Noontime News Recap: Doha diplomacy deepens as Ukraine, Israel and climate shocks add to global strain

US and Iranian officials are converging on Doha for mediated talks, with Qatari and Pakistani intermediaries involved as tensions remain high over the Strait of Hormuz and wider regional security. The discussions are being framed as indirect technical contacts, but they come alongside a broader push to keep channels open between Washington and Tehran.  🔗  🔗

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In the Middle East, a newly signed Lebanon Israel declaration has drawn sharp criticism inside Lebanon, with Hezbollah and its allies warning it could fuel future conflict rather than ease it. Separately, Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's pursuit of total victory against Iran and its proxies never ends, underlining the hard line in Jerusalem as regional diplomacy continues.  🔗  🔗

Ukraine said at least three people were killed in overnight Russian attacks in the southeast, while Kyiv also reported new long range drone strikes deep inside Russia, including on a refinery in Ufa. Ukrainian investigators also said some bodies returned from the war contained hidden explosives, delaying identification work and adding another grim complication to the handling of the dead.  🔗  🔗

Elsewhere in Europe, Spain has reported more than 1,000 deaths linked to the June heatwave, according to official figures from the Carlos III Health Institute. The toll highlights the scale of the public health impact from extreme temperatures across the country.  🔗

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In South Asia, Pakistan said it intercepted four rudimentary drones launched from Afghanistan, while the Taliban government in Kabul said it had carried out air strikes in response to cross border tensions. The exchange points to a further deterioration in already fragile relations between the two neighbours.  🔗

In China, Xi Jinping used a speech in Beijing to call for a stronger and more modern military, while renewing his pledge to fight corruption inside the ruling Communist Party. The remarks combined defence ambition with political discipline as Beijing continues to reshape its security posture.  🔗

In Russia, a military veteran has been detained after posting a viral video warning Vladimir Putin that soldiers could turn their weapons towards the Kremlin, a rare public challenge that appears to have triggered a swift response from the authorities.  🔗

In the UK, a defence minister said the country's investment plan faces a £4.7bn funding gap before the autumn Budget, leaving the next chancellor to find the money. The warning adds fresh pressure to an already stretched public spending outlook.  🔗

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