Portal:Current events/2021 September 8

September 8, 2021 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni Civil War
- Battle of Marib
  - Sixty Houthi militants and 18 pro-government soldiers are killed during a 48-hour battle over the control of Marib. (Arab News)
Aftermath of the Fall of Kabul
- Former president Ashraf Ghani apologizes to the Afghan people and reiterates that he left the country in order to avoid "bloody street fighting" for control of Kabul and also vehemently denies stealing from the country's treasury. (Al Jazeera)
War crimes in the Tigray War
- Local officials in the Amhara Region report that rebellious forces from the Tigray Region killed 120 civilians in a single village in two days. Tigrayan forces later issue a statement rejecting what they call a "fabricated allegation" and deny any involvement in the killing of civilians. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Tangerang prison fire
- A fire at a prison in Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia, kills 44 inmates and injures at least 80 others. (AFP via RTL)
Seven people are killed and at least 15 are injured by a gas explosion in an apartment in Noginsk, Moscow Oblast, Russia. (Ruptly) (TASS)
A fire at a field hospital catering to COVID-19 patients in Tetovo, North Macedonia, kills at least 14 people. (BBC News)
President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta declares the state of disaster due to the strong drought affecting the country. (Anadolu Agency)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland, COVID-19 vaccination in the Republic of Ireland
  - The Irish Department of Health announces that people aged 80 or older and residents of nursing homes aged 65 and older will receive a booster MRNA COVID-19 vaccine regardless of which vaccine they first received. The booster rollout will begin at the end of September or the start of October. (Independent.ie)
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
  - New Zealand moves to Alert Level 2 outside Auckland with mandatory scanning in bars, restaurants, churches, and close-contact businesses, social distancing increasing to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in public places, and masks being mandatory in indoor public places. (TVNZ)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
  - Singapore begins to implement Vaccinated Travel Lane first flight from Germany containing 100 passengers arrived at Changi Airport. The travellers are required to take PCR test and self-isolate until they have received a negative result for their on-arrival test. (Today)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - The United States has had over 40 million diagnosed cases of COVID-19 with four million of those cases occurring in the last four weeks. (CNN)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hawaii
    - The Alohilani Resort in Honolulu will require vaccinations for workers, becoming the first resort hotel in Hawaii to do so. The mandate will take effect on October 15. (KITV)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada
    - Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announces that all 17 counties in the state will be subjected to a mask mandate. (Las Vegas Sun)

International relations

2021 Guinean coup d'état
- The Economic Community of West African States suspends Guinea's membership in the bloc until further notice, in response to the coup d'état in the country. (AFP via The Guardian)

Law and crime

Hong Kong national security law
- Police in Hong Kong arrest four members of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, the pro-democracy organization in charge of the Tiananmen Square protests anniversary vigils as police say that the group refused to submit information on national security grounds. Chief Executive Carrie Lam condemns the group and welcomes the arrests. (CNN)
November 2015 Paris attacks
- The trial against those accused of the Paris attacks in November 2015 begins, being described as the biggest trial in the history of modern France. (BBC News)
A court in Milan, Italy, orders a medical examination of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi as his trial on alleged bribery continues to be delayed due to his hospital visits since it began in 2017. Berlusconi's lawyers welcome the decision of the court. (Reuters)

Sports

2022 Winter Olympics, North Korea at the Olympics
- The International Olympic Committee announces that they have suspended North Korea from participating in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing after the country failed to send a delegation to the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The suspension will last until the end of 2022. (AP)