International

A man has been arrested in Halifax, Canada, after allegedly threatening to blow up the US Consulate, triggering a major security operation in the area. According to US media reports, Canadian authorities found flammable materials inside the suspect’s vehicle near the consulate. Police responded quickly to the bomb threat and evacuated several blocks surrounding the diplomatic facility as a precaution. The security operation continued for more than five hours as police and emergency teams searched the area and assessed the potential threat. Authorities later cleared the site and confirmed that there was no longer any danger to the public. Canadian police said they had taken a man into custody in connection with the incident. However, authorities have not yet filed criminal charges against him, and investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the threat. The incident prompted heightened security measures around the US diplomatic facility and temporarily disrupted activity in the surrounding area. The security scare comes amid increased concern over attacks targeting US diplomatic facilities in Canada. US media reports that the American Consulate in Toronto has come under gunfire twice this year, although the Halifax incident has not been publicly linked to those attacks. Canadian authorities are expected to continue their investigation to determine the suspect’s motive and whether he intended to carry out an actual attack.

  British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a new package of measures aimed at easing financial pressure on households as the UK continues to face concerns over the cost of living. The government says it will take action against business practices that can leave consumers paying more than expected, including misleading discounts and difficult-to-cancel subscriptions. The measures form part of Burnham’s wider “everyday fixes” agenda, which focuses on addressing common financial frustrations faced by families across the country. One of the first priorities will be an accelerated crackdown on so-called “subscription traps”, under which consumers can find themselves automatically paying for services they no longer want. The government also plans to tackle misleading pricing practices used by retailers. These include fake “was” prices, invented reductions and misleading recommended retail prices that can make a product appear to offer a much larger discount than it actually does. The changes are intended to prevent businesses from artificially increasing the price of an item before reducing it, creating the impression that shoppers are receiving a significant bargain. Burnham said consumers should be able to trust the discounts advertised to them, particularly at a time when household budgets remain under pressure. He argued that if a product is promoted as being half price, customers should be confident that they are genuinely receiving a 50% reduction. Subscription services are another major focus of the government’s plans. According to government figures, there are approximately 155 million active subscriptions across the UK, while unwanted subscriptions cost consumers around £1.6 billion every year. The average consumer has several subscriptions, ranging from streaming and entertainment services to magazines, beauty products and other recurring services. Under the new rules, companies will be required to provide clearer information before customers sign up and remind them when free or discounted trials are approaching their end. Businesses will also have to make cancellation procedures significantly easier. Consumers who sign up online will be able to cancel through a straightforward online process rather than being forced to navigate lengthy telephone calls or complicated cancellation systems. Another important protection will be a 14-day cooling-off period following the end of certain trials or the renewal of long-term contracts. This will give customers additional time to reconsider a subscription and leave if they no longer want it. The government estimates that consumers could save an average of £14 a month for every unwanted subscription they successfully cancel early. Overall, the wider consumer-protection measures are expected to provide substantial financial benefits to households. The subscription rules are being brought forward from the previous timetable, with the government aiming for the new protections to take effect in January 2027. The changes are designed to give consumers greater control over their spending while putting greater responsibility on companies to make their pricing and cancellation policies transparent. Burnham has described the measures as an effort to make everyday life fairer and less frustrating for British families. While the reforms will not resolve every aspect of the cost-of-living pressures facing households, the government says they are intended to deliver practical savings and prevent consumers from being caught out by unfair commercial practices.

