigns criticised as attempt to minimise casualty figures. Plus, the man who started an animal shelter after a dog saved his lifeGood morning. A controversial move by the Pentagon to reclassify casualties in the Iran war as being killed in “Overseas Operations” is being taken by US military veterans as a sign of disrespect for the dead.Michael E Smith, a retired US rear admiral who completed combat tours in Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo said “It’s such a huge disrespect for the families. To claim that they weren’t killed as a result of the war – oh, it was just overseas operations – is just ludicrous.”What changes did the Department of Defense make? The Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS), a military database for displaying casualties, introduced a new casualty category labeled “Overseas Operations” for personnel killed and wounded “starting July 7”. That splits the count from the beginning of the US-Israel war on Iran into effectively two different campaigns.How is the administration justifying the change? The War Powers Act of 1973 requires the president to end military operations within 60 days unless Congress authorizes an extension, which it has not. The Trump administration has argued that the April ceasefire with Iran paused the clock on 1 May for the conflict’s initial period. The separate casualty count beginning on 7 July follows that interpretation. Continue reading...