Portal:Current events

Topics in the news

An illustration of the James Webb Space Telescope

• Ariane flight VA256, carrying the James Webb Space Telescope (depicted), is launched from the Guiana Space Centre.
• At least 40 people are killed in a ferry fire in Bangladesh.
• Floods in Malaysia leave at least 46 people dead and displace more than 68,000 others.
• At least 85 people are killed in a shipwreck off the coast of Madagascar.
• Gabriel Boric, leader of Apruebo Dignidad, is elected President of Chile.

Ongoing:

• COVID-19 pandemic

Recent deaths:

• George Alexander Albrecht
• Madhur Kapila
• Dmitry Zimin
• Kimera Bartee
• Drakeo the Ruler
• Myrna Manzanares

December 25, 2021 (2021-12-25) (Saturday)

Disasters and accidents

• 2021 Cumbre Vieja eruption
  • The Canarian government announces that the scientific committee has terminated the eruption after 10 days of inactivity of the volcano whose eruption began on 19 September. Even so, the authorities do not consider the emergency situation to be over. (RTVE)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales
      • New South Wales reports a record 6,288 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (ABC News Australia)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Sarawak
      • Malaysia reports its first locally transmitted case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a fully vaccinated 38-year-old Chinese woman in Sarawak who had no overseas travel history. (The Star)

Science and technology

• James Webb Space Telescope, Ariane flight VA256
  • The James Webb Space Telescope is successfully launched using the Ariane 5 rocket from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. (CNN)
• Rail transport in Japan
  • Asa Coast Railway announces a dual-mode vehicle that can run on roads and railways. (Dawn Magazine)

December 24, 2021 (2021-12-24) (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Yemeni Civil War
  • Houthi-Saudi Arabian conflict
    • The Houthis launch an airstrike on the Saudi Arabian city of Jizan, killing two people and wounding seven more. (Reuters)
    • Three people are killed and six others injured during Saudi Arabian-led air raids in Ajama, Yemen. (Al Jazeera)
• 2021 Russo-Ukrainian crisis
  • Russian president Vladimir Putin demands that NATO guarantee that it will not move its forces into Ukraine, accusing NATO and the U.S. of trying to send Ukraine and Russia into direct armed conflict. (The Irish Independent)
• Iran–Israel proxy conflict
  • After five days of military training, Iran fires sixteen ballistic missiles at a target in a show of force against Israel. The incident is part of a wider increase in tensions between the two countries. (RFI)
• Insurgency in the Maghreb; 2021 Niger attacks
  • Jihadists kill six soldiers in Niger, resulting in the ensuing deaths of twenty-two of the attackers. (The Guardian)

Business and economy

• Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  • The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa warns that the effects of the pandemic on Africa's economy could push the number of "extremely poor" Africans to 514 million people. The World Bank also announced a recession as the economies of African countries continue to shrink. (AP)

Disasters and accidents

• 2021 Bangladesh ferry fire
  • At least 39 people are killed and 100 others are injured after a ferry catches fire in Jhalakathi. (BBC News)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in France
      • COVID-19 vaccination in France
        • The French Haute Autorité de santé recommends that booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine can be administered as soon as three months after the primary vaccination schedule due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (Politico.eu)
      • France reports a record for the second consecutive day of 94,122 new cases of COVID-19. (Barron's)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
      • Greece cancels all public Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations, as well as mandates mask wearing outdoors and requiring people to wear two masks or a high-protection mask in order to use public transport and enter supermarkets due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (The Independent)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
      • Italy reports a record for the second consecutive day of 50,599 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 5.57 million. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
      • Catalonia reimposes a curfew between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. in municipalities where the infection rate surpasses 250 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, limits the number of people in social gatherings to 10, closes nightclubs, and restricts the capacity of the hospitality sector due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. These measures will be in effect until at least January 7. (MedicalXpress)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • The United Kingdom reports a record for the third consecutive day of 122,186 new cases of COVID-19. (ITV News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Bhutan, COVID-19 vaccination in Bhutan
      • Bhutan begins administering booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for people over the age of 65 years, overseas travellers, healthcare workers, people with underlying health conditions, and adults living in high risk areas. (U.S. News and World Report)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
      • Singapore reports no deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours for the first time since September 19. (Rappler)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
      • Thailand reports its first domestic cluster of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in 21 people from Kalasin province. The outbreak originated in a couple who travelled from Belgium earlier this month. (CNA)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
      • Ecumenical Patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church Bartholomew I of Constantinople tests positive for COVID-19 and is showing mild symptoms. (ABC News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
    • The South African Health Department suspends COVID-19 contact tracing and quarantine for people with asymptomatic cases due to 80% of the population being vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19. (Bloomberg)

