Portal:Current events

Topics in the news

Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic

• In tennis, Naomi Osaka wins the women's singles and Novak Djokovic wins the men's singles at the Australian Open (both winners pictured).
• Porfirije is enthroned as the 46th Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
• NASA's Perseverance rover, carrying the Ingenuity helicopter, successfully lands on Mars.
• A winter storm in North America leaves at least 70 people dead and several million others without clean water or power.
• Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala becomes the first woman and the first African to be appointed Director-General of the World Trade Organization.

Ongoing:

• COVID-19 pandemic
• Myanmar protests

Recent deaths:

• Doug Wilkerson
• James Bishop
• Heinz Hermann Thiele
• Ahmed Zaki Yamani
• Joe Burke
• Douglas Turner Ward

Current events of February 24, 2021 (2021-02-24) (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Boko Haram insurgency
  • 2021 Maiduguri rocket attacks
    • Boko Haram militants fire a series of rockets in Maiduguri, Borno, Nigeria, killing 10 civilians and wounding others. (BBC)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan
      • The cabinet decides to extend their curfew to 10 p.m. and orders businesses to close at 9 p.m. local time from tomorrow following the spread of Lineage B.1.1.7 variant. It also reimposing Friday lockdown. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
      • Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Director-General of Health Noor Hisham Abdullah receive the first dose of Pfizer–BioNTech's vaccine as the country officially kicks off its national immunisation programme. (The Star)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan
      • Pakistan lifts their COVID-19-related restrictions, allowing indoor dining and wedding ceremonies to be allowed from March 15 and time-limit for shopping centres, markets, and amusement parks also lifted immediately. (Geo News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
      • Thailand receives the first shipment consisting 200,000 doses of Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine. (Bangkok Post)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
      • Vietnam receives the first shipment consisting 117,000 doses of Oxford–AstraZeneca's vaccine from South Korea. (CNA)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark
      • The government announces the easing of national COVID-19 restrictions, with schools in some areas and shops will be reopen on March 1, with 50% capacity for classes in schools. (The Local Denmark)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in France
      • Health Minister Olivier Véran announces that the government will impose a weekend lockdown in Dunkirk from this weekend amid spike of COVID-19 infections. (France 24)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
      • Polish Health Minstry bans the use of scarves, bandanas and face shields and requires people to wear surgical masks from February 27 amid the spread of variants of SARS-CoV-2. (Poland In)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland
      • The government announces that it will allow non-essential shops, museums and outdoor sporting facilities in Switzerland to reopen from March 1 as part of to ease their social distancing restrictions. In addition, outdoor gatherings up to 15 people will be allowed at the same time. (Bloomberg)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt
      • Egypt grants the emergency use authorization for Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. (PR Newswire)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana
      • Ghana becomes the first country in the world to receive 600,000 doses of Oxford–AstraZeneca's vaccine distributed by COVAX. (The Washington Post)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Alaska
      • Alaska reports their first case of Lineage P.1 variant first detected in Brazil in a Anchorage resident who had no known travel history. (AP)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina
      • North Carolina governor Roy Cooper lifts some stay-at-home and curfew restrictions starting February 26, allowing bars to reopen indoors, increase gatherings, and extend alcohol sale cutoff to 11:00 p.m. EST. (The News & Observer)
    • COVID-19 vaccine
      • Johnson & Johnson's single-shot COVID-19 vaccine candidate meets the standards for emergency use authorization, according to analysis from a committee within the FDA; formal authorization will be determined on February 26. The vaccine is 66% effective in combating the virus and can be stored in regular, unspecialized refrigerators. (CNN)
  • COVID-19 vaccine, Variants of SARS-CoV-2
    • Moderna announces that they will ship their vaccine candidate for testing against the 501.V2 variant that originated in South Africa. (Time)

International relations

• Nicolás Maduro's government declares European Union Ambassador to Venezuela Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa persona non grata and gives her 72 hours to leave the country following new sanctions by the EU against 19 Venezuelan officials. (El Mundo)

Law and crime

• Assassination of Luca Attanasio
  • Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi asks the United Nations and the UN World Food Programme to open an investigation into the attack that killed Italian ambassador Luca Attanasio. (AP)
• Drug policy of Germany and Belgium
  • Authorities in Germany and Belgium seize more than 23,000 kilograms (50,700 pounds) of cocaine, worth billions of dollars, in an international operation that resulted in one arrest, officials said Wednesday, calling it the largest amount of cocaine ever seized in Europe. (CNN)

Current events of February 23, 2021 (2021-02-23) (Tuesday)

