Damascus: at least 22 dead in Mar Elias church massacre

Today's news: while Trump evokes “regime change”, China strongly condemns US attacks on Iranian bases at the UN. South Korea will have its first non-military defence minister since 1961. In Asia, atmospheric temperatures in 2024 rose to twice the level of the rest of the world. Japan commemorates 80 years since the end of the Battle of Okinawa.

SYRIA

According to Syrian authorities, at least 22 people were killed and 63 wounded in yesterday's suicide bombing at the Greek Orthodox church of Mar Elias in Damascus during Sunday services. A man stormed in, opened fire on worshippers and then blew himself up, causing death and destruction. Initial reactions point the finger at ISIS jihadist groups that are raising their heads again, but other score-settling attacks cannot be ruled out, which, in the context created by the war between Iran and Israel, risk plunging Syria back into the abyss.

IRAN-ISRAEL-UNITED STATES

The world is currently grappling with the repercussions of the American raids that have massively hit nuclear installations in Iran, joining the war launched on 13 June by Israel against Tehran. While US President Trump evokes “regime change” in Iran on social media, China, through its representative at the United Nations, has expressed strong condemnation of the raids and renewed its call for an immediate ceasefire. This morning, the Iranian foreign minister is in Moscow, where he will meet with Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes continued overnight in Iran, while Tehran managed to launch only one missile against Israel.

SOUTH KOREA

President Lee Jae Myung has appointed Ahn Gyu-back, a 64-year-old veteran lawmaker, as defence minister in his administration, setting him on a path to become the first non-military figure to head the ministry in Seoul since 1961.

Ahn served on the National Defence Committee for 15 years, gaining experience as an expert in the field. Earlier this year, he also headed the special parliamentary committee investigating former President Yoon Suk Yeol's imposition of martial law.

JAPAN

With a ceremony today, Okinawa commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of the fiercest land battle of World War II between Japan and the United States, which claimed the lives of over 200,000 military personnel and civilians. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki attended a commemoration ceremony at the Peace Memorial Park in Itoman, where the final phase of the battle was fought. Another 342 names were added to the list of the fallen engraved on the monuments, bringing the total to 242,567. During the event, Tamaki said that the memory and lessons of the battle ‘have been preserved through the stories of the survivors’ and represent ‘the roots of the people of Okinawa and our enduring desire for peace.’

ASIA

Asia is warming up at nearly twice the global average, fuelling extreme weather events and causing serious consequences for the region's economies, according to the World Meteorological Organisation's State of the Climate in Asia 2024 report. According to the report, the average temperature in Asia in 2024 was about 1.04°C higher than the 1991-2020 average. In 2024, heat waves affected a record ocean area, with sea surface temperatures reaching historic highs. In addition, sea level rise on the Pacific and Indian Ocean sides of the continent exceeded the global average, increasing risks to low-lying coastal areas.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES-RUSSIA

Satellite images collected by Greenpeace show a collision between two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, with a 1,500-hectare slick of spilled cargo, one of which is believed to belong to Russia's “shadow fleet”, the Adalynn, which collided with the Front Eagle 44 km from the port of Khawr Fakkān in the United Arab Emirates.

RUSSIA

The Russian centre Nasiliju.net (‘Violence.no’), which has been working for seven years on behalf of victims of domestic violence, is at risk of being closed down or having its activities greatly reduced after being added to the list of ‘foreign agents’ receiving foreign aid. Many other groups have been forced to disassociate themselves from it after many efforts to defend women and assist victims of such situations.