Armed conflicts and attacks

• Sinai insurgency
  • A roadside bomb kills two members of the Egyptian Armed Forces and injures five others near Bir al-Abd in the North Sinai Governorate. (AP)
• Kivu conflict
  • Six militia members are killed during clashes between the Nduma Defense of Congo-Renovated and Mai-Mai Kabido in Bukumbirwa. (Radio Okapi)

Arts and culture

• On New Year's Day, Pope Francis livestreams his message from the library of the Apostolic Palace. He states "the Virgin Mary’s motherly care encourages us to use our God-given time for building up the world and peace, not destroying it." In the Catholic Church, January 1 is the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. (Catholic News Agency)

Disasters and accidents

• 2021 Tribistovo poisoning
  • Eight people aged 19 die from carbon monoxide poisoning in a cottage in Tribistovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, during a New Year's celebration, after carbon monoxide leaks from a generator used to power a heater. (AP)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • COVID-19 pandemic in England
        • COVID-19 pandemic in London
          • The United Kingdom Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson announces that all primary schools in London will remain closed for at least two weeks at the start of the new term on January 4. It was previously announced that only schools in 23 of the 32 boroughs would be closed. (BBC News)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in the Isle of Man, Variant of Concern 202012/01
        • The Isle of Man reports two cases of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2. (BBC News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Turkey reports its first 15 cases of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in people who traveled from the United Kingdom and later tested positive for COVID-19. (Daily Sabah)
      • Turkey bans all travelers from the United Kingdom due to the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom. (AP)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in France
      • France announces it will tighten curfews in 15 departments beginning tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. local time in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (France 24)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Norway
      • Norway will lift its ban on flights from the United Kingdom beginning tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. GMT. (The Independent)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in India
      • India approves the emergency use of the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, becoming the third country in the world to do so after the United Kingdom and Argentina. (Al Jazeera)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, COVID-19 vaccine
      • Israel becomes the first country to vaccinate at least 10% of its population against COVID-19, with around 950,000 doses already administered. (The Jerusalem Post)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
      • Malaysia extends the recovery phase of the Movement Control Order (MCO) nationwide except for Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Sabah as well as other locations under a conditional and enhanced MCO until March 31 due to a substantial increase in the number of new cases. (The Straits Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
      • The Philippines includes the United States in its travel ban of countries and territories reported to have new variants of SARS-CoV-2, which comes into effect on January 3. The move comes after the United States reported its first case of a new variant from the United Kingdom on December 30. (Xinhua)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, 501.V2 Variant
      • The Singaporean Ministry of Health announces that long-term pass holders and short-term visitors who had travel history to South Africa over the past 14 days will be not allowed to enter Singapore starting January 4, due to reports of a more contagious variant of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in the country. (Hindustan Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
      • Bangkok will close all schools, daycare centers for both children and seniors, preschools and tutoring centers from January 4 to 17. Other public facilities will be closed beginning January 2. This comes as the authorities tighten measures to reduce the spread of a new wave of COVID-19. (CNA)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    • COVID-19 pandemic in California
      • California reports a record 585 new deaths in the past 24 hours. (KABC-TV)
    • The United States surpasses 20 million cases of COVID-19. (CBS News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Chad
    • Chadian President Idriss Déby signs a decree that imposes a lockdown in the country's capital N'Djamena for the first time since the pandemic began and also declares a dusk-to-dawn curfew due to a rise in the number of cases. (Reuters)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Uruguay
    • Uruguay reports a record of 12 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 193. (El País)

International relations

• Cross-Strait relations
  • Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen says that she is ready to have talks with China and urges the country to have dialogues with Taiwan. (Bloomberg)
• Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Nuclear program of Iran
  • The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran has notified it of its intention to enrich uranium to 20% purity, in accordance with a law recently passed by the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Iran did not specify when this enrichment would begin. The December 2020 bill, adopted after the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, instructs the government to increase uranium enrichment if sanctions against Iran are not eased within two months. (France 24) (BBC News)
• The African Continental Free Trade Area, the largest free-trade area since the formation of the World Trade Organization in 1995, commences. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

• Cannabis in the United States
  • Initiative 190 comes into effect in Montana, making it the 13th state to legalize recreational cannabis. (Great Falls Tribune) (KRTV)
• George Floyd protests in Portland, Oregon, 2020–2021 United States racial unrest
  • On December 31 and into the early hours of January 1, protesters and police clashed in a New Year's Eve protest which police declared a riot shortly before midnight, alleging the demonstrators' use of violence. Within 30 minutes, police advanced on the demonstration, protesters used fireworks while officers shot pepper balls, rubber bullets, and other "less-lethal munitions". In the wake of the protests, the Portland Police Bureau order all people in the area to leave immediately. Authorities have not stated the number of protesters arrested. (The Hill)

Politics and elections

• The United States Senate votes 81–13 to override President Donald Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. This is the first successful veto override of the Trump presidency. (Business Insider)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Insurgency in the Maghreb
  • 2021 Tillabéri attacks
    • At least 79 civilians are killed and 20 others are injured when Islamist militants attack two villages simultaneously in Tillabéri, Niger, near the border with Mali. (Reuters)
  • Two Algerian People's National Army personnel and four militants are killed during a gunfight in Messelmoun, Algeria. (Xinhua)
• Insurgency in Balochistan
  • Machh attack
    • Eleven Hazara coal miners are kidnapped near their mine and then killed nearby by Khorasan Daesh militants in Machh, Pakistan. (BBC News)
• Mali War, Operation Barkhane
  • Two French Army personnel are killed when their armoured personnel carrier hit a roadside bomb in Ménaka, Mali. It is the second attack in the past few days that targeted French military personnel, the first being the December 28 JNIM-claimed bombing that killed three French military personnel. (Al Jazeera)
• Somali Civil War
  • Five people are killed, including two Turkish nationals, after an al-Shabaab suicide bomber blew himself up near the Mogadishu-Afgooye road construction work. Fourteen people are injured, including four other Turkish citizens. (The Guardian)

Arts and culture

• Pope Francis accepts the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Richard Brendan Higgins, the episcopal vicar for veterans affairs of the Archdiocese for the Military Services. During his career, Bishop Higgins’ is vicar for veterans affairs and responsible for more than 200 chaplains serving at over 150 veterans' affairs hospitals in the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam. His retirement at age 75 is announced in Washington, D.C. by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States. (Catholic News Service)

