The former prime minister of Japan Shinzo Abe was shot dead whilst giving a speech in the city of Nara earlier this morning.

A 41-year-old man was arrested by Japan’s security services at the scene of the murder, where Abe was delivering a speech.

Video footage at the time shows gunshots being fired and the suspect apprehended with what appears to be a home-made gun.

The European Union (EU) has resumed funding of two prominent Palestinian organisations after a year-long suspension, following unfounded "terror" allegations made by Israel. 

 The European Commission sent letters several days ago to Al-Haq and the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), informing them that their 13-month-long suspensions were lifted unconditionally and with immediate effect.

There are growing calls for an investigation into the deaths of at least 37 people who died at the fortified border of Melilla, Spain’s enclave in North Africa.

Finland, Sweden and Turkey have signed a joint memorandum at the NATO summit in Madrid, which addresses Turkey's concern about the nordic nation's support for Kurdish organisations and thus paves the way for the country's formal invitation to the military alliance. 

First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon has announced a proposed date for an independence referendum on 19 October 2023.

Sturgeon says she wants to hold a second independence referendum on 19 October 2023. 

If the UK government does not grant a section 30 order, which would allow the Scottish parliament to pass laws normally reserved for Westminister, Sturgeon will set out plans for what the Scottish government will do in response if the order is not granted,

A report by Oxfam has detailed that funding needed for climate disasters has risen more than 800% in 20 years, with half of all requested funding being unmet today.

Danny Sriskandarajah, Oxfam GB’s chief executive, described the finance gap as “unacceptable”.

The national strike called by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) reached 12 days of protests on Friday, condemning the economic policies of Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso.

The Indigenous leader Leonidas Iza on Tuesday demanded – among other things – that the government repeal the state of emergency decree and remove the military and police presence around places where protesters have gathered in Quito, the capital.

The horn of Africa has suffered four consecutive failed rainy seasons and is experiencing its worst drought in four decades, stressing food supplies already exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine. 

Michael Dunford, the World Food Programme regional director for east Africa has called on governments to donate urgently to the horn of Africa, if they are to avert catastrophe 

89 million people are now considered “acutely food insecure” by the WFP, which has grown by almost 90% in the past year.

A group of high-level British lawyers are compiling evidence that could hold as many as 10 countries responsible for the failure to prevent genocide against the Yazidis in northern Iraq. 

The lawyers, who announced the collaboration as the Yazidi Justice Committee (YJC) on Tuesday have been investigating over the past two and half years the genocide committed from early 2013 by the Islamic State. 

The YJC is expected to name three countries in a report next month when the work is complete. The report will be launched on the 6 July.

More than 250 people mostly from the Amhara ethnic group, have been killed in an attack in the Oromia region of Ethiopia on Saturday. 

The attack reportedly began around 09:00 on Saturday and continued until about 13.00. Calls were made by residents to district authorities but help only came hours later.

"[Regional] special forces and the army arrived late in the afternoon around five. No-one came to help us until then," one resident said speaking to the BBC.