Timeline 2021 October - December Return to home
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, President Joe
Biden's administration urged a judge to block a near-total ban on
abortion imposed by Texas - the strictest such law in the nation -
in a key battle in the ferocious legal war over abortion access in
the United States.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, The US Department
of Justice said billionaire Oleg Tinkov, whose online bank is
Russia's second biggest credit card issuer, pleaded guilty to filing
a false US tax return and agreed to pay $507 million in taxes,
interest and penalties.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Juan Gonzalez, the
US National Security Council’s senior director for the Western
Hemisphere, apologized for how Haitian migrants were treated along
the US-Mexico border, during a two-day official visit to Haiti to
talk with local leaders about migration and other issues.
   (AP, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, US Supreme Court
Justice Sonia Sotomayor refused to block New York City's requirement
that its public school teachers and employees be vaccinated against
COVID-19. Sotomayor handled the case for the Supreme Court because
she is the justice assigned to deal with emergency requests arising
from cases in states in a region that includes New York.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, It was reported
that many hundreds of Afghan evacuees are simply leaving US military
bases before receiving US resettlement services.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Steven Donziger, a
disbarred American lawyer who spent decades battling Chevron Corp
over pollution in the Ecuadorian rainforest, was sentenced to six
months' imprisonment for criminal contempt charges arising from a
lawsuit brought by the oil company.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Former US President
Donald Trump asked a federal judge in Florida to ask Twitter to
restore his account, which the company removed in January citing a
risk of incitement of violence.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 43,481,064 with the death toll at 698,301. A
Reuters tally said worldwide deaths related to COVID-19 surpassed 5
million, with unvaccinated people particularly exposed to the
virulent Delta strain. Reuters said the United States has surpassed
700,000 coronavirus-related deaths.
   (sfist.com, 10/2/21)(Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Arizona reported 55
additional coronavirus deaths and more than 3,600 confirmed cases,
the 11th highest among the US states.
   (SSFC, 10/3/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, In Arizona a
helicopter crashed and burned, killing both of its occupants, after
the copter collided in midair over suburban Phoenix with a
single-engine plane that landed safely.
   (AP, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Louisiana approved
a plan to tap $400 million from the American Rescue Plan to help
build two super-size prisons.
   (SSFC, 10/3/21, p.A14)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, It was reported
that New York City officials have suspended nine firefighters
without pay in connection with a string of racist messages and memes
they shared on their phones, including ones that mocked the police
killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last year.
   (AP, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Texas man Seth
Aaron Pendley (28), who wanted to blow up an Amazon data center in
Virginia to disrupt the internet and upset "the oligarchy," was
sentenced to 10 years in prison. Pendley had communicated with an
undercover FBI agent instead of an explosives supplier.
   (NBC News, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Oil rose above $78
a barrel, within sight of this week's three-year high, supported by
tight supplies due to OPEC+ supply curbs, recovering demand and a
weaker US dollar.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Christian
Broadcasting Network announced that Pat Robertson (91), who turned a
tiny Virginia television station into a global religious
broadcasting network, is stepping down after a half-century running
the “700 Club” on daily TV.
   (AP, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Merck & Co
announced that its experimental oral drug for COVID-19,
molnupiravir, reduced by around 50% the chance of hospitalization or
death for patients at risk of severe disease.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, In Afghanistan
Taliban fighters raided an Islamic State hideout in Charikar, Parwan
province, killing and arresting an unspecified number of militants.
   (SFC, 10/2/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, The premier of
Australia's biggest state economy New South Wales (NSW), Gladys
Berejiklian, resigned after a corruption watchdog said it was
investigating whether she was involved in conduct that "constituted
or involved a breach of public trust".
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Belarusian
President Alexander Lukashenko said that hundreds of people had been
detained following a Sept. 28 shooting incident in which an IT
worker and a KGB officer died.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Britain's pig
farmers warned of a pork crisis unless the government urgently eased
an acute shortage of abattoir workers and butchers that has left up
to 150,000 pigs backed up on farms and facing a costly cull.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Climate change
protesters temporarily disrupted an access road close to Heathrow
Airport, Britain's biggest travel hub, before police cleared the
protest and arrested 13 people.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, UK nationals
visiting India this month will have to undergo mandatory quarantine
even if they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in retaliation
for UK curbs on Indian citizens. The new rules, which take effect
Oct. 4.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Canadian health
officials said that data suggests reported cases of rare heart
inflammation were relatively higher after Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine
compared with the Pfizer/BioNTech shots.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Lawyers said
Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard (80) has consented to
extradition to the United States, where he faces sex trafficking and
racketeering charges. Toronto Police Service issued a statement
saying it had an arrest warrant for Nygard on six charges of sexual
assault and three charges of forcible confinement between 1987 and
2006.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, In the Canary
Islands lava flowed from a newly opened crack in the Cumbre Vieja
volcano on La Palma island, carving a different path from previous
flows and raising fears of more destruction, while fine ash forced
islanders to don masks and goggles.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, China marked its
national day with mass air incursion near Taiwan. Taiwan's air force
scrambled again to warn away 25 Chinese aircraft that entered its
air defence zone.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, In Colombia an
influx of thousands of mostly Haitian migrants seeking transport
northward toward the United States is pushing locals in the beach
town of Necocli out of housing, residents said, as landlords favor
migrants able to pay in dollars.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Expo 2020 opened in
Dubai, pushed back a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The US
pavilion was paid for by the UAE after America struggled to come up
with funding.
   (SFC, 10/2/21, p.A2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, An officials said
Ecuador is planning to pardon up to 2,000 inmates in order to
relieve overcrowding at its detention centers after 118 inmates died
and a further 79 were injured in the country's worst-ever prison
riot earlier this week.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, The BepiColombo
mission, a joint European-Japanese spacecraft launched in 2018, made
the first of six flybys of Mercury. The mission plans to deliver two
probes into orbit in 2025.
   (SSFC, 10/3/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Georgia's
ex-president and opposition politician Mikheil Saakashvili (53) was
arrested after he returned to Georgia and called on his supporters
to vote for the opposition and stage a post-election street protest.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Shareholders in
Daimler AG, maker of Mercedes-Benz luxury cars, approved the spinoff
of the truck division as a separate company. Stuttgart-based Daimler
will rename itself as Mercedes-Benz Group AG as of Feb. 1, 2022.
   (AP, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Guinea junta leader
Mamadi Doumbouya was inaugurated as interim president to oversee
what regional powers hope will be a short transition to
constitutional rule after the Sept. 5 overthrow of president Alpha
Conde.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Indian utilities
scrambled to secure coal supplies as inventories hit critical lows
after a surge in power demand from industries and sluggish imports
due to record global prices push power plants to the brink.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Hundreds of Iraqis
marched in the center of Baghdad to mark two years since mass
anti-government protests erupted in the Iraqi capital and southern
provinces calling for reforms.
   (AP, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Japan fully came
out of a coronavirus state of emergency for the first time in more
than six months as the country starts to gradually ease virus
measures to help rejuvenate the pandemic-hit economy as the
infections slowed.
   (AP, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Japan's Takeda
Pharmaceutical Co Ltd said that "human error" caused metal
contaminants to get into Moderna Inc COVID-19 vaccine doses, leading
to a recall last August.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, In western Libya a
major crackdown in the town of Gargaresh resulted in the detention
of 500 illegal migrants, including hundreds of women and children.
The number detained soon rose to over 5,000.
