Europe Sweden Several youths in Vallentuna were poisoned by isopropanol after drinking alcohol bought from a "vodkabil" that they got in touch with via Snapchat; according to Poison Information Centre the substance, used to clean electronics, is dangerous if ingested
America Saint Lucia Banana and plantain farmers have welcomed the government’s new crop insurance scheme, a long-awaited safety net; though now it only covers these two high-risk crops for limited funding, growers see it as a critical first step towards broader protection
Africa South Africa In his letter on the occasion of Mandela Day celebrations, editor of South Africa news outlet DM168 says the people should honour the memory of Mandela by fighting the corruption in the heart of the country's democracy
Asia Saudi Arabia A consortium led by UAE Air Arabia won the bid for a new low-cost national airline based in Saudi Arabia, operating domestic and international routes from Dammam, as part of the Saudi aviation sector development plans
Europe Sweden An average of one drowning per day in the past two weeks has been reported by the Swedish Lifesaving Society, amid a growing number of people taking to swimming and bathing by summer temperatures and good weather
Africa Zambia The Great Leaf tobacco processing plant in Kabwe District is now 75% complete; the $40 million facility responds to Zambia’s efforts to localize value addition and boost job creation while reducing dependence on foreign tobacco manufacturing
Asia Philippines The House of Representatives provided details on four impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte as the Supreme Court required; It asserts the process was fully constitutional, reinforcing its stance ahead of a possible Senate trial
America Trinidad and Tobago A nationwide State of Emergency has been declared on 18 July, the second in 2025, following the surge of a highly threatening criminal network that is operating both within and outside of TT's correctional facilities
Europe North Macedonia Construction on the biggest-yet North macedonia wind farm has begun; a €430 million investment by Luxembourg-based Alcazar Energy near Stip, it will host 55 turbines generating 400 Megawatts of energy, enough for 100.000 households out of a total 580.000
Asia Iraq Several citizens are still missing after a fire at a hypermarket in Kut in eastern Iraq left at least 61 dead, while were rescued among the ones in the building at the time the fire started; the venue was brand new, inaugurated a few days before
Europe Austria Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian extreme athlete who became the first person to break the sound barrier in a freefall jump in 2012, died in a paragliding crash on Italy's eastern coast; he was 56 and reportedly died because of a heart attack while flying
Asia Laos A cooperation pact with Cambodia has been signed on 19 July to curb cross-border scams and drug trafficking, protect citizens and enhance regional security; since late June, Cambodia’s fight on scam networks led to 2.100 arrests and 2.300 deportations
Europe Lithuania Gintautas Markevičius, a Lithuanian man paralysed down one side, set yet another record by covering over 3.000 km around the Baltic States on his electric trike; after more than a month on the road, he was welcomed back in Klaipėda
Asia Vietnam Plans to ban fossil-fuel motorcycles and mopeds in central Hanoi have been announced to reduce pollution; The move supports the shift to electric vehicles, led by local firm VinFast, but raises concerns over its social impact on low-income workers