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

Donald Trump

Donald Trump (pictured) becomes the first U.S. president to be impeached twice after the House of Representatives charges him with incitement of insurrection.
In Ireland, an investigation into church-run homes for unwed mothers and their babies details the deaths of 9,000 children between 1922 and 1998.
Sriwijaya Air Flight 182, carrying 62 people, crashes north of Jakarta, Indonesia.
Twenty-three people are killed during a police operation in Caracas, Venezuela.

January 15, 2021 (Friday)

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January 14, 2021 (Thursday)

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Business and economy

Automotive manufacturer Toyota announces that it will pay a US$180 million civil penalty for violating United States vehicle emission standards on reporting emission defects to authorities. (AFP via News24)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
    - Mainland China reports 138 new cases in the past 24 hours, which is the biggest single-day increase in more than 10 months, make it 87,844 total cases since the beginning of the outbreak. In addition, the country also reports the first death from COVID-19 since April, bringing the nationwide death toll to 4,635. (ABC Australia)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports a record 11,557 new cases, bringing the nationwide total to 869,600 confirmed cases. (Kompas)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    - Malaysia reports a record 3,337 new cases, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 147,855. (The Edge Markets MY)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Food and Drug Administration approves the Pfizer–BioNTech tozinameran vaccine for emergency use in the country. (Rappler)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - Prime Minister Jean Castex announces that the French government will impose a nationwide 6:00 pm curfew for at least 15 days starting on January 16 in order to stem the spread of COVID-19. (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - The Robert Koch Institute reports a record 1,244 new fatalities in the past 24 hours, bringing Germany's nationwide death toll to 43,881. (Tagesschau)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - For the second consecutive day, Portugal reports a new daily record of 10,698 new cases, bringing the nationwide cumulative total of confirmed cases to 517,806. (DGS)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden
    - Sweden reports a record 351 new deaths in the past 24 hours, making the nationwide death toll from COVID-19 surpass 10,000. (Expressen)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
    - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan receives the first dose of CoronaVac vaccine in Ankara City Hospital as Turkey begins its nationwide vaccination campaign. (Anadolu Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Gambia
  - The Gambia reports the first two cases of new variant of SARS-CoV-2 (B117) in a 34-year-old Gambian man who had travelled from the United Kingdom and a 82-year-old Gambian woman who both are tested positive. (Reuters)

International relations

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal, COVID-19 pandemic in South America, COVID-19 pandemic in Cape Verde, Brazilian variant
  - Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announces to ban all travellers from all South American countries, Portugal and Cape Verde from entering the United Kingdom due to new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that identified from Brazil. The ban will come into force from tomorrow at 04:00 GMT. (BBC)
Nuclear program of Iran
- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says Iran informed them that it has begun installing equipment for the production of uranium metal, another violation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The IAEA says Iran now has enough enriched uranium to make a nuclear weapon, but still possesses less than it had before the deal was signed. (The Independent)

Law and crime

Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia announces the arrest of Kevin Seefried, a Delaware man who was seen carrying the Confederate flag during the storming of the United States Capitol. His son, Hunter Seefried, is also arrested. (CBS News)
- The Department of Justice announces that Robert Sanford, a retired firefighter in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, is arrested for allegedly throwing a fire extinguisher at Capitol Police officers during the storming of the Capitol. (USA Today)
Crime in Australia, Domestic violence in Australia
- A mother and three children are found dead in a suspected murder–suicide in Tullamarine, Victoria, in a second case of suspected familicide in Victoria in one week. (News.com.au)
Corruption in South Korea
- The South Korean Supreme Court upholds the 22-year prison term for former President Park Geun-hye for a corruption crime. (AP)
Flint water crisis
- Eight more Michigan officials are charged along with former Governor Rick Snyder for their roles in the Flint water crisis. Former health director Nick Lyon and former state medical executive Eden Wells are charged with involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of 9 people who got Legionnaires' disease during the crisis. (NBC News) (AP)

Politics and elections

2021 Ugandan general election
- Voters head to the polls to elect their next president and parliament. The two main presidential candidates are incumbent President Yoweri Museveni and opposition activist and musician Bobi Wine. The election has been widely criticized as being unfair, with both the United States and European Union cancelling their observations. (BBC)

