Freed Russian dissidents refused to sign plea for mercy from Putin (www.bbc.com)
Qatar PM asks, ‘How can mediation succeed when one side assassinates negotiator?’ (www.middleeastmonitor.com)
US-Israeli soldier posted videos showing detonation of Gaza homes and mosque (www.theguardian.com)
A Two-Pound Ukrainian Drone Just Shot Down A 12-Ton Russian Helicopter (www.forbes.com)
It may be the first time a drone has destroyed a helicopter in mid-air....
The lawless mining gangs targeting the Amazon’s precious green energy minerals (www.theguardian.com)
As demand for the tin ore cassiterite soars, special forces units of Brazil’s Ibama environment agency must play a cat and mouse game with the thousands of illegal miners pouring into Yanomami reserves...
Venezuela election: Masked assailants raid opposition HQ (www.dw.com)
Half a dozen assailants have ransacked the headquarters of Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. It comes as Human Rights watch said at least 20 people have died in post-election protests....
Exchanged prisoner Yashin condemns his 'illegal expulsion' from Russia. (www.reuters.com)
Ilya Yashin, imprisoned in 2022 for criticizing Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, said he had not given his consent to deportation and that others in more urgent need of medical care should have gone instead....
A critical system of Atlantic Ocean currents could collapse as early as the 2030s, new research suggests (edition.cnn.com)
CNN —...
Turkey blocks access to Instagram. It's in response to removal of posts on Hamas chief, reports say (apnews.com)
Turkey’s communications authority blocked access to the social media platform Instagram on Friday, the latest instance of a clampdown on websites in the country....
Kim Jong Un wants Trump back, elite defector tells BBC (www.bbc.com)
Iran says Hamas leader was killed by short-range projectile (www.bbc.com)
Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed with a “short-range projectile” fired from outside his guesthouse in Tehran, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says....
Outbreak of Oropouche virus in Brazil should be a ‘wake-up call’, say experts (www.theguardian.com)
The deaths of two young women, miscarriages and birth defects in Brazil have been linked to Oropouche virus, a little-known disease spread by midges and mosquitoes....
When denouncing extortion gets you killed: Mexican business leaders in the crosshairs of organized crime (english.elpais.com)
Julio César Almanza Armas was murdered hours after criticizing the insecurity faced by businesses in Tamaulipas. Weeks earlier, Minerva Pérez Castro was killed for the same reason in Baja California...
Exclusive: US, European lawmakers jointly condemn Venezuela's handling of election (www.reuters.com)
WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - The leaders of foreign affairs committees of the U.S. Congress and legislatures across Europe have joined to condemn the Venezuelan government’s handling of last weekend’s disputed election, according to a statement seen by Reuters, an unprecedented show of unity intended to pressure Caracas to...
Nipah virus: Kerala state issues alert after 14-year-old dies (www.bbc.com)
Health authorities in India’s Kerala state have issued an alert after a 14-year-old boy died of the Nipah virus....
Miss South Africa 2024: Chidimma Adetshina's participation sparks nationality row (www.bbc.com)
When law student Chidimma Adetshina clinched a coveted spot as a Miss South Africa finalist, her triumph unleashed a vicious backlash, unearthing a seam of xenophobia that lies close to the surface for some in the country....
Erdogan says Turkey might enter Israel to help Palestinians (www.reuters.com)
cross-posted from: lemmy.ca/post/25901452
The Paris Olympics may look fair and inclusive on TV. The truth is much darker | Rokhaya Diallo (www.theguardian.com)
this unifying narrative introduced an Olympic and Paralympic Games that in reality are not all that inclusive. (…) To make these Games happen, Paris had to undertake a programme of intense social cleansing....
With Hezbollah and Hamas assassinations, Netanyahu shows willingness to risk regional war for political survival. (theconversation.com)
US recognizes Maduro's opponent as winner in Venezuela election (www.reuters.com)
Israel’s January 6 moment (www.vox.com)
Olympic triathletes swim in Seine River after days of concerns about water quality (apnews.com)
After days of water-quality concerns caused by heavy rains last week put the swimming portion of the Olympic triathlons in doubt, the women dove into the Seine River on Wednesday under gray skies that lingered following an early-morning drizzle, followed by the men a few hours later....
Somalia beach attack kills 32 civilians, police say (www.reuters.com)
Severe drought has returned to the Amazon. And it's happening earlier than expected (apnews.com)
Holder of one-fifth of the world’s fresh water, the Amazon is beginning the dry season with many of its rivers already at critically low levels, prompting governments to anticipate contingency measures to address issues ranging from disrupted navigation to increasing forest fires....