Greece imposes a curfew on bars, restaurants, and cafes in several regions following an increase in COVID-19 cases. The curfew lasts from midnight until 7 a.m. local time. (ITV)
Natick, Massachusetts, issues town-wide water restrictions, limiting water use by Natick residents, in response to an ongoing drought affecting most parts of New England. (Patch)
New Zealand reports its first cases of community transmission in 102 days, four cases in a single family. Auckland will move to Alert Level 3 from August 12 at 12 noon until midnight on August 14. The rest of the country will move to Alert Level 2. (New Zealand Herald)
The total number of worldwide confirmed cases of COVID-19 surpasses 20 million. The United States remains the global leader of case numbers, accounting for more than 25 percent cumulative. (CNN)
The United Kingdom records 1,148 cases, their highest since June 21. (Reuters)
France cancels the rescheduled 2020 Paris Marathon, which would have taken place on November 15, due to COVID-19. (BBC Sport)
France reports the largest rise of COVID-19 cases since the lockdown was lifted in May, with 2,524 new cases being reported in the last 24 hours. (BBC News)
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu issues a mask mandate for gatherings with more than 100 people. Masks will be required at the Laconia Motorcycle Week, which is expected to be held on August 22 and 23. The move comes after few attendees of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota appeared to wear masks. (CBS News)
At least four people are killed and another six injured by a roadside bomb exploding in Panjwayi District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. (TOLOnews)
Epic Games sues both Apple Inc. and Google in an antitrust case after the removal of Fortnite from the Apple App Store and Google Play earlier in the day, alleging that the two companies hold an unfair monopoly over development for their respective ecosystems. The game was removed for implementing a feature allowing Epic to directly sell microtransactions while bypassing the 30% cut imposed on developers per transaction by both Apple and Google. (The Verge)
Galicia bans smoking in public places over concerns that it increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission. (BBC News)
Governor of Capital District Darío Vivas dies from COVID-19. (El Confidencial)
Iran–Saudi Arabia relations The Saudi ambassador to the United Nations, Abdul Aziz al-Wasel, calls for an extension of the arms embargo on Iran saying that Iran "smuggles weapons to militias to disturb the peace in the Middle East". (Al Arabiya)
Iraq reports the highest single-day increase of over 3,800 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. (Arab News)
Kim Tok-hun is named the new Premier, succeeding Kim Jae-ryong. (Shine)
Politics of North Korea Kim Tok-hun is named the new Premier, succeeding Kim Jae-ryong. (Shine)
Spain reports 2,935 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, which is the highest number of new cases since the lockdown was lifted in June. (Reuters)
The Saudi ambassador to the United Nations, Abdul Aziz al-Wasel, calls for an extension of the arms embargo on Iran saying that Iran "smuggles weapons to militias to disturb the peace in the Middle East". (Al Arabiya)
The United Kingdom imposes a two-week quarantine for travellers or people coming from France and the Netherlands, as well as Monaco, Malta, Turks and Caicos, and Aruba. The measure will take effect on 04:00 BST on Saturday, August 15. (BBC News)
Greece announces that they would limit public gatherings to 50 people and impose a midnight curfew on bars and restaurants in Athens and other areas. This measure is to last until August 24 in parts of the country where infection numbers have risen. (Greek Reporter)
The Lake Fire in Santa Clarita and Palmdale grows to over 10,000 acres, prompting evacuations in the Lake Hughes area. (CBS News)
Algeria begins to reopen their mosques, beaches, cafes, and parks five months after their lockdown. (ABC News)
Antifa militants, far-right groups, and pro-Confederacy groups clash at Stone Mountain, near the city of Stone Mountain, Georgia. (The Daily Beast)
Ireland reports 200 new cases but no deaths in the last 24 hours. This is the highest number of daily cases since May. (The Irish Times)
Russia announces the production of the first batch of its Sputnik V vaccine. (Hindustan Times)
South Korea reports 166 new cases of COVID-19. From that number, 139 were traced to Seoul and Gyeonggi Province and a significant portion of them were linked to cluster infections involving churchgoers. It is the highest number of reported new cases since March 11. (Kyodo News)
The daily number of new COVID-19 cases in France tops 3,000 for the first time since lockdown eased. (France 24)
Two lighter vessels capsize in the Bay of Bengal, near the island of Bhasan Char in Bangladesh. The country's Inland Water Transport Authority report that 13 crew members from one vessel en route to the Narayanganj District from Chittagong are missing, while all 12 crew members from the other vessel were rescued. (Anadolu Agency)
