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COVID-19 pandemic: Disease; Virus; By location; Impact; Vaccines; Portal

The European Union (blue) and the United Kingdom (orange)

An attack at Aden International Airport, Yemen, leaves twenty-five people dead and more than a hundred others injured.
An earthquake strikes Petrinja, Croatia, killing seven people.
The European Union and the United Kingdom (map shown) reach an agreement governing their relationship after Brexit.

January 4, 2021 (Monday)

edithistorywatch

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - 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 the vaccine produced by AstraZeneca. (7 News)

Law and crime

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 was found at a nearby jungle ten days later, had died by "misadventure". Quoirin's family questions the verdict, saying evidence to suggest the involvement of abduction, homicide, or sexual assault in her death. (AFP via The Jakarta Post)

January 3, 2021 (Sunday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

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 Niger, bringing the death toll to 100. More than 75 others are wounded. (DW)
Syrian civil war
- Islamic State militants kill nine people and wound 16 others in an ambush targeting buses traveling down a highway in central Syria. (Associated Press)
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)

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)
At least 18 people are killed during a funeral in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, when the roof they were sheltering under during heavy rain collapses. Police dispatched rescue workers and sniffer dogs, and state that the rescue operation has been completed. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - 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)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Cyprus, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - Cyprus reports their first cases of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in 12 people who travelled from the United Kingdom and later tested positive for COVID-19. (Cyprus-Mail)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - Greece reports their first cases of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in four people who travelled 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
    - Norwegian 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 Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - Thailand reports their first case of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a British national who travelled 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 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)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait
    - Kuwait announces the suspension of direct commercial passenger flights to and from the United Kingdom beginning January 6 at 4:00 a.m. local time 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 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
    - Kenyan 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 travelled from the United Kingdom and another who travelled 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

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)

January 2, 2021 (Saturday)

edithistorywatch

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 soldiers and four militants are killed during a gunfight in Messelmoun, Algeria. (Xinhua)
Insurgency in Balochistan
- Eleven Hazara coal miners are kidnapped near their mine and then killed nearby by Islamic State militants in Machh, Pakistan. (BCC)
Mali Civil War, Operation Barkhane
- Two French troops are killed when their armoured personnel carrier hits a roadside bomb in Ménaka, Mali. It is the second attack in the past few days that targeted French troops, the first being the December 28 JNIM-claimed bombing that killed three French soldiers. (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 wounded, including four other Turkish citizens. (Daily Sabbah)

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. (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 in the past 24 hours, the highest daily total since the beginning of the pandemic. Another 445 deaths from COVID-19 are also reported, bringing the country's death toll to 74,570. (Sky News)
    - The UK 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. (AFP via Barron's)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - The government 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)
    - Governor of East Java 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 travelled 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 travelled 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. (Voice of America)
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 News)
The homes of U.S. 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 News) (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. (AFP via 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 percent of the votes, and former president Mahamane Ousmane, who won 16.99 percent of votes. (AFP via Al-Ahram)

January 1, 2021 (Friday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Sinai insurgency
- A roadside bomb kills two members of Egypt's security forces and wounds five others near Bir al-Abd in the northern Sinai Peninsula. (AP)
Kivu conflict
- Six militiamen were killed during clashes between the Nduma Defense of Congo-Renovated and Mai-Mai Kabido in Bukumbirwa. (Radio Okapi)

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. Carbon monoxide reportedly leaked from a generator used to heat the cottage. (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 Education Secretary 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)
    - 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)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - Turkey reports their first 15 cases of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in people who travelled from the United Kingdom and later tested positive for COVID-19. (Daily Sabah)
    - Turkey bans all travellers from the United Kingdom due to the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the UK. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France announces that they 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 their 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 nationwide except for Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Sabah as well as other locations under 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 U.S. 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 Health Ministry 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 tomorrow. 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
  - 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 reported 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.com)
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Nuclear program of Iran
- The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran has notified them of its intention to enrich uranium to 20% purity, in accordance with a law recently passed by the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Iran reportedly 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. (France24) (BBC)
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 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, police 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)

