Portal:Current events
Topics in the news
- Aung San Suu Kyi (pictured), the State Counsellor of Myanmar, is detained by the military in a coup d'état.
- A coordinated short squeeze targeting American hedge funds causes GameStop's stock price to spike.
- Kaja Kallas becomes the first female Prime Minister of Estonia, following the resignation of Jüri Ratas.
- In Russia, protests against the arrest of Alexei Navalny occur in more than 120 towns and cities.
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Internal conflict in Myanmar
- An ambush on a convoy by suspected MNDAA insurgents in Shan State, Myanmar, kills nine civilians and three policemen, and injures 13 others. (ANI News)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
- The government eases the restrictions of businesses operating hours outside Seoul Capital Area, allowing those businesses to operate until 10:00 pm local time amid blacklash over prolonged virus curbs. (The Korea Herald)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
Science and technology
- Censorship in Myanmar, aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état
- The military junta shuts down the country's internet with a near-total blackout in effect amid growing protests against the coup. (BBC)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- 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)
- Mali War, Takuba Task Force
- 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)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, American Rescue Plan
- 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)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Community of Madrid
- Spain approves the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in people aged 18 to 55. (El Mundo)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
- Ukraine secures 12 million doses of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Novavax. (UNIAN)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain
- Bahrain announces that all indoor gyms, indoor exercise classes, sports halls and swimming pools will be closed from February 7 to February 21 in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The country also announces that government entities and institutions can allow up to 70 percent of their employees to work from home. (Arab News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India, COVID-19 vaccine
- India reaches past 5 million vaccinations. (Business Standard)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
- South Korea surpasses 80,000 cases of COVID-19. (The Korea Herald)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
- Western Australia lifts a five-day lockdown in Perth and surrounding areas after it reports no community cases. (9 News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
- Immigration and government officials announce that New Zealand will restart its Refugee Quota Programme this month, nearly a year after closing its border due to the pandemic. (RNZ)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oklahoma
- Oklahoma reports its first case of the Lineage P.1 variant originated from Brazil in a woman who had a travel history. (KFOR-TV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Virginia
- Virginia reports its first case of the 501.V2 variant in a person from eastern Virginia. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa
- COVID-19 vaccine
- Variants of SARS-CoV-2
- AstraZeneca-Oxford developers say that their vaccine candidate is effective against the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2. (BBC)
- Variants of SARS-CoV-2
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
International relations
- Palau announces its intention to withdraw from the Pacific Islands Forum after claiming fraudulence in the recent election for the organization's Secretary General. (AFP via The Straits Times)
Law and crime
- Aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état
- Prominent National League for Democracy official Win Htein is arrested for sedition and taken from his house in Yangon by members of the military and police. (The Guardian)
- Crime in London
Politics and elections
- Second Libyan Civil War, Libyan peace process
- Delegates of the United Nations-supported Libyan Political Dialogue Forum vote in Geneva to elect Mohammad Younes Menfi as President of the Presidency Council and businessman Mohammed Dbaiba as Prime Minister, defeating President of the House of Representatives Aguila Saleh, and Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha. (Bloomberg)
Science and technology
- Censorship in Myanmar
- The military junta in Myanmar orders internet service providers to block Twitter and Instagram "until further notice". (Reuters)
- 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)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Yemeni Civil War, Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
- 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. Prime Minister Hassan Diab says "this heinous crime shall not pass without accountability". (BBC)
Arts and culture
- New Zealand announces a new floating public holiday to commence in 2022 based on the Māori celebration of Matariki. (RNZ)
Disasters and accidents
- 2021 Wooroloo bushfire
- The number of homes destroyed rises to 81, as a new bushfire to the north threatens the Bullsbrook township. (ABC Australia)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
- COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
- President Andrés Manuel López Obrador says he is in "good health and recovering" after testing positive for COVID-19. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin
- Governor Tony Evers issues a new mask mandate after the Legislature voted to repeal it. (AP)
- President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly Volkan Bozkır receives his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. (Business Standard)
- Johnson & Johnson requests emergency approval for its vaccine from the Food and Drug Administration. (CNET)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin
- COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia
- The Ministry of Health grants emergency use authorization for China's Sinopharm vaccine. (Khmer Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
- Iran receives its first shipment of 500,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. (The Times of Israel)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the State of Palestine
- Palestine receives 10,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. (Anadolu Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- Taiwan reports its first death of a foreigner from COVID-19. The patient was a British national in his 70s. It is also the first death from the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 reported in the country. (Taiwan News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in France, Lineage P.1
- COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
- Italy surpasses 90,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Il Messaggero)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- The government confirms that British nationals and non-residents returning from 30 "red list" high-risk countries will need to quarantine in hotels or government-approved accommodation beginning February 15, two weeks after it was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. (Sky News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Peru
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
- 2019–2021 locust infestation
- Somalia declares a state of emergency due to swarms of desert locusts. (Daily Sabah)
International relations
- 2020–2021 Indian farmers protest
- The Biden adminstration calls for India to resolve the farmers' protests via dialogue. However, the Ministry of External Affairs compared reactions to the January 26th incident at Red Fort to the January 6 riot that occurred at the Capitol. (National Herald)
- A probe by the Modi government to the source of a protest toolkit Greta Thunberg posted suggested it was put together by a Canadian pro-Khalistan organization and that the toolkit had a plan to carry forward the "malign Indian campaign" even if the government repealed the laws. (Times of India)
- Foreign relations of Guyana, Foreign relations of Taiwan
- Taiwan announces that it will establish a Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Guyana. The United States welcomes the "milestone". (AFP via CNA)
- After criticism from China, Guyana terminates the above agreement and says it will continue to follow the One-China policy. (The Guardian)
- China–United Kingdom relations
- 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)
- Turkey–United States relations
- 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)
- Henry Puna becomes the new Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum replacing Meg Taylor. (RNZ)
Law and crime
Politics and elections
- 117th United States Congress
- The United States House of Representatives votes 230–199 to remove Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) from her assignments on the Education and Labor and Budget committees. (BBC)
Science and technology
- 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, Censorship in Myanmar, Censorship of Facebook
- 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)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Syrian civil war
- Syria missile strikes (February 2021)
- Israel launches airstrikes in Syria, Syrian forces responded late on Wednesday to "Israeli aggression" in the south of the country, according to state news agency SANA. (i24 News)
- Syria missile strikes (February 2021)
- Mali War
- Insurgency in the Maghreb
- Four Tunisian soldiers are killed by a land mine during a counter-terrorism operation in Mount Mghila, central Tunisia. (AFP via Barron's)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shortages related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- 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)
Disasters and accidents
- 2021 Wooroloo bushfire
- Over 70 homes are destroyed by a large wildfire in Western Australia. (ABC Australia)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
- The Czech Republic surpasses one million cases of COVID-19. (Arab News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, COVID-19 vaccination programme in the United Kingdom
- The number of people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the United Kingdom surpasses 10 million. (ITV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait
- Kuwait will suspend entry for non-citizens for two weeks beginning February 7, due to an increase in COVID-19 cases in the country. (Gulf News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
- The United Arab Emirates reports a record of 3,977 new confirmed cases and 12 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 313,626 and the nationwide death toll to 878. (Al-Arabiya)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Kansas
- Kansas reports its first case of the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Ellis County. (The Wichita Eagle)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Kansas
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
- Medsafe provisionally approves the use of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine in New Zealand with certain conditions. (RNZ)
- COVID-19 vaccine
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- 2020–21 H5N8 outbreak
International relations
- Guyana–Venezuela relations, Guayana Esequiba dispute
- The Venezuelan government releases the crew of two Guyana-flagged fishing vessels detained by the Venezuelan military in January for alleged illegal fishing in the disputed Guayana Esequiba region. (AFP via France 24)
Law and crime
- 2021 Myanmar coup d'état
- The police file criminal charges against overthrown de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi for illegally importing communications equipment and seek her custody until February 15 as part of investigations. (Al Jazeera)
- Terrorism in Canada
