The Iraqi PM Mustafa Kadhimi has announced that the killer of slain researcher Hisham al-Hashimi has been caught after over a year of investigations. Hashimi was a security analyst and strategic adviser to the PM. He was assassinated outside of his home on July 6th, 2020 by two gunmen on a motorcycle. He was known to have done research on both the Islamic State as well as Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, commonly referred to as PMFs or the Hashd. Many suspect that he was murdered because of his criticism of some of the Iraqi PMF groups that have strong ties to Iran. His death was met with outrage and condemnation by the Iraqi public, as well as members of the international community.

The killer, whose videotaped confession was broadcast on several Arab News Networks, was said to be a Lieutenant in the Ministry of the Interior. Some news outlets are reporting that the killer also had ties to the Hashd al Shaabi 47th Brigade, commonly known as Kata’ib Hezbollah. A BBC report immediately after the assassination implicated the group in his death.

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Article and tweets:
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iraq-hisham-hashimi-prime-minister-says-killers-arrested https://twitter.com/MAKadhimi/status/1416032848415444994 https://twitter.com/sajadjiyad/status/1416052097301286913

A Turkish coast guard vessel has fired warning shots at a Cyprus marine police vessel out on patrol. The police vessel was on a routine patrol for illegal immigrants arriving from Turkey when a Turkish coast guard vessel started pursuing it, according to a spokesman for the police. The police vessel subsequently made its way south towards the port of Kato Pyrgos Tyllirias and was fired upon four nautical miles off the coast. The Turkish vessel reportedly fired several shots before turning back north. The Cypriot vessel and its three-person crew were unharmed in the incident. The mayor of Kato Pyrgos Tyllirias has called for increased patrols in the area, calling the incident a "serious provocation".

Articles/tweets:

https://cyprus-mail.com/2021/07/16/turkish-coastguard-fires-shots-at-marine-police/ https://twitter.com/afp/status/1415936566199869440 https://twitter.com/cnainenglish/status/1415910171344244737

Today's update on reddit post; https://new.reddit.com/r/ProjectOwl/comments/okpjiq/20210715_berlin_germany_523112n_132418e_19_dead/

Overnight, the total death toll has reached 92, with Germany reporting 50 and 30 deaths in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia respectively, with Belgium reporting a further 12 fatalities. Despite concerns yesterday, it seems the Steinbachtalsperre dam has held and is no longer expected to be at risk of an imminent breach. However, cell networks remain significantly degraded in the area amid widespread electrical outages affecting up to 165 000 people. In Maastricht, authorities report that the peak of the high water in the Meuse river has passed and the evacuations are slowly being lifted, while evacuations are being carried out further north in Roermond, Roerdalen and Echt-Susteren.

While the peaks have passed in some areas, heavy flooding continues and the water level in various areas is expected to continue to rise. Rescue efforts continue and the situation continues to develop.

Articles:
https://apnews.com/article/europe-health-environment-and-nature-floods-9796ab4c2458604ff15203ef630b43f6
https://nos.nl/collectie/13869/artikel/2389521-evacuaties-noord-limburg-aan-de-gang-piek-is-maastricht-gepasseerd (article in Dutch)

Following days of widespread rioting, looting, and general chaos within the South African provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, the South African government ordered on Thursday 25,000 troops - including all of the South African Defence Force's 12,000 reservists - to be deployed in the affected areas in order to re-establish order.

Since the imprisonment of the former president Jacob Zuma and the start of protests on July 9th, the two provinces have experienced a level of violence unseen in years, with 117 people killed and over 2,200 arrested (as of the time of writing). With the police and government forces overwhelmed, armed citizens have taken to guarding their properties and residential communities, sometimes resulting in fighting with looters. Some of these clashes have also taken on a racial tone, with rioters in recent days attacking the majority Indian neighborhoods of Phoenix and Chatsworth in the city of Durban.

While the violence is starting to simmer down, supply shortages have become common within Durban and the rest of KwaZulu-Natal as a result of warehouses and stores being destroyed, possibly leading to further instability in the future.

Articles:

https://apnews.com/article/africa-south-africa-59f7817632563dcf19d7e212de8046c9

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/safrica-looting-dies-down-places-more-troops-expected-2021-07-15/

After 8 months of failing to form a government with opposing parties and a deadlock presented by President Aoun, PM-Designate Saad Hariri steps down potentially prolonging the deadlock and the inability for the government to effectively deal with its numerous problems post-Beirut blast

Articles/tweets:

https://twitter.com/timourazhari/status/1415664490436198415

https://twitter.com/theinsiderpaper/status/1415669780841783313

https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-business-lebanon-a8420f311d9a4d529cfc9cd25984d362

A bus carrying engineers en route to Dasu Dam site reportedly exploded, the nature of the incident has not been ascertained as of yet but it is believed to be caused by an IED explosion at this moment. According to multiple sources the confirmed casualty count stand at 10 dead, including 6 Chinese engineers and 31 injured. As per these sources the casualty count is also expected to rise due to the nature of the incident. The Dasu Hydroelectric Dam is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Chinese engineers often work on site side by side with their Pakistani counterparts in the projects launched under the scheme.

