Asia Syria Germany's Ministry of Transport lifted the landing ban and normalized passenger traffic with Syria from 27 July 2026, thus opening to direct flights Düsseldorf-Damascus today 29 July, Berlin Brandenburg-Damascus and Cologne/Bonn-Aleppo on 1 August
Europe Latvia A remote mine-laying system has been tested in various conditions to improve anti-tank defence and strengthen Latvia's deterrence capabilities, according to officials; it quickly creates anti-tank minefields designed to hamper the movement of any invader
Asia Iran In retaliation for an ongoing attack by US and Israel forces hitting Teheran and a number of cities in the country, Iran launched strikes across Middle East, targeting countries hosting US facilities
Asia United Arab Emirates A luxury hotel in Dubai was hit as Iran launched strikes across Middle East in retaliation for a "massive" and ongoing attack against it by the US and Israel; video verified by the BBC shows a fire raging and thick black smoke rises into the sky
Oceania New Zealand KiwiSaver -a voluntary, work-based retirement savings scheme- will see withdrawal rules changed to help farmers, diplomats and soldiers buy their first homes, as Finance Minister observed current rules are unfair to workers in service tenancies
Europe Hungary Prosecutors indicted the progressive mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, for his role in organizing a gay pride march last June in defiance of a ban imposed by far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government
Africa Somalia Puntland signaled it may hold independent elections amid a national electoral deadlock in Somalia, where disputes over reforms and voting systems intensified in late February, raising concerns and tensions with the federal government
Africa Guinea The tense atmosphere in border areas between Guinea and Sierra Leone in recent days has given way to calm as Sierra Leonean soldiers apprehended on Guinean territory were officially released today in a gesture aimed at preserving good neighborly relations
America Mexico “Peace, security and normalcy” are being maintained in Mexico, said President Sheinbaum, notwithstanding violent clashes with security forces with dozens of deaths following the killing of Nemesio Oseguera, aka "El Mencho", leader of Jalisco Cartel CJNG
Europe Latvia Scarecrows, the latest documentary by Laila Pakalniņa, has opened the programme of the Latvian National Film Awards, where it is nominated in four categories; it is a chronicle of 'runway rangers' and their encounters with wildlife RIX Riga Airport
Asia India In her speech for the International Press Institute India Award for Excellence in Journalism, Justice Nagarathna emphasised how precarious press freedom is in an era of corporate consolidation that makes media legally free but economically constrained
Africa Algeria Algeria has welcomed Vatican's formal announcement an official visit by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to Algeria, at the invitation of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, according to a press release from the Presidency of the Republic
Asia Iraq Umm Qasr port, Iraq's sole deep-water port will receive $120 million from International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group’s private-sector arm; through Aloreen Company for Investments new equipment for port services will be funded
Africa Sierra Leone The All People's Congress APC boycotted parliamentary and local council activities following President Bio's appointment of a new Chief Electoral Commissioner