   (AP, 10/2/21)(AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Malaysia said it
recorded 9,671 deaths due to COVID-19 in September, the deadliest
month since the pandemic began. About 62% of Malaysia's 32 million
population are now fully vaccinated, including 86% of adults.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, New Zealand logged
19 more cases of the highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant -
all in Auckland, making it highly likely that the country's biggest
city will continue to be sealed off even if some restrictions are
eased next week.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Nigeria got
approval for $400 million in World Bank financing to procure and
deploy COVID-19 vaccinations.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, The Norwegian
Refugee Council (NRC) said it has halted its work in Burkina Faso on
the order of the government after the aid group voiced concern about
local authorities' capacity to register the fast-rising number of
displaced people.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, In Romania seven
people died in Constanta when a fire broke out in an intensive care
unit treating COVID-19 patients, the country's third deadly hospital
fire in less than a year.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Switzerland said it
is offering gift certificates to people who persuade others to be
jabbed against COVID-19, part of efforts to increase the country's
low vaccination rate.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Karpowership, a
Turkish company supplying electricity to Lebanon from two power
barges off the coast of Beirut, said it has halted supplies after
its contract with the Lebanese state electricity company expired. It
has said Lebanon's state power company owes Karpowership overdue
payments in excess of $100 million.
   (AP, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Senior Russian
envoy Sergei Ryabkov said President Vladimir Putin is no longer
interested in a joint freeze of nuclear weapons production with the
United States. Ryabkov protested American inspections requests and a
recent agreement to provide nuclear-powered submarines to Australia.
   (Washington Examiner, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Ukraine called on
the United States and Germany to impose sanctions on Russia's
Gazprom, which it accused of using energy as a weapon after the
energy giant implemented a transit deal with Hungary that deprives
Kyiv of gas supplies.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, The UN agency
helping Palestinian refugees said it is facing an “existential”
budget crisis and appealing for urgent funding of $120 million to
keep essential education, healthcare and other services running.
   (AP, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Venezuela launched
its second monetary overhaul in three years by cutting six zeros
from the bolivar currency in response to hyperinflation, simplifying
accounting but doing little to ease the South American nation's
economic crisis.
   (Reuters, 10/1/21)Â
Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, US Climate Envoy
John Kerry said that Egypt had already been selected as the nominee
to host the COP27 UN climate conference due to take place next year.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 43,647,229 with the death toll at 700,775.
   (sfist.com, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Alaska activated
emergency crisis protocols that allow 20 health care facilities to
ration care if needed as the state recorded the nation's worst
COVID-19 diagnosis rates in recent days.
   (SFC, 10/4/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, In California a
large oil spill off the Pacific coast began washing ashore at
Huntington Beach over the weekend after an oil rig pipeline was
breached, leaving dead fish and birds strewn on the sand. The Coast
Guard later suspected that the MSC DANIT, a large cargo ship, may
have dragged its anchor during heavy weather and caused the pipeline
rupture. Later container ship Beijing was also cited as a suspect in
the spill. The pipeline owned by Amplify Energy leaked about 25,000
gallons of crude.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)(SFC, 10/18/21, p.A6)(SSFC,
11/7/21, p.A4)(SSFC, 11/21/21, p.A12)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Women's rights
advocates gathered in Austin, Texas, to protest against the
country's most restrictive abortion law, launching a series of 660
marches around the United States in support of reproductive freedom.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Tesla Inc said it
had delivered 241,300 electric cars in the third quarter, beating
Wall Street estimates after Chief Executive Elon Musk asked staff to
"go super hardcore" to meet targets.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Australia reported
2,357 new cases of the Delta coronavirus variant, as the push to
vaccinate the country's population continues in order to end
lockdowns and allow for the reopening of international borders.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Brazilian
demonstrators gathered in several state capitals to protest against
the federal government and call for the impeachment of President
Jair Bolsonaro.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, An earthquake of
magnitude 5.9 struck the Brazil-Peru border region.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, It was reported
that Clayton, Dubilier & Rice has won the auction for Morrisons
with a 7 billion pound ($9.5 billion) bid, paving the way for the US
private equity firm to take control of Britain's fourth-biggest
supermarket group.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Britain recorded a
further 121 daily COVID-19 deaths and 30,301 new cases, both slight
falls from the previous day's tallies of 127 and 35,577
respectively.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, China's top
anti-corruption watchdog said it is investigating a former justice
minister, Fu Zhenghua, the latest high-ranking domestic security
official to be brought before the authorities in a broad crackdown.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, China flew 39
military planes toward Taiwan, the second large display of force in
as many days. The Defense Ministry said 20 planes took part in the
daytime flights and another 19 at night.
   (AP, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Dubai’s Expo 2020
offered conflicting figures for how many workers had been killed on
site during construction of the massive $7 billion world's fair,
first saying 5 and then later 3.
   (AP, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Members of
Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, the Oromo, protested against the
government and called for the release of jailed opposition figures
as they gathered in the capital for their annual Thanksgiving
festival of Irreecha.
   (AP, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Georgians voted in
local elections that could escalate a political standoff between the
ruling party and the opposition a day after the arrest of
ex-president and opposition politician Mikheil Saakashvili. The
ruling Georgian Dream party won 46.7% of votes to 30.7% for the
United National Movement (UNM), founded by Saakashvili
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)(Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, In Honduras a huge
fire destroyed or damaged more than 200 houses and businesses on the
island of Guanaja, forcing hundreds of residents to flee for safety
and ravaging the tourism-dependent resort.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, India-based
Reliance Industries said it had set up a wholly owned subsidiary in
the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for trading in crude oil, petroleum,
petrochemical products and agricultural commodities.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Italy reported 25
coronavirus-related deaths against 52 the day before. The daily
tally of new infections fell to 3,312 from 3,405.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Kosovo's border
crossing with Serbia was reopened as Serbs removed trucks and cars
and NATO troops moved in under a European Union-mediated deal to end
a dispute between the neighboring countries over car license plates.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, In northern Mali a
UN peacekeeper was killed and four more were severely wounded when
their convoy hit an improvised explosive device.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, It was reported
that Mauritius-based AFRICNIC, a non-profit that assigns internet
addresses in Africa, has been sued by Lu Heng, a Hong Kong-based
arbitrage specialist. AFRICNIC has revoked 6.2 million African
addresses obtained by Heng under contested circumstances from 2013
to 2016.
   (SFC, 10/2/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, New Zealand
officials reported 27 new cases of the highly infectious Delta
coronavirus variant in Auckland, as protestors took to the streets
to rally against an almost two-month lockdown in the country's
biggest city.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, In northwestern
Nigeria nurse Mohammad Hassan (37), employed by Medical charity
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), was killed when armed men opened
fire on the public transport vehicle in which he was travelling in
Zamfara state.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Philippines
President Rodrigo Duterte said he was retiring from politics, a
surprise move that fuelled speculation he was clearing the way for a
presidential run by his daughter.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Police in Poland
confiscated the computer equipment of journalist Piotr
Bakselerowicz, a reporter for the liberal Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper,
a leading newspaper which has carried out investigations of the
country's right-wing government.
