Ukraine replaced Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on July 15 and Commander‑in‑Chief Oleksandr Syrskii on July 21, the first simultaneous top‑level defence reshuffle since the war began, as Russian casualties reached their highest monthly total of the year.

The Ministry of Defence reported 193,500 Russian personnel killed or wounded through July 24, an average of about 32,000 per month, while the Institute for the Study of War estimated Russia’s net territorial gain at 81.1 km² and daily losses of 1.6 km² in July.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on July 20 that he was assessing adjustments to Ukraine’s defence strategy and priorities for production and supply. Syrskii, who established the Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS), wrote that the war strategy should not be reduced to drone operations, noting that Russian forces still possessed superior artillery, aviation and infantry capabilities. Fedorov, in his six‑month tenure, oversaw a rapid increase in drone purchases, spending payroll funds to accelerate orders.

SBS reported disabling 196 fuel tankers and destroying three‑quarters of the ferry capacity across the Kerch Strait since June 6, and striking 117 power substations in Crimea, resulting in widespread outages that led the government to allocate five billion rubles for compensation to affected households and employees. Ukrainian strikes also hit a Tupolev‑95 bomber at Engels airfield, a MiG‑29 at Khalino, multiple air defence radars and launchers, the Slavneft‑Yanos refinery in Yaroslavl, and four Wildberries warehouses used by Russian recruits.

Russia responded by increasing the use of ballistic missiles in nightly attacks on Ukrainian cities since June 26, a shift from its previous practice of reserving missiles for larger combined strikes. Ukrainian forces said they intercepted roughly 95 % of drones and 87 % of cruise missiles but fewer than half of the ballistic missiles.

The reforms and emphasis on unmanned systems appear to have slowed Russian advances, with Ukraine noting net territorial gains in May and continued disruption of Russian logistics and energy infrastructure.

Spain declared a state of emergency in its Madrid region and France requested European Union civil protection assistance after extensive wildfires spread across western Europe on Friday.

Temperatures exceeded 40°C in several areas, and strong winds fanned the flames, causing the largest annual burned area in the EU to rank second on record according to satellite data from the European Forest Fire Information System.

In France, authorities ordered thousands of tourists on the southwestern Atlantic coast to leave campsites and holiday homes, while the government deployed three water‑bombing aircraft and sent emergency workers to battle fires near the historic village of Cotignac, where officials reported about 25 houses destroyed.

Around Bordeaux, more than 20,000 people, primarily tourists, have been evacuated since Wednesday as a fire consumed a seaside pine forest.

In Spain, the government announced a state of emergency for the Madrid region, where over 10,000 residents have been evacuated, and emergency messages were sent to communities such as Aldea del Fresno ordering them to leave. Eighteen specialized firefighting units were deployed to contain a blaze near Toledo that forced the evacuation of several villages.

Additional casualties included three firefighters killed in France and two firefighters killed in Sicily, while another firefighter died after falling ill while battling flames near Bordeaux Airport.

Firefighters continued to work house‑by‑house to protect the tourist hub of Lège‑Cap‑Ferret, and officials reported that most residents were allowed to return on Thursday after night‑time containment efforts.

Climate scientists from the World Weather Attribution group linked the severity of the fires to prolonged droughts and the burning of fossil fuels, noting that European drought conditions have become more intense.

While fire conditions have improved in some locations, strong winds and extreme heat remain a risk, and the larger wildfire in Guadalajara province north of Madrid continues to challenge crews.

President Donald Trump announced that the United States will impose new tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 trading partners, effective Friday, as temporary 10% worldwide tariffs expire at 12:01 a.m. The administration said the tariffs are intended to address inadequate enforcement of forced‑labor bans under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, a provision that permits import taxes on countries engaged in “unjustifiable,” “unreasonable” or “discriminatory” trade practices. The decision follows a Supreme Court ruling that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did not authorize the previous tariffs, and it comes after the administration concluded a Section 301 investigation into overproduction by 16 countries that account for 70% of U.S. imports, a probe that remains unfinished.

The new tariffs cover roughly 99% of U.S. imports. Countries such as India will see a reduced rate of 10% after adjustments, while products including oil, gas, fertilizer and items covered by the United States‑Mexico‑Canada Agreement are exempt. The administration has not completed the overproduction investigation and indicated that additional Section 301 actions may be taken.

Congressional leaders criticized the forced‑labor justification. Representative Richard Neal, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, said the justification was a pretext and that forced‑labor enforcement should not be used to justify tariff policy built on questionable legal theories. Brazil described the measures as arbitrary and unjustified and said it would invoke its reciprocity law and file a complaint with the World Trade Organization. Chile’s Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Paula Estévez said the tariff conflicted with Chile’s labor standards and legal framework. Canada’s Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the move was expected and affirmed Canada’s willingness to engage constructively with the United States. Human‑trafficking experts noted that the tariffs could raise awareness of forced labor but urged a phased approach to give countries time to develop effective enforcement mechanisms. Martina Vandenberg, founder of The Human Trafficking Legal Center, said the tariffs may be an effective tool but should be implemented gradually.

