Portal:Current events
Topics in the news
- In Russia, protests (example pictured) against the arrest of Alexei Navalny occur in more than 120 towns and cities.
- American baseball player Hank Aaron 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.
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
- Indonesia surpasses one million cases of COVID-19. In addition, a record 336 deaths and 10,868 recoveries are reported in the past 24 hours. (detikHealth)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
- Thailand reports a records 959 newly confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, including 914 cases in Samut Sakhon reported yesterday evening, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 14,646. (Bangkok Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Two senior leaders of the Tehrik-i-Taliban and three other militants are killed during two separate security operations in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. (Al Jazeera)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on retail
- British multinational retailer Debenhams announces that it will permanently close all of its brick and mortar stores in the United Kingdom, with the loss of 12,000 jobs, after being bought by online fashion retailer Boohoo.com. (AFP via RFI)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, COVID-19 recession, Economy of South Korea
- South Korea records its worst annual economic growth since 1998 following the Asian financial crisis. Its gross domestic product contracted 1.0 percent in 2020 from 2019. (AFP via Business Times)
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on retail
Disasters and accidents
- 2020–21 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
- Cyclone Eloise leaves at least thirteen people dead and more than 8,000 people homeless after making landfall in central Mozambique. Major flooding is also reported in Eswatini, South Africa and Zimbabwe. (Reuters)
- Nine of the miners who went missing during a mine collapse in Qixia, Shandong, China, are found dead by rescue workers. Yesterday another miner was found dead, bringing the death toll to 10, while eleven others were rescued alive. Another miner is still missing. (BBC)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- President Joe Biden signs an order banning travel from South Africa due to fears of the 501.V2 variant; the ban is expected to take effect on January 30. Additionally, Biden also extends travel restrictions to Brazil, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and other European countries, which were expected to expire tomorrow under an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump. (The Washington Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in California
- California Governor Gavin Newsom lifts the regional stay-at-home order in all areas statewide, including three areas where ICU capacity remains under 15%. (KABC-TV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota
- Minnesota reports the first U.S. case of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 found in Brazil. The patient is a Twin Cities resident who traveled to Brazil. (CNBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada
- Nevada reports their first case of the B.1.1.7 strain of SARS-CoV-2 in a person with no recent travel history. (AP)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Virginia
- Virginia reports their first case of the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a person from Northern Virginia with no recent travel history. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
- Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
- COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
- Ontario Premier Doug Ford announces that the second state of emergency in the province will be extended to February 8. (CP24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
- COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
- Mexico's richest person and billionaire Carlos Slim tests positive for COVID-19. (Forbes)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain
- Bahrain approves the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use in the country. (Al Jazeera)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong
- Hong Kong approves the BioNTech vaccine for emergency use in the city. (The Standard)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
- Indonesia reports 9,994 new cases and 10,678 recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 809,488. (detikHealth)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
- Turkey receives 6.5 million doses of the Sinovac Biotech vaccine. (Daily Sabah)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Austria, Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Austria begins to require people aged 14 or older to wear FFP2 masks in shops, pharmacies and hospitals, as well as on public transport. (France 24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
- Spain reports a record 93,822 new confirmed cases over the weekend, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,593,582. (El Diario)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
- Ukraine reopens schools, restaurants and gyms as a tough lockdown aimed to prevent a new wave of COVID-19 was ended. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Austria, Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
- COVID-19 vaccine
- The Therapeutic Goods Administration approves the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine for use in Australia. (ABC Australia)
- Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
- Australia suspends their travel bubble with New Zealand for the next 72 hours after New Zealand's first community case in months was confirmed to be of the 501.V2 variant from South Africa. (BBC)
- COVID-19 vaccine
- COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe
- Zimbabwe surpasses 1,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Sowetan Live)
- COVID-19 vaccine
- Moderna says that their vaccine would work against the new variants found in South Africa and the United Kingdom. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
International relations
- Greek–Turkish relations, Aegean dispute, 2020–2021 East Mediterranean crisis
- The Greek and Turkish governments conduct the two countries' first direct dialogue regarding the dispute since 2016. (AFP via IBTimes)
Law and crime
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on religion, COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada
- The United States Supreme Court declines to hear a case from the Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley, a church in Dayton, Nevada that faces restrictions from Governor Steve Sisolak, to consider how far the state should go when imposing restrictions on places of worship. (NBC News)
- Second impeachment trial of Donald Trump
- The article of impeachment for former US President Donald Trump is brought to the United States Senate, officially triggering the trial, which is scheduled to begin on February 8. (MSN)
- Transgender personnel in the United States military
- President Joe Biden repeals the Trump administration's decision to ban transgender people from serving in the United States military. (The Guardian)
- Mexican drug war
- Nineteen people are found dead in two vehicles in Camargo, Tamaulipas, near the Mexico–United States border. The victims, who were likely undocumented migrants, were shot and then set on fire. (BBC)
- Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- Brandon Straka, the WalkAway movement founder and "Stop the Steal" activist who spoke at a rally held by pro-Trump supporters, is arrested on a felony charge of interfering with police during the storming of the United States Capitol. (Politico)
- Adass Israel School sex abuse scandal
- Malka Leifer, the former principal of a Melbourne school who faces 74 charges of child sexual abuse, is extradited to Australia following a six-year delay of the case that allowed for her to be a fugitive in Israel. (AFP via France 24)
- Two Swedish filmmakers, who filmed the wreck of the MS Estonia that sank in 1994 for a documentary, face trial for violating a treaty that prohibits visiting the site. (AFP via RTE)
Politics and elections
- 2021 Italian government crisis
- Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is set to hand in his resignation tomorrow, due to an ongoing political crisis which began on January 13. (BBC)
- Politics of Estonia
- Kaja Kallas wins the support of the Riigikogu to become the new Prime Minister, the first woman to do so. (ERR)
- Cabinet of Joe Biden
- The United States Senate votes 84–15 to confirm Janet Yellen as Treasury Secretary, making her the first woman to serve in the Treasury Department. (MarketWatch)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Mali War
- Six Malian troops are killed and 18 others are injured in simultaneous jihadist attacks in the central Mopti Region. The military also stated that around 30 militants were also killed in the clashes. (Al Jazeera)
Disasters and accidents
- 2021 Palmas FR plane crash
- A plane crashes in Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil, killing four Palmas Futebol e Regatas footballers, their team's president, and the pilot. (CNN Brasil)
- Eleven of the miners who went missing two weeks ago in Qixia, Shandong, China, after the gold mine where they worked collapsed, are rescued alive. Another miner is found dead, while ten others are still missing. (BBC)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C., Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- Around 38 United States Capitol Police officers have tested positive for COVID-19 since the storming of the United States Capitol. (CNN)
- The United States surpasses 25 million cases of COVID-19. (NPR)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C., Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
- Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announces that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is receiving medical treatment. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
- Israel reports several cases of a faster-spreading variant of SARS-CoV-2, which was recently discovered in the United States. (Haaretz)
- Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- The Israeli cabinet agrees to close Ben Gurion International Airport and ban all incoming and outgoing international passengers from the airport, beginning at midnight tomorrow. Cargo flights, medical evacuations and firefighting flights are exempted from this rule. (The Washington Post)
- Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Clashes broke out in three cities across Israel as police attempted to enforce coronavirus lockdown restrictions in a number of ultra-Orthodox communities. Israel is currently in a COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. (Times of Israel)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
