COVID-19 pandemic in Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Wright (R-TX) dies from COVID-19 at the age of 67, thus making him the first member of Congress to die from the disease. (NBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States COVID-19 pandemic in Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Wright (R-TX) dies from COVID-19 at the age of 67, thus making him the first member of Congress to die from the disease. (NBC News) The United States surpasses 27 million cases of COVID-19. (KIRO-TV)
Yemeni Civil War Houthi forces resume an offensive against Maʼrib, the last stronghold of the internationally-recognized Yemeni government in northern Yemen. A government source says that 20 pro-government fighters have been killed and 28 others have been injured repelling five attacks in the past 24 hours. (Middle East Eye)
Houthi forces resume an offensive against Maʼrib, the last stronghold of the internationally-recognized Yemeni government in northern Yemen. A government source says that 20 pro-government fighters have been killed and 28 others have been injured repelling five attacks in the past 24 hours. (Middle East Eye)
COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador resumes morning news conferences two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19. (AP)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea Seoul metropolitan government launches COVID-19 test for pet cats and dogs, which comes after South Korea reported its first case of COVID-19 infection in an animal (kitten) on January 24. (CNA)
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador resumes morning news conferences two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19. (AP)
Russia–European Union relations, 2021 Russian protests The governments of Germany, Poland, and Sweden each expel a Russian diplomat to reciprocate the Russian government's expulsion of three European Union diplomats on February 6. (AFP via The Moscow Times)
Seoul metropolitan government launches COVID-19 test for pet cats and dogs, which comes after South Korea reported its first case of COVID-19 infection in an animal (kitten) on January 24. (CNA)
The government of Vietnam reports that it has culled more than 100,000 poultry in 14 provinces so far this year in a bid to contain the spread of highly pathogenic H5N1 and H5N6 bird flu strains. (Reuters)
The governments of Germany, Poland, and Sweden each expel a Russian diplomat to reciprocate the Russian government's expulsion of three European Union diplomats on February 6. (AFP via The Moscow Times)
Greece–Israel relations, COVID-19 pandemic in Greece, COVID-19 pandemic in Israel Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sign an accord that would allow vaccinated travellers to visit freely between the two countries without any restrictions in order to revive their battered tourism sector. (Ekathimerini)
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sign an accord that would allow vaccinated travellers to visit freely between the two countries without any restrictions in order to revive their battered tourism sector. (Ekathimerini)
War in Afghanistan 2021 Afghanistan attacks Five people are killed in two separate attacks targeting government employees in Kabul, including the head of the provincial department of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development. (Reuters)
2021 Afghanistan attacks Five people are killed in two separate attacks targeting government employees in Kabul, including the head of the provincial department of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development. (Reuters)
Five people are killed in two separate attacks targeting government employees in Kabul, including the head of the provincial department of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics Parliament suspends their sittings for the next three weeks after 17 MPs and 151 staff tested positive for COVID-19. (Pulse Ghana)
COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia The government allows more businesses in retail sector and Mosques in most of Malaysia to reopen beginning tomorrow and allows restaurants to resume dine-in service with two people seat on the table despite COVID-19 cases in the country remains high. (The Straits Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Peru Peru launches a vaccination program against COVID-19 two days after it received 300,000 doses of Sinopharm's BBIBP-CorV vaccine. President Francisco Sagasti becomes the first person to get vaccinated. (Voice of America)
Parliament suspends their sittings for the next three weeks after 17 MPs and 151 staff tested positive for COVID-19. (Pulse Ghana)
COVID-19 pandemic in Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announces a near-full lockdown in the Attica region, which includes the capital Athens, from February 11 until February 28. All schools, churches, hair salons, and retail stores, with the exception of supermarkets and pharmacies, are ordered to close; and restaurants are only allowed to offer delivery services. (Ekathimerini)
COVID-19 pandemic in Iran Iran begins a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 among healthcare workers using the Sputnik V vaccine. (Al Jazeera)
Iran begins a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 among healthcare workers using the Sputnik V vaccine. (Al Jazeera)
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announces a near-full lockdown in the Attica region, which includes the capital Athens, from February 11 until February 28. All schools, churches, hair salons, and retail stores, with the exception of supermarkets and pharmacies, are ordered to close; and restaurants are only allowed to offer delivery services. (Ekathimerini)
COVID-19 pandemic in Germany The federal government and leaders of 16 German states agree to extend the nationwide lockdown until March 7 due to concerns about variants of SARS-CoV-2 despite a decline in the number of new cases. (DW)
COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand The New Zealand Government grants a formal approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and announces that high-risk groups such as quarantine personnel, frontline health workers and airline staff will be the first to receive the vaccine. (ABC Australia)
The federal government and leaders of 16 German states agree to extend the nationwide lockdown until March 7 due to concerns about variants of SARS-CoV-2 despite a decline in the number of new cases. (DW)
The New Zealand Government grants a formal approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and announces that high-risk groups such as quarantine personnel, frontline health workers and airline staff will be the first to receive the vaccine. (ABC Australia)
