At least 15 Indian tourists were killed when a tourist boat capsized near Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island on Saturday. Local authorities confirmed that the victims included 13 men and two women, and rescue operations were still ongoing. The boat had 36 people on board, including 32 Indian tourists, three crew members, and one assistant. The vessel overturned shortly after departing from Hon May Rut Ngoai Island for An Thoi port due to rough seas and strong winds.

State media reported that 21 people had been rescued and hospitalized, with two in critical condition. The Indian Embassy in Vietnam said it was coordinating with local authorities to gather information and assist in rescue efforts. The Indian ambassador and embassy officials were traveling to Phu Quoc to provide consular support to affected citizens.

Indian mobile phone manufacturer Lava Mobiles confirmed that some of its employees and channel partners were among the passengers. The company stated it was in constant contact with the Indian Embassy and local administration to support victims’ families. The Indian mission also opened two control rooms in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi for assistance.

Iran has reopened a rail bridge in Golestan province’s Aqqala County less than 24 hours after it was damaged by a United States strike. Authorities said the bridge’s restoration has allowed train operations to return to normal. The bridge is part of the Gorgan–Incheh Borun railway, which connects northern Iran with Turkmenistan and the wider Central Asian rail network.

According to Iran’s state radio and television news agency, Golestan Governor Ali-Asghar Tahmasbi described the rapid reopening as a practical response to enemy threats and actions. Earlier, Iranian state media reported that the US attack occurred early Wednesday near Aqqala, damaging a section of the railway.

The Gorgan–Incheh Borun line forms a key segment of the China–Turkmenistan–Iran rail corridor, an important route linking Iran to Central Asia. The swift restoration underscores Iran’s effort to maintain regional connectivity despite external attacks.

On June 17, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a preliminary agreement with Iran at France’s Palace of Versailles, aiming to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for shipping and allow Iran to resume oil sales. The deal was intended to ease years of sanctions and encourage peaceful relations. However, within a month, three ships were attacked near the strait, prompting Trump to revoke Iran’s oil export permission and order airstrikes on more than 170 Iranian military sites. No new talks have been scheduled since.

Both Trump’s military and diplomatic strategies have failed, returning the United States to sanctions and strikes. Vice President J.D. Vance warned of harsher responses to future attacks, while experts questioned the effectiveness of repeating past measures. Former diplomat Richard Haass said no clear strategy is visible as both sides escalate attacks on energy facilities.

The situation is further complicated by Iran’s internal turmoil following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and public anger toward government officials. Disputes over Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz remain unresolved, leaving future negotiations uncertain.

The United States has asked Iran to make a public commitment to stop attacks on commercial ships and to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Washington intends to raise this demand in talks scheduled to begin Saturday in Oman. US media, citing unnamed officials, reported that Tehran privately admitted to President Donald Trump’s advisers that the recent ship shooting was a mistake, blaming an uncontrolled internal faction for the incident.

According to senior US officials quoted by CBS News and Reuters, Washington wants Iran to publicly acknowledge the attack as an error and to declare the waterway open for safe navigation. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s adviser Jared Kushner are expected to lead the US delegation. A Qatari delegation also visited Tehran on Friday to help ease tensions and facilitate dialogue.

The Oman talks follow a June ceasefire agreement and a 14-point memorandum aimed at expanding the truce and defining future maritime administration of the strait in coordination with Oman and other Gulf states.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi arrived in Muscat on Saturday to meet with Oman's foreign minister as part of ongoing discussions on managing navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The two countries have been holding talks for the past two months on arrangements for vessel movement through the strategic waterway.

Iranian officials have repeatedly stated that Tehran holds sovereign rights over the management of the Strait of Hormuz to ensure its safety and security. According to Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, the ministers are expected to discuss strategies to guarantee the safe passage of ships through the strait.

Araghchi’s visit comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts following recent reciprocal attacks between the United States and Iran, signaling attempts to stabilize regional tensions through dialogue.

The United Nations has reported that the rate of Palestinian displacement in the occupied West Bank has doubled due to a sharp rise in demolitions of homes and structures by Israeli authorities. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 67 Palestinians were newly displaced this month after 24 structures were demolished by Israeli forces.

OCHA stated that the demolitions were carried out on the grounds of lacking building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain from Israeli authorities. The UN agency also reported that more than 3,200 Palestinians have been displaced this year due to settler violence and demolitions linked to permit issues. On average, 17 Palestinians are being displaced daily, double the rate recorded over the past three years.

The data, cited from Al Jazeera, underscores a worsening humanitarian situation in the occupied West Bank, with displacement trends showing no sign of slowing.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on Saturday for discussions focused on bilateral relations and the current regional situation. According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, senior Omani officials welcomed him upon arrival. Although the detailed schedule of the visit has not been released, IRNA reported that the tense situation in the Strait of Hormuz is expected to be one of the main topics of discussion.

The visit comes amid renewed tensions between Iran and the United States following recent attacks on three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which both sides have blamed on each other. In response to a U.S. strike last Thursday, Tehran launched missile and drone attacks targeting American military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Jordan. These developments follow a memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June, brokered by Pakistan, aimed at reducing military conflict and establishing a lasting peace agreement between Iran and the United States.

Araghchi’s trip to Oman takes place against this backdrop of escalating hostilities, suggesting diplomatic efforts may be underway to ease the crisis.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called on Iran and the United States to adhere to their previously announced commitments and the memorandum of understanding signed between them. The appeal came during a recent phone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, where Sharif expressed deep concern over escalating tensions in the Middle East.

