Author: Desk Reporter

Washington: US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will launch strikes on Iran’s bridges and power plants next week if Tehran refuses to return to the negotiating table, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the two countries. Trump said Iran would face severe consequences if diplomatic efforts failed. Trump added that while energy infrastructure had not yet been targeted, it remained under consideration, stating that, “I’ll save the energy targets for last, but ultimately we’ll hit energy targets.” The remarks came as the United States and Iran exchanged attacks for the fourth consecutive day, raising fears…

Brasília: Brazil’s Supreme Court has barred presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro from visiting his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, for 90 days after determining that the pair violated the conditions of the former leader’s house arrest. The ruling was issued by Justice Alexandre de Moraes after Flavio Bolsonaro read a handwritten letter from his father during a livestream on social media. Under the terms of his house arrest, Jair Bolsonaro is prohibited from using social media directly or communicating with the public through third parties. The restriction will remain in effect until after the first round of Brazil’s presidential election on…

Bangkok: Thai authorities are investigating whether negligence and serious fire safety failures contributed to the devastating blaze that tore through a popular Bangkok bar, leaving at least 30 people dead and more than 70 others injured. Police say preliminary findings point to multiple safety violations, including locked emergency exits, inadequate evacuation signage, and the extensive use of highly flammable decorative materials that may have accelerated the spread of the fire. Investigators are also examining whether the venue complied with existing fire safety regulations. According to Police General Kittiratt Phanphet, the fire appears to have started near the stage after a…

England: More than 2,700 deaths across England and Wales have been linked to the unprecedented heatwaves that struck the United Kingdom in May and June, according to a new scientific study published. Researchers estimate that the extreme temperatures caused 550 heat-related deaths between May 21 and 29, followed by nearly 2,200 more fatalities between June 18 and 28. The study was conducted by researchers from Imperial College London, the UK Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Using weather observations, climate models and historical data on excess mortality during periods of extreme heat, the researchers assessed…

Switzerland: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that football’s governing body will examine the possibility of expanding the FIFA World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 edition, following what he described as the success of the newly expanded 48-team format at the 2026 tournament. Speaking to Swiss media outlet, Infantino said the proposal would be reviewed by FIFA’s relevant committees after the conclusion of the ongoing World Cup. Infantino remarked that, “That’s definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup.” Infantino stressed that the FIFA World Cup should represent every…

Las Vegas: Conor McGregor’s highly anticipated return to the UFC ended in heartbreaking fashion after the Irish superstar suffered a serious knee injury just over a minute into his UFC 329 bout against Max Holloway at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. McGregor, a former two-division UFC champion, was competing for the first time since July 2021, when he sustained a broken leg during his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier. Fans had eagerly awaited his comeback, but the contest came to an abrupt end after he attempted a flying kick early in the opening round. The 37-year-old landed awkwardly, immediately…

Toronto: At least two people were killed and several others injured after a shooting broke out at a popular street festival in Toronto, Canada, prompting a major police response and an ongoing search for the suspects. Toronto Police said officers responded to reports of an active shooter on St. Clair Avenue at approximately 8:12 p.m. local time during the annual Salsa on St. Clair festival. Upon arrival, emergency crews discovered six people suffering from gunshot wounds. Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Authorities confirmed the area has been…

Hainan: China has achieved a significant breakthrough in its space programme after successfully landing a reusable rocket for the first time, marking a major advancement in its efforts to develop cost-effective space launch technology. According to state media, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) launched the Long March 10B rocket from Hainan in southern China at 12:15 local time (04:15 GMT). Approximately six minutes after separating from the rocket’s upper stage, the booster executed a controlled vertical descent and was successfully recovered on a floating platform. The achievement places China among a small group of nations capable of…

London: The UK government has launched a nationwide consultation on a series of stricter measures aimed at preventing vaping products from being marketed to children, including plans for plain packaging, restrictions on flavour descriptions and tighter controls on how vapes are displayed in shops. The proposals, announced by Health Secretary James Murray, are part of a wider effort to tackle the growing number of young people experimenting with vaping while preserving access to vaping products as a smoking cessation tool for adults. Under the proposed regulations, vape packaging would be required to adopt a plain, standardized appearance with strict limits…

Melbourne: Australia and India have announced a major breakthrough in their bilateral relationship with a new uranium export agreement that is expected to pave the way for regular Australian uranium shipments to India for peaceful civilian purposes. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled the agreement during talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Melbourne, describing it as another milestone in the growing strategic partnership between the two nations. The agreement addresses long-standing delays that followed a 2014 uranium export pact, under which regular shipments had not commenced due to concerns over the potential use of Australian uranium in India’s…