Countries

• Italy has temporarily suspended the Schengen border-free arrangement with Spain following "shocking" scenes of migrant crossings in Ceuta. • The move received support from Finland and Denmark, while Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš went further by urging a temporary suspension of Spain's overall Schengen membership. • Spain has criticized the response of these EU nations, labeling their actions as "selfish" amid the migration crisis.

• Italy has temporarily suspended the Schengen border-free arrangement with Spain following a surge of migrant crossings in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. • Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the scenes in Ceuta as "shocking," prompting Finland and Denmark to support Italy's decision. • Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has gone further, urging a temporary suspension of Spain's overall membership in the Schengen area.

• Eurozone inflation rose to 2.9% in July, though price pressures varied significantly across different member states. • The Netherlands saw the sharpest monthly increase at 1.5%, followed by Germany (+0.9%) and France (+0.6%), while Greece (-1.4%) and Italy (-1.0%) experienced the steepest price drops. • These divergent trends highlight the uneven economic recovery and varying cost-of-living pressures within the currency bloc.

• Eurozone inflation rose to 2.9% in July, though price pressures varied significantly across different member states. • The Netherlands experienced the sharpest monthly increase at 1.5%, followed by Germany at 0.9% and France at 0.6%. • Conversely, Greece saw the most significant price drop at -1.4%, with Italy and Latvia also recording declines of -1.0% and -0.7% respectively.

• The U.S. and Saudi Arabia conducted joint airstrikes targeting Iranian-backed proxy groups located in Iraq. • In retaliation, Iran launched attacks against various sites within Jordan, expanding the geographic scope of the conflict. • These escalations signal a dangerous widening of regional hostilities, dragging more Middle Eastern nations into the direct fighting.

• Africa is home to 9 of the 10 poorest countries in the world as of 2026, facing a combination of compounding systemic issues. • These nations are struggling with severe climate conditions, widespread corruption, and ongoing civil wars fueled by ethnic and sectarian strife. • Economic instability has been further exacerbated by soaring inflation, deepening the poverty crisis for millions of residents.

• Merck is establishing voluntary licensing agreements to enable the wide-scale production of its experimental HIV prevention pill in lower-income countries. • The company is pursuing these partnerships while the drug is still undergoing two late-stage clinical trials to accelerate future availability. • This strategy aims to ensure that the medication can be manufactured and distributed rapidly once it receives regulatory approval.

• The United States has implemented a new wave of tariffs targeting dozens of countries, citing concerns over forced labor. • These levies replace a temporary global duty that was established after the US Supreme Court struck down previous tariffs in February. • Economic security expert Wendy Cutler of the Asia Society Policy Institute warns that the move will likely increase costs for businesses and consumers.

Syngenta says it will stop selling paraquat in Australia after new regulations on chemical linked to Parkinson’s diseaseGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSyngenta, the producer of a herbicide banned in more than 70 countries and which has been linked to Parkinson’s disease, will stop selling paraquat in Australia, saying new regulations has made it “commercially unviable”.The decision to pull the product follows new restrictions on the highly poisonous chemical announced by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority in June. Continue reading...

Tariffs ranging from 10%-12.5%, taking effect on Friday, are US president’s latest effort to circumvent CongressJust before a temporary levy on global imports was set to expire, the Trump administration issued a fresh wave of tariffs on more than 80 countries late on Thursday, ranging from 10% to 12.5%. The new tariffs take effect Friday morning.It’s Donald Trump’s latest effort to continue imposing global levies without congressional approval, despite the supreme court ruling in February that found the US president had illegally used his executive power to implement his global trade policies. Trump has long maintained that the US has been paying more than its fair share in tariffs, and that increased duties are necessary to boost American manufacturing and jobs. Continue reading...

• Approximately 50,000 people from over 100 countries gathered in Britain for the 60th convention of the nation's largest Muslim organization. • The event focused on calling world leaders to prioritize justice and peace over the strategic interests of powerful states to prevent a devastating global war. • Discussions centered on urgent international crises, specifically highlighting the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.

• Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Ottawa is ready to intensify trade negotiations with the United States following President Donald Trump's order for fresh tariffs. • Canada has already submitted proposals aimed at resolving the dispute before tariffs are imposed on a wide range of goods. • The situation highlights escalating trade tensions between the two North American neighbors as the U.S. administration seeks to implement more aggressive protectionist measures.

• The United States, China, and Singapore have emerged as the global leaders in AI technology for 2026, excelling in research, enterprise application, and governance. • Other top-performing nations in the new rankings include the UK, Germany, Israel, and South Korea. • Within the European Union, Denmark leads with a 42% enterprise AI adoption rate, followed by Finland (37.8%) and Sweden (35%), significantly outpacing the EU27 average of 20%.

Critics say Foreign Office figures send ‘global message about the role the country wants to play on international stage’Labour’s foreign aid cuts mean reductions of as much as 90% in the bilateral support the UK will give to some African countries, Foreign Office figures show.The department’s annual report includes a long-awaited breakdown of how the reduction in the aid budget will affect individual countries for the next three years. Continue reading...

• The World Bank recently upgraded the income status of four Asian countries, including Vietnam and the Philippines, while India remains categorized in the lower-middle-income group. • Despite being the world's fastest-growing major economy, India has failed to move up, highlighting a disconnect between its aggregate GDP growth and the actual rise in per capita income. • This disparity underscores a critical economic challenge for India: ensuring that national wealth translates into higher individual living standards across its vast population.

