Russia's biggest online store, Wildberries, said a Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at one of its warehouses in the Vladimir region. The company’s logistics work has been moved to other places to keep deliveries going, and firefighters are working to control the blaze.
Key Facts
Wildberries is Russia’s top online retailer and has been hit by several Ukrainian drone attacks recently.
The latest attack caused a fire at a warehouse in the Vladimir region.
Employees were safely evacuated from the warehouse.
Firefighters are on the scene to put out the fire.
The company is redirecting shipments to other warehouse locations to maintain delivery services.
A young man was slightly hurt with a head wound and a nearby woman suffered minor leg injuries.
Since mid-July, Ukraine has attacked about 20 Wildberries sites across Russia and annexed Crimea.
These strikes are part of Ukraine’s campaign to pressure Russia to stop the war that started in 2022.
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A ferry in Indonesia carrying more than 270 people caught fire near the island of Java, resulting in at least five deaths. Rescuers saved 229 people, but the exact number of missing passengers is unknown because many were not listed on the official passenger list.
Key Facts
The ferry, named Mutiara Sentosa 2, caught fire between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. near Sumenep regency off Java island.
It was traveling from Surabaya to Makassar with 232 passengers and 39 crew listed, but likely carried more people than the manifest showed.
Rescuers saved 229 people, but some passengers are still missing, and five bodies were found.
Discrepancies in passenger numbers are common in Indonesia and make rescue efforts harder.
The fire started on the lower vehicle deck, likely from a truck, and spread quickly due to wind.
The ferry was built in Japan in 1992, can hold up to 689 passengers, 49 crew, and 181 vehicles.
Indonesian navy ships, rescue boats, and passing vessels helped in the evacuation and search.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
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A large wildfire near Athens, Greece, is being fought by nearly 500 firefighters using water-dropping planes and helicopters. Two firefighting crew members died after a midair collision of helicopters, and over 1,000 people have been evacuated due to the spreading fire.
Key Facts
Two firefighting helicopters collided while fighting a wildfire near Psatha, west of Athens, killing two crew members.
One of the deceased was Greek and the other Danish.
Five water-dropping planes and five helicopters took off to help fight the fire on Monday morning.
The wildfire spread quickly because of strong winds, burning through pine forests and scrubland.
Over 1,000 people were evacuated, with 254 rescued by boats from beaches.
The second helicopter’s crew members, including Greek and British nationals, were lightly injured and hospitalized.
Firefighters created firebreaks (cleared strips to stop fire spread) to control the blaze.
Authorities warned that the Athens region remains at high risk for more wildfires due to expected rising temperatures.
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A family in Gaza has been searching for two brothers, Othman and Sami, who disappeared more than a year ago after leaving their home to get aid during ongoing conflict. Despite efforts to find them through hospitals and aid groups, their fate remains unknown amid the destruction and violence in Gaza.
Key Facts
Othman (17) and Sami (13) went missing on June 29, 2025, after leaving their home in Gaza City.
They were headed to an aid distribution point and planned to bring sweets to their younger sister.
The family has been displaced by heavy fighting in Gaza that killed over 73,000 people.
Food shortages and dangerous conditions force people to take risks to get aid.
Attempts to identify the boys included checking bodies near their old home and hospital visits, but none were confirmed.
After a ceasefire in October 2025, the family saw their old neighborhood destroyed.
The area they searched is now controlled by Israel, limiting access for the family.
The family continues to work with the Red Cross and human rights groups to find information.
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Myanmar’s detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi met with a representative from the International Committee of the Red Cross in the capital. This is one of the few times she has had contact with the outside world since the military took control in 2021.
Key Facts
Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained since the Myanmar military seized power on February 1, 2021.
The meeting with the Red Cross happened on a Monday morning but the exact location and details were not shared.
Photos showed Suu Kyi shaking hands and smiling during the meeting.
Additional photos suggested a recent birthday celebration for Suu Kyi, who turned 81 in June 2026.
Suu Kyi has not been seen publicly for several years, causing concern about her health and well-being.
Her son and democracy activists have called for clear proof that she is alive and healthy.
Other countries, including members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, want access to Suu Kyi to help resolve Myanmar’s political crisis.
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Morocco reported that 11 people died trying to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, blaming the sudden increase in migrants on false information spread on social media. Spain, however, says that at least 72 people died during the recent migrant surge, which involved tens of thousands crossing into Ceuta.