Arts and culture

• Historical Memory Law
  • The last statue of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco in Spain is removed in Melilla. (El País)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland
        • Northern Ireland reports their first three cases of the 501.V2 variant first detected in South Africa. (The Irish Times)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
        • First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announces a roadmap to ease the lockdown, with four people from two households being allowed to meet outdoors as of March 15 and the lifting of the stay-at-home order on April 5. Non-essential businesses such as bars, restaurants and gyms can be reopened on April 26 and Scotland will return to the levels system at the same time. (BBC)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
      • Former president Václav Klaus tests positive for COVID-19. (Aktuálně.cz)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
      • Italy raises the age limit for Oxford–AstraZeneca's vaccine to 65 years old from previously 55. (The Local Italy)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
      • Prime Minister Mark Rutte extends the curfew until March 15 while easing some lockdown restrictions, with senior high schools and vocational schools reopening on March 1. (ABC News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
      • Taoiseach Micheál Martin announces the phased reopening of schools beginning on March 1 with junior and senior infants as well as senior students facing Leaving Certificate exams. Meanwhile, the government extends the level 5 lockdown restrictions until April 5. (The Guardian)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in San Marino
      • San Marino receives their first shipment of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
      • Ukraine receives their first shipment of 500 doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. (RFE/RL)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in North America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
      • COVID-19 pandemic in North Dakota
        • The North Dakota House votes 50–44 to pass House Bill 1323, which bans state and local officials from imposing mask mandates. (Grand Forks Herald)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Washington (state)
        • Washington reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant first detected in South Africa in King County. (The Seattle Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Saskatchewan
        • Saskatchewan reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant first detected in South Africa in two people from the Regina zone who tested positive for COVID-19 at the end of January. (CKCK-DT)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan
      • Afghanistan begins a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 following the WHO's emergency use approval of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. (Anadolu Agency)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh
      • Bangladesh receives their second shipment of two million doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India. (All India Radio)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Oman, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
      • Oman announces a ban on all travellers from 10 countries for 15 days beginning February 25 with the exception of Omani citizens, diplomats and health workers. (Gulf Business)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt
      • Egypt receives 300,000 doses of China's Sinopharm vaccine. (Asharq Al-awsat)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Senegal
      • Senegal begins a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using 200,000 doses of China's Sinopharm vaccine. Government ministers and health workers are the first to receive the vaccine. (U.S. News and World Report)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Suriname
    • Suriname begins a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using a small number of vaccine doses donated by Barbados. (Reuters)
• Guinea begins a vaccination campaign against Ebola for high-risk people in Gouecke, Nzérékoré Prefecture, as an emergency measure to reduce the spread of the virus that was detected for the first time since 2016. (WHO Regional Office for Africa)

International relations

• Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
  • Iran says that it is restricting the access of international inspectors to its nuclear installations. (AP via Al Arabiya)

Law and crime

• Crime in Italy
  • A man stabs and wounds two police officers and tries to stab two passersby, who escape unharmed, during a random stabbing rampage in Milan. The attacker is shot dead by police. (Milano Today)
• At least 75 inmates are killed in simultaneous fights in three jails in Ecuador, prompted by a battle for control of the jails after a gang leader was killed in December. (BBC)
• Malaysia deports 1,086 Burmese citizens back to Myanmar, defying an order by the Kuala Lumpur High Court halting their deportation in light of the coup on February 1. (Reuters)

Science and technology

• News Media Bargaining Code
  • Facebook unblocks Australian news pages after the Australian government offers to make it exempt from their new News Media Bargaining Code if Facebook, Inc. can form enough private agreements to pay Australian news companies for their content. (The Guardian)

Sports

• U.S. golfer Tiger Woods is involved in a serious car accident in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, where he sustains multiple leg injuries, requiring surgery. (CNN)

Current events of February 22, 2021 (2021-02-22) (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Assassination of Luca Attanasio
  • Six gunmen open fire on a World Food Programme convoy in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing the Italian ambassador Luca Attanasio, a carabiniere and their driver. (The Guardian)
• Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • Four female development workers are killed and their driver wounded when gunmen open fire on their vehicle in Mira Ali, North Waziristan, Pakistan. (Al Jazeera)
• Rwandan opposition politician Seif Bamporiki is killed in his car by a single bullet fired by a gunman in Cape Town, South Africa, where he lived in exile. (BBC)