Disasters and accidents

• 2020 Gjerdrum landslide
  • Rescue workers find the bodies of four people who went missing during a landslide in Gjerdrum, Viken, Norway, on December 30. Six people are still missing. (Al Jazeera)
• Three people are killed when a small plane crashes into a house in Lyon Township, Michigan, United States. (WDIV-TV)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • The United Kingdom reports a record 57,725 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the highest daily total since the beginning of the pandemic. Another 445 deaths are also reported, bringing the country's death toll to 74,570. (Sky News)
      • The United Kingdom reactivates emergency critical-care COVID-19 hospitals amid a surge in both cases and hospitalizations. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Russia, COVID-19 vaccine
      • Over 800,000 people in Russia have received the Sputnik V vaccine. (The Hill)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Gibraltar
      • Gibraltar imposes a second lockdown for the next 14 days beginning at 10:00 p.m. local time (21:00 GMT) today, in order to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases. (Barron's)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
      • The Government of Greece announces a one-week closure of all shops that were allowed to reopen during the holiday season, as well as all places of worship beginning tomorrow in order to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases ahead of the reopening of schools on January 11. A curfew from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. local time will also be imposed. (Ekathimerini)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
      • Indonesia reports a record 7,582 recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 625,518. (Kompas)
      • East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa tests positive for COVID-19. (Kompas)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
      • Malaysia reports a record 3,321 recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 94,492. (The Edge Markets MY)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, 501.V2 variant
      • South Korea reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 when a person who traveled from South Africa on December 26 later tested positive for COVID-19. (Dong-A Ilbo)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Vietnam reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 when a 44-year-old woman who traveled from the United Kingdom later tested positive for COVID-19 while in quarantine on December 24. (The Straits Times)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
      • Victoria closes its land border with New South Wales due to an increase in COVID-19 cases, after several months of open borders. Meanwhile, New South Wales makes wearing masks in public mandatory, while also easing restrictions for southern suburbs of the Northern Beaches as the number of cases in those areas decrease. (The Guardian)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Palau, COVID-19 vaccine
      • Palau receives 2,800 doses of the Moderna vaccine in a special contribution from the United States. The government announced that it will vaccinate healthcare workers first and then vaccinate seniors and people with medical conditions. (RNZ)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    • COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state)
      • New York surpasses one million cases of COVID-19, becoming the fourth state to do so after Texas, California and Florida. (Bloomberg)

Law and crime

• Capital punishment in Kazakhstan
  • Kazakhstan formally abolishes the death penalty, making a two-decade freeze on executions permanent, according to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. (VOA)
• Killing of Dolal Idd
  • The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office releases footage of deputies executing a search warrant on the last known address of Dolal Idd, as well as a raid on his family's house. (WCCO-TV)
• Authorities in Pakistan arrest Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, alleged leader of the Lashker-e-Taiba group, which is blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people. (ABC)
• The homes of United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are vandalized after the government failed to pass the CASH Act, a bill that would increase direct payments from $600 to $2,000. (ABC) (Business Insider)
• Saïd Bouteflika, the brother and special advisor of former Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, is cleared of conspiracy charges following a retrial. Saïd Bouteflika had been sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2019 for "undermining the authority of the armed forces" and "conspiring against the authority of the state" following his brother's resignation in the context of the 2019–20 Algerian protests. (Arab News)

Politics and elections

• 2020–21 Nigerien general election
  • The electoral commission of Niger declares that a second round of the presidential election will take place on February 21 after no candidate received a majority of the vote. The two candidates will be former minister Mohamed Bazoum, the leader of the ruling Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism, who won the first round with 39.33% of the votes; and former president Mahamane Ousmane, who won 16.99% of votes. (Al-Ahram)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Central African Republic Civil War
  • Rebel forces seize the city of Bangassou in southeastern Central African Republic after storming the city in a pre-dawn raid, according to MINUSCA officials. (BBC News)
• Insurgency in the Maghreb
  • 2021 Tillabéri attacks
    • Twenty-one more people are found dead and others die of their injuries a day after the attacks in Tchombangou and Zaroumdareye, in Tillabéri, Niger, bringing the death toll to 100. More than 75 others are wounded. (DW)
• Mali War
  • Mali wedding airstrike
    • A group of Islamist insurgents take hostages in Mopti. While separating the victims by gender, an airstrike killed at least 20 people. (Global News)
• Syrian civil war
  • Islamic State insurgents kill nine people and wound 16 others in an ambush targeting buses traveling down a highway in central Syria. (Associated Press)
• A relief worker is killed and three others wounded after Islamic State-linked militants opens fire on their vehicle in Maguindanao, Philippines. (INQUIRER.net)

Disasters and accidents

• 2020 Gjerdrum landslide
  • Rescue workers find the bodies of three people who went missing during a landslide in Gjerdrum, Viken, Norway, on December 30, bringing the death toll to seven. Three people are still missing. (BBC News)
• At least 18 people are killed during a funeral in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, when the roof they were sheltering under during heavy rainfall collapses. Police dispatch rescue workers and sniffer dogs, and they say that the rescue operation has been completed. (Reuters)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Cyprus, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Cyprus reports its first cases of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in 12 people who traveled from the United Kingdom and later tested positive for COVID-19. (Cyprus-Mail)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
      • Greece reports its first cases of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in four people who traveled from the United Kingdom. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
      • Ireland surpasses 100,000 cases of COVID-19 after a record 4,962 new cases are reported in the past 24 hours. (The Irish Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Norway
      • Prime Minister Erna Solberg announces a series of new nationwide restrictions including a ban on alcohol being served in restaurants and bars and an advisory against having any guests in private residences in order to reduce the spread of a third wave of cases. (The Hill)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • COVID-19 vaccination programme in the United Kingdom
        • The United Kingdom begins distribution of the AstraZeneca and University of Oxford vaccine. (BBC News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in India
      • India officially approves the emergency use of AstraZeneca and University of Oxford's AZD1222 vaccine, which is to be manufactured locally by the Serum Institute of India, as well as Bharat Biotech's BBV152 vaccine. (BBC News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait; Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Kuwait announces the suspension of direct commercial passenger flights to and from the United Kingdom beginning January 6 at 4:00 a.m. in order to reduce the spread of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2. (Kuwait Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Saudi Arabia reopens its air, sea, and land borders, and resumes international passenger flights as well, after borders were closed in December to prevent the spread of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that originated in the UK. People arriving from South Africa, the United Kingdom, and other countries where the new variant is spreading are required to spend 14 days in another country and present a negative test result prior to entering Saudi Arabia. (Al Jazeera)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Thailand reports its first case of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a British national who traveled from the United Kingdom and later tested positive for COVID-19. (Khaosod English)
      • Thailand announces it will get two million doses of CoronaVac starting in February. (Bangkok Post)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt, COVID-19 vaccine
      • Egypt approves the use of Sinopharm's BBIBP-CorV vaccine, with the vaccination campaign expected to start later this month. Egypt plans to buy 40 million doses of this vaccine. (Al Jazeera)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya
      • President Uhuru Kenyatta signs an executive order that bans all gatherings except funerals and weddings of up to 150 people. He also extends the nationwide night curfew until March 12. (Anadolu Agency)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    • New Zealand reports six cases of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 in five people who traveled from the United Kingdom and another who traveled from South Africa, all between December 13 and 25, and who later tested positive for COVID-19. (Stuff.co.nz)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, COVID-19 vaccine
    • The Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency announces that the country will receive 2 million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine. (Reuters)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    • Canada surpasses 600,000 cases of COVID-19. (CP24)

International relations

• Assassination of Qasem Soleimani, American intervention in Iraq
  • Thousands of Iraqis demand American forces withdraw from the country during protests in Liberation Square, Baghdad, a year after an American drone strike killed Iran's general Qasem Soleimani and Iraq's militia commander, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. The anniversary of their deaths in Baghdad was also marked in Iran as well as by supporters in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and other Middle East countries. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

