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Sofia (AFP) – Some 5,000 people take to the streets of Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, to protest violence against women, after a harrowing incident — in which a teenager was attacked with a knife — shocked the Balkan nation. The 18-year-old was attacked a month ago, claiming her ex-boyfriend cut her hundreds of times, broke her nose and shaved off her hair. A court in the city of Stara Zagora categorised the injuries as “light” and did not order the 26-year-old offender to be detained. Facing pressure, authorities have since rowed back on this decision and detained the man over threatening text messages.

El Alamein (Egypt) (AFP) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi receives Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in the coastal city of El Alamein, a day after Abbas and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh met and decided to form a committee on intra-Palestinian reconciliation.

Hong Kong (AFP) – Crowds of Coco Lee fans holding flowers gather outside a funeral home to pay tribute to the Hong Kong-born American pop singer, beloved in Asia for her diva riffs and as the voice of Disney’s “Mulan” in Mandarin. She died early July aged 48 after suffering years of depression.

Burbank (United States) (AFP) – Footage released by Burbank Police Department on July 28, 2023, shows a bear sitting in a pool in a backyard in Burbank, California. In a post shared on X (Previously Twitter) social media, the Police department said the bear was “beating the heat” amid high temperatures alert across the US

Kharkiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian firefighters work to douse the blaze at a warehouse in Kharkhiv hit by a Russian missile strike, as seen in images released by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

Milas (Turkey) (AFP) – Villagers and environmental activists in southwest Turkey clash with security forces as they protest against the clearance of Akbelen forest to make way for the expansion of a coal mine. The protest quickly descends into chaos as security forces are seen firing tear gas and water cannons at protesters who are blocking the road outside Akbelen forest. Close by, activists can be heard chanting “We will resist, we will win!”

Sydney (AFP) – Colombia fans celebrate a 2-1 victory over Germany with colourful and passionate celebrations outside Sydney Football Stadium, following the Women’s World Cup victory.

Ivano-Frankivsk (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warns that “war” is coming to Russia after three Ukrainian drones were downed over Moscow. “Gradually, the war is returning to the territory of Russia — to its symbolic centres and military bases, and this is an inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process,” Zelensky said on a visit to the western city of Ivano-Frankivsk.

Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis calls on the Russian authorities to return to the agreement that allowed Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea despite the war, remembering the millions of people suffering from hunger.

Ribaute (France) (AFP) – The effects of climate change are pushing winegrowers in the Corbieres mountains in southern France to test different grape varieties that are better able to withstand extreme sunshine and drought. Their aim is to continue producing quality wine that retains its acidity and stays at a reasonable alcohol level. At Embres-et-Castelmaure, a vineyard “conservatory” has been set up and one of its plots is being used to select the best version of an ancient grape variety: Carignan. At Chateau de Ciceron in Ribaute, meanwhile, the winemaker has chosen to import grape varieties from Spain and Portugal.

Dhaka (AFP) – Bangladesh police fire rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse stone-throwing crowds blockading major roads in the capital Dhaka in the latest protest demanding the prime minister’s resignation. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies have staged a series of protests since last year demanding Sheikh Hasina step down and allow a caretaker government to oversee elections due next January.

ukraine (Ukraine) (AFP) – Images show a blast coming from the river Oskil, in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, after a team of de-miners/divers from the “Interregional Center for Humanitarian De-mining and Rapid Response” denotated an aircraft bomb to prevent any future explosion. “The divers worked under the constant threat of enemy shelling. Fortunately, everything is over and this aircraft bomb will not cause any harm to anyone”, wrote the Ukrainian State Emergency Service on social media.