Global crude oil prices rose sharply on Monday as military tensions between the United States and Iran intensified. According to Al Jazeera, crude prices climbed more than 3 percent after disruptions in energy transport through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. The escalation followed US airstrikes on Iranian targets for the ninth consecutive night after two American soldiers were killed in an Iranian attack. In response, Tehran suspended its interim peace agreement commitments and effectively halted shipping through the strait.

Brent crude rose by $2.75, or 3.12 percent, to $90.85 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude increased by $2.56, or 3.10 percent, to $85.50 per barrel. Around 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, and the disruption has raised fears of a major supply shortage.

Analysts cited uncertainty in energy supply and rising maritime insurance costs as factors that could sustain volatility in the oil market in the coming days.

Spain became world champions after defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0 in a dramatic final held at the New York–New Jersey Stadium on July 20, 2026. The match remained goalless through regular time, with both teams creating chances but failing to score. Argentina’s Enzo Fernández was sent off in stoppage time after receiving a second yellow card, leaving his team with ten men. In extra time, Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute to secure Spain’s victory.

The win marked Spain’s second World Cup title, their first since 2010, ending a 16-year wait. Argentina, led by coach Lionel Scaloni, fell short of winning back-to-back titles, leaving players and fans in tears. Spain’s dominance in attack and control of the match proved decisive against the South American powerhouse.

Nineteen-year-old Lamine Yamal celebrated his first World Cup triumph, having previously won the 2024 European Championship. Spain’s Rodri earned the Golden Ball award, while goalkeeper Unai Simón received the Golden Glove for his performances throughout the tournament.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is reaching its conclusion with Spain and Argentina facing off in the final match at New York’s MetLife Stadium. Before the decisive game, FIFA has planned what it calls the most star-studded and expensive closing ceremony in World Cup history. The event will begin 90 minutes before kickoff, featuring American pop icon Post Malone as the main attraction and Hollywood megastar Tom Cruise in a special performance blending football and cinema. The ceremony will open with the U.S. national anthem sung by Oscar-winning artist Jennifer Hudson, followed by performances from Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini, and influencer IShowSpeed.

For the first time in World Cup history, a halftime show modeled after the American Super Bowl will be introduced. Curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, the 11-minute musical segment will feature BTS, Justin Bieber, Madonna, and Shakira. Shakira and Burna Boy are expected to perform the official World Cup theme song “Dai Dai.”

After the performances, the final match will begin, with Lionel Messi leading Argentina and young talent Lamine Yamal representing Spain in what promises to be a memorable night for football fans worldwide.

Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus participated in the Global Nobel Laureates Assembly on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear War, held at the Vatican’s Borgo Laudato Si’ in Castel Gandolfo. The three-day conference concluded on July 16, 2026, at Rome’s Capitoline Hill with the signing of a declaration titled “Humanity at the Crossroads.” Nobel laureates including Romano Prodi, Jody Williams, Maria Ressa, Denis Mukwege, and Juan Manuel Santos joined Yunus in endorsing the statement.

The declaration warned that the convergence of artificial intelligence and nuclear weapons poses an unprecedented threat to humanity’s future. It compared the dawn of the nuclear age with the current AI era, cautioning that the world is entering an AI arms race that could intensify existing nuclear tensions. The document further noted that AI weakens human decision-making in nuclear command systems, increases cyber threats to critical infrastructure, and fuels information warfare that undermines international trust.

The event also featured addresses by senior Vatican officials and scientific leaders, including Cardinal Fabio Bazzio and Professor Daniel Holz, emphasizing the urgency of global cooperation on AI and nuclear safety.

Facebook users experienced disruptions accessing the platform’s desktop version from Sunday noon due to server or technical issues. Many users reported encountering messages such as ‘account temporarily enabled’ or pages failing to load when attempting to log in. The issue appears to be linked to Meta’s backend updates or server malfunctions, according to the report.

Numerous users took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share their experiences using the hashtag #FacebookDown, posting screenshots of the error messages they received. Despite widespread user reports, Meta, Facebook’s parent company, had not issued any official statement regarding the cause or resolution of the problem at the time of reporting.

The outage has raised concerns among users who rely on Facebook’s desktop version for communication and business activities, though the duration and full extent of the disruption remain unclear.