• The article examines how the network of energy pipelines has reshaped modern geopolitics in the Caucasus, specifically impacting Armenia. • It argues that for smaller nations like Armenia, geopolitical interests of more powerful states often outweigh moral principles and human rights. • The piece highlights the tension between the security of the Armenian people and the strategic energy interests of larger global powers.

Global views appear to have flipped in Beijing’s favour, driven in part by tensions between the Trump administration and US allies, a new Pew survey showsThe world has largely viewed the US more favourably than China for years, but those opinions have flipped in Beijing’s favour this year, according to a new poll from the Pew Research Center, a remarkable shift driven in part by tensions between the Trump administration and US allies.More people have favourable views of China than the US in 25 out of the 36 countries and territories that were surveyed, including Canada and Mexico. The poll was conducted from February to May, a period when the United States and Israel were engaged in a war against Iran. Continue reading...

• The European Union is preparing to implement a comprehensive ban on social media usage for children across all member states. • This move follows similar regulatory actions or proposals already established in other major global markets, including Australia, Britain, China, India, and the United States. • The initiative reflects a growing international effort to protect minors from the potential psychological and social harms associated with social media platforms.

• UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has joined French President Emmanuel Macron and leaders from eight other nations, including Ukraine, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden, to form an integrated air defence coalition. • The alliance focuses on establishing a comprehensive anti-ballistic missile architecture designed to deter and defeat future missile threats through collective technological and industrial cooperation. • This partnership matters as it signals a unified European effort to enhance regional security and strengthen the continent's defensive capabilities against sophisticated missile attacks.

• Iran has launched attacks against several Gulf countries, including Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and the UAE, following new military strikes by the United States. • In a significant escalation of the Middle East crisis, Tehran has announced its intention to close the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. • Separately, the sudden death of South Carolina Senator Graham, who has served in the Senate since 2003, is expected to cause major political shockwaves in Washington.

• Gulf nations are currently navigating a "grey zone" between war and peace, where traditional crisis management is no longer sufficient to ensure stability. • National security is now inextricably linked to development, with financial centers, energy projects, and global ports serving as critical pillars of power. • The region is shifting away from viewing deterrence and diplomacy as opposing choices, instead integrating both into a unified security strategy.

Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the UAE reportedly came under attack as Tehran says it is closing Strait of HormuzIndia’s foreign ministry has condemned an attack on the commercial vessel – GFS Galaxy – off the coast of Oman earlier today.It said 10 of the 11 Indian nationals on board have been rescued, while one remains missing.The continuing incidents of attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply worrisome. We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions, and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region. The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region, in keeping with international law, must be restored at the earliest.We have taken control of the strait of Hormuz with power, and we will preserve it with power as well. Continue reading...

Unesco report shows children lost out to servicing debt in 113 countries, with 18 spending five times more on loansMost developing countries spent less on education than they did repaying debt last year, according to the UN, at the same time as global aid to education is predicted to decline by up to 30%.More was spent on servicing foreign debt than on education in 113 developing countries in 2025, according to research by the UN’s culture and education agency, Unesco. In sub-Saharan Africa, countries spent 3.6 times more on debt than education. Continue reading...

Estonia, Luxembourg and UK are the top three in biennial Yale University index in tackling pollution and other issuesMuch of the world has made encouraging strides in reducing toxic problems such as water and air pollution that have long plagued communities. But there is still a widespread lack of progress among countries in dealing with the climate crisis, according to the latest edition of an influential environmental scorecard.The biennial Yale University index again ranks Estonia as the best-performing of 177 assessed countries, after strong recent efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and protect its ecosystems. Luxembourg is second, and the UK is third, having moved up from fifth place in the 2024 index. Continue reading...

• SBS drama "Manager Kim," starring So Ji-sub, has achieved rapid success both in South Korea and globally. • The series surpassed the 20% viewership mark within four episodes, reaching national ratings of 21.6% and a peak instantaneous rating of 25.1%. • Internationally, the show ranked number one in 20 countries as of July 4, according to FlixPatrol data, maintaining top-two positions across major Asian markets including Japan and Vietnam.

Kyiv offers expertise on how to develop radar systems and ground stations as it turns from buyer to security providerUkraine hopes to sign major defence deals with at least seven Nato countries by the end of the year, according to a top official, highlighting a new aspect of Kyiv’s foreign policy intended to show it can be a provider as well as a recipient of military hardware and expertise.Kyiv has signed “drone deals” with six countries in recent months. Three are Middle Eastern states, who became eager for Ukrainian support after being targeted with Iranian long-range Shahed drones after the US-Israeli war on Iran began in spring. These are the same weapons that have targeted Ukrainian cities relentlessly over the past four years. Azerbaijan has also signed an agreement with Kyiv, as well as the Nato members Latvia and Lithuania. Continue reading...

• Eight of the world's ten most populous nations consistently fail to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, highlighting a significant gap between population size and footballing success. • While Russia and Nigeria have appeared in multiple tournaments, China and Indonesia have each qualified only once in the event's history. • This disparity underscores the challenge these nations face in developing competitive national teams despite having massive talent pools.

• Investors are increasingly prioritizing political stability and capital protection over high-growth returns due to global geopolitical tensions and persistent inflation. • Singapore has emerged as the only non-European nation to rank in the top 10 safest countries for investors heading into 2026. • This shift highlights Singapore's enduring reputation as one of Asia's most stable and secure financial hubs during periods of economic uncertainty.