December 31, 2020 (Thursday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Allied Democratic Forces insurgency
- Allied Democratic Forces militants kill at least 25 people in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Local officials say most of the victims were farmers working in the fields, and that some victims were decapitated. (DW)

Arts and culture

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces a change, effective January 1, to the wording of the country's national anthem, in which the word "young" in the second line "For we are young and free" is changed to "one", in an effort to reflect the country's long indigenous history. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

Mining in Papua New Guinea
- Two people are confirmed dead and 15 others are feared dead after a landslide at an informal alluvial mining camp in Goilala District, Central Province, Papua New Guinea. (RNZ)
Migrants' African routes
- The Algerian Civil Defence says that 20 people were killed and 11 others injured when a vehicle carrying illegal migrants overturned in Tamanrasset. Tamanrasset is a crossing point for illegal migrants from neighboring countries, specifically Mali and Niger. (AFP via Channelstv)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - COVID-19 pandemic in England
      - A further 20 million people in England are placed into Tier 4, the level with the strictest COVID-19 restrictions. All secondary schools in England are to remain closed for an additional two weeks. (BBC)
    - The United Kingdom reports a record 55,892 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,488,780. (ITV)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium
    - Health officials report that at least 26 residents of a retirement home in Mol have died from complications related to COVID-19 since a volunteer dressed as Sinterklaas, who later tested positive for the virus, visited the home on December 5. Officials, however, have not confirmed that the volunteer was the source of the outbreak at the home, where 85 others have also tested positive. (AFP via The Straits Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
    - The Czech Republic reports a record 16,939 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 718,661 as the positivity rate reaches 52%. (Irozhlas)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports their first case of a more contagious variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a man who travelled from South Africa to the Haut-Rhin region and later tested positive for COVID-19. (The Straits Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports a record 7,627 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 413,678. (SIC Noticias)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China, COVID-19 vaccine
    - China approves BBIBP-CorV made by Sinopharm for general use, after the vaccine was considered to be 79.34% effective. (CNN)
    - The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2. The patient is a 23-year-old woman who travelled from the United Kingdom to Shanghai on December 14 and later tested positive for COVID-19. (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia receives their second shipment of 1.8 million doses of CoronaVac from Sinovac. (Jakarta Globe)
    - Indonesia also reports a record 7,356 recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 611,097. (Berita Satu)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Tokyo reports a record 1,337 new cases in the past 24 hours. It is the first prefecture to surpass 1,000 daily cases since the beginning of the pandemic. (The Asahi Shimbun)
    - Nationwide, a record 4,520 new cases are reported in Japan in the past 24 hours. It is the first time that the country has reported more than 4,000 daily cases since the beginning of the pandemic. (NHK World)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - South Korea imposes the highest level of social distancing measures at prison facilities nationwide. These restrictions will remain in effect until January 13. (Yonhap News Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Florida, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - Florida confirms its first new case of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that originated in the United Kingdom. The individual is a Martin County man with no history of travel. (The Hill)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Victoria tightens their restrictions as three new cases are reported, bringing the total number of cases in the state to six. Under the new restrictions, in-home gatherings will be limited to 15 people, masks must be worn indoors, and people are advised to stay out of the Melbourne city centre on New Year's Eve. (The Guardian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
  - Brazil detects their first two cases of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that originated in the United Kingdom. (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - The World Health Organization lists the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use. (Reuters)

International relations

Post-Brexit United Kingdom relations with the European Union, Trade negotiation between the UK and the EU
- The EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement enters into force at 23:00 GMT, formally ending the Brexit transition period. (BBC) (The Independent)
Spain–United Kingdom relations, Effect of Brexit on Gibraltar
- Spain and the United Kingdom reach an agreement to keep Gibraltar in the European Union's Schengen Area as freedom of movement between the EU and UK is due to end. (The Guardian)

