Sunday, February 7th, 2021 

Scientists belonging to a German-Malagasy expedition announce the discovery of Brookesia nana, a lizard found in Madagascar. The male’s body spanning only 13.5 millimetres (0.5 in), it is potentially the smallest reptile on Earth. (BBC) 

French religious sister Nathalie Becquart is named by Pope Francis one of the Undersecretaries of the Synod of Bishops, becoming the first woman to reach that office and having a right to vote in the Synod. (CNN) 

Governor Gavin Newsom issues revised COVID-19 mitigation guidelines for churches after the U.S. Supreme Court lifts the state’s ban on indoor worship in areas hardest hit by the pandemic. The new guidelines limit indoor services to 25 percent of the church’s capacity in hard-hit areas and restricts indoor singing and chanting. (ABC News) 

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei says that the United States should “lift all sanctions” if it wants to reverse its nuclear steps, saying that Iran complied with all obligations of the 2015 deal and accusing the United States and European countries of not doing so. (Reuters) 

A limited-size clinical trial in Johannesburg suggests the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is weak against the 501.V2 variant of SARS-CoV-2. (The Wall Street Journal) 

Afghanistan receives 500,000 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from India. (The Hindu) 

Cambodia receives the first 600,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine from China. (ABC News) 

Vietnam surpasses 2,000 cases of COVID-19. (Reuters) 

 

 

Khamenei: Iran will return to nuclear commitments only if U.S. lifts all sanctions  If the United States wants Iran to return to the commitments it made under the 2015 nuclear deal, “it will must lift all sanctions in practice,” Iranian state television quoted Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying Sunday. Khamenei added that Tehran will then verify whether the U.S. was following through. “This is the definitive and irreversible policy of the Islamic Republic, and all of the country’s officials are unanimous on this, and no one will deviate from it,” he said. Khamenei has final say on all matters of state in Iran, The Associated Press notes. Former President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the nuclear pact, and Iran has recently begun enriching its uranium, raising concerns it could soon reach weapons-grade levels. President Biden has said he wants to revive the 2015 agreement, but has insisted Tehran reverse course first, Source: The Associated Press 

 

 

Chiefs, Buccaneers to clash in Super Bowl  Super Bowl LV will kickoff Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBS. The defending champion Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they look to capture their second straight title. Tampa Bay reached the Super Bowl by winning three straight road games against the Washington Football Team, New Orleans Saints, and Green Bay Backers, but they’ll coincidentally be playing in their home stadium Sunday, as Tampa Bay was selected as the host back in 2017. The NFL is allowing 22,000 fans, including 7,500 vaccinated health care workers, to attend the game in-person amid the coronavirus pandemic. On the field, the spotlight will be on the quarterbacks, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady, who at age 43 is making his tenth Super Bowl appearance, but his first not in a New England Patriots uniform. Source: ESPN

 

Saturday,  February 6th, 2021 

The Cuban Council of Ministers approves a measure authorizing private activity in most sectors. (AFP via CTV News) 

Four skiers are killed and four others are injured in an avalanche in Millcreek Canyon, Utah, United States. (KSTU-TV) 

China’s National Medical Products Administration gives a conditional approval to Sinovac’s Coronavac vaccine for general use. (France 24) 

Myanmar approves the use of the Sputnik V vaccine developed by Russia. (Sputnik V) 

The government eases the restrictions on business operating hours outside of the Seoul Capital Area, allowing those businesses to operate until 10 pm local time amid a backlash over prolonged restrictions. (The Korea Herald) 

Italy signs a decree authorizing the emergency use of monoclonal antibodies to treat COVID-19 patients. (Reuters) 

The Netherlands surpasses one million cases of COVID-19. (NL Times) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The End Sunday 

 

Biden suggests Trump shouldn’t receive intelligence briefings  In an interview with CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell, President Biden said he doesn’t think former President Donald Trump should receive classified intelligence briefings, though it’s unclear if that will be the official White House policy going forward. Cutting off Trump’s access to intelligence briefings, which Biden has the authority to do, would be unprecedented — former presidents have traditionally been allowed to request and receive them. But Biden told O’Donnell he doesn’t think there’s any “value” in sending them to Trump. He didn’t specify what exactly he fears could happen if Trump was briefed, but he suggested his predecessor’s “erratic behavior” could lead to him revealing sensitive national security information. Trump, who was not known for devoting much attention to his daily intelligence briefings while in office, has not submitted any requests to the Biden administration so far. Source: CNN 

Supreme Court lifts California ban on indoor worship, allows capacity limits The Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision along ideological lines granted an appeal from a San Diego church, ruling that California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) coronavirus pandemic restrictions cannot include a ban on indoor worship services because they violate the Constitution’s free exercise of religion. The court’s three liberal justices dissented, arguing their judgment should not stand in for the opinions of scientists and public health officials. However, the majority also ruled the state can limit attendance at indoor services to 25 percent capacity, and restrict singing and chanting, which can contribute to the virus’ spread. Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas would have granted those requests, as well, but their conservative colleagues, Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh opted for the middle-ground position. Source: Politico

China approves 2nd COVID-19 vaccine for general public use  The Chinese government has authorized the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech for general public use, the company said Saturday. Sinovac’s jab, which requires a two-dose regimen, will be the second coronavirus vaccine approved in China. The green light is based on results from two months’ worth of late-stage trials in Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia, and Chile, although Sinovac said final analysis data is not yet available and more confirmation on safety results is needed. The trial results, which were light on details, varied fairly significant depending on the country — the vaccine was found to be just over 50 percent effective in Brazil, 91 percent in Turkey (that figure is based on a preliminary analysis of just 29 cases), and 65 percent in Indonesia. In Brazil, however, the vaccine appeared more effective at preventing COVID-19 infections that required medical attention, registering a nearly-84 percent rate in that category, and 100 percent effective against hospitalization. Source: The South China Morning Post 

