Axios

Thousands of people protested across Cuba on Sunday against food and medicine shortages during the pandemic, per AP.

Why it matters: It's unusual for demonstrations to be held against the Communist government, which is known for cracking down on dissent. The protests in Havana and elsewhere are the biggest since 1994, when an uprising saw many Cubans leave by sea, the New York Times notes.

The United States is "briskly" and "energetically" looking for "additional options" to combat the threat of future terrorist safe havens in Afghanistan, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said during an appearance on Fox News Sunday.

Why it matters: While President Biden has set an Aug. 31 deadline to end U.S. military operations and Taliban forces continue to gain ground, terrorism experts increasingly fear the resurgence of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is requesting an investigation into allegations by Tucker Carlson that the National Security Agency was spying on him, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The senator sent a letter to Gen. Paul Nakasone of the National Security Agency, casting doubt on the NSA’s public denial of spying on Carlson and defending the Fox News host as a journalist who should be protected by the First Amendment.

Bassem Awadallah, the primary defendant in a sedition case that has shaken Jordan over the past few months, recently alleged that he was tortured while held in detention, his U.S.-based lawyer told the Associated Press on Sunday.

Why it matters: The allegation comes to light on the eve of Monday's verdict, which will decide whether Awadallah, who has American, Jordanian and Saudi citizenship, is guilty of sedition and incitement charges.

The Defense Department is "analyzing" a request by Haitian authorities to send troops to assist in stabilizing the country and protect critical infrastructure following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, according to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.

The latest: No decision has been made, Kirby said during an appearance on Fox News Sunday. "We're analyzing it, just like we would any other request for assistance here at the Pentagon. It's going through a review."

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Sunday urged more rapid distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally, warning that the virus' variants could hinder the worldwide economic recovery, per the New York Times.

The big picture: The comment, made following a meeting in Venice of the finance chiefs of the group of 20 nations, comes as some countries have eased restrictions aimed at curbing the virus.

Australian officials on Sunday announced the country's first COVID-related death this year, and a record 77 new daily cases of the virus in New South Wales, Reuters reports.

Why it matters: Australia has generally fared better in controlling the virus than many developed countries. But it's had a harder time combating the highly-infectious Delta variant, amid a slow vaccine rollout, Reuters writes.

The past few years have seen a marked decline in the number of people migrating from the U.S. to Mexico, according to a new Pew Research Center report.

Why it matters: Mexico has long been the largest country of origin for immigrants in the U.S. However, there was even more migration from the U.S. to Mexico in the 2000s and early 2010s— a trend that reversed in the years before the pandemic.

China's President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un spoke of "hostile forces" as they vowed to strengthen ties on Sunday ahead of the 60th anniversary of the countries' treaty of friendship, per KCNA.

Why it matters: The report by the state-run North Korean news agency is meant as a message to the U.S. amid stalled nuclear talks and escalating tensions between Washington and Pyongyang, as well as Washington and Beijing, analysts said, according to AFP.

The huge informal economy and dependence on tourism in Latin America has made controlling the spread of the coronavirus harder.

Why it matters: Around half the workers in Latin America and the Caribbean depend on the income they make from unregulated, precarious and untaxed jobs and businesses, without the cushion of contracts or social security benefits.

Designers in Denmark this week finished constructing the world's tallest sandcastle, standing approximately 69 feet tall, the Guardian reports.

State of play: The castle — for which designers used close to 5,000 pounds of sand — is more than 9 feet taller than the structure built in Germany in 2019, which previously held the title.

Ethiopia's ruling Prosperity Party has been declared the winner of last month's election, securing another five-year term for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, AP reports.

Why it matters: The vote served as a test for Abiy, who came to power in 2018. Many viewed the election as a chance for him to gain democratic legitimacy and for Ethiopia to hold its first free and fair election, Axios' Dave Lawler writes.

RoseAnne Archibald this week was elected the new national chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), CBC reports.

Why it matters: Archibald is the first woman elected to the role. The AFN represents 634 First Nations with 900,000 members.

The U.S. sent 500,000 COVID vaccine doses to Moldova, White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced on Friday.

State of play: The U.S. Embassy in Moldova said the country would receive Johnson & Johnson shots, and the first 150,000 are set to arrive on Monday, AP reports.

Long-standing corruption in Latin America has hindered vaccination campaigns and health care responses.

The big picture: These scandals include inflated prices for unusable ventilators purchased by Bolivia, price gouging for N95 masks in Argentina, and a botched acquisition of emergency field hospitals that took over six months to be operational in Honduras.

A "cyber disruption" caused websites of Iran's transport and urbanization ministry to lose service on Saturday, according to AP.

The big picture: This is the second abnormality in computer systems related to the ministry, per AP.

Tokyo reported a total of 950 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, the highest daily number since May 7.

The big picture: The world is closely watching Japan's case count, as the summer Olympics are due to begin in Tokyo on July 23. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared a state of emergency in Tokyo following a surge in cases, which will begin on Monday until August 22. Restaurants and bars will be required to suspend alcohol sales during that time.

A suicide car bomb that targeted a government official in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, has left at least nine people dead and another eight injured, AP reports.

State of play: A spokesperson for al-Shabab, an extremist group that has been linked to Al-Qaeda, told Reuters that it was responsible for the attack. A Somali police spokesperson said Mogadishu's police commissioner, Farhan Mohamud Qaroleh, was the target of the attack, adding that he is safe, per AP.

Sunday's snap parliamentary elections in Bulgaria pit the man who has dominated the Balkan country's politics for a decade against an insurgent party led by a popular TV host.

The big picture: Former longtime Prime Minister Boyko Borissov failed to form a government after an inconclusive election in April, which followed massive protests last year over corruption and Borissov's alleged mafia ties.

The Vatican announced Saturday that Pope Francis' recovery from his surgery last week is "satisfactory," adding that he is gradually resuming his responsibilities.

What they're saying: The Pope is "gradually resuming work and continues to stroll in the corridor of the apartment. In the afternoon, he celebrated Holy Mass in the private chapel and in the evening he dined with those who are assisting him during these days," said Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office.