Right-leaning millionaire lawyer and political outsider Abelardo de la Espriella holds a slim lead over leftist senator Iván Cepeda in Colombia's preliminary presidential runoff results, with 49.66% of the vote to Cepeda's 48.7%—a margin of approximately 250,000 votes.

The preliminary count, covering 99.99% of ballots, shows de la Espriella ahead, but the result is not yet official pending a slower, manual scrutiny process expected to take several days.

Outgoing President Gustavo Petro, who endorsed Cepeda, has alleged electoral irregularities and claimed that Israel rigged the election by compromising voting software, asserting that only the "State of Israel" could have altered server IP addresses to favor de la Espriella who is pro-Israel.

Petro has called for a full recount of the ballots and an audit of the electoral software, urging calm while refusing to recognize the outcome until the official count is certified. Cepeda's campaign is challenging results from 33,000 polling stations, though no recount has ever overturned a Colombian presidential election.

De la Espriella, nicknamed "El Tigre," has denied any wrongdoing and called for national unity, while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump have congratulated him on his victory.

De la Espriella, 47, is a criminal defense attorney known for representing paramilitary leaders and high-profile clients, including figures linked to drug trafficking. He campaigns on a hardline security platform, promising to end peace talks with armed groups, build 10 mega-prisons, and boost oil and gas production.

In contrast, Cepeda, 63, is a close ally of Petro and vows to continue the outgoing president's "Total Peace" policy, which focuses on negotiations with armed groups, social reforms, and a moratorium on new fossil fuel projects.

The election marks a potential sharp rightward shift in Colombia, aligning with a broader regional trend of right-wing victories in Latin America.

Vice President JD Vance declared "great progress" in U.S.-Iran talks held in Switzerland, confirming that Tehran agreed to allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors back into the country as a "major milestone" toward ending its nuclear weapons program. He said his team unsuccessfully attempted to call nuclear inspectors at 2:00 AM during the crunch talks.

Despite acknowledging "threatening and whining" from Iranian officials and social media threats to walk out over President Trump's threat on social media, Vance said negotiations continued past 1:00 AM, laying a "very good foundation" for a final deal within 60 days.

Vance declared that the two sides have established a "very good foundation" for a permanent settlement within a 60-day negotiating window, as he outlines the following four significant breakthroughs and systemic milestones achieved during the initial round of talks.

• Return of IAEA Nuclear Inspectors: In what Vance called a "major milestone" and the first step toward permanent denuclearization, Iran formally agreed to invite International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors back to its nuclear sites. Inspections could resume immediately to identify and monitor enriched materials.

• The "Kushner Plan" for Unfrozen Assets: Addressing Iran’s core demand to unfreeze billions in foreign assets, U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner (working alongside Qatari officials) proposed a strict conditional mechanism. Under this framework, released funds cannot be used to fund terrorism; instead, they will be legally restricted to purchasing U.S. agricultural exports—specifically soybeans, wheat, and corn—to directly benefit the Iranian civilian population.

• Securing the Strait of Hormuz: De-escalation mechanisms were locked in to ensure that the vital maritime trade route remains open to international shipping, rolling back global economic shockwaves caused by its earlier closure.

• Establishment of a 60-Day Technical Roadmap & Deconfliction: The nations agreed to form a High-Level Committee for political oversight and a technical "deconfliction cell." This framework sets a firm 60-day timeline (extending to August 16) to finalize a durable treaty, handle the termination of military operations in Lebanon, and iron out the fine details of sanctions relief.

Allegations that Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani snubbed Vance by greeting Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif but ignoring the Vice President were dismissed by U.S. officials as "complete nonsense."

The brief footage captured Prime Minister Al Thani and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi entering a room and warmly embracing Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while completely bypassing Vance, who was standing toward the back of the room. No joint four-way photo-op was held, adding fuel to the social media narrative.

Officials including Vance and Al Thani clarified that the interaction was impromptu and that the delegations had already spent hours together, negating the need for a staged re-greeting.

US Temporarily Lifts Sanctions On Iran's Oil Sales Amid Peace Talks

The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a temporary 60-day general license on Monday, authorizing the production, delivery, sale, and import of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and petrochemicals. This waiver, effective until 12:01 a.m. EDT on August 21, 2026, is part of an interim agreement reached during talks in Switzerland.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the decision on X saying: "In line with the ongoing productive talks in Switzerland, Iran has committed to free and open transit in the Strait of Hormuz and to permit International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors into their country. As part of the framework, Treasury has issued a temporary 60-day general license authorizing the production, delivery, and sale of Iranian oil."

The license also permits U.S. dollar-denominated payments to Iran for these transactions and covers essential support services like maritime transport, insurance, and financial processing. However, the exemptions do not extend to North Korea, Cuba, or Crimea, which remain under strict sanctions.

The waiver fulfills a pledge in a memorandum of understanding signed the previous week between Washington and Tehran, following mediation by Qatar and Pakistan at the "Lake Lucerne Summit" in Buergenstock, Switzerland.

In exchange for sanctions relief, Iran agreed to ensure free transit through the Strait of Hormuz and allow IAEA inspectors back into the country.

Prior to the waiver, Iranian oil exports had cratered from 1.5 million barrels per day to roughly 260,000 barrels per day due to a U.S. naval blockade; the announcement contributed to a drop in global oil prices.

This marks a significant shift, as the U.S. has not meaningfully imported Iranian oil since sanctions were first imposed following the 1979 revolution.

British Prime Minister announced his resignation on Monday, marking the departure of the sixth UK leader in a decade. Keir Starmer said in an address at Number 10, that he will serve as caretaker prime minister until the Labour Party selects a successor, with the new leader expected to be in place by September 1.

The leadership contest officially begins with nominations opening on July 9, following his formal resignation on July 9.

The resignation was triggered by intense internal party pressure and plummeting approval ratings, exacerbated by Andy Burnham’s recent victory in the Makerfield by-election. Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, was sworn in as an member of parliament (MP) on Monday and confirmed he will seek the Labour leadership, making him the runaway favorite to succeed Starmer.

Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, a potential rival, threw his support behind Burnham, suggesting an uncontested leadership transition could occur as early as late July.

Starmer’s two-year tenure, which began with a 2024 landslide victory, was marred by economic stagnation, public service struggles, and scandals, including the Peter Mandelson affair. While he received praise for his international diplomacy regarding Ukraine and the Iran conflict, domestic dissatisfaction led to significant losses in local elections and cabinet resignations. The outgoing prime minister cited the parliamentary party’s view that he was not the best person to lead into the next general election, accepting the result with "good grace."