Portal:Current events/2021 November 19

November 19, 2021 (Friday)

Disasters and accidents

November 2021 Pacific Northwest floods
- The provincial government of British Columbia, Canada, declares a state of emergency in response to ongoing risks from floods and mudslides. Effective immediately until December 1, citizens in affected regions, including the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, are limited to 30 litres of diesel and gasoline purchased at fuel stations. Vehicles used for essential services, such as emergency response, commercial transport, and public transit, are exempt from this order and granted unlimited access to cardlock gas stations ordinarily used by the commercial trucking industry. Price gouging at retail gas stations and the resale of fuel is prohibited. Restrictions on non-essential travel along damaged highways are also set in place. (Global News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Austria
    - Austrian chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announces a full nationwide lockdown for the entire population starting on 22 November, amid a surge in new COVID-19 cases that has overwhelmed hospitals. Schallenberg also announces that COVID-19 vaccinations will become mandatory as of 1 February 2022. (The Independent)
    - Austria reports a record for the second consecutive day of 15,809 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,027,274. (Kronen Zeitung)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - The southern German state of Bavaria cancels all Christmas markets and imposes a lockdown in all districts that have a seven-day incidence rate of over 1,000 per 100,000 people amid a substantial increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases. However, schools and kindergartens will continue to remain open. (Deutsche Welle)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary
    - Hungary reports a record 11,289 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 998,488. (Budapest Business Journal)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
    - Russia reports a record for the third consecutive day of 1,254 deaths from COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 261,589. (Interfax)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, COVID-19 vaccination in Canada
    - Health Canada approves the usage of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11 years. (Global News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Grenada
    - Argentina officially announces that it will donate 11,000 doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Grenada. (Memo)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, COVID-19 vaccination in the United States
    - The U.S. CDC authorizes the booster dose of either Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for the general public, which means that all adults are eligible to receive their booster dose. (CNBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria
    - Restrictions are further eased for fully vaccinated Victorians as 90% of adults are now fully vaccinated. Mask wearing is still required in some indoor spaces and limits remain on daily visitor numbers to care facilities. Additionally, unvaccinated people continue to be banned from entering all non-essential businesses and also from employment in many industries. (The Guardian)

International relations

Palestine–United Kingdom relations, Israel-United Kingdom relations
- The United Kingdom outlaws Hamas, the Palestinian militant group which serves as the ruling party of the Gaza Strip, and declares the party as a terrorist group. Previously, only the party's armed wing was outlawed. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Kenosha unrest shooting
- Kyle Rittenhouse, who shot three people during the unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States, in August 2020, is found not guilty on all counts. (NPR)
- Hundreds of people march in Chicago, New York City and Portland to protest the verdict of the trial. (WCBS-TV) (WBBM-TV) (ABC News)

Politics and elections

Vice Presidency of Kamala Harris
- While U.S. President Joe Biden undergoes medical treatment, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is transferred presidential power for a short period of time, making her the first female acting president of the United States. (Forbes)
Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announces that he is dissolving the Promised Day Brigade, the armed faction loyal to him. Yesterday, al-Sadr said that non-governmental militias should hand in their weapons. (Reuters)