Key Facts
Morocco’s interior ministry reported 11 deaths among migrants trying to reach Ceuta.
Spain claims that at least 72 migrants died during the same events.
The surge happened between Wednesday and Friday with about 40,000 people attempting to cross into Ceuta.
Another 1,135 migrants tried to enter Melilla, another Spanish territory, but were immediately sent back to Morocco.
Morocco said misinformation on social media and misunderstanding of Spanish laws caused the sudden rush.
Spain’s July 8 court ruling said migrants arriving by sea should not be quickly returned, which may have influenced migrant actions.
Most migrants who entered Ceuta have now returned to Morocco.
An investigation into the migrant deaths is underway.
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Nirmal Purja, a British-Nepali mountaineer known for climbing the world's 14 highest peaks very fast, died in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan along with nine others. His death brought sadness in Nepal and the mountaineering world, where he was admired for highlighting Nepali climbers.
Key Facts
Nirmal Purja was part of a 10-member expedition on Broad Peak; six were from Nepal.
The team was caught in an avalanche last Thursday on Broad Peak, which is 8,047 meters tall.
Purja was famous for climbing all 14 tallest mountains in just over six months.
Nepal’s Prime Minister paid tribute to Purja’s courage and contributions.
Purja served 16 years in the British military, mostly in special forces, and received an MBE award in 2018.
He was the first Gurkha soldier to climb Mount Everest while serving.
His death deeply affected those who knew him from school and the climbing community.
Purja faced sexual misconduct allegations in 2024, which he denied through his lawyer.
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Steve Cavanagh is a Northern Irish writer and former lawyer who creates crime novels. He uses his experience as a lawyer, where skills like persuasion and misdirection are important, to inspire his fictional character Eddie Flynn, a conman turned lawyer.
Key Facts
Steve Cavanagh was a practicing lawyer before becoming a crime writer.
He realized during a trial that lawyering and con artistry share similar skills such as persuasion and manipulation.
Cavanagh's main book character, Eddie Flynn, is a former conman who becomes a lawyer in New York.
He has written ten novels in the Eddie Flynn series and several standalone thrillers.
Cavanagh sold over five million books worldwide and appeared on the Sunday Times bestseller list.
His first book, The Defence, won awards but had modest sales at first.
The novel Thirteen boosted his career with a popular tagline about a serial killer on the jury.
Cavanagh quit law in 2019 to focus entirely on writing.
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Myanmar’s detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi met with a representative from the International Committee of the Red Cross in the capital, marking a rare contact with the outside world since her detention in 2021. Photographs show her in good spirits during the meeting and a birthday celebration, though her exact location and details of the meeting were not disclosed.
Key Facts
Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained since the military took power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021.
She met with Arnaud de Baecque, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) representative to Myanmar.
The meeting took place in the capital city on a Monday morning, but the location was not revealed.
Photographs show Suu Kyi shaking hands with the ICRC representative and cutting a birthday cake for her 81st birthday.
This is one of the few times she has appeared publicly or been in contact with outsiders since her detention.
International and regional groups, including ASEAN countries, have called for engagement with Suu Kyi to help resolve Myanmar’s political crisis.
The military government released the photos but did not share details about the conversation during the meeting.
Suu Kyi’s health appeared stable from the images, but no independent check was possible.
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In eastern Congo, more pregnant women are dying because they avoid hospitals due to fear of Ebola. Since the Ebola outbreak began in May 2026, maternal deaths in the Ituri province have nearly doubled, with many women skipping prenatal care to avoid being isolated.
Key Facts
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo was declared on May 15, 2026.
Esther Lutula, a pregnant woman in Bunia, stopped prenatal visits fearing isolation if she showed symptoms like fever.
Maternal deaths in Ituri province rose from an average of 3.1 per week before the outbreak to 5.8 per week from late May to mid-July.
Deaths outside health centers increased from 9.1% to 17.4% in the same period.
Ebola rumors and fear are causing many to avoid health centers during this outbreak.
The outbreak in Congo is the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic, with over 1,600 confirmed deaths.
Sub-Saharan Africa has the fastest-growing population and accounts for 70% of global maternal deaths.
Around 180,000 pregnancy-related deaths occur every year in Africa.
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The Seto people of southeastern Estonia hold an annual event where a village becomes a symbolic kingdom for a day. This festival celebrates their culture and language, which is closely related to Estonian but spoken fluently by only a few thousand today.
