Asia Myanmar Peace talks with several smaller ethnic armed organizations have been promoted by Myanmar’s military government as evidence of ongoing national reconciliation; Critics argue the discussions exclude many of the country’s most powerful resistance groups
Europe Spain Catalonia has declared a drought emergency in 24 municipalities following the severe lack of rain in recent years with cuts announced for water use for agriculture and industry
Africa Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema embarked on a historic three-day state visit to Israel at the invitation of Israeli President Isaac Herzog
Asia China Duan Weihong, one of the richest women in China who apparently disappeared six years ago, reappeared in public recently; word goes it is a sign that authorities may have closed an investigation against her for links to a former Politburo member
Asia Japan High winds cut power lines in Okinawa Prefecture, leaving over 200.000 households without electricity, Naha airport closed and hundreds of thousands of people were advised to evacuate as Typhoon Khanun neared, threatening torrential rains
America Trinidad and Tobago The seventh edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games will take place in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago from 4-11 August 2023 with over 1000 athletes and para-athletes aged between 14 and 18 years participating in seven sports
Asia Israel The Supreme Court stated that, for the first time, all 15 judges will participate in a hearing on the arguments against a law passed by PM Netanyahu's coalition as part of an overhaul of the judicial system
Europe Kosovo The main party representing North Macedonia's ethnic Albanian minority offered to withdraw its ministers from the government to meet the opposition's demand to pave the way for EU accession talks
America Belize This past July 31, Belize commemorated the 189th anniversary of the abolition of slavery and the 185th anniversary of the termination of the apprenticeship system; this Emancipation Day is marked as a public and bank holiday for the third consecutive year
Africa Ghana According to a report by the Ghana Statistical Service, in the third quarter of 2022, one in four young people, or 24,2% of those aged 15 to 24, were not engaged in education, employment or training, or 1,5 million people in this age group
Asia Lebanon Lebanon's General Directorate of State Security called on parents, as well as schools and universities, to be more vigilant in protecting their children and teenagers from harassment and abuse
Asia Yemen Yemen's military officials said the Iranian-backed Houthis launched attacks on government troops outside the besieged city of Taiz and fired reconnaissance drones
Africa Ivory Coast Former Ivory Coast president Henri Konan Bedie, part of an old guard of politicians who dominated politics in the West African nation for a generation, has died at the age of 89
Asia Iran Two days of national holidays have been ordered, as well as the closure of many businesses, due to the unprecedented heat wave that is hitting the country