• 2021 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election
  • The 117th United States Congress begins. Nancy Pelosi is re-elected as Speaker of the House with a narrow seven-vote majority (216–209). (The Guardian) (Reuters)
• Trump–Raffensperger phone call
  • The Washington Post releases the recording of a telephone conversation where United States President Donald Trump calls Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to pressure him to "find 11,780 votes" in his favor. (The Washington Post)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Kivu conflict
  • Allied Democratic Forces insurgency
    • Twenty-two people are killed during an Allied Democratic Forces mass stabbing at a village in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Al Jazeera)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in North America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
        • Ontario reports three new cases of the new Alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2 that originated in the United Kingdom. (Global News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan
        • Michigan surpasses 500,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19. (WEYI-TV)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Mississippi, COVID-19 vaccine
        • Officials in Mississippi announce a plan to distribute vaccines for people over 65 years of age. (San Francisco Chronicle)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in New Mexico, COVID-19 vaccine
        • According to the New Mexico Department of Health, over 230,000 people in the state have signed up to receive vaccinations. (AP)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in New York, Variant of Concern 202012/01
        • New York reports its first case of the new SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant in a man in his 60s from Saratoga County who tested positive for COVID-19 despite having no travel history. (WNBC-TV)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Austria
      • Austria abandons a plan to allow anyone with a negative test result to exit the lockdown a week early, instead extending strict measures and keeping restaurants and non-essential shops closed until January 24. (RND)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, COVID-19 vaccine
      • Contrary to the strategy adopted by the United Kingdom, Spain is expected to maintain its plan to administer two doses per person of the COVID-19 vaccine tozinameran, which is the recommendation of the manufacturer Pfizer-BioNTech. Germany is also considering the single-dose strategy. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • COVID-19 pandemic in England
        • British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces a third nationwide lockdown in England beginning at midnight. All schools and universities will be closed until mid-February and people will only be allowed to leave their homes for essential reasons like shopping and exercise. (BBC News)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
        • Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announces that a lockdown in level four areas such as mainland Scotland will begin at midnight, and that there will be a legal requirement to stay at home for the remainder of the month. Schools will also remain closed. (The Guardian)
      • The United Kingdom reports a record 58,784 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,713,563. (Sky News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon
      • The Lebanese Government announces a 25-day nationwide lockdown in the country beginning January 7 in order to reduce the increase in COVID-19 cases that occurred during the holiday season. A curfew from 6:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. local time will also be in effect until February 1. (ABC)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
      • Malaysia surpasses 500 deaths from COVID-19. (The Star)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
      • Thailand reports a record 745 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 4,639. (Bangkok Post)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam, COVID-19 vaccine
      • Vietnam agrees to buy 30 million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine. (7 News)

International relations

• Iran–South Korea relations
  • Iran's Revolutionary Guard seizes a South Korean-flagged ship in the Persian Gulf over alleged oil pollution and environmental hazards. The ship was travelling from Saudi Arabia to the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. (Arab News)
• United States and the International Criminal Court
  • United States District Judge Katherine Polk Failla blocks the Trump administration from imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• Trump–Raffensperger phone call
  • United States Representatives Ted Lieu and Kathleen Rice urge Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher A. Wray to open a criminal investigation into President Donald Trump's phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger for violating state and federal laws. Additionally, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis announces that her office is ready to investigate Trump after his call with Raffensperger. (CBS) (The Hill)
• COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
  • British Member of Parliament Margaret Ferrier is arrested after breaching COVID-19 restrictions. (The Times)
• 2020 United States election protests
  • Proud Boys chairperson Enrique Tarrio is arrested for destroying a Black Lives Matter sign at the Asbury United Methodist Church during a protest in Washington, D.C., last month. (NBC)
• Crime in Malaysia
  • A Malaysian coroner concludes that 15-year-old French-Irish tourist Nora Quoirin, who disappeared in August 2019 while vacationing at a resort in Seremban and whose body was found in a nearby jungle ten days later, had died by misadventure. Quoirin's family questions the verdict, saying that evidence suggests that her death was caused by abduction, homicide, or sexual assault. (France 24)
• A judge in the United Kingdom blocks the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States, citing that it would be "oppressive" to his mental health and also cites the likelihood of Assange committing suicide if he is sent to the United States. If convicted in the United States, Assange could face up to 175 years in prison. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador says that his country is willing to provide political asylum to Assange. (DW) (Anadolu Agency)
• Crime in Nigeria
  • Kidnapped Auxiliary Bishop Moses Chikwe, of the Owerri Archdiocese in Nigeria, is freed by his captors. Kidnapped last Sunday, police allege that no ransom is paid. International condemnation includes Pope Francis, during his new year message calling for Bishop Chikwe's release. While in Imo state, a Catholic women's organization, stage a peaceful protest at the Imo state government house, calling on Governor Hope Uzodinma, to quicken action for the release of the Auxiliary Bishop. (Vanguard, Lagos)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark
      • Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announces the increase of the COVID-19 risk level from level 4 to 5, indicating "widespread infection in society", as well as "a risk that treatment capacity at hospitals will be exceeded". In addition, public and private gatherings will be limited to five people. The rules will be in effect until January 17. (The Local Denmark)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
      • Chancellor Angela Merkel and leaders of 16 states agree to extend the country's lockdown until January 31. (Euronews)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
      • Italy's Council of Ministers approves a decree that prohibits travel between the country's regions except for health or work reasons, with people in "red zone" areas only allowed to move once per day. They also extend most lockdown restrictions until January 15. The country will be in a "yellow zone" on January 7 and 8, with eased restrictions and allowing restaurants, bars, shops and malls to open, while on January 9 and 10 the country will be in an "orange zone", with malls closed and restaurants and bars open for takeaway and delivery only. (ANSA)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malta
      • Maltese president George Vella receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (Times of Malta)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland
        • The Northern Ireland Executive issues a stay-at-home order in Northern Ireland, which is currently in the second week of a six-week lockdown, legally enforceable from January 8, in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (BBC News)
      • The United Kingdom reports a record 60,916 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,774,479. (The Independent)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
      • Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin announces that a nationwide mass vaccination program against COVID-19 will begin on January 13. President Joko Widodo will become the first person in the country to receive a vaccine. (Kontan)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Iran, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Iran reports its first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in an Iranian who travelled from the United Kingdom and later tested positive for COVID-19. (The Jerusalem Post)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
      • The Israeli Cabinet agrees to tighten the nationwide lockdown by closing schools and non-essential shops for 14 days. The measures will come into force at midnight between Thursday and Friday. (The Times of Israel)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
      • Japan reports a record 4,915 new cases in the past 24 hours. In addition, a record 76 deaths are also reported in the past 24 hours. (The Japan Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Oman, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Oman reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a resident who travelled from the United Kingdom and tested positive while in quarantine. (Khaleej Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
      • South Korea surpasses 1,000 deaths from COVID-19. (The Korea Herald)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Rwanda
      • Rwanda bans public and private transport in and out of Kigali and between districts and extends a curfew from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. local time for another 15 days amid a deadly second wave of COVID-19. (Daily Monitor)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe
      • Zimbabwe reports 1,365 new confirmed cases and 34 deaths in the past 24 hours, its largest daily increase for both cases and deaths since the pandemic began as the country begins a month-long lockdown to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Reuters)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Georgia reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in an 18-year-old male with no travel history, and who is currently in isolation at home. (WXIA-TV)
    • The U.S. surpasses 21 million cases of COVID-19, just four days after surpassing 20 million cases. (CNN)

International relations

• Qatar diplomatic crisis
  • Saudi Arabia reopens its border with Qatar, ending the three-year diplomatic crisis. The resolution was brokered by Kuwait and the United States. (NBC News)
• Kosovo–United States relations
  • Kosovo's parliament unanimously approves deploying the Kosovo Security Force on international peacekeeping missions, following a formal request by the United States Central Command. (Times Union)