Law and crime

COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin, COVID-19 vaccine
  - A Wisconsin pharmacist is arrested after destroying 500 doses of Moderna's vaccine. (NPR)
2020–2021 United States racial unrest, Dolal Idd protests
- The authorities arrested dozens of protesters in Minneapolis as they demanded answers into the fatal police shooting of 23-year-old Dolal Bayle Idd on December 30. The protests came after the body camera footage from a deadly traffic stop was released. At least 15 people were detained for allegedly rioting and 21 people were cited and released. (KSTP-TV)
Hong Kong national security law
- The Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong orders pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai to return to prison on national security law grounds, after a ruling by a lower court released him on bail. Chinese state media had labeled Lai's release as "unbelievable". (Bloomberg)
2020 Malian coup d'état
- Authorities in Mali charge six people, including former prime minister Boubou Cissé, with an "attempted coup". (AFP via Barron's)
Grafton vaccine incident
- Police arrest a pharmacist who admitted deliberately removing vials of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from refrigeration in a hospital in Grafton, Wisconsin. (New York Times)

Politics and elections

COVID-19 pandemic in North America
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia, 2020–21 United States Senate election in Georgia
    - U.S. Senator David Perdue and his wife test negative for COVID-19, but will quarantine ahead of his upcoming runoff matchup against Jon Ossoff after coming into contact with a person in his campaign who later tested positive for the virus. (CBS News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
  - Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips resigns following his trip to Saint Barthélemy while the province was in a lockdown. (BBC)
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko suggests that the country would hold a referendum on constitutional reforms. (Al Jazeera)

Sports

Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. (Formula One)

December 30, 2020 (Wednesday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni Civil War
- 2020 Aden attacks
  - At least 25 people are killed and more than 110 others wounded in an attack at the Aden International Airport, shortly after a plane carrying the newly formed government arrived from Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed is taken to safety along with the Saudi ambassador and all remaining government members. The Houthis are blamed for the attack, but the group has denied responsibility. Another blast was later reported at the presidential palace, where the cabinet was meeting. (The Washington Post)
Syrian civil war
- Syrian state media reports that an ambush on a bus near Palmyra killed at least 37 people. A senior military defector in the region says that the bus was transporting Syrian Army troops and pro-government militia from Deir ez-Zor to the Tiyas Military Airbase. (Reuters) (SOHR)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Gjerdrum landslide
- A landslide in the village of Gjerdrum, Viken, Norway, leaves at least ten people injured and buries several houses. Ten people are missing. (BBC)

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 its first case of a more contagious variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom in a patient from Southern California. (ABC News)
      - California reports a record 442 deaths on Tuesday, bringing the statewide death toll to 24,987. (The Hill)
      - Los Angeles County surpasses 10,000 deaths from COVID-19 and is averaging 150 daily deaths. (KABC-TV)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Alabama
      - Outgoing U.S. Senator Doug Jones of Alabama announces he will quarantine at his home after his wife tests positive for COVID-19. (AL.com)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Colorado, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      - Colorado authorities announce the possible discovery of a second case of the SARS-CoV-2 variant from the United Kingdom in the state. (CNN)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in North Dakota
      - North Dakota records 96 hospitalizations in the past 24 hours, making it the first time since September 24 that there have been less than 100 hospitalizations in the state. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
      - Ontario reports a record 2,923 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the province to 178,831. (CBC)
      - Toronto reports a record of 1,069 cases in the past 24 hours. (Global News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in El Salvador, COVID-19 vaccine
    - El Salvador approves a vaccine made by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca for use in the country. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
      - Scotland reports a record 2,045 new cases in the past 24 hours. (The Herald)
    - COVID-19 vaccination programme in the United Kingdom
      - The United Kingdom approves a vaccine made by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca for use in the country. Health Secretary Matt Hancock says that the rollout of this vaccine will begin on January 4. (BBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
    - The Czech Republic reports a record 16,329 new cases in the past 24 hours as the positivity rate reaches a new record of 48.5%. (Radio Prague International)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Germany reports a record 1,129 deaths in the past 24 hours, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute, marking the first time that the country has surpassed 1,000 daily deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. (DW)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirms that the country will close all non-essential retail under full level 5 restrictions that will remain in place for at least one month and will also delay the reopening of schools until January 11. Authorities also agree to extend travel bans to South Africa and the United Kingdom until January 6. (RTÉ)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malta, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - Malta reports its first three cases of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom. Two of the cases are reported in people who travelled from the UK, while the third is still being investigated. (Times of Malta)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
    - Turkey receives their first shipment of three million doses of Sinovac's CoronaVac. (Hurriyet Daily News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
    - Ukraine signs an agreement to buy up to 1.8 million doses of Sinovac's CoronaVac. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal says the first shipment of vaccines could arrive in February. (Business Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - Taiwan reports its first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 after a teenager who returned from the United Kingdom on Sunday tested positive for COVID-19 the following day. (Focus Taiwan News Channel)
    - As a result of this case, Taiwan will ban all non-resident foreigners from entering the country beginning on January 1. Legal residents, as well as people given special permission, and the spouses and children of Taiwanese nationals will be excluded from this ban. (Radio Taiwan International)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - India extends their suspensions of flights from the United Kingdom until January 7 in order to prevent the spread of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2. (Hindustan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
    - Singapore officially begins its vaccination campaign against COVID-19, with healthcare workers being among the first to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine tozinameran. (CNA)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
    - Thailand imposes a ban on large gatherings and events in controlled zones across the country in order to reduce the number of cases. 250 new cases are reported in the past 24 hours. (Bangkok Post) (CNA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
    - Argentina approves a vaccine made by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca for use in the country, becoming the second country after the UK to approve this vaccine. (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Bolivia
    - Bolivia signs a deal with Russia's Russian Direct Investment Fund to secure 2.6 million Sputnik V vaccines. (Sputnik V)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Zambia, 501.V2 variant
  - Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya confirms Zambia's first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from South Africa and also confirms that a second wave of the pandemic has emerged. (Xinhua)

