below posted 08.02.2024 12:00pm

Thursday, August 1st, 2024 

Russia and several Western nations, including Germany and the United States, conduct a major prisoner exchange mediated by Turkey, with ten prisoners being transferred to Russia, thirteen to Germany, and three to the United States. Journalist Evan Gershkovich, former marine Paul Whelan, and Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza are among those freed. (AP) (Al Jazeera) 

Intel announces plans to lay off 15% of its workforce in order to reduce its operating costs. (AP) 

Turkey blocks internet access to Instagram, following comments made by Turkish communications director Fahrettin Altun that condemned Meta Platforms for taking down Instagram posts offering condolences or expressing sorrow towards the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. (Reuters) 

At least fifteen Palestinians are killed and 29 others are injured in an Israeli strike on a school in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood of Gaza City. (Reuters) 

Israel claims to have verified that it killed Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif in an attack on al-Mawasi on July 13. Hamas refuses to confirm or deny the allegations. (The Washington Post) 

South Korea reports that as many as 1,500 people may have been killed by floods in North Korea caused by the remnants of Typhoon Gaemi. (Terra Daily) 

The death toll from the landslides caused by torrential rains in Kerala, India, increases to 296 people, with at least 240 others still missing. (Onomanorama) 

The Global Famine Review Committee declares a famine in Darfur, Sudan, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. (Reuters) 

The Moldovan government expels a Russian diplomat from the country over alleged espionage. (The Moscow Times) 

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer addresses the nation following civil unrest in Southport, Hartlepool, and Whitehall, accusing the “far-right” of being behind the violence. Starmer also warns social media platforms to crackdown on misinformation. (The Guardian) 

Fourteen protestors are killed, four other protestors are injured and at least 31 protestors and a journalist are arrested during nationwide protests that turned violent in Nigeria amid a cost-of-living crisis, which protestors blame on President Bola Tinubu‘s new reforms. (Al Jazeera) 

Novak Djokovic defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas to advance to the semifinals of the Men’s singles tournament, becoming the only player to reach the semifinals four times, and the oldest semifinalist in Olympic tennis history. (Sports Illustrated) 

American swimmer Katie Ledecky wins her 13th gold medal in swimming, becoming the first American female to do so and the second American to do so after Michael Phelps. (The New York Times) 

The End Friday 

Thursday, August 1st, 2024 

above posted 08.02.2024 12:00pm

Thursday, August 1st, 2024 

China and India conduct the 30th round of talks in New Delhi, India, to resolve the ongoing border disputes, by agreeing to speed up negotiations over the border disputes and to maintain peace and tranquility in border regions. (South China Morning Post) 

Nationwide protests occur in Nigeria amidst a cost-of-living crisis and rising costs, which Nigerians blame on President Bola Tinubu‘s new reforms. (Al Jazeera) 

Israel claims to have verified that it assassinated Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif in the 13 July 2024 al-Mawasi attack. Hamas denies the allegations. (The Washington Post) 

A criminal court in Guinea sentences former president and military leader Moussa Dadis Camara to 20 years in prison for crimes against humanity while suppressing the opposition rally in Conakry in 2009. (Al Jazeera) 

Eleven people are killed by heavy downpours and flooding in Delhi and North India and over 250 people are declared missing in and around the Himalayas, with rainfall reaching 183 mm (7 inches) in some regions. (Reuters) 

The death toll in the landslides caused by torrential rains in Kerala, India, increases to 194, with at least 187 people still missing. (Al Jazeera) 

Wednesday, July 31st, 2024 

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatens to suspend Slovakia’s diesel exports to Ukraine if the Ukrainian government continues to suspend pipeline oil transport from Russian oil company Lukoil, which Slovakia claims is causing a national energy crisis. (The Kyiv Independent) 

Fourteen people are arrested in a sting operation by a joint task force at the San Diego Comic-Con in San Diego, California, United States, for participating in a sex trafficking network. Ten victims were recovered, including one teenager. (The Hollywood Reporter) 