  US media has claimed that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has completely disrupted oil shipments from Iran’s Kharg Island, one of the country’s most important centres for crude oil exports. According to a reports, Kharg Island serves as the largest hub for the transportation and export of Iranian crude oil. The island plays a central role in Iran’s oil-export infrastructure and handles a significant portion of the country’s crude shipments to international markets. Three oil terminals on Kharg Island have been completely emptied. According to the report, no ship or oil tanker has departed from Kharg Island since July 31, indicating that crude oil exports through the facility have effectively come to a halt. The report further stated that a large share of the oil exported from Kharg Island is destined for China. However, no oil has reportedly been exported from the island for approximately two weeks. The reported disruption is being linked to the situation surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway through which a substantial portion of the world’s oil and energy supplies normally pass. Any prolonged disruption in the strait can have significant consequences for oil-producing countries, shipping companies and global energy markets. Kharg Island is particularly important to Iran because of its role in the country’s crude oil export network. Oil produced in different parts of Iran is transported to export terminals, from where it is loaded onto tankers for shipment to international destinations. The reported halt in tanker movements from Kharg therefore represents a major disruption to Iran’s traditional oil-export operations. If the situation continues, it could potentially affect the volume of Iranian crude reaching international buyers, particularly major customers in Asia. China has historically been an important destination for Iranian crude oil, making the reported suspension of shipments from Kharg Island particularly significant. Any interruption in the supply chain could have implications for refiners and traders that rely on Iranian crude. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Its strategic importance comes from the large volume of oil and other energy products transported through the waterway. Because of this, tensions or restrictions affecting maritime traffic in the area can quickly generate concerns in international energy markets. According to report, the absence of vessels from Kharg Island since July 31 suggests that the impact of the reported disruption has extended beyond individual shipping delays. The complete emptying of the island’s three oil terminals could indicate that existing crude stocks have already been cleared while further exports have been prevented or significantly restricted. However, the report’s claims about the complete halt in Iranian oil exports from Kharg Island would need to be assessed alongside independent shipping and energy-market data. Tanker movements, satellite observations and official statements from Iranian authorities and international monitoring organisations can provide additional information about the actual scale and duration of the disruption. The development highlights the vulnerability of global energy supplies to disruptions in major maritime routes. With Kharg Island serving as Iran’s largest crude-export hub and China reportedly receiving most of its shipments, continued restrictions around the Strait of Hormuz could have wider implications for regional trade and international oil markets. For now, the reported absence of oil tankers from Kharg Island since July 31 marks a significant interruption in Iran’s crude export activity and could remain an important factor for global energy markets if the disruption persists.

Thai police said a 14-year-old boy accused of carrying out a deadly shooting near Bangkok had shown an interest in firearms for up to two years and had watched violent material online. The teenager allegedly killed his grandparents at their home on Friday before shooting six people at his school and taking his own life. More than 20 others suffered injuries in the attack, which became Thailand’s deadliest mass shooting since 2022. Deputy Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 1 Atthapol Anusit told reporters that investigators had questioned 17 witnesses so far. Police also found a knife in the teenager’s school bag, along with a firearm, spent cartridge cases and a personal computer. Investigators examining the computer found social media content involving violence. Police also said the boy had used social media to learn about firearms, although they have not yet found evidence that he regularly practised shooting. A teacher had confiscated a BB gun from the boy at school last year, according to police. The teenager had lived with his grandparents for about 12 years after his parents separated. In response to the tragedy, Thailand’s Ministry of Education said it would introduce new school safety measures within three months. The plan includes mental health screening, referrals for students considered at risk, emergency response drills, stronger anti-bullying measures and tighter checks to prevent weapons and other dangerous items from entering schools. The shooting has renewed calls for stronger firearm controls in Thailand, which has one of the highest rates of civilian gun ownership in Southeast Asia.

Three people were killed and 25 others injured after Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s Belgorod region, according to Russian authorities. Officials said the drone attack took place overnight, targeting areas in and around Belgorod. Emergency teams responded to the affected locations and began rescue and relief operations following the strikes. The latest attack comes amid continued fighting between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides carrying out frequent drone and missile strikes against targets across the border. Meanwhile, Russia has launched an attack on Ukraine’s strategic port city of Odesa. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the Russian strike, saying the attack caused damage to the Odesa port. Zelenskyy condemned the assault and said the continued attacks on civilian and critical infrastructure demonstrated the intensity of the ongoing conflict. The strikes on Belgorod and Odesa highlight the continued escalation of cross-border attacks as the war enters another phase of sustained military confrontation.

Typhoon Dolphin made landfall in eastern China’s Zhejiang province on Sunday, bringing powerful winds and heavy rain after authorities issued the country’s highest-level typhoon warning. China’s National Meteorological Centre said the storm reached the coast near Yuhuan City at around 5:30pm local time, with winds exceeding 150 kilometres per hour. The typhoon disrupted air and sea travel across the region. Nearly 1,400 flights at Shanghai’s two main airports were cancelled, while Hangzhou airport reported another 270 cancellations. Authorities also suspended more than 200 ferry routes in Zhejiang and Fujian. China evacuated nearly 99,000 people from high-risk areas in Fujian ahead of the storm. Officials also suspended work and transport services in several locations along the typhoon’s expected path. The storm affected neighbouring areas as well. Taiwan cancelled more than 180 flights and suspended dozens of ferry services after heavy rain and strong winds hit the north. In Japan’s Okinawa, seven people suffered minor injuries, while more than 5,000 households lost electricity. Hong Kong also experienced unusually high temperatures. The Hong Kong Observatory recorded 36.9°C and warned that hot weather could continue through Tuesday as warm air from the storm moved over the territory. The weather centre expects Typhoon Dolphin to weaken as it moves northwest across eastern China. However, heavy rain could continue in Shanghai and parts of Zhejiang, Fujian, Anhui and Jiangsu through Monday.