Eighty-three people are killed during clashes between different ethnic groups in El Geneina, West Darfur, Sudan. They started after a row in which a man was stabbed to death. (BBC News)
Lebanon signs a deal to receive two million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. (Arab News)
Massachusetts reports their first case of a more contagious variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a woman in her 20s from Boston who traveled to the United Kingdom and began experiencing symptoms the day after she returned. (WBZ-TV)
The United Arab Emirates reports a record 3,453 new confirmed cases in a single-day, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 253,261. (The National)
Bavaria detects a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in 35 newly-infected patients in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which is different from the strain originating from the United Kingdom. (DW)
Indonesia reports a record 9,475 recoveries, including 2,802 from Jakarta, bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 745,935. (detikNews)
Japan detects possible community spread of the B.1.1.7 variant in three people from Shizuoka with no known travel history. (The Japan Times)
Morocco reports its first case of the B.1.1.7 variant in the Port of Tangier Med. (Morocco World News)
Nepal reports their first case of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in three people who travelled to the United Kingdom three weeks ago and later tested positive. (The Kathmandu Post)
Portugal reports a record 167 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 9,028. (SIC Noticias)
The Czech Republic confirms the detection of the B.1.1.7 variant that originated in the United Kingdom. (CTK)
The Indian union territory of Lakshadweep reports their first case of COVID-19 in a man who left for Kavaratti by ship from Kochi, making it the last territory to report their first case. (India Today)
Thirty-nine residents are confirmed to have died from COVID-19 at a single nursing home in Denver, Pennsylvania. (LNP)
Turkmenistan registers the Sputnik V vaccine despite having no confirmed cases in the country, according to the Russian Direct Investment Fund. It becomes the first country in Central Asia to approve a Russian-made vaccine. (RFE/RL)
Two United Nation peacekeepers, from Gabon and Morocco, are killed in an ambush by anti-balaka insurgents near Bangassou, Central African Republic, according to MINUSCA. (Relief Web)
Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of all 16 states agree to extend the nationwide lockdown until February 14, due to the threat of new variants of SARS-CoV-2. They also agree to mandate medical masks for all passengers on public transport. (Taggeschau)
Discoveries of exoplanets Scientists discover that WASP-107b is a super-puff. WASP-107b is an exoplanet the same size as Jupiter but with one tenth the mass, located 212 light years away from Earth. (CBS News) (Sci-News)
Fifteen people are killed by a truck in Surat, India while they were sleeping by a road. (Al Jazeera English)
Hong Kong extends their work from home arrangements for civil servants until January 27, as the city attempts to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases. (Reuters via Financial Post)
Ireland reports a record 93 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 2,708. (Irish Examiner)
Kuwait reports their first cases of the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2 in two women who travelled from the United Kingdom. (Gulf News)
Portugal reports a new record for the second consecutive day, of 218 deaths, bringing the nationwide death toll to 9,246. At the same time, the nationwide number of ICU patients reaches a record 670, just below the maximum allocation capacity of 672 ICU beds set the day before. (DGS) (Reuters)
Scientists discover that WASP-107b is a super-puff. WASP-107b is an exoplanet the same size as Jupiter but with one tenth the mass, located 212 light years away from Earth. (CBS News) (Sci-News)
The United Kingdom reports a record 1,610 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 91,470. (ITV)
Wisconsin pharmacist Steven Brandenburg is charged with attempted misdemeanor property damage for deliberately trying to defrost doses of Moderna's vaccine. (AP)
2021 Madrid explosion An explosion caused by a gas leak at a residence for priests in Madrid, Spain results in four fatalities and injures ten others. It also partially destroys the residence. (Reuters)
An explosion caused by a gas leak at a residence for priests in Madrid, Spain results in four fatalities and injures ten others. It also partially destroys the residence. (Reuters)
Beijing impose a partial lockdown in five neighbourhoods after two cases in Daxing were linked to B.1.1.7 variant found in the United Kingdom. (AFP via Barron's)
Chile approves the CoronaVac vaccine developed by Sinovac for emergency use in the country. (MedicalXpress)
India begins exporting the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Bhutan and Maldives. (Hindustan Times)
Indonesia reports a record 9,755 recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of recoveries to 763,703. (Okezone)
Lebanon reports a record 61 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 2,084. (The961)
Portugal reports a record 14,647 new confirmed cases and 219 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide totals to 581,605 confirmed cases and 9,465 deaths. (Bloomberg) (SIC Notícias)
Spain reports a record 41,576 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,412,318. (elDiario.es)
The Philippines surpasses 10,000 deaths from COVID-19. (GMA News)
The Russian Direct Investment Fund files the registration of the Sputnik V vaccine with the European Medicines Agency with the first review expected in February. (The Moscow Times)