January 13, 2021 (Wednesday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war
- Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian Civil War
  - Syria missile strikes (January 2021)
    - Israel carries out a wave of airstrikes on Syria's eastern Deir ez-Zor Governorate, near its border with Iraq. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that 57 people have been killed and 28 others wounded in at least 18 Israeli airstrikes, saying that several Iranian arms depots were hit. A senior U.S. intelligence official says that the air raids were carried out with "intelligence provided by the U.S." (Daily Sabah)
Central African Republic Civil War
- Pro-François Bozizé forces attack the Central African Republic capital of Bangui, with fighting reported on multiple fronts, according to Prime Minister Firmin Ngrébada. A Reuters witness reports explosions and helicopters circling over the city. The attack is successfully repelled by the Central African Armed Forces. (Reuters)
- A Rwanda Defence Force peacekeeper is killed in a rebel attack, according to MINUSCA officials. (Xinhuanet)
Mali War
- Three Ivorian UN peacekeepers are killed and six others wounded in a jihadist ambush on their vehicle in central Mali. (France 24)

Business and economy

Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- Mayor Bill de Blasio announces that New York City will end all contracts with the Trump Organization claiming that President Donald Trump's incitement of "an insurrection against the U.S. government clearly constitutes criminal activity." (The New York Times)
George Floyd protests in Australia, List of name changes due to the George Floyd protests
- Dairy company Saputo announces that Coon cheese, its brand of cheddar cheese in Australia, will be rebranded as "Cheer" cheese, in response to a 20-year campaign by indigenous rights activist Stephen Hagan to remove the usage of the word "Coon", in reference to a racial slur. The new branding will be released in July. (AFP via Manila Standard)
Spanish telecommunications company Telefónica announces that it will sell its cell sites in Europe and Latin America, which are owned by its subsidiary Telxius, to American company American Tower for an estimated €7.7 billion (US$9.4 billion). (Buenos Aires Times)

Disasters and accidents

A Sudanese Air Force helicopter crashes shortly after taking off in Sudan's Al Qadarif state, near the border with Ethiopia, with the three-person crew surviving the crash, according to officials. (TRT World)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - President Joko Widodo receives the first dose of the vaccine candidate developed by Sinovac Biotech. (CNA)
    - Indonesia reports a record 11,278 new cases and 306 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total to 858,043 confirmed cases and 24,951 deaths. (CNN Indonesia)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq
    - Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi imposes travel and entry bans on 20 countries reported to have new variants of SARS-CoV-2. (Xinhua)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - The government expands the state of emergency to seven prefectures, including Aichi, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Kyoto, as the country surpasses 300,000 cases of COVID-19. (ABC News)
    - Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announces the suspension of business travel agreements with 11 countries and regions and also restricts entry for all non-resident foreign nationals beginning tomorrow in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Nikkei Asia)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan
    - Jordan begins a vaccination campaign, with priority given to healthcare workers, people with chronic illnesses, and those over the age of 60. (Arab News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
    - China reports 115 new cases in the past 24 hours, the largest single-day total in more than five months, bringing the nationwide number of confirmed cases to 87,706. (The Straits Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - The Philippines reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom in a person who travelled from the United Arab Emirates to Quezon City on January 7 and later tested positive. (ABS-CBN News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan, 501.V2 variant
    - Taiwan reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from South Africa in a Swazi man in his 30s who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on January 1. (Taiwan News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
    - The United Arab Emirates reports a record 3,362 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 239,587. (The National)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium, 501.V2 variant
    - Belgium reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from South Africa in a person from West Flanders with no travel history. (VRT)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports records for both daily counts of new cases and deaths, with 10,556 new cases and 156 deaths, bringing the nationwide cumulative totals to 507,108 confirmed cases and 8,236 deaths. (DGS)
    - Prime Minister António Costa announces that stricter lockdown measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 will begin on January 15. There will be more exceptions to the new restrictions than there were during the first national lockdown in March and April 2020. (Expresso)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spain reports a record 38,869 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,176,089. (El Mundo)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
    - Turkey approves the emergency use of the vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom reports a record 1,564 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 84,767. (BBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Vatican City
    - Pope Francis and Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI receive their firsts doses of COVID-19 vaccine on the first day of the vaccination campaign in the Vatican City. (Fox News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Mississippi, COVID-19 vaccine
    - Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves receives the vaccine live on Facebook. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in New Mexico, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - New Mexico reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a man in his 60s who traveled to the United Kingdom in December and later tested positive for COVID-19. (KUTV-TV)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - Wisconsin reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that originated in the United Kingdom. (WDJT-TV)
  - The U.S. surpasses 23 million cases of COVID-19, just four days after surpassing 22 million cases. (CNN)