Law and crime

• Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye is pardoned by the South Korean Justice Ministry. (Deutsche Welle)
• Former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh is found guilty of numerous different crimes, including rape, torture, mass murder, and killing journalists by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission. (Voice of America)

Politics and elections

• Hong Kong national security law
  • Hong Kong authorities remove the Hong Kong Goddess of Democracy from the Chinese University of Hong Kong campus and a memorial to the Tiananmen Square massacre from Lingnan University campus. (Al Jazeera)

December 23, 2021 (2021-12-23) (Thursday)

Disasters and accidents

• 2021 Madagascar shipwreck
  • Twenty-four more people are found dead after the boat accident off the coast of Analanjirofo, Madagascar, three days ago, bringing the total death toll to 85. (France 24)
• European migrant crisis
  • Eleven people are dead as a boat carrying migrants sinks in the Aegean Sea. Around 90 other people are rescued. (Al Jazeera)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Brunei
      • Brunei reports its first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a person who travelled from the United Kingdom. (The Scoop)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait
      • The Kuwaiti Directorate General of Civil Aviation announces that all citizens who wish to travel, but who were fully vaccinated more than nine months ago, must receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine beginning on January 2. (Times of Oman)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, COVID-19 drug development, COVID-19 vaccination in the Philippines
      • The Philippine Food and Drug Administration approves the emergency use of the Molnupiravir drug made by Merck & Co. for high-risk adult patients and also approves the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11 years. (The Straits Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic
      • Singapore suspends new ticket sales for the quarantine-free Vaccinated Travel Lane until January 20 in an attempt to reduce the number of imported cases of the Omicron variant. (CNBC)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
      • South Korea reports a record 109 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 5,015. (ABC News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Andorra
      • Prime Minister Xavier Espot tests positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms. (Diari d’Andorra)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in France
      • France reports a record 91,608 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, surpassing the previous record set in November 2020. (Bloomberg)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
      • Germany reports its first confirmed death related to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (Deutsche Welle)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
      • The Italian government announces a ban of New Year's Eve celebrations as well as all mass gatherings and closes nightclubs and bars until the end of January. The government also agree to reintroduce mandatory mask wearing outdoors and will reduce the validity of vaccine certificate to six months beginning from February 1. (MedicalXpress)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malta
      • Malta reports its first two cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, prompting the health ministry to ban all standing events except for weddings and funerals beginning on December 17 and restrict entry to the hospitality sector and sporting events to only those with a valid vaccine certificate. A 1 a.m. curfew will also be imposed for all businesses beginning on January 17. (Times of Malta)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
      • Russia surpasses 600,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • The United Kingdom reports a record for the second consecutive day of 119,789 new cases of COVID-19. (Sky News)
      • Preliminary data from the United Kingdom suggests the hospitalization rate of the COVID-19 Omicron variant is between 50% to 70% lower than the Delta variant. (Deutsche Welle)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in North America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Honduras
      • Honduras begins administering a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for all adults aged above 18 years using the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, COVID-19 drug development
      • The Food and Drug Administration grants emergency use authorization for Merck & Co.'s antiviral COVID-19 oral pill named Molnupiravir for at-risk individuuals. (Global News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in South America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, COVID-19 vaccination in Argentina
      • Argentina receives more than 2.6 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for use as booster doses. (La Vos)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador, COVID-19 vaccination in Ecuador
      • Ecuador's Minister of Public Health announces that the COVID-19 vaccination will be mandatory for all citizens over the age of 5 years unless they have a medical exemption due to the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants and an increase in the number of new cases. (BBC News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales
      • New South Wales reports a record 5,715 cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant becoming the dominant strain in the state. The NSW Government reintroduces mask-wearing in indoor settings, despite the state having a 93.5% vaccination rate. (ABC News Australia)
      • Australia reports a record 8,697 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, surpassing the previous record set on December 22. (ABC News Australia)

