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US-Iran conflict enters new phase as Saudi Arabia helps hit proxies and diplomacy stalls again

WASHINGTON — The stop-start fighting between the United States and Iran appears to have entered a new phase as Saudi Arabia has publicly joined military escalations against Tehran-backed proxies. At the same time, an already untenable diplomatic effort to end the war has faltered once again as mistrust deepens between the longtime adversaries. Despite several days of relative calm , both sides carried out military strikes in the last 24 hours that once again risk a return to all-out war — and further expansion in the region — while little is clear about what strategy, if any, American or Iranian officials have for a path forward. While President Donald Trump and his allies have spent recent days arguing that Iran is begging to return to the negotiating table, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said Tuesday that his country has made no requests to restart the diplomatic track in more than two weeks. Following a thwarted attack on the U.S. base in Jordan, Trump turned back to threats Wednesday even while sustaining the prospect of continued talks. “They’ve already apologized, but,

2d agoBy AP
US-Iran conflict enters new phase as Saudi Arabia helps hit proxies and diplomacy stalls again
World

Trump announces $22.5 bil. makeover of Dulles airport

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a $22.5 billion renovation of Washington Dulles International Airport that will end the use of the widely disliked “people movers,” the mobile lounges that have been used for decades to shuttle travelers to and from the main terminal. In place of the people movers, the airport will add a new U-shaped passenger train, a central walking tunnel, more moving walkways and new concourses. An above-ground parking garage closer to the main terminal with space for 32,000 vehicles is also in the offing, according to Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The airport makeover would add to a long list of renovation projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave a lasting mark on the Washington region after his term ends in January 2029. Among other undertakings, he is building a new White House ballroom and wants to build a towering triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial. But of all the construction projects Trump is pursuing, the renovations at Dulles could prove to be his most popular and benefit the greatest

2d agoBy AP
Trump announces $22.5 bil. makeover of Dulles airport
World

Hope dwindles for rescue in southwestern Japan quake as death toll climbs to 23

KUMAMOTO, Japan — Rural communities in southwestern Japan were struggling to get their lives back to normal Thursday, two days after a powerful earthquake set off an explosion at a mall, toppled a factory chimney and flattened homes, killing at least 23 people. Time was running out to find survivors, as rescuers continued to work in the Kumamoto area on Japan ’s southern main island of Kyushu, where the magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit Tuesday. The number of those missing was unclear. The quake left at least 63 people injured, five of them seriously, the Kumamoto prefectural government said. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, speaking to reporters Thursday, gave a higher number for the death toll at 28. That came from a police tally, he said, which includes cases still under investigation. Some of those cases may later turn out to be unrelated to the earthquake. Survivors spoke about coming home and desperately pulling family members out of the wreckage. Some had suffered injuries and were rushed to the hospital. Thousands of people spent another night at evacuation centers set up thr

2d agoBy AP
Hope dwindles for rescue in southwestern Japan quake as death toll climbs to 23
World

Iran launches renewed missile attacks as US, Saudis strike Tehran-backed militias in Iraq

BAGHDAD — Iran launched a barrage of missiles at American forces in the Middle East on Wednesday as the U.S. partnered with Saudi Arabia to strike Tehran-backed militias in neighboring Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters and six Iranian advisers. Elsewhere, drone strikes ignited fires on two natural gas vessels at the Egyptian port of Damietta, according to Ambrey, a British maritime security firm. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the strikes on a U.S.-owned floating storage facility and a Greek-owned tanker. No injuries were reported. The flare-up on multiple fronts after several days of relative calm raised the risk of a return to all-out war. It also underscored the difficulty of winding down a five-month conflict that has jolted the world economy and is unpopular among Americans . The fighting was also likely to add to concerns that the U.S. is further drawing down already diminished stockpiles of sophisticated munitions needed to defend its bases and allies. Egypt, a close U.S. ally and regional mediator, is one of the only countries in the Middle East to have

2d agoBy AP
Iran launches renewed missile attacks as US, Saudis strike Tehran-backed militias in Iraq
World

