Tribune

• The military confrontation between the United States and Iran escalated on Tuesday as U.S. forces conducted their third consecutive night of strikes against Iranian targets. • In retaliation, Tehran claimed to have launched missile and drone attacks targeting U.S.-linked military facilities located in Bahrain and Jordan. • This cycle of aggression significantly increases the risk of a wider regional conflict, threatening stability across the Middle East.

• The United States and Iran experienced a significant escalation in conflict on Monday following a new wave of U.S. strikes against Iranian targets. • In response, Tehran launched retaliatory attacks targeting American-linked military facilities located across several Gulf countries. • The confrontation centers on the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical global maritime chokepoint for oil shipments.

• The Indian stock market experienced a sharp decline at the start of the week, with the Sensex falling 670 points and the Nifty slipping. • The downturn was triggered by escalating geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran, which led to a spike in global crude oil prices. • This trend mirrored severe losses across Asian markets, including Japan's Nikkei 225, which dropped 1,237.73 points, and South Korea's KOSPI, which fell 7.25%.

• South Korea's Supreme Court has upheld a seven-year prison sentence for former president Yoon Suk-yeol. • The ruling stems from Yoon's efforts to obstruct authorities during attempts to arrest him following his short-lived imposition of martial law in 2024. • This decision reinforces the legal accountability of high-ranking officials and addresses the constitutional crisis triggered by the illegal martial law decree.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared the end of the hantavirus outbreak that was linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius. • While the hantavirus threat has subsided, the WHO issued a critical warning regarding an escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). • The situation in the DRC is deteriorating rapidly, with health officials reporting nearly 40 new Ebola infections occurring on a daily basis.

• Indian stock markets climbed during early trade, driven primarily by significant inflows from foreign funds. • Major gainers included tech and consumer giants such as Titan, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, and Tata Consultancy Services, while Larsen & Toubro saw declines. • This positive domestic momentum contrasts with a sharp downturn in Asian markets, where South Korea’s Kospi plummeted 7% and indices in Japan, Shanghai, and Hong Kong also traded lower.

• InfoComm Asia 2026, a leading exhibition and summit for Professional Audiovisual (Pro AV) and integrated experience technologies, will be held from July 15-17, 2026. • The event will take place at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand. • The summit is supported by a broad coalition of government and industry bodies, including Thailand's National Innovation Agency (NIA), DEPA, and the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).

• Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, met with the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in Doha. • The two officials discussed the current state of bilateral relations and explored strategies to further support and develop diplomatic ties between the two nations. • The meeting focused on the latest developments within Syria and addressed several other issues of common interest to both countries.