International
Modi returns to India and shortens his visit to Saudi Arabia after a deadly attack in Kashmir
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shortened his visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to New Delhi on Wednesday after the deadly terrorist attack with 28 dead in the Pahalgam region, in Indian Kashmir, one of the worst attacks against civilians in recent years.
Upon his arrival in the Indian capital, the prime minister immediately held a high-level information meeting at the airport to analyze the situation resulting from the deadly attack against a group of tourists, which occurred yesterday, according to images from the Government.
Modi, who had just started an official visit to Saudi Arabia, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, according to images of the meeting.
The attack in Pahalgam occurred yesterday when alleged militants attacked a group of tourists, killing 28 people and injuring more than 20.
Survivors of the attack, quoted by Indian media, told how the aggressors approached them in the meadow and began shooting at close range, pointing, according to reports, to individuals who claimed not to be Muslims.
The attack marks a serious escalation with respect to other recent incidents in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Previously, the deadliest attack in recent years took place in February 2019, when a suicide attack killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police officers.
As for attacks against civilians, a notable incident took place in March 2000, when an insurgent attack on a village in the south of the region killed at least 36 people.
The Kashmir region has been a long-standing point of conflict between India and Pakistan since its separation from the British Empire in 1947. Both nations have fought wars and other minor conflicts for the control of the territory.
Since 1989, the region has been the scene of an armed revolt against the New Delhi Government, a conflict that has caused the death of tens of thousands of people. India maintains that Pakistan supports the insurgency, a statement that Pakistan denies.
In response to the attack, the Indian Army and Kashmir Police have launched a search operation in the Baisran area, Pahalgam, in the Anantnag district, to arrest the perpetrators.
The attack on tourists in the Pahalgam area, in the Anantnag district, has caused widespread condemnation throughout the country. Several political leaders, including Modi and Interior Minister Amit Shah, have denounced the attack.
International leaders, such as US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, also issued statements condemning the violence and expressing their solidarity with India.
Kashmir administered by India woke up this Wednesday paralyzed under strong security measures, even greater than usual in this heavily militarized region, while security forces try to find those responsible for the insurgent attack that killed 28 people yesterday.
Hundreds of police and soldiers are deployed today in Srinagar, the main city of the region, and in other cities such as Pahalgam, the closest to the place of the attack, with patrols that go through every street making loud sirens sound, according to EFE.
The region also observes a total closure of its activity, called by several local religious and political leaders, in addition to the main commercial organizations.
All stores, commercial establishments and educational institutions are closed while university exams scheduled for today have been postponed.
The attack occurred yesterday about five kilometers from Pahalgam, in a meadow frequented by locals and visitors, when alleged insurgents attacked a group of tourists, causing the death of 28 people and injuring at least a dozen people.
Survivors of the attack, quoted by Indian media, told how the aggressors approached them in the meadow and began shooting at close range, pointing, according to reports, to individuals who claimed not to be Muslims.
The security forces have not notified the arrest of any person so far, while a police investigation is already underway.
“A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is expected to arrive in Pahalgam to take charge of the investigation of the incident,” an official from the Kashmir divisional commissioner’s office told EFE.
According to a source close to the investigation cited by The Indian Express, there were four insurgents involved in the attack.
International
Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027
Mexico and Guatemala agreed Tuesday on a 2027 Binational Plan built around five areas of cooperation, along with a schedule of meetings and initiatives aimed at making progress by the end of 2026 on security, border infrastructure, human mobility, development and technical and social cooperation.
The agreement was announced by the foreign ministers of both countries following a meeting in Mexico City.
Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said the plan will establish the “direction and priorities” of bilateral relations for next year. His Guatemalan counterpart, Carlos Ramiro Martínez, said the meeting allowed both governments to make decisions, schedule activities and revitalize bilateral cooperation mechanisms.
Security and border infrastructure
In the area of security, the two governments have nearly completed negotiations on a new memorandum of understanding for the Mexico-Guatemala High-Level Security Group (Ganseg), which was reactivated in 2025.
The countries expect to sign the agreement in the coming months to strengthen coordination and their ability to respond to shared security threats.
Regarding their nearly 1,000-kilometer shared border, Mexico and Guatemala agreed to advance infrastructure improvements at border crossings and continue work on a joint cargo clearance program between Ciudad Hidalgo and Tecún Umán, two border areas separated by the Suchiate River.
The measures are intended to facilitate bilateral trade while making cross-border exchanges safer and more efficient.
The two governments will also continue defining a route toward a railway connection between their countries through Line K of Mexico’s Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT), with the aim of strengthening economic and community ties.
