And the world doesn’t stand still. Not even on Sunday:

The Day’s Biggest Developments

A tentative diplomatic opening has reduced the immediate danger of another attack on Iran—but no agreement exists yet. President Trump said the United States would hold off on new strikes if a rapid agreement can be reached on Iran’s nuclear activities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has increased its military readiness and has not publicly accepted the proposed terms. Saudi Arabia is pressing both sides to continue negotiations.

The announced Gaza “breakthrough” is already in serious doubt. Israeli airstrikes killed at least 13 Palestinians on Saturday and Sunday, according to Gaza health officials, while an Israeli minister said there was no final agreement to stop the attacks. Hamas accuses Israel of undermining the negotiations; Israel says Hamas must disarm before a lasting withdrawal can occur.

A passenger ferry caught fire off Indonesia, leaving at least five people dead and 41 missing. Rescue crews are searching waters near Madura Island in East Java. Indonesia relies heavily on ferries across its vast archipelago, but overcrowding, inconsistent safety enforcement and difficult rescue conditions continue to make maritime accidents especially dangerous.

A bombing in central Moscow killed at least three people and injured more than 20. Russian authorities described the explosion outside a restaurant as a terrorist attack. Officials say a woman carrying an explosive device was stopped before entering the building. The motive and intended target remain unknown, and claims connecting the attack to Ukraine have not been verified.

Africa

At least 30 people were reported killed in an attack in Nigeria’s Kaduna State. The assault adds to continuing insecurity across northern and central Nigeria, where armed groups exploit weak policing, rural isolation and disputes over land and resources.

Egypt has raised household electricity prices by an average of approximately 12%. The increase is intended to reduce pressure on the state budget and energy system, but it will add to household costs at a time when many Egyptians are already struggling with food inflation and a weakened currency.

South Africa and Namibia are seeing very different results from the same offshore oil region. Namibia has attracted major discoveries and international investment in the Orange Basin, while environmental challenges, regulation and uncertainty have delayed exploration on the South African side. The contrast could influence how both countries manage future energy development.

Asia

Sri Lanka has tightened security at prisons after a deadly riot. One person was killed and six injured after inmates damaged a prison hospital, kitchen and administrative records. Overcrowding and poor conditions have long affected Sri Lanka’s correctional system.

The death toll from a landslide in China has risen to 51, with ten people still missing. Authorities have ended the principal land search, though recovery operations continue. The disaster follows periods of extreme rainfall and highlights the growing danger faced by settlements in mountainous regions.

Macao’s first prosecution under its expanded national-security law is raising questions about judicial fairness. The case is being watched beyond the territory because it may show how closely Macao will follow Hong Kong’s increasingly restrictive approach to dissent and political activity.

Australia and the Pacific

Australia has recorded its largest quarterly rise in electric and hybrid vehicle sales. Almost half of all new vehicles sold during April, May and June were electric or hybrid. Fully electric vehicles accounted for more than 21% of sales, almost doubling their market share in six months as high fuel prices accelerated demand.

Australia’s medicines regulator is warning about experimental peptides sold through social media. Unapproved injectable products are being marketed for weight loss, muscle growth, anti-ageing and skin improvement. Regulators say they may cause liver damage, severe allergic reactions and inflammation, while buyers often have no reliable information about their contents.

Pregnancy loss may be more common among younger Australians than existing records indicate. A new national study found major gaps in how miscarriages and other pregnancy losses are counted, potentially leaving younger patients without appropriate medical and psychological support.

Middle East

Iran and the United States have stepped back—temporarily—from another round of attacks. Washington says it wants rapid progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and limiting Iran’s nuclear programme. Tehran describes the threats as psychological warfare and has warned that attacks on its energy infrastructure could bring retaliation against energy facilities elsewhere in the region.

Saudi Arabia is taking a more visible diplomatic role. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has urged dialogue and de-escalation, reflecting Saudi concern that prolonged disruption in the Gulf will damage oil exports, investment and regional economic plans.

Gaza negotiations remain stuck over who must act first. Hamas says Israel must halt attacks, withdraw and allow more aid before weapons are stored or decommissioned. Israel insists that disarmament must come first and has threatened to resume or expand military control if Hamas refuses.

Jared Kushner is involved in both the Gaza and Iran negotiations. His participation has drawn attention due to his family ties to President Trump and his private business interests. His involvement does not itself establish wrongdoing, but it raises legitimate questions about transparency, accountability, and where official diplomacy ends and private influence begins.

Russia and Ukraine

The bombing in Moscow is now a major Russian security investigation. At least three people were killed outside a central Moscow restaurant after a woman carrying an explosive device was confronted by security. Russian authorities have not established whether the attack was connected to Ukraine, domestic militancy or another motive.

Ukraine’s shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles remains critical. Kyiv’s ambassador in Washington says Ukraine urgently needs missiles capable of stopping Russian ballistic attacks. Ukraine is exploring domestic production, direct purchases and exchanges with countries already waiting for Patriot systems, but manufacturing locally could take years.

