World

International news, diplomacy, Geneva-based organisations.

World

Hepatitis B and C: WHO calls for intensified global action on July 28

On World Hepatitis Day, July 28, 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for strengthened research, screening, treatment access, and political commitment in the fight against hepatitis B and C. According to the WHO, 287 million people worldwide currently live with chronic hepatitis B or C. Hepatitis B alone is responsible for 1.1 million deaths annually—more than double the death toll from malaria. Despite curative treatments being available since 2015, only approximately 20% of hepatitis C patients have received treatment. A major breakthrough occurred in spring 2026, when Chinese researchers achieved the first functional cure of hepatitis B.

28 July 2026 at 05:12

World

World Hepatitis Day: WHO calls for more screening and political engagement

On World Hepatitis Day, July 28, 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) called for strengthening research, screening, treatments and political commitment. According to the WHO, 287 million people globally are living with chronic hepatitis B or C. The organization particularly recommends systematic screening tests for pregnant women to limit disease transmission.

28 July 2026 at 05:10

World

Australia: Melbourne businessman convicted of rape by unanimous jury

A Melbourne businessman was found guilty of rape and sexual assault on July 28, 2026, by a unanimous jury of the County Court of Victoria, Australia. The alleged offences occurred on March 23, 2023. The defendant was remanded in custody immediately after the verdict; sentencing will take place at a later hearing. His identity remains protected by a suppression order, which Australian media outlets are seeking to lift. The trial lasted three weeks, according to the ABC.

28 July 2026 at 04:14

World

CSU-Landesgruppe concludes summer retreat at Banz Abbey in Bavaria

The 44 members of the CSU-Landesgruppe — the group of Christian Social Union (CSU) lawmakers from Bavaria in the German Bundestag, forming with the CDU a joint CDU/CSU parliamentary group with conservative orientation — concluded their two-day summer retreat on July 28, 2026, according to Die Zeit. The gathering was held at Banz Abbey, a former Benedictine monastery located on a hilltop near Bad Staffelstein, north of Bamberg, in the Upper Main Valley in Bavaria. Among the invited guests were Anita Orbán, Hungary's Foreign Minister, and Bonita Grupp, head of textile group Trigema. According to Die Zeit, the retreat was overshadowed by recent personnel issues within the Union (CDU/CSU).

28 July 2026 at 04:11

World

DRC: At least 31 civilians killed by Allied Democratic Forces in the northeast

At least 31 civilians have been killed during several attacks carried out by the ADF (Allied Democratic Forces), jihadist rebels who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the days preceding July 28, 2026, according to Le Monde. In Ituri province, the group imposes taxes on residents and executes those who refuse to pay. Of Ugandan origin, the ADF have been operating in eastern DRC since the 1990s.

28 July 2026 at 04:08

World

Direct US–Lebanon Flights: A 40-Year Ban

There have been no direct flights between the United States and Lebanon for approximately 40 years, according to Al Jazeera. The ban dates back to around 1986. The precise reasons for this long-standing prohibition remain unspecified in available information at this stage.

27 July 2026 at 19:45

World

Chad announces withdrawal from International Criminal Court at US request

Chad announced on July 27, 2026 its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), the international judicial body competent for war crimes and crimes against humanity, at the request of the United States. The withdrawal will take effect in July 2027 and will not suspend investigations already launched by the court. N'Djamena is particularly under ICC scrutiny for its role in the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan.

27 July 2026 at 19:38

World

Prosecutors Seek Permanent Psychiatric Hospitalization for Suspect in Syriac Orthodox Church Fire

On July 27, 2026, prosecutors requested the permanent placement in a psychiatric hospital of a 27-year-old man suspected of setting fire to the structural shell of a Syriac Orthodox church under construction in Leimen in early June 2026. According to prosecutors, the suspect suffers from a mental illness causally linked to the act. Investigators indicate that he acted alone.

27 July 2026 at 16:18

World

AfD Federal Board Opens Disciplinary Case Against NRW Leader Vincentz

The AfD's federal executive board has opened disciplinary proceedings against Martin Vincentz, head of the party's North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) regional federation, and other members of his regional office. The party accuses him of having sought an injunction from an ordinary Düsseldorf court rather than using the AfD's internal arbitration body. The conflict erupts in the wake of a contentious party congress in Marl, where Vincentz's moderate faction decisively won the vote on the party list for 2027 state elections. The NRW regional office has until August 5 to respond to charges from the federal directorate.

27 July 2026 at 15:32

World

Frankfurt: life sentence sought for man on trial for pushing wife from 22nd floor

A man is on trial before the regional court in Frankfurt for pushing his wife off a 22nd-floor hotel balcony, causing her death. On July 27, 2026, the prosecutor requested a life sentence, citing treachery and base motives as aggravating circumstances. The lawyer representing the victim's children and mother supported this request and added greed as a third aggravating circumstance. The verdict is expected on Friday.

