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Lily Hooper has not been seen since leaving for a hike in Nattai national park, south-west of Sydney, on 12 AugustGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe family of missing 18-year-old bushwalker Lily Hooper say they are “absolutely devastated” that she has not been found after a multi-agency search.On Tuesday, search efforts for the teenager continued through the dense tree canopy and rugged terrain of Nattai national park, about 90km south-west of Sydney, for a seventh day. Continue reading...

Chuck Schumer and other senators took part in exercises in which legal experts laid out election disruption scenariosIn a Washington DC conference room last month, some of the most senior Democrats in the US Senate gathered to plan for a prospect that only recently would have felt more attune to science fiction: they started to wargame democracy.Chuck Schumer, the US Senate minority leader, and senators including Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff, Mark Warner, Elissa Slotkin and Raphael Warnock were among those in the room as a team of legal experts offered scenarios. Continue reading...

• The Voting Rights Act marks its 61st anniversary amid ongoing legal and legislative battles over ballot access and voter protections. • Advocates warn that recent court rulings and new state laws are actively weakening protections specifically designed for Black voters. • Despite these challenges, election advocates report a surge in Black voter participation across several Southern primaries.

Zelenskyy says military managed to hit two refineries in targeted attacks At least six people were killed and 36 injured in another round of Russian overnight attacks on Ukraine, targeting the eastern city of Balakliia and the northern region of Sumy.But the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, noted that Ukraine’s military managed to hit two Russian refineries in targeted attacks, hitting “Russia’s oil revenues, which it uses to finance the war and the killing of Ukrainians.” Continue reading...

Wheat is half normal height, while England is seeing earliest ever harvest as farmers battle to salvage what they can of their cropsBritain could face shortages of certain foods after parts of England faced a punishing drought, the president of the National Farmers’ Union has warned.Farms across the country faced floods over the winter, making planting extremely difficult, and now they do not have access to water in many parts of England as irrigation is being restricted due to drought. Continue reading...

• Indian shuttler HS Prannoy and youngster Anmol Kharb were eliminated from the Taipei Open 2026, with seventh seed Prannoy falling in straight games (9-21, 19-21) to Hong Kong's Jason Gunawan. • In contrast, Indian women's singles players Tanvi and Devika advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating opponents from Indonesia. • The tournament will feature an all-Indian quarterfinal between Unnati and Devika, guaranteeing India at least one spot in the women's singles semifinals.

• The Lok Sabha is continuing its debate on the Anti-Paper Leak Amendment Bill for a second consecutive day, following a nine-hour session of heated exchanges yesterday. • The proceedings are scheduled to resume today at 12:00 PM, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi expected to participate in the discussions. • This legislative effort aims to address systemic vulnerabilities regarding exam paper leaks, a critical issue affecting student security and academic integrity.

Drop comes after South Korean company SK Hynix’s results undershot investors’ expectationsBusiness live – latest updatesShares in companies linked to AI have plunged further after disappointing results from the South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix, sending the country’s stock market tumbling for the second day in a row.Seoul’s Kospi index, which is dominated by semiconductor manufacturers, slid by as much as 12.6% at one point on Wednesday, following on from a near 11% slump the previous day, reaching its lowest level since early April. Continue reading...

• Global futures markets declined as a significant sell-off in technology stocks continued, leading to a sharp downturn in semiconductor investments. • The South Korean Kospi index experienced a severe crash, plummeting 10% and triggering a trading halt to stabilize the market. • Analysts suggest the rout is a legitimate opportunity for investors to diversify their portfolios and lock in profits after previous gains.

• Nvidia, Microsoft, SpaceX, and Palantir, along with dozens of other U.S. and European tech firms, have launched the Open Secure AI Alliance. • The initiative aims to remediate and disclose security vulnerabilities using open technologies to strengthen the defense of AI systems. • The alliance was formed following a security incident at Hugging Face and ongoing fallout from a cyberattack on OpenAI, highlighting the urgent need for "frontier agentic systems" for self-defense.