The measures are being introduced ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, raising concerns about potential increases in consumer prices. The administration has not completed the overproduction investigation, and further Section 301 actions are possible. International reactions suggest the tariffs may lead to retaliatory measures and WTO disputes.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that a nuclear technology agreement with Saudi Arabia would be contingent on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords, a pact that normalizes relations between Israel and several Muslim‑majority nations. The agreement signed Wednesday permits Saudi Arabia to build civilian nuclear power plants using U.S. technology, creating a pathway to a domestic enrichment program. The deal was initially presented without a requirement for Saudi normalization with Israel. The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the new condition was not included in the original announcement and that President Trump retains final authority over the agreement. The administration has not explained how it will modify the existing legal framework. Congressional review will commence under a 90‑day deadline once the president submits the agreement. Lawmakers have voiced concerns that expanding enrichment capabilities could increase the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation. Israel, which opposes a Saudi enrichment program, welcomed Trump’s condition. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said Saudi Arabia would pursue nuclear weapons if Iran develops its own. Negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Israel had advanced in 2023 before the Hamas attack on October 7 halted progress. Since then, Saudi leaders have demanded assurances of a future Palestinian state, and public opinion in Saudi Arabia has turned against Israel because of the Gaza war. Proponents argue the deal allows the United States to oversee enrichment development and limit proliferation, while experts note that the arrangement lacks the stringent inspections required in other nuclear agreements, such as the one with the United Arab Emirates, and that safeguards may not be durable. The agreement must be submitted to Congress, starting a 90‑day clock, and while congressional opposition may be unable to block the deal, the added condition could impede its implementation.

The U.S. military said it completed its 13th consecutive night of strikes on Iran on Thursday. The operation, which lasted more than two hours, targeted Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communications networks, coastal surveillance sites and maritime capabilities. CENTCOM said the strikes were intended to diminish the threat Iran poses to civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The campaign began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, prompting Tehran to respond with attacks on Israel and on Gulf states that host U.S. bases. The strikes have killed thousands and displaced millions. President Donald Trump warned on Thursday that Iran and its Houthi allies would face "major military punishment" after Houthi fighters attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, extending the conflict into a second major shipping chokepoint. Iranian officials have warned that any attack on energy facilities, bridges or other critical infrastructure would be met with retaliation against regional oil, gas, electricity and economic sites. International law experts have noted that attacks on civilian infrastructure may violate the 1949 Geneva Conventions, a concern raised after Trump's earlier threats to destroy Iran's civilization. The United States has not announced further targets, and Iran has not responded publicly to the latest strikes.

An Indonesian court on Tuesday convicted 19 people of trafficking 34 babies, most of whom were sold for adoption to families in Singapore, raising questions about the children's legal status and future.

The case, which drew attention in both countries for months, stemmed from a trafficking ring that submitted falsified birth certificates and family cards to obtain the infants. The ring listed members of the syndicate as birth mothers, and local officials issued documents based on the false information.

David, a Singaporean adoptive parent who spoke to the BBC under a pseudonym, said he and his wife had undergone extensive background checks by Singaporean authorities and believed the adoption complied with local law. He urged both governments to decide quickly in the best interests of the child, noting a year of anxiety.

Indonesian foreign affairs ministry said further examination is needed to determine the children's legal status, identify their biological parents, and resolve ongoing proceedings in Singapore, reaffirming its commitment to the children's best interests.

Singaporean authorities have not yet responded to inquiries about the children.

Anti‑trafficking and child rights groups in Indonesia argue the children should be returned to their biological parents, emphasizing that adoption does not automatically constitute legal compliance.

Ai Maryanti, a commissioner with Indonesia's independent child protection commission, said the children's true identities remain unknown, which she said undermines sufficient consideration of their best interests.

Legal experts noted that revoking adoption orders in Singapore is unprecedented. Derek Choo of PKWA Law Practice said adoption orders are generally treated as final, but a court could consider the psychological impact on the child, the length of time the child has lived in Singapore, and whether the adoption basis is flawed due to fraudulent documents.

Lim Fung Peen, a consultant with Yuen Law, added that factors such as the child's mental health, the stability of the adoptive environment, and the possibility of identifying biological parents may influence any decision to reverse the adoption.

Indonesian criminologist Ni Made Martini Puteri said there is limited public data on the fate of trafficked children after rescue, and it is unclear how children trafficked abroad are handled.