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh is assassinated in a missile strike in Tehran, Iran, after attending the inauguration ceremony of Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian. Hamas and Iran blame Israel for the assassination; however, the Israeli government officially declines to comment on the assassination. (Al Jazeera) 

Qatar and Egypt warn that peace negotiations are in jeopardy because of the recent assassination. (Reuters) 

Al Jazeera Arabic journalist Ismail al-Ghoul and his cameraman are killed in an Israeli airstrike while conducting a news broadcast near Ismail Haniyeh’s home in the Gaza Strip. (Al Jazeera) 

A source close to Hezbollah tells AFP that the body of top commander Fuad Shukr has been recovered, nearly 24 hours after he was killed in an Israeli strike on southern Beirut, Lebanon. (Al Arabiya) (Reuters) 

Ukraine demands that Russia explain the death of Ukrainian POW Oleksandr Ishchenko in Russian captivity, who was being tried with 21 other captured Ukrainian troops for being part of the Azov Brigade that Russian prosecutors allege is far-right affiliated. (Reuters) 

The United States halts US$95 million in assistance to the country of Georgia due to its government passing a law on “foreign agents”, which US officials referred to as “anti-democratic” and a “draconian measure to stifle dissent”. (Reuters) 

At least 19 people are killed during a suicide bombing by Boko Haram at a market in Konduga, Borno State, Nigeria. (Punch) 

Mali announces that it carried out joint airstrikes with Burkina Faso on insurgents in and around Tinzaouaten. The CSP-PSD says that a Burkinabé drone strike killed dozens of civilians. (Reuters) 

China surpasses the United States for the record of most gold medals in Olympic diving. (NBC News) 

Adriana Ruano wins the gold medal in women’s trap shooting to set a new Olympic record and win the first gold medal for Guatemala in Olympic history. (The New York Times) 

Kim Mi-rae and Jo Jin-mi win the silver medal in Women’s synchronized diving, North Korea’s first medal in the sport. (Yonhap News Agency) 

Novak Djokovic defeats Dominik Koepfer to advance to the quarterfinals of the Men’s singles tournament, becoming the only player to reach the quarterfinals four times, and the oldest quarterfinalist in Olympic tennis history at the age of 37. (The Tennis Gazette) 

The End Thursday 

Wednesday, July 31st, 2024 

Wednesday, July 31st, 2024 

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh is assassinated in Tehran, Iran, after participating in the inauguration ceremony of the Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian. (Al Jazeera) 

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, military junta leader of Sudan, survives an assassination attempt carried out with a drone strike while he was visiting a military base in Gibet. Five people are killed. (Middle East Monitor) 

Israel launches a missile attack on southern Beirut, Lebanon, killing at least four civilians and injuring 80 others. Senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr is claimed by Israel to be the main target. He was in the area at the time of the attack, but his fate is currently unknown. (Anadolu Agency) (Al Jazeera) 

Twenty-six people are arrested in Madrid, Málaga, and Toledo by Spanish police for operating a sex trafficking ring that abused over 600 women. Thirty-two women were freed during the operation. (AP) 

The Cavite provincial government in the Philippines declares a “state of calamity” after an oil spill from the sunk MT Terra Nova reaches the shores of eight municipalities, requiring implementation of a no-catch zone and relief aid to be given to ~25,000 fishers. (GMA Network) 

The Mirola 1 is discovered to have ran aground near the coast of Bataan, becoming the third vessel to spill oil into Manila Bay in one week. (GMA Network) 

Tuesday,  July 30th, 2024 

Tesla recalls more than 1.8 million vehicles due to a hood issue that could increase the risk of a crash. An over-the-air software update for the issue was made available in June. (Quartz) 

An Israeli civilian is killed in the HaGoshrim kibbutz by a rocket fired from Lebanon. (Reuters) 

The US carries out an airstrike near Hillah, Iraq killing four members of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units. Iraq condemned the strike saying the US-led military coalition committed a “heinous crime” by targeting security sites and said the attacks were a serious violation of the coalition’s mission and mandate. (Reuters) 

British Islamic preacher Anjem Choudary is sentenced to life in prison with a minimum sentence of 28 years for directing the al-Muhajiroun militant network. (ABC News) 

The Russian defense ministry says that its forces have taken control of the settlement of Pivdenne in Donetsk region, Ukraine. (Reuters) 

Riots occur in the evening in response to a previous mass stabbing in Southport, Merseyside. The right-wing English Defence League was present in front of a mosque, despite not having existed for over a decade. 

