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According to a government source who spoke to the Kyodo news agency, a gas explosion appears to have destroyed the mall in the town of Kashima, causing walls and ceilings to collapse. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reported that a significant earthquake in Japan on Tuesday claimed 13 lives."Thirteen people have passed away," Takaichi reported on Wednesday. According to a government source who spoke to the Kyodo news agency, a gas explosion appears to have destroyed the mall in the town of Kashima, causing walls and ceilings to collapse.A representative for the mall's operator, Aeon, told AFP that the explosion happened after the patrons and employees had left. Five of the eight persons who were rescued from the mall had injuries, a local official said AFP. According to authorities reported by broadcaster NHK early on Wednesday, the number was "lower than that" despite early reports that suggested up to 20 to 30 individuals were trapped within.The precise figure...

Tehran had earlier denied that there were any talks with the U.S. to end the conflict. As the two countries held their fire for a third day in a row, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed hope on Monday, July 28, 2026, regarding the possibility of a negotiated peace agreement with Iran. On Air Force One, Mr. Trump declared, "I have a lot of patience... We'll see what happens." "I believe the likelihood of something happening is quite high." Tehran had previously denied holding any negotiations to put an end to the confrontation with the United States. "We may receive signals about current events in the region from the American side through mediators. However, we are not currently in talks with the United States," stated Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokeswoman for Iran's foreign ministry. Tehran had previously denied holding any negotiations to put an end to the confrontation with the United States. As Israel gets ready to leave two "pilot zones" i...

arly on Monday, July 27, 2026, oil prices dropped on Asian markets as investors cautiously exhaled relief at the end of hostilities. As Donald Trump's UN envoy stated that the president was "giving talks some space," Iran and the US paused their fire on Sunday, June 25, 2026, giving Gulf shipping and the oil industry a break from missile strikes. Iran claimed to have stopped retaliation attacks against Washington's Middle Eastern allies, while US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz told Fox News on Sunday that Trump would give talks "a little bit of room" even though forces were still "locked and loaded." The U.S. military had been attacking Iran for 13 nights in a row before Friday, July 24, 2026, marking the biggest resumption of the nearly five-month-old conflict since a ceasefire in April. The nights of Friday and Saturday went by without a bombing. Iran's army spokesperson, Mohammad Akraminia, stated, "These attacks continued until two ni...

The UN calls for the evacuation of 6,000 sailors stranded in the Hormuz Strait after Jordan's military intercepted seven Iranian missiles and six drones. In response to the most recent American attacks against the Islamic republic, Iran's military stated on Friday, July 24, 2026, that it had launched drone strikes against a number of American military installations and bases in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. According to state media, Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed to have attacked an Amazon data center in Bahrain; however, neither Bahrain nor the American tech giant have responded to the allegation. Volker Turk, the head of UN human rights, called on warring nations to assist in the evacuation and return of about 6,000 sailors who were stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. According to his spokesperson Shabia Mantoo, Mr. Turk demanded immediate action to alleviate the predicament of thousands of stranded sailors who are dealing with "a dire humanitarian and human rights c...

"Together, these two agreements lay the legal foundation for a decades-long, multi-billion-dollar partnership that advances several priority economic and strategic objectives, including nuclear nonproliferation," says U.S. Energy Department. On Wednesday, July 23, 2026, the United States and Saudi Arabia announced a historic agreement that would create a civilian nuclear program in the Gulf nation. Washington insisted that the accord contain non-proliferation measures. The decision comes as the United States under President Donald Trump wages a battle with Iran that began in part over U.S. worries with Tehran's nuclear program — an issue that remains a primary source of contention during now-stalled talks between the two foes. The deals were signed by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the U.S. Energy Department said. "Together, these two agreements lay the legal foundation for a decades-long, multi-billion-dolla...

Trump claims that the United States is "not finished at all" with Iran, despite the fact that American strikes have resulted in ship attacks, roughly 100 American casualties since early July, threats from Yemeni rebels to attack other Middle Eastern waterways, and a ray of hope for diplomacy The Pickaxe Mountain region, which is close to Iran's severely damaged nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz, will be targeted by the United States "pretty soon," according to President Donald Trump. Pickaxe Mountain is a well defended location with two deeply buried tunnel complexes that experts believe are inaccessible to the most potent bunker-buster weapons in the US arsenal. The location is associated with Iran's nuclear program. Early on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, Iran assaulted a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing its crew to evacuate the vessel. Meanwhile, the United States launched another round of airstrikes against the Islamic Republic as they battle for co...