…
International news, diplomacy, Geneva-based organisations.
World
Hundreds of public figures have signed an open letter warning that Jordan’s close alliance with the United States poses a risk, according to The New York Times. The signatories include figures from political and legal circles.
World
Gold would probably come under pressure if the Federal Reserve raised interest rates, according to Amy Gower, Morgan Stanley’s head of metals and mining strategy. Bloomberg reported her assessment. The available information does not specify how severe the pressure might be, how long it could last or when it could occur.
World
Pedro Sánchez, owner of the Michelin-starred Bagá restaurant in Jaén, has been named Best Chef at Spain’s 2026 National Gastronomy Awards. The 45-square-metre restaurant is known for a distinctive, pared-back approach using few ingredients. Mohamed Benabdallah was named Best Sommelier, while Pilar Salas received the communication award. Casto Copete and Josep Bernabeu Mestre were also recognised. Two further winners will be announced in September, before the awards ceremony in Toledo on November 9, 2026.
World
Uniper has signed a contract to import 2 million tonnes of Canadian liquefied natural gas each year from 2032. The agreement with the Ksi Lisims project may run for up to 20 years. Uniper says using hydropower for liquefaction will reduce CO2 intensity by 90% compared with conventional LNG facilities. The German group, which was rescued by the state in 2022, presents the deal as a way to diversify Europe’s energy supplies. Financial terms were not disclosed in the information available.
World
BMW plans to cut up to 8,000 jobs in Germany, mainly in administration and development, while leaving production operations unaffected. According to The Guardian, the carmaker has agreed a voluntary redundancy programme with employee representatives. BMW points to technological change in the automotive industry, geopolitical uncertainty, shifting markets and developments in China. Volkswagen has confirmed plans for up to 100,000 job cuts, while Porsche expects 9,000 departures by 2035. Porsche’s Chinese sales fell 30% in the first half of 2026, and Aston Martin reported a £154 million first-half loss.
World
BMW plans to cut up to 8,000 jobs in Germany, mainly in administration and development, while leaving production unaffected. According to The Guardian, the carmaker has agreed a voluntary redundancy programme with employee representatives. BMW cites technological change in the automotive industry, geopolitical uncertainty, shifting markets and developments in China. Volkswagen has confirmed plans for up to 100,000 job cuts, while Porsche expects 9,000 departures by 2035. Porsche’s pre-tax profit rose to €1.4 billion, although its first-half sales in China fell by 30%. Aston Martin also reported a first-half pre-tax loss of £154 million.
World
A surge in violence has pushed food insecurity in northern Nigeria to its highest level in a decade, according to the World Food Programme, the United Nations agency that provides food assistance. The humanitarian response is also being constrained by insufficient funding. As a result, the agency can provide food assistance to only a small share of the people who need it in the region. Available information does not specify how many people are affected, how much funding is lacking or the exact proportion of needs currently being met.
World
The Court of First Instance in Abidjan has convicted four defendants over the murder of delivery worker Amidou Koné, with two receiving life sentences. Koné, who worked for the app-based transport and delivery service Yango, was killed during an armed attack in Côte d’Ivoire on the night of July 6–7. According to France 24, his death prompted widespread public emotion across the country, as well as calls for stronger protections for workers in the sector.
World
The University of Hamburg found no plagiarism in Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf’s doctoral dissertation and has closed its investigation, Die Zeit reports. The university’s responsible bodies determined that the allegation of academic misconduct was unfounded. The review began about a year ago following reports of alleged similarities with her husband Hubertus Gersdorf’s postdoctoral habilitation thesis. The case unfolded alongside a political dispute over her proposed appointment to Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court. The Potsdam law professor, nominated by the Social Democratic Party, withdrew her candidacy in August 2025 after the planned election was cancelled.
World
The Zambian kwacha is nearing parity with the South African rand, according to Bloomberg. It has appreciated by almost 18% against the US dollar this year, making it the second-best-performing currency among those tracked by Bloomberg. The available information does not specify the exact exchange rate or when parity with the rand could be reached.
