Portal:Current events
Topics in the news
- The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission is launched to attempt to deflect the course of the asteroid Dimorphos (illustrated).
- Magdalena Andersson resigns shortly after being elected as the first female prime minister of Sweden.
- At least 46 people are killed in a bus crash and fire near Bosnek, Bulgaria.
- Abdalla Hamdok is reinstated as Prime Minister of Sudan in an agreement following the October coup.
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2021 Solomon Islands unrest
- Australian Federal Police take control of the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara following three days of civil unrest. A night time curfew begins at 7pm local time. Rioting and looting continues in the Chinatown suburb. (Reuters)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 variant
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Stocks and oil prices sink amid growing concerns over the new COVID variant. (FT) (CNBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic
- The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved the entry of fully-vaccinated foreign nationals from green-list countries starting December 1, 2021. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
International relations
- Russia–Ukraine relations
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accuses Russia of plotting a coup against him and says that Ukrainian tycoon Rinat Akhmetov was being enlisted for the move. Zelensky says that his country "is prepared for any scenario" as tensions rise. (Washington Post)
- 2021 Belarus–European Union border crisis
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko makes a public appearance at the Belarus–Poland border for the first time since the migrant crisis began. Lukashenko gave a speech to migrants, telling them they were free to return home or head west, saying "If you want to go westwards, we won't detain you, choke you, beat you. It's up to you. Go through. Go". (Reuters)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Somali Civil War
- November 2021 Mogadishu bombing
- A car bombing targeting a UN convoy explodes outside a school in Mogadishu, killing eight people and injuring 17 others. Jihadist group Al-Shabaab claims responsibility for the attack. (Al Jazeera)
- November 2021 Mogadishu bombing
- Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea
- The Royal Danish Navy frigate HDMS Esbern Snare opens fire and kills four pirates in the Gulf of Guinea after being fired upon. Four other pirates are detained and taken aboard the frigate by Frogman Corps. The incident took place 25 to 30 nautical miles south of the territorial boundary of Nigeria. (Reuters)
- At least 35 people are killed during an eight-day fight over a dispute about camel looting between herders in Jebel Moon, Darfur, Sudan. Sixteen villages and thousands of homes are also set on fire. (Al Jazeera)
Disasters and accidents
- Listvyazhnaya mine disaster
- A fire inside a coal mine in Kemerovo Oblast, Russia, traps 285 miners underground. Forty-six miners are killed and 49 others are being treated for smoke inhalation in hospital. Six rescuers later die while searching for trapped miners, bringing the total death toll to 52. (DW) (CBC)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
- The High Court of Justice of Catalonia approves the use of the COVID-19 immunity passport for restaurants, bars and fitness centers in the region. (El País)
- Establishments in Aragon, such as restaurants and nightclubs, begin requiring certificates of immunity for entry. (Expansión)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
- The government declares a 30-day state of emergency and imposes new measures that will require bars and restaurants to close at 10 pm, bans alcohol consumption at bars and restaurants, restricts the number of people at gatherings and events, and bans Christmas markets. These measures will take effect tomorrow. (Radio Prague International)
- COVID-19 pandemic in France
- The French Minister of Social Affairs and Health announces a nationalized plan to provide a third booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccines to all adults beginning on November 27, instead of enacting another nationwide state of lockdown in order to reduce the currently record-breaking spread of COVID-19. (Associated Press)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
- Germany surpasses 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 and also reports a record 75,961 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (ABC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- The United Kingdom surpasses 10 million cases of COVID-19. (ITV News)
- European Union response to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic
- The European Commission issues recommendations that the issuance of the EU Digital COVID Certificate be shortened to nine months with a requirement to receive a booster dose. Furthermore, the commission recommends the acceptance of all COVID-19 vaccines listed under the Emergency Use Listing by the World Health Organization, including Chinese and Indian-produced vaccines. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 vaccine
- The European Medicines Agency officially approves the use of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11 years, becoming the first vaccine to be approved for these age groups in Europe. (Associated Press)
- Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, COVID-19 vaccination in Australia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, COVID-19 vaccination in Argentina
- Argentina receives 2.5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, which includes 1.1 million doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and 1.3 million doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. (ANDigital)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Laos
- Laos reports a record 1,504 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 67,322. (The Laotian Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, Variants of SARS-CoV-2
- South African scientists detect a new COVID-19 variant named Lineage B.1.1.529 that poses a "major threat" to efforts to reduce the spread of the virus, and blames the variant for the exponential rise of new cases in the country. (Deutsche Welle)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- The latest quinquennial National Family Health Survey in India finds that the population's total fertility rate has dropped to a point below the key replacement rate for the first time in the nation's history. (The Washington Post)
International relations
- COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Israel bans entry of travellers from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini and discourages its citizens from travelling to those countries due to the emergence of the Lineage B.1.1.529 variant. (Reuters)
- Turkey–United Arab Emirates relations
- Turkey and the United Arab Emirates sign several investment accords during a high-level visit to Ankara by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, including a $10 billion investment fund to support the Turkish health and energy sectors. The Turkish and Emirati central banks also sign a cooperation agreement. (Reuters)
Law and crime
- 2021 Solomon Islands unrest
- Rioters demanding the resignation of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare set fire to buildings in Honiara's Chinatown neighborhood. Protesters have been defying a 36-hour lockdown imposed following an unrest yesterday. (The Guardian)
- Australia announces that it will deploy federal police and Australian Defence Force personnel to Honiara to aid with riot control and to secure infrastructure sites following a formal request for help from Prime Minister Sogavare. (SBS News) (Solomon Times)
- Opposition leader Matthew Wale calls on the prime minister and his government to resign. (Solomon Times)
- Blasphemy in Pakistan
Politics and elections
- The Parliament of Romania votes the investiture of Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă's grand coalition cabinet, thereby ending nearly three months of political turmoil. (Politico)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Tigray War
- TDF–OLA joint offensive
- Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed joins ENDF troops on the frontline to fight advancing rebel forces, transferring his day-to-day duties to deputy prime minister Demeke Mekonnen. (The Independent)
- TDF–OLA joint offensive
- Russo-Ukrainian War
- British foreign secretary Liz Truss warns Russia that any attack on Ukraine would be a "grave mistake", and that the UK is working closely with its NATO allies to provide support to Ukraine. (Reuters)
- Ukraine launches a "special operation" on the Belarusian border involving troops from the National Guard, police, and the armed forces, including anti-tank and airborne units, amid fears of a migrant crisis and also due to a Russian military build-up on its borders. (RFE/RL)
- Anglophone Crisis
- Gunmen open fire at a school in Ekondo-Titi, Southwest Region, Cameroon, killing three children and a teacher. (AFP via Barron's)
- Syrian civil war
- Israel carries out airstrikes in Homs, Syria, killing two civilians and injuring six soldiers and another civilian. (Al Jazeera)
Disasters and accidents
- English Channel migrant crossings
- November 2021 English Channel disaster
- Twenty-seven people drown after a dinghy carrying migrants sinks in the English Channel near Calais, France. (BBC News)
- November 2021 English Channel disaster
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
- The Czech Republic reports a record 25,864 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (The Washington Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary
- Hungary reports a record 12,637 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1.045 million. (Thomson Reuters Foundation)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
- The Italian government signs a decree that will ban people who are not vaccinated or who have not recovered from COVID-19 from entering indoor venues (not including workplaces) from December 6 until January 15 and will also extend the vaccine mandate to teachers, police, and the military beginning on December 15. It also imposes the use of the "green pass" to all types of public transport, including for people with negative COVID-19 tests. (Reuters) (ANSA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
- The Netherlands reimposes mandatory 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) social distancing measures in places where COVID passports are not required, amid an increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases. (Euronews)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia
