ISTANBUL

Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Monday, including renewed nuclear talks between Iran and key European powers, a pause in clashes across Syria, and a powerful earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

TOP STORIES

• Iran, E3 countries agree to resume nuclear talks on Friday in Istanbul

Iran and the three European countries of France, Germany and Britain, collectively known as the E3, have agreed to resume nuclear talks this Friday in the Turkish city of Istanbul, Iranian state broadcaster Press TV reported.

“Iran and the European troika – comprising France, Germany and Britain – will resume nuclear negotiations on Friday in Istanbul,” the broadcaster said.

Earlier in the day, the outlet reported that the four parties agreed in principle to resume nuclear negotiations this coming week, without providing details on the time and location.

• All parties in Syria agreed to 'pause violence,' says US envoy

All parties in Syria have agreed to pause violence as of 5 pm Damascus time (1400GMT) Sunday, the US special envoy for Syria announced.

"All parties have navigated to a pause and cessation of hostilities," Tom Barrack wrote on X.

The envoy said containing escalating hostilities requires an agreement to pause violence, protect civilians, allow humanitarian access and step back from danger.

• Magnitude 7.2 earthquake hits eastern coast of Russia’s Kamchatka region

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Russia’s Kamchatka region, situated in the country’s Far East.

The regional branch of the Unified Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences said on Telegram that the quake in the Pacific had a depth of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles).

It said the epicenter of the earthquake was 161 kilometers (100 miles) from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the region’s administrative center.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin had received Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Moscow.
• Israeli forces killed at least 93 Palestinians and injured more than 100 in attacks across the Gaza Strip, according to medical sources and officials.
• Türkiye has brought back 15 fugitives, including 14 wanted on Interpol red notices and one at the national level, the country's interior minister said.
• Nearly 100 people previously reported missing after catastrophic flash flooding in central Texas have been found safe, leaving just three still unaccounted for as the search for victims enters its third week, Kerr County officials announced.
• Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba vowed to remain in his position despite the ruling coalition led by his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) losing its majority in the upper house of parliament in one of the most turbulent elections in Japan’s recent history, local media reported.
• Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, appealed directly to US President Donald Trump, urging him to intervene to protect the Druze population in southern Syria’s Suwayda province.
• The number of documented deaths in clashes in Syria’s southern Suwayda province has risen to 426, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) reported.
• The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is now represented in international groupings of Turkic and Islamic countries, despite Greek Cypriot efforts to paint themselves as the "sole authority" on the island, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
• Mali’s army said it “neutralized” around 70 terrorists in a series of operations across the country on July 15-19 targeting armed groups in the regions of Menaka, Segou, Kidal and Timbuktu.
• Nearly 2,200 earthquakes have struck the sea area around Japan’s southwestern Tokara Island chain since June 21, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported, citing the national meteorological agency.
• An Israeli ministerial committee voted unanimously to recommend that the Cabinet dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who has petitioned the Supreme Court to freeze what she described as an “unlawful” process.
• US President Donald Trump pledged to help Afghan refugees facing deportation from the United Arab Emirates following reports that UAE officials plan to turn them over to the Taliban.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• US chip giant Intel downsizing in Israel amid mass layoffs, falling revenue

US chip giant Intel has launched a major downsizing campaign in Israel, slashing jobs and scaling back operations at its flagship manufacturing site in the southern city of Kiryat Gat, in a move signaling deeper structural challenges facing the company both locally and globally.

According to a detailed report by Israel’s Globes business daily, Intel reduced its workforce at the Kiryat Gat plant from around 5,000 employees in 2019 to 4,000 by the end of 2023.

The company is undergoing a global restructuring after a sharp decline in annual revenue — from $78 billion in 2020 to $53 billion in 2023 — and a net loss of $18.7 billion during the same period.

• Oil prices seek stability around key $70 level

Oil prices fell below the key $70 mark last week as increased output from OPEC+ eased global supply concerns while renewed US tariff threats under President Donald Trump weighed on demand expectations.

Brent crude settled at $68.60 per barrel on July 18, down 2% for the week. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped 2.3% to $66.

OPEC’s latest monthly report showed the group’s crude oil output rose by 220,000 barrels per day (bpd) in June to 27.023 million bpd. Production from the broader OPEC+ alliance climbed by 349,000 bpd to 41.56 million bpd during the same period.