 

Friday,  February 5th, 2021 

Swedish troops are deployed to Mali to join French-led counter-insurgency operations against jihadist groups. The Riksdag approved the deployment of up to 150 soldiers in June 2020. (France 24) 

 

Ukraine secures 12 million doses of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Novavax. (UNIAN) 

India reaches past 5 million vaccinations. (Business Standard) 

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announces that the state will lift its mask mandate and gathering restrictions, which will take effect on Sunday. (Des Moines Register) 

Oklahoma reports its first case of the Lineage P.1 variant originated from Brazil in a woman who had a travel history. (KFOR-TV) 

Virginia reports its first case of the 501.V2 variant in a person from eastern Virginia. (Richmond Times-Dispatch) 

South Korea surpasses 80,000 cases of COVID-19. (The Korea Herald) 

AstraZeneca-Oxford developers say that their vaccine candidate is effective against the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2. (BBC) 

Spain approves the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in people aged 18 to 55. (El Mundo) 

Spain reports its first case of the Lineage P.1 variant in a 44-year-old man who travelled from Brazil to Madrid on January 29 and later tested positive for COVID-19. (RTVE) 

 

Israel announces that it will ease its lockdown measures beginning February 7. People will no longer be restricted to within one kilometer of their homes, many services will be allowed to operate, and all national parks will reopen. However, international borders will remain closed until February 20. (MedicalXpress) 

The International Criminal Court announces that it will pave the way for investigations into alleged war crimes in Palestinian territories. Israel and groups like Hamas could be investigated. (NBC News) 

 

The United States Senate votes 51–50 to pass a budget resolution as a step to pass the $1.9 trillion stimulus package without Republican support, with Kamala Harris casting her first tiebreaking vote as Vice President. (CBS News) 

The United States House of Representatives votes 219–209 to approve the Senate’s budget resolution, with all Republicans and one Democrat voting against the resolution. (The Hill) 

Greece imposes a ten-day curfew in Attica, Thessaloniki and Halkidiki, and also closes high schools in these areas beginning tomorrow in an attempt to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases. (Ekathimerini) 

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announces that hotels, theatres, swimming pools and other indoor facilities will be allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity on February 12, but that restaurants and fitness centres will continue to remain closed. (The National Herald) 

 

 

Thursday, February 4th, 2021

U.S. President Joe Biden announces that the United States will end their support for Saudi Arabia in their intervention in Yemen. However, he also said the United States will continue targeting al-Qaeda operations in the country. (The Financial Times)

Lebanese political activist and Hezbollah critic Lokman Slim is assassinated, with his body being found inside his car with multiple gunshot wounds in Sidon District. (BBC)

Former U.S. President Donald Trump resigns from the SAG after they voted to consider expelling him for his alleged role in causing the storming of the United States Capitol, as well as accusing him of “discrediting and ultimately threatening the safety of journalists”. (The Washington Post)

New Zealand announces a new floating public holiday to commence in 2022 based on the Māori celebration of Matariki. (RNZ)

Governor Tony Evers issues a new mask mandate after the Legislature voted to repeal it. (AP)

Johnson & Johnson requests emergency approval for their vaccine from the Food and Drug Administration. (CNET)

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador says he is in “good health and recovering” after testing positive for COVID-19. (Reuters)

The Ministry of Health grants emergency use authorization for China’s Sinopharm vaccine. (Khmer Times)

Iran receives their first shipment of 500,000 doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine. (The Times of Israel)

France reports four cases of the Lineage P.1 variant first detected in Brazil. (Reuters)

Peru signs a deal with Pfizer to purchase 20 million doses of its vaccine. (Gestión)

Somalia declares a state of emergency due to swarms of desert locusts. (Daily Sabah)

 

British broadcasting regulator Ofcom revokes the license of China Global Television Network (CGTN), an English-language Chinese news network, after concluding the network was “ultimately controlled” by the Chinese Communist Party. China responds to the move by accusing BBC News of spreading “fake news” about COVID-19. (Reuters)

Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu accuses the United States of being behind the coup d’état attempt in 2016, which killed more than 250 people. The U.S. State Department says the accusation was “wholly false”, and “inconsistent with Turkey’s status as a NATO ally”. (Reuters)

 

American technology company Facebook, Inc. reports that multiple Internet service providers in Myanmar have restricted access to its social networking services, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The company has urged authorities to restore connectivity. (AFP via Deccan Herald)

Private gatherings in Victoria are limited to 15 people after a worker at a quarantine site for tennis players competing in the Australian Open tests positive for COVID-19. (The Guardian)

Somalia declares state of emergency due to a new generation of desert locust swarms that hit the region. (Daily Sabah)

 

 

San Francisco sues school district over protracted closures San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera sued the San Francisco Board of Elections, the San Francisco Unified School District, and Superintendent Vince Matthews on Wednesday, accusing them of violating a state law mandating that school districts have a plan “to offer classroom-based instruction whenever possible,” especially for students experiencing “significant learning loss due to school closures.” San Francisco’s public schools have been closed to in-person learning for 11 months, despite prodding from Mayor London Breed (D) and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). “I know this is a drastic step, but I feel we are out of options at this point,” Breed said Wednesday. The San Francisco school districts has developed plans to start reopening but failed to reach agreement with its teachers’ unions. Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Jobless claims remain high but dip to lowest level since November The number of Americans filing new jobless claims declined last week but still remained high and above the pre-pandemic record. The Labor Department on Thursday said 779,000 Americans filed new jobless claims last week, a decline of 33,000 from the revised level of the previous week. This number was below the 830,000 claims economists had been expecting. It was also the lowest level since the end of November. Still, the number remains high nearly a year after the COVID-19 pandemic began to shutter businesses around the United States and above the pre-pandemic weekly jobless claims record of 695,000. “Approaching the one-year mark of the pandemic, it is quite striking that new claims remain so elevated,” Bankrate economic analyst Mark Hamrick said, per NBC News. Source: CNBC

