On Aug. 1, Judge Sandra Heredia is scheduled to issue his sentence, which could result in up to 8 years of house arrest. On Monday, Colombia’s National Protection Unit (UNP) reinforced the security detail for Judge Sandra Heredia, who issued a ruling declaring former President Alvaro Uribe guilty of procedural fraud and bribery in criminal proceedings.

The UNP received the protection request on Feb. 11. However, after updating a risk assessment, the UNP and the National Police activated additional measures to safeguard Heredia’s safety.

Previously, Heredia delivered her verdict in a trial against the far-right politician that lasted 475 days. In her statement, she emphasized that “justice does not kneel before power,” calling the decision one of the most significant moments in the history of Colombia’s judicial system.

Although the bribery charge against Uribe was dismissed, the judge ruled that wiretapped phone calls accidentally recorded in 2018 were admissible as evidence. She also found that Uribe’s lawyers failed to prove the conversations were protected by attorney-client privilege.

Uribe, who also faced accusations of witness tampering and attempting to influence the criminal proceedings through his attorney Diego Cadena, denied all charges. He accused President Gustavo Petro’s administration of orchestrating the case against him.

On Monday night, the conviction of Uribe —a politician known for his ties to paramilitary groups— sparked celebrations across Bogota, where crowds danced and cheered in the streets.

The Colombian Judges and Magistrates Corporation also requested additional protection measures for Heredia and called for full respect for her work and the judicial outcome.

On Aug. 1, she is scheduled to issue Uribe’s sentence, which could result in four to eight years of house arrest due to the former president’s age.

At least 22 people have died and 197 others were injured in Angola following violent protests triggered by a steep increase in diesel prices, the government confirmed Wednesday. Among the dead is a police officer, as clashes erupted in the capital Luanda and spread to at least six other provinces.

The unrest began Monday when taxi and minibus associations launched a three-day strike, raising fares by up to 50% in response to the government’s decision to hike diesel prices by one-third—from 300 to 400 kwanzas per liter—as part of a broader effort to phase out fuel subsidies.

Interior Minister Manuel Homem announced the casualty figures after a Council of Ministers session, adding that 1,214 people have been arrested for alleged involvement in rioting, looting, and attacks on security forces.

Police spokesperson Mateus Rodrigues condemned the violence, stating that “the acts recorded in Luanda cannot in any way be understood or treated as demonstrations”.

The protests quickly escalated into widespread unrest. Shops, banks, buses, and private vehicles were vandalized, and supermarkets and warehouses looted, prompting the government to deploy the army to restore order. Sporadic gunfire was reported in several neighborhoods, including Cazenga, Rocha Pinto, and Kalemba 2, where looting and clashes with police were most intense.

Despite Angola’s status as Africa’s second-largest oil producer, the country faces deep economic challenges. Nearly half the population lives on less than $3.61 per day, and the removal of subsidies—encouraged by the International Monetary Fund—has sparked repeated unrest since 2023.

Activists and civil society groups have criticized the government’s handling of the crisis, warning that the fuel hike is only the latest trigger in a broader climate of economic frustration, high inflation, and youth unemployment.

“People are fed up. Hunger is rife, and the poor are becoming miserable,” said activist Laura Macedo.

Human Rights Watch has previously accused Angolan police of using excessive force during protests, including firing tear gas and rubber bullets at peaceful demonstrators earlier this month.

As calm slowly returns to Luanda, many shops remain shuttered and public transport suspended. The government has yet to announce any concessions, and observers warn that without meaningful reform, Angola risks further instability and deepening public discontent.

Most of them are in Santa Cruz, a department that houses many of the country’s main economic activities. On Wednesday, Deputy Minister of Civil Defense Juan Calvimontes confirmed that Bolivian authorities have recorded 4,160 wildfire hotspots so far, which places this Andena country in a “critical moment.”.

At least 4,095 of those hotspots are in the eastern department of Santa Cruz, a region that houses many of the country’s main economic activities. Several of the fires have emerged during the “chaqueo” season, which refers to permitted burnings conducted to clear land for agriculture or livestock grazing. These activities typically occur during the dry season, from June to September each year. In recent days, two major wildfires were reported — one in Carrasco National Park, located in Cochabamba, and another along the bioceanic highway near the town of Robore, in Santa Cruz.