Arts and culture

• Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cinema, COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state), COVID-19 pandemic in New York City
  • New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announces that movie theatres in New York City can reopen with 25% capacity on March 5, in line with rules currently in place for locations in the rest of the state. (CNBC)
• French electronic music duo Daft Punk announce their split after 28 years. (The New York Times)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • COVID-19 pandemic in England
        • British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces a new four-step plan for easing lockdown restrictions in England, starting with the reopening of schools on March 8 and the lifting of the stay-at-home order on March 29. (ABC Australia)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education
        • Students in P1 to P3 return to school in Scotland for the first time since the Christmas holiday as part of a phased school reopening. (BBC)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in France
      • French authorities announce that 90% of residents in the southeastern region of Alpes-Maritimes, which includes Nice, will be placed under a weekend lockdown for the next two weeks following an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (Euronews)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education
      • Elementary students and pre-school children in more than half of Germany's 16 states return to schools and kindergartens in the first major easing of restrictions since December. (ABC News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
      • Italy extends their ban on non-essential travel between regions with the exception of business trips and emergencies until March 27 due to the spread of COVID-19 infections. (The Brussels Times)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in North America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
        • The White House orders United States flags to fly at half-staff for the next five days in order to honor those who have died from COVID-19. (The Independent)
      • The United States surpasses 500,000 deaths from COVID-19, just five weeks after the country passed 400,000 deaths. (CBS News) (NPR)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
      • Mexico receives the first shipment of 200,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine. (VOA)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in India
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Maharashtra
        • Maharashtra imposes a ban on all political, social and religious gatherings as well as all processions and public demonstrations in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Business Today)
      • India surpasses 11 million cases of COVID-19, becoming the second country to do so after the United States. (Hindustan Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong
      • Chief Executive Carrie Lam and other government officials receive their first doses of the Sinovac Biotech CoronaVac vaccine as Hong Kong begins its vaccination campaign. (The Straits Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
      • The Philippines approves the emergency use of the Sinovac Biotech CoronaVac vaccine for non-healthcare workers. (Bloomberg)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka
      • Sri Lanka surpasses 80,000 cases of COVID-19. (Ada Derana)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
      • Thailand's Food and Drug Administration grants emergency use authorization for the Sinovac Biotech CoronaVac vaccine. (Reuters)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Somalia
    • Somalia closes all schools and universities for the next two weeks due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (Anadolu Agency)
  • COVID-19 vaccine
    • GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi begins new clinical trial of their protein-based vaccine candidate and aim to reach the final testing stage in the second quarter after setback last year. (CNBC)

International relations

• Uyghur genocide, Canada–China relations
  • Canada's House of Commons approves a motion by 266 to zero votes, formally recognizing that China is committing genocide against its Muslim Uyghur minority in Xinjiang. However, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and most of his Cabinet did not participate in the vote. An amendment to the bill also calls for the 2022 Winter Olympics to be moved from Beijing if the genocide continues. (The Globe and Mail)
• Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama urges the leaders of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Kiribati and Palau to reconsider their decision of leaving the Pacific Islands Forum and says that this is an opportunity to fight climate change. Bainimarama also invites U.S. President Joe Biden to the next forum meeting in August. (RNZ)

Law and crime

• Cannabis in the United States
  • Cannabis in New Jersey
    • Enabling legislation for Public Question 1 is signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy, making New Jersey the 14th state to legalize recreational cannabis. (NBC News)
• 2021 Myanmar protests
  • A general strike begins in Myanmar despite warnings by the Tatmadaw that further confrontations could cost lives. (DW)
• Gambling in Australia
  • The Victoria State Government establishes a royal commission into Crown Melbourne after New South Wales revoked Crown Resorts' gambling license over money laundering concerns. (The Guardian)
• Legal affairs of Donald Trump
  • The United States Supreme Court, by a 7–2 vote, declines to block the subpoena of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. for former President Donald Trump's financial records, including his tax returns. (CNN)

Current events of February 21, 2021 (2021-02-21) (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Insurgency in the Maghreb
  • 2021 Tillabéri attacks
    • Seven members of the electoral commission are killed and three others are wounded in a land mine explosion in Tillabéri, Niger. The attack is carried out on the same day as the second round of the presidential election. (BBC)
• Libyan Crisis
  • UN-backed Libyan Minister of the Interior Fathi Bashagha escapes a motorcade shooting in Tripoli. One of his guards is wounded and the others chase the assailants, killing one of them and arresting two others. The ministry calls the attack an assassination attempt. (ABC News)

Disasters and accidents

• A Nigerian Air Force King Air 350 military plane crashes on approach to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, Nigeria, killing all seven people on board. (Reuters)
• A Mexican Air Force Learjet 45 jet crashes in Emiliano Zapata Municipality, Veracruz, killing six crew members. (Reuters)
• Israeli authorities close off access to its Mediterranean beaches following an offshore oil spill that has devastated more than 100 miles of the country's coastline. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority calls the spill "one of the most serious ecological disasters" in the country’s history. The cause of the spill is currently under investigation. (The Independent)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
      • Israel reopens many sectors of their economy as part of an easing of lockdown restrictions. However, while shops are open to all residents, access to leisure sites is limited to people who have received a vaccine or who have recovered from COVID-19. (France 24)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
      • Malaysia receives its first shipment of 312,390 doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine. This allows the starting date of the vaccination campaign to be brought forward to February 24. (Malay Mail)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
      • The Philippines confirms 18 new cases of the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 first detected in the United Kingdom. (CNN Philippines)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan
      • Taiwan confirms their first three cases of the Lineage P.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2 first detected in Brazil, prompting the government to impose a 14-day quarantine for all travellers arriving from Brazil at a centralized facility beginning February 24. (The Straits Times)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    • COVID-19 pandemic in New York
      • New York reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant from South Africa in a person from Nassau County. (CNBC)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    • Australia begins a mass vaccination campaign with the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine. Prime Minister Scott Morrison is one of the first people to receive a vaccine. (ABC Australia)
    • Australia and New Zealand reopen their maritime borders after recent outbreaks in both countries have been contained. (The Guardian)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
    • Argentina approves the emergency use of Sinopharm's vaccine. (La Tercera)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia
    • Serbia receives their first shipment of 150,000 doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine, making it the first country in the Western Balkan region to receive vaccines. (N1)