   (AP, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Qataris began
voting in the Gulf Arab state's first legislative elections for
two-thirds of the advisory Shura Council in a vote that has stirred
domestic debate about electoral inclusion and citizenship. Voters
chose none of the 26 women who stood for election.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)(Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, In Romania
thousands of people demonstrated in the main squares of Bucharest
against new coronavirus restrictions announced by the government
this week to fight a steep rise in infections.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, COP26 president
Alok Sharma said delegates heading to the COP26 UN climate summit in
Glasgow agreed they must deliver on the $100 billion per year pledge
to help most vulnerable nations tackle climate change.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, In Turkey two
electrical workers were killed when explosives struck their vehicle
in the eastern province of Bingol. The interior ministry blamed the
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group.
   (Reuters, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, In Yemen clashes
between separatists backed by the UAE and a rival splinter group in
the southern port city of Aden killed at least 10 people including
four civilians.
   (AP, 10/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, "Venom: Let There
be Carnage" roared to $90.1 million in its debut, setting a new
pandemic record. It's an impressive result, one that provides a
lifeline to struggling movie theaters and (once again) proves
Marvel's might at the box office.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, The International
Handball Federation updated its rules so that women will no longer
be required to play in bikini bottoms, responding to months of
pressure from female players and coaches who described the uniform
requirements as sexist. The new rules will go into effect on Jan. 1.
   (NY Times, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, It was reported
that Alaskan king and chum salmon have dwindled to almost nothing
for the first time in memory. The state has banned salmon fishing on
the Yukon.
   {Alaska, USA, Fish}
   (SSFC, 10/3/21, p.A11)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 43,673,870 with the death toll at 701,110.
   (sfist.com, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, A massive leak of
financial documents was published by several major news
organizations that allegedly tie world leaders to secret stores of
wealth, including King Abdullah of Jordan, Czech PM Andrej Babis and
associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The files were
linked to about 35 current and former national leaders, and more
than 330 politicians and public officials in 91 countries and
territories. The report by the Int'l. Consortium of Investigative
Journalists, dubbed the Pandora Papers, shed light on how world
leaders, powerful politicians, billionaires and others have used
offshore accounts to shield assets collectively worth trillions of
dollars over the past 25 years.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)(SFC, 10/5/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, In Afghanistan a
blast killed several civilians at a mosque in Kabul where people
were holding prayers for the mother of the Taliban's spokesperson. A
Taliban soldier who said he saw the explosion said two people were
killed and eight wounded.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, A fifth chartered
flight carrying civilians from Afghanistan to Qatar since US forces
withdrew in August left Kabul with 235 passengers, most of them
Afghan citizens.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Australia reported
more than 1,900 new infections of the Delta coronavirus, with
authorities struggling to quell the outbreak in the two most
populous states and cases spreading to new states.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Brazilian
healthcare company Hapvida Participacoes said in a securities filing
late today that it had prescribed hydroxychloroquine to COVID
patients in the early days of the health crisis. The company added
it is no longer prescribing the drug.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Britain reported
30,439 new COVID-19 cases, up from 30,301 a day earlier, and 43
deaths within 28 days of a positive test, a drop on the previous
day's 121.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Dubai's Expo 2020
acknowledged for the first time that three workers had died from the
coronavirus over the course of building the world's fair during the
pandemic.
   (AP, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Egypt's national
carrier made its first official direct flight to Israel since the
two countries signed an historic 1979 peace treaty as an EgyptAir
jet landed at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. The airline's
affiliate, AirSinai, has for decades operated flights to Israel
without the company logo, out of fear of public backlash.
   (AP, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Ethiopia's Sisay
Lemma won the men's London Marathon in a time of two hours, four
minutes and one second after breaking away from the leading pack
late in the race.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, It was reported
that the French Catholic Church has had an estimated 3,000
pedophiles in its ranks over the past 70 years, the head of an
independent commission investigating the sex abuse scandal.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Bernard Tapie (78),
a French businessman and former Olympique de Marseille (OM)
president who led the soccer club to the Champions League title in
1993, died.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, The Hong Kong
Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU), the city's largest
independent trade union, disbanded, stoking concerns over the space
for civil society groups as a national security law stifles dissent
in the global financial center.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, In India 6 people
were reported killed when violence broke out in India's Uttar
Pradesh state after a car linked to a federal minister ran over two
farmers taking part in a protest against controversial farm laws. On
Oct 9 Ashish Mishra, son of junior home minister Ajay Mishra Teni,
was arrested on accusations he ran over and killed four protesting
farmers.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)(Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, The Israeli
government said it was enlisting the military and the Shin Bet
internal security agency as it tries to rein in a wave of violence
in the country's Arab sector.
   (AP, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Millions of people
in Italy started voting for new mayors, including in Rome and Milan,
in an election widely seen as a test of political alliances before
nationwide balloting just over a year away.
   (AP, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Italy reported 33
coronavirus-related deaths against 25 the day before. The daily
tally of new infections fell to 2,968 from 3,312.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, In northern Italy a
small private plane crashed into an empty building on the outskirts
of Milan, killing all eight people onboard.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Jordan's King
Abdullah II received a call from Syrian Pres. Bashar Assad, the
first conversation between the two leaders after a decade of strain
over Syria's civil war.
   (SFC, 10/4/21, p.A2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, New Zealand
reported 32 new coronavirus cases in Auckland. The Delta variant
outbreak spread beyond Auckland, prompting PM Jacinda Ardern to put
additional regions into a snap lockdown.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Tropical Cyclone
Shaheen hit land in Oman having already killed least three people,
its high winds prompting evacuations from coastal areas and delaying
flights to and from the capital, Muscat. 7 more people were killed
as heavy winds and rain swept through the country. Iranian deputy
parliament speaker Ali Nikzad said he feared as many as six
fishermen had been killed because of the cyclone. The total death
toll was later raised to 14.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)(AP, 10/3/21)(AP, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Russia reported a
record daily death toll from COVID-19, the fifth time in a week that
deaths have hit a new high. The national coronavirus task force said
890 deaths were recorded over the past day, exceeding the 887
reported on Oct 1.
   (AP, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Swedish artist Lars
Vilks (75), who stirred worldwide controversy in 2007 with drawings
depicting the Prophet Mohammad with the body of a dog, was killed in
a car crash near the southern town of Markaryd.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Tunisian police
arrested Aloui Abdellatif, a member of parliament, and Ameur Ayed, a
television presenter, who have been prominent critics of President
Kais Saied since his seizure of power in July. Thousands of
supporters of Tunisian President Kais Saied rallied in the capital
and other cities to back his suspension of parliament and promises
to change the political system, acts his critics call a coup.
   (Reuters, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Yemen’s rebels
fired three ballistic missiles at the government-held city of Marib,
killing two children and wounding more than 30 people.
   (AP, 10/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, The Biden
administration reversed a ban on abortion referrals by family
planning clinics, lifting a Trump-era restriction.
   (SFC, 10/5/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, American scientists
David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian won the 2021 Nobel Prize for
Medicine for the discovery of receptors in the skin that sense
temperature and touch and could pave the way for new pain-killers.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 43,689,601 with the death toll at 701,234.
   (sfist.com, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Federal and state
investigators focused on the 41-year-old San Pedro Bay Pipeline as
the likely source of an oil spill that killed wildlife and fouled
the coast of southern California, and an approaching storm
threatened cleanup efforts.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Facebook and its
Instagram and WhatsApp platforms suffered a worldwide outage that
has lasting more than five hours. Facebook's internal systems used
by employees also went down.
