The Norwegian government delays a final phase of reopening the economy until the end of July at the earliest because of concerns about the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant. (Reuters)
A government warehouse near Karaj, Iran, catches fire after an explosion, where an attack recently occurred targeting a nuclear facility allegedly used to produce uranium enrichment centrifuges. (Israel Hayom)
Belarus–Israel relations Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns comments made by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko after he said that the "whole world bows" to the Jews, "due to the Holocaust", during a speech given on Independence Day. Israel's government says that Lukashenko's comments were "unacceptable" and has summoned the interim supervisor at the Belarusian embassy. (The Jerusalem Post)
Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns comments made by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko after he said that the "whole world bows" to the Jews, "due to the Holocaust", during a speech given on Independence Day. Israel's government says that Lukashenko's comments were "unacceptable" and has summoned the interim supervisor at the Belarusian embassy. (The Jerusalem Post)
COVID-19 pandemic in Spain The Catalonian regional government announces that indoor nightlife venues will be closed beginning on July 9 for at least 15 days, and that anyone who wants to attend events for more than 500 people must have proof of a negative test result or a full vaccination certificate due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in young people. (El País)
The Catalonian regional government announces that indoor nightlife venues will be closed beginning on July 9 for at least 15 days, and that anyone who wants to attend events for more than 500 people must have proof of a negative test result or a full vaccination certificate due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in young people. (El País)
Nuclear program of Iran The foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany condemn Iran for planning to enrich uranium to 20 percent, which goes against the 2015 nuclear deal that the United States withdrew from in 2018, following the release of the information in a statement by the International Atomic Energy Agency. (The Algemeiner)
The foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany condemn Iran for planning to enrich uranium to 20 percent, which goes against the 2015 nuclear deal that the United States withdrew from in 2018, following the release of the information in a statement by the International Atomic Energy Agency. (The Algemeiner)
Taliban insurgency Taliban insurgents enter Qala e Naw, the provincial capital of Badghis Province, with heavy fighting reported as the militants move "towards the centre of the city". All government officials in the city have been moved to a nearby army base, while the Taliban have freed about 400 prisoners from the city's prison. (BBC News)
Taliban insurgents enter Qala e Naw, the provincial capital of Badghis Province, with heavy fighting reported as the militants move "towards the centre of the city". All government officials in the city have been moved to a nearby army base, while the Taliban have freed about 400 prisoners from the city's prison. (BBC News)
War in Afghanistan Taliban insurgency Taliban insurgents enter Qala e Naw, the provincial capital of Badghis Province, with heavy fighting reported as the militants move "towards the centre of the city". All government officials in the city have been moved to a nearby army base, while the Taliban have freed about 400 prisoners from the city's prison. (BBC News)
2021 Swedish government crisis Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven is narrowly re-elected to stay in power after losing a no confidence vote last month. (Euronews)
Assassination of Jovenel Moïse Haitian President Jovenel Moïse is assassinated by a squad of gunmen at his home in Pétion-Ville. His wife, First Lady Martine Moïse, is also shot and critically wounded. (AP)
Centerra Gold files additional claims against the Kyrgyz government in binding arbitration and asserted claims against state-owned Kyrgyzaltyn JSC in response to the seizure of the Kumtor Gold Mine in Kyrgyzstan. (Lethbridge Herald)
Haitian President Jovenel Moïse is assassinated by a squad of gunmen at his home in Pétion-Ville. His wife, First Lady Martine Moïse, is also shot and critically wounded. (AP)
Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven is narrowly re-elected to stay in power after losing a no confidence vote last month. (Euronews)
The Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo votes 89–0 to pass a resolution officially condemning the Srebrenica massacre and establishing a commemorative holiday for its victims. Serb minority-interests party Serb List boycotted the vote. (RFEL)
Sixty-nine Taliban fighters are killed during clashes with the government in the town of Qala e Naw, Badghis. (The Times of India)
Uruguayan Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo announces that his country will continue to negotiate with third parties or blocks independent of the MERCOSUR bloc, including extending preferential tariffs to other countries even if doing so contradicts the bloc's consensuses. President Luis Lacalle Pou, while calling for the bloc to be reformed, states that Uruguay will still remain a full member of the bloc. (MercoPress)
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to outline the plan for the final withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan in detail. (AP)
COVID-19 pandemic in Luxembourg Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel is discharged from hospital after being in a serious but stable condition due to COVID-19 for several days. Bettel thanks the medical services and announces that he will resume activities through telework until the end of his isolation period. (RTL)
Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel is discharged from hospital after being in a serious but stable condition due to COVID-19 for several days. Bettel thanks the medical services and announces that he will resume activities through telework until the end of his isolation period. (RTL)
President Salva Kiir Mayardit promises peace on Independence Day and also offers peace to opponent Riek Machar. A civil war has been fought in South Sudan since 2013 when ethnic differences contributed to an armed conflict that has killed more than 400,000 people. This offer of peace comes after Pope Francis said that he would visit the Christian-majority country if some kind of peace is achieved. (Reuters)
