• Iran War Live Updates: U.S. and Iran Exchange Strikes for Fifth Straight Day — New York Times World - 19:25
• France Votes to Allow Assisted Dying — New York Times World - 19:11
• Venezuelan man becomes 22nd person to die in ICE custody this year — The Guardian - 19:10
• Democrats grill Todd Blanche on ICE agents at polling sites and Kash Patel’s conduct at attorney general confirmation hearing – live — The Guardian - 19:04
• Wildfires Rage in Ontario as Smoke Affects Toronto’s Air Quality — New York Times World - 19:04
• Shabana Mahmood expected to be named Andy Burnham’s chancellor — The Guardian - 18:52
• Germany warns US against election interference after it announces grants scheme — The Guardian - 18:45
• Iran threatens to block more trade routes as US launches fresh strikes — BBC World - 18:41
• Jude Bellingham lookalikes compete for a £1,966 Deliveroo voucher — The Guardian - 18:28
• Andy Burnham signals a wealth tax is off the agenda for now — The Guardian - 18:09

The ongoing U.S.-Iran fight over the Strait of Hormuz is intensifying with Iran threatening to block more trade routes and President Trump vowing further strikes, creating uneasy limbo for Israel and leading to disruptions in oil, shipping, and flights globally, while China's economic growth is also impacted.

• The Vague Clause That Helps Explain the U.S.-Iran Fight Over the Strait of Hormuz — New York Times World -
• Here’s the latest. — New York Times World -
• Iran threatens to block more trade routes as US launches fresh strikes — BBC World -

• China economic growth falls sharply, missing target — BBC World -
• Iran threatens to halt all Middle East energy exports amid renewed US blockade — The Guardian -
• Oil, Shipping, Flights: Disruptions Are Back as U.S.-Iran War Reignites — New York Times World -
• Trump threatens to bomb bridges and power plants unless Iran resumes talks — BBC World -
• For Israel, the U.S.-Iran Hostilities Have Created an Uneasy Limbo — New York Times World -
• For Israel, the U.S.-Iran Hostilities Have Created an Uneasy Limbo — New York Times World -
• Wednesday briefing: ​Do MPs have the will to stop mega-donors interfering in UK politics? — The Guardian -
• Heating oil customers to get up to £350 compensation for cancelled orders — The Guardian -
• Here’s the latest. — New York Times World -
• US Fifth Fleet targeted in Bahrain, says Iran, in latest exchange of strikes – as it happened — The Guardian -

The U.S. political scene is dominated by contentious Senate confirmation hearings for Trump's attorney general and intelligence picks, mounting calls to remove ICE from streets after fatal shootings, and lawsuits alleging unlawful sanctions against Palestinian rights organizations, alongside legal actions against a Venezuelan official and a trial investigating Exxon's climate critics.

• Trump’s pick for attorney-general faces Senate hearing later today – US politics live — The Guardian -
• Trump intelligence pick Jay Clayton to face senators in confirmation hearing — The Guardian -
• US trial could reveal who paid hackers to target Exxon climate critics: ‘on the edge of our seats’ — The Guardian -

• ‘Fear, intimidation, violence’: calls mount to remove ICE from US streets after agents killed two men — The Guardian -
• Arrest of American who has given $1m in aid to Palestine prompts fears of ‘growing repression from Trump’ — The Guardian -
• Todd Blanche to sit for confirmation hearing in bid for attorney general — The Guardian -
• He Has a $25 Million Bounty on His Head but Is Also a U.S. Partner in Venezuela — New York Times World -
• Maryland police arrest alleged bank robber wielding stolen cat: ‘Tried to use her as an accessory’ — The Guardian -
• Florida executes one of its oldest prisoners in state’s 10th lethal injection this year — The Guardian -

The UK sees Keir Starmer's final PMQs before stepping down, calls for Labour to ditch the triple-lock pensions promise, and concerns over political funding transparency after a meeting between the Bank of England governor and Nigel Farage, while Thames Water faces financial uncertainty and MPs confront a daily reality of abuse and threats, including the targeted attack on Ann Widdecombe.

• Starmer faces final PMQs before stepping down – PMQs live — The Guardian -
• Bank of England governor would have put off Farage meeting had £5m gift been under investigation — The Guardian -
• 600 rape threats in one night: the daily reality of abuse faced by MPs — The Guardian -

• Sadiq Khan backs calls for maximum workplace temperature in UK — The Guardian -
• Thames Water has funds to survive until end of year but warns of uncertainty over future — The Guardian -
• Missing From Prince Harry’s UK Trip: A Reunion With Prince William — New York Times World -
• Labour should ditch triple-lock pensions promise, says OECD — The Guardian -
• Andy Burnham urged to overhaul ‘timid and limited’ elections bill — The Guardian -
• England risks building new ‘death traps’ as experts warn of overheating crisis — The Guardian -
• Wednesday briefing: ​Do MPs have the will to stop mega-donors interfering in UK politics? — The Guardian -
• Labour must stop just writing a cheque for benefit claimants, says McFadden — The Guardian -
• Green-led council plans to ban cooperation with Home Office on immigration raids — The Guardian -
• Ann Widdecombe Was Killed in ‘Targeted Attack,’ UK Police Say — New York Times World -

China is navigating one of its lowest economic growth rates on record and U.S. pressure to free an American seismologist accused of spying, while also dealing with the expulsion of a New York Times correspondent and a defamation case win against Bloomberg in Singapore.