McKinsey agrees to pay $573 million over opioid-epidemic role Consulting firm McKinsey & Co. has agreed to pay $573 million to settle claims by 43 states, the District of Columbia, and three U.S. territories over its alleged role in the opioid epidemic, people familiar with the matter told news agencies on Wednesday. McKinsey allegedly advised companies, including OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, on how they could “supercharge” opioid sales. The consulting firm did not immediately respond to Associated Press requests for comment. Purdue filed for bankruptcy in 2019 under a proposed $10 billion settlement to resolve lawsuits alleging its aggressive painkiller marketing fueled the opioid epidemic, which resulted in 450,000 overdose deaths from 1999 to 2018, according to federal government data. Source: Reuters

 

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021

Israel launches airstrikes in Syria, Syrian forces responded late on Wednesday to “Israeli aggression” in the south of the country, the state news agency said. (Al Jazeera) (i24 News)

General Motors announces the suspension of operations at its Fairfax, Ingersoll, and San Luis Potosí assembly plants due to a global shortage of semiconductors. (AFP via RFI)

Spain reports its first case of the 501.V2 variant in Catalonia. Experts believe that it has no relation to South Africa, the variant’s country of origin, and that it originated in Europe. (El Periódico)

Spain surpasses 60,000 deaths from COVID-19. (MedicalXpress)

The Swedish government announces that all travellers will be required to show a negative COVID-19 testing result within 48 hours of arrival beginning February 6 in order to prevent the spread of variants of SARS-CoV-2. Swedish citizens as well as foreign residents living in Sweden will be exempt from this rule. (The Local Sweden)

The number of people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the United Kingdom surpasses 10 million. (ITV)

The Japanese House of Councillors passes a law that will introduce fines for people and businesses that do not comply with restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (The Japan Times)

The Health Sciences Authority approves the use of the Moderna vaccine for people aged above 18 in Singapore, becoming the first country in Asia to do so. (CNA)

Medsafe provisionally approves the use of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine in New Zealand with certain conditions. (RNZ)

GlaxoSmithKline and the German biotech firm CureVac sign an agreement worth 150 million euros ($180.7 million) to develop a vaccine to counter many variants of SARS-CoV-2. The vaccine, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to be introduced in 2022. (MarketWatch)

Preliminary tests indicate that the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine may reduce transmission of COVID-19 and not simply prevent symptomatic infections. (U.S. News & World Report via MSN)

Authorities in Brandenburg, Germany, cull 14,000 turkeys due to an outbreak of H5N8 bird flu on a farm in the Uckermark area. (Reuters)

 

Canadian Public Safety Minister Bill Blair announces the designation of 13 groups as terrorist organizations, including the American far-right group Proud Boys and white supremacist organizations such as the Russian Imperial Movement, Atomwaffen Division, and The Base. In the process, Canada has become the first country to designate the Proud Boys as a terrorist organization. (The Washington Post) (USA Today)

 

 

Tuesday,  February 2nd, 2021

 

The United States Senate votes 50–49 to pass a budget resolution that would allow Democrats to pass President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief package without support from Republicans. (Business Insider)

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announces that he will step down as CEO during the third quarter. Current Amazon Web Services CEO Andy Jassy is expected to replace him. (CNBC)

The French National Authority for Health approves the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged under 65. (France 24)

Mexico approves the use of Sputnik V vaccine in the country. (CTV News)

Malaysia reports a record 21 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 791. (The Star)

Malaysia extends its movement control order in all states and territories except Sarawak until February 18. (CNA)

Prime Minister Imran Khan launches the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in Pakistan, with the first dose of Sinopharm’s vaccine administered to a doctor in Islamabad. (DAWN)

Palestinian Authority begins a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 starting with healthcare workers in the occupied West Bank. (Daily Sabah)

A peer-reviewed result published in the journal The Lancet finds Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine to be 91.6% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 infection. It is the third major vaccine candidate to exceed 90% efficacy, along with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. (CBS on MSN)

China blocks a United Nations Security Council statement formally condemning the military coup in Myanmar. (BBC)

 

The Senate also confirms Alejandro Mayorkas as Secretary of Homeland Security, making him the first Jewish person, first Latino person and first immigrant to head the Department of Homeland Security. (The Hill)

 

The End 

Sunday, Jan. 31st, 2021  Sandro Botticelli’s Portrait of a Young Man Holding a Roundel is sold at auction for $92.2 million at Sotheby’s in New York City, making it the second most expensive painting by an old master ever sold at public auction. (AFP via New Straits Times)

Israel reports the first reinfection case of 501.V2 variant in a 57-year-old man had recently travelled from Turkey and previously recovered from COVID-19. (Times of Israel)

Dutch Education Minister Arie Slob announces that primary schools and daycare centres will reopen on February 8, but secondary schools and after-school clubs will remain closed. (Dutch News)

South Korea extends social distancing restrictions imposed in order to curb the spread of COVID-19 for another two weeks amid concern around upcoming Lunar New Year holidays and rise in cases. (Bloomberg)

