The United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of the ratification of the U.S. Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Source:
BBC News 
July 4
Arts and culture
Politics and elections
Slovaks vote in a referendum to decide whether to cancel life payments for prime ministers after their terms expire and whether to reopen the office of an anti-corruption agency.
Source:
The Washington Post
International relations
A Russian cultural center in Chișinău, Moldova, closes after the government orders its shutdown, citing security concerns linked to Russian influence and drone incidents amid strained bilateral relations.
Source:
Reuters
Armed conflicts and attacks
Oman reaches an agreement with France and the United Kingdom to ensure safe navigation through the country's waterways including the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz.
Source:
CNBC
The Al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin and Tuareg Azawad Liberation Front separatists launch coordinated attacks on the Malian communes and towns of Aguelhok, Anéfis, Gao, and Sévaré. The Malian army says it has repelled the assaults, while local sources report continuing fighting.
Source:
AFP via France 24
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces deny Russia's claim that it captured Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast, yesterday, saying Ukrainian forces still control the city and continue defensive operations there.
Source:
Reuters
Disasters and accidents
Sports
In tennis, Alexandra Eala becomes the first Filipino singles player to reach the fourth round of a major tournament after defeating defending champion Iga Świątek in the third round of the Wimbledon Championships women's singles.
Source:
AP
July 3
Disasters and accidents
In Pakistan, a bus en route from Quetta to Islamabad plunges into a deep roadside ditch in Sherani District, Balochistan, killing 40 people and injuring eight others.
Source:
Reuters
Four people are killed, ten are missing and eight others are injured during the collision of a car with a bus, carrying Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan, on the Kabul–Nangarhar highway in Laghman Province, Afghanistan.
Source:
Pajhwok
Health and environment
The French health agency reports that over 2,025 people in France have died in heat waves last month between June 22 and June 28.
Source:
Le Monde
Heat waves are reported across the eastern and central United States, with 23 U.S. states placed under heat warnings by the National Weather Service.
Source:
KGW
Politics and elections
The state funeral of former Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an airstrike on his compound by Israel and the United States during the first day of the Iran war on February 28, begins as his body lies in state at Tehran's Grand Mosalla. The funeral is expected to draw millions of attendees, including foreign dignitaries.
Source:
Reuters
Armenia's parliament passes a law requiring citizens living abroad to meet stricter residency rules before voting, following reports of Russian efforts to influence the June election through Armenians living in Russia.
Source:
Reuters
Source:
Politico
Sports
In association football, Egypt advances to the round of 16 of a FIFA World Cup for the first time after defeating Australia 4–2 on penalties, following a 1–1 draw after extra time, in the round of 32.
Source:
RFI
Argentine forward and captain Lionel Messi becomes the first player to make 30 FIFA World Cup appearances, score 20 World Cup goals, and score in eight consecutive World Cup matches (including the previous edition), after scoring in the team's 3–2 victory against Cape Verde in the round of 32. The match became regarded as one of the greatest FIFA World Cup matches ever.
Source:
[1]
Armed conflicts and attacks
Ukraine declares a day of mourning for the victims of the Russian bombardment of Kyiv on July 2 as the death toll rises to 30.
Russo-Ukrainian war (2022–present)Russian attacks on civilians in the Russo-Ukrainian war (2022–present)Kyiv strikes (2022–present)
Source:
DW
Russian missile and drone strikes kill at least five people and injure ten others across Ukraine, including three people in Sumy when a drone struck their apartment building.
Russo-Ukrainian war (2022–present)Russian attacks on civilians in the Russo-Ukrainian war (2022–present)
Source:
Al Jazeera
Ukrainian forces strike nine substations across Russian-occupied Crimea causing power outages. Saky air base and Gvardeyskoye air base are also targeted with seven jets destroyed or damaged.
Source:
Reuters
Russia reports that its forces have captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka, Donetsk Oblast.
Source:
AFP via NDTV
United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk issues a "red alert" warning in El-Obeid, North Kordofan, Sudan, of a "catastrophe" and violence in the city.
Source:
ModernGhana
Sudanese foreign minister Mohi El-Din Salem says that the Sudanese government is ready to engage in "sincere initiatives" aimed at ending the civil war that started in April 2023. He also says that initiatives submitted by Sovereign Council chairman and military head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to the United Nations last year must be a part of this process.
