Portal:Current events/2021 February 5

February 5, 2021 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- The International Criminal Court announces that it will pave the way for investigations into alleged war crimes in Palestinian territories. Israel and groups like Hamas could be investigated. (NBC News)
Mali War, Takuba Task Force
- Swedish troops are deployed to Mali to join French-led counter-insurgency operations against jihadist groups. The Riksdag approved the deployment of up to 150 soldiers in June 2020. (France 24)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, American Rescue Plan
  - The United States Senate votes 51–50 to pass a budget resolution as a step to pass the $1.9 trillion stimulus package without Republican support, with Kamala Harris casting her first tiebreaking vote as Vice President. (CBS News)
  - The United States House of Representatives votes 219–209 to approve the Senate's budget resolution, with all Republicans and one Democrat voting against the resolution. (The Hill)
- Economy of Indonesia, COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
  - Indonesia's GDP contracts 2.07% in 2020, the first economic contraction since the aftermath of the 1997 Asian financial crisis in 1998. (Okezone)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - COVID-19 pandemic in the Community of Madrid, Lineage P.1
      - Spain reports its first case of the Lineage P.1 variant in a 44-year-old man who travelled from Brazil to Madrid on January 29 and later tested positive for COVID-19. (RTVE)
    - Spain approves the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in people aged 18 to 55. (El Mundo)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - Greece imposes a ten-day curfew in Attica, Thessaloniki, and Halkidiki, and also closes high schools in these areas beginning tomorrow in an attempt to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases. (Ekathimerini)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
    - Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announces that hotels, theatres, swimming pools and other indoor facilities will be allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity on February 12, but that restaurants and fitness centres will continue to remain closed. (The National Herald)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
    - Ukraine secures 12 million doses of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Novavax. (UNIAN)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - COVID-19 vaccination in India
      - India reaches past 5 million vaccinations. (Business Standard)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain
    - Bahrain announces that all indoor gyms, indoor exercise classes, sports halls, and swimming pools will be closed from February 7 to February 21 in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The country also announces that government entities and institutions can allow up to 70 percent of their employees to work from home. (Arab News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
    - Israel announces that it will ease its lockdown measures beginning February 7. People will no longer be restricted to within one kilometer of their homes, many services will be allowed to operate, and all national parks will reopen. However, international borders will remain closed until February 20. (MedicalXpress)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - South Korea surpasses 80,000 cases of COVID-19. (The Korea Herald)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    - Western Australia lifts a five-day lockdown in Perth and surrounding areas after it reports no community cases. (9 News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
    - Immigration and government officials announce that New Zealand will restart its Refugee Quota Programme this month, nearly a year after closing its border due to the pandemic. (RNZ)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa
    - Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announces that the state will lift its mask mandate and gathering restrictions, which will take effect on Sunday. (The Des Moines Register)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Oklahoma, Lineage P.1
    - Oklahoma reports its first case of the Lineage P.1 variant originated from Brazil in a woman who had a travel history. (KFOR-TV)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Virginia, 501.V2 variant
    - Virginia reports its first case of the 501.V2 variant in a person from eastern Virginia. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - Variants of SARS-CoV-2
    - AstraZeneca-Oxford developers say that their vaccine candidate is effective against the UK variant of SARS-CoV-2. (BBC News)

International relations

Palau announces its intention to withdraw from the Pacific Islands Forum after claiming fraudulence in the recent election for the organization's Secretary General. (AFP via The Straits Times)

Law and crime

Crime in London
- 2021 Croydon stabbings
  - A man is killed and 10 others are injured in stabbing attacks in Croydon, London, England. (BBC News)
Aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état
- Prominent National League for Democracy official Win Htein is arrested for sedition and taken from his house in Yangon by members of the military and police. (The Guardian)

Politics and elections

Second Libyan Civil War, Libyan peace process
- Delegates of the United Nations-supported Libyan Political Dialogue Forum vote in Geneva to elect Mohammad Younes Menfi as President of the Presidency Council and businessman Mohammed Dbaiba as Prime Minister, defeating President of the House of Representatives Aguila Saleh, and Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha. (Bloomberg)

Science and technology

Censorship in Myanmar
- The military junta in Myanmar orders internet service providers to block Twitter and Instagram "until further notice". (Reuters)
Scientists belonging to a German–Malagasy expedition announce the discovery of Brookesia nana, a lizard found in Madagascar. The male's body spanning only 13.5 millimetres (0.5 in), is potentially the smallest reptile on Earth. (BBC News)