International relations

North Korea–South Korea relations
- Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-jong, criticizes South Korea over their tracking of a military parade that will be held in Pyongyang during the weekend, defining South Korean officials as a "weird group, hard to understand" and the "idiot and top of the world's list in misbehaviour". South Korean President Moon Jae-in says his position to establish talks with North Korea remains unchanged. (NDTV)

Law and crime

Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- American Olympic gold-medal swimmer Klete Keller is charged with participating in the storming of the United States Capitol. (CBS News)
- Robert Keith Packer, a Virginian known for wearing a "Camp Auschwitz" sweatshirt, is arrested for storming the Capitol. Additionally, former Rocky Mount, Virginia police officers Thomas Robertson and Jacob Fracker are also arrested. (The Washington Post)
- Proud Boys supporter Eduard Florea is arrested in New York for threatening to lead an armed caravan to Washington, D.C. Additionally, Florea also threatened the life of Senator-elect Raphael Warnock. (WNBC-TV) (Fox News) (The New York Daily News)
Capital punishment in the United States
- Shortly after midnight, the federal government executes Lisa Marie Montgomery by lethal injection for the 2004 murder of Bobbie Jo Stinnett, after the Supreme Court vacated the last stay on her execution. Montgomery is the first woman to be executed by the federal government since 1953. (Reuters)
Aftermath of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny
- Opposition politician and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny announces that he will return to Russia on Sunday, despite risks of being incarcerated upon his return. Navalny says that the charges against him are "fabricated". (Reuters)
Flint water crisis
- Former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is charged with two counts of willful neglect of duty in connection with the Flint water crisis, which left residents with contaminated water and a Legionnaires outbreak. (AP) (Business Insider)
Rioting erupts overnight in the Belgian capital Brussels following the death of a 23-year-old black man in police custody, who was reportedly arrested for violating local COVID-19 restrictions. A police station was set on fire in north of the city, and King Philippe's vehicle was attacked while travelling through the area. (BBC) (Euronews)

Politics and elections

Second impeachment of Donald Trump
- The U.S. House of Representatives impeaches President Donald Trump for "incitement of insurrection". (BBC)
- After being impeached, Trump releases a video statement from the White House condemning the rioters who stormed the United States Capitol. (Bloomberg)
Corruption in Estonia
- Prime Minister Jüri Ratas announces his resignation after the Prosecutor General suspected his Estonian Centre Party of "criminal involvement" in an influence peddling scandal involving businessman Hillar Teder. (Daily Sabah)
List of Speakers of the Illinois House of Representatives
- The Illinois House of Representatives elects Democrat Emanuel "Chris" Welch as the first African American Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, ending the era of Democrat Michael Madigan as the 67th and 69th Illinois Speaker, having served 18 terms as Speaker for all but two years since 1983, the longest serving legislative leader in United States history. (Politico) (The Hill)

Science and technology

Donald Trump on social media, Censorship by Google
- Google-owned YouTube says that it has suspended U.S. President Donald Trump's account from uploading new videos or live streaming content for the next seven days, and may extend the suspension, saying that the channel had violated its rules over incitement to violence. (BBC)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- English cricketer and all-rounder Moeen Ali, who tested positive for COVID-19 ten days ago, confirmed that he was infected with a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, which makes this the first case of the UK variant in Sri Lanka. (The Times of India)

January 12, 2021 (Tuesday)