Law and crime

• 2020–2021 United States racial unrest
  • Shooting of Jacob Blake, Kenosha unrest
    • Kenosha unrest shooting
      • Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old boy accused of shooting three people (including two killed) during a protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, will plead not guilty. (Newsweek)
    • Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley announces that no charges will be made against Rusten Sheskey, the Kenosha police officer accused of shooting Jacob Blake. (USA Today)
• 2020 United States election protests
  • Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser activates the District of Columbia National Guard due to an organized protest of pro-Trump supporters. (AP)
  • A federal judge bans Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio from entering Washington, D.C. (Forbes)
• Iran–United States relations
  • Iran requests that Interpol issue a red notice for the arrest of U.S. President Donald Trump and 47 other U.S. officials for their role in the assassination of Qasem Soleimani in January 2020. A similar request was previously rejected by Interpol. (Al Jazeera)
• Censorship in Vietnam
  • A court in Vietnam sentences three freelance journalists to between 11 and 15 years in prison for anti-state propaganda, criticising the government and "infringing the interests of the Communist Party", among other convictions. (Reuters)
• Trump–Raffensperger phone call
  • Cleta Mitchell resigns from her law firm after participating in President Trump's phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. (The Hill)

Politics and elections

• 2020 United States Senate elections
  • 2020–21 United States Senate election in Georgia, 2020–21 United States Senate special election in Georgia
    • Voters in Georgia head to the polls to cast their votes to determine who will control the United States Senate. Republican Senator David Perdue will face Democrat Jon Ossoff, and incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler will face Democrat Raphael Warnock. (BBC News)

Sports

• Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith wins the Heisman Trophy, making him the first receiver to do so since Desmond Howard in 1991. (CBS News)
• Team USA defeats Team Canada 2–0 in the gold medal game to win the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, while Team Finland defeats Team Russia 4–1 in the bronze medal game. Team USA's Trevor Zegras is named MVP of the tournament. (CBC News)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• 2020–21 United States election protests
  • January 6 United States Capitol attack
    • Thousands of pro-Donald Trump protesters storm the United States Capitol, causing it to be evacuated. Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser proclaimed a citywide nighttime curfew. Shots were fired, and at least six people were injured. A woman died from gunshot wounds by Police, according to police. Multiple members of Congress called this an attempted coup d'état. The FBI, police, and National Guard from Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. itself were deployed to stop the riot. Smoke bombs and pepper spray were also used. Multiple suspected pipe bombs were reported, including at the Republican Party headquarters. (Yahoo! News) (The Washington Post) (CNN) (WREX-TV)
    • The United States Senate chamber and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office are also breached by pro-Trump protesters. (ABC News) (WIVB-TV)
    • President-elect Joe Biden says "It's not a protest, it's an insurrection", and calls on President Donald Trump to "demand an end to this siege" by his followers. In response, President Trump released a video saying, "These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!" (BBC News)
    • At least seven Democratic members of Congress, including Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Seth Moulton, and Republican Vermont Governor Phil Scott, call for Trump's immediate resignation or impeachment and removal by Congress, when it can reconvene, for insurrection against the United States. (The Independent) (WGBH-TV) (The Atlantic) (The Wrap)
    • The United States Capitol Police says that the Capitol was secured by 6 p.m.. The Electoral College certificates were also secured. (USA Today) (WHNS-TV)
    • Three more people die during the United States Capitol riots during "separate medical emergencies", bringing the total death toll to four. (CNN)
    • Stephanie Grisham resigns as the Chief of Staff to the First Lady as a result of the riots. Matt Pottinger resigns as deputy national security adviser; Mick Mulvaney, former chief of staff, resigns from his remaining duties as special envoy to Northern Ireland and Anna Cristina Niceta resigns as White House social secretary. (CNN) (CNN²)
• Syrian civil war
  • Israel's role in the Syrian Civil War
    • Israel launches airstrikes against IRGC and Hezbollah bases near Damascus, Syria. (Al Arabiya) (Ya Libnan)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in China
      • Members of the World Health Organization investigating the origins of the pandemic are denied entry into China. (Al Jazeera)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
      • Indonesia reports a record 8,854 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 788,402. (detikHealth)
      • Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto announces two-week restrictions in parts of the islands of Java and Bali beginning January 11. These restrictions include limiting operating hours for malls, an advisory for 75% of workers to work from home, and capacity restrictions for restaurants and places of worship. (Okezone.com)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
      • Tokyo claims a record 1,591 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the prefecture to 66,343. (The Japan Times)
      • Nationwide, a record of more than 6,000 new cases are reported in the past 24 hours. (NHK World)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
      • Malaysia reports a record 2,593 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 125,438. (Malay Mail)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
      • The Czech Republic reports a record of 17,278 new cases in the past 24 hours, 7,965 of which are from Prague, bringing the nationwide total of cases to 776,967. (Prague Morning)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark
      • Denmark bans travel to non-residents from South Africa over concerns of the 501.V2 variant. (The Local)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
      • Ireland reports a record 7,836 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 121,154. (Independent.ie)
      • The government also agrees to tighten the lockdown measures including keeping schools closed but allowing Leaving Cert students to attend three days per week and also suspending non-essential construction projects. These measures will remain in place until the end of January. (The Irish Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malta
      • Malta reports a record of 224 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours. (Times of Malta)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
      • The Netherlands begins a vaccination programme against COVID-19 with a nurse becoming the first person to be vaccinated with Pfizer's Tozinameran vaccine. (RTL Nieuws) (Swiss Info)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
      • Portugal reports a record of 10,027 new daily cases, bringing the nationwide cumulative total of confirmed cases to 446,606. (DGS)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in San Marino
      • San Marino announces that bars and restaurants will close at 5 p.m. until January 15, and that a curfew will begin at 10 p.m. local time. (San Marino TV)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia
      • Slovenia reports a record of 3,354 cases in the past 24 hours. The country also surpasses 130,000 total cases. (RTVSLO)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • The United Kingdom reports a record 62,322 new cases of COVID-19 and a further 1,041 deaths. This is the first time since April that the daily death toll has exceeded 1,000. Major outbreaks are declared at hospitals in Surrey and Sussex. (BBC News)
    • The European Medicines Agency approves the emergency use of Moderna's vaccine. (CNBC)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco, COVID-19 vaccine
      • Morocco approves AstraZeneca's vaccine. (The Washington Post)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Senegal
      • President Macky Sall declares a state of emergency and imposes a curfew at 9:00 p.m. local time in Dakar and Thiès in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (RFI)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec
      • Premier Francois Legault announces a curfew from 8:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. EST for whole province except the Nord-du-Quebec administrative region from January 9 until February 8. Pharmacies and gas stations will be permitted to remain open during curfew hours. (CFCF-DT)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    • Health officials in Australia announce that the country will bring forward their vaccination rollout plans by two weeks to early March. (Reuters)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Uruguay
    • Uruguay reports a record 946 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 23,048. (gob.uy)