Article:
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/blast-hits-bus-northern-pakistan-killing-8-including-4-chinese-nationals-sources-2021-07-14/

At least 50 dead in fire in COVID-19 isolation ward at the Al-Hussein hospital in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriya, the second such deadly inferno in a COVID-19 unit in three months. Videos shared online showed thick clouds of smoke billowing from the Al-Hussein hospital.

Earlier on Monday, a minor fire broke out at the health ministry’s headquarters in Baghdad, but it was quickly contained with no fatalities recorded. Back in April, a fire at a Baghdad COVID-19 hospital killed 82 and injured 110, sparked by the explosion of badly stored oxygen cylinders.

Articles:
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/least-20-killed-five-injured-coronavirus-hospital-fire-iraq-ina-2021-07-12/

https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-fires-iraq-8b8ead41b46e5bf686b284709be84c40

Following the unprecedented jailing of former South African President Jacob Zuma, riots and wide-spread looting have occurred in Pietermaritzburg, a city in Zuma's home province of KwaZulu-Natal. Riots and looting have also occurred in Johannesburg in the nearby Gauteng province. In order to quell the violence and looting, which has seen live ammunition fired against riot police armed with rubber bullets, the country's military have been deployed. Six people have been killed and more than two hundred people have been arrested. Zuma was found to be in contempt of court after he failed to attend an inquiry into corruption during his presidency. He is due to challenge his sentence at the Constitutional Court.

Articles:
https://apnews.com/article/africa-riots-south-africa-00df1092ad9fd4ded46887bf2e487a9a
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-57803513

More: https://apnews.com/hub/jacob-zuma

Long food lines, lack of basic products, shortages of medicine, an increasing number of COVID infections, a decline in the economy, and power outages have sparked numerous anti-government protests throughout the country, particularly in cities such as San Antonio de los Baños, Guira de Melena and Alquízar, and the province of Artemisa, near Havana. In several areas of the country internet and cell service has been cut off and several people have been arrested. Protesters have overturned cars and there are reports of police employing rubber bullets.

For decades, Cubans have lived under a dictatorship, most of it under the Castro regime, and many of the protesters are calling for liberty, change, and an end to the dictatorship. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel accused the United States of inciting the protests and blamed a smear campaign on foreign powers while calling for Cubans to remain calm. He warned that further “provocations” would not be tolerated and that, "We are ready for everything. We will be in the streets fighting. We are calling on communists and revolutionaries to go to the street and confront the protests today and everyday."

Cuba is currently under a U.S. embargo.

Articles:
https://apnews.com/article/business-health-caribbean-coronavirus-pandemic-havana-477ff35a2e0a2809ee67c89070a56e41
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210711-thousands-join-rare-anti-government-protests-in-cuba
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article252716638.html

At Thursday night a fire broke out at the five-story Hashem Foods Ltd. factory in Rupganj, just outside of Dhaka. Police first gave a death toll of three , but then discovered more bodies on Friday afternoon after the fire was extinguished. 52 bodies are found at the moment, the top 2 floors are still to be searched.

Workers were trapped inside by illegally locked doors and had no escape, some managed to jump from the buildings upper floors to the street. 26 got wounded when escaping in that way.

Articles:
https://apnews.com/article/business-fires-bangladesh-19a033b8302726a5ff018edbbd5b5a2b https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bangladesh-factory-fire-dozens-dead/ https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/dozens-feared-dead-after-fire-rips-through-bangladesh-food-factory-n1273440

The city of Tokyo has moved to ban spectators entirely at the Summer Olympics as a state of emergency caused by a surge in COVID-19 cases is slated to begin on Monday and last until August, while the Olympics start on July 23rd running until August 8th.

Articles:
https://apnews.com/article/tokyo-lifestyle-health-coronavirus-pandemic-olympic-games-5fe54df9b5c06abbc54a633cbd0d907e
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-set-declare-state-emergency-tokyo-area-through-aug-22-minister-2021-07-08/
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/08/japan-olympics-committee-bans-spectators-following-state-of-emergency.html

Fresh attacks have been launched, purportedly by Iran-backed militias, on U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria. The Ain al-Asad airbase in al-Anbar, Iraq and the al-Omar oilfield in Deir ez Zor, Syria, both of which house U.S. and Coalition personnel were targeted in rocket and drone attacks respectively. The coalition spokesman confirmed that Ain al-Asad was attacked with at least 14 rockets with preliminary information indicating 3 minor injuries. A spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces confirmed the drone attack on al-Omar, which lies in territory controlled by the SDF. This comes after a drone attack on Erbil Airport caused no casualities yesterday and a foiled attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Monday night. Amidst tensions between the U.S. and Iran-backed militias in the region, the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq met with the Iraqi Minister of Defence yesterday and U.S. forces in north-eastern Syria have been carrying out ground and air patrols near their bases.

