Sammarinese shooter Alessandra Perilli takes third place in the Women's trap event, winning San Marino its first Olympic medal and making it the least populous nation to have won a medal. (CNN)
San Marino at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Shooting at the 2020 Summer Olympics Sammarinese shooter Alessandra Perilli takes third place in the Women's trap event, winning San Marino its first Olympic medal and making it the least populous nation to have won a medal. (CNN)
Syrian civil war 2021 Daraa clashes Eight Syrian soldiers, seven rebel fighters and eight civilians are killed in clashes in Daraa Governorate. (SOHR)
Tigray War Fighting escalates in Ethiopia's Amhara Region as Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) continue their offensive. Federal forces as well as Amharan militiamen are fighting the TDF on three fronts. Clashes are also reported in the Afar Region, to the east, with Ethiopian officials accusing Tigrayan forces of attempting to seize the N'Djamena–Djibouti Highway. (BBC News)
2021 Daraa clashes Eight Syrian soldiers, seven rebel fighters and eight civilians are killed in clashes in Daraa Governorate. (SOHR)
2021 NBA draft The Detroit Pistons select former Oklahoma State point guard Cade Cunningham with the first overall pick. (CBS Sports)
2021 Turkish wildfires Three people are killed and 58 more injured during multiple simultaneous wildfires in Manavgat, Antalya. The fires cause mass evacuations in several provinces. (AP)
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson declares a public health emergency in Arkansas amid an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. He also announces a special legislative session to change the law that prevents public schools from issuing mask mandates. (KATV-TV)
COVID-19 pandemic in Arkansas Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson declares a public health emergency in Arkansas amid an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. He also announces a special legislative session to change the law that prevents public schools from issuing mask mandates. (KATV-TV)
COVID-19 pandemic in India COVID-19 pandemic in Kerala Kerala announces a total weekend lockdown on July 31 and August 1 due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (Hindustan Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Israel COVID-19 vaccination in Israel Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announces that a booster shot will be offered for people aged 60, making Israel the first country to do so. (AP)
COVID-19 pandemic in Japan Tokyo reports a record for the third consecutive day of 3,865 new cases of COVID-19, while the number of new cases across Japan surpasses 10,000 for the first time. (The Asahi Shimbun)
COVID-19 pandemic in Kerala Kerala announces a total weekend lockdown on July 31 and August 1 due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (Hindustan Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic Northern Ireland announces that it will allow fully-vaccinated travellers from amber list European Union countries as well as the United States to enter without needing to quarantine beginning on August 1. (The Guardian)
COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal Portugal announces three phases for lifting its COVID-19-related restrictions, including ending localized curfews and operating hours restrictions for restaurants, stores and cultural venues on August 1 as the number of cases continues to decline. However, bars and discos will only be allowed to reopen in October. (ABC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Russia Russia reports a record 799 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours for the third time in a month, bringing the nationwide death toll to 156,277. (The Moscow Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand Thailand reports a record for the second consecutive day of 17,669 new cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 561,030. The country also reports a record 165 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 4,562. (The Straits Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic Northern Ireland announces that it will allow fully-vaccinated travellers from amber list European Union countries as well as the United States to enter without needing to quarantine beginning on August 1. (The Guardian)
COVID-19 pandemic in Uzbekistan Uzbekistan reports a record 879 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 127,506. (AKIPress)
COVID-19 pandemic in Vermont Vermont becomes the first U.S. state to vaccinate 70% of people aged 12 to 17. (NECN)
COVID-19 vaccination in Israel Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announces that a booster shot will be offered for people aged 60, making Israel the first country to do so. (AP)
Eight Syrian soldiers, seven rebel fighters and eight civilians are killed in clashes in Daraa Governorate. (SOHR)
Fighting escalates in Ethiopia's Amhara Region as Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) continue their offensive. Federal forces as well as Amharan militiamen are fighting the TDF on three fronts. Clashes are also reported in the Afar Region, to the east, with Ethiopian officials accusing Tigrayan forces of attempting to seize the N'Djamena–Djibouti Highway. (BBC News)
Flash flooding kills at least 60 people and leaves several others missing in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, amid torrential rains. (BBC News)
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announces that a booster shot will be offered for people aged 60, making Israel the first country to do so. (AP)
Kerala announces a total weekend lockdown on July 31 and August 1 due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (Hindustan Times)
Northern Ireland announces that it will allow fully-vaccinated travellers from amber list European Union countries as well as the United States to enter without needing to quarantine beginning on August 1. (The Guardian)
Over 4 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine has been administered worldwide. (Medical Xpress)
Portugal announces three phases for lifting its COVID-19-related restrictions, including ending localized curfews and operating hours restrictions for restaurants, stores and cultural venues on August 1 as the number of cases continues to decline. However, bars and discos will only be allowed to reopen in October. (ABC News)