Astronomers have discovered two of the lightest giant planets ever found, located about 1,100 light-years from Earth in a distant star system. The newly identified gas planets, named TOI-791b and TOI-791c, were first detected by volunteers from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite project. Despite being similar in size to Jupiter, their masses are only 3 to 6 percent of Jupiter’s, making their densities comparable to aerogel, the lightest man-made material.

The research, led by Oxford University astrophysicist George Dransfield, describes these planets as 'super-puffs'—gas giants with extremely small cores that defy conventional planetary formation models. The phenomenon challenges existing theories, as such small cores should not be able to retain vast gaseous atmospheres. The term 'super-puff' was first introduced in 2016 by astrophysicist Eve J. Lee, who suggested that these planets form only under very specific cold and dust-free conditions.

Scientists plan to use the James Webb Space Telescope to study the structure and composition of these planets in greater detail, though a complete understanding of their motion may take nearly a century.

Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus participated in the Global Nobel Laureates Assembly on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear War, held at the Vatican’s Borgo Laudato Si’ from July 16 to 18, 2026. The three-day conference concluded at Rome’s Capitoline Hill with the signing of a joint declaration titled “Humanity at the Threshold,” endorsed by Nobel laureates including Romano Prodi, Jody Williams, Maria Ressa, Denis Mukwege, and Juan Manuel Santos.

The declaration warns that the convergence of artificial intelligence and nuclear weapons poses an unprecedented threat to humanity. It draws parallels between the dawn of the nuclear age and the current AI era, cautioning that an AI-driven arms race could intensify existing nuclear rivalries. The signatories emphasized that AI is undermining human decision-making in nuclear command systems, heightening cyber risks to critical infrastructure, and eroding trust essential for global peace.

The document outlines six principles, calling for restraint in AI and nuclear arms development, responsible technology governance, exclusion of AI from nuclear decision-making, creation of international oversight bodies, youth leadership in addressing global challenges, and verifiable nuclear disarmament within set timelines.

The upcoming World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, scheduled for Sunday night in the United States, has become more than a football match. Due to the two nations’ opposing stances on the Israel-Palestine conflict, the event is being described as a symbolic ‘proxy war’. Social media discussions have intensified, framing the match as a reflection of broader geopolitical divisions.

Argentina’s captain Lionel Messi, known for his ties with Israel, and Spain’s young star Lamine Yamal, who once displayed the Palestinian flag after a victory, have become focal points of this polarization. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez praised Yamal’s gesture as an expression of solidarity shared by many Spaniards. Meanwhile, Argentina’s President Javier Milei has aligned his foreign policy closely with Israel, contrasting sharply with Sánchez’s criticism of Israeli military actions in Gaza.

Online debates have included conspiracy theories, with some users labeling the match as an “Israel vs Palestine World Cup.” Israeli media and advocacy groups have condemned such narratives as antisemitic. Within Argentina, some citizens have voiced opposition to their government’s pro-Israel stance, recalling Diego Maradona’s past support for Palestine.

Lionel Messi has spoken publicly about a viral photograph taken in 2007 showing him bathing a five-month-old baby, who turned out to be Spain’s current football star Lamine Yamal. The image resurfaced ahead of the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, drawing global attention to the remarkable coincidence. Speaking in New York during a conversation with Tom Brady, Messi described the photo as “crazy” and a symbol of life’s unpredictability.

Messi praised Yamal’s exceptional talent, noting that he has followed the young player closely because Yamal plays for a club Messi loves. He called Yamal one of the world’s best players at just 19 years old and said the youngster has a long career ahead with many chances to make history. However, Messi also reminded that Argentina will give their best effort in the final to prevent Yamal from writing that history against them.

The original photo was part of a UNICEF and Diario Sport charity calendar project in Barcelona. Yamal’s father shared it on social media in 2024, making it viral once again before the World Cup final.

France and England will meet today in Miami for the FIFA World Cup third-place playoff, a match often seen as a formality but now charged with pride and redemption. The game, scheduled for 3 a.m., pits two European rivals who fell short in the semifinals—France losing 2–0 to Spain and England surrendering a 1–0 lead to Argentina to lose 2–1.

France’s captain Kylian Mbappé, who leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals, expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s defensive tactics after their semifinal defeat. Coach Didier Deschamps, facing criticism at home, is expected to end his long career with this match. England’s manager Thomas Tuchel is also under fire for his defensive approach, with British media questioning his future. A win would mark England’s second-best World Cup result after their 1966 title.

