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COVID-19 pandemic: Disease; Virus; By location; Impact; Vaccines; Portal

Hank Aaron in 1974

American baseball player Hank Aaron (pictured) dies at the age of 86.
Faustin-Archange Touadéra is elected for a second term as President of the Central African Republic.
LauncherOne becomes the first liquid-fueled aircraft-launched rocket to reach orbit.
Yoweri Museveni is re-elected as President of Uganda.

January 23, 2021 (Saturday)

edithistorywatch

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports a record 9,912 recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 791,059. (detikHealth)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    - Malaysia reports a record 4,275 newly confirmed cases and 4,313 recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide totals to 180,455 confirmed cases and 137,019 recoveries. (Malay Mail)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Norway
    - Health authorities impose tougher lockdown in Oslo and nine neighbouring municipalities due to spread of Variant of Concern 202012/01 that caused two deaths in care home yesterday. (VG) (Financial Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
    - Turkey signs a deal with the Russian Direct Investment Fund on the production of its Sputnik V vaccine. (Daily Sabah)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in New Brunswick
      - New Brunswick's Edmundston region begins a 14-day lockdown. Non-essential travel is prohibited in and out of the area. In addition, all non-essential businesses, schools and public spaces (including outdoor ice rinks and ski hills) will be closed, and all indoor and outdoor gatherings among people of different households are prohibited. (Toronto Star)

Law and crime

2021 Russian protests, aftermath of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny
- Over 1,500 people are detained in Russia, including Alexei Navalny's wife, at numerous protests surrounding the January 17 arrest of Navalny. (DW) (Sky News)

January 22, 2021 (Friday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war
- Syria missile strikes
  - Four people from the same family, including two children, are killed during an Israeli airstrike in the city of Hama, Syria, which also destroyed five Syrian military sites. (Deutsche Welle)
Somali Civil War
- African Union Mission to Somalia
  - The Uganda People's Defence Force says it has killed 189 al-Shabaab militants in a military operation, southwest of the Somali capital Mogadishu, and also destroyed a number of military hardware used by the terror group. (Reuters)

Business and economy

The World Trade Organization rules that the United States violated the organization's rules when it significantly raised the tariff on some South Korean goods, from 9.49% to 59.72%, in May 2016. (Korean Herald)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Belize
    - The number of recoveries in Belize surpasses 11,000. (Breaking Belize News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba
    - Cuba reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant in an asymptomatic person who travelled from South Africa. (Explica)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Panama
    - Panama reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant in a 40-year-old Zimbabwe native who entered the country from South Africa. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in California
      - California reports a record 764 deaths in the past 24 hours. (U.S. News and World Report)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Florida
      - Florida reports 277 deaths in the past 24 hours, tying their previous state record set in August of last year. (WJXT)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in New Jersey
      - New Jersey reports their first two cases of the 202012/01 variant of SARS-CoV-2. Neither had travelled. (NJ.com)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
    - Belgium declares a ban on non-essential travel in and out of the country from January 27 through March 1 in order to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants. (VRT) (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Germany surpasses 50,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Deutsche Welle) (ABC News)
    - Germany reports their first case of the more contagious B.1.1.248 variant in a person who travelled from Brazil to Hesse. (MedicalXpress)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports a record of 234 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 9,920. (DGS)
    - Portugal also reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant that originated in South Africa. They do not indicate whether the individual travelled. (RTP) (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - A panel of scientists that advises the British government announces that the Variant of Concern 202012/01, which was first discovered in the United Kingdom, is 30% more deadly than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. (Forbes)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong
    - For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, Hong Kong will impose a lockdown in the Yau Tsim Mong District beginning this weekend. Negative COVID-19 testing results will be required in order to leave one's residence. (South China Morning Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Japan reports a record 108 deaths in the past 24 hours. (The Japan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    - Malaysia reports a record of 18 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 660. (Malay Mail)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar
    - Myanmar receives its first 1.5 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. (CNA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Botswana
  - Botswana surpasses 100 deaths from COVID-19. (ANI)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - Pfizer says that they will supply 40 million doses of their vaccine to lower- and middle-income countries. (Business Insider)

