World News | June 26, 2026 Venezuela Double Quakes Kill 235, Iran Drone Hits Cargo Ship, Global Turmoil Deepens

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📰 Venezuela Double Earthquakes: Death Toll Reaches 235, Over 4,300 Injured

Venezuela was struck by a rare "doublet" earthquake on Wednesday evening — a 7.2-magnitude quake followed seconds later by a 7.5-magnitude tremor, both centered approximately 23 to 28 kilometers southeast of Yumare at depths of just 10 to 20 kilometers. The U.S. Geological Survey issued red PAGER alerts for both events, signaling high probabilities of mass casualties and extensive damage.

By Thursday evening, Health Minister Carlos Alvarado announced on state television that the death toll had climbed to 235, with more than 4,300 people injured. Rescue teams are racing against time to find survivors trapped beneath dozens of collapsed buildings, though aftershocks and damaged infrastructure continue to hamper relief efforts.

The international community has responded swiftly, with multiple Latin American nations dispatching rescue teams and medical supplies. This doublet earthquake is Venezuela's worst natural disaster in decades. Seismologists note the region sits at the boundary of the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates, an area of frequent seismic activity.

— CNN

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📰 Iranian Drone Strikes Cargo Ship, UN Halts Strait of Hormuz Evacuation

An Iranian drone struck a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, U.S. officials confirmed, prompting the International Maritime Organization to immediately suspend its ship evacuation plan through the strategic waterway. The IMO director stated that evacuations will remain on hold until safety guarantees can be confirmed for all vessels on the evacuation list.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking after meeting with the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council in Bahrain, said there is "zero support among the Gulf countries for any sort of toll or fees or anything that charges for the use of international waters." Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped more than 90% since the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran began in late February.

The attack comes barely a week after the U.S. and Iran signed a ceasefire memorandum of understanding, underscoring the extreme fragility of the region. The UN had been working to evacuate approximately 11,000 sailors stranded in the strait — a humanitarian operation now thrown into uncertainty.

— Fox News

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📰 Ukraine Seizes "First Chance to Win" as War Comes Home to Russia

Ukrainian drones struck Yekaterinburg — the administrative capital of the Urals region, more than 1,800 kilometers from the Ukrainian border — in late April, and the city's airport has since been shut down at least five times. Months of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries have caused severe gasoline shortages, dwindling food supplies, and a nosediving economy across Russia.

Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi stated on June 25 that Russia's military command has "adjusted its plans" and intends to form an unspecified number of new divisions and five new brigades in 2026. Meanwhile, President Putin has begun hinting at peace talks — the most notable softening of Russia's position since the war began in 2022.

European leaders have vowed "strong" support for Ukraine ahead of the upcoming NATO summit. Missile strikes continue: three were killed in Ukraine on June 23, while Ukrainian attacks on Russian-occupied Crimea triggered power outages in Sevastopol.

— Al Jazeera

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📰 Israel's "Forever Wars": 92% Say U.S. Signed Away Their Victory

Less than a week after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire memorandum, a new poll reveals that an overwhelming 92% of Israelis believe Washington "signed away their victory" over a decades-old enemy. Nearly half of respondents said Israel should continue attacks on Lebanon and Hezbollah regardless of Washington's urgings.

Since the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, Israel has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians in Gaza and razed large swaths of the territory. Israeli forces have also killed thousands in Lebanon while fighting Hezbollah, launched multiple ground incursions into Syria, and carried out sporadic strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

Despite the ceasefire temporarily halting U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran, Israel's cycle of regional conflict shows no signs of ending. A UN report has accused Israel of "committing genocide by targeting Gaza's children," drawing widespread international condemnation.

— Al Jazeera

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📰 U.S. Senate Invokes War Powers Act to Halt Iran Campaign

The U.S. Senate voted 50-48 on June 24 to pass a war powers resolution directing President Trump to cease military operations against Iran or seek explicit congressional approval. This marks the first time in American history that both chambers of Congress have passed such a resolution — the House approved a similar measure 215-208 on June 3.

Four Republican senators crossed party lines to support the measure. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer condemned Trump's Iran war as delivering "maximum confusion, maximum chaos, maximum cost to the American people," calling it "one of the worst foreign policy forays America has ever made."