Captain Tom, a British Army veteran who served in World War II, tests positive for COVID-19. (NBC News)

Police in Brussels, Belgium, say they have arrested more than 400 people to prevent a banned demonstration against anti-COVID-19 measures. (Deutsche Welle)

10 GOP senators to propose alternative relief package, hope to meet with Biden  Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) led a group of 10 Republican senators — including fellow moderates Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) — that on Sunday announced plans to release the details of a $600 billion COVID-19 relief package they believe could serve as a bipartisan alternative to President Biden’s $1.9 trillion plan, which the GOP has deemed too expensive. The Republicans want to meet with Biden to discuss their counterproposal. “We want to work in good faith with you and your administration to meet the health, economic, and societal challenges” of the COVID-19 pandemic, they wrote in a letter. Whether Democrats will be open to the idea remains to be seen, but, as The Washington Post notes, the fact that 10 Republicans are on board with the plan is significant. If the two sides do reach a consensus that would give the Senate the 60 votes required to pass legislation. Source: The Washington Post

Trump’s impeachment defense team steps down  Five attorneys who were prepared to defend former President Donald Trump in his upcoming Senate impeachment trial have departed his legal team, people familiar with the situation confirmed to CNN and The New York Times. Butch Bowers and Deborah Barbier, who were expected to be two of the lead attorneys, are out, as are Josh Howard, Johnny Gasser, and Greg Harris. No other attorneys have announced they were involved with the case, so it appears that, for now, Trump is defenseless. The lawyers reportedly left because of a disagreement over legal strategy. Trump reportedly wanted them to push his unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud in last year’s presidential election rather than focus on whether convicting a former president after he’s out of office is constitutional. Bowers, a source said, lacked chemistry with Trump and the decision to leave was reportedly mutual. Source:  CNN

Russians return to the streets in support of Navalny, thousands arrested  Thousands of supporters of Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny once again took go the streets across Russia on Sunday in hopes of pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin into freeing the opposition leader, who was detained after returning to Moscow earlier this month from Berlin where he spent months recovering from a poisoning, believed to have been carried about Moscow’s FSB spy agency. Demonstrators came out in large numbers last weekend, and thousands of people were arrested, but the threat of detention and frigid weather didn’t prevent the protesters from gathering again. Per BBC, more than 4,000 people have been arrested on Sunday, including Navalny’s wife, Yulia Nalvanaya, who was also detained last week. The rallies are considered anti-Putin, but it appears the goal is to signal to the Kremlin that Navalny has a legitimate movement behind him, rather than regime change. Source: BBC

U.K. launches special visa scheme for Hong Kong residents  The United Kingdom on Sunday opened applications for a new visa scheme that provides eligible Hong Kong residents the right to live, work, and study in the country for five years before eventually applying for citizenship. The offer was made in response to China’s crackdown on Hong Kong over the last year, and the U.K. says it is fulfilling a moral and historic commitment to Hong Kong, which was formally a British territory. London believes Beijing, by implementing a restrictive national security law, has violated the terms of agreement under which the semi-autonomous city was handed back to China in 1997. The U.K. government expects more than 300,000 people could emigrate from Hong Kong to Britain over the next few years under the scheme. Source: Reuters

  Saturday,  Jan. 30th, 2021 

Taiwan reports their first death from COVID-19 since May 2020 in a woman in her 80s. (Focus Taiwan News Channel)

Vietnam approves the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. (The Straits Times)

Algeria begins their vaccination program using Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine. (ABC News)

Tunisia becomes the third country in Africa to register the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine after the country approves the vaccine for one year. (Al-Arabiya)

The Italian Medicines Agency approves the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Italy for all adults but recommends that other vaccines be given to people aged over 55. (Daily Sabah)

Maryland confirms their first case of the 501.V2 variant from South Africa, becoming the second U.S. state to do so after South Carolina. (Politico)

South Carolina reports their first case of the B.1.1.7 variant first detected in the United Kingdom in a person from the Pee Dee region who previously travelled internationally. (WLTX-TV)

Cuban authorities announce that the country will tighten their measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and require all tourists to isolate after visiting the island until they test negative. (AP)

Iran imposes a 14-day quarantine upon arrival for all travellers from Europe. (Reuters)

Uzbekistan reports their first case of the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a 10-year-old child who travelled with her family to the United Arab Emirates last week. (Xinhua)

The United Kingdom announces that it will join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which forms a trade bloc of 11 Asia-Pacific nations. The UK will be the first non-founding country to apply to join the bloc. (BBC)

A car bombing kills at least five people and wounds 22 others in the Turkish-occupied town of Afrin in northern Syria. Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense accuses the Kurdish-led YPG of being behind the attack. (Reuters)

Iran hangs Javid Dehghan, the former leader of the Salafi jihadist group Jaish ul-Adl, for the murder of two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. (Reuters)

 

Friday,  Jan. 29th, 2021 

France’s GDP contracts 8.3% in 2020, the country’s worst economic performance since World War II. (France 24)

Spain’s GDP contracts 11% in 2020, the country’s worst economic performance since the Spanish Civil War. (Marketwatch)

Arizona reports the first three cases of the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2. (The Arizona Republic)

Delaware reports the first case of the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 in three people from New Castle County. (Delaware Government)

The CDC issues a rule requiring all travelers using public transportation to wear a mask while boarding, during the trip, and while disembarking. The rule also states face shields, bandanas, and scarves are not permissible forms of face covering. (Politico)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and major Canadian airlines agree to suspend all flights to “sun destinations” such as the Caribbean and Mexico until April 30. (BBC)