International relations

• China–United States relations
  • Uyghur genocide
    • President Joe Biden signs the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act into law banning imports from China's Xinjiang region citing concerns about the use of forced labour. China denies human rights abuses in Xinjiang. (Al Jazeera)
• Japan–United States relations, Taiwan–United States relations
  • The United States and Japan approve a plan for a joint military operation in response to a possible "Taiwan emergency". The operation would consist of deploying U.S. Marines on the Ryukyu Islands near Taiwan, while the Japan Self-Defense Forces would provide logistical support such as ammunition and fuel supplies. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• Political impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Lithuania
    • The Seimas votes 89–17 with 19 abstentions to approve a law that would require MPs to have a health pass, which shows proof of vaccination, a negative test result from the previous 72 hours, or that a person has recovered from COVID-19, in order to attend hearings beginning in January. (Barron's)
• Workfare
  • The Australian Government pays a A$2,000,000 settlement to the Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku to end a class action lawsuit in the Federal Court over the controversial Community Development Program, which saw unemployed Ngaanyatjarra and other Indigenous Australian people in remote communities working up to 25 hours a week otherwise unpaid in order to receive the JobSeeker payment, which is generally considered to be less than the cost of living and which is provided to other Australians in exchange for completing a fortnightly quota of job applications. The Ngaanyatjarra accused the program of being racist and a form of modern slavery. (The Guardian)

December 22, 2021 (2021-12-22) (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Syrian civil war
  • Rojava conflict
    • Two soldiers and four civilians are killed in clashes between the Kurdish SDF and the Turkish-backed SNA in Tell Tamer. (The New Arab)

Arts and culture

• Hong Kong national security law
  • The University of Hong Kong removes the Pillar of Shame overnight, a monument dedicated to the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre in China. (Hong Kong Free Press)

Disasters and accidents

• Jade trade in Myanmar
  • 2021 Hpakant jade mine disaster
    • Dozens of people are missing following a landslide at a jade mine in Hpakant, Kachin State. (Reuters)
• 2021 Madagascar shipwreck
  • At least 64 people are confirmed dead following a boat accident off the coast of Antseraka, Analanjirofo, Madagascar, on Monday, with 24 others still missing. (France 24)
  • Madagascar's police minister Serge Gellé is rescued after swimming for 12 hours to shore after his helicopter crashed off the country's northern coast during the boat accident rescue operation. President Andry Rajoelina hails Gellé's survival. (Deutsche Welle)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland
        • Northern Ireland reports a record 3,231 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (The Irish News)
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Wales
        • First minister Mark Drakeford announces new restrictions, including limiting the number of people in events to 50 people outdoors and 30 people indoors, no more than six people in a group at bars, restaurants, and cinemas, and imposing a face mask mandate due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. These measures will be in effect beginning on December 26. (BBC News)
      • The United Kingdom reports a record 106,122 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the first time that the country has reported more than 100,000 new cases in a single day. (The Independent)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Austria
      • The government announces a series of new restrictions, including closing restaurants at 10 p.m. beginning on December 27, discourage large-scale New Year's Eve celebrations, capacity restrictions of indoor and outdoor events, and imposing strict entry requirements for travellers from the UK, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands where the Omicron variant is already dominant in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its variant. (AP)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium
      • Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announces that, due to the spread of the Omicron variant, water parks, cinemas, theatres and concert halls will be closed, and all indoor events and outdoor events using a tent will be banned. Additionally, shopping will only be allowed in pairs and professional and amateur sport events will be held without spectators. These measures will begin on December 26. (The Brussels Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey, COVID-19 vaccination in Turkey
      • The Health ministry approves the emergency use of the country's first homegrown COVID-19 vaccine named Turkovac. (Anadolu Agency)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in North America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
      • COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia
        • British Columbia closes all bars, nightclubs, gyms, fitness centres, and dance studios, and bans all indoor gatherings due to the spread of the Omicron variant. (CBC)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Jamaica
      • Jamaica reports its first case of the Omicron variant in a person who travelled from the United Kingdom. (Nation News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, COVID-19 drug development
      • The Food and Drug Administration grants emergency use authorization for Pfizer's antiviral COVID-19 oral pill named Paxlovid for at-risk people over the age of 12 years, becoming the first at-home oral treatment to be approved by the FDA. (NBC News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria
      • Nigeria destroys 1,066,214 doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine with short shelf lives that expired in November. (Punch)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia
      • Tunisia begins to implement the usage of a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination pass in order to enter cafés, state institutions, banks, and shopping centres despite popular opposition and criticism from Amnesty International. (Barron's)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
      • The Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba clarifies that the man thought to be Israel's first Omicron death had actually had the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, following the final laboratory results regarding his condition. (The Times of Israel)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
      • Japan reports its first locally transmitted cases of the Omicron variant in three people from Osaka Prefecture with no international travel history. (The Japan Times)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, COVID-19 vaccination in Australia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Western Australia
      • Western Australia will become the first state and territory to mandate a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for essential, mining, and healthcare workers, due to the spread of the Omicron variant. (News.com.au)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Venezuela
    • Venezuela reports its first seven cases of the Omicron variant in a group of people who had travelled from another country, such as Spain, Dominican Republic, Panama, and Turkey. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• Animal welfare and rights in Australia
  • A landowner and an earthmoving business each face 126 charges for the deaths of 70 koalas last year at a partially cleared tree plantation in Cape Bridgewater, Victoria, Australia. (BBC News)
• Animal welfare and rights in Italy
  • Italy bans fur farming and orders all remaining mink farms to shut down by June 2022, while a ban on breeding animals for their fur becomes effective immediately. (Greek Reporter)

