Protesters in Sudan called off a general strike and agreed to resume talks with the junta that took charge after the fall of the country’s dictator, Omar al-Bashir, in April. Negotiations over who would lead a transitional government had collapsed when security forces murdered at least 100 demonstrators on June 3rd.
Botswana’s high court legalised gay sex, striking down a colonial-era prohibition. Half of young people in Botswana now say they would not object to a gay neighbour, a marked increase in tolerance from previous generations.
Oil prices jumped after two tankers were reportedly damaged in a suspected attack off the coast of Oman. America has blamed Iran for several recent attacks on shipping.
A Saudi Arabian teenager faces possible execution for taking part in a demonstration when he was ten years old. The boy, now 18, has been held for four years.
Ivan Golunov, a Russian journalist who exposes corruption, was arrested after police claimed to have found drugs in his possession. Photos purporting to show a drug lab in his flat turned out to have been taken somewhere completely different. After huge protests, which included the front pages of normally quiescent newspapers, at his obvious framing, the authorities released him.
In Moldova police surrounded government buildings after a rival administration declared itself in charge. The pro-Russian president, who supports the new team, was sacked by the old team.
Ten candidates jostled to become leader of Britain’s Conservative Party, and thus the country’s next prime minister. Boris Johnson is the bookies’ favourite, but not Europe’s.
The British government amended the Climate Change Act to set a target of eliminating Britain’s net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. The “net zero” target is the first in any G7 country. There are two wrinkles: it is unclear whether the target will include emissions from aviation and shipping; and policies adopted to reach the target may make use of international offsets.
Norway’s parliament voted to require the country’s sovereign-wealth fund, the world’s largest, to divest from fossil-fuel companies. Energy giants that have invested heavily in renewables, such as BP and Shell, are excluded.