Fed holds key interest rate steady in 9-3 decision

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday held its benchmark interest rate steady in a 9-3 decision amid continuing concerns over the economic impact of renewed fighting in the Iran war and U.S. President Donald Trump's calls to lower borrowing costs. During the two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, the central bank decided to leave the rate unchanged at the 3.5-3.75 percent range, marking the fifth consecutive pause. The rate decision left the gap between the key interest rates of Korea and the United States at up to 1 percentage point. During a press conference, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh reaffirmed the central bank's 2 percent inflation target to deliver price stability, while highlighting that the U.S. economy is showing "impressive resilience" despite "recent shocks." "For some households, businesses and market professionals, five years of high inflation have left a mistaken impression — that's hard to shake — that the Fed's implicit inflation target was somehow above 2 percent," he said. "Let me reiterate (that) there is no soft inflation target. There is

2d agoBy Yonhap
Fed holds key interest rate steady in 9-3 decision
World

FIFA hit by furious backlash over plans to sell stake in competitions

PARIS — There was a furious backlash on Wednesday to FIFA's controversial plans to sell a stake in the business operations of the World Cup and its other competitions through the creation of a private subsidiary. World football's governing body had said Tuesday it would retain a majority share in FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) but hoped to raise $4.2 billion later this year by "carefully selecting long-term investors who will purchase minority, non-controlling interests." Various media outlets reported on Wednesday that FIFA president Gianni Infantino had sent a letter to the associations saying they will each receive $40 million if they back the plan — but they must sign up by Sept. 19. "In total for the upcoming cycle starting as of Jan. 1, 2027, each member association will have the possibility of access up to $40 million per member association under this proposal," said Infantino. The Times — which broke the original story on Tuesday — said sources opposed to the plan had labelled it "pure bribery." UEFA had issued a blunt statement regarding the plan and was due to hold an eme

2d agoBy AFP
FIFA hit by furious backlash over plans to sell stake in competitions
World

US bans foreign-made humanoid robots, targeting China over national security

HONG KONG — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is banning imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots and power inverters, citing national security risks, in a move that targets China. The measures are likely to test relations with Beijing ahead of a planned U.S. visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in September. China dominates the global market for humanoid robots with an estimated market share of roughly 85 percent. The FCC’s ban also includes new imports of quadruped robots – often referred to as four-legged robot dogs. The agency said imports of advanced robots pose cybersecurity and other national security risks. Offshore production of such equipment also leaves U.S. supply chains vulnerable to disruptions. The ban on power inverters, which are used to convert direct current (DC) electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity and are used in renewable energy systems, data centers and household appliances, could have sweeping ramifications. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said Tuesday that the move was to “secure America’s cr

2d agoBy AP
US bans foreign-made humanoid robots, targeting China over national security
World

Russia charges Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism, puts him on wanted list

MOSCOW — Russia’s main domestic security agency said Wednesday that Pavel Durov, founder and owner of the messaging app Telegram, has been charged with aiding terrorism and put on an international wanted list. The charges against Durov, who was born and began his career in Russia but later moved abroad, came as the Russian authorities restrict Telegram, one of the most popular messaging apps in the country. It is part of a long-term effort to bring the internet under the Kremlin’s full control that has intensified since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Federal Security Service, also known as the FSB, accused Telegram’s administration in a statement of failing to remove “numerous channels, chats and bots” that are “actively used by Ukrainian intelligence agencies, terrorist, and extremist organizations to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage and terrorism, mass murder, and cyberfraud" in Russia, which resulted in “numerous human casualties.” The agency accused Ukrainian security services of using a popular dating chatbot on Tel

Jul 29, 2026By AP
Russia charges Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism, puts him on wanted list
World

What's behind China's recent spike in COVID-19 cases? And is it anything to worry about?

China has seen a spike in COVID-19 in recent weeks, overtaking influenza as the top respiratory pathogen for the first time this year, but most patients experienced mild symptoms, while the medical authorities said data suggested the infection rate was significantly lower than last year's peak. The spread of the Omicron NB.1.8.1 variant has reached a "moderate transmission level", according to the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC does not give a weekly total of new infections, but its most recent data - covering the week of July 13-19 - showed the positive rate for COVID-19 tests had reached 16.3 percent, an increase of 4.3 percentage points compared with the previous week. Meanwhile, the positive rate for influenza was 12.6 percent, a fall of 0.9 points. The positive rate is the percentage of all diagnostic tests conducted in hospital clinics that come back positive for a specific pathogen. Last month, mainland China recorded 79,000 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 130 severe cases and one death, according to the CDC. The CDC advised elderly people

Jul 29, 2026By SCMP
What's behind China's recent spike in COVID-19 cases? And is it anything to worry about?
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