Indonesia earthquake kills at least 91

At least 91 people were killed and hundreds more injured after a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Indonesia’s Lombok Island.

It’s the second quake to hit the tourist island in a week.

Aftershocks and tremors were felt in nearby Bali.

US to reinstate sanctions on Iran

The US will reimpose sanctions on Iran tonight.

US state secretary Mike Pompeo is set to outline the plan.

His boss, President Trump, pulled the US out of a seven-country deal to ease sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran scaling back its nuclear ambitions.

That was in May. Since then Iran's currency has lost half its value. Tehran is relaxing some foreign exchange rules to try to prepare financial markets for tonight's announcement.

South Sudan leaders sign peace deal

South Sudan’s government and the country's main rebel group have signed a peace deal and power-sharing agreement.

President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar also agreed on a three-year unity government.

The deal aims to end a five-year civil war which has killed thousands of people, and left millions displaced.

Saudi Arabia escalates dispute with Canada over activists

Saudi Arabia has suspended all new trade and investment transactions with Canada, after Ottawa demanded that Riyadh release civil rights activists, arrested for promoting women's rights.

Saudi authorities have given the Canadian ambassador 24 hours to leave the country, and recalled their own ambassador from Ottawa.

Stipan “Vladmir” Seagalov

And finally,

Vladimir Putin has tasked Steven Seagal with improving Russia-US humanitarian ties.

The Russian president gave the US action star a Russian passport in 2016.

The Kremlin says Seagal will not be paid a salary.

Putin has a black belt in judo and has a soft spot for Seagal, who made his name in movies where he played a tough guy and aikido expert.

Indonesia earthquake kills at least 91

At least 91 people were killed and hundreds more injured after a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Indonesia’s Lombok Island.

It’s the second quake to hit the tourist island in a week.

Aftershocks and tremors were felt in nearby Bali.

US to reinstate sanctions on Iran

The US will reimpose sanctions on Iran tonight.

US state secretary Mike Pompeo is set to outline the plan.

His boss, President Trump, pulled the US out of a seven-country deal to ease sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran scaling back its nuclear ambitions.

That was in May. Since then Iran's currency has lost half its value. Tehran is relaxing some foreign exchange rules to try to prepare financial markets for tonight's announcement.

South Sudan leaders sign peace deal

South Sudan’s government and the country's main rebel group have signed a peace deal and power-sharing agreement.

President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar also agreed on a three-year unity government.

The deal aims to end a five-year civil war which has killed thousands of people, and left millions displaced.

Saudi Arabia escalates dispute with Canada over activists

Saudi Arabia has suspended all new trade and investment transactions with Canada, after Ottawa demanded that Riyadh release civil rights activists, arrested for promoting women's rights.

Saudi authorities have given the Canadian ambassador 24 hours to leave the country, and recalled their own ambassador from Ottawa.

Stipan “Vladmir” Seagalov

And finally,

Vladimir Putin has tasked Steven Seagal with improving Russia-US humanitarian ties.

The Russian president gave the US action star a Russian passport in 2016.

The Kremlin says Seagal will not be paid a salary.

Putin has a black belt in judo and has a soft spot for Seagal, who made his name in movies where he played a tough guy and aikido expert.

President Mnangagwa

ZANU PF strongman Emmerson ‘The Crocodile’ Mnangagwa is calling for national unity after he was declared the winner of Zimbabwe’s presidential election.

The main opposition MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa, is questioning the outcome. He wants the election commission to release full and verified results.

The election was the country's first after the army removed longtime leader Robert Mugabe from office last year.

Turkey, US agree to resolve issues

Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US secretary of state Mike Pompeo have agreed to work on resolving issues between the two countries.

The two met on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Singapore.

Relations took a turn for the worse after the US slapped sanctions on two top Turkish officials over an American pastor Turkey has charged with espionage.

Turkey has promised to retaliate.

Golan Heights

Russia Defence Ministry says it will deploy military police and set up eight observation posts on the Golan Heights frontier between Syria and Israel to assist UN troops in the region.

Syria’s Assad regime has been sweeping away rebels in Syria's south and southwest.

This has Tel Aviv worried, as it could allow Assad’s Iranian backers to entrench their forces closer to the Israeli occupied Golan Heights.

Israel has been lobbying the Kremlin to get Iran’s military presence in Syria scaled back.