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Disasters and accidents

Eight people die in an apartment building fire in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Investigators say that the preliminary cause of death is carbon monoxide poisoning. (Znak)
A barge travelling from Kisangani to the town of Basoko in Tshopo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, sinks in the Congo River. Local authorities report that at least six people were killed and 19 others are missing. (AFP via Business Recorder)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
      - Premier Doug Ford announces a second state of emergency and stay-at-home order for Ontario as the number of cases continues to increase. (Global News)
    - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces that the country will double its order of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine from 20 million to 40 million doses. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Maryland, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      - Maryland reports their first two cases of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a married couple from Anne Arundel County, one of whom had travelled to the United Kingdom. (WJZ-TV)
    - COVID-19 vaccine
      - The outgoing Trump administration announces that they will make changes to their vaccine distributions in an effort to speed up the rollout. (NPR)
    - The CDC announces that they will expand their order to require travelers from the United Kingdom to test negative for COVID-19. (U.S. News & World Report)
    - The United States reports a record 4,197 new deaths in the past 24 hours. (CNN)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
    - Chinese authorities place 4.9 million people in Langfang under lockdown for the next seven days and also subject them to mass testing in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Swiss Info)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports a record 302 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 24,645. (detikHealth)
    - The government receives 15 million doses of the half-finished vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech for final production and distribution by Bio Farma. (Jakarta Globe)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    - Malaysian Yang di-Pertuan Agong Abdullah of Pahang declares a state of emergency in the country until August 1 amid an increase in COVID-19 cases, suspending parliament for the first time since 1969 for the remainder of the pandemic. (Bloomberg)
    - Malaysia reports a record 3,309 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours ahead of the return of movement control orders in parts of the country, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 141,553. (The Straits Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Japan plans to extend the ongoing state of emergency to locations outside of the Greater Tokyo Area. (Insidethegames)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Kyrgyzstan
    - Kyrgyzstan receives documents for Pfizer's vaccine. (Trend)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Bavarian Ministers-President Markus Söder announces that starting from next Monday, people will be required to wear FFP2 masks while travelling on public transport and when in retail shops in order to improve safety on these areas. (The Local Germany)
    - Baden-Württemberg reports Germany's first case of new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a family that travelled from South Africa. (DW)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
    - The Netherlands extends its nationwide lockdown until February 9 despite the number of new cases falling. (Government of the Netherlands)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports a record 155 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 8,080. (DGS)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spain receives their first shipment of the Moderna vaccine. (ANI)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland
    - Swissmedic grants authorization for use of the Moderna vaccine in Switzerland, making it the second COVID-19 vaccine to be approved in the country. (Swissmedic)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bolivia
  - Former President Evo Morales tested positive for COVID-19. (G1)

International relations

Egypt–Qatar relations, Qatar diplomatic crisis
- Egypt reopens its airspace to Qatari aircraft, and will allow the resumption of direct flights between the countries, which have been suspended since 2017. (Reuters)
Moldova–Ukraine relations
- Moldovan President Maia Sandu arrives in Ukraine for her first foreign visit as president. Both countries said that they are willing to join the Three Seas Initiative and European Union. (UAWire.org) (Ukrinform) (Republic TV)

Law and crime

Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- 2021 efforts to remove Donald Trump from office
  - President Donald Trump warns that successfully impeaching him from office for his conduct regarding the riot at the United States Capitol Building would represent a "tremendous danger" to the nation. Trump refused to clarify his statement any further, instead stating that his comments vis-à-vis inciting the incident were "totally appropriate". (CNBC)
  - Vice President Mike Pence tells House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that he won't invoke the 25th amendment. (Chicago Tribune)
2021 Ugandan general election
- Ahead of Thursday's election, Ugandan opposition presidential candidate Bobi Wine says that soldiers raided his home and arrested his security guards without providing any explanation. Wine has previously been accused by incumbent Yoweri Museveni of being "an agent of foreign interests". (DW)
- In retaliation against Facebook for blocking pro-government accounts, the government of Uganda blocks all social media, including Facebook and WhatsApp until further notice. (Reuters)
Aftermath of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny
- Authorities in Russia ask a judge to jail opposition politician and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny for allegedly breaking a suspended sentence dating back to 2014 and for evading the supervision of Russia's criminal inspection authority. Navalny had previously been asked to return to Russia to report himself to the federal authorities but continues to remain in Germany. He has vowed to return to Russia ahead of the next parliamentary election. (Reuters)
The Jordanian State Security Court sentences a man to death for perpetrating a stabbing attack on eight people in Jerash in November 2019. The court alleges that the man "had been in contact with one of the members of the Islamic State", although the organization never claimed responsibility formally. (AFP via RFI)
The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka sentences former member of parliament Ranjan Ramanayake, who is affiliated with the opposition United National Party, to a four-year "rigorous imprisonment" over his remarks claiming that most judges in the country were "corrupt". (AFP via The Times of India)