Trudeau announces new measures to take effect “in the coming weeks” that will require incoming travellers to undergo mandatory PCR testing upon arrival and quarantine in a hotel for a maximum of three days at their own expense. (AP)

Prime Minister Jean Castex announces the closure of borders to all travellers outside the European Union beginning January 31 in order to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants and avoid a third lockdown. In addition, travel between the overseas territories will be limited and all large shopping centres will be closed. (ABC News)

The German Ministry of Interior bans entry to all travellers from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Brazil, Portugal, and South Africa from tomorrow until February 17 in order to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants. In addition, travellers from Lesotho and Eswatini will also be banned beginning January 31. (Dpa International)

Greece delays the reopening of high schools, which was scheduled to begin on February 1, due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, particularly in red zone areas. (Ekathimerini)

Hungary approves the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine for use in the country, becoming the first EU member state to do so. (DW)

The Verkhovna Rada passes a law banning registration of the Sputnik V vaccine developed by Russia. (Reuters)

The European Medicines Agency approves the Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine for use within the EU and recommends that the European Commission grant it ‘limited marketing authorization’ within the union. (CNBC)

The government announces that COVID-19 restrictions will be eased in most areas of the country beginning February 1, allowing some businesses to reopen and restaurants to extend their operating hours. (Bangkok Post)

Pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson announces their single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is 66% effective in preventing moderate disease and 85% in preventing severe disease during a global trial. (Politico)

Novartis signs an agreement with Pfizer and BioNTech to help produce their vaccine. (MedicalXpress)

Russian President Vladimir Putin signs a bill extending the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States until 2026, ahead of its expiration date next week, following talks with U.S. President Joe Biden. (The Guardian)

A Vanuatu patrol boat detains two Chinese fishing vessels near the Torres Islands in the Coral Sea for suspected illegal fishing. (The Guardian)

Two members of the Proud Boys are charged with conspiracy to breach the United States Capitol, including one of the members seen smashing a window with a police shield. (New York Times)

The FBI announces that two women are arrested in Pennsylvania for their roles in the January 6 riot. One of the women, Dawn Bancroft, made threats to shoot House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. (The Independent)

Migrants set fire to the Napier Barracks at Shorncliffe Army Camp in Kent after “reports of a disturbance”. The Home Office says people “set about destroying the barracks”, after being told that they were being moved due to a COVID-19 outbreak at the camp. Kent Police say that the fire caused “a significant amount of damage” and is investigating it as a suspected arson attack. (BBC)

The parliament of Portugal passes legislation to legalize euthanasia. (AFP via RTE)

A man is arrested after being linked to the murders of three women and the wounding of a man in the past three days in and around Valence, France. The victims, who were shot in four separate locations, were HR managers; the attacker’s motives are suspected to be linked to his earlier employment. (BBC)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announce that Brian Sicknick, the United States Capitol Police officer who died from injuries sustained during the storming of the United States Capitol, will lie in honor at the Rotunda. (BBC)

Vaccine developer Novavax announces that their vaccine candidate is 89% effective in preventing severe COVID-19, based on trial data from the United Kingdom; their vaccine was less effective against new variants of the virus, based on data from South Africa. (Reuters)

One protester is shot dead and many more are wounded after attempting to storm a government building during an anti-lockdown riot in Tripoli, Lebanon. The municipality building was set on fire before protesters pulled back to the city’s main square. (Reuters)

I got my first shot of Pfizer “ultracold” on Wednesday, January 27th, 2021. No side effects. Or none that I am aware of.   Thursday, Jan. 28th, 2021

https://theweek.com/articles/962594/biden-foolishly-lowballs-americas-covid-response

The United States GDP contracts 3.5 percent in 2020, its first annual contraction since 2009 following the Financial crisis of 2007-08 and the country’s worst economic performance since the end of World War II. (CNBC)

Vietnam reports the first two locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in 55 days in Hải Dương and Quảng Ninh, with one of them linked to the B.1.1.7 variant. (ABC Australia)

Google removes Australian news sites from its search results in an “experiment” retaliating to their government’s calls for it to pay these sites for their content. (The Guardian Australia)

At the same time, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission releases a report accusing Google of misusing its advertisement system to promote Alphabet Inc.’s own financial interests. (The Guardian Australia)

Biden to reopen health insurance marketplace for special enrollment period The White House on Thursday announced President Biden will sign an executive order allowing Americans to sign up for health insurance via HealthCare.gov from Feb. 15 through May. 15. “This special enrollment period will give Americans that need health care coverage during this global pandemic the opportunity to sign up,” the White House said. Open enrollment on the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges would previously only be for six weeks, and the most recent period ended in December. The White House additionally said Biden will be directing “federal agencies to reconsider rules and other policies that limit Americans’ access to health care,” as well as issuing a memorandum “to protect and expand access to comprehensive reproductive health care.” Source: Reuters, CNN

Democrats consider censuring Trump as conviction prospects dim Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) on Wednesday floated the possibility of a censure resolution against former President Donald Trump for his role fueling the mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6. Democrats reportedly are looking for a way to hold Trump accountable as Senate Republicans rally behind Trump, signaling his likely acquittal in a Senate impeachment trial on the charge of inciting an insurrection. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the impeachment trial would proceed as scheduled starting Feb. 9, even though all but five Republican senators backed Trump in a vote on declaring the impeachment unconstitutional. The vote failed 55-45, but suggested it was highly unlikely that Trump’s critics would muster the 67 votes needed to convict Trump and possibly bar him from holding public office again. Source: The Associated Press