International relations

• The International Atomic Energy Agency reaches an agreement with Iran to allow inspectors to resume monitoring their nuclear program for up to three months. However, the agreement bars inspectors from doing snap inspections and also prohibits them from reviewing footage taken at the nuclear sites. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

• 2020–21 Nigerien general election
  • Nigeriens vote in a runoff to select a new president, in what is considered to be the nation's first potential peaceful transition of power since gaining independence in 1960. The two candidates are the ruling Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism's leader Mohamed Bazoum, and former president Mahamane Ousmane. (Reuters)
• 2021 Ecuadorian general election
  • The National Electoral Council confirms that CREO candidate Guillermo Lasso will face the winner of the first round Andrés Arauz in the runoff. (CNN in Spanish)
• 2021 Laotian parliamentary election
  • Laotians vote in a parliamentary election to elect the members of the ninth National Assembly. (Xinhuanet)

Science and technology

• 2021 Myanmar protests, aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état
  • Facebook takes down the main page of the military of Myanmar a day after two protesters were killed. The social media site said that the account violated its policies of "incitement to violence and coordinating harm". Earlier, the military had blocked Internet access in many parts of the country. (BBC)

Sports

• 2021 Australian Open
  • Novak Djokovic defeats Daniil Medvedev in the final to win the Men's Singles competition of the tournament. (The New York Times)
  • Ivan Dodig and Filip Polášek win the Men's Doubles by defeating Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury. (Reuters)
• COVID-19 pandemic in Rwanda, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
  • Rwanda will allow individual and non-contact outdoor sports activities to resume on February 23 due to a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases. (New Times)

Current events of February 20, 2021 (2021-02-20) (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Syrian civil war
  • Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war
    • At least 130 Russian airstrikes have killed 21 members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in the past 24 hours in the Badia desert, according to the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. (France 24)
• 2021 Myanmar protests
  • Two people are killed and 40 others are injured in a clash between police and demonstrators in Mandalay as the police fire live ammunition to suppress protesters and force workers back to their jobs. (The New York Times)

Disasters and accidents

• 2020–21 North American winter
  • U.S. President Joe Biden declares a major disaster in Texas following a severe winter storm and cold weather that left at least 70 people dead and millions of others without power. The declaration allows federal funds to be spent and made available to affected people. (NBC News)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • COVID-19 pandemic in England
        • The British Health Secretary announces a small step to ease the nation's lockdown, allowing care home visitors in England to be regularly visited by a single friend or family member. This change will take effect on March 8. (BBC)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary
      • Hungary surpasses 400,000 cases of COVID-19. (Hungary Today)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
      • Irish health officials say that the three cases of the Brazilian variant of SARS-CoV-2 have been contained. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
      • Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announces the approval of the CoviVac vaccine for domestic use in Russia, becoming the third vaccine to be approved despite not yet having undergone any clinical trials. (CNBC)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
      • Data from the Health Ministry show that COVID-19 vaccines are 99.2% effective against serious illness, reduce mortality by 95.8% and decrease the chance of hospitalization by 98.9%. (The Times of Israel)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
      • The Philippines reports 239 deaths in the past 24 hours, the second-highest number of daily reported deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, bringing the nationwide death toll to 12,068. (CNA)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan
      • Taiwan grants emergency use authorization for the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. (The Straits Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
      • Kuwait bans entry to all non-Kuwaiti citizens until "further notice", while its citizens returning from abroad must quarantine at a hotel for a week, and then spend a further week in quarantine at home. (Reuters)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
    • New Zealand begins a vaccination programme against COVID-19, starting with 70 border workers under strict infection prevention measures. (RNZ)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    • The United States surpasses 28 million cases of COVID-19. (UPI)
• 2020–21 H5N8 outbreak
  • Russia reports their first case of human transmission of highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu in seven workers at a poultry farm in the southern part of the country. (The Daily Telegraph)

Law and crime

• Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
  • The Department of Justice and the FBI announce that they are investigating whether Alex Jones, Roger Stone, and Stop the Steal organizer Ali Alexander played any role in inciting the January 6 riot at the United States Capitol. (The Independent)
• Mass shootings in the United States, Crime in Louisiana
  • Three people are killed, including the gunman, and two others are wounded during a shooting at a gun store and indoor shooting range in Metairie, Louisiana. (CNN)
• Protests against the imprisonment of Pablo Hasél
  • Looting, barricades, and riots are reported during the fifth consecutive night of protests mainly in Barcelona, Spain, over the imprisonment of rapper Pablo Hasél. Several protesters break windows at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Palau de la Música Catalana and also attempt to storm the Stock Exchange of Barcelona. (ABC.es)
• The Moscow City Court upholds the three-year prison sentence against opposition politician and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny. Navalny now faces slander charges. His defense had previously said that the European Court of Human Rights had labeled his arrest as "unlawful". (DW)

Politics and elections

• 2020–2021 Thai protests, COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics
  • Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha survives a second vote of no-confidence in the House of Representatives, accused of mismanagement of the economy, mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, corruption, and abuse of human rights. (The Washington Post)