Politics and elections

Presidential transition of Joe Biden
- Vice President Mike Pence acknowledges that the Trump presidency is coming to an end, and said that the administration is working with President-elect Joe Biden's transition team. (The Hill)
- The Joint Chiefs of Staff condemn the storming of the United States Capitol, and acknowledge Biden's victory. (CNBC)
Presidency of Donald Trump
- Donald Trump visits Alamo, Texas, giving a speech at the Wall separating the United States–Mexico border. (Dallas Morning News)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, 2021 Formula One World Championship
- Formula One postpones the Australian and Chinese Grand Prix due to COVID-19-related restrictions. The Australian Grand Prix will take place in November instead of March, while the discussion over a new date for the Chinese Grand Prix is ongoing. (BBC)

January 11, 2021 (Monday)

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Business and economy

Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- The Parler social networking service goes offline after Amazon discontinued providing cloud computing services. The company's chief executive said that the service will be down "longer than expected" as "most people with enough servers to host us have shut their doors to us." (CNBC)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
- Ford Motor Company announces that it will cease production at its plants in Camaçari and Taubaté in the coming months due to losses aggravated by the pandemic. Ford also plans to close its Troller plant in Belo Horizonte in the fourth quarter of 2021. (AFP via Deccan Herald)

Disasters and accidents

Sriwijaya Air Flight 182
- Indonesian authorities identify the first victim of the Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-500 that crashed into the Java Sea, a 29-year-old male flight attendant. (DW)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
    - China announces that a World Health Organization team investigating the origins of COVID-19 will arrive in the country on Thursday. (France 24)
    - Mainland China reports 103 new cases in the past 24 hours, mainly in Hebei province, which is the highest single-day total since July 30 and brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 87,536. (CNA)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency approves Sinovac's vaccine for emergency use in the country. This comes after a clinical trial showed the vaccine had a 65.3% efficacy in Indonesia compared to an efficacy of 91% in Turkey and 78% in Brazil. (Jakarta Globe)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon
    - Lebanon declares a state of emergency and imposes a 24-hour curfew for 11 days beginning January 14 as part of a lockdown that began on January 7. All private and public companies as well as house of worships will be closed with few exceptions and travel restrictions will also be introduced. (The Daily Star)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    - The government signs a deal with Pfizer and BioNTech to buy an additional 12.2 million doses of the tozinameran vaccine. (The Star)
    - Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announces a lockdown in the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya as well as in five states and also bans interstate travel for two weeks beginning January 13 in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (South China Morning Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Philippines orders 25 million doses of Sinovac's vaccine. 50,000 doses of the vaccine are expected to arrive in the country by February. (Inquirer)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Albania
    - Albania begins its vaccination programme against COVID-19 with doses received from an undisclosed European Union country. Prime Minister Edi Rama is among the first to receive the vaccine. (ABC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - The Netherlands detects at least 30 cases of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in an outbreak linked to a primary school in Bergschenhoek. (Dutch News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports a record 122 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 7,925. (The Washington Post)
    - President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa tests positive for COVID-19. He is self-isolating in Belém Palace asymptomatic. (PÚBLICO)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Seychelles
    - Seychelles becomes the first African country to begin vaccination campaign against COVID-19. One of the first to receive the vaccine is the president Wavel Ramkalawan. (Africa News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia
    - Tunisia reports a record 3,074 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide case total to 162,350. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe
    - The government orders that victims of COVID-19 must be buried where they die, forbidding viewings and the transfer of corpses as the country experiences a significant increase in the number of cases. (Xinhua)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in California
    - Two gorillas in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park tests positive for coronavirus, making this the first case of transmission to non-human primates or great apes. (The Los Angeles Times)
    - The state surpasses 30,000 deaths from COVID-19, just a month after surpassing 20,000 deaths. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Delaware
    - President-elect Joe Biden receives a second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech tozinameran vaccine on camera. (CNN)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indiana, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - Indiana reports its first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom. (Indystar)
  - The CDC says it has administered 8 million vaccine doses in the United States and distributed an additional 25.5 million doses. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Lockdowns in Brisbane and the Northern Beaches of Sydney are lifted as the number of cases in those areas drop. (ABC Australia) (9 News)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - BioNTech says it plans to produce two billion vaccine doses this year. (The Hill)