International relations

United States–European Union relations, Trump tariffs
- The United States announces plans to impose additional tariffs on certain products from France and Germany, particularly aircraft parts, in retaliation to tariffs imposed by the European Union on similar U.S. products this year. (AFP via The Straits Times)

Law and crime

Abortion in Argentina
- Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy Bill
  - Argentina legalizes abortion by a Senate vote of 38 to 29, with one abstention. President Alberto Fernández has indicated that he will sign the bill into law. (The New York Times)
Islam in Indonesia
- Indonesia bans any activities held by the Islamic Defenders Front, a hardline Islamic group led by the controversial cleric Muhammad Rizieq Shihab. The Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Minister Mahfud MD says the ban is necessary because the group no longer has any legal standing as a mass organisation. (The Straits Times)

Politics and elections

Trade negotiation between the UK and the EU
- The United Kingdom's House of Commons approves the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the European Union by 521 votes to 73. (BBC)
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson formally signs the agreement into law. (Sky News)
2021 Ugandan general election
- Bobi Wine, challenger to the incumbent President Yoweri Museveni who has been in office since 1986, is arrested along with his entire campaign team in the town of Kalangala. No information about the arrest has been made available. (CNN via MSN)

Science and technology

2020 in paleontology
- Scientists at the Russian Academy of Sciences announce the discovery of a "well-preserved" woolly rhinoceros carcass in Abyysky District, Sakha, Russia, which was revealed by melting permafrost in August. The Russian Academy of Sciences says that the woolly rhinoceros was likely 3 or 4 years old when it died by drowning in the river, and could be anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000 years old. (ABC News)

Sports

2020–21 Premier League, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- A proposed match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham F.C. at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that would have taken place in the evening is postponed due to a significant rise of COVID-19 cases in the clubs across the league. (Sky Sports)

December 29, 2020 (Tuesday)