Sports

• 2021 Australian Open
  • Naomi Osaka defeats Jennifer Brady in final to win the Women's Singles. She is the first player to win a fourth Grand Slam singles title since Maria Sharapova on 2012 French Open. (BBC)

Current events of February 19, 2021 (2021-02-19) (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• 2021 Myanmar protests
  • Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing, a young protester who was shot in the head last week, dies from her injuries, the first death since the opposition to the coup began and as pressure on the military mounts. (Reuters)
• Kashmir conflict
  • Two policemen are killed by unidentified gunmen at close range in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. (The Indian Express)

Arts and culture

• Megxit
  • Buckingham Palace announces that Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex will be stripped of their royal patronages and honourary military appointments following a review of the royal couple's position within the British royal family. The couple will retain their HRH titles but will no longer use them. (The Guardian)

Business and economy

• Uber BV v Aslam
  • The UK Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, orders Uber to classify its drivers as employees, entitling them to minimum wage and paid leave. (Wired)
• Bitcoin reaches a US$1 trillion market cap for the first time. (Reuters)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
      • Health Minister Jan Blatný announces that shops will not be allowed to reopen on February 22, unlike what was previously promised. He also announced that residents will be required to wear FFP2 respirators, nanotowels, or two surgical masks in indoor places and on public transport due to the spread of the B.1.1.7 variant. (BRNO Daily)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
      • Ireland reports their first three cases of the Lineage P.1 variant in people who travelled from Brazil. (RTÉ)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
      • Senators vote 45–13 to approve legislation that underpins the curfew, ensuring that it will continue until March despite an initial court order to end it. (AP)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
      • Poland reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant first detected in South Africa. (TVN24)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong
      • Hong Kong receives one million doses of the Sinovac CoronaVac vaccine, a day after it was approved for emergency use in the city. (South China Morning Post)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
      • Japan detects a new variant found in 91 cases in the Kanto region and two cases detected at airports. In addition, an infection cluster was detected at a Tokyo immigration facility. (ABC Australia)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
      • The Philippines reports 157 deaths in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single-day total in five months, bringing the nationwide death toll to 11,829. (ABS-CBN News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Zambia
      • Zambia surpasses 1,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Xinhua)
    • Africa surpasses 100,000 deaths from COVID-19. (AP)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Florida
      • Florida reports their first case of the Brazil variant of SARS-CoV-2, making it the fourth state to do so after Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Maryland. (WFTS-TV)
      • Florida surpasses 30,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Miami Herald)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Idaho
      • Idaho reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant in a person from Southwestern Idaho who previously travelled internationally. (Idaho Statesman)
  • COVID-19 vaccine
    • Johnson & Johnson submits an application of its experimental single-dose vaccine to the World Health Organization for emergency authorization. (Marketwatch)
• 2020–21 H5N8 outbreak
  • Hong Kong suspends the import of poultry meat and products from bird flu-affected areas in South Korea, Germany and Poland due to spread of highly pathogenic H5N8 in those areas. (The Straits Times)

International relations

• 47th G7 summit
  • U.S. President Joe Biden and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi make their first global appearance at a virtual G7 meeting as the countries discuss COVID-19 recovery, trade, social media, free speech, and their approach to China. The countries also commit to offer $7.5 billion in funding for vaccination rollouts in poor countries. (France 24)
  • President Biden, in a reversal of the Trump administration's approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, says that the United States will contribute up to $4 billion to COVAX. (CBS News)
• Environmental policy of the Joe Biden administration
  • The United States formally rejoins the Paris Agreement, 107 days after it left the climate accord. (The Guardian)
• Equatorial Guinea–Israel relations
  • Equatoguinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo announces that his country will move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem following talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Anadolu Agency)

Law and crime

• In a 6–1 decision, the Federal Court of Malaysia rules that news portal Malaysiakini can be held in contempt of court over its users' comments against the Malaysian judiciary. Co-founder and editor-in-chief Steven Gan is personally absolved of the charge. The portal will be required to pay RM500,000 (about US$120,000) in fines next week. (Malaysiakini) (CNA)
• A Sudanese asylum seeker stabs an immigration official to death at a refugee centre in Pau, France. The attack is not thought to be linked to terrorism. (BBC)
• Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council secretary Oleksiy Danilov announces sanctions on pro-Russian opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk for allegedly using coal mines in the Luhansk Oblast to finance separatists. The government also announced that it would nationalize a pipeline that transports Russian oil into the rest of Europe, which Medvedchuk was suspected of owning. (Reuters)
• The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies votes 364–130 to confirm the Supreme Federal Court-mandated arrest of congressman Daniel Silveira (PSL-RJ) for posting videos online threatening the judges of the Court, calling for the Court's extinction and for a new AI-5 – considered the most repressive legal instrument of the former Brazilian military government. His party is also considering his expulsion. (EN24) (O Globo)

