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The United States has slapped sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and top officials over their role in crushing the July 2021 protests.

Marking the fourth anniversary of the unrest, Washington imposed visa bans and targeted key figures, including the defense and interior ministers, for human rights abuses, according to Reuters.

The 2021 protests saw thousands march to the streets over food and gasoline shortages, with hundreds imprisoned and at least one killed—the largest rebellion since the 1959 revolution.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the government continues to benefit insiders while regular Cubans suffer. Havana retaliated, calling the move interference.

The US embargo on Cuba remains in place, Reuters reported.

Rio de Janeiro has officially proposed to become the permanent home of the BRICS economic bloc, which currently lacks a formal headquarters, according to Firstpost.

Following the 2025 BRICS summit held at the city’s Museum of Modern Art, Mayor Eduardo Paes sent a letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, expressing the city’s interest.

Formed in 2009, BRICS now includes 11 countries, representing 46 percent of the global population and 37 percent of world GDP. Rio’s bid aims to provide the group with a fixed base and stronger institutional structure, Firstpost reported.

Saima Wazed, daughter of former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina and WHO’s Southeast Asia chief, has been placed on indefinite leave after corruption and fraud allegations surfaced.

WHO head Dr. Tedros announced the move in an internal email, naming Dr. Catharina Boehme as her temporary replacement, according to Firstpost.

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission accuses Wazed of using political influence to secure her WHO post, faking credentials, and misusing $2.8m through the Shuchona Foundation during her mother’s rule.

At least 22 civilians, including three children, were killed in an air strike on a monastery sheltering displaced people in Lin Ta Lu village, central Myanmar. The attack happened early Friday, leaving the monastery hall completely destroyed, according to Hindustan Times.

Locals say the victims believed the monastery was a safe haven. Two others remain in critical condition. A resident who saw the aftermath described bodies torn apart and said the scene was heartbreaking.

Sagaing region, heavily targeted since the 2021 coup, continues to face deadly strikes despite a supposed post-quake truce, Hindustan Times reported.

Israeli raids on Gaza since dawn have killed at least 60 Palestinians, including 27 seeking aid, according to hospital sources.

The UN reports nearly 800 aid-seekers killed in recent weeks, with 10 more shot while waiting for food on Friday. Israel’s military says it has updated troop protocols following repeated incidents, Al Jazeera reported.

The US is investigating the reported killing of a Palestinian-American by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reports 57,762 killed and over 137,600 wounded since the war began. The conflict was triggered by the October 7 attack that killed 1,139 in Israel, according to Al Jazeera.

Taiwan has started using US-supplied HIMARS rocket systems in its annual Han Kuang drills, aimed at strengthening defense against possible Chinese attacks, Al Jazeera reported.

On Saturday, HIMARS units were seen near Taichung during the fourth day of the 10-day exercise. Military officials said the systems must remain hidden from enemy surveillance until ready to fire.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own, dismissed the drills as a “bluff” and repeated its strong opposition to US-Taiwan military ties. Taiwanese President William Lai defended the drills as realistic and essential for defense, according to Al Jazeera.

Four people have died and around twenty are missing after a migrant boat capsized off the coast of the Dominican Republic, authorities said. The vessel, carrying about 40 people — mostly Haitians and Dominicans — was bound for Puerto Rico, a US territory, according to Al Jazeera.

Seventeen survivors, including a child, were rescued. The boat, a fragile “yola” made of wood or fibreglass, did not meet safety standards.

Many from the Dominican Republic and neighbouring Haiti continue risking their lives on such journeys, paying up to $7,000 in hopes of reaching a better life. The dangerous route to Puerto Rico has become increasingly common in recent years, Al Jazeera reported.

Russia launched a major aerial assault on Ukraine on Saturday, firing 597 drones and 26 missiles in its fourth large-scale attack this month. Strikes hit cities nationwide, killing two and injuring 20 in Chernivtsi, a western city near the Romanian border, Reuters reported.

Ukraine’s air force downed 25 missiles and 319 drones, jamming 258 others. Ukrainian President Zelensky urged stronger sanctions and more air defence, saying the war can only be stopped by force.

Western cities—Lviv, Lutsk, and Chernivtsi—suffered the most damage. Lviv, near Poland, and Lutsk, in northwestern Ukraine, saw homes, businesses, and public buildings hit. The UN said June saw the highest civilian toll in three years, according to Reuters.