International relations

Nuclear disarmament
- The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons enters into force, banning the development, testing, production, stockpiling, stationing, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons in 51 countries. However, the world's major nuclear powers have not endorsed this international agreement. (Voice of America)

Law and crime

Cannabis in the United States
- Cannabis in Arizona, 2020 Arizona Proposition 207
  - Arizona begins legal sales of recreational cannabis, making it the 15th state to do so. (AP)
Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
- In Bnei Brak, an ultra-Orthodox town near Tel Aviv, ultra-Orthodox Jews attack an unmarked police vehicle while officers were inside it, causing a riot in which at least six people were arrested. Israel is currently in a lockdown. (South China Morning Post)
Indian farmers' protest
- Farmer leaders allege a conspiracy to kill four of them and create disturbance during their proposed tractor rally on Republic Day in Delhi. (Business Standard)
Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- A magistrate judge orders Oath Keepers member Donovan Crowl to be detained on charges for his role during the storming of the United States Capitol. (Reuters)
Essex lorry deaths
- Seven culprits involved in the deaths of 39 Vietnamese unlawful immigrants smuggled in a refrigerator lorry in Grays, Essex in 2019 have been sentenced on multiple counts of manslaughter. Five people received sentences of between 3 to 18 years in prison, while the two main leaders of the smuggling operation received 20 and 27 years respectively. (The Guardian)
Corruption in the mining industry of Guinea
- Israeli businessman Beny Steinmetz is sentenced by a Geneva court to five years in prison for corruption in obtaining mining rights to an iron ore deposit in Guinea, and is ordered to pay a fine of CHF 50 million (US$56 million) to the canton of Geneva. (AFP via CTV)
Former Bosnian Army general and deputy Minister of Defense Sakib Mahmuljin is sentenced to ten years in prison for failing to prevent or punish foreign Islamist fighters who murdered and tortured Serbian prisoners during the Bosnian War. (Reuters)
Police in Russia arrest five aides of Alexei Navalny ahead of planned protests. Navalny has been under arrest since returning to Russia on January 17. (Politico)

Politics and elections

Cabinet of Joe Biden
- The U.S. Senate votes 93–2 to confirm Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense, making him the first African-American to lead the Pentagon. (The Guardian)

Science and technology

Mass media in Australia
- In response to a bill proposed by parliament to require dot-com companies to compensate local news outlets for hosting their content, Google threatens to block Australians from using its web search engine should the current draft of the bill become law. (AFP via The Jakarta Post)
Twitter suspensions
- Twitter suspends an account linked to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei after Khamenei threatened to assassinate former U.S. President Donald Trump in revenge for the assassination of Qasem Soleimani in 2020. (Reuters)
Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- TikTok announces that they have banned Baked Alaska, the far-right activist who was arrested by the FBI for participating in the storming of the United States Capitol. (Newsweek)
Alphabet Inc. announces that it will shut down its subsidiary Loon, which provides an aerial wireless network through high-altitude balloons, saying that it is not "commercially viable". (AFP via Barron's)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- British Athletics cancels its annual indoor championships that were set to begin in Glasgow in February due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (ESPN)
- Organisers of the Tour de Normandie cancel the annual seven-day bicycle race that was scheduled for May due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This is the second year that it has been cancelled. (Cycling News)
- Real Madrid announces that their coach Zinedine Zidane has tested positive for COVID-19. (CBS Sports)

January 21, 2021 (Thursday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war
- American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War
  - A United States convoy consisting of 40 trucks and armored vehicles enters northeastern Syria from Iraq via the Al Waleed crossing. (i24 News)
ISIL insurgency in Iraq
- 2021 Baghdad bombings
  - A suicide attack at an open market in Baghdad, Iraq, kills at least 32 people and injures 110 others. Attacks have been rare in the country since the 2017 military defeat of ISIL, making this incident one of the deadliest since then. (Reuters)
Central African Republic Civil War
- The Central African Republic government declares a 15-day state of emergency after rebels attempt to surround and blockade the capital Bangui. Pro-François Bozizé loyalists and anti-balaka militias now control around two-thirds of the war torn nation. (Al Jazeera)

