World News Live Updates: Former Colombian president Álvaro Uribe convicted of bribery and witness tampering

Saudi Arabia and France have initiated a three-day UN conference aimed at securing recognition for Palestinian statehood as part of a peaceful resolution to the Gaza war, as per a report in The Guardian. The initiative, which began on Monday, seeks to revive the two-state solution framework, which has seen little progress since the conflict that began in 2023. The conference follows a statement from French President Emmanuel Macron indicating that Paris would formally recognize the Palestinian government in September to help reinvigorate the peace process.

In response to increased Ukrainian drone attacks, Russia is employing daily, patchwork shutdowns of mobile internet in various regions, The New York Times says in a report. This countermeasure targets the drones’ reliance on civilian data networks for enhanced navigation and real-time command, but it is causing significant disruptions to daily life and economic activity for Russian citizens. The tactic affects access to essential services such as mobile banking, ride-sharing applications, and general communication, illustrating a strategy that prioritizes security over civilian convenience.

Trawling for krill in Antarctica has reached a record high, pushing the total catch close to a seasonal limit that would force an unprecedented early shutdown of the fishery, AP says in a report. This surge follows the failure of a conservation agreement among key nations, including the US, Russia, and China, within the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). The boom is driven by increased global demand for krill-based products like omega-3 supplements and aquaculture feed, alongside advances in fishing technology. The situation poses a significant threat to the Antarctic ecosystem, as krill are a primary food source for whales and penguins, and also play a critical role in climate regulation by helping to sequester carbon.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has launched a licensing round for 52 oil and gas blocks, covering 124 million hectares of land that includes vital gorilla habitats and pristine forests, according to a report in The Guardian. This move to open more than half the country to fossil fuel exploration has drawn criticism from experts who note these areas, particularly the Cuvette Centrale peatlands, hold vast amounts of carbon. The plan is seen as undermining significant conservation initiatives and could potentially displace or affect an estimated 39 million people living within or near the designated exploration zones.

A severe security breakdown in Gaza, resulting from Israel’s ongoing offensive, has made the safe delivery of food aid nearly impossible, AP says in a report. Consequently, much of the limited aid that does enter the territory is being seized and hoarded by gangs and merchants. These groups are then selling the essential supplies to starving Palestinians at exorbitant prices, with a kilogram of flour reportedly reaching as high as $60. The United Nations has stated that the only effective solution to the escalating humanitarian crisis and the breakdown of aid distribution is a ceasefire.

Global advisory group Bain & Co is shutting down its client-facing consulting business in South Africa following its role in a significant corruption scandal, according to a report in Financial Times. The firm’s Johannesburg office will not close but will be repurposed into a global services hub, providing support for Bain’s operations in other regions. This decision comes after the Zondo Commission implicated Bain in the ‘state capture’ that weakened the South African Revenue Service (SARS), leading to severe reputational damage and a previous ban on UK government contracts.

The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Kim Yo Jong, has dismissed current US diplomatic overtures, stating that Washington must accept her country as a nuclear weapons state for talks to restart, as per a report in AP. While describing the personal relationship between Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump as “not bad,” she asserted that North Korea will not give up its nuclear arsenal. Her statement suggests Pyongyang is rejecting the current US framework for denuclearization and is seeking a new approach that acknowledges its nuclear status as a precondition for any future negotiations.

In its first official comment on South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration, North Korea has dismissed his calls for dialogue, according to a report in The New York Times. The rejection is a significant setback for any immediate prospects of improving inter-Korean relations. President Yoon had proposed a “bold plan” offering substantial economic aid to North Korea, contingent on Pyongyang taking concrete steps toward denuclearization. This response from North Korea continues a period of heightened tensions on the peninsula, marked by its frequent missile tests and strong opposition to joint military exercises between South Korea and the US.

An Israeli settler has reportedly killed Palestinian activist Odeh Hadalin in the occupied West Bank community of Masafer Yatta, Al Jazeera says in a report. Hadalin was a resident featured in the documentary ‘No Other Land,’ which won an audience award at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival for its portrayal of the community’s struggle against forced displacement. The incident occurs amid a documented increase in settler violence in the West Bank and the ongoing threat of eviction faced by residents of Masafer Yatta, an area designated by Israel as a military firing zone. The killing has prompted renewed calls for the protection of Palestinian civilians and has drawn further international scrutiny to Israeli settlement activities, which are considered illegal under international law.

Global liver cancer cases are projected to surge from 870,000 annually to 1.52 million by 2050 if current trends persist, as per a report in France 24. The study, published in The Lancet, identifies key drivers for the increase as obesity, alcohol consumption, and hepatitis. Citing data from the Global Cancer Observatory, the report notes that liver cancer is currently the sixth most common cancer worldwide, prompting calls from researchers for enhanced prevention efforts to mitigate the anticipated rise in cases and the subsequent strain on global healthcare systems.

High global demand for argan oil from the beauty industry, coupled with severe drought conditions, is threatening Morocco’s argan forests and the economic stability of the rural women who depend on its production, according to a report in AP. The strain is causing deforestation and accelerating desertification within the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve, an ecosystem designated by UNESCO in 1998. This situation poses significant supply chain and reputational risks for the global cosmetics industry, which relies on this ‘liquid gold.’ Furthermore, it highlights an economic disparity where local female producers often receive a disproportionately small share of the profits from the high-value international market, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability and ethics of the current production model.

A court in Bogotá has convicted former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe of witness tampering and procedural fraud, sentencing him to 7.5 years of house arrest and stripping him of his political rights for the same period, as per a report in AP. The charges stemmed from an investigation into Uribe’s alleged links to the AUC paramilitary group, with prosecutors presenting evidence that he attempted to bribe witnesses. This first-instance ruling, which his legal team will appeal, is a significant event for Colombia’s justice system. Uribe’s political party, the Democratic Center, has called the verdict politically motivated, while current Colombian President Gustavo Petro emphasized the importance of judicial independence.