Portal:Current events/2021 July 3

July 3, 2021 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Iran–Israel proxy conflict
- An Israeli cargo vessel travelling towards the United Arab Emirates in the northern Indian Ocean is struck by an "unknown weapon" and damaged. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Iran is blamed. (Jerusalem Post)
Israel-Gaza conflict
- In response to arson balloons launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel, the Israeli Air Force strikes Hamas military targets in Gaza. (i24NEWS)

Business and economy

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation, COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
- Aerolíneas Argentinas and low-cost carrier Flybondi resume domestic flights in Argentina after a 15 month suspension due to COVID-19 restrictions. The first flights to resume are between Córdoba and the southern city of Bariloche, and from Córdoba and Rosario to San Martín de los Andes. (MercoPress)

Disasters and accidents

2021 Atami landslide
- Two people are killed and at least 20 others are missing after mudslides damage dozens of houses in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. The military is deployed to the area as Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga organizes an emergency task team. (BBC News)
European migrant crisis
- At least 43 migrants die in the Mediterranean Sea during a shipwreck. The boat had departed from Zuwara, Libya, carrying migrants from Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea and Bangladesh. Eighty-four others were rescued, according to the Red Crescent. (Reuters)
2021 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Elsa downgrades to a Tropical Storm and heads towards the Dominican Republic and Haiti followed by Cuba, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica and the U.S. state of Florida. Heavy rains and high winds are expected. (CNN)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Community Activities Restrictions Enforcement
      - Indonesia begins to implement emergency community restrictions in most cities and regencies in the islands of Java and Bali, requiring non-essential businesses and places of worship to close as well as requiring a vaccination card for domestic travel as part of measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Kompas)
    - Indonesia reports a record for the fourth consecutive day of 27,913 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2.25 million. (detikHealth)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - COVID-19 vaccination in India
      - Phase-III trials of the Covaxin vaccine from India's Bharat Biotech showed a 65.2% efficacy against the Delta variant, a 77.8% efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19, and a 93.4% efficacy against severe COVID-19. (Khaleej Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    - Malaysian movement control order
      - Malaysia imposes an enhanced movement control order in 34 mukims in Selangor and 14 localities in Kuala Lumpur that would not allow residents to leave their home after 8:00 p.m. except for emergency reasons. The EMCO is in effect until July 16. (The Edge Markets)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan
    - Tajikistan becomes the first country to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for adults. (TASS)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
    - Vietnam reports a record 922 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 19,043. (Vietnam News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    - Lockdown restrictions are lifted in Perth and surrounding towns after a decrease in the number of new cases. Masks are still mandatory in indoor settings, private gatherings are limited to 10 people, and public gatherings are limited to 20 people. Restrictions also lift in Brisbane. (ABC Australia)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji
    - The test positivity rate in Fiji increases to 9.5% amid an increase in the number of cases since the April outbreak. The country has so far reported 5,253 COVID-19 cases as the opposition National Federation Party condemns the alleged mishandling of the pandemic. (RNZ)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
  - Russia reports a record for the fifth consecutive day of 697 deaths from COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 137,262. (Barron's)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, COVID-19 vaccination in South Africa
  - The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority approves the usage of the Coronavac vaccine made by Sinovac under certain conditions. (Bloomberg)

Law and crime

A court in the Holy See indicts ten people, including Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, on embezzlement, money laundering, fraud, extortion and abuse of office. Pope Francis personally approved the indictments. (Reuters)