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US-Iran war news LIVE: Tehran says Strait of Hormuz under its control, claims three Su-24 pilots held captive in Qatar
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Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has reiterated that, "The Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian." He added that "this strait will only be closed and opened under Iran's command."Gharibabadi's remarks on Saturday came as US President Donald Trump claimed he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory.Last week, a top Iranian official set out a list of conditions for reopening the strait, including an end to the "war and aggression against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq".Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr also demanded the end of crippling sanctions, the release of frozen assets and compensation for wartime damage.US-Iran talksAs diplomacy stalls between the longtime foes, attacks in the Strait of Hormuz have continued, highlighting the continued risks to regional shipping.The United Arab Emirates' state-owned oil giant ADNOC said on Saturday that one of its vessels came under attack the night before. Abu Dhabi's foreign ministry later blamed Tehran, and said that Iran's Revolutionary Guards were engaged in "acts of piracy" in the strait.In LebanonAt least 11 people were killed in Israeli strikes on the south of the country Saturday, Lebanese officials said, marking the deadliest day since a June ceasefire agreement.Israel said it was responding to a Hezbollah attack that wounded three Israeli soldiers.Iran strongly condemned the latest Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon as the "brutal attacks" carried out by the "Zionist regime" on several areas of Lebanon, including Al-Ansar, Ali Al-Taher heights, Nabatieh al-Faouqa and Deir al-Zahrani, according to Tasnim News.Iran claims Qatar is holding pilotsIran claimed that Qatar was holding three of its pilots who had been missing since March, which Qatar denied. Until now, Tehran had said it had no information about their fate.This is the first known case in the war where Iran has said a regional country is holding its fighters. Qatar on March 2 said its air force shot down two Iranian bombers as Tehran lashed out against countries hosting US military bases in the opening days of the war.Stay tuned to this LIVE blog for all the updates on US-Iran war:
(Bloomberg) -- Powerful earthquakes struck opposite ends of the Indonesian archipelago on Saturday, leaving at least 40 people dead in the remote island of Flores and damaging scores of buildings.A magnitude 7.7 quake struck off Flores island around 6 a.m. local time, according to the US Geological Survey, triggering a tsunami warning that was later lifted. Ende, near the epicenter, is about 500 miles (800 kilometers) east of Bali and roughly twice that distance from capital Jakarta. About 13 hours later, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake jolted Pematangsiantar in North Sumatra province, about 830 miles northwest of Jakarta. There were no initial reports of casualties or damage from the Sumatra temblor.Quick answers to key questions•5 QUESTIONSThe earthquake that struck Flores Island had a magnitude of 7.7.Authorities issued a tsunami warning due to the large magnitude of the earthquake, which could potentially trigger dangerous waves along the coastline.There were at least 52 aftershocks following the main earthquake, with magnitudes ranging from 3.6 to 6.2.Emergency measures included evacuating around 2,000 residents and transferring patients and essential equipment out of several hospitals to ensure safety.Yes, residents in coastal areas are strongly urged to evacuate to higher ground immediately during an earthquake warning to avoid potential tsunami threats.The quakes are the latest in a series of disasters to strike Southeast Asia’s largest economy. The country is battling a surge in forest fires as a developing El Niño threatens to bring even drier weather and intensify risks at the peak of its dry season. Floods and landslides on Sumatra late last year killed more than 1,000 people and displaced more than 1 million. Major quakes around the world since June have caused thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in destruction. Across western Colombia, at least 172 buildings collapsed and more than 10,000 homes were left uninhabitable in a 7.4 magnitude earthquake on Monday, leaving over 280 people dead and many more missing. A 7.1 magnitude tremor in Japan in late July killed at least 30 people and jolted an area that serves as a hub for the country’s semiconductor industry. And more than 6,000 are dead in Venezuela from twin quakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 that struck within seconds of each other on June 