Key Facts
The Seto ethnic community celebrates "Seto Kingdom Day" each year in a village in southeastern Estonia.
The event includes symbolic elements like entry visas, made-up money, and a mock military parade.
The Seto language is related to Estonian, with several thousand fluent speakers remaining.
The Seto homeland was split by the Estonia-Russia border after the Soviet Union collapsed.
About 25,000 people reported speaking Seto in Estonia’s 2021 census, but only a few thousand use it daily.
The event helps unite the Seto people, who now live on both sides of the border and often far apart.
Traditional costumes with silver chains and coins are worn during the celebrations.
The village of Mikitamäe hosts the event and is part of the Setomaa parish, home to fewer than 3,000 people.
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Wildfire smoke can travel long distances and reduce air quality, even in places far from the fire itself. Experts advise people, especially those with lung or heart issues, to limit outdoor exposure, wear N95 masks, and improve indoor air by closing windows and using air filters.
Key Facts
Smoke from wildfires can travel across states and countries, affecting air quality in distant areas.
The EPA uses an Air Quality Index (AQI) to rate air healthiness, with numbers above 150 considered unsafe for everyone.
Sensitive groups include people with asthma, lung diseases, or heart problems who should take extra precautions.
N95 masks can filter out 90-95% of harmful particles in wildfire smoke.
Indoor air can be cleaned by closing windows, running air conditioners on recirculate mode, and using high-quality filters like MERV 13.
Air quality can be checked using EPA websites or sensor networks like PurpleAir.
Short outdoor exposure is usually not harmful for most people, but symptoms like wheezing or shortness of breath mean you should go indoors.
Low-cost indoor air quality monitors are now widely available to track pollution levels at home.
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New movies, music, and TV shows are coming to streaming platforms this week. Highlights include the return of the TV show "Ted Lasso," a concert film by singer Billie Eilish, and several new movies such as the sci-fi thriller "The Last House" and the romantic comedy "You, Me & Tuscany."
Key Facts
"Ted Lasso" is returning to streaming services.
Billie Eilish’s concert film "Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live)" will be available on Paramount+ starting August 6.
The sci-fi thriller "The Last House" about a family trapped inside their home will stream on Netflix on August 7.
The romantic comedy "You, Me & Tuscany," starring Halle Bailey, debuts on Peacock on August 7.
Colombian film "A Poet," which won a prize at Cannes, will stream on Mubi starting August 7.
British girl group FLO released a new album called "Therapy at the Club."
Other new music includes work by artist Ravyn Lenae, whose viral song "Love Me Not" gained huge popularity on TikTok.
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A wildfire burned 150 hectares of heathland on the Suffolk coast, damaging areas including Dunwich Heath and RSPB Minsmere. Firefighters have stabilized the fire but continue to manage flare-ups due to challenging wind and temperature conditions.
Key Facts
The fire started around 5:00 pm BST on Wednesday.
It affected an area equal to about 210 football fields.
The fire damaged Dunwich Heath and RSPB Minsmere nature sites.
Fire crews have worked to stabilize the fire but it remains active in spots.
Winds and heat are making firefighting difficult.
The Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service is leading the response.
The damaged heathland is part of a protected natural landscape.
Video footage shows the large scale of the fire damage.
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Doctors performed a groundbreaking surgery on a baby named Theo while he was still inside his mother’s womb to fix a serious birth defect called gastroschisis. The surgery, done in Texas at 26 weeks of pregnancy, gently placed Theo’s intestines back inside his body using keyhole surgery, and now he is five months old and healthy.
Key Facts
Baby Theo had gastroschisis, where intestines grow outside the belly due to a belly button defect.
Doctors operated on Theo before birth while he was inside his mother Maisie Savage’s womb.
The surgery was part of a first-of-its-kind clinical trial led by Dr. Michael Belfort in Texas.
Maisie had to travel from London to Belgium for a Botox injection to relax the baby’s abdominal muscles before surgery.
The operation was done at 26 weeks of pregnancy using keyhole surgery after partially exposing the womb.
Theo is now five months old and thriving after the surgery.
Gastroschisis affects about 1 in 3,000 babies in the UK each year.
Complex gastroschisis cases often require long hospital stays and multiple surgeries after birth, with some babies needing intestinal transplants.
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The United States has joined Japan in a rare coordinated effort to support the falling value of the Japanese yen. This move aims to stop the yen from dropping further, which is causing problems for Japan’s economy by making imports more expensive.