Politics and elections

• 2021 Turks and Caicos Islands general election
  • The opposition Progressive National Party wins 14 of the 15 seats in the House of Assembly, with Washington Misick slated to become the next premier. Outgoing Premier Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson of the People's Democratic Movement loses re-election to her seat. (Turks & Caicos Sun)
• COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics
  • Argentine Health Minister Ginés González García resigns amid scandal over preferential treatment for the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine to his close friends, including journalist Horacio Verbitsky. (The Washington Post)

Current events of February 18, 2021 (2021-02-18) (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Yemeni Civil War
  • Ma'rib Campaign
    • Houthi forces take control of the Marib Dam, al-Balaq, Dahwan, and Athaf mountains, and the Kholan area, among others, as coalition forces retreat. This is the first time since 2015 that the Houthis control Marib Dam, which gives the Houthis fire control of the southern road to Marib. (ISWNews)
• Insurgency in the Maghreb, Mali War
  • Jihadist insurgents kill nine people in an ambush in Burkina Faso, while another jihadist attack near Bandiagara, Mopti Region, Mali, kills nine people and leaves others missing, according to local government officials. (Reuters)
• ISIL insurgency in Iraq
  • Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg announces an increase in NATO personnel in Iraq from 500 to around 4,000 amid a surge in ISIL activity in the country. The training mission will also be expanded to more areas beyond Baghdad and include more Iraqi security institutions, according to Stoltenberg. (France 24)

Business and economy

• News Media Bargaining Code
  • Facebook bans Australian news publishers from posting and Australian users from viewing and sharing news content in a preemptive retaliation against the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission's (ACCC) proposed News Media Bargaining Code, which would require Facebook to pay to host Australian news content. A number of key government and charity organisations were also blocked for several hours. (The Guardian)
  • Alphabet Inc. agrees to begin paying News Corp for news content. News Corp CEO Robert Thomson credits the ACCC's proposed legislation with making the deal possible. (The New York Times)

Disasters and accidents

• 2020–21 North American winter
  • February 13–17, 2021 North American winter storm
    • In Texas, power is restored to millions of homes, but millions of people lack safe drinking water and 325,000 homes and businesses remain without power. (Reuters)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
      • Lockdown restrictions are eased in Victoria as contact tracers are confident that all cases linked to a recent outbreak are self-isolating. People are permitted to leave their homes for non-essential reasons but are required to wear a mask when they are indoors. Private gatherings of up to 5 people and public gatherings of up to 20 people are once again permitted. Non-essential businesses and on-campus learning have been reopened, and businesses that were working from home can have up to 50% of their employees return to the office. (The Guardian)
      • South Australia reopens its land border with Victoria to the state's regional population, while still restricting travellers from Melbourne, the location of the recent outbreak. Similar restrictions are also in place at the New South Wales and Tasmanian borders. (9 News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
      • Restrictions are eased in New Zealand, with Auckland downgraded to alert level 2 and the rest of the country to alert level 1. Most Auckland schools are reopened and masks are made mandatory on public transportation. (New Zealand Herald)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong
      • Hong Kong grants emergency use authorization to the Sinovac CoronaVac vaccine, making it the second vaccine to be approved in the city. (Quartz)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
      • Malaysia reports a record 25 deaths in the past 24 hours, surpassing 1,000 deaths from COVID-19. (The Star)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal
      • Nepal approves the emergency use of the Sinopharm vaccine, which is the second vaccine to be approved in the country. (Deccan Herald)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia
      • Saudi Arabia's Food and Drug Authority approves the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. (Gulf News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria
      • Nigeria approves the emergency use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India. (Bloomberg)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe
      • Zimbabwe begins its vaccination programme against COVID-19 using China's Sinopharm vaccine. Health minister and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is the first person to receive the vaccine. (Anadolu Agency)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in South America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
      • Brazil surpasses 10 million cases of COVID-19. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Venezuela
      • Venezuela launches a vaccination program against COVID-19 using Sputnik V vaccine starting with frontline health workers. (VOA)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada
      • Nevada reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant in a person who travelled from South Africa to Reno and who later began showing symptoms of COVID-19. (U.S. News and World Report)
  • COVID-19 vaccine, Variants of SARS-CoV-2
    • Lab studies suggest that the Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are significantly less effective in providing antibody protection against the 501.V2 variant of the disease, which is most prevalent in South Africa. (The Guardian)

International relations

• Iran–United States relations, United States sanctions against Iran
  • The Biden administration rescinds the UN sanctions placed on Iran by his predecessor Donald Trump, seen as a potential step towards rejoining the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The "snapback" of sanctions had been ignored by the rest of the world. (AP)
• Israel–Syria relations
  • Israel and Syria carry out a Russian-mediated prisoner exchange. An Israeli woman who crossed the border into Syria's Quneitra Governorate and was detained by the Syrian military, is returned in exchange for two Syrian shepherds held by the Israel Defense Forces. (BBC)
• 2021 Myanmar coup d'état
  • Canada and the United Kingdom announce sanctions on the military junta generals in response to the coup and the arbitrary detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political figures. (France 24)