DHS warns of ‘heightened threat’ from domestic extremists Acting Secretary of Homeland Security David Pekoske issued a National Terrorism Advisory System bulletin on Wednesday, citing a “heightened threat environment across the United States” that “DHS believes will persist in the weeks following the successful presidential inauguration.” The bulletin comes three weeks after supporters of former President Donald Trump, who falsely claimed he won the 2020 presidential election, stormed the Capitol building in a violet riot to disrupt Congress’ certification of the election results. “Information suggests that some ideologically-motivated violent extremists … could continue to mobilize to incite or commit violence,” read the bulletin. The DHS is concerned that extremists “may be emboldened” by the Capitol attack, though it added that domestic extremists have been “motivated by a range of issues, including anger over COVID-19 restrictions, the 2020 election results, and police use of force.” Source: ABC News, CNN

Republicans to stall confirmation of DHS chief nominee Senate Republicans plan to filibuster to block the quick confirmation of Alejandro Mayorkas as secretary of Homeland Security, CNN reported Wednesday. Mayorkas, President Biden’s nominee to lead DHS, was approved by the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday, moving his nomination to a full Senate vote that Republicans quickly opposed, arguing his views on immigration matters are problematic. With Republicans stalling his confirmation vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will need to go through a procedural process and rally 51 votes. A group of Republicans, including Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), are demanding that Mayorkas also appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss immigration, a suggestion that incoming panel chair Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) called “totally political” and unnecessary. Source: CNN

The Mary Tyler Moore Show star Cloris Leachman dies at 94 Cloris Leachman, the award-winning actress known for such roles as Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, has died at 94. Leachman died from natural causes at her home in California. The beloved actress rose to fame while portraying landlady Phyllis on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the 1970s. She won two of her eight Primetime Emmy Awards for the role, which she reprised in the spinoff, Phyllis, and she’s tied with Julia Louis-Dreyfus for most acting honors at the Emmys. Leachman also won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1972 for her performance in The Last Picture Show. “Cloris Leachman was a comedy legend,” the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tweeted Wednesday. “She will be missed.” Source: Variety

  Wednesday, Jan. 27th, 2021

A short squeeze causes GameStop stock to jump from $4 to $372.74 after Reddit users predicted a hedge fund closure over the last week. (The Guardian) (AP)

Mount Merapi on Java, Indonesia, erupts. No casualties have been reported. (The Guardian)

Democrats in the United States Senate introduce a bill that would make Washington, D.C. the 51st state. (CBS News)

In accordance with decommunization laws, the last statue of Vladimir Lenin in the country (excluding territories currently annexed by Russia or occupied by separatists) is demolished in Odesa Oblast. (Svoboda Radio)

New Jersey confirms their first death from the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a person who had “significant underlying conditions.” (Patch.com)

President Joko Widodo receives his second dose of the Sinovac Biotech vaccine. (Antara News)

Prime Minister Erna Solberg announces the closure of all borders for non-essential travel beginning January 29 in an attempt to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants into Norway. (Forbes)

Morocco receives half a million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine. (Morocco World News)

South Africa approves a vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca for emergency use in the country. (Deccan Herald)

Chile’s health regulator approves a vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca for emergency use in the country. (Reuters)

The European Aviation Safety Agency clears the Boeing 737 MAX passenger airliner to return to service in European Union airspace. (AFP via Barron’s)

A collision between a bus and a truck in Dschang, West, Cameroon, kills 53 people and leaves 29 others injured with severe burns. (AFP via Manila Bulletin)

One of the fourteen men accused of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer pleads guilty in a federal court. His sentencing is scheduled for July 8. (MLive.com)

  Tuesday,  Jan. 26th, 2021

Biden ramps up vaccine goal to 150 million doses in 1st 100 days After previously pledging to get 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Americans in his first 100 days in office, President Biden on Monday seemed ready to push beyond that goal. “I am quite confident that in the next three weeks or so,” the U.S. will get its vaccination pace up to 1 million per day, and quickly after could make it to 1.5 million, the president said in a press conference. Biden was previously asked whether his goal of 100 million doses in 100 days was ambitious enough. Every American who wants to get a vaccine will be able to do so by spring, Biden promised, though the pandemic itself could rage through summer and “early fall,” he added. Immunologists contend distributing only 1 million vaccines per day will drag the pandemic into 2022. Source: NBC News

Senate confirms Janet Yellen as Treasury secretary The Senate on Monday voted 84-15 to confirm Janet Yellen as secretary of the Treasury, making her the first woman in United States history to ever hold the job. As Treasury secretary, Yellen, a labor economist and former Federal Reserve chair, will work closely with President Biden as he works on getting Congress to pass his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. If approved, she will also be responsible for ensuring direct relief payments are distributed to Americans. During her confirmation hearing, Yellen said Congress must “act big” in order to get the economy going and to ease the suffering of American workers and families hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Source: The New York Times

Twitter announces that they have permanently suspended the account of My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell for violating the company’s policy on election misinformation. (Reuters)

The Cayetano Heredia University says that a volunteer in the local trial of a coronavirus vaccine produced by China’s Sinopharm Group has died from COVID-19-related pneumonia. (Reuters)

The number of worldwide confirmed COVID-19 cases surpasses 100 million. (NBC News)

A Palestinian terrorist, attempting to stab two soldiers at a road junction near Nablus in the West Bank, is shot and killed by an Israeli commander. (Reuters)

The Wisconsin State Senate votes to repeal the statewide mask mandate imposed by Governor Tony Evers. (AP)

President Joe Biden orders an additional 200 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to be distributed by the end of August. (NBC News)

Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff receive their second doses of Moderna’s vaccine at the National Institutes of Health center in Bethesda. (The Independent)

