Pyongyang alleged that a US soldier who defected to North Korea was fleeing racism,Kim Jong Un demanded a "drastic boost" in weapons production,the Taliban marked two years since it returned to power in Afghanistan,and a deadly hotel blast struck Afghanistan's Khost province.Meanwhile, Niger's coup leader agreed to hold talks with the Economic Community of West African States,as the bloc said it's "ready" to intervene militarily if diplomatic efforts fail,the UN estimated that over 1M people have fled war-raged Sudan,and Ethiopia's Tigray reported over 1.4K deaths since food aid was halted four months ago.

On Tuesday, a NATO official suggested that Ukraine cede territory to Russia in return for accession to the military alliance.As the motion sparked outrage among several Ukrainian politicians, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg downplayed the comments on Thursday.This came as a US intelligence report predicted that Ukraine's counteroffensive would likely fail to reach its key goal -a sentiment echoed by British intelligence, which assessed on Saturday that most of the front lines have remained static over the last week.Contrary to this judgment, Ukraine claimed to have recaptured the town of Urozhaine - its first significant advance in weeks - on Wednesday.Meanwhile, Ukraine's airforce spokesman ruled out acquiring the long-sought-after F-16 American fighter jets until 2024.

The US, Japan, and South Korea agreed to strengthen their security ties,Iranian FM Hossein Amir-Abdollahlan visited Saudi Arabia,Lithuania closed two border crossings with Belarus,and a second politician was killed ahead of Ecuador's snap elections.Meanwhile, a former FBI official pleaded guilty to helping a sanctioned Russian businessman,three suspected Russian spies were arrested in the UK,and Vice Media reportedly blocked stories deemed offensive to Saudi Arabia.In other news, Libya asked Lebanon to release the son of its former leader Muammar Gaddafi,over 60 migrants are feared dead after their boat capsized near the Cape Verde coast,and seven Hong Kong protesters won a partial court victory in a case related to the 2019 protests.

Former Pres. Donald Trump was indicted in the 2020 election probe,with his surrender expected next week,as Georgia police opened an investigation into alleged threats against the jury overseeing the case,former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows asked to transfer his charges in the Georgia election case to federal court,and Trump requested that the Jan. 6 Capitol riots trial be scheduled for 2026.Meanwhile, Hunter Biden's lawyers alleged federal prosecutors reneged on a plea deal,Democratic presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. secured an emergency hearing in his lawsuit against Google,Disney filed another lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' oversight board,and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy proposed a short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown.

The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced new regulations to restrict the type of data businesses can sell,US Pres. Joe Biden released guidelines for campus diversity,India's Supreme Court issued guidance on the terminology used for women,and an educator in India was fired after encouraging students to vote for educated leaders.Meanwhile, a US court upheld limits on access to the abortion pill,North Carolina banned gender-reassignment procedures,and the International Chess Federation barred trans players from women's events.Elsewhere, Jordan's internal security force was accused of targeting the LGBTQ+ community,Iran reportedly arrested 12 activists ahead of the anniversary of last year's protests,and Nicaragua seized a Catholic university for alleged terrorism.

A UK nurse was found guilty of murdering seven babies,six former Mississippi police officers pleaded guilty to torturing two black men,and over 100 Muslims were arrested following attacks on several churches in Pakistan.Meanwhile, a lab owner was sentenced to 27 years over a $463M Medicare fraud,the founder of bankrupt crypto exchange FTX faced new charges,and the Miss Universe Organization cut ties with Indonesia over allegations of sexual abuse.

A report claimed that Elon Musk's X may have delayed access to external sources,Target's quarterly sales dropped for the first time in six years,and NFL star Michael Oher - the inspiration behind the film The Blind Side - entered a legal row with the Tuohy family.

The latest Global Wealth Report found that inflation cost 3.5M people their "millionaire" status,UK inflation dropped to a 15-month low,US mortgage rates hit a 21-year high,and Russia raised interest rates to 12%.Meanwhile, China stopped releasing youth employment data,property developer China Evergrande Group filed for US bankruptcy protection,and Coinbase Global was approved to offer crypto futures to US customers.

The Aqueduct Risk Atlas warned that 25% of the global population could face a water crisis by 2050,The US' NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin. logged July as the Earth's hottest month on record,and a youth group won a landmark climate change case in Montana.Meanwhile, as the death toll from the Hawaii wildfires continued to increase,Maui's Emergency Management Agency Administrator resigned,Hurricane Hilary headed toward Mexico and California,and deadly wildfires sparked evacuations in Canada's Northwest Territories and the province of British Columbia.

UK scientists identified a possible cause of smoking addictions,as the UK considered adding warnings to cigarette packs,the UK's National Health Service announced plans to reduce cancer waiting time targets,and US researchers found that a pig kidney transplanted into a brain-dead human successfully functioned for a record 32 days.

Google reportedly tested an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant that offers life advice,a UK study found that ChatGPT holds a left-wing bias,the UK installed its first AI-based roadway camera system,and scientists turned fly carcasses into biodegradable plastic.

Russia's uncrewed Luna-25 spacecraft entered the moon's orbit.

An explosion at a Russian gas station left at least 35 dead,and an explosion at a bakery in the Dominican Republic killed at least 10.