The Saudi government releases women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul from prison, after being held in custody for almost three years. She will still be banned from traveling for the next five years, and has been placed on a three-year probation. (Al Jazeera)
Cambodia launches a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using 600,000 doses of Sinopharm's BBIBP-CorV vaccine. The son of Prime Minister Hun Sen, Hun Manet, and several cabinet ministers are among the first people to get vaccinated. (Nikkei Asia)
COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia Cambodia launches a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using 600,000 doses of Sinopharm's BBIBP-CorV vaccine. The son of Prime Minister Hun Sen, Hun Manet, and several cabinet ministers are among the first people to get vaccinated. (Nikkei Asia)
Belarus–Russia relations Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko expresses his support for Russian President Vladimir Putin as both men face protests. He also criticized the protests in his own country as a "rebellion" during the All Belarusian People's Assembly. (Newsweek)
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko expresses his support for Russian President Vladimir Putin as both men face protests. He also criticized the protests in his own country as a "rebellion" during the All Belarusian People's Assembly. (Newsweek)
COVID-19 pandemic in France, impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation France's government cancels a plan by international airport operator Groupe ADP to expand Charles de Gaulle Airport, the country's largest airport, citing reduced traffic due to the pandemic and inconsistency with environmental policies. (AFP via RFI)
COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal The Assembly of the Republic votes to extend its state of emergency, allowing the government to extend its second lockdown until March 1. (ABC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia The government announces that starting from February 15, all retail stores will be allowed to reopen and customers will no longer need to present a negative COVID-19 testing result to enter. Schools and universities will also be allowed to resume their classes. Also, skiers will now be allowed to present negative test results from the past seven days instead of just the past 24 hours. (Total Slovenia News)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa announces that the country has secured nine million doses of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine, with the first shipment of 80,000 doses arriving next week. (SABC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and health workers across the country receive their second doses of COVID-19 vaccine as the country begins to administer second doses of Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine. (Daily Sabah)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in France, impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation France's government cancels a plan by international airport operator Groupe ADP to expand Charles de Gaulle Airport, the country's largest airport, citing reduced traffic due to the pandemic and inconsistency with environmental policies. (AFP via RFI) COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, COVID-19 recession Malaysia's GDP contracts 5.6% in 2020, its worst annual contraction since 1998 following the 1997 Asian financial crisis. (The Straits Times)
France's government cancels a plan by international airport operator Groupe ADP to expand Charles de Gaulle Airport, the country's largest airport, citing reduced traffic due to the pandemic and inconsistency with environmental policies. (AFP via RFI)
President Cyril Ramaphosa announces that the country has secured nine million doses of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine, with the first shipment of 80,000 doses arriving next week. (SABC News)
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and health workers across the country receive their second doses of COVID-19 vaccine as the country begins to administer second doses of Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine. (Daily Sabah)
The Assembly of the Republic votes to extend its state of emergency, allowing the government to extend its second lockdown until March 1. (ABC News)
The government announces that starting from February 15, all retail stores will be allowed to reopen and customers will no longer need to present a negative COVID-19 testing result to enter. Schools and universities will also be allowed to resume their classes. Also, skiers will now be allowed to present negative test results from the past seven days instead of just the past 24 hours. (Total Slovenia News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia Prime Minister Andrej Plenković announces a slight easing of restrictions beginning on February 16, citing the stable number of new cases in the past few weeks. Foreign language schools, casinos, gyms and betting shops can reopen and restaurants and bars can also sell coffee to go. (The National Herald)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic The Chamber of Deputies votes down an appeal by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš to extend the state of emergency beyond February 14. (Radio Prague International)
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković announces a slight easing of restrictions beginning on February 16, citing the stable number of new cases in the past few weeks. Foreign language schools, casinos, gyms and betting shops can reopen and restaurants and bars can also sell coffee to go. (The National Herald)
The Chamber of Deputies votes down an appeal by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš to extend the state of emergency beyond February 14. (Radio Prague International)
2020–2021 Belarusian protests, Elections in Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko says that the country will hold a referendum that would change their constitution before January 18, 2022. (AP)
Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol The United States Senate votes by unanimous consent to award United States Capitol Police officer Eugene Goodman the Congressional Gold Medal for keeping rioters away from the Senate chamber during the storming of the United States Capitol. (The Washington Post)
COVID-19 pandemic in Chile President Sebastián Piñera receives the first dose of the Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine. (United News of India)
President Alexander Lukashenko says that the country will hold a referendum that would change their constitution before January 18, 2022. (AP)
President Sebastián Piñera receives the first dose of the Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine. (United News of India)