South Sudanese Civil War President Salva Kiir Mayardit promises peace on Independence Day and also offers peace to opponent Riek Machar. A civil war has been fought in South Sudan since 2013 when ethnic differences contributed to an armed conflict that has killed more than 400,000 people. This offer of peace comes after Pope Francis said that he would visit the Christian-majority country if some kind of peace is achieved. (Reuters)
2021 Dublin Bay South by-election In Ireland, Labour candidate Ivana Bacik is declared the winner in a by-election for the Dublin Bay South constituency, wresting control from the ruling Fine Gael. (The Irish Times)
A spokesperson for the Taliban says that they now control "85% of the territory" as the Afghan government vows to retake all seized districts. (France 24)
COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, Community Activities Restrictions Enforcement The Government of Indonesia announces an extension of emergency community restrictions to 15 regencies and cities outside Java and Bali beginning on July 12 amid an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases outside Java and Bali. (Kontan) Indonesia reports a record 28,975 recoveries in the past 24 hours, thereby surpassing the nationwide total of recoveries to 2 million. (detikHealth)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea South Korea reports a record for the second consecutive day of 1,316 new cases of COVID-19, prompting the government to raise its restrictions to the highest "Level 4" in the Seoul Capital Area for two weeks beginning on July 12. (CNBC)
In Ireland, Labour candidate Ivana Bacik is declared the winner in a by-election for the Dublin Bay South constituency, wresting control from the ruling Fine Gael. (The Irish Times)
South Korea reports a record for the second consecutive day of 1,316 new cases of COVID-19, prompting the government to raise its restrictions to the highest "Level 4" in the Seoul Capital Area for two weeks beginning on July 12. (CNBC)
The Government of Indonesia announces an extension of emergency community restrictions to 15 regencies and cities outside Java and Bali beginning on July 12 amid an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases outside Java and Bali. (Kontan)
Assassination of Jovenel Moïse Former Haitian First Lady Martine Moïse, who was seriously injured during the assassination of her husband, Jovenel Moïse, releases her first public audio statement since the attack. (BBC News) Joseph Lambert, the President of the Senate, is nominated as provisional President of Haiti by a group of senators, potentially succeeding Jovenel Moïse. (DW)
COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji COVID-19 vaccination in Fiji The Fijian government announces that it will soon begin administering the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, facilitated through UNICEF and the World Health Organization. (FBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in Moldova Moldova–United States relations, COVID-19 vaccination in Moldova White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announces that the United States has donated 500,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to Moldova. Moldovan President Maia Sandu praises the United States for the vaccine deployment to the country. (Axios)
COVID-19 vaccination in Fiji The Fijian government announces that it will soon begin administering the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, facilitated through UNICEF and the World Health Organization. (FBC)
For the first time, a poll shows that a majority of Brazilians (54%) support moves to open an impeachment process against President Jair Bolsonaro, with 42% opposing, amid graft accusations and a vaccine procurement scandal. (Reuters)
Joseph Lambert, the President of the Senate, is nominated as provisional President of Haiti by a group of senators, potentially succeeding Jovenel Moïse. (DW)
Politics of Brazil, 2021 Brazilian protests For the first time, a poll shows that a majority of Brazilians (54%) support moves to open an impeachment process against President Jair Bolsonaro, with 42% opposing, amid graft accusations and a vaccine procurement scandal. (Reuters)
The Fijian government announces that it will soon begin administering the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, facilitated through UNICEF and the World Health Organization. (FBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in Algeria Newly-appointed Prime Minister Aymen Benabderrahmane tests positive for COVID-19 and will quarantine for seven days. (Euronews)
Newly-appointed Prime Minister Aymen Benabderrahmane tests positive for COVID-19 and will quarantine for seven days. (Euronews)
2021 Moldovan parliamentary election Moldovan voters head to the polls in a snap election to elect new members of the Parliament. (Al Jazeera) Results show the pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity, which President Maia Sandu has close ties to, as the winner with 52% of the vote. (DW)
July 2021 Bulgarian parliamentary election Bulgaria holds another election after the three largest parties failed to form a coalition government following the election in April. (Euronews) Exit polls do not show a clear winner, with newly-formed populist party There Is Such a People narrowly beating out GERB, the party of previous Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, by 0.2 percentage points. (Reuters)
Assassination of Jovenel Moïse Suspects in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse say that their intent was to arrest, not kill, Moïse. The two Haitian-American suspects say that they were working as translators for the Colombian suspects and that they had an arrest warrant against Moïse, but found him dead when they arrived. (Reuters)
Bulgaria holds another election after the three largest parties failed to form a coalition government following the election in April. (Euronews)
Moldovan voters head to the polls in a snap election to elect new members of the Parliament. (Al Jazeera)
Suspects in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse say that their intent was to arrest, not kill, Moïse. The two Haitian-American suspects say that they were working as translators for the Colombian suspects and that they had an arrest warrant against Moïse, but found him dead when they arrived. (Reuters)
2021 Cuban protests Thousands of Cubans, most of them young, attend a rare anti-government protest in San Antonio de los Baños to protest the increased food and medicine shortages brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds of Cubans in Miami, Florida, United States, hold solidarity protests as Mayor Francis Suarez calls for an international intervention against the Cuban government in a press conference. (France 24) (NBC Miami)
COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Libya Libya reports a record 2,854 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 204,090. (Al-Wasat) COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa extends South Africa's level four restrictions for 14 days until July 25 amid a third wave of COVID-19 caused by the Delta variant. (Business Tech)