- 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)
- Fifteen people are arrested in Ethiopia over a plot to attack the United Arab Emirates' embassy in the capital Addis Ababa. Several other suspects, who were planning attacks against the UAE's diplomatic mission in Sudan, are also arrested. (Al Jazeera)
Politics and elections
- 2021 Italian government crisis
- Mario Draghi accepts the order from President Sergio Mattarella to form an "emergency government" after Giuseppe Conte's resignation. (The New York Times)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2021 Myanmar coup d'état
- Burmese State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi is placed under house arrest in the capital Naypyidaw after the military coup that overthrew her government. (Financial Times)
- Tigray War
- Three Ethiopian opposition parties say that at least 52,000 civilians have died in Tigray. (Bloomberg)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, American Rescue Plan
- 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)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- COVID-19 pandemic in England
- Captain Tom, a British Army veteran who served in World War II and who donated to charities during the lockdown, dies from COVID-19 at the age of 100. (The Guardian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
- First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announces a phased return to school for Scotland's youngest children, with nurseries and all primary pupils from P1 to P3 planned to be back in the classroom beginning on February 22. (BBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in England
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
- Spain will restrict travel to South Africa and Brazil due to concerns about new variants of SARS-CoV-2. (Reuters)
- Spain reports 724 deaths in the past 24 hours, the most since April. (El País)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Andorra
- Andorra surpasses the 10.000 COVID-19 cases. (Diari d'Andorra)
- COVID-19 pandemic in France
- The French National Authority for Health approves the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged under 65. (France 24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
- Ireland reports a record 101 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 3,418. (The Irish Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands, COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns
- Prime Minister Mark Rutte extends all of the country's tough lockdown measures for at least a month due to the spread of more transmissible variants of SARS-CoV-2. (ABC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in San Marino
- Former Captain Regent Fausta Morganti dies from COVID-19 at the age of 76. (Corriere Romagna)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
- COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Brunswick, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- New Brunswick reports its first two cases of the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2. (Toronto Star)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Saskatchewan, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- Saskatchewan reports its first two cases of the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the Regina area. (CBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Brunswick, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
- Mexico approves the use of Sputnik V vaccine in the country. (CTV News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
- Indonesia reports a record 12,848 recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 896,530. (detikHealth)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
- The Japanese government extends an ongoing state of emergency in 10 prefectures, including Tokyo, which surpassed 100,000 cases yesterday. (UPI)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Kyrgyzstan, COVID-19 vaccine
- Kyrgyzstan is expected to receive 504,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in March. (24.kg)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the State of Palestine
- Palestinian Authority begins a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 starting with healthcare workers in the occupied West Bank. (Daily Sabah)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- The Ministry of Health confirms that 276 people in 10 provinces and cities are currently infected with the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2. (The Bangkok Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
- COVID-19 vaccine
- Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine
- 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)
- Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
International relations
- 2021 Myanmar coup d'état
- China blocks a United Nations Security Council statement formally condemning the military coup in Myanmar. (BBC)
Law and crime
- 2021 Sunrise, Florida shootout
- Two FBI agents are killed and three others are wounded during a shootout in Sunrise, Florida, while serving an arrest warrant. The gunman is later found dead. This is the deadliest incident involving FBI agents since 1986. (BBC) (Orlando Sentinel)
- Muskogee home shooting
- Five children and one adult are killed, and another person wounded, during a mass shooting at a home in Muskogee, Oklahoma. A 25-year-old male suspect who had been living with the victims is taken into custody. (Associated Press)
Politics and elections
- Cabinet of Joe Biden
- The United States Senate votes to confirm Pete Buttigieg as Transportation Secretary, making him the first openly gay person to be confirmed to a Cabinet post. (ABC News)
- 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)
- 2021 Italian government crisis
- President Sergio Mattarella invites former President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi to form a new government following the resignation of Giuseppe Conte as Prime Minister. (AFP via RTE)
Sports
- 2020–21 Premier League, Manchester United F.C. 9–0 Southampton F.C.