Iran approves the Sputnik V vaccine for use in the country. (Ynet News)

The United Arab Emirates reports a record 3,601 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 285,147. (Arab News)

The government extends the Level 5 lockdown restrictions until March 5. They also agree to impose a 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine for all travellers without negative COVID-19 test results as well as all travellers from Brazil and South Africa. (RTÉ)

The United Kingdom surpasses 100,000 deaths from COVID-19, becoming the fifth country to do so after the United States, Brazil, India, and Mexico. (BBC)

The Minister of National Defense of Colombia, Carlos Holmes Trujillo, dies after contracting COVID-19. (Yahoo News)

President Francisco Sagasti announces a total lockdown in the capital Lima and nine other regions following a significant increase in COVID-19 cases. (Al Jazeera)

The highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza is reported in two backyard hobby grey crowned cranes in Central Italy, who are killed along with ten healthy birds to prevent spread. (Reuters)

Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Michael R. Sherwin announces that 400 suspects have been identified and 135 people have been charged in connection to the storming of the United States Capitol. (ABC News)

Acting United States Attorney General Monty Wilkinson announces that President Biden has rescinded the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance policy, which led to the separation of over 3,000 migrant families on the Mexico–United States border. (The Washington Post)

Colombian businessman Alex Saab, an affiliate of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro who is charged in the United States for alleged money laundering, is placed under house arrest in Cape Verde. (AFP via Manila Standard)

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte resigns amid a political crisis over the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. (BBC)

The United States Senate votes 78–22 to confirm Antony Blinken as the 71st Secretary of State. (AP)

  Monday,  Jan. 25th, 2021

The United States Senate votes 84–15 to confirm Janet Yellen as Treasury Secretary, making her the first woman to serve in the Treasury Department. (MarketWatch)

South Korea records its worst annual economic growth since 1998 following the Asian financial crisis. Its gross domestic product contracted 1.0 percent in 2020 from 2019. (AFP via Business Times)

California Governor Gavin Newsom lifts the regional stay-at-home order in all areas statewide, including three areas where ICU capacity remains under 15%. (KABC-TV)

Mexico’s richest person and billionaire Carlos Slim tests positive for COVID-19. (Forbes)

Hong Kong approves the BioNTech vaccine for emergency use in the city. (The Standard)

Turkey receives 6.5 million doses of the Sinovac Biotech vaccine. (Daily Sabah)

Austria begins to require people aged 14 or older to wear FFP2 masks in shops, pharmacies and hospitals, as well as on public transport. (France 24)

Ukraine reopens schools, restaurants and gyms as a tough lockdown aimed to prevent a new wave of COVID-19 was ended. (Reuters)

Moderna says that their vaccine would work against the new variants found in South Africa and the United Kingdom. (Reuters)

The Greek and Turkish governments conduct the two countries’ first direct dialogue regarding the dispute since 2016. (AFP via IBTimes)

The United States Supreme Court declines to hear a case from the Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley, a church in Dayton, Nevada that faces restrictions from Governor Steve Sisolak, to consider how far the state should go when imposing restrictions on places of worship. (NBC News)

The article of impeachment for former US President Donald Trump is brought to the United States Senate, officially triggering the trial, which is scheduled to begin on February 8. (MSN)

President Joe Biden repeals the Trump administration’s decision to ban transgender people from serving in the United States military. (The Guardian)

Brandon Straka, the WalkAway movement founder and “Stop the Steal” activist who spoke at a rally held by pro-Trump supporters, is arrested on a felony charge of interfering with police during the storming of the United States Capitol. (Politico)

Malka Leifer, the former principal of a Melbourne school who faces 74 charges of child sexual abuse, is extradited to Australia following a six-year delay of the case that allowed for her to be a fugitive in Israel. (AFP via France 24)

Two Swedish filmmakers, who filmed the wreck of the MS Estonia that sank in 1994 for a documentary, face trial for violating a treaty that prohibits visiting the site. (AFP via RTE)

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is set to hand in his resignation tomorrow, due to an ongoing political crisis which began on January 13. (BBC)

Kaja Kallas wins the support of the Riigikogu to become the new Prime Minister, the first woman to do so. (ERR)

Nineteen people are found dead in two vehicles in Tamaulipas, Mexico, near the border with the United States. The victims, probably undocumented migrants, were shot and then set alight. (BBC)

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is set to hand in his resignation tomorrow, during the ongoing political crisis which started from January 13. (BBC)

Two senior leaders of the Tehrik-i-Taliban are killed alongside three other militants during two separate security operations in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. (Al Jazeera)

British multinational retailer Debenhams announces that it will permanently close all of its brick and mortar stores in the United Kingdom, with the loss of 12,000 jobs, after being bought by online fashion retailer Boohoo.com. (AFP via RFI)

Nine of the miners who went missing during a mine collapse in Qixia, Shandong, China, are found dead by rescue workers. Yesterday another miner was found dead, bringing the death toll to 10, while eleven others were rescued alive. Another miner is missing. (BBC)

Bahrain approves the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use in the country. (Reuters)

The Therapeutic Goods Administration approves the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine for use in Australia. (ABC Australia)

Australia suspends their travel bubble with New Zealand for the next 72 hours after New Zealand’s first community case in months was confirmed to be the 501.V2 variant from South Africa. (BBC)

President Joe Biden signs an order banning travel from South Africa due to fears of the 501.V2 variant; the ban is expected to take effect on January 30. Additionally, Biden extends travel restrictions to Brazil, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and other countries in Europe, which were expected to expire tomorrow under an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump. (The Washington Post)

