Civilians faced attacks, abuse in joint US-Ecuador operations, HRW saysIn joint US-Ecuador military operations between March 1 and 6, in a border settlement near Colombia, HRW said that Ecuadorian soldiers “arbitrarily detained and tortured” four dairy farm workers as they burned three properties. They later dropped munitions on two of those locations. One of the detained men said the soldiers “tortured me with electricity, with a taser”. “They poured water on me and then shocked me, and I passed out. I lost consciousness at least twice,” he told HRW investigators.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/21/civilians-faced-attacks-abuse-in-joint-us-ecuador-operations-hrw-sayshttps://archive.ph/tkQ5aEcuadorian Teachers March to Defend Labor Rights and Public EducationThe demonstrators oppose Ministerial Agreement 045A, which increases the workload beyond the 40-hour workweek by requiring teachers to work on Saturdays. The ministerial decision disregards acquired rights and shifts responsibility to educators for addressing structural deficiencies left unresolved by the state, including a lack of funding and personnel.
https://www.telesurenglish.net/ecuadorian-teachers-march-to-defend-labor-rights-and-public-education/De la Espriella denied aspired control over Colombia’s CongressColombia’s Congress denied control over the legislative agenda to President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella and voted for a president loyal to former President Alvaro Uribe. De la Espriella proposed his friend, Senator Alfredo Deluque of the U Party, to assume the leadership of the Senate, which would have given the government control over the congressional agenda.
https://colombiareports.com/de-la-espriella-denied-aspired-control-over-colombias-congress/Israel is secretly building a miles-long earthen barrier to divide GazaThe berm was about 500 meters (0.3 miles) long on 1 July. By 15 July, it was about 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles), splicing the Israel-controlled ruins of the city of Rafah from Muwasi, site of some of the largest Palestinian tent camps. If construction continues in its current direction, it will join up with the longest stretch of the barrier, which runs nearly unbroken for around 17 kilometres (10 miles) from the southern city of Khan Younis to near Gaza City, in the north.
https://www.newarab.com/news/israel-building-miles-long-earthen-barrier-inside-gazaIsraeli forces advance into western Daraa countrysideAn Israeli military force of two military vehicles advanced into western Daraa countryside. The force entered through Tal Abu Al-Ghaythar gate and headed toward the entrance of Wadi Al-Raqad. The force deployed for several minutes near a site known as “Ghurfat Mujham”, before withdrawing via the same route.
https://www.syriahr.com/en/384563/Iraqi authorities uncover drone workshop in Baghdad, arrest three suspects Investigations also led to the discovery of "a workshop containing carbon fiber sheets and manufactured parts, along with technical supplies used in the production stages," INSS added, noting that its units "thwarted" the assembly attempt "before its completion," while “investigations continue to determine any potential links between this activity and plans threatening national security.”
https://www.rudaw.net/english/categories/iraq/1078454https://archive.ph/tSqJPSudan inflation accelerates as food and transport costs drive fresh price surgeInflationary pressures are gathering pace again as war, disrupted supply chains and a weakening currency push up the cost of living across Sudan. Sudan’s annual inflation rate climbs sharply to 51.28% in June, up from 44.5% in May, signalling a return of inflationary pressures after a period of relative slowdown, according to the country’s latest consumer price indices.
https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudan-inflation-accelerates-as-food-and-transport-costs-drive-fresh-price-surge'Help, help, that's enough': Anger after Morroccan dies under police restraint in ItalyThe incident has been likened to George Floyd's murder in the United States six years ago, and also prompted comparisons with tactics used by the US's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under President Donald Trump. Abderrahim Fakir, a 42-year-old from Morocco who moved to Italy when he was five, died Sunday in Bologna while being forcibly held down by two police officers, according to a video shared widely on Italian media.
https://www.newarab.com/news/anger-italy-after-morroccan-dies-police-custodyOutrage in France as Macron appoints senator who fought gay marriage to key rights jobDescribed by critics as an archconservative, Buffet took part in protests against same-sex marriage in 2013 and voted against extending medically assisted reproduction to single women and female couples in 2021. He also abstained during a landmark 2024 vote on enshrining the right to abortion in the French constitution. The senator favours cutting back on state-funded medical care for undocumented migrants – a growing demand of the political right, which health workers described as an ethical aberration and a risk to public health.
https://www.france24.com/en/france/20260721-outrage-france-macron-appoints-senator-who-fought-gay-marriage-rights-ombudsman-buffethttps://archive.ph/MskcuChelyabinsk Activist Ends Election Bid After Jump From Window to Escape Police Popov, known for his writing on public transit and urban development, was beaten by two men in camouflage last year. At the time, the blogger said he believed the assault was connected to his public opposition to a local forest construction project.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/07/20/chelyabinsk-activist-ends-election-bid-after-jump-from-window-to-escape-police-a93286https://archive.ph/3IA3cAustralia spent more than $9m for each asylum seeker held on Nauru last year – so why can’t they afford to buy food?Nauru’s population of about 13,000 is heavily reliant on imported goods. More than 90% of food consumed is imported and prices on the island can fluctuate depending on availability and trade disruptions. Vegetables such as tomatoes, capsicums and onions cost about $18 a kilo – up to three times as much as similar goods in Australia. Rakib has been on Nauru for 2.5 years after attempting to get to Australia by boat. He says the situation has worsened in recent months: the cost of a single banana has risen from $1.50 to about $4.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/20/nauru-asylum-seeker-living-conditions-food-allowance-offshore-processingThousands protest in India after clashes, despite Modi assuring action on examsThousands of supporters of India's youth-led "cockroach" movement protested in Delhi on Tuesday, a day after violent clashes with police, and in spite of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vow to punish those behind damaging exam leaks. More than 5,000 protesters gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar protest site, after their march on parliament to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan ended in violent clashes with police on Monday.
https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-youth-group-says-protest-continue-after-delhi-clashes-injure-180-2026-07-21/