**Summary:** Rescue efforts continued in southwestern Japan following a 7.1 magnitude earthquake that caused building collapses, a factory chimney failure, and a mall explosion, leaving at least 23 people dead.

**Key points:**
- The magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Tuesday in the Kumamoto area on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu.
- At least 63 people were reported injured, including five in serious condition.
- Nearly 23,000 homes remained without electricity, and over 10,000 evacuees stayed across approximately 400 temporary shelters.
- Severe damage occurred at the Aeon Mall in Kashima and a Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro.

**Why it matters:** The disaster highlights severe infrastructure strain, displacement, and health risks from sweltering heat in southwestern Japan following a major seismic event.

yourlocalguardian.co.uk - Death toll from Japan earthquake climbs to 23 as rescuers face race against time

timeslive.co.za - Rescue hopes fade in Japan quake as death toll reaches 23

Japan Earthquake Death Toll Reaches 23 as Rescuers Race Against Time

**Summary:** The Prosecutor's Office of Bolivia has ordered the arrest of former president Evo Morales on charges including terrorisms and armed uprising stemming from weeks of protests and road blockades earlier this year.

**Key points:**
- The arrest order was issued by prosecutor Brayan Melgar following a denunciation initiated in early July by civic leaders from Santa Cruz.
- Prosecutors accuse Morales of crimes such as terrorism, armed uprising against state security, and public instigation to delinquir.
- The civil unrest between May and June, which demanded the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz, resulted in at least 16 deaths and over 3 billion dollars in economic losses.
- Morales has remained in the Trópico de Cochabamba since October 2024, shielded by supporters from an existing warrant regarding a human trafficking investigation.

**Why it matters:** The issuance of an arrest warrant for former president Evo Morales significantly intensifies political tensions and judicial scrutiny in Bolivia following months of disruptive anti-government blockades.

elfinanciero.com.mx - Ordenan captura del expresidente Evo Morales: Bolivia lo acusa de terrorismo y otros delitos

elcomercio.pe - Fiscalía de Bolivia ordena la captura de Evo Morales por las protestas de mayo y junio

Bolivian Prosecutor Orders Arrest of Former President Evo Morales

**Summary:** Former infectious disease official Dr. Anthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment rights to avoid answering questions before a Senate committee led by Senator Rand Paul concerning COVID-19 origins.

**Key points:**
- Senator Rand Paul recently released thousands of pages of unredacted personal writings and diary entries written by Dr. Anthony Fauci between 2019 and 2022.
- During the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, Dr. Anthony Fauci accused Senator Rand Paul of pursuing a vendetta and trying to entrap him for political purposes.
- Senator Rand Paul ordered Dr. Anthony Fauci's lawyer, David Schertler, to be removed from the hearing room after the attorney attempted to speak on his client's behalf.
- Former President Joe Biden previously granted Dr. Anthony Fauci a preemptive pardon in January 2025 covering actions prior to that date.

**Why it matters:** The contentious hearing highlights ongoing intense partisan division over the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and congressional oversight of federal public health officials.

bssnews.net - Ex - top US Covid expert Fauci declines to answer hostile Senate questioning

khow.iheart.com - Fauci Invokes Fifth Amendment At Senate Hearing

kccu.org - Anthony Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment in Rand Paul Senate hearing

Dr. Anthony Fauci Invokes Fifth Amendment During Senate Hearing

**Summary:** The Constitutional Court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has validated the referendum law under conditions, drawing fierce condemnation from the opposition who views the decision as paving the way for a third presidential term.

**Key points:**
- The court's ruling includes thirteen conditions and various interpretive reserves regarding the referendum law.
- Opposition groups strongly denounce the decision, warning it gives authorization for a new presidential mandate.
- The validation leaves open the possibility for President Félix Tshisekedi to officially promulgate the legislation.

