Capture

Rampant Yemeni rebels take control of island in narrow point of Bab al-Mandab strait, which Saudi is relying on for oil exportsViolence in Yemen: why it matters and how it is linked to the US-Iran warYemen’s rampant Houthi forces have captured a strategic island in the Bab al-Mandab strait, expanding their control of the narrow waterway, one of the ​world’s vital shipping routes.The Iran-aligned Houthis took control of the volcanic island after forces allied to the UN-backed, Aden-based government left in the latest of a dramatic series of reverses along Yemen’s west coast in recent days, including the loss of the port city of Mocha on Thursday. Continue reading...

• Singapore has secured 82.5% of all-time blockchain equity funding within Southeast Asia, according to data from the private-market platform Tracxn. • The report highlights Singapore's overwhelming dominance in attracting capital for blockchain technology compared to its regional neighbors. • This concentration of funding underscores Singapore's position as the primary hub for Web3 and blockchain innovation in the Asia-Pacific region.

• Singapore has secured 82.5% of all-time blockchain equity funding across Southeast Asia, according to data from the private-market platform Tracxn. • The city-state's overwhelming dominance in regional investment highlights its position as the primary hub for blockchain innovation and capital. • This concentration of funding creates significant opportunities for companies to establish a presence through thought leadership, industry summits, and regional awards.

• Post-pandemic corporate profits have significantly outpaced the recovery of capital investments, creating a strong divergence in economic growth patterns. • Companies are achieving higher returns from existing assets, but fresh fixed-asset investments have weakened due to global economic uncertainty and trade disruptions. • The trend is driven by the risk of rapid technological changes, which may render new investments obsolete before they can yield returns.

• The United States now dominates the global hyperscale landscape, hosting 15 of the world's 20 largest AI data center markets. • Expansion is shifting away from traditional technology hubs as states like Texas aggressively compete to attract new infrastructure investments. • This growth reflects the massive computational demands of generative AI, positioning the U.S. as the primary engine for AI infrastructure development.

• NASA is launching a high-altitude air mission from Iceland to capture rare data and photographs during an upcoming solar eclipse. • Two aviators will fly a specialized aircraft along the path of totality to document the "slam of shadow" as the moon obscures the sun. • This mission is critical for gathering atmospheric and solar data that cannot be captured from the ground due to weather or geographic limitations.

As social media shrinks and distorts the EU’s crises, the Venice film festival is delivering politically forthright epics from directors such as Sergei Loznitsa and Alex Gibney• Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereEurope is in an economic crisis that, unlike the eurozone downturn at the beginning of the millennium, cannot be measured in ratings downgrades and borrowing costs. For metrics, try engagement depth and consumer trust instead.The unedifying spectacle of the European Union’s falling out over the Ceuta crisis looks like the latest symptom of Europe’s shrinking attention economy. When more than 70,000 people crossed over from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta at the start of the month, Rome hastily reintroduced air and sea border checks with Spain for one month; Madrid retaliated with spot-checks on travellers to Italy. Continue reading...

• An international research team using the U.S. National Science Foundation's Inouye Solar Telescope has captured the highest-resolution image of the sun's surface to date. • The new imagery provides an unprecedentedly sharp view of the star, revealing surprising and previously unseen details about its surface structure. • This achievement matters as it allows scientists to study solar phenomena with greater precision, potentially improving our understanding of solar activity and its impact on Earth.

• The KOSPI index surged 404.76 points (5.90%) to reach 7,260.59 by 9:11 a.m. on the 15th, briefly recapturing the 7,200 level shortly after the market opened. • A market trigger was activated just six minutes after the opening bell due to a rapid surge in the price of index futures. • This volatility highlights extreme short-term fluctuations in the Korean stock market, potentially driven by aggressive futures trading.

• NASA's agency chief confirmed the capture of unexplained UFO imagery and stated his belief that "there's life everywhere" in the cosmos. • The agency revealed ambitious future plans to explore and "invade" other worlds to further investigate extraterrestrial life. • Separately, a University of Alberta study found that smartwatches are less effective at tracking heart health data for individuals with dark skin.

