UK

A memorial was held for 17-year-old Hunter Brittain who was fatally shot June 23 by a Lonoke County sheriff's deputy during a traffic stop around 3 a.m. outside of a local auto repair shop in Arkansas.

Hundreds of women and girls in Ethiopia's Tigray region have reported brutal rapes at the hands of soldiers in a war that is still ongoing, despite last week's government troop withdrawal. As VOA's Heather Murdock reports from Mekelle, the rape victims who come forward say they are only a small percentage of the women and girls who have been brutalized.

President Joe Biden on Monday praised the thousands of Cubans who took to the streets on the island in protest of food shortages and high prices amid the coronavirus crisis, pledging the U.S. "stands firmly" with them. (July 12)

Gareth Southgate condemns the "unforgivable" racist abuse aimed at the three England players who missed penalties in Sunday's Euro 2020 final defeat against Italy. Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were the victims of sickening social media taunts in the aftermath of the 3-2 penalty shoot-out loss at Wembley.

The Maldives – a tiny nation of about twelve hundred islands set in crystalline waters – depends on income from tourism. The pandemic cut that revenue in half. But with COVID on the run, the government's wooing tourists, especially from China. VOA's Janine Phakdeetham reports.

The World Bank says South Africa's growth could reach 4.1 per cent this year, rebounding from a record crash this year.

Katlehong (South Africa) (AFP) – Deadly violence and looting continue in South Africa as unrest sparked by the jailing of ex-president Jacob Zuma enters its fourth day. In Katlehong, south of Johannesburg, and in Durban city central in KwaZulu-Natal, hundreds of people take to the streets and raid shopping centres and businesses.

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa called in the army to quell violent protests and looting in the trade hubs of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng earlier today.

CNN's Darren Lewis says that the scale of racism toward Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Sako and Jadon Sancho in the wake of England's Euro championship loss is a source of national shame and says UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government is not doing enough to combat the issue.