Angolan President João Lourenço announces that the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda have agreed to a ceasefire following Angola–mediated talks. (TRT Afrika) 

The Turkish defense ministry says that it targeted Kurdish militants in northern Iraq with air strikes, killing 13 people. (Reuters) 

Unidentified gunmen open fire on a bulletproof vehicle carrying local staff working for a United Nations development agency in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. No casualties have been reported. (TOI) 

Rex Airlines, Australia‘s third-largest airline, suspends all domestic Boeing 737 flights and enters voluntary administration. (AFR) 

Spain‘s competition watchdog fines online travel agency Booking.com with a record €413 million fine for “abusing its dominant position” in the past five years. (France 24) 

The death toll from torrential rains and floods caused by remnants of Typhoon Gaemi in Hunan, China, increases to 22. (Yahoo! Canada) 

The World Health Organization reports that it is now “very likely” that poliovirus has infected Gazan citizens and is spreading among the population. The statement was released shortly after the Gaza Health Ministry declared a polio epidemic in the territory. (Reuters) 

At least 162 people are killed, 191 others are injured, and more than 89 others are missing in landslides in Wayanad district, Kerala, India. (The Times of India) 

Algeria withdraws its ambassador from France after France declared its support for the Western Sahara Autonomy Proposal, which was proposed by Morocco in 2007. (RFI) 

Turkey and Armenia resume talks aimed at normalizing diplomatic relations and agree to simplify visa rules for some passport holders. (Al Arabiya) 

The Taliban suspends relations with 14 Afghan overseas diplomatic missions and announces that they will no longer accept consular documents issued by these missions. (RFE/RL) 

Kyrgyzstan says that 94% of its border with Tajikistan has been agreed upon by officials from both countries. (RFE/RL) 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announces the allocation of $500 million to fund the Philippine military. (DW) 

Freddy Superlano, a leading figure in Venezuela‘s opposition coalition, is arrested as the death toll from ongoing anti-Maduro protests increases to four. (Al Arabiya) 

A federal investigation commissioned by U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland discovers that sixty-five federal American Indian boarding school sites have unmarked or marked gravesites, and confirms that “at least” 973 Native American children died at boarding schools, primarily from abuse and illness. (AP) 

Interpol announces that more than 200 people have been arrested and more than US$1.6 billion of illegal drugs and precursor chemicals seized as part of a two-month operation against narcotics trafficking conducted across Europe, North America, and Africa. (ABC News) 

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pardons a German citizen in death row. (Barron’s) 

Masoud Pezeshkian is inaugurated as the ninth president of Iran. (France 24) 

Olympic officials postpone the men’s individual triathlon race due to poor water quality levels in the Seine river. (CNN) 

Several athletes test positive for COVID-19, including Australian swimmer Lani Pallister, forcing her to withdraw from the 1500 metre freestyle swimming event. (Al Arabiya) 

Brazil wins a bronze medal in women’s artistic gymnastics, their first ever medal in the sport. (France 24) 

The United States wins a bronze medal in women’s rugby, their first ever medal in the sport at the Olympics. (Fox News) 

Monday,  July 29th, 2024 

The Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine claims that it provided assistance to the Tuareg rebels in their battle against Wagner Group mercenaries in Mali. (The Guardian) 

Ukrainian army sergeant Oleh Chaus reports that the Russian army captured the eastern Donetsk villages of Prohres and Vovche, citing insufficient weapon supplies, deficient training, and decreased motivation as causes of the setback. (AP) 

French police arrest a far-left extremist who may have been behind an attack on the TGV long-distance train network ahead of the opening of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. (DW) 