International relations

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Uzbekistan
  - Uzbekistan extends their travel restrictions to the United Kingdom, Italy, Denmark, Austria, Australia, the Netherlands, and South Africa until February 1. (Xinhuanet)
United States–Yemen relations
- The leader of the Houthi movement, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, condemns a move by the United States to designate the group as "terrorists" saying that the group "reserves its right to respond to any designation" by the Trump administration. Iran and the Norwegian Refugee Council also condemn the designation, saying that it will create more devastation in the impoverished nation. (Al Jazeera)
Cuba–United States relations
- The United States declares Cuba a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Cuba was removed from the list by the Obama administration in 2015 during the Cuban thaw. (NBC News)

Law and crime

Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- 2021 efforts to remove Donald Trump from office
  - Democrats in the House of Representatives introduce an article of impeachment against Trump for "incitement of insurrection". (ABC News)
- The New York State Bar Association announces that it has launched an inquiry into removing President Donald Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani from its membership over his role in the "violent uprising" at the Capitol building. (Bloomberg)
- Yogananda Pittman is named as acting United States Capitol Police chief, making her the first woman and first African-American to lead the agency. (NPR)
Three police officers are killed, two by gunfire and one in a hit-and-run, after a carjacking in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. A fourth police officer is also injured. This is the first time in Puerto Rico's recent history in which multiple police officers were killed in one incident. The suspect remains at large. (AP)

Politics and elections

2020–21 United States election protests
- An internal bulletin by the FBI warns of nationwide armed protests being planned from January 16 to 20, the day of Joe Biden's inauguration. The bulletin also warned of an armed group threatening to start a "huge uprising" if there is an attempt to remove Donald Trump from office via the 25th Amendment. (ABC News) (AP)
- Airbnb says it will ban bookings for hate groups and rioters in Washington, D.C. ahead of Biden's inauguration. (CNET) (Washingtonian)
- Michigan announces it will ban open-carry guns at the state capitol. (HuffPost)
- President Trump approves an emergency declaration request from District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser ahead of Biden's inauguration. (Politico) (Fox News)
- Chad Wolf resigns as Acting United States Secretary of Homeland Security, citing "recent events, including the ongoing and meritless court rulings regarding the validity of my authority as Acting Secretary". He is replaced by FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor. (The Guardian)
Pope Francis publishes an apostolic letter in which, modifying the canon law, opens officially ministries of lector and acolyte to women. (Catholic News Agency)

Science and technology

Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election
- Facebook bans "Stop the Steal" content ahead of Biden's inauguration. (NBC News)

Sports

Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- Bill Belichick, the head coach of the New England Patriots, declines the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump, citing the storming of the United States Capitol. He had been scheduled to receive it on Thursday. (CNN)
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, 2020–21 NBA season
- NBA postpone Monday night’s matchup between Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans, and Tuesday match between Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls due to COVID-19 health protocols. (The New York Times)
2021 College Football Playoff National Championship
- In American football, Alabama defeats Ohio State to win the national championship. (NBC News)

January 10, 2021 (Sunday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Kivu conflict
- At least six park rangers in the Virunga National Park in Rutshuru, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, are killed in an ambush. A Mai-Mai militia is suspected to have committed the attack. (AFP via Barron's)
Tigray War
- The Ethiopian National Defense Force says that it has killed 15 members of the Tigray People's Liberation Front, including the region's former deputy police commissioner, and captured eight others, including the region's former president Abay Weldu. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- PGA of America announces it will terminate an agreement to play the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster because conducting the golf tournament there would have been "detrimental" to the PGA brand. (ESPN)
- Payment processor Stripe will no longer process payments for the campaign website of President Donald Trump because of the company's policies against encouraging violence. (Wall Street Journal)