   (AP, 10/4/21)(NY Times, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, McDonald’s said it
aims to bring its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
   (Chicago Tribune, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, British military
personnel in combat fatigues arrived at a BP storage depot after the
government ordered the army to help deliver fuel to tackle an acute
shortage of truckers.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Britain reported
35,077 new daily COVID-19 cases, up from the 30,439 cases reported a
day earlier and a further 33 deaths within 28 days of a positive
coronavirus test result.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, London-based
drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline PLC said it signed a deal to supply 10,000
doses of its COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapy to the Canadian
government.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Climate change
activists blocked major routes into London, causing huge tailbacks
and chaos for rush hour traffic into the British capital in the
latest disruptive protest which ministers have vowed to put an end
to. PM Boris Johnson said Britain was aiming to produce "clean
power" by 2035 as part of the country's goal of reaching net zero
carbon emissions.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Interpol said
Chilean police have dismantled a crime ring that helped smuggle
hundreds of children of Haitian migrants, sometimes without their
parents, from Chile north to Mexico and the United States.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Chinese media said
Evergrande will sell a majority stake in its property management
business for more than $5 billion, a deal which would be the largest
asset sale yet at the debt-laden property developer if it goes
ahead.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Chinese property
developer Fantasia Holdings Group Co Ltd said it had failed to repay
$206 million in debts due on October 4, the latest sign of distress
and liquidity issues in China's property sector.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, The Czech prime
minister, the king of Jordan and the chairman of India's biggest
conglomerate were among global figures denying wrongdoing, after the
Pandora Papers leak of what major news outlets called a secret trove
of documents about offshore finance. Jordan’s King Abdullah II
denied any impropriety in his purchase of luxury homes abroad.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Ethiopia's
parliament confirmed incumbent Abiy Ahmed as prime minister for a
five-year term, cementing his power domestically amid mounting
international concern of his government's handling of the conflict
in northern Ethiopia.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Greek
counterterrorism police arrested an asylum-seeker (34) in central
Athens who is suspected of membership in the Islamic State group.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Government data
showed that Hungary's COVID-19 deaths and new infections jumped over
the weekend to their highest level since the start of the fourth
wave of the pandemic. Health authorities registered 1,492 new
infections and 31 deaths over the past three days, bringing the
total number of cases to 824,876 and deaths to 30,230 since the
start of the pandemic.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, India said it would
investigate cases linked to the Pandora Papers leak of financial
documents, though it added that the "names of only a few Indians
have appeared so far in the media".
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Farmers in India
vowed to intensify their months-long protest against laws aimed at
liberalizing agriculture as tension flared a day after eight people
were killed over the last 24 hours in clashes between growers and
ruling party supporters.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, A Mumbai court sent
the son (23) of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan to three days'
custody, after he was arrested on Oct. 2 in a drugs investigation.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, An Italian court
suspended a case regarding Spain's request to extradite self-exiled
Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, pending a decision by
the EU Court of Justice.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Three small Italian
studies showed that COVID-19 vaccines are less effective on people
with weakened immune systems, which the studies' researchers say
highlight the need to deploy booster shots for this group of
vulnerable people.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Fumio Kishida was
officially elected as Japan's 100th prime minister after winning a
majority of votes in both houses of parliament.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, It was reported
that the family of Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta secretly owned a
network of offshore companies for decades, according to the Pandora
Papers, a huge leak of financial papers published a day earlier.
   (BBC, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Lebanon's former
prime minister Hassan Diab said he had given up shares in a company
he was linked to in a leak of financial documents, and denied
wrongdoing.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Libya's parliament
passed a law on legislative elections, its spokesman said, ahead of
a planned national vote set for December 24 under a United
Nations-led peace process.
   (AFP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Mexican President
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he was in favor of investigating
Mexican nationals who appear in a series of documents released as
part of the so-called 'Pandora Papers'.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Mozambique
President Filipe Nyusi urged Islamist militants in its far north to
surrender, saying they had nowhere to run, after allied Rwandan,
Mozambican and southern African forces pushed them out of territory
they had been occupying.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, In Myanmar US
journalist Danny Fenster (37), who has spent more than four months
in pretrial detention, was charged with a second criminal offense,
while authorities refused to disclose the reason behind his arrest.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, In the Netherlands
more than 80 Greenpeace activists blocked the entrance to Shell's
oil refinery in the Dutch port of Rotterdam to draw attention to the
launch of the European Citizens' Initiative calling for the
advertising ban. A coalition of more than 20 environmental and
climate groups launched a campaign calling for a ban on fossil fuel
advertising and sponsorship across the European Union, similar to
bans on tobacco advertising.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, New Zealand
abandoned its longstanding strategy of eliminating coronavirus amid
a persistent Delta outbreak, and will instead look to live with the
virus and control its spread as its vaccination rate rises.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Resident doctors in
Nigerian public hospitals called off a nine-week strike, saying some
of their grievances had been addressed but others including salary
arrears remained outstanding.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, The two Koreas
restored their hotlines that the North severed months ago, with
Pyongyang urging Seoul to step up efforts to improve relations after
criticizing what it called double standards over weapons
development.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, It was reported
that Panama has recovered at least 50 sets of remains from migrants
crossing the Darien Gap, a number officials believe is only a
portion of those who died in the dense, lawless jungle.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, The Russian
military said that it had successfully test-fired a hypersonic
"Tsirkon" missile from a submarine for the first time.
   (CBS News, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Russia reported
25,781 new coronavirus infections reported nationwide, the most
since Jan. 2. The Kremlin implored people to get vaccinated against
COVID-19, calling it the only way to stop the virus' spread.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, The Pandora Papers
revealed that Svetlana Krivonogikh, President Vladimir Putin's
alleged mistress, is worth an estimated $100 million in secret
assets.
   (Washington Examiner, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Senegal said it
logged only two new daily COVID-19 infections, the lowest number
since the pandemic reached the country and two months after the rate
of new cases hovered at record highs.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Spanish court
officials and lawyers said an administrative court has ordered tax
authorities to reimburse Colombian singer Shakira, while a separate
criminal lawsuit she faces over a 14.5 million euros ($16.8 million)
tax dispute continues.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Sudan's security
forces killed four suspected Islamic State group militants in
lengthy raids on their hideouts in Khartoum, in an operation that
also left one military officer dead.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Sweden's Public
Health Agency said it recommended the use of Pfizer-BioNTech's,
Comirnaty vaccine against COVID-19 for children between 12-15,
opting against rival Moderna's Spikevax.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Taiwan reported the
largest ever incursion by China's air force into its air defence
zone at 56 aircraft.
   (Reuters, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Thailand rolled out
COVID-19 vaccines to high school students for the first time, as it
seeks to boost its immunization rate ahead of a planned school
reopening next month.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Turkey said its
troops have captured a major base belonging to Kurdish militants in
northern Iraq. The Defense Ministry said 12 members of the Kurdistan
Workers’ Party, or PKK, were “neutralized” in the operation.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Ukrainian police
said they had arrested a 25-year-old man who hacked more than 100
foreign companies and caused damage worth more than $150 million.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, A UN investigation
revealed that war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the
use of child soldiers, have been committed in Libya since 2016.
   (AP, 10/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, US President Joe
Biden said that he has spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about
Taiwan and they agreed to abide by the "Taiwan agreement", as
tensions have ratcheted up between Taipei and Beijing.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, The Biden
administration ordered Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to stop using that
state's federal pandemic funding on a pair of new education grants
that can only be directed to schools without mask mandates.
   (SFC, 10/6/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Frances Haugen, the
Facebook whistle-blower, told a Senate panel that the company had
ignored its harmful effects on young people in pursuit of profit. FB
CEO Mark Zuckerberg rebutted the claims.
