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Somalia's government battles Al-Shabaab militants with no decisive advantage. The Somali government’s battle with Al-Shabaab militants grinds on, with neither able to gain a decisive advantage. To improve its lot, Mogadishu needs to bolster its military and alleviate civilian suffering in areas under insurgent control, while looking for openings for dialogue with the group.
Colombia's president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella promises to fight armed groups. This week on Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group experts Renata Segura and Elizabeth Dickinson about Colombia’s turbulent election, president-elect Abelardo “El Tigre” de la Espriella’s hardline promises to fight armed groups and the legacy of outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s signature policy of “Total Peace”.
The US has imposed new sanctions targeting an Iranian businessman and several exchange houses. The move aims to disrupt a global financial network used by Iran's Supreme Leader. The sanctions seek to limit Tehran's access to foreign currency. The United States imposed sweeping new sanctions targeting an Iranian businessman accused of managing a global financial network for Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and several exchange houses that Washington says have helped Tehran evade sanctions and maintain access to foreign currency.
US President Donald Trump agreed to further talks with Iran. He warned Tehran the cease-fire is over. US President Donald Trump said Iran has as requested that “talks” between the two countries continue, although he emphatically warned Tehran that the current cease-fire is no longer in effect amid a flurry of tit-for-tat strikes by both sides.
Sudan's war-torn areas face a new cholera outbreak with over 100 dead. In war-torn Sudan, a deadly new cholera outbreak has already claimed more than 100 lives, heightening serious concerns for vulnerable communities including in besieged El-Obeid, where daily drone attacks have continued to hamper aid access.
Volkswagen is retrenching due to excess capacity and weaker demand in Europe's auto industry. European carmakers have too much capacityDiego Faßnacht reports that Volkswagen’s retrenchment reflects a broader structural crisis in Europe’s auto industry, where excess capacity, weaker demand and intensifying Chinese competition are forcing plant closures and job The post Volkswage.
Nigeria's President ordered an investigation into a fictitious federal agency allocated 1.3bn naira in the 2026 budget. President orders investigation after fictitious body given funding, triggering renewed scrutiny of alleged corruptionA fictitious federal entity that was allocated 1.3bn naira (£700,000) in Nigeria’s 2026 budget has precipitated a political storm in Africa’s largest democracy in the run-up to a general election set for January. The fake agency came to light last October when Femi Gbajabiamila, the.
The Scarlet Lady, an LGBTQ+ cruise ship, was refused entry into Egypt after being blocked from Turkish waters. The ship's 2,000 passengers, including Broadway performer Patti LuPone, were informed of the change now "sparkle and spend elsewhere". Scarlet Lady’s 2,000 passengers told of change as one of those onboard says they will ‘sparkle and spend elsewhere’An LGBTQ+ cruise ship blocked from Turkish waters this week has been refused entry into Egypt. The Scarlet Lady’s 2,000 passengers, including the Broadway performer Patti LuPone, woke on Thursday morning to find a note placed under their cabin doors informing them that the ship was urg.
Diplomats from 12 countries participated in a virtual tour of a Gaza displacement site, hearing firsthand accounts from residents about their needs. The United Nations organized the "virtual diplomatic field visit" to raise awareness about the situation on the ground. The visit provided a unique perspective on the crisis. Representatives from 12 countries carried out a “virtual diplomatic field visit” to a displacement site in the Gaza Strip and heard from some of the residents about their pressing needs, the United Nations said on Thursday.
UN High Commissioner Volker Türk urged the Democratic Republic of the Congo and M23 to cease hostilities. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group to cease hostilities as he deplored recent civilian deaths on Thursday.
Barisan Nasional won 48 out of 56 seats in Johor, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Harapan coalition. PH is expected to secure the remaining eight seats, a decline from the 12 seats it won in 2022. The results mark a significant shift in the state's politics. Barisan Nasional's Johor rival, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, is poised to win the remaining eight seats in the closely watched contest, losing ground from the 12 seats it secured in 2022.
The red list reveals newly endangered animals including desert frogs and snails threatened by mining. Newly endangered animals include desert frogs and snails in extreme ocean depths, both threatened by miningLife has colonised every corner of the planet by evolving ingenious survival strategies but these are increasingly being overwhelmed by destructive human activities, this year’s red list of endangered species has revealed. Many snails, limpets and clams have adapted to life at crushing depths.
A speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew members capsized near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam, resulting in at least 15 deaths. At least 15 Indian tourists have tragically lost their lives and several others have been injured after a speedboat capsized near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam on July 11. The vessel was reportedly carrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew members when the accident occurred near Hon May Rut Ngoai island.
