NATO Reaffirms Collective Defense at Ankara Summit After Trump Disputes
NATO leaders reaffirmed the alliance’s collective-defense posture in Ankara and reported a €70 billion military aid pledge for Ukraine in 2026.
International
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WHO Warns Ebola Outbreak in Eastern Congo Is Outpacing Response
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Ebola is spreading faster than response efforts in eastern Congo, where 3,874 confirmed cases and 1,751 deaths had been recorded by Aug. 3, 2026.
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Afghanistan Food Distributions to Be Suspended as Child Malnutrition Peaks, WFP Says
The World Food Programme says funding shortages will force a suspension of famine-prevention food distributions in Afghanistan’s worst-hit areas from August through October, during the country’s annual peak season for malnutrition.
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U.K. Ratifies High Seas Treaty to Protect Marine Biodiversity
The United Kingdom ratified the High Seas Treaty on July 10, advancing an international framework for protecting vulnerable marine habitats and species beyond national waters.
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UN-Habitat Says 3 Billion People Face Inadequate Housing Worldwide
UN-Habitat’s World Cities Report 2026 says nearly 40% of the global population lacks adequate housing and calls for major investment through 2030.
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South Africa’s Ronald Lamola Seeks Africa-Wide Migration Talks After Morocco-Ceuta Crisis
South Africa is pushing for continent-wide talks on irregular migration after anti-immigration protests at home and a deadly crossing from Morocco toward Spain’s Ceuta.
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UNESCO: Global Out-of-School Total Reaches 273 Million for Seventh Straight Year
UNESCO says the number of children and young people out of school rose to 273 million in the latest Global Education Monitoring Report, as population growth, crises and shrinking education budgets slow progress.
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IMF: UAE Economy Absorbed Middle East Conflict Shock, but Credit and Real Estate Are Cooling
The IMF said the UAE economy remained resilient during the Middle East conflict, while tighter liquidity, slower private-sector credit growth and moderating real-estate activity emerged as pressure points.
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Abelardo de la Espriella Takes Office as Colombia’s President Amid Latin America’s Conservative Shift
Abelardo de la Espriella became Colombia’s president on August 7, 2026, adding one of Latin America’s largest countries to a regional trend toward conservative leadership.
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ASEAN Sets End-2026 Target for South China Sea Code as China-Philippines Tensions Rise
ASEAN foreign ministers said progress had been made toward a long-delayed South China Sea Code of Conduct and set an end-2026 target for completing it, amid a new maritime confrontation and joint exercises involving the United States, Japan and the Philippines.
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FIFA Opens Consultation on Commercial Subsidiary to Manage World Cup and Tournament Rights
FIFA is consulting its 211 member associations and the FIFA Council on a proposed subsidiary that would consolidate commercial rights and event operations for all FIFA-owned competitions.
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China Reports 16.5% Drop in Criminal Cases in First Half of 2026
China’s Ministry of Public Security says criminal cases fell 16.5% in the first half of 2026, while authorities reported thousands of environmental cases and increased enforcement against AI-enabled crime.
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WHO Schedules August Review of Calcium Guidance for Pre-Eclampsia
A WHO guideline-development group will review evidence on calcium supplementation before and during pregnancy at an August 11–12, 2026 meeting. No revised recommendation has been issued.
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FAO says global food prices were nearly unchanged as wheat fell and poultry rose
The FAO Food Price Index averaged 130.3 points in June 2026, down 0.3% from May, as lower wheat prices offset higher poultry quotations.
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U.N. prepares August 17 desertification summit in Mongolia as drought resilience takes center stage
The 17th session of the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification is scheduled to open August 17, 2026, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, with a focus on drought resilience, land degradation and sustainable land management.
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Kosovo Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Milan Radoičić and 19 Others in Alleged War-Crimes Case
A Pristina court has issued an arrest warrant for Kosovo Serb political figure Milan Radoičić and 19 others over alleged crimes against civilians during the 1998–99 Kosovo war.
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ICAO: Nearly 5 Billion Air Passengers in 2025 as Fatalities Rose Despite Fewer Accidents
The International Civil Aviation Organization says airlines carried nearly 5 billion passengers in 2025 while recording fewer accidents than the previous year, but total fatalities increased.
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UN chief António Guterres urges Iran and U.S. to resume talks after Gulf confrontation
After renewed strikes and counterstrikes involving Iran and the United States, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an immediate halt to attacks, maximum restraint and restored freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
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UNESCO World Heritage Committee reviews sites and nominations in Busan
UNESCO’s 48th World Heritage Committee session took place in Busan, South Korea, from July 19 to 29, 2026, examining new nominations and the conservation of listed sites.
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Colombia’s Abelardo de la Espriella Takes Office on August 7, 2026
Abelardo de la Espriella took office as Colombia’s president on August 7, 2026, bringing a conservative government to a country facing drug gangs, contested ports and trafficking routes.
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U.N. Probe Says RSF Campaign in Sudan’s al-Fashir Amounted to Genocide
A United Nations fact-finding probe said Rapid Support Forces fighters and allied groups carried out mass killings, abductions, sexual violence and starvation during the siege and capture of al-Fashir in Sudan’s Darfur region.
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China’s Aug. 1 Drills Near Scarborough Shoal Test ASEAN’s South China Sea Diplomacy
China conducted military drills near disputed Scarborough Shoal on Aug. 1 as ASEAN officials said negotiations with Beijing on a South China Sea code of conduct had made significant progress and could conclude by the end of 2026.