24, leveling buildings and crippling power and water systems.Saturday’s tremor was one of the largest to hit Flores since 1992, when one with a 7.5 magnitude caused significant damage as well, Wijayanto, a director at the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, said at a briefing televised on local media. Last year, the eruption of the Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano in the east of Flores island sent an ash column over 10 kilometers into the sky and stranded thousands of holidaymakers including those in Bali. Labuan Bajo on Flores is a gateway to Komodo National Park, home to the giant carnivorous Komodo dragon.Indonesia’s 17,000 islands are prone to earthquakes because the country straddles the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines and volcanoes that causes frequent seismic upheavals. More than 2,000 people were killed and about 80,000 people displaced in Central Sulawesi in September 2018 after a devastating earthquake and tsunami struck the island. In December that year, over 400 people died when Mount Anak Krakatau erupted and partially collapsed, causing a tsunami along the Sunda Strait.At least 160,000 people were killed on Sumatra as a result of a 9.1 magnitude earthquake and tsunami on Boxing Day in 2004. More than 1,100 people were killed in another earthquake on the same island in 2009.In the Nagekeo, Sikka and West Manggarai regencies on Flores, Saturday’s “very strong” quake was felt for about a minute, prompting many people to rush out of their homes, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency. The temblor was experienced as far away as South Sulawesi, it said. At least 50 inj
As many as 16 Indian nationals, including 10 seafarers, have lost their lives in the Middle East since the US-Iran war began in February, the government has informed the Parliament.Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said this in response to a query from CPI(M) MP John Brittas in the Rajya Sabha.The Ministry of External Affairs was asked the number of Indian seafarers and other Indian nationals killed, injured, stranded or evacuated due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East."Since the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East in 2026, 16 Indian nationals including 10 seafarers have lost their lives in the Middle East (one in Saudi Arabia; two in Kuwait; eight in Oman; one in Iraq; and four in UAE), and 75 Indians have been injured (32 in UAE; 24 in Oman; four in Qatar; 13 in Kuwait; one in Saudi Arabia; and one in Israel)," Singh said.Brittas had asked details aboyt “the number of Indian seafarers and other Indian nationals killed, injured, stranded or evacuated due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East since January, 2026, country-wise”In a separate accident not related to attacks, 12 Indian nationals lost their lives in Ras Laffan gas facility in Qatar, he said.Details of compensation and assistanceThe CPI (M) leader also asked the government the details of compensation and assistance provided to them or their families and the diplomatic actions taken pursuant to such incidents.The MEA said in response that the government, in coordination with the host governments, extended all possible assistance to the families of the deceased Indian nationals for early repatriation of the mortal remains to India.The injured Indian nationals received medical treatment in local hospitals. Indian embassies and consulates coordinated with the local authorities and the hospitals for regular updates on the health condition and extended all required assistance, viz, establishing contact with the family members, guidance on available travel options and their safe return to India, etc, the MoS said in the reply.View full ImageThe MEA said in response that the government, in coordination with the host governments, extended all possible assistance to the families of the deceased Indian nationals for early repatriation of the mortal remains to India."In all cases involving war-zone incidents, under the DGMA Welfare Scheme (Seafarers' Welfare Fund Society - SWFS), an ex-gratia compensation of ₹10 lakh is provided. Following due diligence and verification, the amount is disbursed by the government expeditiously to the next of kin of the affected seafarers."Seafarers covered under the Collective Bargaining Agreements signed with their respective unions are also eligible for additional war-zone compensation, by Maritime Union of India - for officers ( ₹12 lakh), or National Union of Seafarers of India - for crew ( ₹10 lakh)," he added.Brittas also asked whether the Ministry proposes a dedicated crisis protection and insurance mechanism for Indians working in conflict-prone regions?