Merve Aydogan
25 July 2026•Update: 25 July 2026
Here's a rundown of all the news you need to start your Saturday, including US President Donald Trump saying Iran is showing its strongest commitment yet in talks with Washington, warning that the US is "locked and loaded" if military action becomes necessary, and threatening China and Russia against supplying weapons to Tehran; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordering a "wide-scale military operation" in occupied West Bank villages amid escalating violence; and the European Union sanctioning five Iranian judges for alleged human rights violations against political dissidents, activists and religious minorities.
TOP STORIES
- Trump says Iran showing strongest commitment yet in talks, warns US is 'locked and loaded'
US President Donald Trump said Iran is showing its "most serious" commitment yet in negotiations with Washington, but said he has not decided whether to launch major military strikes, warning that the US is “locked and loaded” if military action becomes necessary.
Trump said diplomacy remained the preferred option but suggested the US could take military action if talks fail, saying there were "two ways" to resolve the situation.
He also warned China and Russia against providing weapons to Iran, saying Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin had assured him they would not supply arms to Tehran.
The US president also threatened to impose tariffs on the European Union, accusing the bloc of unfairly targeting US technology companies with multibillion-dollar fines and saying the EU would "pay a very big price" for its actions.
- Netanyahu orders 'wide-scale' military operation in occupied West Bank amid escalating violence
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered a "wide-scale military operation" in Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank after a shooting near an illegal settlement killed two Israeli soldiers and injured three others.
The Israeli army also raided Nablus and was ordered to demolish the home of the Palestinian accused of carrying out the attack near the Havat Gilad settlement.
The Palestinian presidency condemned the "terrorism" by Israeli forces and occupiers across the West Bank, holding the Israeli government responsible for the violence and warning that the territory was being pushed toward an "explosion."
Türkiye condemned what it described as the escalating Israeli occupier terror while the EU expressed "deep concern" about the escalation, urging all parties to avoid inflammatory language, support de-escalation and end the "vicious cycle of violence."
- EU sanctions 5 Iranian judges over alleged persecution of dissidents, minorities
The European Union imposed sanctions on five Iranian Revolutionary Court judges accused of serious human rights violations, including handing down death sentences and lengthy prison terms against political dissidents and religious minorities.
The judges were also accused of prosecuting activists and human rights defenders for vaguely defined national security and religious charges, including cases linked to the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the world must not lose sight of Iran’s repression of its people amid the war in the Middle East.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- A parasitic outbreak linked to contaminated parsley and cilantro has sickened 561 people in the US state of North Carolina since May, with cyclospora cases nearly doubling from last year.
- Mexico and the US concluded a third round of the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement review talks, advancing discussions on economic security, labor, agriculture, metals, electronic payments and the automotive sector amid trade uncertainty.
- Iran’s army said it launched drone attacks on US military facilities in Bahrain and Jordan, while a US attack targeted an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy headquarters in northern Iran.
- Four Palestinians were killed and four others injured, three critically, in an attack by Israeli forces and occupiers on the town of Tell in southwestern Nablus in the occupied West Bank.
- More than 43,000 residents and tourists have been evacuated as wildfires spread across southwestern France, burning more than 8,700 hectares near the popular Arcachon Bay and Cap-Ferret peninsula.
- China urged restraint and dialogue to ensure the safety of international shipping lanes in the Red Sea amid Houthi attacks and an embargo on Saudi shipping.
- Iran’s army said it launched drone attacks on three US military facilities in Kuwait, targeting equipment warehouses and troop positions at the Udairi, Doha and Arifjan camps.
- Germany appointed Jurgen Klopp as its new head coach on a four-year contract through 2030, marking the 59-year-old’s first international management role.
- Kazakhstan is preparing to launch Central Asia’s first electric air taxi service, with eVTOL aircraft expected to connect a new smart city with Almaty and nearby tourist destinations by 2028-29.
- At least 10 people, mostly security personnel, were killed in a suicide bombing targeting a security post in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
- The UN World Food Program warned food insecurity in the Gaza Strip will worsen without additional funding, saying recent improvements remain fragile and could reverse as aid cuts loom.
