Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen says that the Islamist group "does not want to monopolize" Afghanistan, pointing to past failed attempts by countries to do so. Shaheen also says that women's rights under the Taliban would now be respected, although women would still need to wear a headscarf or hijab and have a male relative as a companion in order to leave their house. Shaheen also accused PresidentAshraf Ghani of being a "warmonger" and said that "no one wants a civil war in Afghanistan". (Al Jazeera)
Burundian Minister for Mining Ibrahim Uwizeye suspends the operations of several international mining companies, including one running the only rare-earth mine in Africa, saying they were not properly sharing the profits and that the mining contracts signed were "unbalanced". (Africanews)(Xinhua)
Indonesia reports a record 38,988 recoveries and 1,566 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 2.43 million and the nationwide death toll to 80,598. (detikNews)
The Philippines announces an entry ban for all travelers from Malaysia and Thailand due to the threat of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant. These restrictions will take effect on July 25. (GMA News)
Thailand reports a record for the third consecutive day of 14,575 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 467,707. (Bangkok Post)
New South Wales declares a "national emergency" of their state COVID-19 outbreak caused by the Delta variant after 136 new cases are reported in the past 24 hours. (ABC Australia)
Fiji isolates 87 crew and passengers on an inter-islands ship due to COVID-19. The ship's people have been the latest of around 4,000 people infected with COVID-19 who have been turned away from hospitals due to a lack of beds. (RNZ)
Cuba reports a record for the second consecutive day of 7,784 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 316,383. (Xinhuanet)
St. Louis and St. Louis County will reimpose their mask mandate for residents in indoor public places and on transportation as part of an attempt to reduce the spread of the Lineage B.1.617 SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant. The order will be in effect on July 26. (The Hill)
Germany's Robert Koch Institute declares the Netherlands and Spain as "high-incidence areas", which means that most people arriving from those countries who are unvaccinated will have to go into quarantine beginning on July 27. (ABC)
Montenegro closes all discos and nightclubs as well as bans all indoor gatherings and music festivals due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. Nightclubs could be reopened on August 2, but only for those who have been vaccinated, tested negative, or who have recovered from COVID-19. (N1)
Madagascar officials announce that two French citizens arrested over a plot to kill President Andry Rajoelina are former members of the French Armed Forces. The Government of France says that it is working with its consulate in Madagascar as the French military says that it has no comments on the arrests. (Reuters)
A 32-year-old Florida man is sentenced to life in prison plus 90 years for murdering his girlfriend and daughter in 2018. The sentencing judge describes the 2018 Riverview killings as the "worst case [she's] ever seen". (ABC Action News)