- Malaysia reports a record 4,427 recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 141,446. (The Edge Markets MY)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in France, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- France imposes new border restrictions that require travellers from other European Union countries arriving by air or sea to present negative PCR test results obtained in the previous 72 hours. (France 24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Netherlands, Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Rioting youths torched a COVID-19 testing center and threw fireworks at police in the fishing village of Urk overnight into Sunday. (DW)
- Rioters set fires in the center of Eindhoven and pelted police with rocks at a banned demonstration against coronavirus lockdown measures. Police also faced off with curfew-defying crowds in The Hague, Amsterdam, Enschede, Venlo, Stein, Roermond, Oosterhout, Breda and elsewhere across the Netherlands. More than 100 people have been arrested. It was the worst violence to hit the Netherlands since the pandemic began and the second straight Sunday that police clashed with protesters in Amsterdam. The country has been under a lockdown since December. (AP) (BBC) (Tasnim)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
- COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia
- Serbia reports their first case of the B.1.1.7 variant in a person who travelled from London and later began experiencing mild symptoms. (N1)
- COVID-19 pandemic in France, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt
- Egypt launches a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 with the first doses of Sinopharm's vaccine given to healthcare workers in Ismailia. (AP)
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
- New Zealand health officials report the first community case of COVID-19 in more than two months in a person who travelled from Europe. (Sydney Morning Herald)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
International relations
- Russia–United States relations, 2021 Russian protests
- The Russian government accuses the United States of "interfering in Russian domestic affairs" after some U.S. officials criticized the police crackdown on protests backing jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny. (RFERL)
- Cross-Strait relations
- For the second consecutive day, Taiwan reports an incursion of its air defense identification zone by China's People's Liberation Army Air Force. The incursion involved 12 fighter jets, two anti-submarine aircraft and a reconnaissance plane. Taiwan deployed air defence missile systems in response, according to a statement from the Ministry of National Defense. (BBC)
- Israel–United Arab Emirates relations, Israel–United Arab Emirates normalization agreement
- Israel opens an embassy in Abu Dhabi, four months after the signing of the agreement, while the United Arab Emirates approves the establishment of an embassy in Tel Aviv. (AFP via Dawn)
Law and crime
- Central African Republic Civil War
- The Central African government renders custody of an alleged Séléka commander to the International Criminal Court, where he is expected to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. (AFP via Macau Business)
- List of mass shootings in the United States in 2021
- A mass shooting in Indianapolis, Indiana, leaves six dead and one injured. (WXIN-TV)
- American manufacturer Tesla files a lawsuit against one of its former software engineers for allegedly copying confidential computer scripts onto a personal file hosting service. The former employee denies the company's allegation, claiming he transferred the files by mistake. (AFP via ABS-CBN News)
Politics and elections
- Politics of Estonia
- The two major political parties Reform Party and Centre Party agree to form a government, whose Prime Minister will be Kaja Kallas, who will become the first female to take the office. She is succeeding Jüri Ratas, who resigned following a corruption scandal that involves his party. (Politico)
- 2021 Portuguese presidential election
- Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is reelected with 60.7% of the vote in Sunday's election. (ABC News) (DW)
- Proposed second Scottish independence referendum
- Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says she intends to hold a "legal referendum" on independence since Brexit removed Scotland from the European Union against its will. Another referendum would require the approval of the United Kingdom's government, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson opposes. (ABC News) (Bloomberg)
Science and technology
- SpaceX successfully launches a record 143 satellites into orbit on a single rocket in its Transporter-1 mission. The payload consisted of 120 CubeSats, 12 microsatellites, 10 Starlink satellites, and 1 transfer stage. It is also the maiden flight of the SHERPA-FX satellite dispenser. (BBC)
Sports
- 2020 NFL season, 2020–21 NFL playoffs, Super Bowl LV
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Green Bay Packers, 31-26, winning the 2020 NFC Championship and advancing to the Super Bowl. With the Super Bowl being held at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, this will be the first time a NFL team will play the championship game on their home field. They will play the Kansas City Chiefs, who beat the Buffalo Bills 38-24 in the 2020 AFC Championship. (AP) (ESPN)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- ISIL insurgency in Iraq