Migration and development
On human mobility, Mexico and Guatemala will maintain coordination to ensure safe, orderly and dignified returns, while strengthening protection for people in transit.
The bilateral agenda also includes a second phase of the Sembrando Vida program in Guatemala, which is expected to benefit 10,000 people across 15 departments.
Both countries will also advance initiatives under Juntos para el Bienestar, as well as six technical, scientific and energy cooperation projects approved by the Joint Commission.
The agreements seek to strengthen bilateral ties and establish concrete priorities for cooperation between Mexico and Guatemala during 2027.
International
France to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced Tuesday, August 18, 2026, that France will expel two Iranian diplomats in response to what Paris described as an attack on two French representatives in Iran last month.
“Two French diplomats were scandalously and deliberately assaulted on July 19. I had announced that this intolerable act would have consequences. It has now happened. Two Iranian diplomats in France will be expelled in the coming days,” Barrot said in a message posted on X.
The two Iranian diplomats have been declared persona non grata and will be required to leave France within the coming days, according to the French foreign minister.
About a month ago, Barrot said that two members of the French diplomatic staff had been detained by Iranian security forces for several hours. One of them was also subjected to harassment, he said.
The French government described the incident as an “extremely serious act of intimidation” that violated diplomatic immunity.
The two French embassy staff members were working on programs supporting Iranian civil society, particularly initiatives involving artists and researchers.
Iran has denied France’s allegations regarding the incident. The diplomatic dispute comes amid already strained relations between Paris and Tehran.
International
Heat wave puts more than 70 million Americans under alerts as temperatures near 46°C
More than 70 million people remained under heat alerts Monday as an intense heat wave continued across the southern United States, particularly Florida and states along the Mexican border, where temperatures and heat indexes could reach as high as 46 degrees Celsius, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Several cities recorded or tied temperature records over the weekend and into Monday, including Miami and Fort Lauderdale in Florida; Laredo, Borger and Austin’s airport in Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina; and Memphis, Tennessee.
The NWS warned that the heat wave will continue affecting the southern and southeastern United States, with maximum temperatures expected to remain near 38°C to 40°C for several days. The heat index, which combines temperature and humidity to estimate how hot conditions feel, could reach 46°C.
The extreme heat is also spreading into the Southwest, where temperatures began rising again between Monday and Tuesday. Forecast highs in the region range from about 38°C to 43°C.
Heat alerts remain in effect across Nevada, Arizona and California, including areas in southern Arizona and California near the Mexican border, as authorities warn of the risks posed by prolonged extreme temperatures.
The NWS urged residents to limit outdoor activity, stay hydrated, ensure access to air conditioning or cooling centers, and check on vulnerable friends, neighbors and family members.
The United States is experiencing a summer marked by above-average temperatures and repeated heat waves. One of the most intense episodes occurred during the July 4 weekend, when extreme heat was blamed for roughly 30 deaths.
July was the hottest month ever recorded in the United States since measurements began, with the average temperature across the contiguous country approaching 25°C, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The combination of extreme heat and drought conditions has also fueled wildfires. Nearly 3 million hectares have burned across the country so far in 2026, making it the largest area affected by wildfires in a decade.
Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027
France to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials
Heat wave puts more than 70 million Americans under alerts as temperatures near 46°C
Trump warns Iran over nuclear ambitions as U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline passes
Brazil’s Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro kick off election campaigns amid focus on crime
Actress Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36, Representative Confirms
Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty to Killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
ICE Plan to Equip Agents With Electric Shock Gloves Raises Abuse Concerns
France to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials
Actress Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36, Representative Confirms
Trump warns Iran over nuclear ambitions as U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline passes
Heat wave puts more than 70 million Americans under alerts as temperatures near 46°C
Brazil’s Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro kick off election campaigns amid focus on crime
Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027
Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty to Killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
ICE Plan to Equip Agents With Electric Shock Gloves Raises Abuse Concerns
-
International15 hours agoFrance to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials
-
International3 days agoActress Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36, Representative Confirms
-
International2 days agoTrump warns Iran over nuclear ambitions as U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline passes
-
International2 days agoHeat wave puts more than 70 million Americans under alerts as temperatures near 46°C
-
International2 days agoBrazil’s Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro kick off election campaigns amid focus on crime
-
International15 hours agoMexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027
-
International5 days agoLuigi Mangione Pleads Guilty to Killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
-
International5 days agoICE Plan to Equip Agents With Electric Shock Gloves Raises Abuse Concerns