CENTCOM said two U.S. service members were killed in Jordan on July 17 and another is missing.

China's National Energy Administration (NEA) estimates 2026 peak power load at 1.575–1.6 bln kW; widespread extreme heat could push the peak above 1.6 bln kW. Industry expects 2026 electricity consumption to rise 5–6% YoY; supply-demand should be broadly balanced, with seasonal regional tightness in summer. Trillion-yuan grid investment under the 15th Five-Year plan is accelerating construction of a new power system and expansion of green power capacity. Experts say renewable integration and battery/storage build-out remain central to the transition; coal and nuclear are needed to shore up supply near term, while market-based policies must coordinate long-term security of year-round power supply.

On July 18 in Shanghai, China foreign minister Wang Yi met Indonesia coordinating minister for economic affairs Airlangga. China welcomed Airlangga’s reiterated invitation to Chinese firms to invest in Indonesia and called on Jakarta to provide a fair, non‑discriminatory business environment. Both sides said bilateral cooperation is not aimed at third parties and should not be subject to third‑party interference, pledged to defend the multilateral trade system, oppose decoupling and supply‑chain disruption, and agreed to deepen strategic alignment and sectoral cooperation and coordinate more closely on regional and international affairs to support stable global production and supply chains.