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signs an executive order that permits local officials to issue mask mandates in their cities. (Newsweek)
Mauritius says it will seek "compensation from the owner and the insurer" of MV Wakashio, which broke apart the previous day after leaking hundreds of tonnes of fuel oil. The Japanese company in charge of the ship pledged to compensate for the damage. (BBC News)
MV Wakashio oil spill Mauritius says it will seek "compensation from the owner and the insurer" of MV Wakashio, which broke apart the previous day after leaking hundreds of tonnes of fuel oil. The Japanese company in charge of the ship pledged to compensate for the damage. (BBC News)
The number of daily new COVID-19 cases in South Korea tops 200 for the first time in five months, with 279 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. The cases are traced to several conservative churches in the Seoul Capital Area. (Reuters)
The number of deaths from COVID-19 in India surpasses 50,000. (Hindustan Times)
2020 Sri Lankan blackouts Electrical blackouts in Sri Lanka began nationwide due to a transmission technical failure at the Kerawalapitiya Grid-Sub station. (Daily News)
Aftermath of the 2020 Beirut explosions Badri Daher, the director general of the Lebanese Customs Administration, is arrested amid the investigation on the storage of ammonium nitrate at the Port of Beirut for six years. (AP via CTV News)
Badri Daher, the director general of the Lebanese Customs Administration, is arrested amid the investigation on the storage of ammonium nitrate at the Port of Beirut for six years. (AP via CTV News)
Belarus–Ukraine relations Ukraine recalls its Ambassador to Belarus to assess "the new reality" and prospects of further bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries. (Reuters)
Electrical blackouts in Sri Lanka began nationwide due to a transmission technical failure at the Kerawalapitiya Grid-Sub station. (Daily News)
Malaysia–Vietnam relations, Territorial disputes in the South China Sea Vietnam presses Malaysia for answers after a Vietnamese fisherman was shot dead when Malaysia's coast guard attempted to inspect two Vietnamese fishing boats in waters east of Kelantan deemed to be engaged in illegal fishing. Malaysia alleged the 19 crew members aboard the boats "acted aggressively" and threw "diesel bombs" when ordered to surrender. (SCMP)
Pro-democracy activist Sunny Cheung reportedly flees to the United Kingdom after reporting fears of imprisonment. (HK Free Press)
The Federal Ministry of Aviation announces that international flights from Lagos and Abuja will resume on August 29, after a four-month hiatus. (Anadolu Agency)
Ukraine recalls its Ambassador to Belarus to assess "the new reality" and prospects of further bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries. (Reuters)
Vietnam presses Malaysia for answers after a Vietnamese fisherman was shot dead when Malaysia's coast guard attempted to inspect two Vietnamese fishing boats in waters east of Kelantan deemed to be engaged in illegal fishing. Malaysia alleged the 19 crew members aboard the boats "acted aggressively" and threw "diesel bombs" when ordered to surrender. (SCMP)
A Russian major general is killed and two others are injured by a roadside bomb in Syria while en route to Hmeimim Air Base from Deir ez-Zor. (Anadolu Agency)
France registers 3,776 new cases in the last 24 hours, marking a new post-lockdown peak and bringing the total to 225,043. (France 24)
In an evening transmission, Col. Assimi Goita declares himself the new leader of Mali and urges citizens to return to work. (AP)
Iran surpasses 20,000 deaths by COVID-19, the highest toll in the Middle East. (AP)
Italy reports 642 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, which is the highest number of reported cases since May 23, when the lockdown was eased. (ANSA) (Yahoo News UK)
Nuclear power in the United Arab Emirates The first unit of the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi, the first nuclear power station in the Arabian Peninsula, is connected to the country's electrical grid. According to the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, the completion of three more APR-1400 nuclear reactor units would result in the provision of 25% of the UAE's electricity and a reduction of carbon emissions by 21 million tons a year. (CNBC)
South Korea reports its highest daily rise in COVID-19 cases since early March, with 297 new cases being reported in the last 24 hours. Nearly 90% of the new cases appeared in Seoul Capital Area, where 166 of them are linked to the Sarang Jeil Church. (Reuters)
Spain registers its highest number of new cases since the end of the lockdown in June, with 3,715 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. (The Times)
The first unit of the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi, the first nuclear power station in the Arabian Peninsula, is connected to the country's electrical grid. According to the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, the completion of three more APR-1400 nuclear reactor units would result in the provision of 25% of the UAE's electricity and a reduction of carbon emissions by 21 million tons a year. (CNBC)