At least eight other infants rescued from the ring are currently placed in an orphanage in Bandung, while authorities have not identified all of the biological parents of the children in Singapore.

The outcome remains unresolved, with both governments yet to determine whether the children will stay in Singapore with their adoptive families or be repatriated to Indonesia for care.

Brazilian air accident investigators said on Thursday that icing, failures in the aircraft's de‑icing system, crew actions and safety culture contributed to the August 2024 crash of an ATR 72-500 operated by Voepass that killed all 62 occupants. The aircraft crashed in Vinhedo, about 80 km northwest of Sao Paulo, after departing Cascavel and en route to Guarulhos International Airport, and entered a stalled flat spin that was captured in images shared on social media. The Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (Cenipa) released its final report, which identified 19 contributing factors, including severe icing conditions and multiple failures of the de‑icing system that led the crew to activate and deactivate the system several times despite warnings. Cockpit recordings indicated the captain reported a malfunctioning de‑icing system while the first officer said he had not activated it at one point. Investigators noted that the pilots did not follow required procedures after eight cruise speed low alerts and failed to respond to a degraded performance alert. High workload may have caused inattentional blindness and inattentional deafness, causing the crew to overlook critical information, according to the report. Cenipa described a culture of informality at Voepass in which maintenance issues were not consistently recorded and some tasks were performed without supervision. The report also said the aircraft should not have been dispatched because of a windshield wiper fault, though this was not considered a direct cause. Cenipa recommended that EASA and ATR review the degraded performance procedure to prevent similar conditions. ATR, a joint venture of Airbus and Leonardo, and EASA did not immediately respond to inquiries. Voepass filed for bankruptcy protection in April 2025, a month after Brazil's aviation regulator ANAC suspended its operations. ANAC said it will conduct a detailed technical analysis of the report and its recommendations, a process expected to take up to 120 days. The investigation highlights the need for improved safety culture and systematic recording of maintenance activities in regional airlines.

An Angolan court sentenced two Russian men to eight and eleven years in prison for terrorism and spying convictions. The verdict followed accusations that they planned a coup and helped organize demonstrations during a taxi strike in July 2025 that left 22 people dead and more than 1,600 arrested. Prosecutors said the men intended to influence the 2026 presidential election by supporting the opposition party UNITA or prompting a leadership change within the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). The July 2025 strike over fuel price hikes escalated into riots and looting in Luanda and other cities. Official figures reported 22 deaths and over 1,600 detainees. Angolan security forces were accused of firing live ammunition at protesters, while the government defended its use of force as justified. Human Rights Watch previously described the response as excessive, noting the use of rubber bullets and tear gas against a peaceful protest on 12 July 2025. Lakshtanov and Ratchin faced additional accusations of ties to Africa Politology, a Russian disinformation network that evolved from the Wagner mercenary group and was later absorbed by the Foreign Intelligence Service after the Wagner chief’s death in 2023. Two Angolan defendants were also tried; a sports journalist received a two‑year suspended sentence, and the secretary‑general of UNITA’s youth wing was acquitted. Prosecutors have appealed the sentences, and the two Russians have appealed as well, though they remain detained pending the appeal. Angola maintains a close relationship with Russia, which has expanded its security presence across several African nations in recent years. The Russian embassy in Angola did not respond to a request for comment. The case highlights the growing intertwining of foreign political influence and domestic security in the country.

Israeli forces struck the southern Lebanese town of al-Mansouri and carried out explosions in the village of Majdal Zoun, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency, while talks continue on a U.S.-brokered ceasefire framework. The blast in Majdal Zoun was audible in the city of Tyre, about 15 kilometres away. An Israeli airstrike on an ambulance in Nabatieh al-Fauqa on Thursday wounded two medics; the Lebanese Health Ministry said the attack violated international humanitarian law. Israeli officials say the operations aim to create a security zone by erasing settlements near the border, whereas the Lebanese government says the actions breach the ceasefire. The framework signed in Washington on June 26 calls for the Lebanese army to assume security responsibilities in pilot zones after Hezbollah is disarmed, but it sets no timetable for Israeli withdrawal. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem called the agreement null and void and urged armed resistance. The next round of talks is scheduled for August 4 in Italy.

House lawmakers voted to cease the conflict with Iran, while the Senate delayed a comparable measure just hours later. The vote occurred in a Congress divided along partisan lines over the administration’s military actions in the region. In the House, a majority of members supported the resolution to end hostilities, according to the clerk’s tally. The Senate, controlled by the majority party, postponed a related resolution, with leadership indicating that additional review would be required before any action. The divergent actions leave the path forward for U.S. policy toward Iran unresolved as officials continue to assess the situation.