Austria begins to require people aged 14 or older to wear FFP2 masks on public transport, shops and businesses, pharmacies as well as hospitals or medical practices. (France 24)

The Greek and Turkish governments conduct the two countries’ first direct dialogue regarding the dispute since 2016. (AFP via IBTimes)

The article of impeachment for former US President Donald Trump is brought to the United States Senate, officially triggering the trial, scheduled to begin on February 8. (MSN)

President Joe Biden repeals the Trump administration’s decision to ban transgender people from serving in the United States military. (The Guardian)

Kaja Kallas wins the support of the Riigikogu to become the new Prime Minister, the first woman to do so. (ERR)

House sending Senate impeachment charge against TrumpThe House plans to send the article of impeachment against former President Donald Trump to the Senate on Monday, kicking off the process of Trump’s historic second impeachment trial. Senate Democrats last week agreed to a two-week delay to give both sides time to prepare, so the trial will start on Feb. 8. The Democratic-led House impeached Trump on Jan. 13, accusing him of inciting an insurrection by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol a week earlier. A growing number of Senate Republicans on Sunday argued that the Senate should drop the matter to help the nation heal. “I think the trial is stupid,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said on Fox News Sunday. “I think it’s counterproductive. We already have a flaming fire in this country, and [impeachment is] taking a bunch of gasoline and pouring it on top of the fire.” Source: CNBC

Supreme Court dismisses case alleging Trump illegally profited from his businesses The Supreme Court dismissed the long-running case claiming former President Donald Trump illegally profited off his businesses while in office. Two cases alleged Trump violated the Constitution’s emoluments clause as he continued to hold his businesses while in office, including by making money from foreign governments. Now that Trump is out of office, both sides of the case agreed it became “legally moot,” and the Supreme Court solidified that decision Monday. The suits demanded financial records to see how much Trump made off state and foreign governments who utilized his properties, especially given that Trump did not put his business interests into a blind trust when he took office. Two lower courts let the cases proceed to the Supreme Court, which gave no comment as it dismissed the case. Source: The Associated Press

  Sunday, Jan. 24th, 2021

Around 38 United States Capitol Police officers have tested positive for COVID-19 since the storming of the United States Capitol. (CNN)

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announces that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is receiving medical treatment. (Reuters)

Israel reports several cases of a faster-spreading variant of SARS-CoV-2, which was recently discovered in the United States. (Haaretz)

The Israeli cabinet agrees to close Ben Gurion International Airport and ban all incoming and outgoing international passengers from the airport, beginning at midnight tomorrow. Cargo flights, medical evacuations and firefighting flights are exempted from this rule. (The Washington Post)

Clashes broke out in three cities across Israel as police attempted to enforce coronavirus lockdown restrictions in a number of ultra-Orthodox communities. Israel is currently in a COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. (Times of Israel)

France imposes new border restrictions that require travellers from other European Union countries arriving by air or sea to present negative PCR test results obtained in the previous 72 hours. (France 24)

Rioting youths torched a COVID-19 testing center and threw fireworks at police in the fishing village of Urk overnight into Sunday. (DW)

Rioters set fires in the center of Eindhoven and pelted police with rocks at a banned demonstration against coronavirus lockdown measures. Police also faced off with curfew-defying crowds in The Hague, Amsterdam, Enschede, Venlo, Stein, Roermond, Oosterhout, Breda and elsewhere across the Netherlands. More than 100 people have been arrested. It was the worst violence to hit the Netherlands since the pandemic began and the second straight Sunday that police clashed with protesters in Amsterdam. The country has been under a lockdown since December. (BBC)

For the second consecutive day, Taiwan reports an incursion of its air defense identification zone by China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force. The incursion involved 12 fighter jets, two anti-submarine aircraft and a reconnaissance plane. Taiwan deployed air defence missile systems in response, according to a statement from the Ministry of National Defense. (BBC)

Israel opens an embassy in Abu Dhabi, four months after the signing of the agreement, while the United Arab Emirates approves the establishment of an embassy in Tel Aviv. (AFP via Dawn)

The Central African government renders custody of an alleged Séléka commander to the International Criminal Court, where he is expected to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. (AFP via Macau Business)

A mass shooting in Indianapolis, Indiana, leaves six dead and one injured. (WXIN-TV)

American manufacturer Tesla files a lawsuit against one of its former software engineers for allegedly copying confidential computer scripts onto a personal file hosting service. The former employee denies the company’s allegation, claiming he transferred the files by mistake. (AFP via ABS-CBN News)

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is reelected with 60.7% of the vote in Sunday’s election. (DW)

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says she intends to hold a “legal referendum” on independence since Brexit removed Scotland from the European Union against its will. Another referendum would require the approval of the United Kingdom’s government, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson opposes. (ABC News)

The two major political parties Reform Party and Centre Party agree to form a government, whose Prime Minister will be Kaja Kallas, who will become the first female to take the office. She is succeeding Jüri Ratas, who resigned following a corruption scandal that involves his party. (Politico)

SpaceX successfully launches a record 143 satellites into orbit on a single rocket in its Transporter-1 mission. The payload consisted of 120 CubeSats, 12 microsatellites, 10 Starlink satellites, and 1 transfer stage. It is also the maiden flight of the SHERPA-FX satellite dispenser. (BBC)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Green Bay Packers, 31-26, winning the 2020 NFC Championship and advancing to the Super Bowl. With the Super Bowl being held at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, this will be the first time a NFL team will play the championship game on their home field. They will play the Kansas City Chiefs, who beat the Buffalo Bills 38-24 in the 2020 AFC Championship.  (ESPN)

The End