December 21, 2021 (2021-12-21) (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Yemeni Civil War
  • Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
    • The Saudi-led coalition launches airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport in the Yemeni capital Sanaa. The air raid targeted six sites, including places used for "launching drone attacks", according to a statement from the coalition. (Reuters)
• Insurgency in the Maghreb
  • The French Army announces that they have killed Soumana Boura, a leading member of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, the previous day. Boura was involved in the killings of six French aid workers and their two Nigerien guides in a mass shooting in August 2020 in Kouré, Niger. (Al Jazeera)
• Tigray War
  • The Tigray Defense Forces withdraws all its troops from the Afar and Amhara regions of Ethiopia. (PM News)

Disasters and accidents

• December 2021 Malaysian floods
  • Heavy floods continue to affect eight Malaysian states for the third day, killing 14 people and partially submerging several towns and villages. (BBC News)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
      • COVID-19 vaccination in Germany
        • The Standing Committee on Vaccination recommends the shortening of the interval between the second dose and booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to three months and urges all citizens over the age of 18 to receive a booster dose of an mRNA-based vaccine after receiving their first two doses in order to reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (Politico.eu)
      • German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and 16 state premiers agree to tighten the restrictions beginning on December 28, including limiting the number of people in private gatherings to 10 and banning spectators at large-scale musical, sporting and cultural events due to concerns related to the spread of the Omicron variant. (Deutsche Welle)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
      • COVID-19 pandemic in the Community of Madrid
        • The Community of Madrid reports a record 11,221 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (ABC.es)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
      • Prime Minister António Costa announces that nightclubs and bars will be closed and all people will work from home for at least two weeks beginning on December 25 in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. There will also be capacity restrictions at shops and people will require a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter events. (Bloomberg)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden
      • The Swedish government announces that several new measures will begin on December 23, including limiting the number of people at private gatherings to 50, requiring the use of a vaccination pass for public events with a capacity of more than 500 people, and recommending work from home where possible, due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (Reuters)
    • European Union response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic
      • The European Commission announces a binding proposal that will make the EU Digital COVID Certificate only valid for travel within the European Union for nine months without a booster dose after a person's primary vaccination schedule in order to standardize different travel requirements in the member states. The new rules will be mandatory for all 27 EU member states beginning on February 1. (RFI)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
      • COVID-19 vaccination in Israel
        • The Health ministry recommends that Israelis over the age of 60 years and healthcare workers should receive a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, becoming the world's first country to administer a fourth dose of the vaccine. The move is welcomed by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. (Sky News)
      • Israel reports its first confirmed death related to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a man in his 60s with pre-existing health conditions who died at the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba. (The Times of Israel)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, COVID-19 vaccination in the Philippines
      • The Philippine Food and Drug Administration reduces the interval of the COVID-19 vaccine booster dose to three months for people who received a two-dose vaccine and two months for people who received a single-dose vaccine in order to reduce the effects of variants. (GMA News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
      • Thailand reinstates its mandatory hotel quarantine for all incoming foreign travellers and suspends the "sandbox" program for places other than Phuket after the country reported its first locally transmitted case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (Rappler)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
    • COVID-19 vaccination in Argentina
      • The provinces of Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Río Negro and Santiago del Estero begin implementing the usage of a "sanitary pass" for large events. (Página/12)
    • Argentina reports 9,336 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the highest daily total in 4 months, thereby bringing the nationwide total of cases to 5.4 million. (IProfesional)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
    • New Zealand postpones a phased reopening of the border for quarantine-free travel to the end of February in order to strengthen the country's defence against the spread of the Omicron variant. (The Guardian)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, COVID-19 vaccination in the United States
    • COVID-19 pandemic in California
      • California Governor Gavin Newsom announces that healthcare workers will be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose in order to keep their "fully vaccinated" status, becoming the second state to impose such mandate. (NBC News)