Arts and culture

Events affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- COVID-19 pandemic in England
  - Organisers announce that the Glastonbury Festival has been cancelled for the second consecutive year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (The Guardian)
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on entertainment, COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
- Dubai suspends all entertainment permits issued by the emirate for establishments due to an increase in violations of COVID-19 health protocols. (Khaleej Times)

Disasters and accidents

Sriwijaya Air Flight 182
- Indonesian authorities, led by Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, officially end the search for remaining victims and debris from Sriwijaya Air Flight 182, which crashed into the Java Sea on January 9, killing all 62 people on board. (The Washington Post)
2021 Shivamogga explosion
- A truck carrying sticks of gelatin explodes at a boulder-crushing facility in Abbalagere in Shivamogga district, Karnataka, India, killing eight workers. (India Today)
2021 Kharkiv fire
- Fifteen people are killed and eleven others wounded in a fire at a nursing home in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (BBC)
Five people are killed in a fire at a Serum Institute of India facility in Pune, Maharashtra, India. (BBC)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Alabama
      - Alabama Governor Kay Ivey extends the statewide mask mandate to March 5. (San Francisco Chronicle)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Tennessee
      - Tennessee reports their first two cases of a more contagious variant of SARS-CoV-2 that was first identified in the United Kingdom. (WSMV-TV)
    - Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
      - President Joe Biden signs an executive order requiring usage of masks in airports and on airplanes, trains and buses. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
    - Mexico reports a record 22,339 newly confirmed cases and 1,809 deaths in the past 24 hours. (ABC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Trinidad and Tobago
    - Trinidad and Tobago reports their first case of the B.1.1.7 variant in a person returning from the United Kingdom. (Trinidad Express)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports a record of 221 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 9,686. (DGS)
    - The government announces the closure of all schools, kindergartens and universities for two weeks beginning tomorrow due to an increase in COVID-19 cases as well as the emergence of the Variant of Concern 202012/01 from the United Kingdom. (The Portugal News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary, COVID-19 vaccine
    - Hungary approves the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine and Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, becoming the first European Union member state to approve the Russian vaccine. (BBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
    - The Dutch House of Representatives votes to impose a curfew from 9.00 pm to 4.30 am beginning January 23. (Euronews) (RTL Nieuws)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
    - Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announces that as part of an easing of COVID-19 restrictions, museums and libraries will reopen beginning tomorrow, while theatres and cinemas will be allowed to accommodate more patrons. In addition, colleges, sports schools and children's clubs will resume in-person attendance, but university students will continue studying remotely. (The Moscow Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spain reports a record 44,357 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,456,675. (La Vanguardia)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports a record 346 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 27,203. (detikHealth)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka
    - Sri Lanka reopens to foreign tourists after a nearly 10-month pandemic closure, however tourists are required to receive multiple testings and follow quarantine measures that have been put in place. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
    - Thailand's Food and Drug Administration approves the emergency use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. 50,000 doses of the vaccine are expected to arrive in February. (Bangkok Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
  - President Alberto Fernández receives a dose of the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine, a day after the usage of vaccines for people over the age of 60 was approved by the country's health regulator. (La Nacion)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
  - South African Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu dies due to COVID-19. (CNN)

International relations

European Union–Russia relations
- The European Court of Human Rights rules that Russia was responsible for a series of human rights violations during its 2008 war with Georgia. (The Guardian)
Syria–United States relations
- Bashar al-Jaafari, Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations, called on Biden to change US foreign policy in Syria, which is nearing 10 years of civil war. During a session of the UN Security Council, Jaafari accused the United States of using the multi-sided war to steal the country's oil reserves and other natural resources. (Middle East Eye)

Law and crime

Japanese nationality law
- The Tokyo District Court upholds a ban on dual citizenship of Japan and another country, rejecting appeals for damages claiming that the law was unconstitutional. (AFP via Japan Today)