Law and crime

• 2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest, Internet Censorship in India
  • A New Delhi court sends climate activist Disha Ravi to jail for allegedly sharing a "toolkit" on social media in connection with the ongoing farmers' protest against three farm bills as it investigates further. Ms. Ravi, a resident of Bangalore, was arrested on February 4 and flown overnight to New Delhi. (The Hindu)
• Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security rearrests former deputy chief of Custom Service Raimbek Matraimov due to an ongoing investigation into allegations of money laundering. The arrest comes days after hundreds protested in the capital of Bishkek over a court commuting his sentence last week. (Radio Free Europe)

Politics and elections

• Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia resigns due to disagreements with his cabinet over the detention of prominent opposition figure Nika Melia, saying "I believe that confrontation and rivalry within the country endanger the future of Georgia's democratic and economic development". (Reuters)
• Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, in a televised address, announces he will pardon dozens of protestors associated with the Hirak movement, reshuffle the cabinet "within 48 hours at most", and will dissolve the lower chamber of parliament to make way for new elections. (Al Jazeera)

Science and technology

• Mars 2020
  • The rover Perseverance successfully lands on Mars as part of the Mars 2020 mission. (The New York Times)
• A coalition of technology companies including Facebook, Google, and Amazon, as well as the United States Chamber of Commerce, file a federal lawsuit against the U.S. state of Maryland for passing a gross revenue tax on digital ads by non-media companies. It is the first tax of its kind in the nation. (The Verge)

Time: 22:48 UTC|Day: 24 February

	February 2021
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28

Ongoing events

Business

• COVID-19 recession

Disasters

• COVID-19 pandemic
• 2020–21 European windstorm season
• 2020–21 H5N8 outbreak
• Yemeni famine

Politics

• Afghan peace process
• Armenian protests
• Belarusian protests
• Bulgarian protests
• East Mediterranean crisis
• Hong Kong protests
• Indian farmers protests
• Indonesia omnibus law protests
• Kashmir lock-down
• Libyan peace process
• Myanmar protests
• Nicaraguan protests
• Nigerian protests
• Persian Gulf crisis
• Second Arab Spring
• Sudanese protests
• Thai protests
• United States election protests
• United States racial unrest
• Venezuelan presidential crisis
• Yellow vests movement

Elections and referendums

Recent

• February
  • 14: Kosovo, Assembly
  • 19: Turks and Caicos Islands, House of Assembly
  • 21: Laos, National Assembly
  • 21: Niger, President (2nd)

Upcoming

• February
  • 28: El Salvador, Legislative Assembly
• March
  • 2: Federated States of Micronesia, Congress
  • 6: Ivory Coast, National Assembly
  • 7: Switzerland, referendums

Trials

Recently concluded

• France: Charlie Hebdo shooting
• Switzerland: Beny Steinmetz
• United States: Impeachment of Donald Trump

Ongoing

• Argentina: Rodolfo Martín Villa
• Armenia: Serzh Sargsyan
• Colombia: Álvaro Uribe
• France: Nicolas Sarkozy
• India: Disha Ravi
• Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu
• Kyrgyzstan: Almazbek Atambayev
• Malta: Yorgen Fenech
• South Africa: Jacob Zuma
• Spain: 2017 Catalonia attacks, Bárcenas affair
• Sudan: Omar al-Bashir
• International: The Gambia v. Myanmar

Upcoming

• Indonesia: Edhy Prabowo, Juliari Batubara, Muhammad Rizieq Shihab
• Kosovo: Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli
• Lesotho: Maesiah Thabane
• Rwanda: Paul Rusesabagina
• United States: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Elizabeth Holmes, Meng Wanzhou, R. Kelly, Ghislaine Maxwell
• Zimbabwe: Ignatius Chombo

Sport

• Association football
  • 2020–21 Premier League
  • 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
  • 2020-21 La Liga
  • 2020-21 Serie A
  • 2020–21 UEFA Champions League knockout phase
  • 2020–21 UEFA Europa League knockout phase
  • 2020–21 UEFA Nations League
• Women's association football
  • 2020–21 Champions League
  • 2020–21 Division 1 Féminine
  • 2020–21 FA WSL
• American football
  • 2021 Spring NCAA Division I FCS
• Baseball
  • 2021 MLB season
• Basketball
  • 2020–21 NBA season
  • 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
  • 2020–21 NCAA Division I women's basketball season
• Golf
  • 2020–21 PGA Tour
• Ice hockey
  • 2020–21 KHL season
  • 2020–21 NHL season
• Rugby union
  • 2020–21 Premiership Rugby
  • 2020–21 Pro14
  • 2019–20 Top 14
• Other sports seasons
  • 2020–21 international cricket season
  • 2020–21 snooker season
  • 2020–21 curling season