Toulouse becomes the first major city in France to make face masks compulsory in all outdoor areas. The new rules will take effect on Friday and apply from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. local time for all people ages 12 and up, including those on bikes and kick-scooters. (The Telegraph)
A regional official in Somalia says that they are working to free a Panama-flagged ship's crew that was hijacked yesterday by pirates in the first successful incident since 2017. The number of crew and their nationalities remain unclear. The ship was traveling from the United Arab Emirates to the port of Mogadishu. (Reuters)
A Vacaville-based Pacific Gas and Electric Company worker dies while assisting first responders of the LNU Lightning Complex fire. (SFGate)
Airbnb bans house parties and limits almost all listed venues to 16 people as it tries to comply with gathering restrictions. (BBC News)
Australian youth travel agency STA Travel files for insolvency. (BBC News)
France reports a sharp spike of new cases in the last 24 hours when more than 4,700 cases reported. It is first time that more than 4,000 new cases reported since May and the highest number of new cases since April, when the country was still in lockdown. (LCI) (BBC News)
India reports its highest single-day record of 69,672 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, with 977 new deaths. 2,096,664 people from the total 2.8 million people have recovered. (The Tribune)
Italy reports 845 new cases in the last 24 hours, majority of them are holidaymakers returning from other countries. This number marking the highest daily increase since May 16. (Reuters)
Northern Ireland reduces the number of people allowed in outdoor gatherings to 15 people and limits indoor gatherings in private dwellings to six individuals from two households amid a rise in cases. (Sky News)
Piracy off the coast of Somalia A regional official in Somalia says that they are working to free a Panama-flagged ship's crew that was hijacked yesterday by pirates in the first successful incident since 2017. The number of crew and their nationalities remain unclear. The ship was traveling from the United Arab Emirates to the port of Mogadishu. (Reuters)
Scotland reports its highest number of daily new cases since May, with 77 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. (BBC News)
Slovenia registers its highest number of new cases since April 3, with 43 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. (RTVSLO)
Afghanistan–Pakistan relations The Pakistani Foreign Ministry reveals that it on August 18 placed financial sanctions on dozens of Taliban members, including chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, and deputy head and Haqqani network leader Sirajuddin Haqqani. The sanctions were placed to avoid placing the country on the Financial Action Task Force blacklist. (Al Jazeera)
Churchill Downs announces that the upcoming 146th Kentucky Derby will run without fans due to COVID-19 concerns including a rise in cases including in Louisville, Kentucky. (CBS Sports) (Courier Journal)
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu announces that restaurants in the state can now open at 100% dine-in capacity. (Newsweek)
State-run oil company Saudi Aramco suspends plans to build a US$10 billion oil refinery in Liaoning, China, due to decreased global demand for oil. Its Chinese partners said they will press ahead with the project. (Al Jazeera)
Structures at the Big Basin Redwoods State Park are damaged or destroyed by the CZU Lightning Complex Fire in Santa Cruz County. (CNN)
The LNU Lightning Complex Fire grows to 220,000 acres, with 7% of the fire contained. (SFGate)
The opposition-controlled region of the northwest of Syria reports its first death from COVID-19, that of an 80-year-old woman who suffered from severe renal insufficiency and high blood pressure. (AFP via Al Arabiya)
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry reveals that it on August 18 placed financial sanctions on dozens of Taliban members, including chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, and deputy head and Haqqani network leader Sirajuddin Haqqani. The sanctions were placed to avoid placing the country on the Financial Action Task Force blacklist. (Al Jazeera)
A 90-minute meeting held between delegates representing the Economic Community of West African States and leaders of the recent coup d'état in Mali over a return to civilian rule is cut short to 20 minutes for unknown reasons. (Reuters)
Alexei Navalny is admitted to the Charité hospital in Berlin, Germany, following a medical evacuation flight from Omsk, Russia. The chairman of the Cinema for Peace Foundation, which organized the evacuation, says the comatose Russian opposition leader is in a "stable condition". (CNN)
India reaches milestone of 10 lakh (1 million) tests per day. (Hindustan Times)
