11 missing after boat capsizes off Indonesia’s Mentawai Islands

Eleven people are missing after a boat capsized in rough weather off the Mentawai Islands in West Sumatra on Monday. The vessel, carrying 18 people—10 of them local officials—was headed from Sikakap to Tuapejat when it overturned around 11 a.m.

Seven survivors have been rescued, and search efforts are ongoing. Authorities haven’t confirmed the cause, but boat accidents are common in Indonesia due to poor safety standards and unpredictable weather, according to Reuters.

Sudanese RSF forces kill almost 300 in North Kordofan, activists say

Human rights lawyers in Sudan have accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of killing nearly 300 civilians in a series of brutal raids on villages in North Kordofan. According to Emergency Lawyers, the RSF attacked several villages near Bara over the weekend, setting homes on fire and shooting residents, including children and pregnant women, Reuters reported.

In Shag Alnom alone, over 200 people were reportedly killed in what the group called a “terrible massacre.” Another 46 were killed the next day in nearby Hilat Hamid. The lawyers said the villages had no military presence, calling the attacks deliberate and criminal.

The UN confirmed thousands have fled the violence, as Sudan’s civil war deepens. The ICC is now investigating war crimes in Darfur, where survivors describe rape, abductions, and starvation being used as weapons. Over 40,000 people have been killed since the war began, with millions displaced, according to Reuters.

Israeli ultra-Orthodox party quits Netanyahu government over conscription

Israel’s ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party has quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition over a long-running dispute on military conscription.

Six lawmakers submitted their resignations, following party leader Yitzhak Goldknopf’s earlier exit. The move came after UTJ’s Degel HaTorah faction accused the government of failing to uphold promises to exempt yeshiva students from mandatory service, according to Al Jazeera.

Their departure leaves Netanyahu with a slim 61-seat majority in the 120-member Knesset. It’s still unclear if fellow ultra-Orthodox party Shas will also step away.

Drones hit oil field in Erbil, Northern Iraq; no casualties

Two explosive-laden drones crashed minutes apart at the Khurmala oil field in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, on Monday evening. The attack caused material damage but no injuries, officials said. No group has claimed responsibility, according to Reuters.

Authorities have launched an investigation. Earlier that day, another drone was intercepted near Erbil Airport, which hosts US-led coalition forces, amid a rise in such attacks across the region.

Zelensky, Trump talk Ukraine defense and peace efforts

Ukrainian President Zelensky spoke with US President Donald Trump on Monday to discuss ways to boost Ukraine’s defense and move closer to peace. Zelensky said Trump shared updates from his recent NATO meeting, while he also spoke directly with NATO chief Mark Rutte about ongoing support, according to CNN.

Zelensky confirmed the US, Germany, and Norway are working together to supply more Patriot air defense systems to help protect Ukraine from continued Russian attacks.

Airlines begin fuel switch checks after India crash probe

Days after India’s probe into the deadly Air India crash in Ahmedabad, airlines worldwide are stepping up checks on Boeing 787 fuel control switches. Investigators found the engine fuel switches were briefly turned off just after takeoff, cutting fuel and leading to the crash that killed 260 people.

India’s aviation regulator has now ordered all carriers to inspect the locking systems by July 21. South Korea has followed suit, citing a 2018 FAA advisory. Despite Boeing and US officials calling the switches safe, airlines like Etihad and Singapore Airlines have already launched their own reviews, Firstpost reported.

 

UN experts criticize Tunisia for silencing lawyers

UN experts have accused Tunisian authorities of arresting lawyers to suppress dissent and undermine the justice system. In a statement Monday, they highlighted several cases, including that of Ahmed Souab, who was detained on terrorism charges after claiming judges were under political pressure in opposition trials, according to UN News.

The experts warned that punishing lawyers for carrying out their professional duties or expressing opinions poses a serious threat to the fairness of legal proceedings. They urged the Tunisian government to ensure that legal professionals can work without fear, intimidation, or interference.

Their statement comes amid growing concerns over Tunisian President Kais Saied’s continued rule by decree since his 2021 power grab, UN News reported.

All districts in the country declared fully immunized

With the declaration of Full Immunization Assurance and Sustainability by Kathmandu, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Sunsari, Dolpa and Kailali districts on Monday alone, all the districts of the country have been fully immunized. 

Chief of Child Health and Immunization Service Section under the Family Welfare Division, Dr Abhiyan Gautam, said the task of declaring full immunization assurance and sustainability in the country had started around two decades ago.

Palpa was declared a fully immunized district for the first time in the country.

Dr Gautam shared, "Full immunization assurance and sustainability declaration are not only an announcement. It is one of the significant steps carried out for the health security of the children."

Similarly, Chief of Family Welfare Division, Dr Bibek Lal, mentioned that full immunization assurance and sustainability declaration was possible through dedication of health workers and women community health volunteers, leadership and ownership of local people's representatives, trust of guardians and collaboration of communities.

A door-to-door campaign is launched every year and it is identified whether or not the children below two years have been administered with all vaccines, and the children who missed to get all vaccines are given the vaccination.

Section Chief Dr Gautam added that 18 doses of nine types of vaccines are administered to children below two years.

Similarly, Madhes Province has already declared full immunization assurance and sustainability while other provinces have made preparations for the same.

There was support from the World Health Organization, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF as well as other organisations for declaring all the districts in the country as the fully immunized zones, he mentioned.