• U.S. Presses China to Free American Seismologist Accused of Spying — New York Times World -
• China’s economy grows at 4.3%, one of its lowest rates on record — The Guardian -
• Expelled from China — New York Times World -

• China detains US scientist who studied North Korea nuclear tests — BBC World -
• China detains US scientist who studied North Korea nuclear tests — BBC World -
• Singapore court orders Bloomberg to pay ministers $356,000 in defamation case — The Guardian -

Europe is marked by Lithuania's warnings of potential Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, Russian bombing in Odesa as Ukraine targets its ships, and the celebratory removal of the Spain-Gibraltar border fence after a historic deal, alongside fatalities in a Brussels fire and Britons killed in Spain wildfires.

• Lithuania warns Russia could be planning ‘targeted’ attacks on critical infrastructure – Europe live — The Guardian -
• Celebrations as Gibraltar-Spain border fence removed — BBC World -
• Three killed as Russian bombing of Odesa continues — BBC World -

• Ukraine Pounds Russian Ships in Its Campaign to Cut Off Crimea — New York Times World -
• Spain and Gibraltar celebrate as border fence falls after signing of ‘historic deal’ — The Guardian -
• Six Dead in an Elevator After Fire in Central Brussels — New York Times World -
• Seven Britons among those killed in Spain wildfires — BBC World -
• Seven Britons among those killed in Spain wildfires — BBC World -

Australia is addressing new energy and water guardrails for data centers amid an A.I. boom, a major cyber-attack on a healthcare provider compromising patient records, and serious child abuse allegations leading to an expanded police investigation, alongside debates on political donations, university protest policies, and gender quotas within the Liberal party.

• Australia to Impose Energy and Water Guardrails on Data Centers Amid A.I. Boom — New York Times World -
• Patient records stolen in cyber-attack on Australian healthcare provider — The Guardian -
• School in remote SA Indigenous community on list of places where accused paedophile worked — The Guardian -

• Former Sydney church turned LGBTQ+ arts venue weighs legal action after landlord orders it to stop ‘offensive trade’ — The Guardian -
• Shoebridge criticises Labor for delayed AI policy – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Brisbane child accused of school stabbing allegedly faced ‘racist’ abuse, court hears — The Guardian -
• Alleged illegal donations by Catholic Schools NSW to Liberals raise questions over use of taxpayer funds — The Guardian -
• University of Melbourne ‘sharply’ changed protest policies after pro-Palestine sit-ins, commission hears — The Guardian -
• Melbourne council votes to scrap Lime ebikes for failing to meet ‘bare minimum standards’ — The Guardian -
• Minister breaks ranks with Victorian premier by calling for explanation for alleged wrongdoing on project — The Guardian -
• Barnaby Joyce claims Australia is a ‘Christian nation’ and says many First Nations people would agree — The Guardian -
• Liberals re-examine gender quotas in slew of proposals to make party ‘fit-for-purpose political machine’ — The Guardian -
• Former Child Care Worker in Sydney Facing Over 300 Abuse Charges Is Identified — New York Times World -

Africa highlights a key figure in South Africa's police corruption inquiry, Sierra Leone dropping a treason charge against its ex-president, a Kenyan court dismissing a bid to legalize cannabis, and the arrest of a fake government agency boss in Nigeria.

• How a former 'street kid' is key to South Africa's police corruption inquiry — BBC World -
• Kenyan court dismisses Rastafarians' bid to legalise cannabis — BBC World -
• Sierra Leone drops treason charge against ex-president over attempted coup — BBC World -

• Boss of fake government agency arrested in Nigeria after weeks on the run — BBC World -

Diverse global stories include an Air India crash report expected in October, a tragic bar blaze in Bangkok and a fatal elevator fire in Brussels, seven Britons killed in Spain wildfires, and archaeological efforts recreating Shackleton's and Scott's shipwrecks in 3D.

• Air India crash report likely to be ready in October, say investigators — BBC World -
• Shipwrecks of Shackleton and Scott recreated in 3D digital form after deep sea expedition — The Guardian -
• As Argentina Tries to Win the World Cup, the Rest of Latin America Cheers Against It — New York Times World -

• In Bangkok Bar Blaze, Signs of Fatal Lapses Repeated Across the World — New York Times World -
• Japan officials hunt bear that raided couple’s fridge amid string of break-ins — The Guardian -
• For Argentina, a World Cup Semifinal Against England Isn’t Just Soccer — New York Times World -
• One person dead and two missing after boat sinks near San Francisco’s Alcatraz Island — The Guardian -