The United States Senate votes by unanimous consent to award United States Capitol Police officer Eugene Goodman the Congressional Gold Medal for keeping rioters away from the Senate chamber during the storming of the United States Capitol. (The Washington Post)
North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un fires Economic Affairs Minister Kim Tu-il less than a month after appointing him to his cabinet for "lack of innovation". He is replaced by O Su-yong, according to state media. (Reuters)
2021 Italian government crisis, Draghi Cabinet Prime Minister Mario Draghi and the ministers of his cabinet are officially sworn in at the Quirinal Palace in Rome, ending the government crisis. (ANSA)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea The government decides to lower social distancing levels to level 2 in the Seoul Capital Area and level 1.5 in other regions beginning February 15, allowing nightclubs to reopen and extending the operating hours of restaurants, coffee shops and gyms in the Seoul Capital Area until 10:00 p.m. local time. However, gatherings of more than five people continue to be prohibited, but theatres, libraries, and other types of businesses will no longer be subject to operating hours restrictions. (Bloomberg)
Prime Minister Mario Draghi and the ministers of his cabinet are officially sworn in at the Quirinal Palace in Rome, ending the government crisis. (ANSA)
The government decides to lower social distancing levels to level 2 in the Seoul Capital Area and level 1.5 in other regions beginning February 15, allowing nightclubs to reopen and extending the operating hours of restaurants, coffee shops and gyms in the Seoul Capital Area until 10:00 p.m. local time. However, gatherings of more than five people continue to be prohibited, but theatres, libraries, and other types of businesses will no longer be subject to operating hours restrictions. (Bloomberg)
2021 Kosovan parliamentary election Kosovans head to the polls to elect the new Assembly of Kosovo. The Vetëvendosje party is expected to gain most seats as it shows on exit polling data. (Voanews) (DW)
Pro-independence parties gain a majority of the votes for the first time, though voter participation was the lowest in history. The anti-independence Socialists' Party of Catalonia, led by former national Health Minister Salvador Illa, wins the most seats for a single party. The far-right Vox places fourth and enters Parliament for the first time, winning 11 seats. Citizens, who placed first in the previous election, falls to seventh and loses 30 seats. (The Guardian)
COVID-19 pandemic in Japan Japan's Ministry of Health officially approves the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine, three days after a government panel recommends its approval. This is the first government-approved vaccine in the country. (CNBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic, Lineage B.1.1.7 In defiance to the Chamber of Deputies, the Czech government re-declares a state of emergency for the next two weeks in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, especially because of the emergence of the more contagious B.1.1.7 variant first detected in the United Kingdom. (AP)
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announce an agreement to allow vaccinated travelers to travel between the countries without the need to quarantine in order to restore their countries' tourism industries. (ABC News)
Cyprus-Israel relations, COVID-19 pandemic in Cyprus, COVID-19 pandemic in Israel Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announce an agreement to allow vaccinated travelers to travel between the countries without the need to quarantine in order to restore their countries' tourism industries. (ABC News)
In defiance to the Chamber of Deputies, the Czech government re-declares a state of emergency for the next two weeks in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, especially because of the emergence of the more contagious B.1.1.7 variant first detected in the United Kingdom. (AP)
Japan's Ministry of Health officially approves the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine, three days after a government panel recommends its approval. This is the first government-approved vaccine in the country. (CNBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, Lineage B.1.1.7 Health Minister Roberto Speranza signs a provision that extends the ban on recreational skiing at resorts until March 5, effectively preventing ski resorts from opening tomorrow for the first time this season due to the spread of the UK variant and other variants of SARS-CoV-2. (AFP via RFI)
COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon Lebanon begins a vaccination campaign against COVID-19, a day after the first 28,500 doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine arrived in the country. A doctor at Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut is the first person to be vaccinated. (France 24)
COVID-19 pandemic in Peru, impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics Peru's Foreign Minister Elizabeth Astete resigns amid an uproar over secret vaccination before the country receives one million doses for health workers. (The Washington Post)
COVID-19 pandemic in Rwanda Rwanda begins a COVID-19 vaccination programme with limited supplies of WHO-approved vaccines acquired through unnamed international partners, making it the first country in East Africa to begin its campaign. Healthcare workers and other high-risk groups will be the first to receive a vaccine. (Reuters)
Health Minister Roberto Speranza signs a provision that extends the ban on recreational skiing at resorts until March 5, effectively preventing ski resorts from opening tomorrow for the first time this season due to the spread of the UK variant and other variants of SARS-CoV-2. (AFP via RFI)
Lebanon begins a vaccination campaign against COVID-19, a day after the first 28,500 doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine arrived in the country. A doctor at Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut is the first person to be vaccinated. (France 24)
Rwanda begins a COVID-19 vaccination programme with limited supplies of WHO-approved vaccines acquired through unnamed international partners, making it the first country in East Africa to begin its campaign. Healthcare workers and other high-risk groups will be the first to receive a vaccine. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in England The United Kingdom begins a mandatory hotel quarantine for all British and Irish citizens and all permanent residents arriving in England from 33 "high risk" countries, requiring them to stay for 10 days at government-designated accommodations. (ITV) (The Irish Times)
