IndianReuters photojournalist Danish Siddiqui is killed while covering a clash between the Taliban and Afghan government forces on the border with Pakistan. A senior Afghan officer is also killed in the attack. Reuters president Michael Friedenberg and editor-in-chiefAlessandra Galloni say that they are urgently seeking information with authorities in the region. Reports by the government indicate that Siddiqui was killed in Taliban crossfire. (Reuters)
The Eiffel Tower reopens to tourists after a nearly nine-month closure due to the second wave of the pandemic and renovations, which is the longest closure since World War II. However, all visitors over 18 years of age will need to show a Health Pass proving that they have been fully vaccinated, tested negative, or recovered from COVID-19 beginning July 21. (AP)
Indonesia reports a record 1,205 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, 345 of them from East Java, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 71,397. (Liputan6)
The Philippines reports its first death and first locally transmitted cases from the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant in 11 people that were locally infected with the variant and one person who died at a hospital in Manila on June 28. (Al Jazeera English)
Greece imposes new restrictions for access to the hospitality and entertainment sectors to those who have been vaccinated or who have recovered from COVID-19, particularly for those who want to visit indoor spaces like restaurants, bars and cafés. (Greek Reporter)
Russia reports a record for the fourth consecutive day of 799 deaths from COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 146,868. (The Times of India)
The United Kingdom reports 51,870 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the first time that the country has reported more than 50,000 cases since January 15. (BBC News)
Tunisia reports a record 205 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 17,214 deaths. The country also faces shortage of oxygen as hospital struggle with collapse. (Al Jazeera)
Zimbabwe reports a record for the fourth consecutive day of 86 deaths from COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 2,418. (Anadolu Agency)
The state of Victoria enters a lockdown for the fifth time since the pandemic began, after experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases spreading south from the New South Wales outbreak. (The Guardian)
Authorities in Papua New Guinea urge people to get vaccinated as the first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant was confirmed yesterday in the Filipino captain of a ship which was docked in Port Moresby. Currently less than 1% of Papuans are vaccinated. (RNZ)
Argentina begins a five-day mourning period, decreed yesterday by PresidentAlberto Fernández, to honor the more than 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 in the country. All flags are ordered to fly at half-mast. (MercoPress)
The United States Department of the Treasury sanctions eight Chinese officials over the crackdown on Hong Kong pro-democracy activists amid a trial of 47 of them on charges of "subverting state power". (Reuters)
ThaiMinister for JusticeSomsak Thepsuthin announces that the cultivation and export of kratom will be legalized in the country on August 24, barring any constitutional objections. It was previously declassified as an illegal drug in May. (Bangkok Post)
Science and technology
The Hubble Space Telescope is successfully brought back online after a hardware failure with its payload computer on June 13, which left it unable to perform scientific operations for more than a month. (Space.com)