To combat the blazes, Bolivian authorities have deployed five military units and 154 forest firefighters. These personnel have supported relief operations in the municipalities of Robore, Carmen Rivero Torrez, San Jose de Chiquitos, San Matias, San Ignacio, San Miguel and San Rafael.

Several aerial patrols have been carried out to locate active fires, which have been identified on business, communal and Indigenous properties. “We do not rule out the presence of individuals starting fires for other interests,” the official said, referring to the blaze along the bioceanic highway that spread into a forested area.

In 2024, wildfires affected 12.6 million hectares across Bolivia, with the largest impacts seen in the eastern department of Santa Cruz (8.5 million hectares) and the Amazonian region of Beni (3.4 million hectares). President Luis Arce acknowledged that last year’s wildfires were the worst environmental disaster in the country’s history, prompting the declaration of a national emergency in 2024.

A report published in May by the private Tierra Foundation found that 66% of the 12.6 million hectares of forests and grasslands devastated by wildfires in Bolivia in 2024 were due to “intentional burning.” The fires affected 7.6 million hectares (60%) of forested areas, while the remaining 5 million hectares (40%) were grasslands, savannas, or areas without tall vegetation.

He rejects Trump’s ultimatum as U.S. tariff hike on Brazil looms On Wednesday, The New York Times published an interview with President Lula da Silva, in which he stated that Brazil “will never negotiate as if it were a small country against a big one,” just two days before a 50% retaliatory tariff on Brazilian imports is set to take effect.

“We are aware of the United States’ economic power. We recognize its military might and technological size… But that doesn’t scare us. It concerns us,” the Brazilian leader said.

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump will impose an additional 50% tariff on Brazilian imports. The Republican president has tied the implementation of this decision to the dismissal of charges against former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently being prosecuted by Brazil’s Supreme Court for a coup attempt in 2023.

The Brazilian government has stated it will not negotiate matters of national sovereignty or judicial responsibilities. It also urged the United States to engage in dialogue to resolve the trade dispute. Lula stressed that Brazil treats everyone “with great respect,” and demands the same in return.

“Lula, referring to Bolsonaro, says: ‘He tried to stage a coup to prevent me from taking office. He had no courage. He ran away like a rat. He sent his son to Washington to ask Trump to intervene in Brazil. It’s a lack of character. Pay for the shit you did and respect the Brazilian people’.”

“Democracy is sacred,” he said, showing no indication of yielding to the U.S. President’s pressure regarding Bolsonaro’s criminal cases.

“Brazil has already lived through dictatorships… We don’t want that again,” Lula said, reaffirming the importance of respecting the separation of powers and the rule of law.

Two days earlier, Lula had said that Brazil has no conflict with any country and that his intent is to negotiate peacefully with the U.S. “What’s preventing that is that no one wants to talk. We have requested that contact,” he said, referring to communications with the Trump administration.

In statements to the press on July 11, Trump said of Lula, “Maybe at some point I’ll talk to him. Right now, no.” The Brazilian president called it “shameful” that Trump threatened him via Truth Social.

“Trump’s behavior departed from all standards of negotiation and diplomacy… When there is a commercial or political disagreement, you make a phone call, you schedule a meeting, you talk, and you try to resolve the issue. What you don’t do is impose tariffs and issue an ultimatum,” Lula said.

The Brazilian president also lamented the shift “from a 201-year diplomatic relationship where everyone wins to a political relationship where everyone loses,” noting that as a result of Trump’s actions, Americans will now face higher prices on coffee, beef, orange juice and other Brazilian products.

Sudan’s civil war has entered a more volatile and fragmented phase following the announcement by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of a rival government headquartered in Nyala, South Darfur.

The declaration, which came after closed-door meetings with allied groups, includes the formation of a 15-member Presidential Council led by RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti. Alongside him, Abdelaziz al-Hilu of the SPLM-N has been named deputy, while Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi has been appointed prime minister to lead what they call a transitional administration.