- Archaeologists uncovered a remarkably well-preserved 1,500-year-old blacksmith workshop at the ancient city of Seleukeia Sidera in southern Türkiye, revealing nearly every stage of ancient iron production.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan marked the sixth anniversary of Hagia Sophia’s reopening as a mosque, saying the historic landmark regained its “original identity” in 2020 after 86 years as a museum.
- Vietnam is considering stricter social media and online gaming rules for children under 16, including mandatory age verification, parental oversight and account authentication.
- A European Commission preliminary probe found TikTok in breach of the EU’s Digital Services Act for account settings that could expose minors to unwanted contact, cyberbullying and predatory behavior.
- UN Women warned that women and girls in Sudan’s El Obeid face drone attacks while collecting water by day and sexual violence at night, leaving them with “no safe window” to access water.
- Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned two years before the end of his term, citing health reasons amid growing opposition demands for his departure.
- British Prime Minister Andy Burnham launched "No. 10 North" in Manchester, pledging to shift power from London and deliver a more balanced distribution of opportunities across the UK.
- Irish police seized an “extremely significant” explosive device from a vehicle allegedly being driven toward Northern Ireland for a suspected attack, arresting two people.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev discussed regional and global issues and bilateral ties, with the Turkish president inviting Mirziyoyev to the COP31 summit and calling for deeper cooperation.
- Iran and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to regional peace, stability and shared prosperity, with their foreign ministers stressing dialogue, restraint, de-escalation and sustained diplomatic engagement.
- Turkish President Erdogan said hosting the NATO summit in Ankara was a source of “great pride and happiness,” highlighting messages of thanks and praise for Türkiye’s hospitality.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reshuffled his Cabinet, appointing CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann as health minister and signaling additional personnel changes after the summer break.
- Greece approved 11 defense procurement programs worth $4.8 billion, including a $3.5 billion Israeli-developed integrated air defense system known as Achilles’ Shield.
- UN chief Antonio Guterres urged the Houthis to halt attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and called for immediate de-escalation to restore freedom of navigation around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
- Sudanese authorities said 15 civilians were killed and seven injured in a Rapid Support Forces attack in North Kordofan, with livestock also stolen in the assault south of El-Obeid.
- Iran rejected a temporary ceasefire until its demands on the Strait of Hormuz are met, while an Iranian commander warned that the killing of Iranian citizens would be met with the deaths of US servicemembers.
- LeBron James signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, saying his continuing love for basketball drove his decision.
- President Donald Trump said the “original deal” on the Gordie Howe International Bridge “no longer stands,” claiming the US will now receive 50% of the bridge’s profits after Canada excluded Washington from its opening ceremony.
- An LPG tanker carrying 28 Indian crew members was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, with all crew members reported safe, according to the Indian Embassy in Iran.
- Venezuela notified the UN of its decision to begin permanently withdrawing from the International Criminal Court, accusing the tribunal of geographic bias against the Global South.
- International Criminal Court member states voted to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan for sexual misconduct allegations, with his legal team vowing to challenge the decision on due process grounds.
- UN General Assembly reappointed Volker Turk as rights chief for a second four-year term.
- US public opinion toward Israel has grown increasingly negative, with criticism rising across political parties and age groups, according to recent polls.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
- Global markets slide as US-Iran tensions, tariffs fuel economic uncertainty
Global markets fell amid escalating US-Iran tensions and renewed US tariffs on 60 trading partners, with concerns about disruptions to key energy corridors sending Brent crude prices near $95 per barrel.
The market turmoil pushed up inflation and interest rate concerns, with US Treasury yields climbing as investors assessed the potential economic effect of higher energy prices and borrowing costs.
The US also imposed tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on imports from trading partners accused of failing to prevent goods produced with forced labor from entering international trade.
- US tariffs on 60 trade partners take effect over alleged forced-labor violations
New US tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 trading partners took effect, replacing a temporary global tariff and targeting economies Washington said failed to prevent goods made with forced labor from entering international trade.
The measures cover countries that account for 99.4% of US trade, with higher duties imposed on several major trading partners, including China, Türkiye, Australia, Brazil, Israel, Russia and Saudi Arabia.
China rejected the unilateral tariffs, with Beijing saying trade wars do not serve the interests of the world’s two largest economies and opposing "all forms of unilateral tariffs."