- The Slovak government declares a 90-day state of emergency and will impose a two-week lockdown for the entire country beginning tomorrow, which will close all non-essential shops and restaurants and limit a person's movement to specific reasons only as the country reports a record 10,315 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Politico.eu)
- European Union response to the COVID-19 pandemic
- The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recommends that the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine should be given to all adults aged above 18 years six months after received their second dose, with priority given to those aged above 40 years. (The Wall Street Journal)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, COVID-19 drug development
- It is announced that Merck & Co.'s antiviral drug molnupiravir will be available to Philippine patients after the Food and Drug Administration issued a compassionate special permit for the drug and an agreement was signed between the Office of the Vice President of the Philippines and a local health care provider. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Singapore and Malaysia agree to the opening of a second quarantine-free vaccinated travel lane through the Johor–Singapore Causeway beginning on November 29 using designated bus lanes, which will mark the reopening of the land border between the two countries. (CNA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
- South Korea reports a record 4,116 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 425,065. (CNA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, COVID-19 drug development
- COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, COVID-19 vaccination in Canada
- Health Canada grants full approval for the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, making Canada the first country to fully approve the single-dose vaccine. (The Hill)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
International relations
- Ethiopia–Ireland relations
- The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs advises all Irish citizens to leave Ethiopia immediately, due to the ongoing conflict. (RTÉ)
Law and crime
- 2015–present Polish constitutional crisis
- 2015 Polish Constitutional Court crisis
- In response to the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights in Xero Flor w Polsce sp. z o.o. v. Poland, which found that the business was denied the right of fair trial because a judge of the Tribunal was appointed illegally, the Poland's top court declares that it is not a court within the meaning of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights and rules that the ECHR had no right to control the validity of appointments of Tribunal's judges. (Reuters)
- 2015 Polish Constitutional Court crisis
- Murder of Ahmaud Arbery
- The three men who killed Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia, United States, in February 2020 are found guilty of murder and aggravated assault. (BBC News)
- 2021 Solomon Islands unrest
- Protesters take to the streets in Honiara, Solomon Islands, calling for the resignation of incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare. A building within the Parliament complex is set on fire as protesters engage in looting and arson while law enforcement personnel fire tear gas into crowds. (RNZ) (RNZ)
- Two allies of Russian opposition leader and activist Alexei Navalny leave Russia, becoming the latest people to do so after many of Navalny's allies left the country in September. The two people are identified as a woman who helped Navalny represent his organization and a lawyer who said that he was under pressure. (Reuters)
- Australia designates the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah and the neo-Nazi paramilitary group The Base as terrorist organisations. (The Guardian)
Politics and elections
- Sweden's Riksdag votes for Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson to become the first female prime minister of Sweden. However, Andersson resigned several hours later, after the Green Party quit the coalition. The Greens quit the coalition after the opposition budget is approved by the Riksdag. (Radio Sweden) (Reuters)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- War in Donbas, Russo-Ukrainian War
- Ukraine warns of "combat preparedness" of separatist forces in eastern Ukraine as the Russian military presence on the border increases, warning of a potential new conflict. The separatists began mobilization of reservists yesterday. (Reuters)
Arts and culture
- Artefacts from the Battle of Magdala in 1868 are returned to Ethiopia by the United Kingdom. (WION)
Business and economy
- 2018–2021 Turkish currency and debt crisis
- The Turkish lira falls to an all-time low of 13.44 to the U.S. dollar. The crash was primarily caused by president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's defence of the Central Bank's continued interest rate cuts amid soaring inflation. (CNBC)
Disasters and accidents
- 2021 Bulgaria bus crash
- Forty-six people are killed and seven more are injured when a bus carrying North Macedonian tourists returning from Istanbul crashes and catches fire near Bosnek, Pernik Province, Bulgaria. (The New York Times)
