Two UN staff members detained in Afghanistan for over a week have been released by Taliban authorities, though the reason for their detention remains unexplained, the organization said.

Hundreds of antigovernment protesters demonstrated in Tunisia’s capital calling for President Kais Saied’s removal and restoration of democracy, citing economic collapse and authoritarian rule.

The Panama Canal will cap daily vessel traffic starting in early September to manage lower water levels expected during El Niño weather conditions, reducing capacity from 40 to 34 ships initially.

A Ukrainian protest organizer distanced himself from calls for elections by the ousted defense minister Fedorov, saying the demonstrations sought dialogue, not electoral processes. The protests have significantly diminished following the contentious statement.

Egypt is pursuing diplomatic and cooperative strategies to influence Ethiopia’s development of three new Nile dam projects, having learned limitations from its unsuccessful opposition to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Two Hong Kong activists have been convicted under the national security law for organizing annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, facing up to 10 years in prison.

A Swiss tourist was sentenced to one year in prison for insulting Bali’s sacred Nyepi holiday by filming himself on a restricted beach during the Day of Silence.

Japan executed a man convicted of killing five people in a gaming parlour fire in 2009, marking the country’s first execution in more than a year.

Banknotes in circulation across the EU are increasing despite digital payment growth, driven by concerns over geopolitical instability, cyber-attack risks, and natural disasters prompting emergency cash stockpiling.

Russia’s navy conducted missile tests around disputed islands that Japan claims, prompting Tokyo to criticize the military exercises as provocative escalation amid ongoing territorial tensions.

The body of missing Australian hiker Lily Hooper has been recovered after an eight-day search. Officials are investigating a miscommunication that initially reported she had been found alive.

Violent Israeli settler attacks in Palestinian-controlled West Bank areas have nearly doubled since 2025, with a significant shift in focus toward regions designated for Palestinian governance under international agreements.