Portal:Current events/2021 June 30

June 30, 2021 (Wednesday)

Disasters and accidents

The head of the World Food Programme, David Beasley, warns of a "biblical" famine due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and says that the disaster already exists in Ethiopia, Madagascar, South Sudan and Yemen whilst he warns the conditions are of "particular concern" in Nigeria and Burkina Faso. (Deccan Herald)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia
    - Cambodia reports a record 1,130 new cases and 27 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 50,385 and the nationwide death toll to 602. (Khmer Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Laos
    - Laos reports its first three imported cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant in Champasack, who were migrant workers travelled from Thailand. (The Laotian Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in North Korea
    - North Korea leader Kim Jong-un warns of a "grave incident" in the country's COVID-19 outbreak. (The Washington Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
    - Thailand reports a record 53 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 2,023. (Bangkok Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - The Northern Territory lockdown extends to the town of Alice Springs as coronavirus spreads from the Darwin cluster. (The Guardian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
  - Russia reports a record 669 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours for the second day a row, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 135,214. (Barron's)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
  - United Kingdom reports 26,068 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single-day daily cases since January 29. (Sky News)
China is declared malaria-free by the WHO, following an eradication effort that began in 1950. (DW)

Law and crime

Women's rights in Yemen
- The trial of Yemeni actress and model Intisar al-Hammadi begins in Sanaa. She stands accused of "indecent act" for posting photos of her without a headscarf on social media. al-Hammadi was arrested in February by Houthi authorities. Human Rights Watch denounces the trial as unfair and says that she was subjected to physical and verbal abuse, racist insults and forced to sign documents while blindfolded while being threatened to undergo a virginity test. (BBC)
Bill Cosby sexual assault cases
- Former American comedian Bill Cosby is released from prison after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction. (AP)

Politics and elections

President of Algeria Abdelmadjid Tebboune appoints Minister of Finance Aïmene Benabderrahmane as the new Prime Minister. (Al Jazeera)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, COVID-19 vaccine
- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga pledges help to the Cook Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Niue and Tonga to boost their health systems while vowing the leaders of said Pacific nations to host a "safe and secure" 2020 Summer Olympics. (Kyodo News)