Politics and elections

Impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden, Presidency of Joe Biden
- Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene introduces six articles of impeachment against newly-inaugurated President of the United States Joe Biden, alleging an "abuse of power" when Biden served as Barack Obama's Vice President. (The Independent)
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics, COVID-19 pandemic in Mongolia
- Mongolian Prime Minister Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh resigns a day after thousands in Ulaanbaatar protested against the way authorities behaved with a COVID-19-infected mother and her newborn baby. (CNA)
2020–21 Rideau Hall workplace review
- Julie Payette resigns as Governor General of Canada following a review that cites allegations of a toxic work environment at Rideau Hall. Chief Justice of Canada Richard Wagner will carry out the duties of that office as Administrator of Canada until the Crown appoints a new Governor General. (CBC)

Science and technology

Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- United States District Judge for the Western District of Washington Barbara Jacobs Rothstein rejects a lawsuit filed by Parler requesting reinstatement on Amazon. (Reuters)
- House Oversight Committee chairwoman Carolyn Maloney calls for the FBI to investigate Parler for their role in the storming of the United States Capitol. (The Independent)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- 2020 Summer Olympics, COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
  - International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach says that the Summer Olympics will be held in July, despite a state of emergency currently being declared in Tokyo. (The Guardian)
FIFA warns top-division European football clubs and their players against participating in the proposed European Super League, threatening them with a ban from all FIFA-sanctioned competitions. (AFP via Scroll)

January 20, 2021 (Wednesday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks
  - Three Afghan soldiers are killed and four others are wounded in an attack on their vehicle by unidentified gunmen in Herat Province. (Tolo News)

Arts and culture

Events affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
- Dublin cancels their annual Saint Patrick's Day festival for the second year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event will instead be held virtually on a special online TV channel. (RTÉ)
- Cork, Limerick, and Ennis have all cancelled their respective Saint Patrick's Day parades for the second year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (RTÉ)

Disasters and accidents

2021 Madrid explosion
- An explosion caused by a gas leak at a residence for priests in Madrid, Spain results in four fatalities and injures ten others. It also partially destroys the residence. (Reuters)
A boat carrying migrants from West Africa capsizes in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya, resulting in 43 fatalities. (France24)
An explosion caused by coal dust and air in a thermal power plant in Angren, Uzbekistan kills three workers and leaves three others injured. (Xinhua)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
    - The Netherlands bans all flights from the United Kingdom, South Africa and all South American countries beginning January 23 in order to reduce the spread of more contagious variants of SARS-CoV-2. (NL Times)
    - Prime Minister Mark Rutte issues a statement that would ask the parliament to vote regarding a weekend curfew from 8.30 pm to 4.30 am in a parliamentary debate that will begin tomorrow. (Dutch News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Andorra
    - Andorra begins its vaccination campaign against COVID-19. (Periòdic d'Andorra)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports a record 14,647 new confirmed cases and 219 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide totals to 581,605 confirmed cases and 9,465 deaths. (Bloomberg) (SIC Notícias)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
    - The Russian Direct Investment Fund files the registration of the Sputnik V vaccine with the European Medicines Agency with the first review expected in February. (The Moscow Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spain reports a record 41,576 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,412,318. (Eldiario.es)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom reports a record 1,820 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 93,290. (ITV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India begins exporting the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Bhutan and Maldives. (Hindustan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports a record 9,755 recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 763,703. (Okezone)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon
    - Lebanon reports a record 61 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 2,084. (The961)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - The government reaches an agreement with Pfizer for an additional 12 million doses of their vaccine. (The Japan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
    - Beijing impose a partial lockdown in five neighbourhoods after two cases in Daxing were linked to B.1.1.7 variant found in the United Kingdom. (AFP via Barron's)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Philippines surpasses 10,000 deaths from COVID-19. (GMA News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya
    - Acting Health Director-General Patrick Amoth confirms the first case of the 501.V2 variant in two people who had traveled to South Africa. (Kenyans.co.ke)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe
    - Zimbabwe's International Trade and Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo dies due to complications from COVID-19. (News24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Chile
  - Chile approves the CoronaVac vaccine developed by Sinovac for emergency use in the country. (MedicalXpress)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - President Joe Biden signs a executive order mandating face masks on federal property and during interstate travel. (Reuters)
  - The United States reports a record 4,409 deaths in the past 24 hours. (Financial Times)
2020–21 H5N8 outbreak
- Iraq reports an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu in the city of Samarra. (Reuters)