- Two people are killed and 16 others are injured by an explosion at an EDePro rocket engine plant near Belgrade, Serbia. (7 News)
- Six people are dead and ten others are missing after the ferry they were travelling on capsizes in Kinniya, Sri Lanka. (ABC News Australia)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland
- COVID-19 vaccination in Switzerland
- Swissmedic approves the extension of booster doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to people over the age of 16 years as well as high-risk people over the age of 12 years. (The Times of India)
- COVID-19 drug development
- The Swiss government signs a deal to reserve 8,640 doses of Merck & Co.'s antiviral drug molnupiravir beginning in January. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 vaccination in Switzerland
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
- Australia surpasses 200,000 cases of COVID-19. (Yahoo! News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland
Law and crime
- 2021 Waukesha Christmas parade attack
- An 8-year-old boy, injured during a Christmas-parade car rampage in Waukesha, Wisconsin, dies, bringing the death toll to six. Several of the sixty-two injured still remain in critical condition. (CNN)
- The suspect, 39-year-old Darrell Brooks, has been charged with six counts of first-degree intentional homicide, and the bail set at $5 million. (France 24)
- Colombian peace process
- United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrives in Colombia to commemorate the fifth year of the signing of the peace deal between the government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. (MercoPress)
- The Biden administration announces the delisting of the former FARC rebel group from the United States Department of State list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations where it had been listed since 1997. (Reuters)
- Sines v. Kessler
- A U.S. federal jury finds the organizers of 2017's Unite the Right rally, which includes white supremacists Richard B. Spencer, Jason Kessler, and Christopher Cantwell, liable for the violence that occurred and are ordered to pay US$26 million to nine individuals that suffered "physical and emotional damages". However, the jury was deadlocked on whether to convict on two federal conspiracy charges. (DW) (CNN)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Tigray War; Oromo conflict
- TDF–OLA joint offensive
- Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, a former soldier, announces that he will lead his country's army from the battlefront beginning tomorrow. (The Washington Post)
- TDF–OLA joint offensive
- Insurgency in the Maghreb
- Gunmen open fire at a security post in Sanmatenga, Burkina Faso, killing ten civilians and nine gendarmes. Another person is injured and an healthcare center has been burned. (The Washington Post)
Business and economy
- 2021 United Kingdom natural gas supplier crisis
- Bulb Energy, which supplies 1.7 million customers in the United Kingdom, collapses into administration, becoming the largest energy supplier to have ever collapsed. The company will also be the first energy supplier to be placed under "special administration", which means that the company will be run by the government regulator Ofgem. (The Guardian)
Disasters and accidents
- Nine people die in a fire in a nursing home in the village of Royak, Dalgopol Municipality, Bulgaria. (Reuters)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Austria
- COVID-19 pandemic in France
- Prime Minister Jean Castex tests positive for COVID-19. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
- Greece begins to implement measures that ban people who are unvaccinated or who have not recovered from COVID-19 from entering indoor public places and also mandates the wearing of masks in all workplaces in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Ekathimerini)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia
- Slovakia imposes a lockdown for those who are unvaccinated against COVID-19, which prevents them from entering non-essential shops. Slovakia is currently experiencing one of the world's highest infection rates. (Medical Xpress)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, COVID-19 vaccination in Israel
- Israel begins administering the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11 years. (The Times of Israel)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
- Singapore partially eases its social gathering restrictions and will allow up to five vaccinated people to dine in at food and drink establishments, hawker centres, and coffee shops as the country moves to the endemic phase due to a decrease in the number of new COVID-19 cases. (Singapore Business Report)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, COVID-19 vaccination in Israel
- COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya
- The Kenyan government approves a measure requiring people to present proof of vaccination in order to enter businesses, restaurants and government offices. This is also to encourage vaccination in a country where only 5% of the population is vaccinated. (The New York Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
International relations
- Bulgaria–United States relations
