‘The shaking was terrifying’: stories of survival and loss emerge after Japan earthquake

• 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.

• The Trump administration is scaling back funding for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in South Africa. • This reduction in support for life-saving HIV programs weakens a primary instrument of U.S. soft power and health diplomacy.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Rise to £1.1bn in first six months of year for bakery chain largely down to opening of new storesIced matcha lattes and a bigger range of salads and chicken rolls helped Greggs to boost its sales during the string of summer heatwaves, as the bakery chain continues to expand across the UK.Total sales at Britain’s biggest fast food business rose to £1.1bn for the first six months of the year, 7.2% higher than the same period a year earlier. Continue reading...

Experts say lower-severity charges for American service personnel are deepening traumatic impact on survivorsAmerican service personnel accused of rape on British soil are being charged with lesser offences by their military courts, a discrepancy that experts say is deepening the traumatic impact on survivors long after verdicts are passed.There are more than 12,000 personnel stationed in US military bases across the UK, most of them in England. Although UK law enforcement has primary jurisdiction over crimes that occur when personnel are off duty, local police often choose to cede authority to the American military. Continue reading...