   (NY Times, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, The Nobel Prize in
Physics went to Syukuro Manabe of Princeton University, Klaus
Hasselmann of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology in Hamburg,
Germany, and Giorgio Parisi of the Sapienza University of Rome, for
their work in helping to understand complex systems, including how
humanity influences the climate.
   (NY Times, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, It was reported
that a fund created by a group of social-justice-minded foundations
including Ford and Rockefeller and donors like Jack Dorsey and
MacKenzie Scott shortly after COVID hit has more than quadrupled in
size to $48 million and is now pouring money into activities and
advocacy to strengthen the social safety net and increase worker
pay.
   (AP, 10/5/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 43,858,922 with the death toll at 703,550.
   (sfist.com, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, California became
one of the first states to ban a class of harmful chemicals, know as
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, linked to multiple
types of cancer.
   (SFC, 10/6/21, p.C1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Missouri executed
Ernest Lee Johnson for three 1994 murders. His supporters, including
Pope Francis, said his intellectual disabilities made the execution
unconstitutional.
   (NY Times, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, The FBI raided the
office of one of New York City’s main police unions, prompting union
president Edward D. Mullins to resign.
   (NY Times, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, In Arizona a
federal DEA agent was killed and another left in critical condition
following a shooting on an Amtrak train in Tucson. The suspected
shooter was found dead on the train and a second suspect was taken
into custody.
   (CBS, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, NYC city officials
announced that the city's public libraries will no longer charge
late fees and will waive existing fines for overdue books and other
materials. Late fees had already been suspended since March 2020
because of the coronavirus pandemic and will now be permanently
eliminated. New Yorkers will still need to pay replacement fees if
they lose books or other materials.
   (AP, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, It was reported
that Volvo is recalling nearly 260,000 older cars in the US because
the front driver’s air bag can explode and send shrapnel into the
cabin.
   (AP, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Lidar developer
Ouster Inc said it has agreed to buy solid-state lidar startup Sense
Photonics in an all-stock deal, and will set up a new automotive
division to be run by Sense CEO Shauna McIntyre.
   (AP, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, The International
Maritime Organization said that its members will aim for “net-zero”
carbon emissions by 2050, following a commitment to the same goal by
the world's airline industry a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, PM Scott Morrison
said Australia will buy 300,000 courses of Merck & Co's
experimental antiviral pill, as Victoria logged the highest number
of daily infections of any state in the country since the pandemic
began.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, British military
personnel in fatigues began delivering fuel to ease an acute trucker
shortage that triggered panic buying at the pumps, though PM Boris
Johnson denied the world's fifth largest economy was heading into
crisis.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Britain has
reported 33,869 new cases of COVID-19, meaning cases reported
between Sept. 29 and Oct. 5 were down 2.3% compared with the
previous seven days.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, In the Central
African Rep. at least 12 people were killed when rebel fighters
ambushed and set fire to three semi-trucks ferrying passengers from
a regional capital. Militants linked to the Coalition of Patriots
for Change (CPC) attacked from the forest in Ouaka prefecture. The
death toll was soon raised to 20 with six injured.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)(Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, The Czech Republic
said it has signed a $630 million deal to buy a new air defense
system for its military from the Israeli government.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, A majority in
Denmark's parliament agreed that the agricultural and forestry
sector must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% and 65% by 2030
compared with 1990 levels.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, A report by the
Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church said clergy
members in the Roman Catholic Church in France sexually abused more
than 200,000 minors over the past seven decades. The independent
commission concluded the problem was far more pervasive and
systematic than previously known.
   (NY Times, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, German chipmaker
Infineon Technologies said it plans a 50% hike in investments next
year, boosting its shares as it looks to benefit from soaring demand
and a global shortage in semiconductors.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, It was reported
that India's top court ordered state authorities to pay $672 (50,000
rupees) as compensation for each death caused by COVID-19, as a way
to help families cope with the loss.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Authorities said
Israeli archeologists have found a rare ancient toilet in Jerusalem
dating back to more than 2,700 years, when private bathrooms were a
luxury. A deep septic tank had been dug underneath.
   (SFC, 10/6/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, It was reported
that Japan's COVID-19 case numbers have plummeted to the lowest in
nearly a year. Japan has vaccinated 61% of its population and the
government was gearing up for booster shots to head off the
breakthrough cases seen elsewhere in the world.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Kosovo sentenced an
ethnic Serb to 20 years in prison after being convicted of war
crimes, including involvement in a massacre during the 1998-1999
war.
   (AP, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, A trove of leaked
documents confirmed that for years, Lebanon’s politicians and
bankers have stowed wealth in offshore tax havens and used it to buy
expensive properties — a galling revelation for masses of newly
impoverished Lebanese caught in one of the world's worst economic
meltdowns in decades.
   (AP, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, In western Libya at
least 17 bodies, likely of Europe-bound migrants, washed ashore.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, It was reported
that Mexico is nearing a grim milestone: 100,000 disappeared people,
according to Mexico’s National Search Commission, which keeps a
record that goes back to 1964. Between September 2020 and the end of
July, an additional 6,453 people have been reported disappeared or
missing.
   (NY Times, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Peru's government
said it had reached an agreement with MMG Ltd's Las Bambas mine and
the local Chumbivilcas community to avoid road blockades that have
threatened production at the huge copper mine.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Romania's
parliament toppled the nine-month-old minority government of PM
Florin Citu in a vote of no-confidence, but key parties said they
would work to return the previous majority coalition to power soon.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, A Russian actress
and a film director blasted off for the International Space Station,
beating Tom Cruise in the race to shoot the first movie in space.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, In Slovenia Police
fired tear gas and water cannons at anti-government protesters in
Ljubljana, on the eve of a major European Union summit.
   (AP, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, South Africa's
biggest metalworkers union launched an indefinite strike, seeking
pay rises and threatening to block supplies of parts to make new
cars and accessories.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, In south-eastern
Tunisia a military helicopter crashed overnight in Gabes, killing
three soldiers.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, It was reported
that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has imposed sanctions
on 95 Ukrainian and Russia citizens in connection with the holding
of Russian parliamentary elections in annexed Crimea.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, The UN said
government forces have rescued abducted children who were forcefully
recruited by the Al-Shabab jihadist group in northern Mozambique.
   (Reuters, 10/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, A court in Ajman,
UAE, sentenced five foreigners to death who had been convicted in
the first-degree murder and robbery of a businessman whose body was
discovered in a refrigerator.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The Biden
administration announced changes to the federal student loan
forgiveness program that would allow thousands more public sector
workers, including members of the military, to seek a reprieve on
their educational debts. The new policies would affect an estimated
550,000 borrowers and give them an extra two years of progress
toward forgiveness.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, US Supreme Court
justices questioned why the US government will not allow Abu
Zubaydah, a suspected high-ranking al Qaeda figure held at the
American naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to testify about his
torture at the hands of the CIA.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Three US Supreme
Court justices proposed that Abu Zubaydah, the first detainee the
CIA subjected to brutal interrogation after 9/11, be allowed to
testify about his treatment.
   (NY Times, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, A federal judge
granted the Justice Department’s request to halt enforcement of the
recently passed Texas law that bans nearly all abortions in the
state while the legal battle over the statute makes its way through
the federal courts.