Both teams face injury concerns: France’s William Saliba is unlikely to play due to a back injury, while England’s Reece James is ruled out. Despite the disappointment, the match offers a chance for both sides to restore pride and finish their campaigns on a high note.

FIFA has announced a new tradition in the history of the World Cup, introducing championship rings for the winning team for the first time. The organization confirmed on Friday that the 2026 World Cup champions will receive customized rings in addition to the trophy, gold medals, and prize money. The initiative draws inspiration from American professional sports, where leagues such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL have long awarded similar rings to their champions.

According to FIFA, a total of 2,026 rings will be produced. Thirty rings will go to the players and staff of the winning team, while the remaining 1,996 will be sold as limited-edition licensed memorabilia for fans. Each ring will feature the World Cup trophy design, the identity of the champion team, a unique serial number, and a certificate of authenticity. Symbolic rings will be presented to the winning captain and coach during the post-final award ceremony, with the rest delivered later.

The 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain will take place on July 19 at the New York–New Jersey Stadium, where the first-ever championship rings in football history will be awarded.

China and Pakistan have jointly called on the United States and Iran to stop hostilities and return to dialogue, warning that renewed conflict threatens the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding aimed at ending the war. The appeal came after a meeting between Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization conference in Shanghai.

According to China’s Foreign Ministry, both sides expressed concern over the deteriorating situation and urged all parties to cease hostilities, reduce tensions, avoid external interference, and resume communication toward a comprehensive peace agreement. Wang Yi described the initial memorandum between the US and Iran as a hard-won achievement reflecting global cooperation and praised Pakistan’s indispensable mediating role. China reaffirmed its support for Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to advance peace talks.

The call came amid renewed exchanges of attacks between the US and Iran, including reported strikes on civilian infrastructure and retaliatory drone attacks. Tensions have also risen over the Strait of Hormuz, where both nations have imposed new restrictions following recent escalations.

The United States and Iran have both declared that their ceasefire extension and the memorandum of understanding signed in June are no longer valid, signaling a renewed escalation in hostilities. Pakistan, acting as the main mediator, has urged both nations to halt attacks and return to dialogue, emphasizing diplomacy as the only path to lasting peace. Public statements from leaders on both sides suggest no urgency to reach a new agreement.

Iran’s economy remains under severe strain from decades of US sanctions, which have sharply reduced oil exports and GDP. Its military infrastructure has also suffered heavy damage from US-Israeli strikes, depleting missile and drone stockpiles. Meanwhile, the US faces rising oil prices, domestic discontent, and concerns over weapons shortages ahead of midterm elections. Analysts note that both nations are struggling to sustain the conflict.

Experts cited in the report argue that Iran views the war as existential and will not compromise without security guarantees, while the US risks strategic fatigue. The prolonged conflict is proving costly and unsustainable for both sides.

A team of astronomers has discovered a rocky exoplanet named LHS 1140b that shows clear evidence of an atmosphere, marking the first confirmed detection of such a feature on a potentially habitable rocky planet. The finding, published in the journal Science, indicates that the planet, located several light-years from our solar system, possesses a helium-rich atmosphere. Although no direct evidence of life has been found, researchers say the planet contains essential conditions for life, including a rocky surface, suitable temperature for liquid water, and an atmosphere.

LHS 1140b, first discovered in 2017, orbits a relatively quiet red dwarf star within its habitable zone, allowing the possibility of liquid water on its surface. The planet is larger and colder than Earth and completes an orbit in less than 25 days, always showing the same face to its star. Observations made in 2024 at Chile’s Las Campanas Observatory revealed helium escaping from its upper atmosphere, but this was not observed in 2025.

Scientists believe this discovery is a major step toward understanding planetary atmospheres and the search for life beyond Earth.

Global crude oil prices increased following continued retaliatory attacks between the United States and Iran. On Friday, the international benchmark Brent crude rose by more than one percent, surpassing 85 dollars per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed to nearly 80 dollars. The gains erased the previous day's losses in the oil market.

Throughout the week, both Brent and WTI prices rose by about 12 percent. Brent marked its third consecutive week of price increases, and WTI recorded its second straight week of gains. The rise in oil prices also affected stock markets in Asia, where trading turned downward on Friday morning. Japan’s main stock index, the Nikkei 225, fell by more than three percent at the start of the day’s trading.

The report links the oil price surge directly to geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran, which have intensified through ongoing reciprocal attacks.