Putin Urges ‘De-Escalation’ in Call with Iranian President

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, center left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, center right, arrive at a ceremony following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 17, 2025. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, center left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, center right, arrive at a ceremony following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 17, 2025. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)
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Putin Urges ‘De-Escalation’ in Call with Iranian President

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, center left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, center right, arrive at a ceremony following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 17, 2025. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, center left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, center right, arrive at a ceremony following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 17, 2025. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for de-escalation in the Iran conflict during a phone call on Tuesday with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian, the Kremlin said.

"The President of Russia reaffirmed his principled position in favor of a speedy de-escalation of the conflict and for it to be resolved through political means," the Kremlin said in its readout of the call.

"Pezeshkian thanked Russia for its support, particularly for providing humanitarian aid to Iran," the Kremlin added, confirming Moscow has sent assistance to its ally Tehran.



Iran Executes Two Men Convicted of Killing Police Officers during January Protests

The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, before the beginning of a board of governors meeting, in Vienna, Austria, March 1, 2021. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner
The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, before the beginning of a board of governors meeting, in Vienna, Austria, March 1, 2021. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner
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Iran Executes Two Men Convicted of Killing Police Officers during January Protests

The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, before the beginning of a board of governors meeting, in Vienna, Austria, March 1, 2021. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner
The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, before the beginning of a board of governors meeting, in Vienna, Austria, March 1, 2021. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

Iran has executed two men convicted of killing four police ‌officers ‌during violent ‌unrest in ⁠the central city ⁠of Isfahan in January, judiciary-linked news outlet ⁠Mizan ‌reported on ‌Sunday.

Mizan identified ‌the ‌men as Erfan Esfandiyari and Golmohammad ‌Mohammadi, adding that their ⁠death ⁠sentences were carried out on Sunday after a court process, according to Reuters.


Congo Says Number of Confirmed Ebola Cases Rises to 2,267, Including 893 Deaths

The entrance to the Ebola Treatment Center at Rwampara General Hospital stands unstaffed during a medical staff strike in Rwampara, Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo, 13 July 2026. EPA/DIEUDONNE DIROLE
The entrance to the Ebola Treatment Center at Rwampara General Hospital stands unstaffed during a medical staff strike in Rwampara, Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo, 13 July 2026. EPA/DIEUDONNE DIROLE
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Congo Says Number of Confirmed Ebola Cases Rises to 2,267, Including 893 Deaths

The entrance to the Ebola Treatment Center at Rwampara General Hospital stands unstaffed during a medical staff strike in Rwampara, Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo, 13 July 2026. EPA/DIEUDONNE DIROLE
The entrance to the Ebola Treatment Center at Rwampara General Hospital stands unstaffed during a medical staff strike in Rwampara, Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo, 13 July 2026. EPA/DIEUDONNE DIROLE

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo ‌has ‌increased to 2,267, ‌including ⁠893 deaths, government ⁠data showed late on Saturday.

The figure represents the ⁠total number ‌of ‌confirmed cases ‌as of ‌Friday, according to a situation report ‌that documented 86 new cases and ⁠29 ⁠new deaths in the previous 24 hours, Reuters said.


Southern China Braces for More Rain, Chongqing Landslide Search Continues

Rescuers work at the scene of a landslide in Pengshui County, southwestern China's Chongqing on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP)
Rescuers work at the scene of a landslide in Pengshui County, southwestern China's Chongqing on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP)
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Southern China Braces for More Rain, Chongqing Landslide Search Continues

Rescuers work at the scene of a landslide in Pengshui County, southwestern China's Chongqing on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP)
Rescuers work at the scene of a landslide in Pengshui County, southwestern China's Chongqing on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP)

China's ‌meteorological authority on Sunday issued a heavy rain alert for parts of southern China, following a warning a day earlier of mountain flood risks in areas like Chongqing and Yunnan and potential emergency evacuations in vulnerable places.

Cutting south China diagonally, the sprawling rain ‌belt stretches from ‌the southwestern province of ‌Yunnan ⁠to the Yangtze River ⁠Delta in China's eastern coast.

Rail authorities suspended some passenger trains on the Shanghai–Kunming railway on Sunday due to heavy rain, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

In Yunnan, ⁠several scenic spots including ‌the Tiger Leaping ‌Gorge were temporarily closed following heavy ‌rain over the weekend.

Parts of ‌southwestern Guangxi region, still recovering from the impact of Typhoon Maysak earlier this month, was bracing for a new ‌round of rain through Tuesday.

Hydrological authorities in Guangxi's ⁠Baise ⁠said some rivers rose by one to three meters (three to nine feet) over the past 24 hours, CCTV reported Sunday.

A rain-triggered landslide in a county in southwest China's Chongqing on Friday has killed eight people, while rescuers are still racing to find 34 people that remain missing.