Russia reports a record 799 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours for the third time in a month, bringing the nationwide death toll to 156,277. (The Moscow Times)
Thailand reports a record for the second consecutive day of 17,669 new cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 561,030. The country also reports a record 165 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 4,562. (The Straits Times)
The Detroit Pistons select former Oklahoma State point guard Cade Cunningham with the first overall pick. (CBS Sports)
The Royal Spanish Academy confirms that Alfonso de Palencia's dictionary dates from 1492, so it predates Antonio de Nebrija's "Latin-Spanish Dictionary" and becomes the earliest known Spanish vocabulary. (El PaÃs)
The United Nations Security Council extends an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on the Central African Republic for another year. China was the only UNSC member to abstain from the vote. (U.S. News and World Report)
Three people are killed and 58 more injured during multiple simultaneous wildfires in Manavgat, Antalya. The fires cause mass evacuations in several provinces. (AP)
Tokyo reports a record for the third consecutive day of 3,865 new cases of COVID-19, while the number of new cases across Japan surpasses 10,000 for the first time. (The Asahi Shimbun)
War in Afghanistan Taliban insurgency 2021 Taliban offensive The Taliban enters Lashkargah, the provincial capital of Helmand Province, capturing large areas of the city, according to a provincial government spokesman, who reported heavy fighting between government forces and the Islamist group as civilians flee the city. (Reuters)
2021 Gulf of Oman incident A Romanian captain and a British bodyguard are killed in a suicide drone attack on a Liberian-flagged Japanese-owned oil tanker, belonging to an Israeli company, near the coast of Oman. (Al Jazeera)
2021 Taliban offensive The Taliban enters Lashkargah, the provincial capital of Helmand Province, capturing large areas of the city, according to a provincial government spokesman, who reported heavy fighting between government forces and the Islamist group as civilians flee the city. (Reuters)
A Romanian captain and a British bodyguard are killed in a suicide drone attack on a Liberian-flagged Japanese-owned oil tanker, belonging to an Israeli company, near the coast of Oman. (Al Jazeera)
COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya Kenya bans all public gatherings and in-person meetings, as well as extends the nationwide curfe] to from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Al Jazeera) COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni eases its second nationwide lockdown that allow some business hubs, private and public transport to reopen and operated with restricted capacity limits due to drop of positivity rate of COVID-19 in the country. (Bloomberg)
COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, COVID-19 vaccination in Israel Israel begins the world's first third-dose vaccination campaign for people over 60 years old, with president Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal receiving a third dose of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. (Haaretz)
COVID-19 pandemic in Japan Japanese health minister Norihisa Tamura says that the country has entered an "extremely frightening" stage of the pandemic as the number of cases increases in Tokyo. The government also extends the state of emergency in the capital and expands it to three surrounding prefectures and the city of Osaka from August 2 to August 31. (BBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni eases its second nationwide lockdown that allow some business hubs, private and public transport to reopen and operated with restricted capacity limits due to drop of positivity rate of COVID-19 in the country. (Bloomberg)
Hong Kong national security law Twenty-four-year-old Tong Ying-kit is sentenced to nine years in prison after being convicted last week for driving his motorcycle into three riot police last year. (Reuters) Police arrest a 40-year-old man at a mall for booing the Chinese national anthem during the ceremony for Hong Kong's first gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Police added that the man also carried a Hong Kong colonial flag and that he was arrested on grounds of the man's aim to "incite hatred and politicize sports". (Reuters)
Israel begins the world's first third-dose vaccination campaign for people over 60 years old, with president Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal receiving a third dose of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. (Haaretz)
Japanese health minister Norihisa Tamura says that the country has entered an "extremely frightening" stage of the pandemic as the number of cases increases in Tokyo. The government also extends the state of emergency in the capital and expands it to three surrounding prefectures and the city of Osaka from August 2 to August 31. (BBC News)
Police arrest a 40-year-old man at a mall for booing the Chinese national anthem during the ceremony for Hong Kong's first gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Police added that the man also carried a Hong Kong colonial flag and that he was arrested on grounds of the man's aim to "incite hatred and politicize sports". (Reuters)
Taliban insurgency 2021 Taliban offensive The Taliban enters Lashkargah, the provincial capital of Helmand Province, capturing large areas of the city, according to a provincial government spokesman, who reported heavy fighting between government forces and the Islamist group as civilians flee the city. (Reuters)
The Taliban enters Lashkargah, the provincial capital of Helmand Province, capturing large areas of the city, according to a provincial government spokesman, who reported heavy fighting between government forces and the Islamist group as civilians flee the city. (Reuters)
Two supporters of the Zambian political-leading party Patriotic Front are stabbed to death by supporters of the opposition party National Development in the capital Lusaka, amid an increasing tension over the imminent elections. Four people are arrested. (Al Jazeera)
Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni eases its second nationwide lockdown that allow some business hubs, private and public transport to reopen and operated with restricted capacity limits due to drop of positivity rate of COVID-19 in the country. (Bloomberg)
Angela Merkel's cabinet approves a plan to require travellers over the age of 12 who have not been vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 to show a negative COVID-19 test result regardless of whether they are travelling by airplane, car or train. People travelling to Germany from "virus variant areas" will also require a negative test result, even if they have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19. These rules will be in effect beginning on August 1. (DW)
Charles Komi Kudzordzi, leader of the Home Study Group Foundation, is arrested by Ghanaian national security officials for declaring parts of the Volta Region independent in 2019. (GhanaWeb)
COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia Cambodia imposes a two-week lockdown in eight provinces bordering Thailand as well as a nationwide night curfew in an effort to reduce the resurgence of COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant. (Anadolu Agency)
COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic Angela Merkel's cabinet approves a plan to require travellers over the age of 12 who have not been vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 to show a negative COVID-19 test result regardless of whether they are travelling by airplane, car or train. People travelling to Germany from "virus variant areas" will also require a negative test result, even if they have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19. These rules will be in effect beginning on August 1. (DW)
COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya Kenya bans all public gatherings and in-person meetings, as well as extends the nationwide curfe] to from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Al Jazeera)
COVID-19 pandemic in North America COVID-19 pandemic in the United States The United States surpasses 100,000 daily reported cases for the first time since February 11. (The New York Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Russia Moscow abolishes a widely-flouted requirement for people to wear gloves on public transport and in shops and other public places as the number of COVID-19 cases declines. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, COVID-19 community quarantines in the Philippines The National Capital Region will be placed under the strictest Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in an effort to reduce the resurgence of COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant. The ECQ will be in effect from August 6 to August 20. (ABS-CBN News)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States The United States surpasses 100,000 daily reported cases for the first time since February 11. (The New York Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam Vietnam reports a record 8,649 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 137,062. (Vietnam Plus)
Kenya bans all public gatherings and in-person meetings, as well as extends the nationwide curfe] to from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Al Jazeera)
Moscow abolishes a widely-flouted requirement for people to wear gloves on public transport and in shops and other public places as the number of COVID-19 cases declines. (Reuters)
The National Capital Region will be placed under the strictest Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in an effort to reduce the resurgence of COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant. The ECQ will be in effect from August 6 to August 20. (ABS-CBN News)
Vietnam reports a record 8,649 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 137,062. (Vietnam Plus)
Western Togoland Charles Komi Kudzordzi, leader of the Home Study Group Foundation, is arrested by Ghanaian national security officials for declaring parts of the Volta Region independent in 2019. (GhanaWeb)
Government forces and the Taliban clash in Herat, the provincial capital of Herat Province, where the Islamist group has seized many districts. The Taliban also captures adjoining border crossings with Iran and Turkmenistan as the United Nations accuses them of killing a United Nations serviceman yesterday during an attack on a UN compound. (France 24)
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, Georgia at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Judo at the 2020 Summer Olympics The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games revokes accreditation for two Georgian judokas for violating COVID-19 protocols by leaving the athletes village for a sightseeing trip to meet "one of their good acquaintances" who lives in Japan. (BBC Sport)
Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina calls on the military to take "responsibility for threats to national sovereignty and threats to national security" after a plot to assassinate him was foiled last week. Rajoelina called on the new military graduates to uphold democracy. (Madagascar Tribune)
Qatar at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Weightlifting at the 2020 Summer Olympics Qatari weightlifter Fares El-Bakh wins the men's 96 kg event, receiving Qatar's first-ever Olympic gold medal. (The Peninsula)
Qatari weightlifter Fares El-Bakh wins the men's 96 kg event, receiving Qatar's first-ever Olympic gold medal. (The Peninsula)
The Taliban enters Kandahar as intense fighting is reported in three major cities. Kandahar MP spokesman Gul Ahmad Kamin says that the fighting there is the worst that has been seen in 20 years, with the Taliban seeking to establish their temporary capital there. Kamin also says that the situation is worsening "hour by hour" as he warns that if Kandahar falls, five or six other provinces in the region would also be captured by the Taliban. It is also reported that the Taliban made rapid major gains in rural areas. (BBC News)
The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games revokes accreditation for two Georgian judokas for violating COVID-19 protocols by leaving the athletes village for a sightseeing trip to meet "one of their good acquaintances" who lives in Japan. (BBC Sport)
Yemeni Civil War The deputy governor of Al Bayda Governorate says that Houthi insurgents have taken control of Naman and Nateh districts, displacing many civilians. (The Defense Post)