A Russian envoy says Iran has since pulled back its heavy artillery.

Air strikes

At least 26 people have been killed by air strikes on a fish market and fishing port in Yemen’s coastal city of Hudaida.

Yemeni medical officials says the Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels who control much of the port city carried out the strikes. The coalition denies this.

The Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's government-in-exile has been fighting to take back areas controlled by Iran-backed Houthis for more than three years.

FIFA eWorld Cup

And finally,

The FIFA eWorld Cup, a virtual tournament, is on in London.

It features 32 of the world's top players, the elite of a global pool of 20 million e-gamers.

With prize money at a quarter of a million dollars, a lot more than the title is at stake.

And just like it's real world counterpart, the FIFA e-World Cup is on the lookout for cheats.

Apparently the drug du jour is Adderall, which players use to stay focused.

President Mnangagwa

ZANU PF strongman Emmerson ‘The Crocodile’ Mnangagwa is calling for national unity after he was declared the winner of Zimbabwe’s presidential election.

The main opposition MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa, is questioning the outcome. He wants the election commission to release full and verified results.

The election was the country's first after the army removed longtime leader Robert Mugabe from office last year.

Turkey, US agree to resolve issues

Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US secretary of state Mike Pompeo have agreed to work on resolving issues between the two countries.

The two met on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Singapore.

Relations took a turn for the worse after the US slapped sanctions on two top Turkish officials over an American pastor Turkey has charged with espionage.

Turkey has promised to retaliate.

Golan Heights

Russia Defence Ministry says it will deploy military police and set up eight observation posts on the Golan Heights frontier between Syria and Israel to assist UN troops in the region.

Syria’s Assad regime has been sweeping away rebels in Syria's south and southwest.

This has Tel Aviv worried, as it could allow Assad’s Iranian backers to entrench their forces closer to the Israeli occupied Golan Heights.

Israel has been lobbying the Kremlin to get Iran’s military presence in Syria scaled back.

A Russian envoy says Iran has since pulled back its heavy artillery.

Air strikes

At least 26 people have been killed by air strikes on a fish market and fishing port in Yemen’s coastal city of Hudaida.

Yemeni medical officials says the Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels who control much of the port city carried out the strikes. The coalition denies this.

The Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's government-in-exile has been fighting to take back areas controlled by Iran-backed Houthis for more than three years.

FIFA eWorld Cup

And finally,

The FIFA eWorld Cup, a virtual tournament, is on in London.

It features 32 of the world's top players, the elite of a global pool of 20 million e-gamers.

With prize money at a quarter of a million dollars, a lot more than the title is at stake.

And just like it's real world counterpart, the FIFA e-World Cup is on the lookout for cheats.

Apparently the drug du jour is Adderall, which players use to stay focused.

Turkey-US

Turkey says it will retaliate, after the US imposed sanctions on two of the country's ministers.

The core of the issue is American pastor, Andrew Brunson, who has been living and preaching in Turkey.

He was put under house arrest last week, after being held for almost two years in detention.

Turkish authorities arrested Brunson in 2016 and charged him for alleged links to the FETO and PKK-terrorist groups.

Zimbabwe elections

Soldiers are in the streets of Harare, after three protesters were killed on Wednesday in the capital of Zimbabwe.

The demonstrations began after the election commission said the governing ZANU PF had won the parliamentary election.

The opposition accuses the party of President Emmerson Mnangagwa [ mn-an-GAG-wa ] of rigging the vote, with the results of the presidential election expected today or tomorrow.

The opposition's Nelson Chamisa [ cha-MI-sa ] is hoping to oust Mnangagwa from power, but a run-off is the most likely result.

Fuel supplies

Israel says it's halting fuel supplies to Gaza.

Israel says it's a response to Palestinians who fly kites and balloons over the border with devices that can start fires.

The people of Gaza have been suffering from a crippling blockade by Israel and Egypt since 2007.

Activists arrested

Saudi Arabia has arrested two more women's rights activists.

They're the latest to be swept up in a government crackdown on activists, clerics and journalists, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday.

More than a dozen women's rights activists have been targeted since May. Most of them were campaigning for the right to drive, and for more control over their lives.

$206.49

And finally,

What's the magic number? Well, apparently for Apple it's 206, forty-nine -- 206 dollars 49 cents to be precise -- before it becomes the first trillion dollar company.

