Thousands of people have for years attempted the perilous Atlantic route on overloaded and often dilapidated boats to reach Europe via Spain’s Canary Islands.

Hungary is facing a severe water crisis, with prolonged heat and drought driving water levels sharply lower. Around 99% of the country is under severe or extreme drought, while desertification threatens the Great Hungarian Plain.

Mongolia is hosting the UN Convention to Combat Desertification’s COP17 in Ulaanbaatar from 17 to 28 August, bringing together representatives from 196 countries and the European Union to tackle land degradation, drought and desertification.

The Pacific Fleet conducted a Bastion missile test just days after Putin’s visit to the islands prompted Tokyo to summon Russia’s ambassador to Japan and drew a US statement of support for Japanese sovereignty.