International relations

China–United States relations
- The Chinese foreign ministry places sanctions on 28 members of the outgoing Trump administration, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former National Security Advisor John Bolton, and former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon. The sanctions are believed to be in response to Pompeo's announcement on Tuesday that the internment of Muslim Uyghurs constitutes genocide. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Presidency of Joe Biden
- Inauguration of Joe Biden
  - Joe Biden is officially sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. (BBC)
  - Kamala Harris is officially sworn in as the 49th Vice President of the United States, making her the first woman, first African American-Indian American in United States history to hold the office. (The Washington Post)
  - Donald Trump becomes the first outgoing president to refuse to attend his successor's inauguration since Andrew Johnson, who did not attend Ulysses S. Grant's inauguration in 1869. (The New York Times)
- Cabinet of Joe Biden
  - The Senate votes to confirm Avril Haines, Biden's nominee for United States Director of National Intelligence (DNI), 84-10. Haines is the first Biden appointee to be confirmed by the Senate, and the first woman to serve in the DNI. (CBS News)
- Biden signs his first executive orders, including rejoining the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization, repealing 2017 travel bans, and ending funding for the United States–Mexico border wall and the Keystone XL pipeline. (BBC) (NBC News) (The Guardian)
117th United States Congress
- 2020 United States Senate election in Georgia, 2020 United States Senate special election in Georgia
  - Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of Georgia are officially sworn in as Senators of the United States Senate. (USA Today)
- Alex Padilla of California is officially sworn in as Senator of the United States Senate, as an appointee replacing Kamala Harris. (LA Times)

January 19, 2021 (Tuesday)

edithistorywatch

Arts and culture

Events affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan
- Taiwan cancels the upcoming Taiwan Lantern Festival for the first time since 1990, due to an increase in COVID-19 cases on the island. (The Straits Times)

Business and economy

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the United States orders Ford Motor Company to recall about three million of its vehicles containing airbags manufactured by Takata, citing "potential future rupture risks". (AFP via Business Times)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state)
      - COVID-19 pandemic in New York City
        Andrew Yang, a candidate for Mayor of New York City in the upcoming mayoral election, will quarantine after one of his staffers tested positive for COVID-19. (The New York Times)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Vermont
      - Vermont Governor Phil Scott, Health Commissioner Mark Levine, and other officials quarantine after a contractor that Levine was in contact with tested positive for COVID-19. (WPTZ-TV)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
      - A memorial at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is held, honoring the 400,000 Americans who have died as a result of COVID-19. Additionally, bells are rung at the Washington National Cathedral and a moment of silence is held. (Reuters) (NBC News)
    - The United States surpasses 400,000 deaths from COVID-19. (CBS News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
    - Mexico reports a record 1,584 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to nearly 143,000. (The Washington Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong
    - Hong Kong extends their work from home arrangements for civil servants until January 27, as the city attempts to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases. (Reuters via Financial Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
    - Israel extends their third nationwide lockdown until January 31 as the country reports its highest number of cases since the pandemic began. They will also require all travelers to present a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of arrival or face a fine of NIS 2,500 ($772). (The Times of Israel)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - The Shizuoka prefectural government issues an emergency alert after three cases of Variant of Concern 202012/01 are reported in people with no known travel history. (Kyodo News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait
    - Kuwait reports their first cases of the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 in two women who travelled from the United Kingdom. (Gulf News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    - Malaysia's Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announces the extension of the second movement control order to six states from January 22 at 12:01 am. local time until February 4. This means that all states and federal territories except Sarawak will be placed under tighter restrictions. (CNA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Andorra
    - The first 30,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are sent from Spain to Andorra after both governments reached an agreement earlier today. (Euro Weekly News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of all 16 states agree to extend the nationwide lockdown until February 14, due to the threat of new variants of SARS-CoV-2. They also agree to mandate medical masks for all passengers on public transport. (Taggeschau)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports a new record for the second consecutive day, of 218 deaths, bringing the nationwide death toll to 9,246. At the same time, the nationwide number of ICU patients reaches a record 670, just below the maximum allocation capacity of 672 ICU beds set the day before. (DGS) (Reuters)
    - Portuguese Economy Minister Pedro Siza Vieira tested positive for COVID-19. (TSF)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - Ireland reports a record 93 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 2,708. (Irish Examiner)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom reports a record 1,610 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 91,470. (ITV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
  - The New Zealand government imposes a mandatory requirement for all travellers to present a negative COVID-19 test result before departing for New Zealand, beginning January 25. This requirement does not include residents of Australia, Antarctica and most Pacific Island countries. (NZ Herald)