This development has prompted widespread condemnation. Sudan’s Foreign Ministry was quick to denounce the parallel government as illegitimate, warning foreign powers against engaging with the RSF-led administration.

The statement labeled the move a flagrant attempt at seizing power through armed force and accused the RSF of exploiting the suffering of civilians to consolidate authority in Darfur and beyond. It also painted the new governing body as a vehicle for personal ambition and divisive ideology.

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which continue to control key areas including Port Sudan and parts of Khartoum, echoed the government’s denunciation.

A military spokesperson described the RSF’s announcement as a desperate maneuver intended to bestow legitimacy on what he called a “criminal project.” He emphasized that the Dagalo family, particularly Hemedti, sought to rule Sudan for self-serving reasons, suggesting that the plan promotes racial division and undermines national unity.

The Arab League added its voice to the chorus of alarm, referring to the RSF’s declaration as a “blatant challenge to the will of the Sudanese people.” In a formal statement, the League urged all parties implicated in the initiative to cease unilateral actions that threaten the cohesion of the state. It also emphasized the importance of re-engaging in the Jeddah peace process and adhering to international humanitarian law to facilitate relief aid for civilians trapped in the conflict.

Sudan’s conflict, which erupted in April 2023, has displaced millions and left large swaths of the country under fractured governance.

The RSF currently maintains control over much of Darfur, Kordofan, and the south, while the SAF dominates the central and eastern regions. Recent fighting has intensified along these fault lines, deepening the country’s humanitarian emergency and complicating peace negotiations.

The RSF’s declaration of a transitional government is viewed by many analysts as a strategic bid to legitimize its territorial control and political influence ahead of anticipated international mediation.

By installing a presidential council and prime minister, it signals an intent to present itself as a viable alternative to the SAF-led government in Port Sudan, despite lacking international recognition or popular mandate.

Civil society groups in Sudan have reacted with concern, arguing that the move undermines possibilities for a unified civilian-led transition.

Many have warned that institutionalizing a parallel government could entrench Sudan’s de facto partition and pave the way for long-term instability. Voices from inside Darfur suggest that the RSF is using both force and selective negotiation to impose governance structures in regions under its control, bypassing traditional leadership and sidelining democratic norms.

The implications of this announcement stretch beyond Sudan’s borders. Regional actors, including neighboring South Sudan and Ethiopia, worry that a fully splintered Sudanese state could fuel cross-border violence, disrupt refugee flows, and jeopardize efforts to combat extremism in the Sahel and Horn of Africa. The international community, particularly the African Union and UN, face mounting pressure to address Sudan’s descent into factional rule.

As Sudanese communities brace for further upheaval, the prospects for a negotiated settlement grow more tenuous.

With competing administrations now laying claim to national legitimacy and international attention divided by global crises, Sudan risks becoming a cautionary tale of how internal conflict, if left unchecked, can morph into enduring state fragmentation. For many, the announcement in Nyala represents not just a political gambit, but a deepening of the nation’s trauma.

An Extreme Summer Marked by Heatwaves in 2025

The year 2025 has witnessed unprecedented heatwaves globally, with record-breaking temperatures in numerous regions, particularly in the Mediterranean and Europe.

Countries like Turkey and Cyprus reported highs above 45°C, while the Mediterranean Sea recorded temperatures 9°C above historical averages.

According to reports from the United Nations (UN), Mediterranean areas have endured at least three heatwaves during the summer, wreaking havoc on public health, the environment, and the economy.

Since 2024, experts and international organizations warned of the progressive increase in these heatwaves, recommending stronger prevention and early response systems.

However, these warnings have not been enough to prevent over 1,500 heat-related deaths in Europe alone, primarily among the elderly and vulnerable groups.

The climate crisis has driven temperature increases of 1 to 4°C during these extreme events, exacerbating their severe impacts.

Heatwaves: A Silent Killer with Devastating Effects

Known as “silent killers,” heatwaves severely affect those with heart, respiratory, or metabolic conditions.