International relations

• Israel–Sudan normalization agreement
  • Sudan formally signs the Abraham Accords as part of an agreement to normalize relations with Israel. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• Hong Kong national security law
  • Hong Kong Police arrest 53 pro-democracy activists and politicians for criminal charges under the national security law. Those arrested include James To and Lam Cheuk-ting of the Democratic Party, activist Lester Shum, and Leung Kwok-hung and Jimmy Sham of the League of Social Democrats. (Reuters) (RTHK) (BBC News) Kickstart Wan Chai [zh] announces to disband, effective immediately. (SCMP)
• 2020 Mississippi flag referendum
  • The Mississippi State Senate passes a bill to make the state flag chosen in the November referendum official. The Mississippi House of Representatives passed the bill on Tuesday. (AP)
• Shooting of Breonna Taylor
  • The Louisville Metro Police Department announces the firing of Myles Cosgrove and Joshua Jaynes, the two officers involved in the botched raid of Breonna Taylor's home. (CBS News)
• A judge in the United Kingdom denies bail to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange days after his extradition to the United States was blocked. The judge cited the risk of Assange escaping the extradition process or refusing to surrender to court if asked to do so. Assange's lawyers will appeal the decision whereas the U.S. Department of Justice continues to seek his extradition. Assange's partner urges the US to pardon him. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

• 2020 United States elections
  • 2020 United States Senate elections
    • 2020–21 United States Senate election in Georgia, 2020–21 United States Senate special election in Georgia
      • News networks project that Democrat Raphael Warnock will defeat Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler, making him the state's first African-American Senator. Warnock claims victory, while Loeffler refuses to concede the race and vows to "fight on". (CNBC) (BuzzFeed News)
      • The Democrats will take control of the Senate after Jon Ossoff defeated Republican David Perdue, leaving incoming Vice President Kamala Harris with the tiebreaking vote. (CNN)
  • 2021 United States Electoral College vote count
    • A joint session of the United States Congress attempts to certify the Electoral College vote results and affirm the election of Joe Biden before being interrupted by the storming of the US Capitol. (CNN)
    • Senator Ted Cruz and Rep. Paul Gosar object to the state of Arizona, making it the first time a vote is forced to accept or reject the objection since 2004, when Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones and Senator Barbara Boxer objected to George W. Bush's victory in Ohio against John Kerry. The objection failed 6-93 in the Senate and 121-303 in the House. (National Review) (KTVZ-TV) (Gwinnett Daily Post)
    • Lawmakers say that they will continue certification of Biden's victory tonight. (The Hill)
• Venezuelan presidential crisis
  • The European Union withdraws their recognition of Juan Guaidó as the interim President of Venezuela, instead resolving to delegate to individual member states to make their own decisions on who to recognize. (Europapress)

Science and technology

• Donald Trump on social media, Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
  • Twitter locks the personal account of President Donald Trump for the first time, citing the president's "incitement to violence", and "false claims about the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election". The social media site warns that further attempts to violate the company's rules could result in a permanent suspension of Trump's account. (CNBC)
  • Facebook locks President Trump's account for 24 hours in response to the violence in Washington, D.C.. In a blog post, the social media site says today's events are an "emergency" for the platform and will be rolling out new rules in response. (TechCrunch)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• 2020–21 United States election protests
  • 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
    • A United States Capitol Police officer injured in yesterday's riot in Washington, D.C., is revealed to be on life support as a result of the events. After being erroneously reported as having died earlier, he was finally reported as deceased by the Capitol Police, who name him as Brian D. Sicknick. (CNN) (ABC News)
    • Michael C. Stenger and Paul D. Irving, the respective Sergeants at Arms of the Senate and House of Representatives, resign upon the requests of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. (The Hill) (Roll Call)
    • United States Capitol Police chief Steven Sund announces that he will resign following the storming of the United States Capitol by pro-Trump supporters. (HuffPost)

Business and economy

• Boeing 737 MAX groundings
  • Boeing agrees to pay US$2.5 billion to settle criminal charges claiming that it covered-up design flaws in its Boeing 737 MAX passenger planes from safety officials. The U.S. Department of Justice says that the firm chose "profit over candour". (BBC News)
• Elon Musk overtakes Jeff Bezos by just over US$4 billion to become the richest person in the world. (CNN)
• The cryptocurrencies market capitalization reaches US$1 trillion for the first time. (Marketwatch)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in North America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
        • Ontario reports a record of 3,519 new cases and 89 deaths in the past 24 hours. (CBC)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
      • Mexico reports a record 13,734 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of cases to 1,493,569. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Connecticut, Variant of Concern 202012/01
        • Connecticut reports its first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in two people, aged 15 and 25, who live in New Haven County. One had traveled to Ireland and the other to New York. (WVIT-TV)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in New York
        • New York reports a record 17,636 new cases in the past 24 hours, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo. It also reports 197 new deaths, which is the highest single-day total since the second week of May. (WNBC-TV)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania, Variant of Concern 202012/01
        • Pennsylvania reports its first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a resident of Dauphin County who traveled internationally. (WCAU-TV)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Texas, Variant of Concern 202012/01
        • Texas health officials report the state's first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a resident of Harris County with no travel history. (KTVT-TV)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois
        • Illinois surpasses 1 million cases of COVID-19, becoming the fifth state to do so after California, Texas, Florida, and New York. (Chicago Sun-Times)
      • The United States reports a world record of more than 4,000 deaths for the first time. (CNN)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in China
      • COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
        • China reports 52 locally transmitted cases in the past 24 hours, the highest single-day total since July, as Hebei, which enters "wartime mode", reports 51 of the cases. (Al Jazeera)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
      • Indonesia reports a new record for the second consecutive day of 9,321 new cases, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 797,723. (detikHealth)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
      • Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declares a state of emergency for the Greater Tokyo Area, which includes the capital Tokyo and neighbouring prefectures such as Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama, from tomorrow until February 7. The government asks restaurants in those areas to close at 8 p.m. daily and also urges residents to limit non-essential travel. (CNA)
      • Nationwide, Japan reports a record 7,568 new cases in the past 24 hours. Tokyo reports a record 2,447 new cases, bringing the total number of cases in the prefecture to 68,790. (The Japan Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
      • Malaysia reports a new record for the second consecutive day of 3,027 new cases. It is the first time that the country has reported more than 3,000 cases and brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 128,465. (The Edge Markets MY)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
      • The Czech Republic reports a record of 17,668 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of cases to 794,740. (Anadolu Agency)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
      • Russia surpasses 60,000 deaths from COVID-19. (The Moscow Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
      • Spain surpasses two million cases of COVID-19. (Cadena SER)
      • Catalonia reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from a British resident who travelled to that region. (RTVE)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • The United Kingdom reports 1,162 new deaths in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single-day total since April 21, bringing the nationwide death toll to 78,508. (The Independent)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Palau, COVID-19 vaccine
    • Palau begins its vaccination program, with outgoing President Thomas Remengesau Jr. and incoming President Surangel Whipps Jr. receiving the first two doses. The country plans to vaccinate more than 18,000 people with the Moderna vaccine provided by the United States. (RNZ)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
    • Brazil surpasses 200,000 deaths of COVID-19, becoming the second country to do so after the United States, as a record 87,843 cases are reported in the past 24 hours. (France 24) (Bloomberg)
• The World Organisation for Animal Health confirms that Senegal has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu at a poultry farm in Thiès. (Reuters)