Major international flagship airlines including Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, and Ethiopian Airlines cancel or delay flights at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport in Lebanon due to threats of Israeli retaliation towards Hezbollah. (Al Jazeera) 

Protesters taking part in a march in Gwadar, Pakistan, attack security forces deployed to guard them, killing a soldier and injuring 16 others, according to the Pakistani Army. (Reuters) 

At least two people are killed and as many as 100 others are injured when a passenger train carrying 800 people collides with a Kamaz truck near Volgograd, Russia, and partially derails. (Al Arabiya) 

The Guatemalan government grants temporary resident permits to over 200 Mexicans, mostly children, on humanitarian grounds as they escape drug violence. (AP) 

Panama suspends diplomatic relations with Venezuela and withdraws its diplomatic personnel from the country until a full review of the presidential election results is concluded. (Reuters) 

Three children are killed and ten other people are injured in a mass stabbing at a dance school in Southport, Merseyside, England. A teenager is subsequently arrested. (BBC News) 

The Grand National Assembly of Turkey approves a law ordering the euthanization of stray dogs that are sick or have been deemed aggressive. (SCMP) 

French police report multiple sabotage acts targeting telecommunications operators in parts of the country, affecting 11,000 clients, with the incidents being treated as vandalism. (DW) (Politico) 

King Mohammed VI of Morocco pardons jailed journalists Taoufik Bouachrine, Omar Radi, and Soulaimane Raissouni, along with 2,476 other convicts, as part of a gesture marking the 25th anniversary of his reign. (Reuters) 

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken states that the U.S. government has “serious concerns” that the Venezuelan election results do not reflect “the will nor the votes of the Venezuelan people” and demands that Venezuelan electoral authorities publish fair and transparent election results, adding that the United States and the international community will “respond accordingly”. (AP) 

Venezuela recalls its diplomats in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay after those countries oppose the election results. (TRT World) 

At least one person is killed as protests occur throughout Venezuela due to the disputed election results. (AP) 

Thousands of environmentalists and opposition group members protest across Serbia against a European Union–Serbian government lithium mining project meant to reduce its dependency on Chinese lithium that would seize and raze several rivers and forests. (AP) 

Slovak deputy prime minister Tomáš Taraba announces that he will boycott the Olympics closing ceremony in response to being offended by what he called “progressive political theater” hosted by “drag queens” during the opening ceremony. (Anadolu Agency) 

Olympics organizers cancel second triathlon training over Seine water quality. (France 24) 

Monday,  July 29th, 2024 

United Arab Emirates grants firm lottery license for first time in potential move towards casinos. (Al Arabiya) 

Far Right Israelis storm Sde Teiman detention camp after the Israel Defense Forces Detains nine reservists on suspicion of abusing a Palestinian detainee. (Haaretz) 

Turkey’s parliament approved a law aim to euthanize some of the country’s four million stray dogs. (South china morning post) 

Sakina Muhammad Jan become the first person to be jailed under Australia’s forced marriage laws, for ordering her 21-year-old daughter to wed a man who would later murder her. (BBC) 

French police arrest a far left activist who may have been behind an attack on the long-distance train network ahead of the opening of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (DW) 

Wagner Group said that its fighters and Malian soldiers took losses in heavy fighting against Tuareg rebels near Mali’s border with Algeria.  (France 24) 

Human Rights Watch report a widespread acts of sexual violence in the capital Khartoum, including gang rape and forced marriages commited by the army and Rapid Support Forces. (Reuters) 

Pakistan’s army said protesters taking part in a march in the southwestern city of Gwadar attacked security forces deployed to guard them, killing one soldier and injuring 16 others. (Reuters) 

French police reports a sabotage acts targeting telecommunications operators in six areas in France. (DW) 

At least two people were killed and up to 100 people injured when a passenger train carrying 800 people collided with a Kamaz truck, derailing eight carriages in Russia. (Al Arabiya) 

Eight people, some of whom are children, are stabbed in Southport, Merseyside, England. (BBC News) 

The End