In Spain alone, between May and June 2025, over a thousand heat-related deaths were estimated, most of them elderly.

Meanwhile, Europe as a whole could face around 175,000 annual deaths attributable to high temperatures.

Unlike past heatwaves that typically lasted one or two days, recent episodes have extended up to two weeks, increasing exposure and health risks.

June stood out as one of the hottest months, with peaks above 38°C in multiple countries, triggering massive wildfires in Greece and temporary closures of tourist sites and urban centers.

The warming of the Mediterranean Sea and its interaction with continental hot air intensify these phenomena, affecting not only Europe but also various regions worldwide.

Global Reach of 2025’s Heatwaves

Europe

Beyond Spain, countries like Portugal, France, Italy, Greece, and northern regions such as Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and the UK recorded anomalous temperatures. Scandinavia experienced over 15 consecutive days with highs above 30°C, unusual for the season.

Latin America

In Chile, the government issued warnings as forecasts predicted temperatures near 43°C for the central region in February. Brazil also saw delays in school start dates due to extreme heat, impacting productive sectors across the subcontinent.

United States

During June and July, over 100 million people received heatwave alerts, with particularly intense hotspots in the West and Southwest, where temperatures consistently exceeded historical averages.

Asia

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Asia’s rate of temperature increase is nearly double the global average.

Recent studies show that warming between 1991 and 2024 was almost twice that of the 1961–1990 period.

The loss of glacier mass in the Himalayas and Tian Shan poses alarming risks of floods, landslides, and long-term water shortages.

Severe Impacts on Health, Environment, and Economy

Public Health

Heatwaves cause heatstroke, brain damage, organ failure, and, in extreme cases, death. They also trigger symptoms like dizziness, nausea, cramps, and dehydration, disproportionately affecting children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses.

Additionally, they worsen cardiovascular, respiratory, and kidney conditions, diabetes, and mental health disorders.

The UN and health organizations demand urgent implementation of monitoring systems, adaptation plans, and climate mitigation policies to protect vulnerable populations.

Environment

Rising temperatures spark massive wildfires, like those in Greece in late June, which required over 200 firefighters and forced mass evacuations. These fires isolate ecosystems and lead to crucial biodiversity loss.

Extreme heat also accelerates drought and desertification, harming vegetation and crops, with major risks to global food security.

Heatwaves further disrupt weather patterns, triggering extreme events like storms, hurricanes, and floods, which damage infrastructure and displace families.

Economy and Society

Sectors like agriculture, construction, and mining face significant losses due to extreme conditions. Physical labor becomes riskier and less efficient, contributing to an expected global 2.2% drop in work hours by 2030, equivalent to $2.4 trillion in GDP losses.

Increased energy demand for cooling overloads power grids, causing blackouts and supply shortages. Inequitably, impoverished populations suffer the most, lacking means to protect themselves from heat or access adequate healthcare.

Extreme heat has also led to temporary school and business closures, public transport disruptions, and water-use restrictions due to shortages.

UN Statements in 2025: Science Demands Immediate Action

The UN continues to warn about the severity of the climate crisis with stark reports:

IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change): The Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) confirms global warming is unequivocally caused by human activity. The global average temperature has risen nearly 1.1°C since pre-industrial times, increasing risks of extreme events and warning of tipping points that could trigger irreversible changes.

WMO: Reports record levels of greenhouse gases, global average temperatures between 1.34°C and 1.41°C above pre-industrial levels, and a significant rise in climate-related disasters.

UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme): Highlights insufficient commitments to meet Paris Agreement goals, projecting emissions will sustain warming above 2.5°C. It also condemns planned fossil fuel production for 2030 as double what’s compatible with the 1.5°C target.

Secretary-General António Guterres emphasizes that the world is in a climate emergency, with the window for action closing fast. He stresses the urgent need to halve emissions by 2030 and end the fossil fuel era, advocating for a just and inclusive transition that protects vulnerable communities.

COP30 in Brazil: A Turning Point?

The COP30 conference in Brazil this year marks a crucial moment to advance global climate action agreements. André Aranha Corrêa do Lago, COP30’s elected president, underscores the importance of multilateralism, science, and effective implementation of commitments.

