01/20/2021
Africa
Internet back in Uganda - Ahead of the country’s presidential elections, Uganda restricted online services and blocked social media platforms. Now, internet services are up and running in the country after President Yoweri Museveni secured a sixth term in office. Social media websites are still blocked, and a handful of human rights organizations have criticized Uganda’s government for restricting internet access. Facebook recently removed accounts linked to Museveni’s political party, promoting the government to block social media platforms in retaliation.
Nigeria reopens schools - Despite rising cases of COVID-19, schools reopened in Nigeria for the first time since mid-December. Students arrived wearing face masks and were required to wash their hands when they arrived at school buildings. Students in universities also returned on Monday after not attending classes for a year due to a strike by professors.
Asia
Trapped Chinese miners still alive After an explosion in a gold mine in China last week left 12 miners trapped underground, rescuers received a note reading “don’t stop trying to reach us” from the miners. Officials said 10 other miners are still missing. China has poorly enforced safety regulations and mining accidents in the country are common. Rescuers managed to send food, medicine, paper and pencils to the miners who are trapped.
Australia is unlikely to fully reopen borders - Australia’s health department said the country is unlikely to fully reopen its borders this year, even if most of its population gets vaccinated. Airlines had hoped that travel in and out of the country could resume in the summer. Australia originally closed its borders last month in response to the virus. Currently, citizens and others with exemptions who are allowed to enter Australia are required to quarantine at a hotel for 14 days.
Europe
Putin critic arrested - Alexei Navalny, a popular critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was arrested and detained for 30 days after returning to the country. Navalny was poisoned last year and was flown to Germany for emergency medical treatment. He is an anti-corruption campaigner and has millions of Russian followers on social media.
EU countries receiving fewer doses of COVID-19 vaccine - Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia said it is unacceptable that they are receiving significantly fewer doses of the Pfizer vaccine than expected. Pfizer, the drug maker of a COVID-19 vaccine, said the reduced vaccines are a temporary issue. Meanwhile, the UK government said it is planning on hitting its goal of vaccinating around 15 million people by mid-February.
Latin America
Oxygen running low in Brazil hospitals - Brazilian health officials are warning that many people could die from the virus because of a lack of supplies and assistance. The country has recorded the second-highest amount of COVID-19 related deaths in the world as more than 205,000 people have died from the virus in Brazil. Recently, a video surfaced showing a medical worker asking for help, saying oxygen has “simply run out across the whole unit today.”
Migrants attacked at Guatemala border - Security guards at the Guatemala border with Honduras attacked thousands of people who were traveling to the United States. The group, an estimated 7,000 migrants, were intercepted on a road near the border over the weekend. Security guards were armed with truncheons and tear gas. Several people were injured, and at least 21 people from the group tested positive for COVID-19.
North America
Biden plans to reverse Trump policies - As Joe Biden finally steps into office on Wednesday, reports suggest he is planning a “10-day blitz” to reverse President Trump’s policies like his travel bans. The president-elect is also expected to re-join the Paris Climate Accord on his first day and issue mandates on masks. Ahead of the inauguration ceremony, all 50 states were on high alert for possible violence, weeks after the U.S. Capitol was stormed by Trump supporters.
Man lived in Chicago airport for three months - After being asked for his identification, Aditya Singh was arrested at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. It was later discovered that he had been living at the airport for three months because he was too afraid to fly because of the pandemic. Kathleen Hagerty, assistant state attorney, said Singh lived on handouts from other passengers and had arrived at the airport in mid-October of last year.
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