Polygamy is illegal in Kyrgyzstan but remains common in some communities. Men often marry multiple times with the blessing of religious leaders. Women like Nodira face pressure to accept second marriages. Nodira, a mother of five, says her husband married a second time without her consent, and is now pushing her to leave their family home. Although Kyrgyzstan bans polygamy, it's common in some communities for men to marry multiple times with the blessing of religious leaders.
Indonesia rewrites the inflation playbook by not hiking interest rates. For over three decades, the standard playbook for taming inflation has remained virtually unchanged. Faced with surging prices, central banks invariably resort to hiking interest rates. The ripple effects are swift: demand cools, consumption slows and inflationary pressures gradually recede. This inflation-targeting framework has anchored global monetary policy since the 1990s, proving highly effe.
UNESCO urged international lenders to expand debt-for-education swaps, citing a report that many developing countries spend more on debt servicing than education. The organization warned that this trend threatens education in these countries. UNESCO made the appeal in a recent report. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) urged international lenders to expand debt-for-education swaps, warning in a Friday report that many developing countries are spending more on debt servicing than on schooling their children.
A NZ$3.5bn datacentre planned in Makarewa, New Zealand, has raised concerns among locals regarding electricity and water usage, as well as potential noise pollution. Residents are demanding greater transparency about the project's impact on their community. The datacentre is expected to be the country's first AI-focused facility. Plans to build a NZ$3.5bn datacentre in Makarewa in the country’s south has drawn concern about electricity and water use, and potential noise pollutionPeople living near the site of New Zealand’s first planned AI datacentre are calling for more transparency about the project, especially about how the centre’s huge electricity and water use and potential noise pollution could affect them. Singapore.
Ukraine's targeted drone strikes have severely impacted Russian-occupied Crimea, disrupting gas, lights, and communications. The blockade is affecting daily life, with Vladimir Putin's 2014 seized territory now facing intolerable conditions. Locals are struggling with the lack of basic necessities. With bridges cut and a drone blitz on shipping, Russian-occupied Crimea is reeling from a relentless Ukrainian campaign of targeted drone strikes.
Russia struck Kyiv with missiles, injuring six people, and damaging a non-residential building in one district. Smoke was seen coming from another area, with an office building on fire. The city military administration reported the incident on Telegram. The attack damaged a non-residential building in one district, while smoke was coming from another and an office building was in flames as a result of the strike, the city military administration said on the Telegram messaging app.
US senators and the Trump administration have agreed to advance a bill imposing tougher economic penalties on Russia and countries supporting its war economy. The move is aimed at Moscow's continued aggression. Kyiv has welcomed the decision. A bipartisan group of US senators said they had reached an agreement with the Trump administration to advance long-delayed legislation aimed at imposing tougher economic penalties on Russia and countries that continue to support Moscow’s war economy.
A brawl erupted in Lviv, western Ukraine, on July 8, between Ukrainian military recruiters and local residents as officers detained men who failed to register for duty. Authorities opened a criminal investigation. Russia was accused of using propaganda to incite unrest. A brawl between Ukrainian military recruiters and local residents erupted in Lviv, western Ukraine, on July 8, as the officers were detaining men who had failed to register for duty.
Ukraine launched multiple strikes against Russian energy assets, including oil terminals and tankers at sea. This forced Moscow to halt shipping through a major waterway. The attacks are part of Kyiv's "long-range sanctions" against Russia. Ukraine launched multiple strikes against Kremling energy assets, including oil terminals and tankers at sea, reportedly forcing Moscow to halt shipping through a major waterway as Kyiv intensifies what it has labeled its "long-range sanctions" against Russia.
Russian forces have destroyed over 150 gas stations in Ukraine using Geran-2 drones. The strikes are carried out 30-50 kilometers from the border and front line. Most attacks occur at a distance from the conflict zone. Ukraine's fuel supply has been impacted by these drone strikes. Over the past three months, Russian forces have destroyed more than 150 gas stations in Ukraine using Geran-2 drones.
The United Nations observed a moment of silence to commemorate the Srebrenica genocide, which claimed over 8,000 Bosnian Muslim lives in July 1995. The event marked a somber reminder of the tragedy, with survivors left to rebuild their lives in the aftermath. The genocide remains a painful chapter in history. The United Nations paused on Thursday to remember the more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys killed in the town of Srebrenica in July 1995, and the women and survivors left to rebuild their lives in the aftermath.
The Venezuelan government reported 4,118 people killed and 16,740 injured in twin earthquakes on June 24 that flattened districts in La Guaira state. Thousands are listed as missing. The UN and President Delcy Rodríguez have called for financial help. Nearly 17,000 injured and thousands more are listed as missing amid calls by UN and president Delcy Rodríguez for financial helpThe death toll in Venezuela’s devastating twin earthquakes has topped 4,000, the government said on Friday. At least 4,118 people were killed and 16,740 injured in the back-to-back quakes on 24 June that flattened entire districts in the coastal state of La Guaira, Venezue.
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