Armed conflicts and attacks

• War in Afghanistan
  • 2021 Afghanistan attacks
    • 2021 Spin Boldak shooting
      • Gunmen shoot dead at least 100 people in Spin Boldak District, Kandahar Province. (TOLOnews)
  • Withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan
    • The U.S. House of Representatives votes 407–16 to pass the Allies Act, a bill that would improve and provide visas for Afghan interpreters who worked for American personnel during the war. (AP)
  • 2021 Taliban offensive
    • Tajikistan holds its largest military exercise, mobilizing 130,000 servicemen in addition to 100,000 active servicemen and parades more than 1,000 military vehicles and many more warfare equipment and military helicopters, President Emomali Rakhmon said as he urged Tajik people to protect the "peace and stability achieved at a high price" amid a Taliban offensive in neighboring Afghanistan. (Reuters)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
      • China rejects the next stage of a World Health Organization (WHO) investigation into COVID-19. The Chinese deputy health minister Zeng Yixin rebuffed the proposal to investigate the origins in Wuhan as "disrespect for common sense and arrogance towards science". WHO experts said it was very unlikely the virus escaped from a Chinese lab, but the theory has endured. (BBC)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
      • Indonesia reports a record 36,370 recoveries and 1,449 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 2.39 million and the nationwide death toll to 79,302. The country also surpasses three million cases of the virus. (detikNews)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, 2020–21 Singapore circuit breaker measures
      • Singapore reverts to "Phase 2 Heightened Alert" which bans dine-in service in all Food and Beverage establishments and close personalised care services that involve patrons removing their masks that carry higher risk of COVID-19 infection. The restrictions remain in effect until August 18. (The Straits Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
      • South Korea reports a record 1,842 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours for the second day a row, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 184,103. (Yonhap News Agency)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
      • Thailand reports a record 13,655 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours for the second day a row, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 453,132. (CNA)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
      • Vietnam reports a record 6,194 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 74,371. (Việt Nam News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
      • COVID-19 vaccination in Italy
        • The Italian government announces that it will require people to show a proof of vaccinations at least one jab, a negative COVID-19 test, or having recovered from COVID-19 to participate in social activities such as indoor dining, visiting museums, and attending shows starting from August 6. (The New York Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
      • Greece expands its mandatory regular COVID-19 testing to unvaccinated tourism and restaurant workers nationwide as the number of COVID-19 continues to rise. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
      • Russia reports its first case of the Lineage P.1 Gamma variant, which was originally detected in Brazil. (Euronews)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in North America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
      • COVID-19 vaccination in the United States
        • Sanford Health announces that all employees will be required to receive a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by November 1. (The Bismark Tribune)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois
        • The Chicago Public Schools announces that face masks will be required in public schools this fall regardless of the vaccination status in the city. (Chicago Sun-Times)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Missouri
        • Missouri officials announce that ambulances and medical staff will be sent to Springfield and Greene County amidst a surge in cases. The announcement is confirmed by Governor Mike Parson. (The Kansas City Star)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba
      • Cuba reports a record 7,745 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 308,599. (Xinhuanet)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
      • Mexico reports 16,244 cases of COVID-19, the highest in the country since late-January. (Reuters)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    • COVID-19 vaccination in Australia
      • Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologises during a press conference on the slow rollout of the vaccination program and appeals for changes to the restrictions on the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. (ABC News Australia)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Chile, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
    • The Chilean government announces that starting from July 26, fully-vaccinated residents will be able to travel internationally by plane without special permission as the number of COVID-19 cases declines and the vaccination program picks up. (Bloomberg)

International relations

• Haiti–United States relations
  • The Biden administration announces that Daniel Lewis Foote will serve as the U.S. special envoy to Haiti amidst political turmoil in the country since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. (CNBC)
• Foreign relations of Equatorial Guinea
  • The United Kingdom imposes sanctions on Equatorial Guinea's leader's son Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue over "lavish lifestyle" spending, which he spent on mansions, private jets, among other things. Obiang Mangue is also the current Vice President of Equatorial Guinea. (Euronews)

Law and crime

• Police in Madagascar arrest six individuals, including foreign nationals, after months of investigation into a plot to kill President Andry Rajoelina. The attorney general accuses them of having "a plan for the elimination of the head of state". (Reuters) (Al Jazeera)
• Tanzanian opposition leader Freeman Mbowe, arrested yesterday along with 15 others of his party, are charged with "terrorism", according to his Chadema party statement. Amnesty International condemns the charging and the United States said yesterday that it was "very concerning". (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

• 2021 Brazilian military crisis, 2022 Brazilian general election
  • It is revealed that Brazilian Defence Minister Gen. Braga Netto communicated to President of the Chamber of Deputies Arthur Lira that the 2022 elections would not be held if a controversial bill that scraps electronic voting and reinstates the use of paper ballots does not pass through Congress. This report follows similar threats made by President Jair Bolsonaro, whose approval ratings and chances of reelection are steadily declining. (O Estado de S. Paulo)
  • Both Braga Netto and Lira deny that such a threat happened, with the former declaring the Estadão report an "invention" and Supreme Electoral Court President Luís Roberto Barroso commenting that "the [democratic] institutions are working". The newspaper's editor, João Caminoto, reaffirms the veracity of the report in a social media post. (G1)
• 2021 Argentine legislative election
  • A poll shows that a majority of Argentines (51 percent) favors an opposition alternative for the legislative election. The poll shows that the current government of Alberto Fernández has a disapproval rate of 56% whereas the most favored candidate was the mayor of Buenos Aires, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, with a 54% of positive image. (MercoPress)