International relations

Uganda–United States relations
- A Ugandan government spokesman accuses the U.S. government of "subversion" after ambassador Natalie E. Brown tried to visit opposition leader Bobi Wine at his home, where he is under house arrest. Brown said that she wanted to check on the "health and safety" of Wine. (Reuters)
China–United States relations, Uyghur genocide
- The outgoing Trump administration declares that China has committed genocide against Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minority groups. (CBS News)

Law and crime

COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- Grafton vaccine incident, COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin
  - Wisconsin pharmacist Steven Brandenburg is charged with attempted misdemeanor property damage for deliberately trying to defrost doses of Moderna's vaccine. (AP)
Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- Three members of the Oath Keepers far-right militia group are arrested by federal prosecutors for conspiring to breach the United States Capitol. (New York Daily News) (CNN)
2020 congressional insider trading scandal
- The United States Department of Justice closes an insider trading probe into U.S. Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina without making him face any criminal charges. (MarketWatch)
Protests against Rodrigo Duterte
- The Philippine Department of National Defense terminates a 32-year-old accord with the University of the Philippines, the country's national university, that limits the access of police and military personnel into the university's campuses. Faculty members, students, and activists protest the move, calling it "a violation of academic freedom" and claiming that it would aid the government's attempts at red-tagging people. (South China Morning Post)
A 65-year-old Thai woman is sentenced to 43 years in prison for insulting the Thai monarchy in online posts in 2014. Her sentence, initially for 87 years, was reduced after she plead guilty to the charges. It is the longest punishment for lèse-majesté handed down in Thai history. (Reuters on MSN)
Bishop Daniel Thomas of the Diocese of Toledo issues statements on the deaths of a suspect and police officer, and the vandalism and arson at Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral in Toledo, Ohio. (CNS)

Science and technology

Internet regulation in Turkey
- Turkey's Information and Communication Technologies Authority bans advertisements on Twitter, Periscope and Pinterest after these companies failed to appoint local representatives under a new social media law. (Reuters)
Discoveries of exoplanets
- Scientists discover that WASP-107b is a super-puff. WASP-107b is an exoplanet the same size as Jupiter but with one tenth the mass, located 212 light years away from Earth. (CBS News) (Sci-News)

