Current events: 2023-07-20

[Wikipedia Current Events]

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Russian invasion of Ukraine
  • Attacks on civilians in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
    • Odesa attacks
      • Two people are killed and two civilians are injured in a Russian strike on Odesa, Ukraine. (Reuters) (Reuters 2)
      • The consulate general of China in Odesa suffers minor damage during the Russian strike on Odesa. (Reuters)
    • Mykolaiv attacks
      • Russian forces strike Mykolaiv, Ukraine, injuring at least 19 civilians. (Reuters) (The Kyiv Independent)

Business and economy

• 2021–2023 inflation surge
  • The Turkish central bank raises its main interest rate from 15% to 17.5% in order to control rising inflation, after the key rate nearly doubled last month. (CNBC)

Disasters and accidents

• 2023 Raigad landslide
  • Sixteen people are killed and 100 others are believed to be missing during a landslide in Raigad, Maharashtra, India. (The Hindu)

International relations

• Iraq–Sweden relations
  • Protests against Quran desecration in Sweden
    • Followers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr set fire to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, in response to a planned Quran desecration demonstration in Stockholm, Sweden. The Swedish foreign ministry confirms the safety of its embassy staff while the Iraqi foreign ministry condemns the incident, initiating an investigation to identify those responsible. (AFP via Today)
    • Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani directs the Foreign Ministry to expel the Swedish ambassador to Iraq. (DW)
• Bolivia–Iran relations
  • Bolivia and Iran sign a memorandum of understanding in Tehran, Iran, with both countries vowing to strengthen defence and security cooperation. (Xinhua)

Law and crime

• 2023 Auckland shooting
  • Three people are killed, including the shooter, and six others are injured in a mass shooting at a construction site in the central business district of Auckland, New Zealand. (Reuters)

Sports

• 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
  • The ninth edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup opens in New Zealand, with the co-hosts defeating Norway 1–0 in the opening match at Eden Park in Auckland. A minute's silence was observed prior to the match for the victims of the shooting that occurred several hours earlier. (AP)

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