Monday, July 13, 2026

World

US launches fresh strikes on Iran as Hormuz standoff deepens

The US has launched a new wave of military strikes against Iran, targeting port cities and military infrastructure as a June ceasefire deal visibly collapses. Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed and is demanding fees from vessels seeking to pass, while Tehran says US pressure on Oman torpedoed weekend diplomacy in Muscat. Oil prices have jumped on fears the world's most critical oil shipping lane — through which about 20% of global crude passes — could remain disrupted.

MarketWill the U.S. invade Iran before 2027?18%

Politics

UK set for new prime minister as Burnham takes over

Andy Burnham is on course to become the UK's next prime minister, with BBC correspondents already assessing how figures from Trump to Putin will size him up. The transition marks a significant shift in British leadership at a moment of acute global instability, with a potential Budget also being trailed by the press. Burnham's expected arrival at No 10 has been dubbed a 'bumper Budget' moment by several front pages.

Climate

UK heatwaves estimated to have killed over 2,700 people

An early estimate links more than 2,700 deaths to the UK's exceptional heat in May and June, making it one of the deadliest climate events in British recorded history. A second heatwave is now intensifying into its second week, with humidity and temperatures set to climb again across many regions. The figures arrive as the Spanish wildfire that killed at least 13 people — including five believed to be British nationals — continues to draw attention to Europe's worsening fire season in Almeria province.

World

Bangkok pub fire kills at least 27 people

A fire tore through a pub in Bangkok killing at least 27 people, making it one of the deadliest such incidents in Thailand in recent years. Thai emergency services confirmed the death toll on Monday, with the cause of the blaze still under investigation. The venue was in a popular tourist area of the city.

Politics

Senator Lindsey Graham dies aged 71

US Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Washington's most prominent foreign policy hawks and a central architect of American support for Israel and Ukraine, has died at 71. Graham's death removes a towering and often polarising figure from the Senate at a moment of acute US foreign policy tension, with tributes arriving swiftly from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian officials. Israel's national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was among the first to publicly mourn him.