During the discussion, Sharif emphasized the urgent need to restore regional peace and stability, stressing that both Washington and Tehran must uphold the pledges made in last month’s memorandum. According to the report, Pakistan has long served as a key mediator in behind-the-scenes diplomacy between the two nations.

Islamabad has urged both sides to exercise restraint to maintain peace in the current volatile situation, reflecting Pakistan’s continued role in promoting dialogue and stability in the region.

A United States military delegation has arrived in Beirut to assist in implementing a framework agreement aimed at ending the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The delegation, sent by the US Central Command (CENTCOM), reached Lebanon on Friday, according to a report by the Financial Times.

The visit comes ahead of technical-level discussions scheduled next week in Rome between Lebanese and Israeli representatives. Lebanese officials told the Financial Times that the talks will focus on executing the US-brokered framework signed on June 26, which includes a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory. The Anadolu news agency reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed CENTCOM is coordinating closely with both countries.

The deployment underscores Washington’s active role in facilitating the ceasefire process and ensuring compliance with the recently signed agreement.

The United Arab Emirates is reportedly constructing a military base in Somaliland, an internationally unrecognized region in the Horn of Africa. According to a report by the French newspaper Le Monde, the UAE is converting the Berbera airport, located near one of the world’s most strategic maritime routes, into a military installation. The report claims the project is intended to serve the interests of Abu Dhabi, Tel Aviv, and Washington.

Somaliland, with its capital in Hargeisa, lies along the Gulf of Aden and has an 800-kilometer coastline near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key global trade and energy supply route between Asia and Europe. Since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, the region has drawn attention from regional and international powers. Despite opposition from Arab and Muslim countries, Israel has recognized Somaliland as an independent entity.

Le Monde further reported that military cooperation between Israel and Somaliland is expanding, with regular visits by military and intelligence officials, training of Somaliland officers in Tel Aviv, and frequent inspections by Israeli teams at the Berbera base.

US President Donald Trump stated that 1,000 missiles are aimed at Iran and ready for deployment. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump warned that thousands more missiles would be launched if Iran attempted to assassinate him. He declared that the US military had already received orders and was prepared, willing, and capable of completely destroying Iran if such an attack occurred.

Trump’s comments followed an interview with the New York Post, where he claimed that Iran had long sought to kill him. His latest warning, sourced from Al Jazeera, underscores escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, with Trump framing the threat as a direct response to alleged Iranian plots.

The remarks signal a sharp rhetorical escalation in US-Iran relations, though no immediate military action was reported in the source. The situation remains tense as both sides exchange warnings over potential acts of aggression.

New satellite images analyzed by CNN and the Institute for Science and International Security indicate that Iran is rebuilding parts of its suspected nuclear facilities. The images show reconstruction efforts at the Parchin site, which was damaged earlier this year by joint US-Israeli airstrikes. The activity appears to have taken place in June and July, shortly after Iran signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding with the United States pledging not to develop nuclear weapons.

Analysts cited in the report say the reconstruction could violate the terms of the June agreement, which aimed to end hostilities and ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The memorandum also included commitments by Tehran to refrain from nuclear weapons development and to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency on uranium down-blending. Despite the new findings, the report notes that Iran’s main nuclear sites at Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz remain untouched.

The satellite data also show Iran repairing some of its missile storage bases, raising renewed concerns in Washington and among its allies about Tehran’s broader military capabilities.

Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24, killing 4,118 people and injuring 16,740, according to official figures. Thousands remain homeless as 856 buildings were damaged, including 190 that completely collapsed. Rescue teams have so far pulled 6,462 people from the rubble, and 89 temporary shelters have been opened for displaced residents.

National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said that 86,794 families have received assistance. The United Nations has appealed for about 300 million US dollars in emergency funds to support relief efforts for those affected by the disaster.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez has urged the release of Venezuelan assets frozen abroad so that the funds can be used for reconstruction and recovery work.

Israeli authorities have imposed a one-week ban on Jerusalem’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, preventing him from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. According to the Jerusalem Governorate, he was detained by Israeli forces on Friday after leading the weekly sermon and prayers at the mosque in occupied East Jerusalem. He was later released under the condition that he not enter the mosque area for seven days.

The governorate’s statement noted that Israeli forces detained the Grand Mufti immediately after the Friday prayers. Israeli police did not issue any immediate comment on the matter. The report added that such restrictions on Al-Aqsa preachers have been frequent in recent years.

The move comes amid heightened Israeli activity around the holy site. The Palestinian Ministry of Waqf and Religious Affairs reported that Israeli forces entered the Al-Aqsa compound 26 times in June, with 4,212 Israeli settlers entering under military protection through the Mughrabi Gate.

Cuba experienced a nationwide power outage on Friday afternoon, marking the second such incident in less than a week. The state-run electricity company Unión Eléctrica de Cuba confirmed that electricity supply had been cut off across the country but did not provide an official explanation for the disruption. A similar blackout occurred earlier in the week on Monday, and this latest incident is the fourth nationwide outage reported this year.

The report attributes the worsening situation to an energy blockade linked to policies under former U.S. President Donald Trump. Cuba’s aging power infrastructure, much of which was built between the 1960s and 1980s during the Cold War, has long been vulnerable to breakdowns. The country has been under a U.S. trade embargo since the 1960s, which has further limited access to modern equipment and maintenance resources.

The repeated blackouts highlight the fragility of Cuba’s energy system and the growing impact of external restrictions on its already strained economy.