More details – current sports events

Recent deaths

February 2021

• 23: Fausto Gresini
• 23: Ahmed Zaki Yamani
• 22: Luca Attanasio
• 22: Lawrence Ferlinghetti
• 21: Zlatko Saračević
• 20: Gerald Cardinale
• 20: Stan Williams
• 19: Đorđe Balašević
• 19: Arturo Di Modica
• 19: Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing
• 19: Clotilde Niragira
• 19: Dianna Ortiz
• 19: Balanchine
• 18: Vittore Bocchetta
• 18: Juan Pizarro
• 18: Prince Markie Dee
• 18: Bill Ramseyer
• 18: Chris Vincent
• 17: Raffaele Cutolo
• 17: Seif Sharif Hamad
• 17: Rush Limbaugh
• 16: Carman
• 16: Gustavo Noboa
• 16: Joan Margarit
• 15: Arne Sorenson
• 15: Steuart Bedford
• 15: Johnny Pacheco
• 14: William Macpherson
• 14: Carlos Menem
• 14: Ion Mihai Pacepa
• 13: Alberto Oliart
• 12: Frederick K. C. Price
• 12: Lynn Stalmaster
• 11: Leslie E. Robertson
• 10: Larry Flynt
• 10: Pachín
• 9: Chick Corea
• 9: Ivan Izquierdo
• 9: Franco Marini
• 8: Jean-Claude Carrière
• 8: Shlomo Hillel
• 8: Marty Schottenheimer
• 8: Mary Wilson
• 7: Pedro Gomez
• 7: Johnny Rogan
• 7: Ron Wright
• 6: Ruth Dayan
• 6: Santiago García
• 6: George Shultz
• 5: Christopher Plummer
• 5: Butch Reed
• 5: Leon Spinks
• 4: Lokman Slim
• 4: Boulos Nassif Borkhoche
• 4: Jaime Murrell
• 4: Samuel Vestey
• 3: Haya Harareet
• 3: Jim Weatherly
• 2: Rennie Davis
• 2: Fausta Morganti
• 2: Captain Tom
• 1: Temur Tsiklauri
• 1: Dustin Diamond
• 1: Jack Palladino
• 1: John Sweeney
• 1: Jamie Tarses

January 2021

• 30: Allan Burns
• 30: Sophie
• 30: Marc Wilmore

Ongoing conflicts

Africa

• Algeria, Libya and Tunisia
  • Maghreb insurgency
• Cameroon
  • Anglophone Crisis
• Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
  • Boko Haram insurgency
• Central African Republic
  • Civil War
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Kivu conflict
  • Allied Democratic Forces insurgency
  • Ituri conflict
  • Lord's Resistance Army insurgency
• Ethiopia
  • Tigray War
• Ghana
  • Western Togoland Rebellion
• Mali
  • Mali War
• Mozambique
  • Insurgency in Cabo Delgado
• Nigeria
  • Communal conflicts in Nigeria
• Somalia
  • Civil war
• Sudan
  • War in Darfur
  • South Kordofan conflict
  • Sudanese nomadic conflicts (incl. South Sudan)
• Western Sahara
  • Western Sahara conflict
    • 2020–2021 Western Saharan clashes

Americas

• Colombia
  • Colombian conflict
• Mexico
  • Mexican War on Drugs
• Peru
  • Internal conflict in Peru

Asia-Pacific

• Afghanistan
  • Afghanistan War
• China
  • Xinjiang conflict
• India
  • Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
  • Insurgency in Northeast India
• India and Pakistan
  • Kashmir conflict
• Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines
  • Moro conflict
    • Cross border attacks in Sabah
• Indonesia
  • Papua conflict
• Myanmar
  • Internal conflict in Myanmar
    • Kachin conflict
    • Karen conflict
    • Rohingya conflict
• Pakistan
  • Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • Insurgency in Balochistan
• Philippines
  • Communist rebellion in the Philippines
  • Philippine Drug War
• Thailand
  • South Thailand insurgency

Europe

• Armenia and Azerbaijan
  • Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
• Ukraine
  • War in Donbass
    • Russo-Ukrainian War

Middle East

• Egypt
  • Sinai insurgency
• Iran and the Persian Gulf
  • Iran–Israel proxy conflict
  • Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
• Iraq
  • American-led intervention in Iraq
  • Iranian intervention in Iraq
• Iraq and Syria (map)
  • International military intervention against ISIL
• Israel and Gaza
• Israel and Syria
  • Israeli-Syrian border conflict
• Syria
  • American-led intervention in Syria
  • Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War
  • Turkish occupation of northern Syria
    • SDF insurgency
• Turkey
  • Kurdish–Turkish conflict
• Yemen and Saudi Arabia
  • Yemeni Civil War
  • Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
  • Second Saudi–Yemeni War

Further information: List of ongoing armed conflicts

2021 events and developments by topic

Arts

Architecture – Comics – Film – Home video – Literature – Music (Country, Rock, Metal, UK, US) – Radio – Television (UK, US) – Video games

Politics and government

Elections – International leaders – Sovereign states – Sovereign state leaders – Territorial governors

Science and technology

Archaeology – Biotechnology – Computing – Palaeontology – Quantum computing and communication – Space/Astronomy – Spaceflight

Environment and environmental sciences

Birding/Ornithology – Climate change

Transportation

Aviation – Rail transport

Establishments and disestablishments categories

Establishments – Disestablishments

Works and introductions categories

Works – Introductions – Works entering the public domain