Latest news for 29 July 2026

OMAN

Throwing its hat in the ring.

Iran has dismissed an Omani proposal to split Hormuz control evenly, insisting all inbound and some outbound maritime traffic should transit through Iranian-controlled lanes. (WSJ $) Comment: Tehran’s refusal — plus its surprise overnight targeting of US forces in Jordan — casts even more doubt on any current US-Iran talks, though both sides have a habit of escalation to build negotiation leverage. But what’s *Oman’s* deal here? Sure, it could be a naked profit-grab amid a regional war, but the sultanate’s close US ties leave us wondering if it could be part of a wider effort to try scaling back or undermining the regime’s demands.

PERU

Fujimori Jr. inaugurated.

Conservative-populist Keiko Fujimori has used her inaugural address to pledge an “iron fist” against crime, higher minimum wages for workers, and a better climate for businesses, plus new contingency plans for the impending El Niño weather phenomenon. Extending her late father’s (controversial) dynasty, she’s now the country’s ninth leader in 10 years. (MercoPress)

JAPAN

Deadly earthquake.

Yesterday’s 7.1 magnitude quake has collapsed a shopping centre in south-western Japan, leaving several dead, 300,000+ evacuated, and widespread power outages. (Japan Today)

Comment: Takaichi will need an effective and visible government response to avoid her approval ratings slumping further. The domestic bond market already seems to fear she’ll further ramp up public spending to win back support, putting more upward pressure on rates.

HAITI

Elections?

Haiti’s electoral authorities have scheduled a presidential election for December, the country’s first vote in a decade. (Haitian Times)

Comment: It might be too early to celebrate given the years of earlier ballots getting postponed for political security reasons. And on that political-security dynamic, a key question is how Haiti’s all-powerful gang leaders like ‘Barbecue’ play their hand: run candidates, veto the whole process via violence, or manoeuvre to cut deals behind the scenes.

FINLAND

Close the airspace.

Helsinki has closed parts of its airspace and maritime traffic near Russia, citing drone incursion risks. Meanwhile, fellow NATO ally Romania has summoned the local Russian ambassador after three more Putinist drone incursions over the weekend. (Reuters)

Comment: Any drone damage is still more political than physical at this point (eg, collapsing Latvia’s government back in May). It’s a low-cost way for Putin to fan fears of the war’s widening fallout, and test NATO unity and responses. Iran is now running a similar playbook in the Gulf, using drones (and proxies) to probe US partners amid the fragile ceasefire.

MALAYSIA

Sepang is the new Bahrain.

The F1 has confirmed it’ll hold October’s Bahrain Grand Prix at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit instead, citing the continued war in Iran. Two other races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi could also be relocated later this year. (Autosport.com)

Comment: There’s a non-zero chance sporting bodies now have a better feel for Middle Eastern geopolitics than oil markets, which are still pricing in some kind of off-ramp for hostilities well before October.

MOROCCO

Trump highway.

President Trump has thanked Morocco for naming a new highway in his honour, running from central Morocco down to Western Sahara. (AA)

Comment: It’s not a random gesture, but aimed at a) thanking Trump for his earlier recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the contested Western Saharan turf, and probably b) a gentle ‘push’ to accelerate US mediation efforts with rival Algeria, which prefers Western Saharan independence over Moroccan dominance.

UNITED STATES

Robot ban.

The FCC has announced a ban on humanoid and quadruped robots from China, citing the national security risks posed by their data collection and remote-control capabilities. Beijing has slammed the move as a smear campaign against China’s more competitive firms. (Guardian)

Comment: By extending DC’s ‘Covered List’ tool from telecom gear into embodied AI and robotics, Trump might hope it provides some breathing room for America’s own emerging robotics firms. But only time will tell whether the benefits (reduced competition) outweigh the costs (limited access to new tech, plus pricier inputs for American industry).