   (NY Times, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, US Deputy Attorney
General Lisa Monaco unveiled two new Justice Department enforcement
initiatives aimed at targeting cryptocurrencies and government
contractors who fail to report cyber breaches.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 43,971,311 with the death toll at 705,831.
   (sfist.com, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Heavy rain flooded
parts of Alabama near Birmingham late today, killing at least one
person, closing roads and prompting several water rescues after a
flash-flood emergency was issued for several counties. By the next
day at least 4 people reported killed.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)(SFC, 10/8/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The Los Angeles
City Council approved a new law that will require proof of
vaccination to enter restaurants, gyms and other indoor businesses.
   (NY Times, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Case Breakers,
group of volunteer sleuths made up of former investigative
specialists, claimed to have identified the Zodiac Killer, one of
the most notorious serial killers in the world, who terrorized San
Francisco in the late 1960s. They allege that Gary Francis Poste
(d.2018) was the Zodiac Killer, pointing to clues they uncovered
over several years. The FBI said the claim is inaccurate.
   (The Independent, 10/6/21)(NBC News, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, New Jersey man
Khalil Wheeler-Weaver (25), who used dating apps to lure and kill
three women five years ago, was sentenced to 160 years in prison.
His trial revealed that friends of one victim did their own
detective work on social media to ferret out the suspect.
   (AP, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Amazon-owned
Twitch, a live-streaming platform for video gamers, said it has
suffered a data breach. No further details were provided.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Pfizer Inc said it
will study the effectiveness of its vaccine against COVID-19 by
inoculating the whole population over the age of 12 in a town in
southern Brazil.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, It was reported
that two saponin molecules, made from the bark of branches pruned
from older trees in Chile’s forests, are being used for a COVID-19
vaccine developed by drugmaker Novavax Inc. The chemicals are used
to make adjuvant, a substance that boosts the immune system.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The Nobel Prize in
Chemistry was awarded to Benjamin List, a German chemist and
director at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Mülheim an
der Ruhr, and David W.C. MacMillan, a Scottish chemist and a
professor at Princeton University, for their development of a new
tool to build molecules, work that has spurred advances in
pharmaceutical research and lessened the impact of chemistry on the
environment.
   (NY Times, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Hundreds of Afghans
flocked to the passport office in Kabul, just a day after news that
it would re-open this week to issue the documents, while Taliban
security men had to beat back some in the crowd in efforts to
maintain order.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, British PM Boris
Johnson rallied his Conservative party faithful, vowing a
far-reaching overhaul to wean the UK economy off cheap foreign labor
after Brexit.
   (AP, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, England's High
Court ruled that Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum
(72) ordered the phones of his ex-wife, Princess Haya bint
al-Hussein (47), and her lawyers to be hacked as part of a
"sustained campaign of intimidation and threat" during the custody
battle over their children. This came 19 months after the court
concluded that Mohammed had abducted two of his daughters,
mistreated them and held them against their will.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Britain reported
39,851 new cases of COVID-19, meaning cases reported between Sept.
30 and Oct. 6 were down by 2.0% compared with the previous seven
days.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Amazon opened its
first general store, called "4-star," outside the United States in a
mall in Britain, selling the online retailer's most popular products
including books, toys, games and consumer electronics.
   (AP, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Canadian officials
said federal employees who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19
and are not exempt from getting the shots will be put on
administrative leave without pay. Domestic air, train and cruise
ship travelers and workers will soon have to show proof of
vaccination.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Chinese Estates
Holdings, a major shareholder of embattled developer China
Evergrande, said it had proposed to be taken private by Solar Bright
Ltd for HK$1.91 billion ($245.30 million).
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, In CongoDRC a
3-year-old boy tested positive for Ebola near the eastern city of
Beni, one of the epicenters of the 2018-2020 outbreak, and died from
the disease.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, A court in Cyprus
extended the detention of a man, arrested on Sept. 27, that Israel
alleges was a would-be assassin recruited by Iran to attack Israeli
businesspeople on the island.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The Czech Republic
reported more than 1,000 new cases in one day for the first time
since May 18.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Denmark and Sweden
said they will pause the use of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for
younger age groups after reports of possible rare side effects, such
as myocarditis.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The environmental
law firm ClientEarth warned the European Union that it would be
breaching its own laws if it labels investments in gas-fuelled
energy as "green" in upcoming finance regulations.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Police in Germany
carried out large-scale raids in 25 cities, after a chance discovery
last year put investigators on the trail of a money-laundering
network alleged to have funneled millions in ill-gotten gains
abroad. They targeted 67 suspects, including 44 Syrians, 10 Germans,
five Jordanians and four Lebanese. 11 people were arrested.
   (AP, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Germany repatriated
23 children and their eight mothers from the Roj camp in
northeastern Syria this evening, while Denmark brought back 14
children and three women.
   (AP, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The organization
that handles claims on behalf of Jews who suffered under the Nazis
said that Germany has agreed to extend compensation to Jewish
survivors who endured the World War II siege of Leningrad and two
other groups who had not received any monthly pensions from Germany.
   (AP, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Guinea's military
junta named Mohamed Beavogui (68), a former civil servant and expert
in agricultural finance, as prime minister to preside over a
promised transition back to democratic rule following a coup in
September.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Hong Kong leader
Carrie Lam's annual policy address, the last in her current term,
mapped out priorities for the former British colony. Her plans
included a Northern Metropolis on the border with the mainland's
technology hub of Shenzhen, covering 300 square km.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Indonesia conducted
its first test flight using jet fuel partially from palm oil, as the
country plans to commercialize the fuel as it seeks creative ways to
use the edible oil domestically.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Iraq signed a
contract with Masdar, a UAE-based renewable energy developer to
build five solar power plants in the oil-rich country with a chronic
energy problem.
   (AP, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Libyan health
authorities started to vaccinate migrants in the country against the
coronavirus, in cooperation with the UN migration agency.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, New Zealand's
central bank hiked interest rates for the first time in seven years,
becoming the second major developed economy to raise rates and one
of several to dial back hefty stimulus unleashed in the wake of the
coronavirus crisis.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Tens of thousands
of Palestinians lined up outside chambers of commerce across the
Gaza Strip, hoping to get permits to work inside Israel after rumors
circulated that more would be issued to residents of the territory.
   (AP, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Peru's President
Pedro Castillo swore in Mirtha Vasquez, a left-wing former head of
Congress, as prime minister, replacing her predecessor who resigned
after two months in the job, as the administration grapples with
political instability.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, An indigenous
community in Peru's Espinar province that blocked a key mining road
said it plans to continue the blockade indefinitely, a local leader
said, in protest against the government and Glencore PLC's
Antapaccay copper mine.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Philippines human
rights groups staged protests to denounce an attempt by the son and
namesake of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos to return his family to
power by vying for the presidency.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Poland's central
bank unexpectedly raised interest rates as the central European
nation faces an accelerating inflation rate that is currently the
highest in the EU.
   (AP, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Russian authorities
said they had fired five senior prison officials and opened a slew
of criminal investigations into alleged torture and sexual assaults
at a jail in the Saratov region.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Russia's sovereign
fund RDIF said the UAE has authorized the Russia-developed one-shot
Sputnik Light as both a standalone COVID-19 vaccine and a booster
shot.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Slovakia reported
1,971 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily tally since March 23.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, In Ukraine the Babi
Yar Holocaust memorial center revealed the initial 159 names of
hundreds of Nazi troops who took part in the Babi Yar massacre on
Sept. 29-30, 1941, when 33,771 Jews were murdered.