COVID-19 pandemic in Peru Interim President Francisco Sagasti extends the COVID-19 state of emergency in Peru until the end of August. (Al Jazeera)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa extends South Africa's level four restrictions for 14 days until July 25 amid a third wave of COVID-19 caused by the Delta variant. (Business Tech)
Interim President Francisco Sagasti extends the COVID-19 state of emergency in Peru until the end of August. (Al Jazeera)
President Cyril Ramaphosa extends South Africa's level four restrictions for 14 days until July 25 amid a third wave of COVID-19 caused by the Delta variant. (Business Tech)
Results show the pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity, which President Maia Sandu has close ties to, as the winner with 52% of the vote. (DW)
Thousands of Cubans, most of them young, attend a rare anti-government protest in San Antonio de los Baños to protest the increased food and medicine shortages brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds of Cubans in Miami, Florida, United States, hold solidarity protests as Mayor Francis Suarez calls for an international intervention against the Cuban government in a press conference. (France 24) (NBC Miami)
War in Afghanistan Australian Minister for Defence Peter Dutton says that the country has ended its military involvement in Afghanistan. (VOA)
Australian Minister for Defence Peter Dutton says that the country has ended its military involvement in Afghanistan. (VOA)
COVID-19 pandemic in Israel COVID-19 vaccination in Israel The Ministry of Health announces that Israel will resume administering first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. (Times of Israel) Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announces that a deal has been reached with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, which would see a new shipment of vaccines delivered on August 1. (Jerusalem Post)
COVID-19 vaccination in Israel The Ministry of Health announces that Israel will resume administering first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. (Times of Israel) Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announces that a deal has been reached with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, which would see a new shipment of vaccines delivered on August 1. (Jerusalem Post)
Exit polls do not show a clear winner, with newly-formed populist party There Is Such a People narrowly beating out GERB, the party of previous Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, by 0.2 percentage points. (Reuters)
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announces that a deal has been reached with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, which would see a new shipment of vaccines delivered on August 1. (Jerusalem Post)
The Ministry of Health announces that Israel will resume administering first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. (Times of Israel)
2021 Moldovan parliamentary election The Party of Action and Solidarity is projected to win a majority in the parliamentary elections. (ABC News)
The Party of Action and Solidarity is projected to win a majority in the parliamentary elections. (ABC News)
War in Afghanistan Taliban insurgency 2021 Taliban offensive Taliban insurgents surround the city of Ghazni as fighting intensifies and the group advances in the country. The government says the Taliban uses civilian houses as hideouts. (Reuters) Withdrawal of U.S. troops General Austin Scott Miller formally relinquishes control of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. He is replaced by Marine Corps General Frank McKenzie. (NBC News)
2021 Taliban offensive Taliban insurgents surround the city of Ghazni as fighting intensifies and the group advances in the country. The government says the Taliban uses civilian houses as hideouts. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in France COVID-19 vaccination in France French President Emmanuel Macron announces that COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandatory for healthcare workers by September 15 and will expand the use of Health Pass into events over 50 people beginning from July 21. (Financial Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Greece COVID-19 vaccination in Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announces that COVID-19 vaccinations will now be mandatory for employees of retirement homes, while vaccinations for healthcare workers will be mandatory beginning on September 1. The Government also restricts access to some commercial venues for vaccinated people only from Friday until the end of August. (Barron's)
COVID-19 vaccination in France French President Emmanuel Macron announces that COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandatory for healthcare workers by September 15 and will expand the use of Health Pass into events over 50 people beginning from July 21. (Financial Times)
COVID-19 vaccination in Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announces that COVID-19 vaccinations will now be mandatory for employees of retirement homes, while vaccinations for healthcare workers will be mandatory beginning on September 1. The Government also restricts access to some commercial venues for vaccinated people only from Friday until the end of August. (Barron's)
French President Emmanuel Macron announces that COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandatory for healthcare workers by September 15 and will expand the use of Health Pass into events over 50 people beginning from July 21. (Financial Times)
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announces that COVID-19 vaccinations will now be mandatory for employees of retirement homes, while vaccinations for healthcare workers will be mandatory beginning on September 1. The Government also restricts access to some commercial venues for vaccinated people only from Friday until the end of August. (Barron's)
Taliban insurgency 2021 Taliban offensive Taliban insurgents surround the city of Ghazni as fighting intensifies and the group advances in the country. The government says the Taliban uses civilian houses as hideouts. (Reuters)
Taliban insurgents surround the city of Ghazni as fighting intensifies and the group advances in the country. The government says the Taliban uses civilian houses as hideouts. (Reuters)
2021 South African unrest The death toll from the protests following the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma increases to 72, as more violent incidents occur. Ten of the victims died during a stampede in Soweto, while others died during lootings, shootings and explosions. More than 1,000 people have been arrested. (BBC News) (The Miami Herald)