International relations

• Lithuania–United States relations, Second Cold War
  • The U.S. State Department approves the sale of 341 FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank guided missiles and 30 command launch units to NATO ally Lithuania amid rising tensions with Russia. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• Three inmates in Japan are executed by hanging, marking the first executions in the country in nearly two years. One inmate was the perpetrator of a 2004 mass stabbing in which he killed seven of his relatives. (Euronews)

December 20, 2021 (2021-12-20) (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Allied Democratic Forces insurgency
  • 2021 Democratic Republic of the Congo attacks, 2021 Uganda bombings
    • The governments of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo reveal that they have captured 35 rebels and destroyed numerous enemy strongholds within the past week. (Voice of America)
• Israeli–Palestinian conflict
  • The Israeli Defense Forces report that they have arrested more than 100 members of the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas, amid a recent increase in tensions. (Times of Israel)
• Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • Three members of the Islamic State are killed in Faqeerabad, Peshawar, during an operation by the Pakistani police. (Dawn)
• Internal conflict in Myanmar
  • An investigation by the BBC discovers that a massacre of 40 civilians took place in July, in Kani Township, a People's Defence Force stronghold in Sagaing Region. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

• Cap-Haïtien fuel tanker explosion
  • The death toll from the fuel tank truck explosion in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, six days ago rises to 90. (Al Jazeera)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
      • COVID-19 vaccination in Thailand
        • Thailand's Food and Drug Administration approves the usage of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11 years. (Inquirer)
      • Thailand reports its first locally transmitted case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a 49-year-old woman. (Bangkok Post)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in India, COVID-19 vaccination in India
      • It is announced that more than 85% of eligible Indians have been partially vaccinated, and that over 55% have received both doses. (BBC News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
      • Israel's government agrees to ban all travel to Germany, Italy, Belgium, Hungary, Morocco, Portugal, Canada, Switzerland, Turkey, and the U.S. without special permission beginning on December 22 due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (NBC News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait
      • Kuwait will require incoming travellers who fully vaccinated against COVID-19 more than nine months ago to receive booster dose beginning from January 2 and also requires them to self-isolate for 10 days unless they received a negative PCR test within 72 hours of their arrival beginning from December 26. (Al-Arabiya English) (Times of Oman)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in France, COVID-19 vaccination in France
      • The French Haute Autorité de santé approves the usage of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11 years. (France 24)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic
      • Germany bans all travel from the United Kingdom and imposes a mandatory 14-day quarantine and proof of a negative PCR test from the previous 48 hours for German residents and citizens returning from the UK, amid the spread of the Omicron variant in Britain. (Euronews)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • The United Kingdom ends its travel ban on Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. (Times of India)
    • European Union response to the COVID-19 pandemic
      • The European Commission authorizes the use of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine after the European Medicines Agency recommended the use of the vaccine, becoming the fifth vaccine to be approved for use by the European Union. (Euronews)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in North America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec
        • Quebec closes all bars, gyms, spas, cinemas, and concert halls as well as suspends in-person learning and mandates remote working after the province reported a record 4,857 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Global News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Texas
        • The United States reports its first confirmed death related to the Omicron variant in a unvaccinated man in his 50s in Harris County, Texas who had underlying health issues. (U.S. News and World Report)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Costa Rica
      • Costa Rica reports its first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a eight-year-old boy who recently travelled from the United States along with his family. (Tico Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Panama
      • Panama reports its first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a 50-year-old person who recently travelled from South Africa. (Reuters)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in South America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, COVID-19 pandemic in Bolivia
      • Argentina donates 1 million doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Bolivia. (Infobae)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia
      • Colombia reports its first case of the Omicron variant in two Colombia people who travelled from the United States and a U.S. citizen who travelled from Spain. (Reuters)

International relations

• Russia–NATO relations
  • Poland and Lithuania join Ukraine in calling for stronger Western sanctions on Russia, with Polish President Andrzej Duda saying that "everything must be done" to prevent a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine, and that he was "absolutely against any policy of concessions to Russia". (RFE/RL)
  • Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby says a small Department of Defense team has returned from Ukraine after assessing the country's air defences. (The Drive)

