Globe at a glance: From twin earthquakes in Venezuela to MEA's passport remark

Twin earthquakes hit Venezuela: Two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck western Venezuela within seconds on Wednesday, causing building collapses and structural damage. Residents fled into the streets in Caracas as authorities cut gas supplies and assessed the impact.

Trump says Nato allies ‘let him down’: US President Donald Trump told the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) Secretary General Mark Rutte that he was disappointed by Nato members for failing to back the US during the Iran conflict, exposing tensions within the alliance over military support and burden-sharing during the war.

Iran accuses US of fuelling distrust: Iran said contradictory statements from Washington about the US-Iran memorandum of understanding are deepening mistrust and complicating efforts to implement the deal. Tehran insisted commitments must be matched by actions and warned that confidence can only be rebuilt through reciprocal compliance.

MEA passport remark: A Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement that passports are travel documents, not definitive proof of citizenship, has sparked debate over how Indians establish citizenship. Experts note India lacks a single universal citizenship document, with authorities often relying on multiple records and evidence.

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Ketan Agarwal murder: Police said the accused, Siyal Goel and Chetan Chaudhary, exchanged nearly 2,000 phone calls and met at a café before the incident, where they allegedly planned how to stage an “accident” inside Lohagad Fort.

Europe heatwave: A rare “Omega block” weather pattern has triggered a deadly heatwave across Europe, killing dozens, disrupting power and transport networks, and forcing school closures. Britain, France and several other countries recorded unprecedented June temperatures as extreme heat persisted.

Cliff collapse at French resort: A cliff collapsed near Miramar Beach in the French resort town of Biarritz on Wednesday evening, killing a woman and leaving a diver missing. The area was crowded during a heatwave. Rescue teams recovered one body and suspended overnight search operations.

The big number: Assets under management (AUM) across the Asia-Pacific region are projected to rise 49 per cent to $34.5 trillion by 2030, driven by growing investor wealth and expanding capital markets. India is expected to be one of the fastest-growing markets, with its asset and wealth management industry forecast to nearly double from $0.9 trillion in 2024 to $1.7 trillion by 2030, supported by rising retail participation, mutual fund adoption, and increasing financialisation of household savings.

Quote of the day: "He's (Zelenskyy) doing pretty well. He's holding his own, at least. A lot of people dying on both sides, but I think he's doing pretty well. You have to say he's courageous, he's not got great equipment, but he's got great men, he's got fighters."

- US President Donald Trump 

This day in history: On this day in 1950, Armed forces from communist North Korea crossed the 38th parallel to invade South Korea. The sudden escalation transformed the region into an international proxy battlefield between the United States and the Soviet Union, fundamentally shaping the Cold War.