Apple closed at two-hundred and one, fifty [$201.50] on Wednesday, and it's fast closing in on the magic number off the back of solid earnings and more to come.

But markets are finicky things. So we'll wait, before we start asking what does a one-trillion dollar company actually mean?

Turkey-US

Turkey says it will retaliate, after the US imposed sanctions on two of the country's ministers.

The core of the issue is American pastor, Andrew Brunson, who has been living and preaching in Turkey.

He was put under house arrest last week, after being held for almost two years in detention.

Turkish authorities arrested Brunson in 2016 and charged him for alleged links to the FETO and PKK-terrorist groups.

Zimbabwe elections

Soldiers are in the streets of Harare, after three protesters were killed on Wednesday in the capital of Zimbabwe.

The demonstrations began after the election commission said the governing ZANU PF had won the parliamentary election.

The opposition accuses the party of President Emmerson Mnangagwa [ mn-an-GAG-wa ] of rigging the vote, with the results of the presidential election expected today or tomorrow.

The opposition's Nelson Chamisa [ cha-MI-sa ] is hoping to oust Mnangagwa from power, but a run-off is the most likely result.

Fuel supplies

Israel says it's halting fuel supplies to Gaza.

Israel says it's a response to Palestinians who fly kites and balloons over the border with devices that can start fires.

The people of Gaza have been suffering from a crippling blockade by Israel and Egypt since 2007.

Activists arrested

Saudi Arabia has arrested two more women's rights activists.

They're the latest to be swept up in a government crackdown on activists, clerics and journalists, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday.

More than a dozen women's rights activists have been targeted since May. Most of them were campaigning for the right to drive, and for more control over their lives.

$206.49

And finally,

What's the magic number? Well, apparently for Apple it's 206, forty-nine -- 206 dollars 49 cents to be precise -- before it becomes the first trillion dollar company.

Apple closed at two-hundred and one, fifty [$201.50] on Wednesday, and it's fast closing in on the magic number off the back of solid earnings and more to come.

But markets are finicky things. So we'll wait, before we start asking what does a one-trillion dollar company actually mean?

Good news

We start with some good news. In Mexico, a plane with 103 people on board crashed after takeoff in the state of Durango on Tuesday.

But, somehow, nobody died. Dozens of people were injured however, but doctors say they're almost all out of danger.

Mexican officials have launched an investigation into the crash, but they said bad weather could have been part of the cause.

Zimbabwe elections

In Zimbabwe, the election commission says the governing ZANU PF party has won a majority in parliament.

So far they've won 109 seats out of 210. The opposition MDC has picked up 41 seats.

The commission also said it won't announce who won most votes in the presidential election until all the votes are in.

The top contenders are President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the opposition's Nelson Chamisa. If neither wins more than 50 percent of the vote, a run-off will be held.

Facebook purge

Facebook says it's deleted 32 pages and accounts from Facebook and Instagram, which it thinks were set up to influence the US midterm congressional elections in November.

That's less than 100 days from now.

The company stopped short of saying who owned the pages and accounts which had hundreds of thousands of followers.

But members of Congress briefed by Facebook said it looks like Russia was involved.

Turkey-NATO

NATO's top commander for Europe, General Curtis Scaparrotti, is to visit Ankara today.

His agenda includes meetings with Turkey's Chief of General Staff Yasar Guler and Defence Minister Hulusi Akar.

The focus of their talks is expected to be Syria, especially the north where the US and Turkey are backing different sides in the war.

California fires

And finally,

Firefighters are battling more than a dozen blazes sweeping through the northern part of the US state of California.

At least six people are confirmed dead, with 4 still missing.

Hundreds of homes have already been destroyed, with no rain, and no end to the heat, in sight.

Good news

We start with some good news. In Mexico, a plane with 103 people on board crashed after takeoff in the state of Durango on Tuesday.

But, somehow, nobody died. Dozens of people were injured however, but doctors say they're almost all out of danger.

Mexican officials have launched an investigation into the crash, but they said bad weather could have been part of the cause.

Zimbabwe elections

In Zimbabwe, the election commission says the governing ZANU PF party has won a majority in parliament.

So far they've won 109 seats out of 210. The opposition MDC has picked up 41 seats.

The commission also said it won't announce who won most votes in the presidential election until all the votes are in.

