A blast hits a vehicle for the Sodicars Racing team as it leaves a hotel in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, two days prior to the Dakar Rally, critically injuring French driver Philippe Boutron, who is in a medically-induced coma.
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January 4, 2022 (Tuesday)
2.6 minutes to read
Armed conflicts and attacks
Arts and culture
Rio de Janeiro cancels the 2022 edition of its world-famous carnival street parade, which was scheduled to be held from February 25 to March 1, amid the surging COVID-19 cases and the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.
Business and economy
The Cyberspace Administration of China announces that, beginning on February 15, all companies with at least one million users will be required to undergo cybersecurity reviews before they can be listed on foreign stock exchanges. Companies that are deemed to have an impact on national security will be barred from being listed.
Disasters and accidents
Eight people are killed, 14 more are injured and two are missing during flash floods in southern Iran, primarily in Fars Province.
A search continues for 14 people missing at sea in the Solomon Islands, after their boat failed to reach the Shortland Islands. Efforts were called off yesterday due to bad weather.
Health and environment
Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani tests positive for COVID-19 and is displaying mild symptoms.
China orders 1.1 million people in Yuzhou, Henan to stay at home after three asymptomatic COVID-19 cases were reported.
The United Kingdom reports a record 218,724 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which includes backlog data from Northern Ireland for the past four days and from Wales for the past two days.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam announces that the "vaccine bubble" will be expanded to restaurants, leisure venues and schools beginning on February 24, which will require people over the age of 12 years to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination of at least one dose in order to enter those venues.
Mexico surpasses four million cases of COVID-19.
Morocco reports its first confirmed death related to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in an elderly woman who had not received the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
France reports the first discovery of a new variant called the Lineage B.1.640.2 IHU variant in 12 patients near Marseille which contains 46 mutations.
Argentina reports a record 81,210 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 5.82 million.
International relations
The South Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff say that North Korea has launched an unidentified projectile ballistic missile. No confirmation has been given.
Politics and elections
A series of small roadblocks and fires are set up by protesters in the municipality of Sainte-Rose, Guadeloupe.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev imposes a two-week state of emergency in Almaty, the country's largest city, and in Mangystau District due to violent protests that have been occurring in the region over an increase in the price of gasoline.
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