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In the eighth round of the Asian Junior Classical Chess Championship in Mumbai, WFM Pratitee Bordoloi defeated FM Prishita Gupta to move to 7/8 and extend her lead to a full point. Meanwhile, Grandmaster-elect Mayank Chakraborty beat Daksh Goyal to also reach 7/8, maintaining his lead in the Open Championship.
President Donald Trump has vowed an intensified economic campaign against Iran, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signaling unprecedented measures as soon as next week. Options include secondary sanctions on Chinese refiners and banks, while Iran’s key oil trade with China and ties to neighboring countries complicate enforcement. Officials and analysts outline the scale of existing sanctions and the constraints on further pressure.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin has proposed creating a railway route to the Indian Ocean, citing risks to shipping through the Bosphorus and Strait of Hormuz. The proposal, first reported by TASS, includes possible routes through Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Analysts note the rail link could offer Moscow an alternative trade corridor to India and the Global South amid sanctions.
The US and Israel are considering a land blockade against Iran to tighten economic pressure beyond the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. Reports cite senior Israeli officials and a Trump-Netanyahu discussion, with analysts noting the plan's logistical and diplomatic challenges.
Ukraine says it attacked Russian warships and cargo vessels in the Caspian Sea carrying military supplies from Iran; Tehran insists a civilian ship was hit and warns of retaliation. The incident marks the first direct collision between the wars in Ukraine and Iran, prompting diplomatic exchanges and warnings against escalation.
China is advancing overland trade routes across Central Asia as global shipping chokepoints face continued disruptions. New railway and road links, including a multi-modal corridor to Afghanistan via Uzbekistan, aim to cut delivery times significantly. The Belt and Road Initiative's rapid development in the region has made China the largest trading partner of all Central Asian countries, with trade exceeding $100 billion.
Nigeria fell to 90th place in the July 2026 Henley Passport Index, with its visa-free score unchanged at 44 destinations. Meanwhile, Israel achieved its highest ranking ever at 18th, according to the index's 20th anniversary edition.
Iran's ambassador to Turkmenistan, Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani, stated that the US has failed to dominate the Strait of Hormuz, that sanctions pressure is ineffective, and that Israel is trying to drag Washington into a full-scale regional war. His remarks, published by the Iranian embassy in Ashgabat, were reported by TASS.
The US has reinstated a naval blockade on Iranian ports following Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. US forces have disabled vessels attempting to breach the blockade, while Iran says its control over the waterway will not be compromised.
The US and Iran exchanged fresh military strikes over the Strait of Hormuz, with Washington targeting Iranian provinces and Tehran hitting Gulf states and shipping. The escalation has undermined the June 17 memorandum of understanding, while oil markets reacted with a 3.5% price rise.
Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilyov visited Tehran, where officials from both countries discussed energy cooperation and expressed satisfaction with the positive dynamics of bilateral relations. Iran's Oil Minister said the two sides are in the final stages of agreeing on a gas supply contract, with a pipeline route via Azerbaijan already set.
Iran has commenced a week of funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike in late February. Foreign dignitaries and representatives of Tehran-backed groups have gathered in Tehran, with millions expected to attend public mourning events before burial on July 9.
Belarus has requested an extraordinary UN Security Council meeting over a drone attack on a bus carrying Belarusian children in Russia's Bryansk Region, with Russia's support. Minsk has also delivered a note of protest to Ukraine, demanding a thorough investigation and accountability, while CIS countries condemned the attack as incompatible with international law.
At the Eurosatory defence exhibition in Paris, China's Norinco displayed a range of air defence systems designed to counter drone threats, including missiles, guns, and lasers. Demand for such systems is rising due to drone-heavy conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, with Chinese firms potentially benefiting from cost advantages in the Global South.
At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Ozon CIS CEO Natalya Boer said Russian marketplaces are becoming integrated platforms for vendors from the EAEU and CIS, citing infrastructure growth and rising cross-border turnover. Deputy Industry Minister Roman Chekushov added that Russian logistics centers are present in nearly all CIS countries and expanding beyond, including China and Ethiopia.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper's three-day visit to China marks the latest in a series of high-level diplomatic engagements, with Al Jazeera tallying 26 foreign leaders or senior officials from 23 countries visiting China this year. The UK aims to revive economic and diplomatic ties despite differences over security and the Ukraine war, while China reports record trade figures for 2025.
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is set to visit New York from May 26-28 to attend high-level UN Security Council meetings, including a debate on upholding the UN Charter. The visit comes amid Pakistan's diplomatic push for de-escalation in the US-Iran confrontation, with Dar meeting UN Secretary-General António Guterres and other counterparts.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says negotiations between Moscow, Washington, and Kiev are not currently happening, though the US remains prepared to mediate if conditions change. Russian officials, meanwhile, insist they have received no signals from Kiev about readiness for talks and reiterate their conditions for progress.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said trade with CIS countries rose nearly 6.5% year-on-year in January-February, and attended a council meeting in Turkmenistan, which holds the rotating presidency in 2026.
China's imports of Russian LNG rose 16% year-on-year in the first four months of 2026, though the value of deliveries fell. Russia also increased oil sales to China by 26% and remained a top pipeline gas supplier, according to customs data.