- Manchester United defeats Southampton 9–0 to set the record for the largest winning margin in a Premier League match, equalling that of Leicester City's 0–9 victory against the same team in the previous season and their own 9–0 win against Ipswich Town in 1995. (ABC Australia)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2021 Myanmar coup d'état
- The military hands over power to Min Aung Hlaing and announces a state of emergency for a year, after detaining Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of the National League for Democracy party. (BBC)
Disasters and accidents
- Twelve people are killed when two vessels sink close to a port on Colombia's Pacific coast, in Tumaco. (The Canberra Times)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
- Tokyo surpasses 100,000 cases of COVID-19. (The Mainichi)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan
- Pakistan receives 500,000 doses of Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine. (The News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
- Dubai closes all bars and pubs for the entire month of February and limit other activities due to rise of COVID-19 cases across the United Arab Emirates. (ABC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Armenia
- Armenia approves the use of the Sputnik V vaccine developed by Russia. (Public Radio of Armenia)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Austria
- Austria announces the easing of its lockdown from February 8, allowing non-essential shops and schools to reopen while toughening border restrictions and implementing a curfew from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am local time. (Vienna.at)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Isle of Man
- The Isle of Man lifts its second "circuit-breaker" lockdown after 20 days without a community case. (BBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
- Italy eases its national restrictions by allowing the reopening of bars, restaurants and museums in 16 "Yellow-zone" regions. However, a curfew from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am will remain in place. (France 24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Lithuania, Variant of Concern 202012/01
- Lithuania reports its first case of the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a woman from Vilnius who tested positive for COVID-19 in early January. (LRT)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Armenia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
- COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia
- British Columbia confirms 18 cases of the new variants of SARS-CoV-2 from the United Kingdom and South Africa. (CBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, 501.V2 variant
- Ontario reports its first case of the 501.V2 variant in a person from the Peel Region with no known travel history. (CP24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
- South Africa receives one million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India. (ABC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
International relations
- 2021 Myanmar coup d'état
- Myanmar–United Kingdom relations
- The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office summons the ambassador of Myanmar to the United Kingdom in response to the coup. (AFP via NDTV)
- Myanmar–United States relations
- U.S. President Joe Biden threatens to re-impose sanctions on Myanmar's military leaders and calls for them to relinquish the power that they seized in the coup. (Reuters)
- Myanmar–United Kingdom relations
- Venezuelan presidential crisis
- Andorra stops recognizing Juan Guaidó as the interim President of Venezuela. (Diari d'Andorra)
Law and crime
- 2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest
- Internet access remained blocked following violent clashes between police and farmers protesting controversial agricultural reforms. Online access was suspended in at least 14 of 22 districts in Haryana near New Delhi. That order was first imposed on Republic Day in Haryana districts for 24 hours, but has been extended every day since. (CNN)
- 2021 Boğaziçi University protests
- A total of 159 people are detained at the protests over the appointment of Melih Bulu as the rector of Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, Turkey. (Reuters)
- Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
- Over 228 people have been charged or arrested for participating in the storming of the United States Capitol. (Business Insider)
- 2020–2021 United States racial unrest
- Protesters marched in Rochester, New York, after a nine-year-old girl was handcuffed and pepper-sprayed by police. Protesters ripped away barricades protecting a Rochester police precinct as hundreds took to the streets in outrage. (Democrat and Chronicle)
