YEMEN – MIDDLE EAST
The Houthis have threatened to attack oil tankers using Saudi ports in the Red Sea. The warning comes on top of Iran’s stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz and could have a severe impact on oil exports and global trade. This follows the maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, which could lead to a blockade of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Meanwhile, three oil tankers that had loaded Saudi crude oil this week, destined for China and India, have changed course towards the Suez Canal. Yesterday, the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, held talks with his counterparts from Spain, Italy and Germany regarding the Houthis’ threats to shipping in the Red Sea.
INDIA
At least 12 workers have died following the collapse of a section of a tunnel under construction in the north-eastern Indian state of Sikkim, caused by a gas explosion. Rescue operations are still underway to locate 13 workers who are believed to be trapped following the incident, which occurred on Monday approximately 1.5 kilometres from the tunnel entrance. The tunnel, designed to channel water from the Teesta River to the turbines of a hydroelectric power station, forms part of a wider infrastructure project in the Himalayan state, developed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), an Indian state-owned company.
CHINA – UNITED STATES
Rubio will hold talks with China’s Wang Yi whilst regional powers attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Pasay, in the Philippines. The US Secretary of State will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during the meeting, at which diplomats have expressed concern over the resumption of hostilities in the Middle East and tensions in the South China Sea. The two are expected to discuss a possible summit between the leaders of the two countries, scheduled by Trump for late September.
VIETNAM
Human Rights Watch is urging Vietnam to release the people detained for their role in publishing and promoting a text on Ho Chi Minh. Two weeks ago, the police arrested Nguyen Thanh Nam, author of the book “In Conversation with Thanh: A New Tale of Light”, on charges of producing, possessing and disseminating anti-state propaganda. The police subsequently arrested four other people, including senior officials at the Vietnam Writers’ Association Publishing House, on similar charges.
JAPAN
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is encouraging company employees to ditch the usual suit and tie in favour of more casual attire, such as T-shirts, trainers and shorts. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike launched the “Tokyo Cool Biz” initiative in April as part of her wider campaign to combat the heat. The new policy is receiving mixed reactions.
Particularly from women, as they are still expected to wear tights when showing any part of their legs.
RUSSIA
In 2025, Russian courts convicted 2,078 people under articles relating to “terrorism”. This is double the figure from the previous year and the highest number recorded since the current Criminal Code was adopted in 1996. These figures were published by the human rights project Pervyj Otdel in collaboration with analysts from Parubets Analytics. In 2024, there had been 1,021 convictions under the same articles.
KAZAKHSTAN – GEORGIA
Kazakhstan and Georgia have signed agreements to launch the e-Permit electronic freight transport permit system. The initiative aims to develop logistics along the Middle Corridor, and the platform is expected to completely replace paper-based transport permit documentation, significantly simplifying legal procedures and speeding up freight transport. During the meeting, it was agreed to allocate a further 6,000 transport quotas and subsequently move to a system of unlimited permit issuance.
