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Russia's air defence systems intercepted 36 drones launched by Ukraine over three regions bordering Ukraine, the Russian defence ministry said on Monday (1 July). Eighteen drones were shot down over the Bryansk region in western Russia, nine in the Kursk region south of Bryansk, and another nine over the Belgorod region further south, the ministry said via the Telegram messaging app.

At least 1,000 Yemeni pilgrims are stranded in Saudi Arabia after the Houthis seized Yemenia Airways flights that were to take them from the kingdom to Houthi-held Sanaa, the Yemeni government said on Saturday (29 June). Last week, the Houthis took control of three Yemenia planes at Sanaa airport, preventing them from returning to Jeddah airport in Saudi Arabia to take Yemeni pilgrims home. The Yemeni government accused the Houthis of "hijacking" the planes and worsening the plight of the Yemeni people.

Sierra Leone's parliament has passed a law banning child marriage, a development hailed by campaigners as a major victory for children's rights.

More than 14 months of war have severely affected Sudan's health sector, with many hospitals and medical facilities closed, damaged or destroyed. In Omdurman, many hospital buildings are abandoned. Doctors warn that the few operating facilities may close due to limited resources and overcrowding. Dr Ammar Moatasem, who works at a dialysis centre in Kassala State, said they could not follow proper treatment protocols. Awad Mohamed, a patient at the centre, expressed frustration at the lack of hope for improvement. Manal Fadl, a displaced Sudanese mother who underwent heart surgery just before the war, has not received proper follow-up care. 

Commerce and trade ministers from the United States, Japan and South Korea pledged on Wednesday (27 June) to work together on strategic issues such as artificial intelligence (AI) security, export controls, clean energy and semiconductor supply chains. "We are redoubling our efforts to work together," said US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo at the start of the meeting in Washington. "As leaders in manufacturing, services, technology and innovation, we must work together not only for the benefit of our countries, but for the security of the world," she added. Raimondo was joined by Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ken Saito, and South Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ahn Duk-geun, for this inaugural trilateral meeting, which was agreed by their leaders at a summit in Camp David in August.

Hundreds of pilgrims who died of extreme heat during this year's Hajj were not officially registered with the Saudi authorities (the Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims). As a result, many pilgrims were unable to access basic services such as air-conditioned buses and cooling tents. This situation highlights a growing challenge for Hajj organisers in the face of climate change: the requirement for official permits to access these services raises concerns that unregistered pilgrims may increasingly face life-threatening heat exposure. In addition, the high cost of official Hajj packages is leading some Muslims to seek cheaper, unofficial alternatives that do not include the necessary permits, taking advantage of relaxed restrictions on other types of Saudi visas. The lack of permits for unregistered pilgrims is hampering the provision of services and care, according to Colonel Talal bin Shalhoub, the security spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Interior, in an interview on Saudi al-Arabiya television. Critics argue that all pilgrims should be protected from extreme heat, regardless of their registration status, and claim that authorities have cracked down on unauthorised participants this year.

The defence ministers of Russia and the United States have spoken by telephone about the war in Ukraine. The last such conversation was more than a year ago. The call came a few days after an attack in Crimea, possibly by US missiles, which has strained relations.

The 32 NATO countries have officially elected outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the next Secretary General of the transatlantic military alliance. NATO made the announcement on Wednesday (26 June). Rutte will take over when current NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg completes his final term on 1 October 2024.