International relations

• Iraq–United States relations, Assassination of Qasem Soleimani
  • Iraq issues an arrest warrant for U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing him of "premediated murder" due to his role in the killings of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. (U.S. News)
• Australia's financial watchdog is reviewing calculations for transfers worth US$1.8 billion sent to the country from the Vatican since 2014, after the Vatican and the Australian Church call for clarification. The transfers ranged from yearly totals of A$71.6 million (US$55.2 million) in 2014 to A$581.3 million in 2017, with about 47,000 separate transfers. "That amount of money and that number of transfers did not leave the Vatican City", a senior Vatican official with knowledge of the city-state's finances told Reuters last week. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

• 2020 United States elections
  • 2020 United States Senate elections
    • 2020–21 United States Senate election in Georgia, 2020–21 United States Senate special election in Georgia
      • Incumbent Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler concedes to her Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock. Former Republican Senator David Perdue has yet to concede to Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff, even as Ossoff expands his lead beyond the margin necessary to demand a state-funded recount. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
  • 2020 United States presidential election
    • 2021 United States Electoral College vote count
      • U.S. Rep. Scott Perry and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri object to Pennsylvania's electoral college votes, forcing a second vote to accept or reject the objection. This comes after the House and the Senate defeated a similar objection to Arizona's electoral college votes from Rep. Paul Gosar and Senator Ted Cruz. The Senate and the House both vote to reject the objection, allowing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to receive the state’s electoral votes. (The Guardian)
      • The United States Congress certifies the election of Joe Biden as President of the United States and Kamala Harris as Vice President. Biden and Harris received 306 electoral votes while Donald Trump and Mike Pence received 232. The winners will be inaugurated on January 20. (NPR)
      • Rep. Jake LaTurner (KS-2) is notified of his positive COVID-19 diagnosis after the vote on Arizona and goes into isolation, missing the Pennsylvania vote. (Kansas City Star)
    • Presidential transition of Joe Biden
      • Donald Trump, still disagreeing with the election results that resulted in a victory for President-elect Joe Biden, said through spokesperson Dan Scavino, "Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th." (Reuters)
      • White House Deputy Chief of Staff Chris Liddell orders the Trump administration staff to submit resignation letters by January 20 as a step to clear the way for Biden to fill the government with his own staff. (Politico)
      • President Trump condemns the attack on the United States Capitol and concedes the race for the first time. He also says that his focus is to ensure a smooth transition of power to the Biden administration. (Newsweek) (The Denver Post) (Forbes)
    • Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
      • Elaine Chao and Betsy DeVos submit their resignations as Secretaries of Transportation and Education, respectively, in response to the storming of the United States Capitol by pro-Trump protesters. (CNN) (The Hill)
      • U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) calls for Trump to be removed via the 25th amendment following the Capitol riot, making him the first Republican to do so. (Newsweek)
• 2020 Ghanaian general election
  • Nana Akufo-Addo is sworn in as President of Ghana for a second term. (BBC News)

Science and technology

• Donald Trump on social media
  • Facebook announces that it has extended the lock of Donald Trump's official account for at least the remainder of his term due to the heightened risk of political violence. Snapchat also bans Trump from posting on the app until further notice. (Bloomberg)
• Twitter suspensions
  • Twitter announces that it has permanently suspended American attorney and conspiracy theorist L. Lin Wood for violating their rules. (The Hill)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in North America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta, 501.V2 variant
        • Alberta reports the first case of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from South Africa. (CBC)
      • Canada reports a record of 9,197 new cases in the past 24 hours. (Global News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
      • COVID-19 pandemic in New York
        • COVID-19 pandemic in New York City
          • New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea tests positive for COVID-19. (Patch.com)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in California, COVID-19 vaccine
        • California Governor Gavin Newsom sets a goal of vaccinating 1 million people by January 17. (The Los Angeles Times)
      • President-elect Joe Biden says he will plan to speed up the release of vaccine doses. (USA Today)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Cyprus
      • Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou announces a second nationwide lockdown for the country that will last three weeks beginning January 10 in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (France 24)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
      • Germany reports a record 1,188 deaths in the past 24 hours, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute, bringing the nationwide death toll to 38,795. (Taggeschau)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
      • Greece extends their nationwide lockdown until January 18 but will allow kindergartens, elementary schools and nurseries to reopen on January 11. (Ekathimerini)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
      • Ireland reports a record 8,248 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 135,884. (Irish Examiner)
      • Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan announces that three cases of the South African variant of SARS-CoV-2 named 501.V2 variant have been detected in Ireland. All of the people had travelled to South Africa. (The Irish Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
      • Portugal reports a new daily record of 10,176 cases, bringing the nationwide cumulative total of confirmed cases to 466,709. (DGS)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden
      • The Riksdag passes a new law that gives the government power to impose COVID-19-related lockdowns, such as ordering certain businesses to close or prohibiting public gatherings of certain sizes. The law will take effect on January 10. (The Washington Post)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • COVID-19 pandemic in England, COVID-19 pandemic in London
        • London mayor Sadiq Khan declares a "major incident" in the capital due to a rise in the number of cases that threatens to overwhelm hospitals. (Sky News)
      • The United Kingdom reports a record 68,053 new confirmed cases and 1,325 deaths in the past 24 hours. (BBC News)
      • The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approves a vaccine made by Moderna for use in the UK. This comes after clinical trials found the vaccine had an efficacy of 94.1% and 100% for severe cases. (Evening Standard)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Bhutan
      • Bhutan reports its first death from COVID-19 after a 34-year-old man with chronic liver disease and renal failure, who tested positive for COVID-19, died in a hospital in Thimphu. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
      • Indonesia reports a record for the third consecutive day of 10,617 new cases. It is the first time that the country has reported more than 10,000 cases and brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 808,340. (Kompas)
      • The Indonesian Ulema Council gives a religious approval for use of Sinovac Biotech's vaccine, deeming it halal, or permissible under Islam. (DW)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
      • Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei calls for a ban on the American Pfizer and British AstraZeneca vaccines. (DW)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
      • Japan reports a record 7,841 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours. (NHK World)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
      • Malaysia reports a record 16 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 537. (Malay Mail)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia, COVID-19 vaccine
      • King Salman receives the first dose of Pfizer's vaccine in Neom. (Arab News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
      • Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong receives a COVID-19 vaccine as the country begins a nationwide vaccination campaign in public health institutions. (The Straits Times)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in South America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
      • Brazil surpasses 8 million cases of COVID-19, becoming the third country to do so after the United States and India. (CNA)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Peru, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Peru reports the first case of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom in a citizen who resides in Lima and had attended a family reunion days before Christmas. (Andina)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    • Brisbane is placed into lockdown for three days in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 after a cleaner at a hotel quarantine site was diagnosed with a known variant of concern. The Northern Territory and Tasmania ban all travellers from Brisbane. (ABC Australia) (The Canberra Times) (News.com.au)
    • Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces that anyone coming into Australia must present a negative COVID-19 test prior to their departure and that masks will be mandatory on all domestic and international passenger flights. The caps on international arrivals will also be reduced for the next month. (9 News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
    • South Africa reports a record 21,980 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,192,570. (Timeslive)
  • Tozinameran, Variants of SARS-CoV-2
    • Vaccine developer Pfizer announces that lab studies have concluded that the joint Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine remains effective against mutation variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including Variant of Concern 202012/01 and the 501.V2 variant. (BBC News)