Russia’s latest attacks have again struck residential areas in Ukraine. Recent missile and drone barrages killed civilians, including children, and damaged homes, schools and diplomatic buildings. The shortage of interceptor missiles means more Russian ballistic weapons are reaching their targets.

Europe

Great Britain and Ireland

Britain’s housing market is losing momentum. House-price growth weakened in July as borrowing costs, affordability problems and wider economic uncertainty reduced demand.

Northern Ireland continues to benefit economically from access to both the British and European markets. However, political instability, community tension and anti-immigration unrest threaten the investment advantage created by its unusual post-Brexit trading position.

A British funeral director has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for deceiving families over cremations and burials. Police described the crimes as a profound abuse of people at their most vulnerable.

Germany

Germany is dealing with exceptionally low river levels across parts of central Europe. Reduced water levels are disrupting freight transport and exposing several German warships scuttled in the Danube during the final months of the Second World War.

Switzerland

Archaeologists have uncovered an early Roman fortification at Vindonissa. The remains provide new evidence about the earliest phases of Roman military settlement in what is now northern Switzerland.

Greece and Italy

The European wildfire threat is shifting east. EU emergency officials say Italy, Greece and parts of central Europe face an increasingly severe risk during early August as prolonged heat and drought dry out forests and farmland.

Spain

Spain has installed a floating barrier near Ceuta following the deadly mass crossing from Morocco. Many migrants say hunger, unemployment and hostility drove them to attempt the crossing. At least 57 people reportedly died during the chaotic surge.

The Netherlands

Hundreds of thousands attended Amsterdam’s WorldPride canal parade. This year’s event carried added significance following the deadly vehicle attack at a Pride gathering in Berlin. Organisers described it as both a celebration and a public defence of LGBT rights.

South America

Relations between Brazil and Argentina have sharply deteriorated. Brazil recalled its ambassador after Argentine President Javier Milei insulted President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and a Brazilian Supreme Court judge during a visit to São Paulo. The quarrel is significant because Brazil is Argentina’s largest trading partner.

Brazil is preparing for severe El Niño rainfall in its southern states. Hydroelectric operators are assessing reservoir and dam risks in areas still recovering from earlier catastrophic floods.

The first informal vote to choose the next United Nations secretary-general has begun. Candidates include former leaders and senior diplomats from Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, Senegal and Uganda. The confidential votes will gradually reveal which candidates have enough Security Council support to continue.

Canada — Three Brief Updates

Economy: Canada’s economy grew by a stronger-than-expected 0.3% in May. Preliminary figures suggest annualised second-quarter growth of approximately 3.4%, the country’s strongest quarterly performance in more than three years.

Air travel: WestJet has begun parking Boeing 737 aircraft while negotiations with flight attendants continue. A labour disruption could affect summer flights if no agreement is reached.

Trade: Canada is still seeking relief from American steel, aluminium and vehicle tariffs while preparing for possible additional duties later in August. The dispute is testing whether the North American trade agreement can still function as a genuinely trilateral arrangement.

🌍 Stories You May Have Missed

A Roman military camp discovered in Slovakia may contain evidence of a forgotten battle. Workers preparing an industrial site uncovered an 18-acre camp with five gates, fortifications, weapons, armour, coins and human remains. Archaeologists believe it dates to the Marcomannic Wars of the second century.

Heat and drought revealed a 5,000-year-old burial monument in Wales. The outline of a Neolithic long barrow appeared as a cropmark in parched farmland near Welshpool. Researchers say it may have served as a communal burial place and ritual site.

Archaeologists in Bolivia have uncovered copper bells. The finds could help explain long-distance trade, metalworking and ceremonial practices in pre-Columbian South America.

A well-preserved Brazilian fossil is helping scientists understand the early evolution of snakes. Many primitive snake fossils are fragmentary, but the newly studied specimen preserves anatomical details that could clarify how the animals developed their distinctive bodies and movement.

Non-Political Good News from the United States

A new professional women’s baseball league made its public debut despite rain. The opening drew an enthusiastic audience and represents another step toward restoring professional opportunities for women in a sport from which they have historically received little institutional support.

Coho salmon are returning to parts of California’s Russian River watershed after decades of decline. Habitat restoration, hatchery work and improved water management are helping rebuild a population that once appeared close to disappearing locally.

Good News from Around the World

Australia’s Rhiannan Iffland has become the most successful cliff diver in the sport’s history. Her victory in Mostar secured a tenth consecutive World Series title and the 48th win of her career.

Older Australian women are finding fitness and friendship through the “Granny Grommets.” The surfing groups, created for women over 50, have spread along the Australian coast and overseas, providing exercise, confidence and companionship.

South Asian vultures are beginning a remarkable recovery. Populations collapsed after the veterinary drug diclofenac poisoned birds feeding on livestock carcasses. Two decades after India, Nepal and Pakistan restricted the drug, several populations are finally increasing.

Wind and solar power have overtaken gas in worldwide electricity generation for the first time during a recorded month. April figures showed wind and solar producing approximately 22% of global electricity, compared with 20% from gas—a meaningful milestone in the energy transition.