Reporting suggests FBI involved in seizure of Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada García from Mexican territory in 2024Mexico has launched an investigation into whether the US lied about its involvement in the capture and secretive transfer of a top Sinaloa cartel member in 2024, in what would be a potential violation of the country’s sovereignty.The US has long denied it played any role in the operation to detain the drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García, a founder of the Sinaloa cartel, inside Mexico. Recent reporting by the local media outlet Pie de Nota, however, suggested that the FBI was involved in his capture. Continue reading...

• Japan's Hayabusa2 asteroid probe captured high-resolution images of the double-lobed asteroid Torifune on July 5. • The spacecraft approached the two-headed space rock from a distance of approximately 62 million miles to document its unique structure. • This mission follows the probe's previous success in 2020, when it famously returned samples from the asteroid Ryugu to Earth.

• YouTube dominated Japan's digital Video-on-Demand (VOD) market in May, capturing over 65% of total viewing hours and reaching 72 million viewers. • The platform's growth was primarily driven by high viewership in news and baseball content, according to new data from ampd Analytics. • These insights were gathered via the ampd Vision platform, which utilizes passive behavioral panels and AI-driven qualitative interviews across nine Asia Pacific markets.

• YouTube has captured over 65% of digital Video-on-Demand (VOD) viewing hours in Japan, according to new data from ampd Analytics. • In May, the platform reached 72 million viewers in the region, with news and baseball content emerging as the primary drivers of viewership. • This dominance highlights YouTube's critical role in the Japanese media landscape, effectively competing with traditional broadcasters for high-engagement content.

• NASA astronaut Jessica Meir captured high-resolution images of towering thunderclouds while stationed aboard the International Space Station. • The photographs highlight the immense scale and dynamism of Earth's atmospheric weather systems from an orbital perspective. • These space-based observations are critical for improving global weather forecasting and deepening the scientific understanding of climate patterns.

• The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a detailed image of the Orion A region, showcasing its star-forming clouds in vibrant colors. • The image provides a unique view of the region, highlighting its intricate details and beauty. • This capture is significant as it helps astronomers study the formation of stars and planets in the Orion A region.

Over 40 years, Italy’s Il Cinema Ritrovato – or ‘rediscovered cinema’ – has evolved into an influential international gatheringBologna will be transformed into an open-air museum of cinema on Saturday as a nine-day festival dedicated to restored, rediscovered and overlooked films – some dating back more than a century – gets under way in the northern Italian city.Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, Il Cinema Ritrovato, or “rediscovered cinema”, has evolved from its niche origins into an influential international gathering captivating a new generation of cinephiles. Continue reading...

• NPR highlighted five winning images from the "Scientists at Work" photo contest, showcasing the visual beauty of scientific research and discovery. • One featured image captures vector biologist Lee Haines from the University of Notre Dame using a microscope to examine a mosquito. • The contest aims to bridge the gap between complex research and the public by illustrating the "everyday mysteries" scientists investigate.

• Micro drama platforms gained significant audience attention in May 2026, as per COTT Analytics data. • Jio Hotstar Tadka and ReelShort were among the platforms that successfully converted audience attention into deep engagement. • The data indicates a shift in viewer preferences towards shorter, more engaging content.

• A PwC 2026 AI Performance Study of 1,217 large enterprises reveals that the top 20% of companies are capturing 74% of AI's total economic value. • The study identifies that these leaders prioritize growth and the redesign of business foundations over simple efficiency gains or the adoption of individual tools. • This disparity highlights a significant gap in how organizations implement AI, suggesting that a holistic strategic overhaul is more effective than incremental tool integration.