Law and crime

• The trial of Aung San Suu Kyi is delayed by Burmese courts until December 27. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

• Human rights in Egypt
  • Egyptian blogger and activist Alaa Abdel Fattah is sentenced to five years in prison by Egyptian authorities for spreading fake news. His family continues to protest the verdict. (Al Jazeera)
• The Nagaland Legislative Assembly publicly demands that the Government of India repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which has been in effect since 1958. This comes after a massacre occurred in Mon district, Nagaland on December 4. (Sangai Express)

December 19, 2021 (2021-12-19) (Sunday)

Disasters and accidents

• Typhoon Rai
  • The death toll in the Philippines from Typhoon Rai increases to 375. At least 500 more people are wounded. (BBC News)
• 2021 Semeru eruption
  • The Semeru volcano in Java, Indonesia, erupts for the second time this month, spewing a two-kilometre-high ash column. The first eruption killed at least 46 people on December 4. (Reuters)
• A light plane crashes off Australia's east coast of Queensland, killing all four people on board, including two children. (The Guardian)
• A "tornado-like" severe weather event impacts Sydney's Northern Beaches on Australia's east coast, downing trees and cutting power to thousands of residents. One woman is killed and two women are in a critical condition in Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital after a "large" pine tree fell in Narrabeen. (ABC News)
• A child dies in hospital three days after an inflatable castle was lifted into the air in Devonport, Tasmania, Australia, bringing the death toll from the accident to six. (News.com.au)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
      • Iran reports its first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a person who travelled from the United Arab Emirates. (The Jerusalem Post)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka
      • Sri Lanka announces that it will require a proof of COVID-19 vaccination certificate for entry into public places beginning on January 1 in an attempt to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases. (Associated Press)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
      • The Netherlands imposes strict lockdown measures that restrict visitors to two people, closes all non-essential shops, bars, and restaurants until January 14, and closes schools until January 9, due to an increase in COVID-19 cases caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (The Hill)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
      • Ireland introduces an 8:00 p.m. closure time for bars and restaurants, restricts the capacity of most indoor and outdoor events to 50%, and allows a maximum of 100 guests for weddings in order to reduce the spread of the Omicron variant. (Medical Xpress)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Peru
    • Peru reports its first four cases of the Omicron variant in one person who travelled from South Africa and another three who had no travel history. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

• 2021 Chilean general election
  • Chileans go to the polls to elect their president in a run-off between leftist Gabriel Boric and right-wing candidate José Antonio Kast. (Euronews)
  • With over 50% of votes counted, Boric is declared the winner as Kast publishes a tweet conceding defeat. (CNN)
• 2019–2021 Sudanese protests
  • Tens of thousands of protesters demonstrate against the October 2021 Sudanese coup d'état, leading to government forces spraying protesters with tear gas in an attempt to halt the demonstrations, one of the largest in Sudan's history. (CBC News)
• A man in India is beaten to death by guards at the Golden Temple, the holiest place in the world according to the Sikh religion. Authorities allege he may have tried to harm the Guru Granth Sahib. (BBC News)

Time: 18:42 UTC|Day: 25 December

December 2021

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

Ongoing events

Disasters

• Climate crisis
• COVID-19 pandemic
• Opioid epidemic
• 2021–22 European windstorm season
• 2020–21 H5N8 outbreak
• 2021 Pacific typhoon season
• Madagascar famine
• Yemeni famine

Economic

• 2020–2021 global chip shortage
• 2021 global supply chain crisis
• COVID-19 recession
• Lebanese liquidity crisis
• Pandora Papers leak
• Sri Lankan economic and food crisis
• Turkish currency and debt crisis
• United Kingdom natural gas supplier crisis

Politics

• Belarus−European Union border crisis
• Brazilian protests
• Colombian tax reform protests
• Eswatini protests
• Haitian protests
• Insulate Britain protests
• Jersey dispute
• Libyan peace process
• Malaysian political crisis
• Myanmar protests
• Nicaraguan protests
• Nigerian protests
• Persian Gulf crisis
• Peruvian crisis
• Russian election protests
• Solomon Islands unrest
• Tigrayan peace process
• Thai protests
• Tunisian political crisis
• United States racial unrest
• Venezuelan presidential crisis

Elections and referendums

Recent

• December
  • 12: New Caledonia, Independence referendum
  • 12: Transnistria, President
  • 18: Taiwan, Referendum
  • 19: Hong Kong, Legislative Council
  • 19: Chile, President (2nd)