Disasters and accidents

Sriwijaya Air Flight 182
- Indonesian authorities locate the black boxes of the Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-500 PK-CLC that crashed into the sea soon after taking off from Jakarta, as human body parts and debris from the plane are found. Loss of everyone on board is considered almost certain. (France 24) (The Jakarta Post)
Power is restored in Pakistan following a nationwide blackout. (The Financial Times)
Gold mine explosion in Shandong, China.
- 22 workers are trapped in a gold mine in Qixia, east China's Shandong province after an explosion tore through the mine at 2 p.m. Xinhua News South China Morning Post

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
      - Ontario reports a record 3,945 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours. (CBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
    - Spokesman for President Andrés Manuel López Obrador Jesús Ramírez Cuevas tested positive for COVID-19. (The Independent)
    - Mexico reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom. (Business Standard)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Japan's Health Ministry detects a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 partially similar to those from South Africa and the United Kingdom in four people that travelled from Amazonas in Brazil. (The Straits Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Philippines signs an agreement with the Serum Institute of India to receive 30 million doses of Novavax's vaccine. (Inquirer.com)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
    - Vietnam limits inbound flights until the Lunar New Year holiday due to the spread of new variants of SARS-Cov-2 in many countries. (VnExpress International)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium
    - Belgium surpasses 20,000 deaths from COVID-19. (The Brussels Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Germany surpasses 40,000 deaths from COVID-19. (The Local Germany)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - Russia reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  - Africa surpasses three million cases of COVID-19. (ABC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, 501.V2 variant
  - New Zealand reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from South Africa. (Newshub)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Uruguay
  - Uruguay reports a record 1,215 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 26,186. (gob.uy)
- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide surpasses 90 million. (TVNZ)

Law and crime

Crime in Australia
- A mother and her three daughters are found dead in a house fire in Glen Waverley, Victoria. Police are investigating it as a possible mass murder. (News.com.au)
2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- Two men who were photographed carrying plastic hand restraints in the Senate chamber during the storming of the United States Capitol, are arrested in Tennessee and Texas. (The Washington Post)
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand reveals that one of its file hosting services storing "sensitive information" was "maliciously" breached. The bank says the breach was contained and that they are investigating the "nature and extent" of "potentially accessed" information. (Radio New Zealand) (AFP via ABS-CBN News)
Six inmates escape from a jail in California. Their whereabouts are unknown and being sought by California police. The six men are considered to be armed and dangerous. (WGNTV)

Politics and elections

2021 Kazakh legislative election
- Legislative elections are held in Kazakhstan. The election is criticized for a lack of opposition to the leading party Nur Otan and is therefore expected to be considered neither free nor fair by international observers. (Radio Free Europe)
2021 Kyrgyz presidential election, 2021 Kyrgyz referendum
- Presidential elections are held in Kyrgyzstan following last year's political unrest and the resignation of President Sooronbay Jeenbekov. Interim Prime Minister Sadyr Japarov is widely expected to win the election. The question of keeping the current parliamentary system or reintroducing a presidential system is also presented to the electorate in the form of a referendum. (Reuters) (Radio Free Europe)
8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea
- North Korean state media says that Kim Jong-un has been formally elected as the General Secretary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, inheriting the title from his late father Kim Jong-il, who died in 2011. (Reuters)
2020-21 Belarusian protests
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says that the country will draft a new constitution by the end of the year. It remains unclear whether the new constitution will result in Lukashenko leaving office. (The Strait Times)