**Why it matters:** The constitutional validation of the referendum law marks a critical political flashpoint in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, potentially reshaping the nation's presidential leadership and heightening domestic political tensions.

magazine.pagesjaunes.online - RDC : la justice constitutionnelle ouvre la voie à un 3ᵉ mandat présidentiel

jeuneafrique.com - RDC : ce que veut dire la décision de la Cour constitutionnelle sur la loi référendaire

DRC Constitutional Court Validates Referendum Law Amid Third-Term Controversy

**Summary:** Algeria's People's National Assembly elected Front de Liberation Nationale deputy Khalida Boufedeche as its first female president, making her the fourth-ranking state figure.

**Key points:**
- Boufedeche secured 302 out of 366 votes in a secret ballot, defeating candidates from the Mouvement de la Societe pour la Paix and the Rassemblement pour la Culture et la Democratie.
- The Front de Liberation Nationale party won 91 of the 407 seats in the July 2 legislative elections, which saw a record low voter turnout of 21.24 percent.
- A 44-year-old clinical immunology and allergy physician, Boufedeche is the first woman to lead the lower house of parliament since its establishment.

**Why it matters:** This election marks a historic milestone for gender representation in Algerian state leadership, positioning a woman at the head of the country's lower house of parliament for the first time.

jordanzad.com - انتخاب أول امرأة لرئاسة مجلس النواب في الجزائر

jeuneafrique.com - Algérie : Khalida Boufedeche, première femme élue à la tête de l’Assemblée populaire nationale

Algeria: Khalida Boufedeche becomes first female president of People's National Assembly

**Summary:** Vietnam has introduced a new development and growth model centered on self-reliance, modern governance, and technology-driven transformation through 2045.

**Key points:**
- Head of the Central Policy and Strategy Department Nguyễn Thanh Nghị presented Resolution 19 at a national conference on July 29, 2026.
- The new strategy shifts from resource exploitation and low-cost labor toward national ocean strength, digital transformation, and green growth.
- Vietnam aims for double-digit growth by 2030 and targets becoming a high-income, modern industrialized nation by 2035.

**Why it matters:** This strategic policy shift outlines Vietnam's long-term economic restructuring to transition from a labor-intensive manufacturing model to an innovation- and knowledge-based economy.

vnexpress.net - Việt Nam đổi mới mô hình phát triển theo hướng 'tự cường, hội nhập'

vov.vn - Xác định biển là nơi hình thành những cực tăng trưởng , động lực phát triển mới

Vietnam Unveils New Development Model Focused on Self-Reliance and Technology

**Summary:** Saudi and US armed forces executed targeted strikes against Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq, citing self-defense after recent drone attacks on Saudi petroleum facilities.

**Key points:**
- Saudi Defense Ministry spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki stated the operation was based on the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
- The US Central Command confirmed joint precision strikes in Iraq on July 28 targeting Iran-aligned groups directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
- Iraqi security sources reported explosions and targeted sites in areas including Wasit and Basra provinces.

**Why it matters:** This military action marks a significant escalation involving cross-border strikes by Saudi Arabia and the United States against Iran-backed groups in Iraq in response to attacks on energy infrastructure.

jordanzad.com - السعودية تعلن تنفيذ ضربات داخل العراق بالتعاون مع الولايات المتحدة

khabaronline.ir - بیانیه وزارت دفاع عربستان در حمله به مقاومت عراق

yjc.ir - حمله مشترک آمریکا و عربستان به پایگاه‌های مقاومت در عراق

Saudi Arabia and US Carry Out Joint Strikes in Iraq

**Summary:** The US Senate voted 86-12 to advance a sanctions bill targeting Russia and Iran, featuring measures against Russian energy buyers and support for Ukraine.

**Key points:**
- The legislative initiative was originally developed by the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
- The measure allows the US president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with American senators in Washington to discuss the bill and the use of frozen Russian assets.
- Provisions regarding Iran include extending the sanctions regime against Tehran through 2031.

**Why it matters:** The proposed legislation represents a significant escalation in Western economic pressure against Russia and Iran, while providing crucial diplomatic and strategic support to Ukraine.

Quarte Bot