Trials

Recently concluded

• Belarus: Sergei Tikhanovsky
• Denmark: Inger Støjberg
• Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi
• United States: Charles Lieber, Jussie Smollett, Josh Duggar, Murder of Ahmaud Arbery, Kyle Rittenhouse, Yanjun Xu, Lev Parnas, R. Kelly

Ongoing

• Armenia: Serzh Sargsyan
• Canada: Raj Grewal
• France: Brussels ISIL
• Indonesia: Nurdin Abdullah, Azis Syamsuddin
• Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu
• Italy: Matteo Salvini
• Kyrgyzstan: Almazbek Atambayev
• Malta: Yorgen Fenech
• Philippines: Leila de Lima
• Sudan: Omar al-Bashir
• United States: Elizabeth Holmes, Ghislaine Maxwell

Upcoming

• Indonesia: Alex Noerdin
• Kosovo: Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli
• Nigeria: Nnamdi Kanu
• Sweden: Hamid Nouri
• United States: Allen Weisselberg, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
• Vatican City: Giovanni Angelo Becciu
• ICC: Ali Kushayb

Sport

• Association football
  • 2021–22 UEFA Europa League
  • 2021–22 UEFA Champions league
  • 2021–22 Premier League
  • 2021–22 Bundesliga
  • 2021–22 Serie A
  • 2021–22 La Liga
  • 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
  • 2020–21 UEFA Nations League
• American football
  • 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season
  • 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season
  • 2021 NFL season
• Basketball
  • 2021–22 NBA season
  • 2021-22 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Season
  • 2021-22 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Season
• Cricket
  • 2021–23 ICC World Test Championship
  • 2020–23 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League
  • 2019–23 ICC Cricket World Cup League 2
  • 2019–22 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League 
• Canadian football
  • 2021 CFL season
• Golf
  • 2020 PGA Tour Champions
  • 2021–22 PGA Tour
• Ice hockey
  • 2021–22 NHL season
  • 2021–22 IIHF Continental Cup
• Motorsport
• Rugby union
  • 2021–22 Premiership Rugby
  • 2021–22 United Rugby Championship
  • 2021–22 Top 14
  • 2021 Super Rugby season
• Other sports seasons
  • 2021–22 International cricket season
  • 2021–22 snooker season
  • 2021–22 curling season

More details – current sports events

Recent deaths

December

• 23: Joan Didion
• 22: Franklin A. Thomas
• 22: Thomas Kinsella
• 21: Carlyle Glean
• 19: Robert H. Grubbs
• 19: Sally Ann Howes
• 19: Johnny Isakson
• 19: Carlos Marín
• 18: Richard Rogers
• 18: Sayaka Kanda
• 17: Eve Babitz
• 17: Doug Ericksen
• 17: Mladen Naletilić Tuta
• 16: Lucía Hiriart
• 15: Bridget Hanley
• 15: bell hooks
• 15: Kim Yong-ju
• 15: Fayez Tarawneh
• 14: Riccardo Ehrman
• 14: Ken Kragen
• 13: Blackberri
• 13: Joe Simon
• 13: Verónica Forqué
• 12: Vicente Fernández
• 12: Jimmy Rave
• 12: Paulias Matane
• 11: Anne Rice
• 11: Manuel Santana
• 10: Michael Nesmith
• 9: Carmen Salinas
• 9: Demaryius Thomas
• 9: Al Unser
• 9: Cara Williams
• 9: Lina Wertmüller
• 9: Otar Patsatsia
• 9: Shamim Alam Khan
• 8: Barry Harris
• 8: Blackjack Lanza
• 8: Robbie Shakespeare
• 8: Bipin Rawat
• 7: Carol Jenkins Barnett
• 7: Greg Tate
• 7: Mustafa Ben Halim
• 7: Suresh Jadhav
• 6: Fred Hiatt
• 6: Medina Spirit
• 6: Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim
• 6: Lindiwe Mabuza
• 6: Kåre Willoch
• 5: Bob Dole
• 5: John Miles
• 5: Peter Cundall
• 4: Martha De Laurentiis
• 4: Stonewall Jackson
• 4: Konijeti Rosaiah
• 3: Horst Eckel
• 3: Claude Humphrey
• 3: Ann Fortune Fitzroy
• 2: Darlene Hard
• 2: Aldo Giordano
• 1: Grand Jojo