Capture of Beaufort castle near the city of Nabatiyeh comes despite a nominal ceasefire and shortly before talks due in the USIsraeli troops have captured a mountain topped with a Crusader-built castle in southern Lebanon in their deepest incursion into the country in more than a quarter of a century.The capture of Beaufort castle near the city of Nabatiyeh came after days of intense fighting and airstrikes in nearby villages where Israeli troops fought Hezbollah members in the rugged area.Israel has expanded the scope of its operations in Lebanon sending troops across the Litani River, which previously served as a de facto boundary. Israel has designated the area from the Litani up to the Zahrani River a combat zone. Some residents have already left the area due to the intense strikes in recent days, but people remain in many of the area’s towns.Hezbollah overnight claimed two attacks targeting Israeli troops and a Merkava tank in the southwestern town of Bayada near the border. In recent days, the group has said it has clashed with Israeli troops in several towns just north of the river near Nabatiyeh and the castle.The Lebanese Health Ministry said the death toll in the country since March was 3,371, including civilians and combatants. The Israeli army announced Sunday that one of its soldiers had been killed the previous day by a Hezbollah explosive drone in southern Lebanon, bringing to 25 the number of Israeli military deaths since early March.US president Donald Trump said he had secured guarantees from Iran that it would not develop nuclear weapons, as reports emerged he had sent a tougher peace proposal back to Tehran. Trump has said his priorities for any deal include stopping Iran from any nuclear weapon development and re-opening the blockaded strait of Hormuz.Benjamin Netanyahu said he has given orders to the Israeli army to seize control of 70% of the Gaza Strip in a move that threatens to torpedo an already fragile ceasefire and create catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the already devastated territory. Continue reading...

State-sponsored march through Muslim quarter of Old City saw protesters waving flags and chanting ‘Death to Arabs’ on anniversary of city’s annexationIsraeli nationalist demonstrators chanted “Death to the Arabs”, “May your villages burn” and “Gaza is a graveyard” in a state-sponsored march through Jerusalem to mark the anniversary of the city’s capture and annexation.The annual assertion of Jewish control over Palestinian east Jerusalem has grown more extreme in recent years, and Thursday’s event culminated with the national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, unfurling an Israeli flag in front of the al-Aqsa mosque, the holiest Islamic site in the city. Continue reading...

• Ukrainian military forces captured an Indian man fighting as a combatant for Russian forces during ongoing conflict operations. • The capture highlights the international dimension of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with foreign nationals recruited to fight for Russian military interests. • The incident raises questions about recruitment practices and international volunteer involvement in the prolonged conflict.

• Asia-focused ETFs representing Japan, China, South Korea, and Taiwan are outperforming in 2026, driven by a structural re-rating of Asian growth prospects as global investors seek alternatives to high-valuation U.S. mega-cap technology stocks. • Semiconductor and hardware infrastructure sectors are the primary beneficiaries of ongoing global AI expansion, with integrated supply chains across Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea attracting significant catch-up trades from international investors. • A broader stabilization in the U.S. dollar is acting as a tailwind for developed and emerging Asian equities, reducing the cost of dollar-denominated debt for regional corporations and improving competitive positioning.

• Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) achieved a historic win in West Bengal after decades of efforts, secured a third victory in Assam, and made gains in Kerala during 2026 state assembly elections. • With allies, BJP retained Puducherry union territory. • In Tamil Nadu, actor Vijay's TVK party disrupted the long-standing DMK-AIADMK duopoly.

• India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in power since 2014, has captured independent institutions like the Election Commission, judiciary, and media, leading to democratic backsliding into a hybrid regime. • After winning 240 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections—short of the 272 majority—Prime Minister Narendra Modi rapidly passed a citizenship law targeting Muslims as a key poll promise amid strong partisan support. • Legislative capture has weakened checks and balances, turning parliament into a rubber stamp through censorship, intimidation, and power centralization.

Owner of Japan nightclub says ‘This is a response to a year of insults directed at us – as a country – by the United States’A Mexico City nightclub has gone viral for charging Americans a nearly $300 cover charge, while citizens from any other country pay just $20 for access, and Mexicans and other Latin Americans pay only $14.The Instagram announcement from the nightclub Japan in the Roma Norte neighborhood has been liked over 26,000 times and received more than 200 comments, mostly supporting the policy as part of a broader revolt in the capital against what many see as a US takeover. Continue reading...

Leader mentions for first time lengths to which troops go to avoid falling into enemy hands while fighting for RussiaKim Jong-un has praised North Korean soldiers who blew themselves up with grenades in order to avoid capture while fighting Ukrainian forces in Russia’s western Kursk region, confirming the existence of the extreme battlefield policy.Mounting evidence, including from intelligence reports and testimonies of defectors, has indicated North Korean soldiers are explicitly told to resort to self-detonation or other forms of suicide to avoid falling into enemy hands. Continue reading...