World
Criminal courts in Hamburg convicted 12,041 people in 2025, 5.3% fewer than in 2024, according to figures reported by Die Zeit. Of those found guilty, 2.2% were aged 14 to under 18 at the time of the offence, while 3.6% were aged 18 to under 21. The supplied definition for the statistical authority cited in the data is unrelated to the subject, so the authority cannot be described accurately from the available material.
World
Twelve primary school children were slightly injured in Oerlenbach, Bavaria, after their school bus braked early Tuesday morning. The driver applied the brakes when a dog crossed the road in front of the vehicle, Die Zeit reports. The children were then taken to school, where teachers and police looked after them until their parents arrived. The available information does not provide further details about the circumstances of the incident.
World
A teenager imprisoned over alleged fraud in Guinea’s baccalaureate examinations died after spending several days at Kindia prison, France 24 reports. He and several other candidates had been sentenced to one month in prison. Kindia is located nearly 130 kilometres from Conakry. The available information does not identify the teenager or provide the exact dates of his imprisonment and death. Neither the cause nor the precise circumstances of his death have been reported.
World
Ripoll Mayor Sílvia Orriols has refused to hand the municipal security portfolio to another councillor after her eldest daughter, Guinadell Orriols, was appointed as an interim local police officer through an emergency procedure. Junts per Catalunya says the situation may create a conflict of interest, El País reports. The mayor denies any incompatibility and says she merely approved a list prepared by technical staff. Municipal secretary Gerard Soldevila maintains that the process was lawful. Accounts differ, however, over the mayor’s exact role in preparing the selection procedure.
World
French musician and DJ Kavinsky, whose real name was Vincent Belorgey, was found dead at his Paris home at the age of 50, according to El País. The report has not been corroborated by another source in the information available. A possible stroke is being examined after he experienced headaches in the days before his death, but no cause has been established. A prominent synthwave artist, Kavinsky released “Nightcall” in 2010. The track later appeared on the soundtrack to “Drive” and was performed at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
World
The rotation of US Virginia-class submarines at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia will run from 2027 to 2032, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy told ABC. He described Submarine Rotation Force West as a five-year commitment and said the vessels would not remain at the base year-round. Their annual time on site is being withheld for operational reasons. US and UK submarines are nevertheless expected to continue visiting after 2032. Conroy said the arrangement would not commit Australia in advance to a future conflict, amid debate over the base’s status and the possible carriage of tactical nuclear weapons by US vessels from 2032.
World
A family in Havana used a modified generator to make a children’s movie night possible in a neighborhood affected by power outages, according to The New York Times. Correspondent Jack Nicas visited the neighborhood where the screening took place. Cuba is experiencing an energy crisis that the newspaper attributes to an oil blockade imposed by the Trump administration. The available information does not specify when the event occurred, how many children attended or how long the outages lasted.
World
David González has become the organiser of highly popular parties in Havana amid Cuba’s energy crisis. According to The New York Times, he is using these events to promote political change. The available information does not specify what form of political change he is seeking or how the parties are intended to help bring it about.
World
Tunisian photographer Zied Ben Romdhane has documented the changes in his country since the fall of Ben Ali and the Arab Spring in late 2010. In a report published by Le Monde, his work reflects the deep unease of a generation shaped by the revolution. Young Tunisians face political confusion and a lack of economic prospects. With little hope for the future, they aspire to leave the country.
World
DWS had €1.19 trillion in assets under management at the end of June 2026, up €97 billion from the end of March. According to Handelsblatt, the Deutsche Bank subsidiary attributed the increase to favourable markets, capital inflows and exchange-rate movements. Second-quarter consolidated profit rose 11% year on year to €237 million, in line with expectations. Revenue increased 4% to €773 million but fell short of analysts’ average forecast of €784 million.