Key priorities include accelerating the energy transition, operationalizing the Loss and Damage Fund, protecting the Amazon, and advancing National Adaptation Plans.

The goal is to strengthen international cooperation, integrate local and Indigenous communities, and promote technological innovation.

COP30 will be a decisive opportunity for countries to take real action to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis, driving a more sustainable and equitable future.

The far-right politician was sentenced by the Brazilian Supreme Court to 10 years in prison. On Tuesday night, a joint operation by Interpol and Brazilian and Italian security forces arrested Brazilian lawmaker Carla Zambelli, who had been a fugitive in Italy after being sentenced by Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court to 10 years in prison for a cyberattack on the National Justice Council (CNJ).

Brazil’s Federal Police confirmed the arrest, indicating that Zambelli will be subject to extradition proceedings in accordance with Italian law and international agreements.

Zambelli, who was one of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s key allies until the October 2022 elections, fled Brazil in early June after an arrest warrant was issued by Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

On May 14, 2025, the First Panel of the Supreme Court unanimously sentenced Zambelli for orchestrating a 2023 cyberattack against the judiciary’s IT system. The operation was carried out by hacker Walter Delgatti, who was also sentenced to eight years and three months in prison.

The Supreme Court determined that the attack, which occurred in the context of the 2022 elections, aimed to undermine the judiciary and incite anti-democratic actions.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court ruling included the loss of Zambelli’s congressional seat, which she had retained following the 2022 elections, and ordered her and Delgatti to jointly pay approximately US$350,000 in collective moral damages.

The judicial proceedings revealed that Zambelli ordered the cyber operation carried out by Delgatti, who confessed to acting as the executor. Her arrest in Italy marks a new chapter in a case that has drawn significant attention both in Brazil and internationally due to its political and legal implications.

Zambelli’s relationship with the Bolsonaro family deteriorated after the elections, leaving her without the political support that had long defined her career.

On Wednesday, the Kamchatka Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ (RAS) Geophysical Service confirmed that the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano is erupting following a major earthquake in the region.

“Right now, the Klyuchevskaya Sopka is erupting,” the RAS branch reported, mentioning that scientists are tracking flows of incandescent lava down the western slope.

Currently, explosions and intense glowing are visible above the volcano. Footage has been published on the Geophysical Service’s Telegram channel.

Earlier in the day, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck offshore Kamchatka, the strongest in the region since 1952. Klyuchevskaya Sopka stands 4,850 meters above sea level, making it Eurasia’s highest active volcano. It forms a symmetrical cone with a summit crater approximately 700 meters in diameter. Its slopes contain around 80 secondary explosion craters and cinder cones.

The volcano lies 30 km from the settlement of Klyuchi in the Ust-Kamchatsky District, where roughly 4,500 people reside. Its last eruption was in April 2025.

Previously, Justice Alexandre De Moraes oversaw the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury added Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes to the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s (OFAC) list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons.

More specifically, the administration of President Donald Trump sanctioned him under the Global Magnitsky Act, which Washington uses to target those it considers the world’s worst human rights violators.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused De Moraes of being “responsible for a repressive campaign of censorship, arbitrary detentions that violate human rights, and politicized prosecutions, including against former President Jair Bolsonaro.”

Bessent also warned that the U.S. “will continue to hold accountable those who threaten American interests and the freedoms of our citizens.”

Previously, Alexandre de Moraes imposed precautionary measures on Bolsonaro, who is being prosecuted for the 2023 attempted coup, including an electronic ankle bracelet and a ban on social media.

The OFAC resolution freezes all of De Moraes’ assets in the United States and prohibits any financial transactions between him and U.S. citizens or companies.

In early July, the U.S. had already revoked the visas of De Moraes and his family, marking an unprecedented escalation of retaliation against a judge who resisted pressure from the Brazilian far right.

“The sanctions are a marked escalation of the increasingly tense dispute between the U.S. and Brazil over Trump ally Bolsonaro, with major tariffs looming as soon as Friday as well,” the outlet Axios noted.