- The United States expresses a "deep concern" over Bulgarian President Rumen Radev's remarks, where he referred to Crimea as "Russian". Radev has expressed his views of maintaining "pragmatic ties" with Russia. The statement by the United States comes after Ukraine summoned the Bulgarian ambassador to Kyiv three days ago. (RFE/RL)
Politics and elections
- Aftermath of the 2021 Venezuelan regional elections
- Opposition leader Juan Guaidó calls for unity and to rebuild the opposition's fragmented strategy, after suffering a heavy loss at the regional elections and losing 20 gubernatorial races to the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela. (Reuters)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2021 Jerusalem shooting
- A Hamas gunman opens fire in the alleyways of Jerusalem's Old City, killing an Israeli man and wounding three others, before being shot and killed by Israeli forces. (BBC News)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Russia, COVID-19 vaccination in Russia
- President Vladimir Putin receives his booster dose of the Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine. (The Hill)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia
- Slovenia surpasses 400,000 cases of COVID-19. (UrduPoint)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Russia, COVID-19 vaccination in Russia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Guadeloupe, Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- It is announced that France will deploy dozens of gendarmerie to Guadeloupe following occurrences of rioting and looting in the archipelago over COVID-19 measures. At least 31 people were arrested overnight. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin says that "the first message is that the state will stand firm". (Al Jazeera)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
- Malaysia surpasses 30,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Malay Mail)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
Law and crime
- 2021 Waukesha Christmas parade attack
- Five people are killed and over 40 injured by a hit and run driver who drove through an early Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States. A person of interest is in custody. (ABC News)
- Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium
- Belgian police fire tear gas and water cannons after violence broke out at the end of a mass demonstration in Brussels that involved 35,000 people against tougher COVID-19-related measures. (The Independent)
- The Taliban issues new guidelines for television broadcasts, mandating that female presenters and journalists wear Islamic coverings, banning entertainment considered blasphemous or insulting to Afghans, and prohibiting films that promote foreign cultural values, among others. (BBC News)
Politics and elections
- 2021 Chilean general election
- Chileans go to the polls to elect their new president, who will succeed outgoing president Sebastián Piñera. (Reuters)
- Far-right populist José Antonio Kast of the Republican Party and former student protest leader Gabriel Boric of the left-wing coalition Apruebo Dignidad qualify for the second round, after winning 27.94% and 25.75% of the vote respectively. The second round will take place on December 19. (Reuters)
- Aftermath of the October 2021 Sudanese coup d'état
- Abdalla Hamdok is reinstated as Prime Minister of Sudan following a political agreement with Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. (BBC News)
Sports
- 2021 World Rally Championship
- Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia win the 2021 Championship, while Toyota secure the manufacturers' title.
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong
- Hong Kong authorises the usage of the Sinovac CoronaVac vaccine for children between the ages of 3 and 17 years. (The Guardian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq
- Iraq receives 1.2 million doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX initiative. (AFP via Barron's)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, COVID-19 community quarantines in the Philippines
- The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has fully implemented nationwide, the Alert Level System (ALS) formally replacing the previous community quarantine system that had been in place since March 2020. (Rappler)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium
- Belgium begins to implement mandatory face masks in indoor places and outdoor events. The country is also enforcing teleworking four days a week for all companies until 12 December. (The Brussels Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
- The Czech Republic reports a record 22,936 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (ABC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- Water crisis in Iran, 2016–2021 Iranian protests
- Thousands of people gather at the Khaju Bridge in Isfahan to protest the government's water and energy policies. (Al Jazeera)
Law and crime
- Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
- Three people are seriously injured after being shot by police during protests against COVID-19 measures in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Fifty-one people are also arrested, half of whom are less than 18 years old. (Reuters)
Politics and elections
- 2021 Malacca state election
- Barisan Nasional (BN) retains power, winning 21 out of 28 seats, defeating its rivals Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN). (The Straits Times)