January 9, 2021 (Saturday)

edithistorywatch

Arts and culture

The National Society of Film Critics names contemporary western film Nomadland as the recipient of 2020's National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film. (The Wrap)
Thousands of Roman Catholic devotees attend Saturday masses organized in lieu of the cancelled annual procession of the Black Nazarene at the Quiapo Church in Manila. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Sriwijaya Air Flight 182
- Indonesian authorities lose contact with Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 shortly after take-off with 62 people onboard. The passenger plane, a Boeing 737, was en route to Pontianak, taking off from the capital Jakarta. (The Age)
2020–21 European windstorm season
- Storm Filomena causes the death of two people from heavy rains in the province of Málaga and another two from hypothermia after a blizzard hits central Spain. The Mayor of Madrid requests the assistance of the Army as he considers the situation in the capital to be of "extreme gravity". (BBC) (Europa Press)
Ten newborn babies die in a hospital fire in western Maharashtra, India. The fire was supposedly caused by an electrical short circuit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that the news was "heart-wrenching". (DW)
A nationwide blackout occurs in Pakistan, leaving more than 200 million people without power. Senator Faisal Javed Khan says that the blackout was apparently caused by a "sudden frequency drop in the power transmission system". Power is gradually being restored in some parts of the country. (BNO News)

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 695 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative death toll in the state to 29,233. (KTLA-TV)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      - Minnesota reports its first five cases of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that originated from the United Kingdom. The patients are aged 15 to 37. (KARE-TV)
    - The United States surpasses 22 million cases of COVID-19. (NBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec
      - A nighttime curfew takes effect in Quebec as an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. (ABC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
    - Mexico reports a record 16,105 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,524,036. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - COVID-19 vaccination programme in the United Kingdom
      - Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh receive their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. (The Daily Telegraph)
    - The United Kingdom surpasses 80,000 deaths and three million cases of COVID-19. (BBC) (The Guardian)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Vatican City
    - Pope Francis confirms in an interview with Italian broadcaster Canale 5 that the vaccination campaign in Vatican City will begin next week and that he will receive the vaccine. (CNN) (Euronews)
    - Fabrizio Soccorsi, Pope Francis' personal physician, dies as a result of "complications due to COVID-19", according to Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano. (Fox News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - France extends its curfew to eight departments, including Bouches-du-Rhône, which includes Marseille, where a 6:00 p.m. curfew has been imposed after 21 people tested positive for the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that originated in the United Kingdom. (France 24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
    - Chinese authorities tell 16 million residents in Shijiazhuang and Xingtai to stay home for the next seven days as Shijiazhuang suspends all public transport in order to combat the new outbreak of COVID-19. (Al Jazeera)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - The government announces that India will begin its COVID-19 vaccination campaign on January 16 with priority given to an estimated 30 million healthcare and frontline workers. (The Hindu)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, COVID-19 vaccine
    - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became the first Israeli to get a second dose of Pfizer's tozinameran vaccine as the country begins administering second doses of the vaccine to the public. (The Times of Israel)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Japan surpasses 4,000 deaths from COVID-19. (The Japan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
    - Thailand surpasses 10,000 cases of COVID-19. (Bangkok Post)

International relations

Taiwan–United States relations
- Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces that the United States will be lifting all restrictions on contacts between American and Taiwanese officials, saying the "self-imposed" restrictions were introduced decades ago to appease the Chinese Communist Party government in mainland China. (BBC)

Law and crime

Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia announces that Jacob Chansley (also known as Jake Angeli or "QAnon shaman"), who was photographed wearing horns, has been arrested. Additionally, Adam Christian Johnson is also expected to face charges for carrying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lectern. (The Guardian) (TMZ)
- West Virginia delegate Derrick Evans resigns a day after being arrested for illegally entering the United States Capitol. (West Virginia MetroNews)
- Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announces that detachments of the Virginia National Guard and Virginia State Police will remain stationed at the United States Capitol through the inauguration of Joe Biden on January 20. (WWBT-TV)
Mass shootings in the United States
- Three people are killed and four others injured in a shooting spree through several neighborhoods in the South Side area of Chicago, Illinois, as well as Evanston. The shooter, a 32-year-old man, was shot during a shootout with responding Evanston police officers and later died in a hospital. (WMAQ-TV)

Science and technology

The Parler app is suspended indefinitely from the App Store by Apple Inc. Additionally, Amazon also announces that they will discontinue providing cloud services for Parler due to incitement of violence, which will go into effect on Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. (CNN) (CNBC)

Sports