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February 14, 2021 (Sunday)
2.7 minutes to read
Armed conflicts and attacks
Militants of the Islamic State's Central Africa Province raid the town of Ndalya in the Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing 11 civilians and three members of the armed forces.
Health and environment
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.
The French Direction générale de la Santé asks regional health agencies and hospitals to go into "crisis mode" beginning on February 18 in order to prepare for a possible increase in COVID-19 cases as a result of highly contagious variants of SARS-CoV-2.
Russia surpasses 80,000 deaths from COVID-19.
The number of recovered COVID-19 patients in Pakistan surpasses 500,000.
Saudi Arabia extends precautionary measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, which restricts social gatherings to 20 people and suspends all events and parties, for another 20 days.
New Zealand reports their first community case of COVID-19 since January 24 in a family from Auckland.
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.
Indian state of Maharashtra records 4,097 fresh infections after 39 days of no infections
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 and other variants of SARS-CoV-2.
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.
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.
Thailand reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant in a person who travelled from Tanzania and undergoes mandatory quarantine.
International relations
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announce an agreement to allow vaccinated travellers to travel between the countries without the need to quarantine in order to restore their countries' tourism industries.
Law and crime
The leaders of the junta issue warnings to the public against harboring fugitives at the same time that arrest warrants are issued. Among the fugitives is democracy activist Min Ko Naing.
Politics and elections
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.
Peru's Foreign Minister Elizabeth Astete resigns amid an uproar over secret vaccination before the country receives 1 million doses for health workers.
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, lead 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 first time, winning 11 seats. Citizens, who placed first in the previous election, falls to seventh and loses 30 seats.
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