Author: News Desk

A senior Iranian military official announced that any potential retaliation against Israel for the assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran may be delayed, indicating that a feared regional conflict could be postponed for now. General Ali Mohammad Naeini, spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), revealed in a press conference that Iran’s response might not be immediate and could take various forms. He emphasized that the response could differ significantly from previous actions, such as the missile and drone strikes on Israel in April, which were in retaliation for an Israeli attack in Damascus. General Naeini’s remarks suggest…

USA: The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) of USA have released a joint statement stating that Iran seeks to stoke discord and undermine confidence in its democratic institutions. According to the statement, Iran has furthermore demonstrated a longstanding interest in exploiting societal tensions through various means, including through the use of cyber operations to attempt to gain access to sensitive information related to U.S. elections. In addition to these sustained efforts to complicate the ability of any U.S. administration to pursue a foreign…

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that this is “probably the best, maybe the last opportunity” to reach a cease-fire and hostage release agreement in Gaza. Blinken made the remarks during a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, his ninth trip to the region since the conflict, which began in October 2023. “We’re working to make sure that there is no escalation, that there are no provocations, that there are no actions that in any way could move us away from getting this deal over the line, or, for that matter, escalating the conflict to other places, and…

Shiveluch volcano, the northernmost active volcano in Russia, has erupted shortly after a massive earthquake of magnitude 7.0 struck in the Kamchatka Krai region. The eruption has send an ash cloud 5 to 8 kilometers high, causing a “code red” alert for aircrafts. A 4.7-magnitude aftershock of was also registered. Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences reported that, “The earthquake’s intensity in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky was 6.0, according to preliminary estimates.” No tsunami alert was issued, the regional department of the Russian Emergencies Ministry said. Initially, the US National Tsunami warning centre issued a tsunami threat but later said that…

London: A fire that broke out in the west wing of Somerset House yesterday afternoon has led to the indefinite closure of the historic arts venue in central London. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) responded swiftly, deploying 125 firefighters to tackle the blaze. After hours of effort, they managed to contain the fire, with thick smoke billowing over the River Thames and Waterloo Bridge as the situation was brought under control. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and it was confirmed that no artworks were stored in the affected area. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Somerset House,…

Western Turkey has evacuated over 4,000 residents triggered by a forest fire in its coastal province of Izmir, fanned by strong winds and hottest July. Helicopters and water bombers were brought in to put out the fire, dry, hot, and windy weather conditions caused a dangerous series of fires. More than 1,000 firefighters were battling the blaze. According to Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, 900 residents from five affected neighborhoods were evacuated overnight in Izmir, the country’s third-largest city. Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) reported that 1,430 people were evacuated from Izmir, 1,475 from Manisa, 516 from Bolu, and…

Portsmouth (UK): The UK has launched its first dedicated Earth-imaging satellite, named Tyche, marking a significant step in its space defense capabilities. The satellite, approximately the size of a washing machine, is designed to provide the British military with crucial surveillance and reconnaissance data. Tyche is expected to orbit the Earth at an altitude of around 500km for at least five years. Enhancing UK’s Space Capabilities Tyche is a demonstration satellite that is part of a broader strategy to establish a network of military satellites equipped with various sensors. These future satellites will enhance the UK’s ability to monitor battlefield…

UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer has called for renewed vigilance and responsible sourcing of livestock, in the wake of the rising number of bluetongue cases in Europe. The latest outbreak assessment from the Animal and Plant Health Agency confirms the growing number of cases of Bluetongue virus (BTV-3) in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, with over 4,000 recorded new cases reported since May 2024. The first-ever cases of BTV-3 have also been confirmed in France, Luxembourg and Denmark, while the virus strain has successfully overwintered in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. While the overall risk level for an incursion of BTV-3 into Great…

Thailand’s parliament has voted for Paetongtarn Shinawatra to be the country’s next prime minister, two days after Thailand’s Constitutional Court removed former premier Srettha Thavisin from office over ethics violation. The daughter of billionaire tycoon and former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn, 37, will be Thailand’s second female prime minister, after her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra, and the youngest to hold the position. Paetongtarn won 319 votes in the House of Representatives to become the 31st Prime Minister of Thailand, after being nominated as the sole candidate by her Pheu Thai party’s ruling coalition to replace Srettha. Paetongtarn Shinawatra still needs to…

Sweden has reported its first case of mpox, the Scandinavian nation’s public health agency reported. A person who sought care at Region Stockholm has been diagnosed with mpox caused by the clade I variant. It is the first case caused by clade I to be diagnosed outside the African continent. In this case, a person has been infected during a stay in the part of Africa where there is a major outbreak of mpox clade I. The person in Sweden who has been confirmed to be infected has received care and rules of conduct, said Magnus Gisslén, state epidemiologist at the…