- Ballot Measure 110 goes into effect in Oregon, making it the first state to decriminalize possession of small amounts of specified Schedule I and Schedule II drugs. (ABC News)
Politics and elections
- 2021 President of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil election, 2021 President of the Federal Senate of Brazil election
- The National Congress of Brazil elects new leaders for the 56th Legislature. Arthur Lira and Rodrigo Pacheco, candidates supported by President Jair Bolsonaro, are elected President of the Chamber of Deputies and President of the Federal Senate respectively. (AFP via Bangkok Post)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Tigray War
- Former Tigray Region president and fugitive Debretsion Gebremichael speaks out for the first time since going into hiding following the fall of Mekelle to federal forces in November 2020, saying "They [the federal government] have temporary military dominance", and "we are engaged in extended resistance". His current whereabouts are unknown. (Reuters)
- Somali Civil War
- A suicide bomber blows himself up outside the Afrik Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia, while gunmen storm the hotel and open fire. Five people are killed in the al-Shabaab attack, including a former military general; ten civilians are wounded. The three other attackers are shot dead during a gun battle with security forces. (BBC)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, 501.V2 variant
- Israel reports its first reinfection case of the 501.V2 variant in a 57-year-old man who recently travelled to Turkey and who previously recovered from COVID-19. (Times of Israel)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon
- Lebanon surpasses 300,000 cases of COVID-19. (The Daily Star)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the State of Palestine, COVID-19 vaccination in Israel
- Israel agrees to transfer 5,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the Palestinians to immunize frontline medical workers. (BBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
- South Korea extends its social distancing restrictions for another two weeks amid concern around the upcoming Lunar New Year holidays and an increase in the number of cases. (Bloomberg)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam, 501.V2 variant
- Vietnam reports its first case of the 501.V2 variant in a 25-year-old man from South Africa who travelled to Hanoi on December 19 and tested positive for COVID-19 four days later while in quarantine. (AAP via The West Australian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, 501.V2 variant
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in France
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
- Minister for Primary Education 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- Captain Tom, a British Army World War II veteran who raised millions of pounds for charity during the pandemic, is hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19. He has not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine. (NBC News) (BBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
- Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan announces a five-day lockdown in the Perth metropolitan, Peel, and South West regions, beginning at 6:00 pm AWST, after a quarantine hotel security guard tests positive for COVID-19, possibly of the B.1.1.7 variant. (9 News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba
- Cuba reports a record 1,012 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 26,686. (Presna Latina)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt
- Egypt receives its first shipment of 50,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from India. (Ahram Online)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
International relations
- Russia–United States relations
- 2021 Russian protests, aftermath of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny
- United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemns Russian authorities for using "harsh tactics" in protests that broke out following the arrest of Alexei Navalny. (NBC News)
- 2021 Russian protests, aftermath of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny
- Hong Kong–United Kingdom relations, immigration to the United Kingdom
- The United Kingdom formally launches a visa scheme allowing all Hong Kong residents with British National (Overseas) passports (BNO), and their "immediate dependents", to fast-track their UK citizenship. At least 300,000 people are expected to apply. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China says that it will "no longer recognise" BNO passports as legal travel documents. (BBC)
Law and crime
- Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2021 Russian protests