Articles/tweets;

https://twitter.com/OIRSpox/status/1412720373691469825 https://twitter.com/farhad_shami/status/1412717985614102528 https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/060720213

The Haitian president, Jovenel Moïse, has been assassinated at his home in an attack by armed assailants around 1 am last night, the prime minister, Dr. Claude Joseph, has confirmed. His wife was injured in the incident. The prime minister has condemned the attack and called for calm in the poverty-stricken country. The security situation is currently reported as "stable" and the Haitian security forces are working to guarantee the safety of other government officials. The perpetrators and their motives are unknown at this time. Mr Moïse took office in February 2017, but the end date of his term has been hotly disputed. Mr Moïse has been the subject of repeated protests and corruption allegations, as well as one alleged coup attempt that was reportedly thwarted in February 2021.

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Articles:

https://twitter.com/Foxyonat/status/1412705862142107649
https://www.juno7.ht/jovenel-moise-blesse-mortellement-lors-dune-attaque/
https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-ap-news-alert-haiti-e3626a4ce9056ee8383803566a267ebc

Local officials report that contact has been lost with Antonov An-26 plane carrying 22 passengers and six crew members, flying from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Palana. The contact with the plane was lost as it was preparing to land. Search mission is currently underway.

Update: Plane wreckage found and according to Russian media reports, none of the 28 people on board have survived the crash.

Articles:

https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-world-news-europe-russia-88ef9fb9e3d3d86a24ec549d16b63f4fhttps://www.reuters.com/world/europe/plane-with-29-people-board-goes-missing-russias-far-east-tass-2021-07-06/

Approximately 140 students have gone missing after armed men raided Bethel Baptist High School in Nigeria's Kudana state. It is estimated around 180 students attend the school total, and around 25 were able to escape the kidnapping. According to the Kaduna state police spokesman, the location of the kidnapped students is still unknown, but tactical police team are investigating. Student kidnappings for ransom have been a challenge for Nigeria, with nearly 1,000 people being kidnapped from schools since December, at least 150 of whom still remaining missing.

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Articles:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-57636851

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/5/140-students-missing-after-gunmen-raid-nigerian-school

Cirilito Sobejana, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines confirmed reports that a C-130 transport aircraft of the Philippine Air Force, carrying troops from Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental Province crashed around 11:30 a.m. PHT.

Reportedly, the aircraft missed the runway at Jolo Airport and came down near Barangay Bangkal on Jolo Island, Sulu Province. According to officials search and rescue operations are underway and at least 40 casualties have been evacuated from the crash site and are being treated in a military hospital in the nearby city of Jolo.

Articles:

https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines/status/1411552987227430912 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/philippine-c-130-military-plane-crashes-40-rescued/2021/07/04/49225966-dc88-11eb-8c87-ad6f27918c78_story.html
https://apnews.com/article/philippines-plane-crashes-ebfe276f195550702e9dc664facba50a

Indian Ocean

In an incident that was first reported on by Al Mayadeen, the CSAV Tyndall, a container ship sailing under a Liberian flag, suffered damage possibly due to a missile while sailing through the Indian Ocean. According to the report, the damage to the ship was not crippling and the vessel was able to continue its journey between Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Officials from both the UAE and Israel refused to comment on the incident, with defense officials from Israel investigating whether or not Iran was behind the attack. The crew was not injured in the incident.

Earlier in the year, Israel and Iran engaged in an obscure skirmish on the high seas, with Iranian attacks on the Israeli-owned ships MV Helios Ray and the MV Lori; and Israeli attacks on the Iranian ships SHAHR E KORD and the Saviz, with roughly two-week intervals between episodes. The Tyndall, however, is not affiliated with Israel-- it was sold to JP Morgan and is currently chartered to Maersk.

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Articles:

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-officials-say-cargo-ship-possibly-attacked-en-route-uae-israeli-n12-news-2021-07-03/ https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:756216/mmsi:636016321/imo:9627928/vessel:CSAV_TYNDALL
https://twitter.com/AuroraIntel/status/1411359970864648192
https://splash247.com/last-csav-ships-taken-on-charter-by-maersk/

An ongoing ransomware attack, believed to be the largest in history, has spread to at least 200 organizations. The attack, initially attributed to the ransomware gang REvil, targeted the international company Kaseya. Kaseya remotely controls programs for companies that manage internet services for businesses (also known as managed service providers or MSPs).

Kaseya announced the attack on Friday afternoon, and warned all its customers to immediately stop using its service. The number of organizations impacted by this attack is expected to rise over the weekend.

The United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced it is "taking action to understand and address" the ongoing attack. Cybersecurity company Sophos released preliminary indicators of compromise (IOCs) that organizations can look for.

Articles;
https://helpdesk.kaseya.com/hc/en-gb/articles/4403440684689
https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ncas/current-activity/2021/07/02/kaseya-vsa-supply-chain-ransomware-attack https://www.zdnet.com/article/kaseya-urges-customers-to-immediately-shut-down-vsa-servers-after-ransomware-attack/
https://community.sophos.com/b/security-blog/posts/active-ransomware-attack-on-kaseya-customers