Key Facts
The yen has been falling to near 40-year lows, putting pressure on Japan’s economy.
Japan depends on imported energy and food, and a weaker yen raises their costs for businesses and consumers.
The Trump administration has intervened by buying billions of dollars of yen, the first US action like this in 30 years.
Japan has bought US government bonds to raise yen value, but selling too many bonds can increase US borrowing costs.
Japan’s Bank of Japan keeps low interest rates, which lowers the yen’s value because it is less attractive to investors.
Japan’s public debt is very high, more than double its economic output (GDP), partly due to spending to support the economy and an aging population.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is under political pressure to fix inflation and help the economy grow amid these challenges.
The US sees stabilizing the yen as helpful for the global economy and to control Japan’s bond sales that might raise US borrowing costs.
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Cuba’s entire national electricity grid failed, causing a widespread blackout across the island. Authorities did not give a clear reason for the collapse or say when power would return, but the country has faced repeated power failures this year due to old equipment and fuel shortages.
Key Facts
Cuba’s national electricity grid collapsed, causing a total blackout.
The state-run Electric Union (UNE) announced the failure but did not explain the cause or timing for restoration.
Earlier problems included damaged transformers, circuit failures, and planned power cuts due to low generating capacity.
The blackout affected many areas, including towns around Havana like Guanabacoa and Marianao.
Cuba’s power system has broken down multiple times recently, with three nationwide failures in nine days in July.
Fuel shortages and aging power plants—some over 30 years old—have worsened the electricity problems.
The Cuban government blames U.S. sanctions for restricting oil supplies and access to equipment.
Long blackouts have disrupted essential services like hospitals, water, transport, and communications.
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Alan Jones, a former Australian rugby coach and radio host, is on trial for sexual offenses against six males over about 20 years. He denies all charges, and the trial is taking place without a jury in Sydney, expected to last for months.
Key Facts
Alan Jones is 85 years old and has pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching without consent.
The alleged offenses happened between 2003 and 2020 in Sydney and at his farm in New South Wales.
Jones was a rugby coach for Australia’s national team, the Wallabies, from 1984 to 1988 and also hosted a popular Sydney radio breakfast show.
Jones is accused of abusing six men and boys, including one complainant who was about 16 and another who was 21 and worked on Jones’ radio program.
Jones was arrested in 2024 and has denied all allegations, calling them baseless or distorted.
The trial is being held before Judge Glenn Walsh without a jury and will hear testimony from more than 70 witnesses.
Police formed a special team to investigate Jones after a 2023 newspaper report revealed claims he preyed on young men using his position of power.
Jones was also involved in conservative politics and once worked as a speechwriter for former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.
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Cuba experienced a total collapse of its national electricity grid, causing a nationwide blackout including the capital, Havana. The blackout is part of an ongoing power crisis caused by aging equipment and a U.S. energy embargo that stopped regular fuel deliveries to power plants.
Key Facts
Cuba’s state-run power grid completely failed on Sunday, causing the whole country to lose electricity.
The blackout affected Havana and other regions, leaving residents without power and water.
The country has faced repeated grid collapses recently, with another blackout occurring just 24 hours earlier in western Cuba.
The U.S. imposed an energy embargo that stopped regular fuel shipments to Cuba’s power stations.
Aging infrastructure and lack of fuel have contributed to the ongoing electricity crisis.
The Cuban government is working on ways to restart the electric grid.
The Trump administration also increased sanctions on Cuban state businesses, leading some foreign companies to leave Cuba.
Cuba recently allowed some free-market reforms to try to improve its struggling economy.
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New Zealand’s parliament passed a law making English an official language alongside Māori and New Zealand sign language. The bill, supported by the coalition government, has faced criticism from experts and some politicians who say it is unnecessary because English is already the dominant language.
Key Facts
The law giving English official status in New Zealand became effective on 30 July.
English is spoken by about 95% of New Zealand’s population.
The bill was part of a political agreement between the National party and New Zealand First party.
Experts and the Ministry of Justice advised against the bill, saying English does not need protection like Māori and sign language do.
The Green party and Māori-focused Te Pāti Māori opposed the bill, while Labour supported it to avoid cultural conflict.
Māori MP Tamatha Paul called the bill "pathetic" during parliamentary debate.
Linguists and legal experts said the law does nothing practical since English is already the dominant and unthreatened language.
The bill does not give English special priority in government communications over the other official languages.
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