The Balkans, along with much of Europe, are enduring a prolonged heatwave, which has led to the unprecedented drying up of Serbia's Rusanda salt lake. An expert has warned that such heatwaves could become more frequent due to climate change. Temperatures in the Balkans have soared to 39°C (102°F), and the Adriatic Sea reached a record-high temperature of 29.5°C in Croatian coastal resorts. North Macedonia and Albania have deployed resources to combat forest fires, with North Macedonia declaring a state of emergency. The World Bank has highlighted the need for significant investment to mitigate the impact of climate change. Other European countries, including Italy, Greece, and France, are also experiencing extreme heat. In Ukraine, rain is forecast on 18 July, to break the pattern of several weeks of abnormally high temperatures; the country’s grain harvest is likely to be significantly reduced.

The German cabinet has at last approved its 2025 budget after months of wrangling, despite a €17 billion shortfall between projected spending and revenue. Finance minister Christian Lindner stated that innovative measures and stronger growth from a new economic package should generate an additional €6 billion next year. The budget includes record investments of €78 billion, net borrowing of €43.8 billion, and a total size of €481 billion. The country aims to boost its economy by over 0.5% in 2025. Lindner defended the budget's legality and fiscal prudence despite analysts’ concerns. Military aid to Ukraine will be reduced next year, as Ukraine is expected to secure $50 billion in loans from the G7. Germany was the worst performing major economy last year, with gross domestic product contracting by 0.3%. It pulled out of recession early this year, but growth has been slower than expected. Reaching agreement on the budget has been a major test for a coalition often accused of being hobbled by internal disagreements.

At least fifty Palestinians have been killed and many wounded in a series of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The strikes targeted areas in south and central Gaza, including the humanitarian zone of al-Mawasi and a UN-run school in a refugee camp. The Israeli military (IDF) claimed the strikes targeted Hamas fighters, and it accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields. It also says that half of Hamas’s military leaders and approximately 14,000 ‘terrorists’ have been killed in the last nine months. Since October, over 38,000 people have died in Gaza, with 14,680 identified as children, women, and elderly. The violence has resulted in significant civilian suffering and displacement, with both sides continuing hostilities. In a recent BBC interview, a mother in Gaza has described how her adult son with Down’s Syndrome died after being attacked by an IDF dog: see

Gambian lawmakers have upheld the 2015 ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), rejecting a bill which sought to decriminalise the practice, after months of heated debate and international pressure. The bill argued that female circumcision is a deep-rooted cultural and religious practice. Despite passing a second reading in March with minimal opposition, it faced a strong backlash from rights groups, who labeled FGM a harmful violation against women and girls. The 2015 ban penalises FGM, with up to three years in prison. On 15 July lawmakers overwhelmingly rejected each clause of the bill, and the Speaker halted its progress. FGM, which involves the removal or injury of female genitalia, can cause severe health issues, including infections, bleeding, and psychological problems. The Gambia has one of the highest FGM rates, with 73% of women aged 15 to 49 affected.