November

• 30: Philip Heymann
• 30: Marcus Lamb
• 30: Marjorie Tallchief
• 29: Arlene Dahl
• 29: Don Demeter
• 29: David Gulpilil
• 28: Virgil Abloh
• 28: Lee Elder
• 28: Doyle Hamm
• 28: Phil Saviano
• 28: Frank Williams
• 28: Emily Mkamanga
• 28: Norodom Ranariddh
• 27: Curley Culp
• 27: Eddie Mekka
• 27: Almudena Grandes

Ongoing conflicts

Africa

• Angola
  • Cabinda War
• Cameroon
  • Anglophone Crisis
• Central African Republic
  • Civil War
• Chad
  • Insurgency in Northern Chad
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Kivu conflict
  • Allied Democratic Forces insurgency
  • Ituri conflict
  • Lord's Resistance Army insurgency
  • Kamwina Nsapu rebellion
• Ethiopia
  • Tigray War (spillover)
  • Oromo conflict
• Ethiopia and Sudan
  • Sudanese–Ethiopian clashes
• Ghana
  • Western Togoland Rebellion
• Maghreb and Sahel regions
  • Maghreb insurgency
• Mali
  • Mali War
• Mozambique
  • Insurgency in Cabo Delgado
• Nigeria
  • Boko Haram insurgency (incl. Lake Chad region)
  • Communal conflicts in Nigeria
• Senegal
  • Casamance conflict
• Somalia
  • Civil war
• South Sudan
  • Ethnic violence in South Sudan
• Sudan
  • War in Darfur
  • South Kordofan conflict
  • Sudanese nomadic conflicts (incl. South Sudan)
• Tunisia
  • ISIL insurgency in Tunisia
• Western Sahara
  • Western Sahara conflict
    • 2020–2021 Western Saharan clashes

Americas

• Colombia
  • Colombian conflict
• Mexico
  • Mexican drug war
• Paraguay
  • Insurgency in Paraguay
• Peru
  • Internal conflict in Peru

Asia-Pacific

• Afghanistan
  • Panjshir conflict
  • Islamic State–Taliban conflict
• India
  • Insurgency in Northeast India
    • Assam separatist movements
    • Insurgency in Manipur
    • Ethnic conflict in Nagaland
  • Khalistan movement
  • Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
• India and Pakistan
  • Kashmir conflict
• Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines
  • Moro conflict
    • Cross border attacks in Sabah
• Indonesia
  • Papua conflict
• Myanmar
  • Internal conflict in Myanmar
    • Kachin conflict
    • Karen conflict
    • Rohingya conflict
• Pakistan
  • Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • Insurgency in Balochistan
• Philippines
  • Communist rebellion
  • Philippine drug war
• Thailand
  • South Thailand insurgency

Europe

• Armenia and Azerbaijan
  • Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
• Ukraine
  • War in Donbas
    • Russo-Ukrainian War
• Ireland and the UK
  • Dissident Irish republican campaign
• Turkey
  • Kurdish–Turkish conflict

Global

• War on terror

Middle East

• Egypt
  • Sinai insurgency
• Iran and the Persian Gulf
  • Iran–Israel proxy conflict
  • Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
  • Sistan and Baluchestan insurgency
  • Arab separatism in Khuzestan
  • Kurdish separatism in Iran
• Iraq
  • Iraqi conflict
  • American-led intervention in Iraq
  • Iranian intervention in Iraq
• Iraq and Syria (map)
  • International military intervention against ISIL
• Israel and Gaza
• Israel and Syria
  • Israeli-Syrian border conflict
    • Israeli-Syrian ceasefire line incidents
• Syria
  • American-led intervention in Syria
  • Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war
  • Turkish occupation of northern Syria
• Yemen and Saudi Arabia
  • Yemeni Civil War
  • Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
  • Houthi–Saudi Arabian conflict

Further information: List of ongoing armed conflicts

2021 events and developments by topic

Arts

Architecture – Animation – Anime – Comics – Film (Horror, Science fiction) – Home video – Literature – Music (Classical, Country, Hip hop, Latin, Metal, Rock, UK, US) – Radio – Television (UK, US, Italy, Scotland) – Video games

Politics and government

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

Science and technology

Archaeology – Biotechnology – Computing – Palaeontology – Quantum computing and communication – Senescence research – Sustainable energy research – Space/Astronomy – Spaceflight

Environment and environmental sciences

Birding/Ornithology – Climate change

Transportation

Aviation – Rail transport

Establishments and disestablishments categories

Establishments – Disestablishments

Works and introductions categories

Works – Introductions – Works entering the public domain