In the lead-up to an international court ruling on China's claims in the East Sea (international name South China Sea) this month, United States officials talked about rallying a coalition to impose "terrible" costs to Beijing's international reputation if flouted the court's decision.

Knife-wielding attackers interrupted a French church service, forced the priest to his knees and slit his throat on July 26, a murder made even more shocking as one of the assailants was a known would-be jihadist under supposedly tight surveillance.

Turkish special forces backed by helicopters, drones and the navy hunted a remaining group of commandos thought to have tried to capture or kill President Tayyip Erdogan during a failed coup, as a crackdown on suspected plotters widened on July 26.

Malian forces arrested a regional leader of Islamist group Ansar Dine in central Mali on July 26, after it claimed an attack in the region that killed 17 soldiers, the army spokesman said.

The United States said on July 26 it hoped to announce in early August details of planned military cooperation and intelligence sharing with Russia on Syria, and a United Nations envoy said he would also aim to resume peace talks next month.

Turkey ordered the detention of 42 journalists on July 25, broadcaster NTV reported, under a crackdown following a failed coup that has targeted more than 60,000 people and drawn fire from the European Union.

Nineteen people are "in a state of cardiac arrest" after an attack by a knife-wielding man at a facility for the disabled in Kanagawa prefecture, southwest of Tokyo, a prefectural official said on July 25.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will not impose a blanket ban on Russia for next month's Rio Olympics over the nation's doping record but will leave decisions on individual athletes' participation to the relevant sports federations.

An explosion killed at least one person and injured 12 others near the German city of Nuremberg on July 24 and authorities said it was believed to be intentional.

Tens of thousands of supporters of Turkey's ruling and main opposition parties, usually bitter foes, rallied together on July 24 in support of democracy following a failed military coup as President Tayyip Erdogan tightens his grip on the country.