MIDDLE EAST
In Washington, it is the day of the summit between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first since the start of the war with Iran six months ago. The meeting is seen as a crucial step towards a ceasefire, following the US’s three-day suspension of new air strikes and the drafting of a proposal by Pakistan, Egypt and Qatar – the mediating countries – to resolve the issue of control over the Strait of Hormuz. The situations in Gaza and Lebanon are also on the agenda. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have announced that they have intercepted and shot down drones heading towards their territories: the unmanned aircraft are believed to have taken off from Iraq and been launched by Iranian-backed militias. Riyadh has described the attacks as “terrorist”, accusing them of targeting strategic energy infrastructure, and has reiterated that it reserves the right to defend itself and to respond “at the appropriate time and place”.
INDIA
The governments of the Indian states of Bihar and Assam have announced that they will not take punitive legal action against those who took part in the protests over the NEET exam leak. Proceedings initiated before 6.00 pm on 26 July 2026 – including First Information Reports (FIRs), criminal complaints and notices – will be withdrawn, and those arrested or detained will be released. The decision fulfils one of the conditions set by the Cockroach Janata Party for suspending the protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, namely ensuring there would be no reprisals against peaceful protesters. In Assam, 13 people had been arrested, including three Muslim men.
SOUTH KOREA–BRAZIL
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have agreed that the free trade agreement between South Korea and Mercosur cannot be postponed any further. During a summit in Brasília, Lee emphasised that the agreement is crucial against a backdrop of growing global trade uncertainty. The negotiations, which began in 2018, have been stalled for years, but Seoul aims to revive them in order to diversify its markets. The agreement would facilitate access for South Korean firms to South America and for Brazilian firms to Asia, strengthening cooperation in the defence, aerospace, critical minerals and digital sectors.
PHILIPPINES
In his State of the Nation address, the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., announced that the country will launch its own rocket into the atmosphere in 2027, in collaboration with a South Korean aerospace company. This will be a test launch of a sounding rocket, a vehicle used to conduct scientific experiments during a short flight to the edge of space.
Marcos also stated that the province of Cagayan possesses the ideal geographical and economic conditions to host the Philippines’ first launch centre, a project that could mark the start of the national space programme.
CHINA
CXMT (ChangXin Memory Technologies), China’s leading manufacturer of DRAM microchips, has become China’s most valuable listed company following its debut yesterday on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, with shares rising by more than 500 per cent. The placement raised 57.92 billion yuan ($8.6 billion), bringing its market capitalisation to around 3,650 billion yuan. The result reflects strong investor support for Beijing’s strategy of technological self-sufficiency. CXMT is the world’s fourth-largest DRAM manufacturer, with a market share of 7.7 per cent projected for 2025.
RUSSIA
There has been no news of political prisoner Andrei Trofimov since mid-April. The 59-year-old activist is serving a 13-year sentence at the IK-9 maximum-security prison in Petrozavodsk. He has not replied to letters, has not been allowed to see his lawyers, and his family has not been permitted to visit him. Trofimov’s friends do not believe he would have voluntarily cut off contact, and are concerned for his health: the prisoner suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, and his family do not know whether he is taking his prescribed medication.
TAJIKISTAN
In Tajikistan, the crackdown on the hijab and beards is intensifying as part of a new campaign to promote ‘national culture’, and many Tajiks say that their decisions regarding clothing, appearance and faith are now closely tied to official directives. Several men are forced to report on their appearance weekly by sending a selfie showing a clean-shaven face via WhatsApp to the police, and having a long beard results in a preventive detention of at least three days.
