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August 2: Trump Pauses Iran Strikes as Basra Graves Case Reopens
Iran and U.S. policy
President Trump says he cancelled planned military strikes on Iran after negotiators reached the outlines of an agreement. He said a deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping and address Iran's nuclear programme. There has been no independent confirmation of a final agreement, and the pause follows Iranian attacks on U.S. troops and escalating threats from Washington.
In Minnesota, a cyberattack disrupted dozens of water-treatment facilities. Trump drew criticism after blaming Governor Tim Walz while rejecting federal intelligence assessments warning of Iranian cyber threats. For water systems, attribution is not a partisan accessory, it is the starting point for stopping the next attack.
Basra war cemetery
Records released through Freedom of Information requests indicate that nearly 800 First and Second World War headstones removed from Basra War Cemetery in Iraq in 2003 were crushed within 18 months and used as drainage fill at a nearby British military base. More than 3,000 people buried at the cemetery remain without marked graves. A grandson of one of those buried is seeking a High Court judicial review; the Ministry of Defence says it cannot comment while legal proceedings are under way.
Ferry fire off Indonesia
At least five people have died and 41 remain missing after a ferry caught fire at sea off Indonesia. Rescue authorities say 225 people were saved, with some passengers forced to jump into the water to escape the flames. Search operations are continuing.
Pakistan avalanche
Climber Nirmal Purja and nine others have been confirmed dead following an avalanche in Pakistan, according to Purja's expedition company.
Wildfires in southern Europe
France says it has stopped the spread of major wildfires after weeks of firefighting. Conditions have improved in Spain, although some fires continue to expand, while Greece is battling multiple blazes in strong winds.
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