Eighteen American troops have been killed and 624 wounded since White House launched war on Tehran. Plus, International Cowboy Day in KenyaGood morning. The US has paused strikes on Iran for a third night as top military officials advised Donald Trump to halt his bombing campaign, and diplomatic negotiations have continued to avoid a return to all-out war. Oil prices fell on Monday as markets responded to the pause in combat. Tehran said on Sunday it would pause what it called “retaliatory” attacks against US allies in the region.Trump is said to be weighing up diplomatic and military options in the nearly five-month-old conflict. Axios reported on Sunday that Adm Bradley Cooper, the top US military commander in the region, had told Trump the US military campaign had reached the limits of its effectiveness.How many US service personnel have been killed and injured in Trump’s Iran war? The Pentagon updated its official war casualty database over the weekend, adding more than 140 wounded service members. The new figures show that 18 US troops have been killed and 624 wounded since the US launched its war against Iran on 28 February.How has Katy Perry become embroiled in debate over the war? The pop star has condemned the White House after it used her hit song Firework in a TikTok video showing US military strikes on Iranian targets, saying: “I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it. I wrote this song to be an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength … my music is for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare.”What has the international court accused Netanyahu of? The court, based in The Hague in the Netherlands, issued a warrant accusing the Israeli prime minister of being “allegedly responsible for the war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare and of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts”. Continue reading...

• The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has discontinued dozens of active research awards after previously slowing the issuance of new grants last year. • Affected researchers, such as physician-scientist Nora Becker from the University of Michigan, have seen funding cut for critical studies, including research on the financial burdens faced by Covid-19 patients. • This sudden withdrawal of support forces scientists to spend significant time "frantically applying" for alternative funding to sustain their ongoing projects.

• Global economic trends show mixed signals, with US unemployment claims hitting a near 60-year low, indicating a highly stable labor market. • South Korea's economy experienced faster-than-expected growth, primarily fueled by a continuing boom in artificial intelligence chips. • Central bank policies diverged as the European Central Bank deferred rate hikes until September, while Russia and Hungary cut rates and Indonesia and South Africa held them steady.

• European blue-chip companies are seeing an improved earnings outlook, with LSEG I/B/E/S data from Wednesday indicating the potential for the best growth in several years. • The positive trend is largely driven by soaring profits within the energy sector, which are offsetting losses in other industries. • Market reactions were mixed on Thursday, with TotalEnergies and Repsol shares climbing following strong Q2 results, while STMicroelectronics fell after missing estimates.

• Protesters from the CJP continued their "cockroach" march from Jantar Mantar toward the Indian parliament following a violent police crackdown on Monday. • The clashes resulted in significant casualties, with at least 60 protesters and 118 police officers reported injured during the unrest. • The ongoing demonstrations highlight escalating tensions between activists and law enforcement over civil liberties and government policy in Delhi.

• The U.S. and Iran have resumed daily bombing campaigns in an effort to establish control over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. • Separately, Biden spokesperson T.J. Ducklo criticized a court ruling that threatens to make private conversations regarding the president's late son public. • The Biden administration argues that the decision to release these documents is an example of the Justice Department being weaponized for political retribution.

• Protesters from the CJP continued their "cockroach" march from Jantar Mantar toward the Indian parliament following a violent police crackdown on Monday. • The clashes resulted in significant casualties, with at least 60 protesters and 118 police officers reported injured. • The demonstration highlights ongoing tensions and civil unrest as activists challenge government policies through persistent public protests.

• Fifty years after the NASA Viking 1 lander touched down on Mars, scientists continue to debate whether the mission discovered evidence of extraterrestrial life. • A recent analysis suggests that Viking 1 likely found autotrophic microbial life, estimating a density of approximately 1,000 cells per gram of soil. • The debate persists because the original results were ambiguous, leaving the scientific community divided on whether the findings were biological or chemical in nature.

• The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) organized a 'Sansad Chalo' march in New Delhi on Monday, which escalated into confrontations between protesters and police. • Security forces deployed tear gas and baton charges to prevent demonstrators from breaching barricades on their way to Parliament. • Following the unrest, CJP leadership met with BJP President J.P. Nadda, with the party claiming they successfully forced the government to listen to their demands.

The US has launched a ninth night of strikes targeting Iran. Plus, the glorious art deco LA library celebrates 100 yearsGood morning. The US launched a ninth night of strikes targeting Iran early Monday, after announcing the death of another American service member – the third in recent days. Donald Trump said the new attacks were “in honor” of the dead. Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned in a statement of “unforgettable lessons” if the US kept attacking.Trump has threatened to target Iran’s power stations and bridges to try to compel Tehran to loosen its hold on the strait of Hormuz. Last week the US reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. The military on Saturday said it had redirected six ships and disabled one since then. Oil prices rose at the opening of trading in Asia on Monday, with the price of Brent crude climbing 2.72% to $90.50 a barrel.Where have US service personnel been killed? The service member was killed on Saturday in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of what was called unexploded ordnance on a downed Iranian attack drone. It was the third US death in recent days, after two military service personnel were killed in an Iranian attack on a Jordanian airbase on Friday, with a third missing in action. Since the war began, 17 US service members have been killed.What is the US mission against Iran? The war was started in February when the former Iranian supreme leader was killed in joint US-Israeli strikes. Trump has indicated several motives for the war, including preventing Tehran from gaining nuclear weapons and trying to force regime change. On Sunday, the US energy secretary, Chris Wright, argued the mission has shifted toward ensuring oil shipments can move through Hormuz, after the US-Iran ceasefire has faltered.What did Mamdani say? “I believe that Netanyahu belongs in The Hague. He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the ICC, and what you will find is that is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these past many years. Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that’s what we will do.”What is Netanyahu accused of by the ICC? The warrant which the ICC issued for the arrest of Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders accused them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, including “starvation as a method of warfare, and … murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts”. Continue reading...