The United Kingdom reports a record 1,820 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 93,290. (ITV)
2021 Kharkiv fire Fifteen people are killed and eleven others injured in a fire at a nursing home in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (BBC News)
A truck carrying sticks of gelatin explodes at a boulder-crushing facility in Abbalagere in Shivamogga district, Karnataka, India, killing eight workers. (India Today)
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey extends the statewide mask mandate to March 5. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Fifteen people are killed and eleven others injured in a fire at a nursing home in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (BBC News)
Five people are killed in a fire at a Serum Institute of India facility in Pune, Maharashtra, India. (BBC News)
Hungary approves the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine and Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, becoming the first European Union member state to approve the Russian vaccine. (BBC News)
Mexico reports a record 22,339 newly confirmed cases and 1,809 deaths in the past 24 hours. (ABC News)
Portugal reports a record of 221 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 9,686. (DGS)
Spain reports a record 44,357 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,456,675. (La Vanguardia)
Tennessee reports their first two cases of a more contagious variant of SARS-CoV-2 that was first identified in the United Kingdom. (WSMV-TV)
Thailand's Food and Drug Administration approves the emergency use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. 50,000 doses of the vaccine are expected to arrive in February. (Bangkok Post)
Trinidad and Tobago reports their first case of the B.1.1.7 variant in a person returning from the United Kingdom. (Daily Express)
Alphabet Inc. announces that it will shut down its subsidiary Loon, which provides an aerial wireless network through high-altitude balloons, saying that it is not "commercially viable". (AFP via Barron's)
Arizona begins legal sales of recreational cannabis, making it the 15th state to do so. (AP)
Belgium declares a ban on non-essential travel in and out of the country from January 27 through March 1 in order to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants. (VRT) (France 24)
California reports a record 764 deaths in the past 24 hours. (U.S. News and World Report)
Cannabis in Arizona, 2020 Arizona Proposition 207 Arizona begins legal sales of recreational cannabis, making it the 15th state to do so. (AP)
Cuba reports their first case of a variant from South Africa in an asymptomatic person who travelled from the country. (Explica)
Germany reports their first case of the more contagious B.1.1.248 variant in a person who travelled from Brazil to Hesse. (MedicalXpress)
Germany surpasses 50,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Deutsche Welle) (ABC News)
Japan reports a record 108 deaths in the past 24 hours. (The Japan Times)
Malaysia reports a record of 18 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 660. (Malay Mail)
Myanmar receives its first 1.5 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. (CNA)
New Jersey reports their first two cases of the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2. Neither had travelled. (NJ.com)
Nuclear disarmament The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons enters into force, banning the development, testing, production, stockpiling, stationing, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons in 51 countries. However, the world's major nuclear powers have not endorsed this international agreement. (Voice of America)
Panama reports their first case of a variant from South Africa in a 40-year-old Zimbabwe native who entered the country from there. (Reuters)
Portugal also reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant that originated in South Africa. They do not indicate whether the individual travelled. (RTP) (Reuters)
Portugal reports a record of 234 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 9,920. (DGS)
Real Madrid announces that their coach Zinedine Zidane has tested positive for COVID-19. (CBS Sports)
The number of recoveries in Belize surpasses 11,000. (Breaking Belize News)
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons enters into force, banning the development, testing, production, stockpiling, stationing, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons in 51 countries. However, the world's major nuclear powers have not endorsed this international agreement. (Voice of America)
Amazonas Governor Wilson Lima announces new, tougher restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19, beginning January 25. People will only be allowed to leave their homes for essential purposes such grocery shopping. (CNN Brasil)
Chief of the Defence Staff Miguel Ángel Villarroya resigns after he admitted to receiving a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while not being on the priority list. (AFP via SBS News)
Eleven Popular Mobilization Forces members are killed, including a brigade commander, and ten others wounded in an ambush by suspected Islamic State militants east of Tikrit. (The Arab Weekly)
Federal officials announce that all indoor portions of the National Mall and memorial parks will be closed to the public to combat the spread of COVID-19. (NBC News)
ISIL insurgency in Iraq Eleven Popular Mobilization Forces members are killed, including a brigade commander, and ten others wounded in an ambush by suspected Islamic State militants east of Tikrit. (The Arab Weekly)
Japan surpasses 5,000 deaths from COVID-19. (The Japan Times)
Malaysia reports a record 4,275 new confirmed cases and 4,313 recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide totals to 180,455 confirmed cases and 137,019 recoveries. (Malay Mail)