The top contenders are President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the opposition's Nelson Chamisa. If neither wins more than 50 percent of the vote, a run-off will be held.

Facebook purge

Facebook says it's deleted 32 pages and accounts from Facebook and Instagram, which it thinks were set up to influence the US midterm congressional elections in November.

That's less than 100 days from now.

The company stopped short of saying who owned the pages and accounts which had hundreds of thousands of followers.

But members of Congress briefed by Facebook said it looks like Russia was involved.

Turkey-NATO

NATO's top commander for Europe, General Curtis Scaparrotti, is to visit Ankara today.

His agenda includes meetings with Turkey's Chief of General Staff Yasar Guler and Defence Minister Hulusi Akar.

The focus of their talks is expected to be Syria, especially the north where the US and Turkey are backing different sides in the war.

California fires

And finally,

Firefighters are battling more than a dozen blazes sweeping through the northern part of the US state of California.

At least six people are confirmed dead, with 4 still missing.

Hundreds of homes have already been destroyed, with no rain, and no end to the heat, in sight.

Philippines explosion

We start in the Philippines, where a suicide bombing in the south has killed at least ten people.

The suspect blew himself up at a pro-government militia checkpoint in the city of Basilan, in the Mindanao region, which is home to most of the country's Muslims.

The attack comes just days after President Rodrigo Duterte signed off on a plan that could lead to more autonomy for the Muslim minority.

Zimbabwe elections

In Zimbabwe, voters are waiting to find out whether they've elected a president, or whether Monday's poll will go to a second round.

The incumbent is President Emmerson Mnangagwa. He is facing a strong showing from opposition leader Nelson Chamisa.

Final results are not expected for days. But if neither wins more than 50 percent of the vote, a run-off will be held on September 8th.

Mali election

Still on elections, and still in Africa. Mali could be looking at a run-off in its presidential vote held on Sunday.

The spokesman of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said the incumbent is holding a substantial lead and might win outright.

But the main opposition candidate Soumaila Cisse said the poll would go to a run-off.

Trump-Rouhani

US President Donald Trump says he's prepared to meet his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani at any time without pre-conditions.

A top aide to President Rouhani responded by saying the US could start by returning to a nuclear deal Trump pulled out of earlier this year.

No US president has met with an Iranian leader since Washington cut diplomatic relations with Tehran a year after the 1979 Revolution.

But many Iranians still remember that it was the CIA and its British counterpart who engineered a coup to overthrow their democratically elected government in 1953.

Paul Manafort

And finally,

Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, goes on trial on Tuesday.

It's the first trial to come out of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election.

Manafort faces a number of charges. But his alleged links to Ukraine's previous government, which was pro-Russian at the time, is what prosecutors are expected to focus on.

Philippines explosion

We start in the Philippines, where a suicide bombing in the south has killed at least ten people.

The suspect blew himself up at a pro-government militia checkpoint in the city of Basilan, in the Mindanao region, which is home to most of the country's Muslims.

The attack comes just days after President Rodrigo Duterte signed off on a plan that could lead to more autonomy for the Muslim minority.

Zimbabwe elections

In Zimbabwe, voters are waiting to find out whether they've elected a president, or whether Monday's poll will go to a second round.

The incumbent is President Emmerson Mnangagwa. He is facing a strong showing from opposition leader Nelson Chamisa.

Final results are not expected for days. But if neither wins more than 50 percent of the vote, a run-off will be held on September 8th.

Mali election

Still on elections, and still in Africa. Mali could be looking at a run-off in its presidential vote held on Sunday.

The spokesman of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said the incumbent is holding a substantial lead and might win outright.

But the main opposition candidate Soumaila Cisse said the poll would go to a run-off.

Trump-Rouhani

US President Donald Trump says he's prepared to meet his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani at any time without pre-conditions.

A top aide to President Rouhani responded by saying the US could start by returning to a nuclear deal Trump pulled out of earlier this year.

No US president has met with an Iranian leader since Washington cut diplomatic relations with Tehran a year after the 1979 Revolution.

But many Iranians still remember that it was the CIA and its British counterpart who engineered a coup to overthrow their democratically elected government in 1953.

Paul Manafort

And finally,

Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, goes on trial on Tuesday.

It's the first trial to come out of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election.

Manafort faces a number of charges. But his alleged links to Ukraine's previous government, which was pro-Russian at the time, is what prosecutors are expected to focus on.