Law and crime

• Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
  • Criminal charges brought in the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
    • The man photographed sitting at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk during the storming of the United States Capitol is arrested in Little Rock, Arkansas. (Newsweek)
    • The Department of Justice indicts 15 people involved in the assault on the Capitol. The department says that more charges are expected. (AFP via The Straits Times)
    • The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia announces that West Virginia delegate Derrick Evans is expected to face charges for illegally entering the Capitol. (CBS News)
• Trial of Benjamin Netanyahu
  • Amid another quarantine lockdown, the next hearing in the trial of current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is postponed. Netanyahu stands accused, in three separate ongoing cases, of a litany of corruption accusations, including bribery, breach of trust, and fraud. (AP)
• 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings
  • The U.S. Department of Justice charges three Sri Lankan nationals with "providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization" in the Islamic State-claimed bombings. (AFP via The Guardian)
• A court in Pakistan sentences Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi to five years in prison on terrorism financing charges. Lakhvi, a senior member of the group Lashkar-e-Taiba, is accused of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, though he was convicted of unrelated charges. India and the United States welcome the verdict but ask that he be tried for the attacks. (Reuters)
• A court in Pakistan sentences three people to death and a college teacher to 10 years in prison for blasphemy. Those convicted can now appeal to higher courts and ask for clemency from the President. Human rights groups say that the law persecutes religious minorities including Shias and the Ahmadiyya. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

• Presidential transition of Joe Biden
  • United States President Donald Trump announces that he will not attend the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Joe Biden. Trump will be the first president to choose not to attend their elected successor's inauguration since Andrew Johnson in 1869. (CNN)
  • Outgoing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with incoming Secretary of State Antony Blinken for the first time in an effort to ensure an orderly transition of power. (CNBC)
• 2020–21 United States Senate election in Georgia
  • Former Republican Senator David Perdue concedes to Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff. His concession formally guarantees the Democrats a majority in the United States Senate. (CNN)
• Pope Francis appoints Vincenzo Buonomo as Head of the Disciplinary Commission of the Roman Curia, becoming the first layperson to hold the position. (Catholic News Agency)

Science and technology

• Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
  • Twitter suspensions
    • Donald Trump on social media
      • Twitter permanently suspends Donald Trump's account. According to Twitter, he was suspended to end "the risk of further incitement of violence." (NBC News)
    • Twitter also suspends the accounts of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, American attorney Sidney Powell, and former 8kun administrator Ron Watkins for spreading content related to the QAnon conspiracy theory. (The Hill)
  • Google announces that it will suspend Parler from their Play Store due to concerns of incitement of violence. Apple also threatens to follow suit after 24 hours following the storming of the Capitol. (The Guardian) (Reuters)

Arts and culture

• The National Society of Film Critics names contemporary western film Nomadland as the recipient of 2020's National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film. (The Wrap)
• Thousands of Roman Catholic devotees attend Saturday masses organized in lieu of the cancelled annual procession of the Black Nazarene at the Quiapo Church in Manila. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

• Sriwijaya Air Flight 182
  • Indonesian authorities lose contact with Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 shortly after take-off with 62 people onboard. The passenger plane, a Boeing 737, was en route to Pontianak, taking off from the capital Jakarta. (The Age)
• 2020–21 European windstorm season
  • Storm Filomena causes the death of two people from heavy rains in the province of Málaga and another two from hypothermia after a blizzard hits central Spain. The Mayor of Madrid requests the assistance of the Army as he considers the situation in the capital to be of "extreme gravity". (BBC News) (Europa Press)
• Ten newborn babies die in a hospital fire in western Maharashtra, India. The fire was supposedly caused by an electrical short circuit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that the news was "heart-wrenching". (DW)
• A nationwide blackout occurs in Pakistan, leaving more than 200 million people without power. Senator Faisal Javed Khan says that the blackout was apparently caused by a "sudden frequency drop in the power transmission system". Power is gradually being restored in some parts of the country. (BNO News)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in North America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
      • COVID-19 pandemic in California
        • California reports a record 695 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative death toll in the state to 29,233. (KTLA-TV)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota, Variant of Concern 202012/01
        • Minnesota reports its first five cases of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that originated from the United Kingdom. The patients are aged 15 to 37. (KARE-TV)
      • The United States surpasses 22 million cases of COVID-19. (NBC News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec
        • A nighttime curfew takes effect in Quebec in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. (ABC News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
      • Mexico reports a record 16,105 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,524,036. (Reuters)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • COVID-19 vaccination programme in the United Kingdom
        • Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh receive their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. (The Daily Telegraph)
      • The United Kingdom surpasses 80,000 deaths and 3 million cases of COVID-19, becoming the fifth country to do so after the United States, Brazil, India, and Russia. (BBC News) (The Guardian)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Vatican City
      • Pope Francis confirms in an interview with Italian broadcaster Canale 5 that the vaccination campaign in Vatican City will begin next week and that he will receive the vaccine. (CNN) (Euronews)
      • Fabrizio Soccorsi, Pope Francis' personal physician, dies as a result of "complications due to COVID-19", according to Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano. (Fox News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in France, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • France extends its curfew to eight departments, including Bouches-du-Rhône, which includes Marseille, where a 6:00 p.m. curfew has been imposed after 21 people tested positive for the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that originated in the United Kingdom. (France 24)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
      • Chinese authorities tell 16 million residents in Shijiazhuang and Xingtai to stay home for the next seven days as Shijiazhuang suspends all public transport in order to combat the new outbreak of COVID-19. (Al Jazeera)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in India
      • The government announces that India will begin its COVID-19 vaccination campaign on January 16 with priority given to an estimated 30 million healthcare and frontline workers. (The Hindu)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, COVID-19 vaccine
      • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu becomes the first Israeli to get a second dose of Pfizer's tozinameran vaccine as the country begins administering second doses of the vaccine to the public. (The Times of Israel)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
      • Japan surpasses 4,000 deaths from COVID-19. (The Japan Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
      • Thailand surpasses 10,000 cases of COVID-19. (Bangkok Post)

International relations

• Taiwan–United States relations
  • Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces that the United States will be lifting all restrictions on contacts between American and Taiwanese officials, saying the "self-imposed" restrictions were introduced decades ago to appease the Chinese Communist Party government in mainland China. (BBC News)

Law and crime

• Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
  • Criminal charges brought in the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
    • The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia announces that Jacob Chansley (also known as Jake Angeli or "QAnon shaman"), who was photographed wearing horns during the Capitol 2021 storming of the United States Capitol|riot, has been arrested. Additionally, Adam Christian Johnson is also expected to face charges for carrying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lectern. (The Guardian) (TMZ)
    • West Virginia delegate Derrick Evans resigns a day after being arrested for illegally entering the United States Capitol. (West Virginia MetroNews)
  • Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announces that detachments of the Virginia National Guard and Virginia State Police will remain stationed at the United States Capitol through the inauguration of Joe Biden on January 20. (WWBT-TV)
• Mass shootings in the United States
  • Three people are killed and four others injured in a shooting spree through several neighborhoods in the South Side area of Chicago, Illinois, as well as Evanston. The shooter, a 32-year-old man, was shot during a shootout with responding Evanston police officers and later died in a hospital. (WMAQ-TV)

Science and technology

• The Parler app is suspended indefinitely from the App Store by Apple Inc. Additionally, Amazon also announces that they will discontinue providing cloud services for Parler due to incitement of violence, which will go into effect on Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. (CNN) (CNBC)

