Apple will price its folding iPhone Duo from $1,999, with the top-spec model reaching $3,199, as chief executive John Ternus unveiled the company’s biggest smartphone shake-up in nearly 20 years. The Duo folds out to a screen almost as large as an iPad Mini and is Apple’s first foldable iPhone, arriving years after rivals Samsung and Huawei entered the market. Ternus said the device would redefine foldable-phone experiences. Wider price increases were less than some analysts had feared. The annual launch at Apple Park in Cupertino is crucial because iPhones generate half of Apple’s revenue. The event was Ternus’s first major public appearance since replacing Tim Cook last week. Cook attended.

Iran reportedly used new electro-optical missiles against US warships for the first time on Wednesday, as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intensified attacks on American forces in the region. The IRGC launched overnight attacks targeting US forces in Jordan and 10 American ships near the Strait of Hormuz. The missiles were reportedly fitted with electro-optical seekers using cameras and light sensors to track targets more precisely, potentially without GPS. US Central Command confirmed the attacks but said the attempts against the ships failed. Iranian missiles targeting a US base in Jordan were also intercepted. The escalation followed US strikes on five Iranian oil tankers after Iran targeted a US Navy warship, prompting Tehran’s retaliatory attacks. (PC: X)

US President Donald Trump has promised that the government would grant $5,000 to every American if Republicans retain control of Congress in the upcoming November midterm elections. Trump made the pledge on Thursday while speaking at a first-of-its-kind, two-day Republican midterm convention in Dallas. The event placed Trump at the center of the Republican campaign ahead of the elections. His promise links the proposed payment directly to Republican success in retaining Congress, making the announcement a significant campaign message. The pledge was delivered as Republicans prepare for the November midterms, with Trump using the Dallas convention to rally support and place himself prominently in the party’s campaign efforts for all voters. (PC: Getty Images)

Iran has highlighted its strong and longstanding ties with India ahead of President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran views India as an important diplomatic partner and will use the summit to continue discussions on areas of mutual interest. Pezeshkian is expected to attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12–13, providing an opportunity for further diplomatic engagement between the two countries. Iran’s emphasis on bilateral ties comes as the BRICS grouping faces differing positions among members over the ongoing West Asia conflict. India is seeking to maintain dialogue and cooperation among members while navigating the bloc’s internal geopolitical differences.

Security has been tightened at hotels in New Delhi’s Chanakyapuri ahead of the BRICS summit, with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to arrive later this week. Sources said Putin is expected on September 11, while Xi is likely to arrive on September 12. Both leaders are expected to land at Palam Air Force Station before travelling to hotels in Chanakyapuri. Chinese and Russian security teams have already reached the hotels and brought advanced weapons and security equipment. Security personnel have been deployed across the presidents’ expected hotel floors, rooftops and ground levels. Delhi Police has deployed 30,000 personnel for the summit, according to the report’s headline. (PC: The Indian Express)

Pakistan has reportedly warned Iran, conveying a Saudi request to rein in Yemen’s Houthi allies after attacks on Saudi Arabia injured 73 people and struck an airbase and oil infrastructure. The warning comes amid escalating Iran-US attacks on Gulf shipping and growing fears over global energy supplies. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said spillover into Saudi territory could activate a security arrangement involving Riyadh, Ankara and Islamabad, although officials stressed Pakistan’s role would focus on defending Saudi Arabia. Islamabad urged Tehran to use its influence to stop Houthi attacks, but an Iranian official said Iran does not control the group. However, two Iranian sources reportedly said Tehran recently instructed the Houthis to attack Saudi Arabia and promised funding and weapons. (PC: NDTV)

Three Russian military aircraft landed at Noida Airport on Tuesday morning, marking the first foreign aircraft landing at the newly operational airport. The aircraft touched down around 5:30 am, with a Russian IL-76 military transport aircraft among them. A Russian advance team and military officials arrived aboard the aircraft. The landing is linked to preparations for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to India and the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. Airport authorities are making arrangements ahead of the high-profile diplomatic event. The arrival marks a major operational milestone for Noida Airport, which has now received its first foreign aircraft as preparations intensify for the summit and Putin’s visit.

Several US military aircraft were reportedly damaged in an overnight Iranian strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, according to CBS. One A-10 Thunderbolt, known as the Warthog, was struck and left with a missing wing, while roughly eight F-15 fighter jets sustained light damage but were returned to service. US forces in Jordan launched more than 30 Patriot missiles to defend against the Iranian attack. The strike followed US attacks on five Iranian oil tankers, carried out after Iran targeted a US Navy warship. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps subsequently claimed attacks on eight tankers and two warships, including the Jordanian base. Tehran condemned the US tanker strikes and launched retaliatory attacks against American military assets.

Iran claimed it attacked a dozen vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, including two US vessels, eight oil tankers and 10 “non-compliant vessels”, while expanding a prohibited zone into parts of the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea. The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported vessels subjected to disabling fire. Iran claimed strikes on a US base in Jordan after attacks destroyed five Iranian oil tankers; Jordan said it intercepted 18 missiles. Brent crude closed at $101.21 as disruption intensified. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned tanker strikes would continue if Iran attacks US ships, while Donald Trump predicted the war could end after the midterms. Officials warned it could continue. (PC: Reuters)

US President Donald Trump has said the war with Iran will end “immediately after” the November midterm elections, claiming Tehran cannot sustain the conflict much longer. Trump accused Iran of trying to influence the US vote so it could face weaker politicians and pursue a nuclear weapon. He said Washington was seeking more than a nuclear deal but was not actively negotiating with Tehran, while leaving open the possibility of talks. Trump also warned of more US attacks in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran claimed strikes on 10 vessels. Brent crude rose above $100 a barrel amid concerns over global oil supplies. (PC: India Today)