Portal:Current events/2018 July 30

• Syrian Civil War
  • 2018 Southern Syria offensive
    • The Syrian Army seizes control of Al-Shajara, described as ISIL's "main bastion" in the Daraa Governorate. (The New Arab)
  • The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reports that ISIL militants are holding more than 30 Druze women and children hostage following last week's attacks on Druze villages in the As-Suwayda Governorate. (BBC)

• Economy of Iran
  • The Iranian rial hits another record low against the US dollar ahead of August 7, when the first round of fresh United States sanctions against Iran begin. (Al Jazeera)

• 15 people are killed and over 25,000 are affected after heavy floods hits Nigeria. (All Africa)
• 11 people died and 54,000 others are displaced when floods hits Myanmar. (DNA India)
• 13 people are killed and four others are injured in a road accident involving a car and a truck in Quang Nam, Vietnam. (VietnamPlus)
• A man died and 12 others were hospitalized when the West Nile virus spread across Italy. (Fidelity News)

• Italy–United States relations
  • U.S. President Donald Trump hosts Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at the White House. (USA Today)
• North Korea–United States relations
  • Intelligence officials in the United States share evidence that North Korea has continued to develop nuclear weapons, despite promises made at the 2018 North Korea–United States summit. (Washington Post)

• Cannabis in Georgia
  • Following a campaign led by Georgian politician Zurab Japaridze, the Constitutional Court of Georgia legalizes cannabis for recreational use. Georgia is the first former Soviet Republic to fully legalize the drug, with it also being decriminalized in Russia, Ukraine and Estonia. (Georgia Today) (RFE/RL)
• Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb calls for the General Assembly to pass a hate crimes bill after a suburban Indianapolis synagogue is defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti. (SFgate)
• Australian Archbishop Philip Wilson announces his resignation after being convicted for his role in covering up sexual abuse. He is the most senior Roman Catholic official convicted to date. (BBC)

• Zimbabwean general election, 2018
  • Voters in Zimbabwe go to the polls to elect a new president and members for both houses of the Parliament, the first election to not involve longtime former president Robert Mugabe. (The Guardian)
• Macedonian constitutional referendum, 2018
  • Lawmakers in Macedonia approve a government proposal to set September 30 as the target date of a referendum to change the country's name. (RFE/RL)