Sports

• 2020 NFL season, 2020–21 NFL playoffs
  • In American football, the Buffalo Bills win a playoff game for the first time since the 1995 season with a 27–24 win against the Indianapolis Colts. (The Guardian) (ESPN)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Kivu conflict
  • At least six park rangers in the Virunga National Park in Rutshuru, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, are killed in an ambush. A Mai-Mai militia is suspected to have committed the attack. (AFP via Barron's)
• Tigray War
  • The Ethiopian National Defense Force says that it has killed 15 members of the Tigray People's Liberation Front, including the region's former deputy police commissioner, and captured eight others, including the region's former president Abay Weldu. (Reuters)

Business and economy

• Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
  • PGA of America announces it will terminate an agreement to play the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster because conducting the golf tournament there would have been "detrimental" to the PGA brand. (ESPN)
  • Payment processor Stripe will no longer process payments for the campaign website of President Donald Trump because of the company's policies against encouraging violence. (Wall Street Journal)

Disasters and accidents

• Sriwijaya Air Flight 182
  • Indonesian authorities locate the black boxes of the Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-500 PK-CLC that crashed into the sea soon after taking-off from Jakarta, as human body parts and debris from the plane are found. Loss of everyone onboard is considered almost certain. (France 24) (The Jakarta Post)
• Gold mine explosion in Shandong, China.
  • Twenty-two workers are trapped in a gold mine in Qixia, east China's Shandong province after an explosion tore through the mine at 2:00 p.m. (Xinhua News) (South China Morning Post)
• Power is restored in Pakistan following a nationwide blackout. (The Financial Times)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in North America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
        • Ontario reports a record 3,945 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours. (CBC)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
      • Spokesperson for President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Jesús Ramírez Cuevas, tests positive for COVID-19. (The Independent)
      • Mexico reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom. (Business Standard)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
      • Japan's Health Ministry detects a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 partially similar to those from South Africa and the United Kingdom in four people that travelled from Amazonas in Brazil. (The Straits Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
      • The Philippines signs an agreement with the Serum Institute of India to receive 30 million doses of Novavax's vaccine. (Inquirer.com)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
      • Vietnam limits inbound flights until the Lunar New Year holiday due to the spread of new variants of SARS-Cov-2 in many countries. (VnExpress International)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium
      • Belgium surpasses 20,000 deaths from COVID-19. (The Brussels Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
      • Germany surpasses 40,000 deaths from COVID-19. (The Local Germany)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Russia, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • Russia reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • President of Armenia Armen Sarksyan is admitted to a hospital in London in a serious condition due to the worsening of his COVID-19 diagnosis. (CNN)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
    • Africa surpasses 3 million cases of COVID-19. (ABC News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, 501.V2 variant
    • New Zealand reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from South Africa. (Newshub)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Uruguay
    • Uruguay reports a record 1,215 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 26,186. (gob.uy)
  • The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide surpasses 90 million. (TVNZ)

Law and crime

• Crime in Australia
  • A mother and her three daughters are found dead in a house fire in Glen Waverley, Victoria. Police are investigating it as a possible mass murder. (News.com.au)
• Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
  • Two men who were photographed carrying plastic hand restraints in the Senate chamber during the storming of the United States Capitol are arrested in Tennessee and Texas. (The Washington Post)
• The Reserve Bank of New Zealand reveals that one of its file hosting services storing "sensitive information" was "maliciously" breached. The bank says the breach was contained and that they are investigating the "nature and extent" of "potentially accessed" information. (Radio New Zealand) (AFP via ABS-CBN News)
• Six inmates escape from a jail in California. Their whereabouts are unknown and being sought by California police. The six men are considered to be armed and dangerous. (WGNTV)

Politics and elections

• 2021 Kazakh legislative election
  • Legislative elections are held in Kazakhstan. The election is criticized for a lack of opposition to the leading party Nur Otan and is therefore expected to be considered neither free nor fair by international observers. (Radio Free Europe)
• 2021 Kyrgyz presidential election, 2021 Kyrgyz referendum
  • Presidential elections are held in Kyrgyzstan following last year's political unrest and the resignation of President Sooronbay Jeenbekov. Interim Prime Minister Sadyr Japarov is widely expected to win the election. The question of keeping the current parliamentary system or reintroducing a presidential system is also presented to the electorate in the form of a referendum. (Reuters) (Radio Free Europe)
• 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea
  • North Korean state media says that Kim Jong-un has been formally elected as the General Secretary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, inheriting the title from his late father Kim Jong-il, who died in 2011. (Reuters)
• 2020-21 Belarusian protests
  • Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says that the country will draft a new constitution by the end of the year. It remains unclear whether the new constitution will result in Lukashenko leaving office. (The Straits Times)

Business and economy

• Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
  • The Parler social networking service goes offline after Amazon discontinued providing cloud computing services. The company's chief executive said that the service will be down "longer than expected" as "most people with enough servers to host us have shut their doors to us." (CNBC)
• Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
  • Ford Motor Company announces that it will cease production at its plants in Camaçari and Taubaté in the coming months due to losses aggravated by the pandemic. Ford also plans to close its Troller plant in Belo Horizonte in the fourth quarter of 2021. (AFP via Deccan Herald)

Disasters and accidents

• Sriwijaya Air Flight 182
  • Indonesian authorities identify the first victim of the Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-500 that crashed into the Java Sea, a 29-year-old male flight attendant. (DW)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
      • China announces that a World Health Organization team investigating the origins of COVID-19 will arrive in the country on Thursday. (France 24)
      • Mainland China reports 103 new cases in the past 24 hours, mainly in Hebei province, which is the highest single-day total since July 30 and brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 87,536. (CNA)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
      • COVID-19 vaccination in Malaysia
        • The government signs a deal with Pfizer and BioNTech to buy an additional 12.2 million doses of the tozinameran vaccine. (The Star)
      • Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announces a lockdown in the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya as well as in five states and also bans interstate travel for two weeks beginning January 13 in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (South China Morning Post)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
      • COVID-19 vaccination in Indonesia
        • The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency approves Sinovac's vaccine for emergency use in the country. This comes after a clinical trial showed the vaccine had a 65.3% efficacy in Indonesia compared to an efficacy of 91% in Turkey and 78% in Brazil. (Jakarta Globe)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
      • COVID-19 vaccination program in the Philippines
        • The Philippines orders 25 million doses of Sinovac's vaccine. 50,000 doses of the vaccine are expected to arrive in the country by February. (Inquirer)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon
      • Lebanon declares a state of emergency and imposes a 24-hour curfew for 11 days beginning January 14 as part of a lockdown that began on January 7. All private and public companies as well as house of worships will be closed with few exceptions and travel restrictions will also be introduced. (The Daily Star)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Albania
      • COVID-19 vaccination in Albania
        • Albania begins its vaccination programme against COVID-19 with doses received from an undisclosed European Union country. Prime Minister Edi Rama is among the first to receive the vaccine. (ABC News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      • The Netherlands detects at least 30 cases of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in an outbreak linked to a primary school in Bergschenhoek. (Dutch News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
      • Portugal reports a record 122 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 7,925. (The Washington Post)
      • President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa tests positive for COVID-19. He is self-isolating in Belém Palace asymptomatic. (PÚBLICO)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Africa Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=Portal:Current_events/January_2021
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