Portal:Current events/2021 January 19

January 19, 2021 (Tuesday)

Arts and culture

Events affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan
- Taiwan cancels the upcoming Taiwan Lantern Festival for the first time since 1990, due to an increase in COVID-19 cases on the island. (The Straits Times)

Business and economy

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the United States orders Ford Motor Company to recall about three million of its vehicles containing airbags manufactured by Takata, citing "potential future rupture risks". (AFP via Business Times)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state)
      - COVID-19 pandemic in New York City
        Andrew Yang, a candidate for Mayor of New York City in the upcoming mayoral election, will quarantine after one of his staffers tested positive for COVID-19. (The New York Times)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Vermont
      - Vermont Governor Phil Scott, Health Commissioner Mark Levine, and other officials quarantine after a contractor that Levine was in contact with tested positive for COVID-19. (WPTZ-TV)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
      - A memorial at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is held, honoring the 400,000 Americans who have died as a result of COVID-19. Additionally, bells are rung at the Washington National Cathedral and a moment of silence is held. (Reuters) (NBC News)
    - The United States surpasses 400,000 deaths from COVID-19, just five weeks after passing 300,000 deaths. (CBS News) (NPR)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
    - Mexico reports a record 1,584 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to nearly 143,000. (The Washington Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports a new record for the second consecutive day, of 218 deaths, bringing the nationwide death toll to 9,246. At the same time, the nationwide number of ICU patients reaches a record 670, just below the maximum allocation capacity of 672 ICU beds set the day before. (DGS) (Reuters)
    - Portuguese Economy Minister Pedro Siza Vieira tested positive for COVID-19. (TSF)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Andorra
    - The first 30,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are sent from Spain to Andorra after both governments reached an agreement earlier today. (Euro Weekly News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of all 16 states agree to extend the nationwide lockdown until February 14, due to the threat of new variants of SARS-CoV-2. They also agree to mandate medical masks for all passengers on public transport. (Taggeschau)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - Ireland reports a record 93 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 2,708. (Irish Examiner)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom reports a record 1,610 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 91,470. (ITV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong
    - Hong Kong extends their work from home arrangements for civil servants until January 27, as the city attempts to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases. (Reuters via Financial Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
    - Israel extends their third nationwide lockdown until January 31 as the country reports its highest number of cases since the pandemic began. They will also require all travelers to present a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of arrival or face a fine of NIS 2,500 ($772). (The Times of Israel)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - The Shizuoka prefectural government issues an emergency alert after three cases of the more contagious variant from the UK are reported in people with no known travel history. (Kyodo News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait, Variant of Concern 202012/01
    - Kuwait reports their first cases of the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 in two women who travelled from the United Kingdom. (Gulf News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    - Malaysia's Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announces the extension of the second movement control order to six states from January 22 at 12:01 a.m. local time until February 4. This means that all states and federal territories except Sarawak will be placed under tighter restrictions. (CNA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
  - The New Zealand government imposes a mandatory requirement for all travellers to present a negative COVID-19 test result before departing for New Zealand, beginning January 25. This requirement does not include residents of Australia, Antarctica and most Pacific Island countries. (NZ Herald)

International relations

Uganda–United States relations
- A Ugandan government spokesman accuses the U.S. government of "subversion" after ambassador Natalie E. Brown tried to visit opposition leader Bobi Wine at his home, where he is under house arrest. Brown said that she wanted to check on the "health and safety" of Wine. (Reuters)
China–United States relations, Uyghur genocide
- The outgoing Trump administration declares that China has committed genocide against Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minority groups. (CBS News)

Law and crime

COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- Grafton vaccine incident, COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin
  - Wisconsin pharmacist Steven Brandenburg is charged with attempted misdemeanor property damage for deliberately trying to defrost doses of Moderna's vaccine. (AP)
Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- Three members of the Oath Keepers far-right militia group are arrested by federal prosecutors for conspiring to breach the United States Capitol. (New York Daily News) (CNN)
2020 congressional insider trading scandal
- The United States Department of Justice closes an insider trading probe into U.S. Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina without making him face any criminal charges. (MarketWatch)
Protests against Rodrigo Duterte
- The Philippine Department of National Defense terminates a 32-year-old accord with the University of the Philippines, the country's national university, that limits the access of police and military personnel into the university's campuses. Faculty members, students, and activists protest the move, calling it "a violation of academic freedom" and claiming that it would aid the government's attempts at red-tagging people. (South China Morning Post)
A 65-year-old Thai woman is sentenced to 43 years in prison for insulting the Thai monarchy in online posts in 2014. Her sentence, initially for 87 years, was reduced after she pleaded guilty to the charges. It is the longest punishment for lèse-majesté handed down in Thai history. (Reuters on MSN)
Bishop Daniel Thomas of the Diocese of Toledo issues statements on the deaths of a suspect and police officer, and the vandalism and arson at Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral in Toledo, Ohio. (CNS)

Science and technology

Internet regulation in Turkey
- Turkey's Information and Communication Technologies Authority bans advertisements on Twitter, Periscope and Pinterest after these companies failed to appoint local representatives under a new social media law. (Reuters)
Discoveries of exoplanets
- Scientists discover that WASP-107b is a super-puff. WASP-107b is an exoplanet the same size as Jupiter but with one tenth the mass, located 212 light years away from Earth. (CBS News) (Sci-News)