   (AP, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The UN cultural
agency said India's school closures and its children's lack of
smartphone and internet facilities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic have
worsened an educational divide.
   (Reuters, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, United Nations
veteran diplomat Staffan de Mistura was named as the organization's
envoy to the Western Sahara conflict, nearly two and a half years
after the post had become vacant as a dozen other candidates were
rejected by either Morocco or the Polisario Front rebel movement.
   (AP, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The World Health
Organization recommended that the world’s first malaria vaccine
should be given to children across Africa.
   (AP, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The World Health
Organization said it has started shipping COVID-19 medical supplies
into North Korea, a possible sign that the North is easing one of
the world’s strictest pandemic border closures to receive outside
help.
   (AP, 10/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, US Senate Majority
Leader Chuck Schumer announced that Senate leaders have agreed to
raise the Treasury Department's borrowing authority until early
December, averting a potential debt default later this month.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, A report by the
Senate Judiciary Committee's Democratic majority detailed Donald
Trump’s extraordinary effort to overturn the 2020 presidential
election that he lost, with the Justice Department brought to the
brink of chaos and top officials there and at the White House
threatening to resign.
   (AP, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, The Central
Intelligence Agency said it has created a new group to focus solely
on China and the national security challenges it poses, calling it
the most important threat the United States faces.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Eighteen former
National Basketball Association players were charged with defrauding
the league's health and welfare benefit plan out of approximately
$3.9 million.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 44,078,439 with the death toll at 708,125.
   (sfist.com, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, California Governor
Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill that prohibits "stealthing," or
removing a condom during sex without consent, making it a civil
sexual battery offense.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, California's Gov.
Gavin Newsom signed SB331, or the Silenced No More Act. It allowed
workers to speak about workplace harassment or discrimination
despite signing a company's nondisclosure agreement.
   (https://tinyurl.com/23hjat5u)(SFC, 10/9/21,
p.C1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Los Angeles County
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said he would not enforce the county's
vaccine mandate in his agency for his roughly 18,000 employees.
County employees were required to be vaccinated by Oct. 1 with only
religious or medical exemptions.
   (https://tinyurl.com/yskjnw8c)(SSFC, 10/10/21,
p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, A second spill in
less than two weeks at a US Steel plant in northwest Indiana sent an
oily sheen onto a Lake Michigan tributary, prompting officials to
close some nearby lake access as a precaution.
   (AP, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, US remote-control
maker Universal Electronics Inc told Reuters it struck a deal with
authorities in Xinjiang to transport hundreds of Uyghur workers to
its plant in the southern Chinese city of Qinzhou, the first
confirmed instance of an American company participating in a
transfer program described by some rights groups as forced labor.
   (NY Times, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Microsoft said
Russia’s relentless hacking efforts accounted for 58% of all
state-sponsored cyberattacks over the past year, and the county
appears to have gotten significantly more efficient in its digital
assault.
   (NY Daily News, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Moderna said it
plans to invest up to $500 million to build a factory in Africa to
make up to 500 million doses of mRNA vaccines each year, including
its COVID-19 shot, as pressure grows on the pharmaceutical industry
to manufacture drugs on the continent.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, It was reported
that international officials are preparing to fly in cash for the
needy while avoiding financing the Taliban government.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Australia-based BHP
Group, the world's largest listed mining company, announced that
from the end of January all workers and visitors entering its
workplaces in Australia will need to be fully vaccinated against
COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Brazil's Health
Ministry registered 451 new COVID-19 deaths, taking the total to
599,810 since the pandemic began.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Britain's NatWest
pleaded guilty to failing to prevent the laundering of nearly 400
million pounds ($544 million) and faces a heavy fine after becoming
the first bank in Britain to admit to a criminal offence of this
sort.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Britain recorded
40,701 new cases of COVID-19, up 12% on a week ago and marking the
biggest total since Sept. 6.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Sky, the pay-TV
company that bought multi-channel viewing to millions of Britons via
satellite, said it is launching a smart TV called Sky Glass that
does away with set-top boxes, cables and a dish on the side of the
house.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Croatia launched an
investigation into new allegations that members of its police carry
out systematic violent pushbacks of migrants and asylum-seekers
attempting to illegally enter the country from neighboring Bosnia.
   (AP, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Estonia signed on
to a 15 percent minimum tax rate. Nearly 140 countries were expected
to settle on a 15 percent global minimum tax rate.
   (NY Times, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, The European
Commission suspended funding to the World Health Organization's
programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo due to concerns over
the UN agency's handling of the sexual abuse scandal.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Finland paused the
use of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for younger males due to reports
of a rare cardiovascular side effect, joining Sweden and Denmark in
limiting its use.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, India-based
Reliance Industries Ltd's retail arm said it would roll out 7-Eleven
Inc convenience stores in India, days after Future Retail Ltd ended
a similar deal with the US chain.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Indonesia said it
has approved a COVID-19 vaccine produced by a unit of China's
Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products for emergency use, the fourth
Chinese vaccine cleared for use in the country.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Ireland said it was
ready to accept a 15 percent minimum tax rate after PM Michael
Martin told the Irish cabinet that the rate would only apply to
multinational giants like Facebook and Apple, but not to Irish
companies operating in Ireland.
   (NY Times, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Israel ceremonially
opened its gleaming pavilion at the world's fair in Dubai, over a
year after normalizing ties with the United Arab Emirates.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, The Jerusalem Legal
Aid and Human Rights Center, a Palestinian rights group, says Israel
is holding the bodies of at least 82 Palestinians since the policy
was established in 2015. It says many are buried in secret
cemeteries where the plots are only marked by plaques of numbers.
Hamas holds the remains of the two Israeli soldiers killed during
the 2014 Gaza war in an undisclosed location.
   (AP, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, A strong earthquake
with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 jolted Tokyo and surrounding
areas late today, stopping train lines and causing sporadic power
cuts, but there were no reports of major damage.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, In Kashmir
suspected militants shot and killed two teachers in a government
school in , the latest in a spate of targeted killings in the
heavily militarized Himalayan region. The victims were members of
the region's minority Sikh and Hindu communities.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Morocco's King
Mohammed named a new government after last month's election, keeping
the foreign and interior ministers in place but appointing Nadia
Fettah Alaoui as finance minister.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, NATO
Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the organization
withdrew the accreditation of eight Russian officials to the
military alliance in response to a rise in “malign activities” by
Moscow.
   (AP, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, It was reported
that the Dutch antitrust authority has found that Apple’s rules
requiring software developers to use its in-app payment system are
anti-competitive and ordered it to make changes, four people
familiar with the matter said, in the latest regulatory setback for
the iPhone maker.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Nigerian security
agents rescued 187 people who had been abducted by armed gangs in
the northwestern state of Zamfara.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, A 5.9-magnitude
earthquake hit Pakistan early this morning. At least 23 people died
and hundreds of buildings collapsed.
   (AP, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Poland's
Constitutional Tribunal ruled that some provisions of the EU
treaties and some EU court rulings go against Poland’s highest law.
Two of the 14 judges who considered the case dissented from the
majority opinion.