January 18, 2021 (Monday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks; Taliban insurgency
  - Over 40 security force members have been killed in fighting with the Taliban in Kunduz, Baghlan and Nimroz provinces, Afghanistan. (TOLO News)
Central African Republic Civil War
- Two United Nation peacekeepers, from Gabon and Morocco, are killed in an ambush by anti-balaka insurgents near Bangassou, Central African Republic, according to MINUSCA. (Relief Web)
Yemeni Civil War
- Houthi forces and pro-government troops clash in the port city of Al Hudaydah, leaving at least 23 people dead. The fighting centered around the government-controlled Ad Durayhimi District in the south of the city. Houthi-run Almasirah network claims "dozens" of government fighters have been killed. (Xinhuanet)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
- Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announces a new RM15 billion economic assistance package, the Malaysian Economic and Rakyat Protection Assistance Package, which is expected to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on the Malaysian economy. (CNA)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong
    - Hong Kong reports 107 new confirmed cases, which is the first time in nearly a month that more than 100 cases are reported and brings the total number of confirmed cases in the city to 9,664. This sudden rise in cases is partially due to an outbreak among ethnic minorities. (South China Morning Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports a record 9,475 recoveries, including 2,802 from Jakarta, bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 745,935. (detikNews)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Japan detects possible community spread of the B.1.1.7 variant in three people from Shizuoka with no known travel history. (The Japan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal
    - Nepal reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in three people who travelled to the United Kingdom three weeks ago and later tested positive. (The Kathmandu Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkmenistan
    - Turkmenistan registers the Sputnik V vaccine despite having no confirmed cases in the country, according to the Russian Direct Investment Fund. It becomes the first country in Central Asia to approve a Russian-made vaccine. (RFE/RL)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
    - The Czech Republic confirms the detection of the B.1.1.7 variant that originated in the United Kingdom. (CTK)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Bavaria detects a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in 35 newly-infected patients in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which is different from the strain originating from the United Kingdom. (DW)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - Hair salons, health centers, car inspection stations, and non-essential shops in Greece reopen for the first time since November after the government eased a nationwide lockdown in order to revitalize the retail sectors. (Anadolu Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports a record 167 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 9,028. (SIC Noticias)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - The Spanish Health Ministry reports a record 84,287 new cases in the country over the weekend, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,336,451. (elDiario.es)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
    - Outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order that allows travel restrictions on Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Europe to be lifted after January 26. However, incoming Press Secretary Jen Psaki says that the restrictions are expected to remain in place. (Reuters) (CNN)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in California
    - California becomes the first U.S. state to surpass three million cases of COVID-19. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Maryland, COVID-19 vaccine
    - Maryland Governor Larry Hogan receives the Moderna vaccine at the State House in Annapolis. (The Washington Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania
    - Thirty-nine residents are confirmed to have died from COVID-19 at a single nursing home in Denver, Pennsylvania. (LNP)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco
  - Morocco reports its first case of the B.1.1.7 variant in the Port of Tangier Med. (Morocco World News)
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the environment
  - The International Energy Agency reports that global methane emissions in 2020 amounted to about 70 million metric tons, which is 10 percent lower than the estimated amount of methane emissions in 2019. The agency cites the decline in industrial activities, as a result of the pandemic, and the introduction of new emission regulations for the reduction in emissions. (Bloomberg)

International relations

Germany–Russia relations
- Germany condemns the arrest of opposition politician and activist Alexei Navalny upon his return to Russia yesterday. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas calls the arrest "utterly incomprehensible" and calls for Navalny's immediate release. Likewise, British, Danish, and other European diplomats also condemn the arrest. (DW)
South Korea–United States relations
- South Korean President Moon Jae-in urges incoming U.S. President Joe Biden to learn from the policies, both positive and negative, of Donald Trump towards North Korea and says that the North has a "clear willingness to denuclearize if Washington and Pyongyang could find mutually agreeable steps to decrease the nuclear threat and ensure the North's security". (AP)

Law and crime

Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- Fashion Institute of Technology student Nicholas Moncada is arrested for allegedly storming the United States Capitol, after posting "Outside Pelosi's office" on Instagram and livestreaming the event. (ABC News)
Corruption in South Korea
- The COO of Samsung, Lee Jae-yong, is sentenced to two and a half years in prison on charges of bribery. Lee was convicted of bribing former South Korean President Park Geun-hye and was arrested in the courtroom following the verdict. (The New York Times)
Central American migrant caravans
- Guatemalan police report that around 4,000 United States-bound Honduran migrants held up at the Guatemala–Honduras border since January 16 have been dispersed. Police have used various riot control methods to disperse migrants. (AFP via Philippine Daily Inquirer)
The Tunisian interior ministry deploys the national guard in several cities across the country and reports that a total of 632 people have been arrested following a series of riots that first occurred January 15, a day after the government imposed a nationwide lockdown in response to an increase in COVID-19 cases. (AFP via Daily Sabah)