edithistorywatch

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocks an attempt by Senate Democrats to increase the direct payments from $600 to $2,000. However, McConnell also said that the Senate will consider a process to provide $2,000 in stimulus checks to Americans, a measure that is supported by both Democrats and President Donald Trump. (NBC News) (Business Insider)
The first commercial Boeing 737 MAX flight in the United States since worldwide groundings began in March 2019 occurs. The flight, between New York City's LaGuardia Airport and Miami International Airport, was operated by American Airlines. (CNBC)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Petrinja earthquake
- A magnitude 6.4 earthquake strikes Petrinja, Croatia, destroying half of the town. Several other cities in the country are also affected. At least seven people are killed, five of whom were in Glina, one in Petrinja, and one in Žažina. Several others are also injured. (BBC)
- The Krško Nuclear Power Plant in neighboring Slovenia, which produces around 20 percent of the country's electricity, is shut down as a precaution. Preventive inspections at the plant are ongoing. (AFP via NDTV) (IAEA)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
      - Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff receive the Moderna vaccine. (CBS News)
      - President-elect Joe Biden announces that three more officials will join his COVID-19 Advisory Board. (Politico)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in California
      - California extends a regional stay-at-home order in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley due to rise of hospitalizations in the state. (NBC News)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Colorado, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      - Colorado reports the United States' first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom. The patient is a man in his 20s who is in isolation in Elbert County and has no travel history. (The Washington Post)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Kentucky
      - Governor Andy Beshear announces that the state will extend their mask mandate for another 30 days after reporting 2,990 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (WKYT-TV)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
      - Ontario reports a record 2,553 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, along with 1,939 new cases yesterday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the province to 175,908. (Global News)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Variant of Concern 202012/01
      - Quebec reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a person who had been in contact with a family member who travelled from the United Kingdom on December 11 and tested positive for COVID-19 on December 13. (Montreal Gazette)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland
      - Northern Ireland reports a record 1,566 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 68,762. (RTÉ)
    - A record 53,135 new cases are reported in the United Kingdom in the past 24 hours. (ABC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - Ireland reports a record 1,546 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 88,439. (The Irish Times)
    - Ireland officially begins a vaccination programme against COVID-19 using Pfizer-BioNTech's tozinameran vaccine, with a 79-year-old woman from Dublin becoming the first person to receive the vaccine. (RTÉ)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Belarus, COVID-19 vaccine
    - Belarus begins vaccinations with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. (The Moscow Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark
    - Denmark extends their hard lockdown until January 17 due to substantial increases in numbers of cases and hospitalizations in the country. (The Straits Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - South Korea reports a record 40 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 859. (Al Jazeera)
    - United States Forces Korea begins a vaccination programme against COVID-19 using the Moderna vaccine. Healthcare providers and first responders are among those who will initially receive the vaccine. (Stars and Stripes)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - India reports six cases of a more contagious variant of SARS-CoV-2 in individuals who travelled from the United Kingdom and are now in isolation. (BBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, 501.V2 variant
    - Japan reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from South Africa in a 30-year old woman who arrived in Japan on December 19 and later tested positive for COVID-19. (The Japan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - Pakistan reports their first cases of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom. The patients are three people who travelled from the UK to Sindh and later tested positive for COVID-19. (The Hindu)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Philippines extends its travel ban to 19 "flagged" countries and territories from midnight until January 15 in order to prevent new variants of SARS-CoV-2 from entering the country. (CNA)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - The United Arab Emirates reports the first case of new variant of SARS-CoV-2 originated from the United Kingdom. (Gulf News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, 501.V2 variant
    - Queensland reports Australia's first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 from South Africa in a woman who arrived in the state on December 22 and later tested positive for COVID-19. (ABC Australia)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Samoa
    - The government of Samoa suspends travel from the United Kingdom and South Africa in response to a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in those countries. (RNZ)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, COVID-19 vaccine
    - Argentina begins a vaccination campaign using the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. (Europa Press)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Chile, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - Chile reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a resident of Panguipulli who traveled from Madrid on December 23. (La Tercera)

International relations

United Kingdom–Vietnam relations
- The United Kingdom and Vietnam sign a free trade agreement, which will take effect on December 31, following a meeting between UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh at the State Guest House in Hanoi, Vietnam. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Shooting of Tamir Rice
- The United States Department of Justice announces it will not charge the two Cleveland police officers who killed Tamir Rice. (NBC News)
2020–2021 United States racial unrest, Shooting of Breonna Taylor
- The Louisville Metro Police Department announces that they will fire Joshua Jaynes and Myles Cosgrove, two of the officers involved in the botched raid of Breonna Taylor's home. (The New York Times)
The Investigative Committee of Russia accuses opposition leader and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny of fraud for allegedly using public funds from his organization for personal needs. The accusation comes after the federal prison service demanded that Navalny report to its office today or face jail time. (DW)
Jonathan Pollard, a convicted spy who spent 30 years in prison in the United States for spying, returns to Israel. (The Times of Israel) (Politico)