• Iran has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, vowing that "not a single drop" of oil will pass if U.S. "aggression" continues. • In a separate internal development, Iran's judiciary executed two men convicted of killing four police officers during protests earlier this year. • These escalations occur as the conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran expands, potentially turning the Gulf region into a primary front of confrontation.

Rain could alleviate conditions in mid-Atlantic and north-east, with World Cup final expected to go ahead on SundayWarnings of dangerous conditions are expected to remain in place on Saturday across swathes of the US, amid uncertainty about where the heavy wildfire smoke swirling from the Canadian province of Ontario and the US state of Minnesota will head next.Some parts of the US mid-Atlantic and north-east regions will continue to endure poor air quality until Saturday afternoon, where there is a high chance of thunderstorms, which could bring some reprieve from the poor air but come with other risks like flash flooding and high winds. Meanwhile, parts of the midwest and Great Lakes regions will continue to see dangerous air quality. Continue reading...

One person dead after pontoon boat involved in memorial service capsized in San Francisco Bay on TuesdayRescuers were still searching for three missing people on Wednesday after a boat involved in a memorial service sank in the cold, fast-moving waters of San Francisco Bay near Alcatraz Island, authorities said.At least one person died and 16 people were rescued after the boat capsized on Tuesday afternoon in what witnesses described as “rough seas”, San Francisco fire chief Dean Crispen said at a news conference. Continue reading...

Beneath the ​drone strikes and ​talk of ceasefires lies a battle over history that is testing ​Kyiv’s chances for an end to the conflict• Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereI’ve just come back from a trip to Kyiv, where after more than four years of war, it can feel like the political and diplomatic news agenda has become cyclical: a suggestion that some kind of peace deal could be around the corner, followed by the swift intervention of reality that the Kremlin has no interest in abandoning its maximalist goals, and we all go back to the drawing board.We are now in a period where Russia has again stepped up its air attacks on the Ukrainian capital. Frequent mass drone and missile attacks keep Kyiv residents awake, and some even get through to the city centre, whereas in the past Ukrainian air defences were usually able to repel them. Nights can be noisy and scary: one attack while I was there killed 27 people. Thousands head into the metro to get some sleep. Continue reading...

• The fourth Shusha Global Media Forum continued on July 14, gathering approximately 160 media professionals, experts, and government officials from 53 different countries. • Participants focused on the evolving role of journalism in restoring truth, rebuilding public trust, and promoting peace within the region. • Official Hajiyev warned that revanchist narratives and disinformation persist in some Armenian media, emphasizing the urgent need for journalists to reject hate speech.

• Indian companies are shifting capital away from physical assets like factories and machinery toward financial investments, inorganic growth, and overseas expansions. • This trend is driven by weak domestic demand, existing spare capacity, and global economic uncertainty, which have stalled the next private capital expenditure (capex) cycle. • Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at Bank of Baroda, notes that these financial assets include strategic mergers, acquisitions, and investments in subsidiaries to expand global footprints.

Staff decline to give updates on senator’s health and whether he will be at Capitol when Senate returnsStaff for Mitch McConnell said last week that the Kentucky senator was “continuing his recovery” in a hospital while the Senate is out of session. But his office has released no details about the former Republican leader’s condition during his weeks-long hospitalization or whether he will be at the Capitol when the Senate returns next week.McConnell was admitted to the hospital on 14 June, according to a statement from his office that only said he was “receiving excellent care”. A statement a week later said that he would not be voting that week. And on Thursday, a new statement said that he “continues to improve” and ”appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital”. Continue reading...

• Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, opened higher on July 6, 2026, following positive momentum across most Asian markets. • Key regional gains included Indonesia’s Jakarta Composite rising 2.28%, Malaysia’s KLCI gaining 1.31%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng increasing by 0.90%, though Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.95%. • Global oil prices experienced a dip as the market reacted to ongoing mourning periods in Iran.