- Eleven Popular Mobilization Forces members are killed, including a brigade commander, and ten others wounded in an ambush by suspected Islamic State militants east of Tikrit. (The Arab Weekly)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- The University of Michigan shuts down all sports activities for two weeks after the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 is discovered in five people with ties to the school. (MLive.com) (MLive.com 2)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- North Carolina reports their first case of the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a person in Mecklenburg County. (Raleigh News and Observer)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
- Federal officials announce that all indoor portions of the National Mall and memorial parks will be closed to the public to combat the spread of COVID-19. (NBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Washington (state), Variant of Concern 202012/01
- Washington reports their first cases of the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 in two people residing in Snohomish County. (MyNorthwest.com)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- 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 are closed, and all indoor and outdoor gatherings among people of different households are prohibited. (The Toronto Star)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Brunswick
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- 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)
- Indonesian COVID-19 Task Force chairman and Chairman of the National Disaster Management Agency Doni Monardo announces that he has tested positive for COVID-19. (Xinhua)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
- Japan surpasses 5,000 deaths from COVID-19. (The Japan Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
- Malaysia reports a record 4,275 new 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 Sri Lanka
- Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi tests positive for COVID-19 after previously endorsing sorcery and magic potions. (France 24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Norway, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- Health authorities impose tougher lockdowns in Oslo and nine neighbouring municipalities due to an increase in cases of a more contagious variant from the UK that also caused two deaths in care home residents yesterday. (VG) (Financial Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
- Portugal reports a record 15,333 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 624,469. The country also reports a record 274 deaths in the past 24 hours, surpassing 10,000 deaths from COVID-19. (SIC Notícias)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the military
- Chief of the Defence Staff Miguel Ángel Villarroya resigns after he admitted to receiving a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while not being on the priority list. (AFP via SBS News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
- Turkey signs a deal with the Russian Direct Investment Fund for the production of its Sputnik V vaccine. (Daily Sabah)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Norway, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
- COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt, COVID-19 vaccine
- President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announces that the country will begin vaccinations tomorrow. Medical staff will be the first to receive the vaccine. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia
- Tunisia bans gatherings including demonstrations and extends their curfew to between 8:00 pm and 5:00 am local time until February 14 in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (The Washington Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt, COVID-19 vaccine
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
- COVID-19 vaccine
- Brazil begins distribution of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine. (The Hill)
- Amazonas Governor Wilson Lima announces new, tougher restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19, beginning January 25. People will only be allowed to leave their homes for essential purposes such grocery shopping. (CNN Brasil)
- COVID-19 vaccine
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
Law and crime
- 2021 Russian protests, aftermath of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny
- Over 3,500 people are detained in Russia amid nationwide protests in support of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Moscow officials say 29 people have received medical assistance in hospitals, while a female protester in Saint Petersburg is currently in intensive care after being kicked by a riot police officer. (DW) (Sky News) (The Moscow Times)
- Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- Garret Miller, a Texas man who participated in the storming of the United States Capitol, is charged for threatening to assassinate U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. (The Guardian)
- Police brutality in the United States
- A Tacoma, Washington police officer drove through a downtown crowd, running over at least one person and sending them to the hospital. The officer was responding to calls that a group of people were blocking a downtown intersection when the crowd surrounded on the police car, Tacoma Police Department said. (NBC).
- Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest
- Brazilian indigenous leaders Raoni Metuktire of the Kayapo tribe and Almir Narayamoga Surui of the Paiter Surui tribe call for the International Criminal Court to investigate President Jair Bolsonaro for "crimes against humanity" such as environmental damage to the Amazon rainforest. (France 24)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Syrian civil war, Israel's role in the Syrian Civil War
- Syria missile strikes (January 2021)
- An Israeli airstrike in the city of Hama, Syria, destroys five Syrian military sites. According to SANA, four people from the same family, including two children, are killed in the strikes. (Deutsche Welle)
- Syria missile strikes (January 2021)
- 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)
- African Union Mission to Somalia
- 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 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
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Jersey, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- New Jersey reports their first two cases of the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2. Neither had travelled. (NJ.com)
- COVID-19 pandemic in California
- COVID-19 pandemic in Belize
- The number of recoveries in Belize surpasses 11,000. (Breaking Belize News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba, 501.V2 variant
- Cuba reports their first case of a variant from South Africa in an asymptomatic person who travelled from the country. (Explica)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Panama, 501.V2 variant
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- 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, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- A panel of scientists that advises the British government announces that a variant first discovered in the United Kingdom is 30% more deadly than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. (Forbes)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- 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 Hong Kong
- COVID-19 pandemic in Botswana
- COVID-19 vaccine
- Pfizer says that they will supply 40 million doses of their vaccine to lower- and middle-income countries. (Business Insider)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
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
- 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 News)
- 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)
- Sam Gor drug lord Tse Chi Lop is arrested by police at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Amsterdam. The Australian Federal Police are seeking to extradite him to face trial. Twenty law enforcement agencies assisted the operation, known as "Operation Kungur".(The Independent)
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 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)
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)
- American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War
- 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)
- 2021 Baghdad bombings
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in England
- 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, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- 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
- COVID-19 pandemic in Alabama
- 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, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- 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 the United States
- 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. (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 Portugal
- 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 Indonesia
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
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
- Presidency of Joe Biden, Efforts to impeach 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)
- Politics of Palau
- Surangel Whipps Jr. assumes the office of President of Palau succeeding Thomas Remengesau Jr.. (The Guardian)
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)
- 2020 Summer Olympics, COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
- 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)
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)
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks
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
- 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 the Netherlands
- 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
- COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon
- 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, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- 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 India
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
- COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya, 501.V2 variant
- Acting Health Director-General Patrick Amoth confirms the first cases of the variant found in South Africa. The patients are two people who had traveled to that country. (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 Kenya, 501.V2 variant
- 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)
- Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Chile
