The Taliban captures Zaranj, the provincial capital of Nimruz Province, making it the first major capture of a provincial city by the group since the 2001 invasion. A spokesperson for the local police confirms that the city has fallen into Taliban control and blames the lack of reinforcements of military from the central government. (The West Australia)
Lebanese Druze villagers confront the Hezbollah rocket-launch convoy after it fires at Israel, accusing the militant group of endangering them by firing projectiles near civilian houses. The Lebanese Army later confiscates the launcher and arrests four suspects. (The Times of Israel)(Reuters)
Mass evacuations are carried out in the northern suburbs of Athens as wildfires continue to burn on the outskirts of the capital. A volunteer firefighter is killed by a fallen electricity pylon, while another man dies in a factory. Twenty more people are wounded. (BBC News)
The village of Monte Lake is destroyed by the fast-moving White Rock Lake wildfire, while the city of Kamloops places several of its southern neighbourhoods on evacuation alert. Around 300 fires are currently burning in British Columbia. (The Guardian)
Severe fires erupt across the region of Calabria, Italy, killing two people in Reggio Calabria. The country is battling several fires, mainly in the centre-south regions and on the two islands. (Il Fatto Quotidiano)
Malaysia reports a record for the third consecutive day of 20,889 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,224,595. (CNA)
Indoor dining and other leisure activities will resume in Singapore for fully vaccinated individuals in groups of up to five people beginning on August 10. (CNA)
Sri Lanka suspends state festivals and public gatherings until September 1 and restricts the number of people to 25 for funerals and 150 for weddings amid an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. (France 24)
Thailand reports a record for the third consecutive day of 21,379 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 714,684. The country also reports a record 191 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 5,854. (Bangkok Post)
Greece imposes a curfew and a full ban on music in entertainment venues on the islands of Crete and Zakynthos in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. These measures will be in effect until August 13. (Reuters)
Italy begins to introduce the "Green Pass" where people over the age of 12 must present proof of vaccination of at least one dose, a negative test from the previous 48 hours, or having recovered from COVID-19 in order to enter gyms, theatres and bars, dine in at restaurants, and participate in some leisure activities. (ABC News)
Prime MinisterScott Morrison states there will be no further laws on the Commonwealth or state levels requiring vaccines in certain workplaces and this will instead be left up to individual businesses to decide. (The Guardian)