- More than 5,000 people are detained by police at nationwide protests calling for the release of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny. (BBC)
Politics and elections
- Politics of Vietnam
- Nguyễn Phú Trọng is re-elected as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam for a third five-year term as top leader in Vietnam. (Reuters)
February 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 |
Ongoing events
Business
Disasters
Politics
- Afghan peace process
- Armenian protests
- Belarusian protests
- Bulgarian protests
- East Mediterranean crisis
- Hong Kong protests
- Indian farmers protests
- Italian government crisis
- Indonesia omnibus law protests
- Kashmir lock-down
- Libyan peace process
- Nicaraguan protests
- Nigerian protests
- Persian Gulf crisis
- Russian protests
- Second Arab Spring
- Sudanese protests
- Thai protests
- United States election protests
- United States racial unrest
- Venezuelan presidential crisis
- Yellow vests movement
Recent
Upcoming
Recently concluded
- France: Charlie Hebdo shooting
- Switzerland: Beny Steinmetz
- Vanuatu: Charlot Salwai
Ongoing
- Argentina: Rodolfo Martín Villa
- Armenia: Serzh Sargsyan
- Colombia: Álvaro Uribe
- France: Nicolas Sarkozy
- Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu
- Kyrgyzstan: Almazbek Atambayev
- Malta: Yorgen Fenech
- South Africa: Jacob Zuma
- Spain: 2017 Catalonia attacks
- Sudan: Omar al-Bashir
- United States: Varsity Blues scandal
- International: The Gambia v. Myanmar
Upcoming
- Indonesia: Edhy Prabowo, Juliari Batubara, Muhammad Rizieq Shihab
- Kosovo: Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli
- Lesotho: Maesiah Thabane
- Rwanda: Paul Rusesabagina
- United States: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Elizabeth Holmes, Meng Wanzhou, R. Kelly, Ghislaine Maxwell
- Zimbabwe: Ignatius Chombo
- Association football
- Women's association football
- American football
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Golf
- Ice hockey
- Rugby union
- Other sports seasons
February 2021
- 5: Christopher Plummer
- 4: Lokman Slim
- 4: Jaime Murrell
- 3: Haya Harareet
- 3: Jim Weatherly
- 2: Rennie Davis
- 2: Fausta Morganti
- 2: Captain Tom
- 1: Dustin Diamond
- 1: Jack Palladino
- 1: John Sweeney
- 1: Jamie Tarses
January 2021
- 30: Allan Burns
- 30: Sophie
- 30: Marc Wilmore
- 29: Hilton Valentine
- 28: Paul J. Crutzen
- 28: Cicely Tyson
- 28: Lewis Wolpert
- 27: Juan del Río Martín
- 26: Cloris Leachman
- 26: Carlos Holmes Trujillo
- 24: George Armstrong
- 24: Arik Brauer
- 24: Sonny Fox
- 24: Bruce Kirby
- 24: Gunnel Lindblom
- 24: Joseph Sonnabend
- 23: Walter Bernstein
- 23: Tony Ferrer
- 23: Alberto Grimaldi
- 23: Hal Holbrook
- 23: Larry King
- 23: Nilda Pedrosa
- 23: Robert Rowland
- 23: Roy Torrens
- 22: Hank Aaron
- 22: Juan Guzmán Tapia
- 22: José Rivera Pérez
- 21: Henry Chmielewski
- 20: Mira Furlan
- 20: Sibusiso Moyo
- 20: Peter Swan
- 20: Ted Thompson
- 19: V. Shanta
- 18: Jean-Pierre Bacri
- 18: Lubomir Kavalek
- 18: Jimmie Rodgers
- 18: Don Sutton
- 17: Nikolay Antoshkin
- 17: Sammy Nestico
- 16: Salleh Abas
- 16: Michael Bryce
- 16: Chris Murphy
- 16: Phil Spector
- 15: Benjamin de Rothschild
- 14: Peter Mark Richman
- 14: Joanne Rogers
- 13: Tim Bogert
- 13: Siegfried Fischbacher
- 13: Sylvain Sylvain
- 13: Philip Tartaglia
Africa
- Algeria, Libya and Tunisia
- Cameroon
- Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
- Central African Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ethiopia
- Mali
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Somalia
- Sudan
- War in Darfur
- South Kordofan conflict
- Sudanese nomadic conflicts (incl. South Sudan)
- Western Sahara
Americas
- Colombia
- Mexico
- Peru
Asia-Pacific
- Afghanistan
- China
- India
- India and Pakistan
- Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines
- Indonesia
- Myanmar
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Thailand
Europe
- Armenia and Azerbaijan
- Ukraine
Middle East
- Egypt
- Iran and the Persian Gulf
- Iraq
- Iraq and Syria (map)
- Israel and Gaza
- Israel and Syria
- Syria
- Turkey
- Yemen and Saudi Arabia
2021 events and developments by topic
Arts
Architecture – Comics – Film – Home video – Literature – Music (Country, Rock, Metal, UK, US) – Radio – Television (UK, US) – 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 – Space/Astronomy – Spaceflight
Environment and environmental sciences
Birding/Ornithology – Climate change
Transportation
Establishments and disestablishments categories
Establishments – Disestablishments
Works and introductions categories
Works – Introductions – Works entering the public domain
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2021.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)