July 21, Friday, 2023

1. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu says Japan will strongly demand at the United Nations Security Council that Russia returns to an international framework to allow Ukraine to resume its grain exports. The UN Security Council will convene an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss Russia’s withdrawal from the deal.
2. The suspected leader of a group believed to have committed a series of robberies across Japan may have given instructions from the Philippines in a robbery that took place in Chiba Prefecture earlier this year. Imamura Kiyoto has been arrested on suspicion of giving instructions to three assailants involved in the incident in Japan at a recycling shop in Oamishirasato City. The three beat and injured the owner of the shop.
3. Japanese weather officials say they have observed a new tropical storm over waters east of the Philippines. The Meteorological Agency said on Friday morning that Tropical Storm Doksuri is moving north-northwest at a speed of 15 kilometers per hour. Tropical Storm Doksuri=台風5号

July 20, Thursday, 2023

1. Workers at the Acropolis, Greece’s top tourist attraction, say they will go on strike from Thursday to protest being forced to work in scorching temperatures. Staff at the UNESCO World Heritage site in Athens will stop working at 4 p.m. each day. The Acropolis is normally open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The union of workers at the ancient site says that given the problems they have faced in recent days, they have unanimously decided on the measures to protect the health of staff and visitors. 2. The United States has warned that Russia may attack civilian ships in the Black Sea, in addition to the recent attacks on Ukrainian grain facilities.
3. The head of Britain’s MI6 intelligence service says Russian President Vladimir Putin is “clearly under pressure.” He also called on Russians to collaborate with MI6.