Portal:Current events/2021 December 24

December 24, 2021 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2021 Russo-Ukrainian crisis
- Russian president Vladimir Putin demands NATO guarantee it will not move its forces into Ukraine, accusing NATO and the U.S. of trying to send Ukraine and Russia into direct armed conflict. (The Irish Independent)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
- The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa warns that the effects of the pandemic on the economy could push the number of "extremely poor" Africans to 514 million people. The World Bank also announced an economic recession as the economies of African countries continue to shrink. (AP)

Disasters and accidents

2021 Bangladesh ferry fire
- At least 39 people are killed and about 100 others injured after a ferry catches fire in Jhalakathi. (BBC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Bhutan, COVID-19 vaccination in Bhutan
    - Bhutan begins administering a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for people aged above 65 years, overseas travellers, healthcare workers, people with underlying health conditions, and all adults living in high risk areas. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
    - Singapore reports its first zero COVID-19 deaths for the first time since September 19, bringing the nationwide death toll unchanged at 820. (Rappler)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
    - Thailand reports its first domestic cluster of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant as 21 new cases are reported in Kalasin province; stemming from a couple who had travelled from Belgium earlier this month. (CNA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - COVID-19 vaccination in France
      - The French Haute Autorité de santé [fr] recommends that the booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine can be administered as soon as three months after the primary vaccination schedule due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (Politico.eu)
      - France reports a record for the second consecutive day of 94,122 new cases of COVID-19. (Barron's)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - Greece cancels all public Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations, as well as mandating people to wear masks outdoors and requires them to wear two masks or a high-protection mask to enter public transport and supermarkets due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (The Independent)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Catalonia reimposes a curfew between 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. in municipalities where the infection rate surpasses 250 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, limits social gathering to 10 people, closes nightclubs, and restricts the capacity of the hospitality sector due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. These measures will be in effect until at least January 7, 2022. (MedicalXpress)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom reports a record for the third consecutive day of 122,186 new cases of COVID-19. (The Guardian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
  - The South African Health Department scraps COVID-19 contact tracing and quarantine for people with asymptomatic cases due to 80% of population having some sort of immunity from vaccines or prior illness. (Bloomberg)

Law and crime

Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye is pardoned by the South Korean Justice Ministry. (Deutsche Welle)

Politics and elections

Hong Kong national security law
- Hong Kong authorities takes down the Hong Kong Goddess of Democracy and a memorial to the Tiananmen Square massacre from university campuses. (Al Jazeera)