Afghanistan’s Taliban government imposes smartphone ban on government officials

Afghanistan’s Taliban government has ordered a nationwide ban on civil servants’ smartphone use, a military court order showed, prompting ​warnings from rights activists that the move could further restrict access ‌to information.

Australia considers tougher enforcement of social media ban for teens

Australia’s prime minister ​said on Friday he was keen to make sure the country’s social media ban ‌for children was as strong as possible, as a new study found that the measure — the first of its kind and now six months old — had little impact on teen use.

Rescuers search rubble for survivors as Venezuela earthquakes kill at least 235

Rescuers are searching through rubble in a rush to save lives after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela near the capital, killing at least 235 people and injuring more than 1,500.

Work begins on UK’s new £750m supercomputer

Construction work has started on the UK’s new £750m national supercomputer.

Oil price falls to levels not seen since before Iran war

The price of oil has fallen to levels not seen since before the Iran war as traffic through the key Strait of Hormuz shipping route gradually resumes.

Iran warns ships it’s ‘unacceptable and dangerous’ to transit the Strait of Hormuz without their approval

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned shipowners on Wednesday that any new transit route through the Strait of Hormuz established without coordination with Tehran is “unacceptable and dangerous,” threatening actions against vessels that ignore its instructions.

Independent MPs launch new Australian centrist party

Two independent Australian MPs have banded together to launch a new centrist political party which they say is a response to an increasingly divisive landscape.

China says it has a right to target people overseas with new ethnic unity law

China has a right to target people outside of its borders who contravene its new law on ethnic unity, a senior official said on ​Wednesday, adding that this was in line with international practice, and was legal and ‌necessary.

Global Ebola risk ’remains low’: WHO Chief

The global risk ’’remains low’’ from a deadly Ebola outbreak centred in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organization chief said Wednesday, after a case was confirmed in France. France on Wednesday announced its first confirmed case of Ebola identified on its territory: a doctor who had flown back from the DR Congo, which is fighting a major outbreak.

At least 32 dead, 700 injured after massive earthquakes slam Venezuela

Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24, collapsing buildings in the capital of Caracas and killing dozens of people and injuring hundreds of others, officials said.

Colombia’s leftwing candidate concedes election to Trump-endorsed millionaire

The defeated leftwing candidate in Colombia’s presidential runoff has conceded to the far-right, Trump-admiring millionaire lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella.

They booked Rs 17-crore palace for wedding. Then she pushed fiance off cliff

It had all the trappings of a dream wedding. Till a deadly twist. Planned and executed allegedly by the fiancee and her lover.

Elon Musk loses trillionaire status as global tech rout hits SpaceX

Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk lost his trillionaire status on Tuesday, less than two weeks after becoming the first person to achieve it following SpaceX’s public debut, according to data from Bloomberg.

China’s ‘dispersed persons’ label fuels poverty crisis debate

China’s slowing economy is producing visible social strain across its major cities, and a subtle change in official terminology has opened a fresh debate about how the country’s leadership is confronting — or avoiding — the realities of rising poverty and homelessness.

Congress passes war powers measure for first time, breaking with Trump over Iran

The Republican-controlled US Senate has approved a measure demanding that President Donald Trump halt the war in Iran or seek congressional approval before continuing military action.

Oman opens temporary Strait of Hormuz maritime corridor

Oman has announced the establishment of a temporary maritime corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, following coordination with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and understandings reached between the United States and Iran.

UK considers forcing social media firms to prioritise trusted news

Britain is considering forcing social media companies to prioritise what the government called trusted news sources as part of its broader push ​to tighten regulation of the sector.

Tehran’s chief negotiator: Strait of Hormuz won’t return to pre-war status

Conditions in the Strait of Hormuz “will never go back to the way they were before the war,” Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf vowed on Monday.

Congo says confirmed Ebola cases rise to 1,048, including 267 deaths

The Democratic ​Republic of ‌Congo said late ​on ​Monday that confirmed ⁠Ebola ​cases in ​the country had reached ​1,048, ​including 267 deaths.

Iran, US finalise agreement on release of $12b in frozen assets

Ghalibaf said the agreement followed preliminary arrangements in Qatar and was formally signed in Switzerland, says Al Jazeera.

Iran leave note of thanks in LA locker room after draw with Belgium

Iran left a message in their SoFi Stadium locker room on Sunday thanking Los Angeles for its hospitality ​during the World Cup and saying they are leaving ‌with dignity after a 0-0 draw with Belgium kept alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.

Greek MP Spyros Tsironis criticizes Greece-China underwater heritage deal as lacking reciprocity

During a parliamentary debate on the ratification of a cooperation agreement between Greece’s Ministry of Culture and China’s National Administration of Cultural Heritage, MP Spyros Tsironis of the NIKI party sharply criticized the deal, arguing that Greece must not appear as a “weak partner” in its relations with China.

At least 18 dead in France, including two children in hot car, as Europe bakes

At least 18 people died in France, including two children left in a hot car, as a ​heatwave hung over Europe, smashing temperature records in several cities on Monday.

Karachi’s deepening crisis: Pakistan’s economic engine under strain

On June 6, Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon sharply criticised Pakistan’s federal government for what he calls a“low priority” approach toward Karachi. His statements underscores the widening fault lines between provincial and federal authorities over infrastructure funding and urban development.

WhatsApp to be led by Indian start-up founder as Will Cathcart steps back

WhatsApp boss Will Cathcart has announced that he is leaving his role.

Qatar says gas export terminal blast killed 13 as workers tried to resume operations

An explosion tore through Qatar’s key natural gas export terminal Sunday night as workers tried to resume operations after Iran bombed it during the war , causing a fire that killed at least 13 people and hurt dozens more.

Chinese fentanyl network suspected of crypto fraud via Japan base

A Chinese organization suspected of illegally exporting chemical precursors for the synthetic opioid fentanyl appears to have been involved in large-scale cryptocurrency fraud using a base in Japan, an independent Nikkei investigation has found.

Explosion at Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG facility injures 54, leaves 18 missing

An explosion at Qatar’s main liquefied natural gas processing facility has injured 54 people and left 18 others missing, authorities have said.

Khalilzad calls on Pakistan to explain why talks with Afghanistan have failed

Former U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has questioned Pakistan’s assertion that diplomatic efforts with Afghanistan have failed, urging Pakistani lawmakers to seek greater transparency from their government regarding negotiations with Kabul.

New home for marine species: India’s first 3D-printed reefs to be sunk off Ramanathapuram coast in TN

Tamil Nadu is set to deploy India’s first 3D-printed artificial reef modules in coastal waters as part of an ambitious marine habitat restoration initiative under the second phase of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. Scheduled off the Ramanathapuram coast on Sunday, it will serve as a pilot to assess the performance of six newly developed reef designs created through advanced 3D-printing technology.