- Chile approves the CoronaVac vaccine developed by Sinovac for emergency use in the country. (MedicalXpress)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- 2020–21 H5N8 outbreak
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 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 reversing several Trump administration decisions, including rejoining the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization, repealing 2017 travel bans, ending funding for the United States–Mexico border wall, and revoking the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. (BBC) (NBC News) (The Guardian)
- Inauguration of Joe Biden
- 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)
- 2020 United States Senate election in Georgia, 2020 United States Senate special election in Georgia
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Ongoing events
Business
Disasters
- COVID-19 pandemic
- 2020–21 European windstorm season
- 2020–21 H5N8 outbreak
- 2018–20 Southern Africa drought
- Yemeni famine
Politics
- Afghan peace process
- Armenian protests
- Belarusian protests
- Bulgarian protests
- East Mediterranean crisis
- Hong Kong protests
- Indian farmers protests
- Indonesia omnibus law protests
- Kashmir lock-down
- Libyan peace process
- Nicaraguan protests
- Nigerian protests
- Persian Gulf crisis
- Russian protests
- Second Arab Spring
- Sudanese protests
- Thai protests
- United States election protests
- United States racial unrest
- Venezuelan presidential crisis
- Yellow vests movement
Recently concluded
- France: Charlie Hebdo shooting
- Vanuatu: Charlot Salwai
Ongoing
- Argentina: Rodolfo Martín Villa
- Armenia: Serzh Sargsyan
- Colombia: Álvaro Uribe
- France: Nicolas Sarkozy
- Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu
- Kyrgyzstan: Almazbek Atambayev
- Malta: Yorgen Fenech
- South Africa: Jacob Zuma
- Spain: 2017 Catalonia attacks
- Sudan: Omar al-Bashir
- United States: Varsity Blues scandal
- International: The Gambia v. Myanmar
Upcoming
- Indonesia: Edhy Prabowo, Juliari Batubara, Muhammad Rizieq Shihab
- Kosovo: Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli
- Lesotho: Maesiah Thabane
- Rwanda: Paul Rusesabagina
- United States: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Elizabeth Holmes, Meng Wanzhou, R. Kelly, Ghislaine Maxwell
- Zimbabwe: Ignatius Chombo
- Association football
- Women's association football
- American football
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Golf
- Ice hockey
- Motorsport
- Rugby union
- Other sports seasons
January 2021
- 24: George Armstrong
- 24: Gunnel Lindblom
- 23: Walter Bernstein
- 23: Tony Ferrer
- 23: Larry King
- 22: Hank Aaron
- 21: Henry Chmielewski
- 20: Mira Furlan
- 20: Sibusiso Moyo
- 20: Peter Swan
- 20: Ted Thompson
- 19: V. Shanta
- 18: Jean-Pierre Bacri
- 18: Lubomir Kavalek
- 18: Jimmie Rodgers
- 18: Don Sutton
- 17: Nikolay Antoshkin
- 17: Sammy Nestico
- 16: Salleh Abas
- 16: Michael Bryce
- 16: Chris Murphy
- 16: Phil Spector
- 15: Benjamin de Rothschild
- 14: Peter Mark Richman
- 14: Joanne Rogers
- 13: Tim Bogert
- 13: Siegfried Fischbacher
- 13: Sylvain Sylvain
- 13: Philip Tartaglia
- 12: Khalid bin Abdullah Al Saud
- 11: Sheldon Adelson
- 11: Eve Branson
- 11: Shashikumar Chitre
- 11: Don Miller
- 11: Prentice E. Sanders
- 11: Stacy Title
- 10: Nancy Walker Bush Ellis
- 10: Theo English
- 9: John Lutz
- 9: Ved Mehta
- 9: Ezra Nawi
- 9: John Reilly
- 8: Ed Bruce
- 8: Steve Carver
- 8: Diana Millay
- 7: Michael Apted
- 7: Tommy Lasorda
- 7: Jamie O'Hara
- 7: Marion Ramsey
- 7: Neil Sheehan
- 6: Bobby Few
- 6: Danilo Lim
- 5: John Richardson
- 4: Jonas Neubauer
- 4: Alexi Laiho
- 4: Lee Heung-kam
- 4: Tanya Roberts
- 4: M. R. Schunker
- 4: Barbara Shelley
- 4: Gregory Sierra
- 4: Gordon "Butch" Stewart
- 3: Dick Kulpa
- 3: Gerry Marsden
Africa
- Algeria, Libya and Tunisia
- Cameroon
- Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
- Central African Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ethiopia
- Mali
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Somalia
- Sudan
- War in Darfur
- South Kordofan conflict
- Sudanese nomadic conflicts (incl. South Sudan)
- Western Sahara
Americas
- Colombia
- Mexico
- Peru
Asia-Pacific
- Afghanistan
- China
- India
- India and Pakistan
- Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines
- Indonesia
- Myanmar
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Thailand
Europe
- Armenia and Azerbaijan
- Ukraine
Middle East
- Egypt
- Iran and the Persian Gulf
- Iraq
- Iraq and Syria (map)
- Israel and Gaza
- Israel and Syria
- Syria
- Turkey
- Yemen and Saudi Arabia
2021 events and developments by topic
Arts
Architecture – Comics – Film – Home video – Literature – Music (Country, Rock, Metal, UK, US) – Radio – Television (UK, US) – Video games
Politics and government
Elections – International leaders – Sovereign states – Sovereign state leaders – Territorial governors
Science and technology
Archaeology – Biotechnology – Computing – Palaeontology – Quantum computing and communication – Space/Astronomy – Spaceflight
Environment and environmental sciences
Birding/Ornithology – Climate change
Transportation
Establishments and disestablishments categories
Establishments – Disestablishments
Works and introductions categories
Works – Introductions – Works entering the public domain
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2021.