Portal:Current events/2021 January 31
January 31, 2021 (Sunday)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
- Israel reports the first reinfection case of 501.V2 variant in a 57-year-old man had recently travelled from Turkey and previously recovered from COVID-19. (Times of Israel)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon
- Lebanon surpasses 300,000 cases of COVID-19. (The Daily Star)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the State of Palestine, COVID-19 vaccination in Israel
- Israel agrees to transfer 5,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the Palestinians to immunize frontline medical workers. (BBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
- South Korea extends social distancing restrictions imposed in order to curb the spread of COVID-19 for another two weeks amid concern around upcoming Lunar New Year holidays and rise in cases. (Bloomberg)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
- Vietnam reports the first case of 501.V2 variant in an 25-year-old South African man arrived at Noi Bai International Airport on December 19 and tested positive for COVID-19 four days later while in quarantine. (AAP via The West Australian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in France
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
- Minister for Primary Education Arie Slob announces that primary schools and daycare centres will reopen on February 8, but secondary schools and after-school clubs will remain closed. (Dutch News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- Captain Tom, a British Army veteran who served in World War II, tests positive for COVID-19. (NBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
- Western Australia's Premier Mark McGowan announces a five-day lockdown in the Perth metropolitan, Peel, and South West regions, effective 6:00 pm AWST, after a quarantine hotel security guard tests positive for COVID-19 with possible B.1.1.7 variant. (9 News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt
- Egypt receives the first batch of AstraZeneca's vaccine consists of 50,000 doses of vaccine coming from India. (Ahram Online)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
International relations
- Russia–United States relations
- 2021 Russian protests, aftermath of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny
- United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemns Russia authorities for using "harsh tactics" in protests that broke out following the arrest of Alexei Navalny. (NBC News)
- 2021 Russian protests, aftermath of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny
- Hong Kong–United Kingdom relations
- The United Kingdom formally launches a visa scheme allowing all Hong Kong residents with British National (Overseas) passports, and their "immediate dependent", to fast-track citizenship of the UK. At least 300,000 people are expected to apply. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China says it will "no longer recognise" BNO passports as legal travel documents. (BBC)
Law and crime