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released the same day found only 24% of Americans believed the war had been worth the cost. Technically, however, the resolution lacks binding force — previous administrations have circumvented similar measures by securing narrower authorizations for the use of military force.

— Al Jazeera

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📰 U.S. Supreme Court Sides with Trump Administration on Immigration

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a series of rulings on June 25 clearing the way for the Trump administration to revive a restrictive asylum policy and terminate Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants. The decisions represent a major victory for the administration's immigration enforcement agenda.

The first ruling allows the government to reinstate a policy requiring asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while their cases are processed. A second decision authorizes the termination of TPS protections for nationals of Haiti, Syria, and other designated countries. Liberal justices dissented in both cases.

The rulings arrive as immigration pressure continues at the southern border and as the Trump administration has made immigration enforcement a centerpiece of its political platform. Immigrant advocacy groups condemned the decisions, warning they will expose vulnerable populations to the risk of being returned to dangerous conditions.

— AP News

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📰 Deadly European Heatwave: UK and Switzerland Shatter June Temperature Records

A historic heatwave is sweeping across Europe. Switzerland's northern city of Basel recorded 38°C on June 25, shattering an eight-decade-old June record of 36.9°C. The United Kingdom also broke its June temperature record, while Cardiff in South Wales set a new record for the highest June overnight minimum temperature.

France has been forced to shut down multiple nuclear reactors as river water temperatures used for cooling became too high. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that European temperatures are rising at roughly twice the global average rate, increasing both the likelihood and severity of future extreme heat events.

Temperatures in northern Spain's Basque Country exceeded 40°C, with the Cantabrian village of Tama hitting a record 43.7°C. The UK's National Grid issued another supply warning as the heatwave tests energy infrastructure across the continent. Multiple countries are reporting a surge in heat-related deaths.

— The Guardian

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📰 Bitcoin Crashes to 20-Month Low Below $60,000 as $715M in Longs Liquidated

Bitcoin plunged to approximately $58,000 on June 25, hitting a 20-month low. The cryptocurrency has shed more than 20% in June alone, bringing first-half 2026 losses beyond 30%. Ethereum fell well below $1,700, and altcoins bled across the board in a broad market rout.

Data shows $397 million in long positions were liquidated on June 25 alone, with total monthly liquidations reaching $715 million. Market analysts warn that a sustained break below the $60,000 threshold could trigger an even larger "cascade" of forced liquidations, further accelerating the selloff.

The crash has unfolded despite the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs, suggesting institutional inflows have failed to provide the price support many had anticipated. Macroeconomic uncertainty, Middle East geopolitical tensions, and the Federal Reserve's higher-for-longer interest rate stance are widely cited as the primary drivers of the crypto market's deepening rout.

— Forbes

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📰 Volkswagen Plans 100,000 Job Cuts, Four German Plant Closures

Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume is planning a radical restructuring of Europe's largest automaker, including cutting up to 100,000 jobs globally and closing four German production sites in the medium term, according to a report by German publication Manager Magazin.

The plants facing closure include VW factories in Hanover, Zwickau, and Emden, as well as the Audi plant in Neckarsulm, Baden-Württemberg. The sweeping overhaul aims to make the automaker more competitive amid intensifying competition from Chinese manufacturers and the burden of new U.S. tariffs.

The report also suggests Blume is considering spinning off the core Volkswagen brand as an independent entity. VW's powerful labor unions have already vowed "fierce resistance" to mass layoffs and plant closures, setting the stage for a major confrontation between management and workers. VW shares fluctuated following the news.

— Euronews

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📰 World Cup: Japan Advances to Face Brazil, Ecuador Stuns Germany

The 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage is drawing to a dramatic close. Japan secured its place in the knockout rounds on June 26, setting up a mouthwatering Round of 32 clash against tournament favorites Brazil — an Asian-South American showdown that promises to be one of the highlights of the early knockout stage.

In one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, Ecuador shocked four-time champion Germany, sending shockwaves through the competition. Powerhouses France, Spain, Uruguay, and Senegal were also in action as teams jockeyed for favorable knockout-stage positions.

The United States lost 3-2 to Turkey on a last-second goal but had already clinched the top spot in Group D, securing a favorable path into the Round of 32 in Santa Clara, California. With the 48-team group stage nearing its conclusion, the tournament is poised for the high-stakes drama of the knockout rounds.

— Livemint