Source:
AA
The Israeli military and Shin Bet state that Hamas militant Muhammad Na'im Jandiya, who allegedly took part in taking hostages during the attack on the Nahal Oz kibbutz in the October 7 attacks on Israel, has been killed in an airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip, violating the ongoing ceasefire.
Source:
Ynetnews
Two policemen, including an additional station house officer, are killed, while a driver is injured, as gunmen open fire on a mobile patrol vehicle in Mohmand District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Source:
Dawn
July 2
Sports
In tennis, Alexandra Eala becomes the first Filipino woman to reach the third round of a Grand Slam tournament after defeating Australian player Maya Joint in the Wimbledon women's singles tournament. She will face reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Świątek next.
Source:
WTA
Armed conflicts and attacks
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says that they have killed five members of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan near Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan, Iran.
Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present)2026 Iran war2026 Kurdish–Iranian crisisWestern Iran clashes (2026–present)
Source:
Reuters
Israeli defense minister Israel Katz reports that the military has demolished 83% of Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip.
Source:
Ynetnews
Seven Palestinians are injured in an Israeli strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip.
Source:
Middle East Eye
The Israeli military says that the Egoz Unit commando group has killed a Hezbollah militant who emerged from a underground tunnel in Ali al-Taher in southern Lebanon.
Source:
The Times of Israel
Nine people are killed and 22 others are injured in a bombing at a coffeehouse in Damascus, Syria. No group has claimed responsibility.
Source:
Al Jazeera
Russian forces launch a major ballistic missile and drone attack on Kyiv, Ukraine, killing at least 30 people and injuring 98 others, and forcing more than 50,000 civilians to shelter underground.
Source:
Kyiv Independent
The West Papua National Liberation Army says it set fire to a plane that landed with eight people in Highland Papua, Indonesia, after shooting and killing its American pilot. The Indonesian military announces the recovery of his body and that the plane's seven Papuan passengers returned unharmed.
Source:
Reuters
Disasters and accidents
Sixteen people are killed and 20 others are injured when a passenger bus overturns in Dutywa, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Source:
CTV News
Nine monks are killed and 13 others are injured, including three critically, when an 11-year-old boy drives a pickup truck into a pilgrimage walk in Mukdahan province, Thailand.
Source:
AP
Health and environment
Source:
BBC News
The World Health Organization says that Uganda has confirmed a Marburg virus case in a toddler in the Kyegegwa District during Ebola surveillance, with authorities monitoring contacts and reporting no symptoms among them.
Source:
Jamaica Observer
Politics and elections
Algerians vote for 407 seats of the People's National Assembly amid a cost-of-living crisis and candidate bans upon the Hirak movement.
Source:
AP
A man protesting against the annexation of Tibet by China lights himself on fire outside of the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City, United States. He is transported to Bellevue Hospital where he dies from his injuries.
Source:
CTV News
International relations
Canadian prime minister Mark Carney and Philippine president Bongbong Marcos agree to upgrade bilateral relations to a strategic partnership during a meeting in Vancouver.
Source:
NHK
The United Nations announces that it will close its human rights office in Burkina Faso after the country's military junta indefinitely suspends its operations, preventing the office from carrying out its mandate.
Source:
Reuters
Arts and culture
The Holy See excommunicates the entire clergy of the Society of Saint Pius X for consecrating four bishops yesterday without the Pope's permission, barring the group from officiating marriages and hearing confessions. The Catholic laity are also warned that they will also be excommunicated if they attend SSPX masses.
Source:
Vatican News
Law and crime
Taiwanese prosecutors detain two Supermicro employees in an investigation into alleged document forgery and shipments of Nvidia artificial intelligence servers to China in violation of U.S. export controls.
Source:
The Manila Times
Spain's National Court charges the Civil Guard's director-general Mercedes González Fernández and her deputy with the offences of abuse of office and obstruction of justice in connection with the ruling PSOE's alleged operation against judges and prosecutors investigating cases of corruption involving party members.
Source:
Demócrata
Police clash with demonstrators in Albania during a protest against the government and the Sazan Island Resort project.
Source:
AP