US primary voters choose midterm candidates as Democrats look to flip key seats

• Iran has launched a series of attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, marking a significant escalation in regional conflict. • The offensive has resulted in the deaths of at least 3 U.S. service members and left dozens of others wounded.

• The conflict in Yemen continues to be exacerbated by the Southern Transitional Council's (STC) renewed demands for an independent southern state and a surge in attacks by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). • A severe humanitarian crisis persists, with 21.6 million people requiring urgent aid, including 11 million children.

• The World Peace Forum in Islamabad recently recognized Pakistan's proactive regional diplomacy, with international speakers praising the country's efforts to foster stability. • Senator Mushahid Hussain urged the establishment of a new "World Order" led by the Global South to challenge existing geopolitical imbalances.

• Iran-backed Houthi rebels have expanded their conflict by implementing a blockade on Saudi ships in the Red Sea. • This escalation follows a series of military actions, including the U.S. launching strikes against Iran for the 10th consecutive night.

• Governments are increasingly utilizing social media influencers as unofficial ambassadors to shape global public opinion and project soft power. • States provide these creators with privileged access, official tours, and interviews with senior officials to cover geopolitical conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran, as well as China's global ambitions.

• Recent attacks in Ukraine over the weekend resulted in at least 12 civilian deaths and numerous injuries across the country. • Infrastructure damage was reported at World Food Programme (WFP) warehouses in Dnipro and World Health Organization (WHO) facilities near Kyiv.

• Tensions between the USA and Iran have escalated, sparking renewed fears of a broader regional conflict across West Asia. • The escalation occurs within a region already destabilized by multiple ongoing security crises and geopolitical volatility.

• In an article published July 20, 2026, author Ellen Brown explores the "AI Abundance Paradigm" and the societal shift occurring as machines replace human labor. • The piece examines how the transition from a scarcity-based economy to one of abundance alters human behavior, moving away from competition and fear of loss.

Jazz saxophonist – who recorded with artists Frank Sinatra, BB King and more – died in Los Angeles, reports sayUS jazz saxophonist Plas Johnson, best known for his solo riff on the timeless classic The Pink Panther Theme, has died at the age of 94, according to reports.The native of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, died on 15 July, according to a report from the Los Angeles jazz radio station KKJZ. Continue reading...

The diligent, popular, unexpected pick for the Treasury has been given a straitjacket – and the job of funding the PM’s policy promisesUK politics live – latest updatesOn the frequent occasions that John Healey would travel abroad as defence secretary, he was so determined to keep working he would get the crew to tether a desk to the inside of his military aircraft so he could read his papers.His diligence is one reason why Andy Burnham, the new prime minister, made Healey his unexpected pick for chancellor on Monday. Allies say others include their shared commitment to re-industrialisation and devolution. Continue reading...

Such technology solves problem of longer, thinner, energy-saving wings not fitting in airports around the worldAirbus has said it will test folding wings for the next generation of its bestselling planes, as the world’s largest planemaker races to work out the shape of future commercial aircraft by the end of the decade.Longer, thinner wings made of light but strong composite materials offer the promise of energy savings but present a problem for manufacturers because they will not fit in airports around the world, many of which are already at or near full capacity. Continue reading...

Former PM’s supporters question pledge to end factional infighting after more than half his cabinet removed or demotedKeir Starmer’s allies have questioned Andy Burnham’s pledge to end factional infighting after he removed or demoted more than half of the outgoing prime minister’s cabinet in his first reshuffle.“This was a deeply factional cabinet reshuffle,” one said. “The idea it was anything else is ridiculous.” Continue reading...