27 July 2026 at 15:23

World

U.S. Strike Pause on Iran: Brent Crude Plummets 6.4%

On July 27, 2026, the announcement of a pause in U.S. strikes on Iran caused Brent crude—the global oil benchmark—to plunge 6.43%, closing at $90.56 per barrel. Trading hit a low of $87.55 per barrel during the session before partially recovering. Iran also signaled it would suspend its own strikes, fueling hopes for de-escalation. Later that afternoon, reports from the German news agency DPA citing Pakistani intelligence sources indicated a possible limited U.S. ground offensive, triggering a partial rebound in prices.

27 July 2026 at 15:14

World

Allan Grimson, Murderer Convicted in 2001, Found Guilty of 13 Sexual Offences from the 1990s

On 27 July 2026, Winchester Crown Court jury found Allan Grimson guilty of 13 sexual offences committed in the 1990s against four men. Grimson, a former Royal Navy petty officer, has been serving a life sentence since 2001 for the murders of two former sailors in Portsmouth. An investigation by journalist Ros Astengo, based in Gibraltar, led victims to file complaints as Grimson approached possible release. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 2026.

27 July 2026 at 15:13

World

Germany: Johannes Steiniger appointed Staatssekretär at Federal Ministry of Economy

Johannes Steiniger, 39, secretary-general of the CDU in Rhineland-Palatinate and Bundestag deputy, was appointed on July 27, 2026, as Staatssekretär to Federal Economy Minister Katherina Reiche, according to Zeit.de. The appointment follows Patrick Schnieder's departure as Federal Transport Minister, which triggered a federal cabinet reshuffle. Steiniger, credited as the architect of the CDU's electoral success in Rhineland-Palatinate, expressed surprise at Schnieder's departure.

27 July 2026 at 14:25

World

CDU appoints Franziska Hoppermann as general secretary

On July 27, 2026, Friedrich Merz, president of Germany's CDU (Christian Democratic Union), proposed Franziska Hoppermann, 44, as the party's new general secretary. The federal board elected her unanimously in a provisional capacity. Her official confirmation is scheduled for the end of 2027 at the party congress. Hoppermann succeeds Carsten Linnemann, who assumes his position as Federal Minister for Health on July 29, 2026. From the CDU's socio-political wing, her profile differs markedly from her economically liberal-oriented predecessor.

27 July 2026 at 14:16

World

Gunther von Hagens, inventor of plastination, dies at 81

Gunther von Hagens, the German anatomist nicknamed "Doctor Death" and inventor of plastination, died on July 24, 2026 at age 81 following a prolonged and serious illness. His family and the Plastination Institute confirmed his passing. Von Hagens developed this body preservation technique in 1977 at Heidelberg University. His Body Worlds exhibitions have been visited by more than 58 million people worldwide. His own body will be plastinated, in accordance with his wishes.

27 July 2026 at 14:08

World

Two dead at Fistral Beach: man and woman recovered from sea near Newquay

Two people, a man and a woman, were found dead overnight on Sunday, July 26, 2026, after being recovered from the sea at Fistral Beach, a beach in the seaside resort of Newquay, Cornwall (United Kingdom). Devon and Cornwall Police, alerted around 21:45, deployed significant rescue resources. On the same Sunday, another man died after being recovered at West Wittering (West Sussex). These tragedies occur as water safety experts warn of a rising number of drownings across the United Kingdom this summer, according to The Guardian.

27 July 2026 at 13:58

World

Hesse: Anonymous lottery player wins over €2.8 million in German Lotto

An anonymous player from Darmstadt-Dieburg district in southern Hesse (Germany) has won over €2.8 million in the Saturday draw of '6aus49', the German national lottery, according to Lotto Hessen. The winner played without a customer card (Kundenkarte), maintaining complete anonymity, and must present their physical ticket to claim the prize. Despite matching six numbers, the winner did not hit the jackpot, which remains in play. This marks the seventh prize exceeding €1 million awarded in Hesse since the start of 2026.

27 July 2026 at 13:58

World

Germany: temperatures up to 39°C expected Thursday in Upper Rhine region, DWD forecasts

Germany is facing a week of intense heat. According to the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), Germany's federal meteorological service headquartered in Offenbach-am-Main, temperatures will reach 33°C as early as Tuesday, July 28 in the country's southwest. The peak is expected Thursday, July 30, with temperatures climbing to 39°C in the Upper Rhine region (Oberrhein) and Franconia (Franken).

27 July 2026 at 13:25

World

Federal Reserve July 29: Bond Yields Rise and Oil Volatility Shake Markets

Bond yields have surged sharply ahead of the Federal Reserve's decision, expected on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Simultaneously, sharp swings in crude oil prices are muddying traders' expectations about the outcome of this meeting, according to Bloomberg. These two factors combined are creating pronounced uncertainty on financial markets just days before the announcement.

27 July 2026 at 13:04

World

Spain Fires: 77,000 hectares burned, national emergency declared for first time

The fire devastating the Ávila region, west of Madrid, has become the largest ever recorded in Spain: more than 77,000 hectares had burned by July 27, 2026, including 25,000 in the Madrid region alone. The Spanish government declared a national emergency for wildfires—a first in the country's history. By July 27, 75,000 people had been evacuated in the Madrid and Valencia regions, and one person died in a separate fire near Valencia. In France and Spain combined, approximately 270,000 people had been displaced by July 25.

27 July 2026 at 12:57

…