Key Storylines
- AFRICA: Leaders from across Africa arrived in Zambia to attend a memorial service for Kenneth Kaunda, the country’s first president.
- AMERICAS: Around a thousand people were evacuated in western Canada amid several fires brought on by an unprecedented heat wave.
- ASIA: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Canberra will halve the number of foreign arrivals amid new COVID-19 outbreaks of the highly transmissible Delta variant.
- EUROPE: French prosecutors have reportedly opened an investigation into the fashion retailers Uniqlo, Zara, SMCP, and Skechers for the suspected concealment of “crimes against humanity” in China’s Xinjiang region.
- MIDDLE EAST: Iraq suffered from a widespread electricity outage amid a spike in temperatures.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Facebook agreed to provide money for an “innovation fund” for 170 regional Australian newspapers.
Top Story
- Afghanistan: US forces leave Bagram Airfield.
- The US military left the Bagram Airfield, handing over the epicenter of the war against the Taliban and the pursuance of al-Qaeda perpetrators of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to Afghanistan after nearly 20 years.
- NATO forces also left the Bagram Airfield along with US forces.
- The Taliban said they “welcome and support” the departure of all US and NATO forces from the Bagram Airfield.
- Afghan officials said the airfield was the target of local looters before Afghan forces regained control after forces departed overnight without any coordination with local officials.
- President Joe Biden had earlier pledged to take out US forces from Afghanistan by September 11.
- Reporting: AFP, DPA, Reuters, AP, WaPo, BBC
Africa
- Ethiopia: The government urged Tigrayan rebels to join a unilateral ceasefire.(Reuters)
- Libya: UN-backed discussions aimed at holding year-end presidential and parliamentary elections in the country are expected to end today. (Reuters)
- Niger: 13 jihadists belonging to the Boko Haram group were killed in the country’s southeast. (AFP)
- Zambia: Leaders from across Africa arrived in the country to attend a memorial service for Kenneth Kaunda, the country’s first president. (AP)
Americas
- Region: The US named more than 50 current and former government officials from Central American countries who are suspected of corruption or undermining democracy. (AP)
- Canada: Around a thousand people were evacuated in the western region of the country amid several fires brought on by an unprecedented heat wave. (AFP)
- Haiti: Prime Minister Claude Joseph said 15 people including a journalist and an opposition activist, were killed in a “terrorist attack”. (AFP)
- United States: Job growth increased in June as companies upped incentives to lure millions of reluctant unemployed Americans back into the labor force. (Reuters)
- Venezuela: The country’s oil exports slightly increased in June due to expanded sales of upgraded crude. (Reuters)
Asia
- Australia: Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Canberra will halve the number of foreign arrivals amid new COVID-19 outbreaks of the highly transmissible Delta variant. (Reuters)
- China: A court in Hong Kong denied bail to pro-democracy activist Chow Hang-tung. (Reuters)
- India: The country’s official COVID-19 death toll exceeded 400,000, though experts say the actual number of dead could have reached one million or higher. (Reuters)
- Indonesia: Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the government will boost its spending on social assistance and healthcare to tackle the country’s COVID-19 spike and ward off the economic consequences of stricter coronavirus measures and restrictions. (Reuters)
- Turkmenistan: President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov dismissed Mammetkhan Chakiyev from his role as the country’s interior minister. (RFE-RL)
Europe
- Region: The OECD said 130 countries agreed to back a proposed minimum corporate tax rate of at least 15%. (BBC)
- Armenia: The opposition asked the constitutional court to overturn the results of the country’s recent parliamentary elections. (Reuters)
- France: Prosecutors have reportedly opened an investigation into the fashion retailers Uniqlo, Zara, SMCP, and Skechers for the suspected concealment of “crimes against humanity” in China’s Xinjiang region. (Reuters)
- Turkey: Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said negotiations over Ankara’s proposal to operate and secure Afghanistan’s Kabul International Airport were still taking place. (AP)
- United Kingdom: German Chancellor Angela Merkel will make her likely final visit to the country before she leaves office and meet with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Queen Elizabeth. (DPA)
Middle East
- Region: Israel’s military said it struck a weapons manufacturing site in Gaza in response to the launching of incendiary balloons into Israel. (AP)
- Region: France warned Russia that Western countries will stop providing the funding for humanitarian aid if aid deliveries to Syria are not allowed to take place from neighboring countries. (AP)
- Iraq: The country suffered from a widespread electricity outage amid a spike in temperatures. (AP)
- Saudi Arabia: Riyadh is reportedly planning the creation of a new national airline. (Reuters)
Tech & Communications
- Media: Facebook agreed to provide money for an “innovation fund” for 170 regional Australian newspapers. (Reuters)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to report.
- Hurricanes:
- Tropical Storm Elsa
- Location: 70 miles E-SE of Barbados
- Wind: 60 mph
- Movement: W-NW at 24 mph
- Map
- Tropical Storm Elsa
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes:
- Philippines
- The Taal volcano spewed a 0.62-mile-high plume of gas and steam, triggering evacuations.
- Sourcing: CNN
- Philippines
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 02JUL21)
- Confirmed cases: 182,684,395
- Deaths: 3,956,729
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 02JUL21)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (03JUL21)
- Global: UN International Day of Cooperatives – 1994
- Europe: The Aix-en-Provence Economic Forum will be held.
- Belarus: Independence Day – 1944
- China: Foreign Minister Wang Yi will participate in the World Peace Forum being held in the country. (to 04JUL)
- France: The right-wing populist Rassemblement National party will hold a conference.
- Indonesia: The government will implement new emergency COVID-19 measures and restrictions.
- United States: President Joe Biden will visit Traverse City, Michigan.
- United States: Former President Donald Trump is expected to hold a rally in Sarasota, Florida.
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