The US plan to force open the Strait of Hormuz, named Operation Freedom, was called off within a day of being announced. While the administration pointed to a sudden opportunity for a peace deal, the real reason was Saudi Arabia's refusal to allow use of its bases or airspace. Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had the last word on X: "Operation failed."

Following the escalation with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, India has kept the Treaty in abeyance. Brokered by the World Bank in 1960, the agreement was long regarded as one of the most resilient international water-sharing deals in the world. Pakistan has now taken the dispute to the UN Security Council, calling India's suspension illegal and warning of serious security, environmental and humanitarian consequences. The move shifts this from a bilateral argument to a test of international law and treaty obligation.

North Korea has unveiled a museum celebrating the role of its soldiers in helping Russia recapture parts of the region following Ukraine's surprise offensive in August 2024. Nearly 11,000 North Korean troops fought in the campaign, of whom an estimated 2,300 died. In return, North Korea is believed to have received food, money and technical assistance from Russia.

record sales have grown for 19 consecutive years, reaching $2.1 billion globally in 2025 and projected to cross $3 billion within a decade. In the age of streaming and not owning anything, the main force driving the sales of physical music records is Gen Z. Make of that what you will.

On this day in 1980, the World Health Organisation declared at the 33rd World Health Assembly that had been eradicated, following a successful global vaccination campaign. One of the few genuinely good endings in the history of infectious disease.