Politics and elections

2020–21 Central African general election
- The constitutional court of the Central African Republic confirms the re-election of President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, despite a voter turnout of only 35.25 percent. The low turnout was attributed to the hindrance of polling stations from operating and voters unable to cast their ballots as various armed groups currently control roughly two-thirds of the country, thus prompting most opposition candidates and activists to call the election farce and fraudulent. (AFP via Africanews)

January 17, 2021 (Sunday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks; Taliban insurgency
  - Two judges, both female, are shot dead in an ambush while en-route to their offices at the Supreme Court in Kabul; their driver is wounded. Afghan officials claim the Taliban is responsible, however no one has claimed responsibility for the attack and a spokesman for the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, says that the group was not responsible. (Al Jazeera)
War in Darfur
- 2021 Darfur clashes
  - Eighty-three people are killed during clashes between different ethnic groups in El Geneina, West Darfur, Sudan. They started after a row in which a man was stabbed to death. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

2021 Sulawesi earthquake
- More bodies are found under debris in Sulawesi, Indonesia, after a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the island two days ago, bringing the death toll to 78. (Reuters)
A Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopter of the Philippine Air Force crashes in the Pantaron Mountain Range in Bukidnon, Philippines, killing all seven personnel onboard. (The New York Times)
Six people have been killed by floods and landslides that affected nine subdistricts and 33 neighborhoods in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. (Antara News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports a record 9,102 recoveries, bringing the total number of recoveries to 736,460. (detikHealth)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon
    - Lebanon signs a deal to receive two million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. (Arab News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Oman
    - Oman announces the closure of all land borders for at least one week, beginning tomorrow at 6:00 pm, as part of measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Times of Oman)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
    - The United Arab Emirates reports a record 3,453 new confirmed cases in a single-day, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 253,261. (The National)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Guinea
    - Guinean President Alpha Condé receives the first dose of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. (Africanews)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
    - South Africa delays the reopening of schools due to the rapid increase in cases of the 501.V2 variant. (AP)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in California
    - American music producer Phil Spector, who was convicted for the 2003 murder of American actress Lana Clarkson, dies from COVID-19 at a hospital in Northern California. (Los Angeles Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts
    - Massachusetts reports their first case of a more contagious variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a woman in her 20s from Boston who traveled to the United Kingdom and began experiencing symptoms the day after she returned. (WBZ-TV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, COVID-19 vaccine
  - The Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa) grants emergency use authorization requests for the vaccines developed by Sinovac and Oxford-AstraZeneca. (G1)
  - Minutes after Anvisa's announcement, a nurse from São Paulo becomes the first person in Brazil to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Austria
  - Austria extends their nationwide lockdown until February 7 in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 amid fears about new SARS-CoV-2 variants. People will also be required to wear full protective masks beginning January 25. (DW)

Law and crime

Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, the founder of "Cowboys for Trump", is arrested for his involvement during the storming of the United States Capitol, in which he allegedly entered restricted area during the riot. He claimed to be planning to drive to Washington, D.C. with a rifle and revolver. (Reuters) (NBC News)
- Gracyn Courtright, a West Virginia student who is a senior at the University of Kentucky, is charged for entering the United States Capitol during the riot. (New York Post) (The Kentucky Kernel) (Heavy.com)
Aftermath of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny
- Opposition politician and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny is arrested upon landing in Moscow, according to a statement from the prison service. The prominent Putin critic was arrested on charges of parole violations and terms of a suspended prison sentence and will be held in custody until a court makes a decision in his case. (Politico)
Central American migrant caravans
- A caravan of at least 6,000 Honduran migrants bound for the United States prompts the deployment of Guatemalan police and military troops to the Guatemala–Honduras border, where security forces fire tear gas and assault migrants attempting to cross the border. Health officials report several casualties. (AFP via IBTimes)