“In all cases involving war-zone incidents, under the DGMA Welfare Scheme (Seafarers’ Welfare Fund Society - SWFS), an ex-gratia compensation of ₹10 lakhs is provided. . Seafarers covered under the Collective Bargaining Agreements signed with their respective unions are also eligible for additional war-zone compensation, by Maritime Union of India - for officers ( ₹12 lakh), or National Union of Seafarers of India - for crew ( ₹10 lakh)” the MEA responded.2,557 Indian nationals moved from Iran to ArmeniaIn response to a separate query, the minister said that since the onset of hostilities in West Asia (Middle East) in February 2026, the Indian Embassy in Tehran has facilitated the cross-border movement of 2,557 Indian nationals from Iran to Armenia/Azerbaijan for their onward travel to India.The government estimates that there may be about 7,000 Indian nationals in Iran, which include seminary students, medical students, workers, seafarers a
(Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong is set to log its wettest July in almost three decades, with rain expected to keep drenching the city into next month as low-pressure systems remain active nearby.The financial hub has received 703.5 millimeters (27.7 inches) of rainfall over the month, according to the Hong Kong Observatory, making it at least the 7th wettest July since records began in 1884. Beyond heavy downpours linked to the outer bands of Typhoon Noul that disrupted flights, showers have been steady during the month without any powerful bursts known as black rain.Hong Kong’s wettest period is typically June through August due to the summer monsoon and tropical cyclones that roll in from the western Pacific Ocean, and this month’s rainfall has been 82% higher than average. Numerous low-pressure systems, including broad troughs and tropical cyclones Maysak and Noul, led to the downpours in July, said Yu-ting Kwok, scientific officer at HKO.Mesoscale convective systems — clusters of organized thunderstorms that dump rainfall over large areas and extended periods of time — were also responsible for the abnormally wet month, said Xiaoming Shi, professor of atmospheric science at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.The last time Hong Kong saw a wetter July was in 1997, when the British colony reverted back to Chinese rule. That year, rainfall totaled 746 millimeters for the month. Official data compiled by the weather agency is derived from a weather station at the HKO headquarters at Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon.On Polymarket, punters have been wagering on July’s total, with over $51,000 bet on the outcome. Just two weeks ago, the market was largely leaning toward less than 400 millimeters of precipitation, but continuing showers stifled that outlook, with more than 600 millimeters taking the lead early last week. The steady drumbeat of rain is expected to continue through at least the coming week, forecasts from HKO and the China Meteorological Administration show. The US Climate Prediction Center also predicts above-normal precipitation in and around Hong Kong through the second week of August.Last August, Hong Kong was soaked by a number of heavy deluges, breaking daily records for the month and leading to a number of black rain warnings being issued by the HKO. That alert is triggered when very heavy rain exceeds 70 millimeters in an hour and is likely to continue, leading to flooding.“Monthly rainfall is not necessarily a flood risk on its own — what matters is how that rainfall is distributed within 24 hours,” said Entela Benz, chief executive officer of Hong Kong-based extreme-weather risk intelligence firm Intensel. “The real driver of flooding is hourly rainfall intensity,” which has increased in frequency and severity since the early 2000s.Extreme rainfall is a growing threat to coastal cities such as Hong Kong, as rising global temperatures boost the amount of moisture in the air. Climate change is making weather more volatile, raising the risk to crops, supply chains, and infrastructure.“As the climate continues to warm, Hong Kong can expect more intense downpours and a greater risk of rainfall records being broken,” said Benjamin Horton, chair professor of earth science at the City University of Hong Kong.--With assistance from Bertha Wang.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com©2026 Bloomberg L.P.Get Latest real-time updatesStay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news. Follow CJP Protest LIVE updates as Sonam Wangchuk ends his 26-day hunger strike following government assurances, while the Jantar Mantar protest continues. Get the latest updates on talks between the CJP delegation and the Centre, the demand for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, possible arrests, Delhi security measures and developments in Parliament.HomeNewsHong Kong Set for Wettest July Since 1997 With More Rain to ComeMore
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