   (AP, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Investigators in
Russia's Orenburg region opened criminal cases into the deaths of
nine people from alcohol-poisoning this week after they consumed
locally-produced spirits. The death toll from the mass poisoning
rose to 34 Oct. 11, and 24 more people were being treated in
hospital.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)(Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, A Moscow court told
state bailiffs to enforce the collection of 26 million rubles
($361,400) in fines imposed on US social media giant Facebook for
failing to delete content that Russia deems illegal.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, A Scottish court
handed BP a win over Greenpeace after the environmental group tried
to void the energy company's license to exploit a North Sea
oilfield, saying the climate impact of the end-use of oil should not
affect permits.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Serbian rights
lawyer Nikola Kovacevic (32) became the first winner of UNHCR's
regional Nansen Refugee Award from Serbia and the Balkans.
   (AP, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, A South Korean
soldier who committed suicide earlier this year after being
dismissed by the army following gender reassignment surgery won a
posthumous victory, as a court told the army to recognize her as a
woman and annul her dismissal.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Spain's coronavirus
incidence dropped below 50 cases per 100,000 people, reaching the
threshold considered "low risk" by the Health Ministry for the first
time in over a year.
   (AP, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Rifaat Al-Assad,
the exiled uncle of Syria's Pres. Bashar Al-Assad, arrived in
Damascus in order to prevent his imprisonment in France after a
court ruling was issued and after the confiscation of his property
and money in Spain as well.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, A leading Syrian
Kurdish politician said the United States will stay on in Syria to
destroy Islamic State, build infrastructure and remain a player in
the search for a political settlement after more than 10 years of
civil war.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Tanzanian novelist
Abdulrazak Gurnah (72) won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature "for
his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of
colonialism and the fate of the refugee." His novels include
"Paradise", set in colonial East Africa during the First World War
and short-listed for the Booker Prize for Fiction, and "Desertion".
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, The UN Human Rights
Council agreed to appoint a special rapporteur on Afghanistan to
probe violations carried out by the Taliban and other parties to the
conflict there.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, The United Nations
Human Rights Council narrowly agreed to end the mandate of its
independent investigators who have found that all sides in Yemen's
conflict have committed acts that may amount to war crimes.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for $8 billion to help
equitably vaccinate 40% of people in all countries by the end of the
year, as the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a plan that
aims to inoculate 70% of the world by mid-2022.
   (Reuters, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, The UN migration
agency said fighting over the key Yemeni city of Marib has displaced
around 10,000 people in the past month.
   (AP, 10/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, In Zimbabwe seven
people, including six foreign nationals, died when some gas
cylinders exploded at the SAS gold mine in the Mazowe district.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Pres. Joe Biden
signed into law a new program to compensate CIA officers, State
Dept. diplomats and other federal officials who have suffered
traumatic neurological injuries for what is known as "Havana
syndrome," first identified five years ago at the US Embassy in
Cuba.
   (SSFC, 10/10/21, p.A11)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Pres. Joe Biden
reinstated and slightly expanded the original 1.3 million acre
boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument, and restored the
original 1.8 million acre boundaries of Grand Staircase-Escalante in
Utah. Biden also restored protections covering the Atlantic Ocean’s
first marine monument, the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts.
   (NY Times, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, President Joe Biden
issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous
Peoples’ Day, lending the most significant boost yet to efforts to
refocus the federal holiday celebrating Christopher Columbus toward
an appreciation of native peoples. Biden also issued a proclamation
of Columbus Day, Oct. 11, which is established by Congress.
   (AP, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Documents released
by a House committee investigating former President Donald Trump's
business said his company lost more than $70 million operating his
Washington, DC, hotel while in office, forcing him at one point to
get a reprieve from a major bank on payments on a loan.
   (AP, 10/8/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 44,175,158 with the death toll at 710,530.
   (sfist.com, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, California's Gov.
Gavin Newsom signed a measure requiring high school students in the
state to complete one semester of ethnic studies before graduation
starting in 2029.
   (SSFC, 10/10/21, p.E2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, NYC officials said
the elementary school gifted and talented program, known for the
last several decades, will no longer exist for incoming kindergarten
students next fall, and within a few years, it will be eliminated
completely. It will be replaced by a program that offers accelerated
learning to all students in the later years of elementary school.
   (NY Times, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, A US appeals court
late today temporarily reinstated Texas's restrictive abortion law,
which bars the procedure as early as six weeks into pregnancy and
outsources enforcement of the ban to ordinary citizens. On Oct. 14
an appeals court denied a US request to halt the Texas law pending
arguments in the week of December 6.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)(SFC, 10/15/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, In Afghanistan a
suicide bomber attacked a mosque in northeastern Kunduz province,
killing 46 people and wounding more than 140.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Argentine Foreign
Minister Santiago Cafiero and Brazilian counterpart Carlos Alberto
Franco França agreed on a framework to reduce Mercosur's common
external tariff.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Britain announced
that it will offer new vaccinations to thousands of people who
volunteered for trials of the Novavax coronavirus vaccine, which has
not yet been approved for use in any country. Britain’s health
department said more than 15,000 participants will be given two
doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in order to let them travel.
   (AP, 10/8/21)(Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Britain recorded
127 deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test, a slight
increase on a day earlier when 122 people died.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, It was reported
that China has added cryptocurrency mining to a draft list of
industries in which investment is restricted or prohibited, although
it reduced the number of sectors on the list overall.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, State media said
Chinese former journalist Luo Changping, whose work exposed official
corruption, has been detained by police on suspicion of insulting
"heroes and martyrs" of the Korean War after comments he made about
a patriotic film.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, It was reported
that remnants of solidified lava brought back by a Chinese mission
were 1 billion years younger than material acquired by other
missions decades ago. Samples brought back from US and Soviet
missions were more than 2.9 billion years old. The samples acquired
on China's Chang'e-5 mission late last year were around 1.96 billion
years old.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, The Czech Rep.
began elections.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, In Ethiopia a
spokesman for the Tigrayan forces said airstrikes against Tigrayan
forces in the northern region of Amhara have intensified over the
last 24 hours.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, President Emmanuel
Macron said France will give back to Benin artworks that were taken
from the former French colony's Royal Palaces of Abomey, which has
since become a UNESCO World Heritage site.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, In Georgia the body
of British guitarist Thomas Kennedy (28) was found in the Mtkvari
River near the village of Kvakhvreli in Gori municipality. He had
been out drinking when a verbal and physical fight broke out with a
group of local men. Four Georgian men and one boy were soon arrested
on suspicion of murder.
   (The Independent, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, India's government
said Tata Sons will resume control of Air India after bidding $2.4
billion, including equity and debt, marking the end of years of
struggle to privatize the financially troubled airline.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, It was reported
that North Indian states have suffered electricity cuts and face
further outages because of a lack of coal, contradicting government
assurances there is enough power.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Iran said it aims
to continue sending fuel products to Lebanon in the future and hopes
a bilateral agreement can be struck for that purpose.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, In Iraq soldiers,
prisoners and displaced people voted in special early polls as the
country prepared for a general election on Oct 10 where turnout will
show how much faith voters have left in a still young democratic
system.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Japan's new PM
Fumio Kishida said he had agreed in his first talks with Chinese
Pres. Xi Jinping since taking office on the need to work together on
issues of shared concern.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Japanese scientists
say they have succeeded in recreating Wagyu, renowned for its fat
marbling, in a laboratory to produce something that could eventually
look and taste like the real steak.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, The eastern side in
Libya's conflict said it had agreed with its opponents on a plan for
a phased withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries, but gave no
details or timeline for a move seen as crucial to cementing a
year-old ceasefire.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, In Libya at least
six migrants were shot dead at a Tripoli detention center, as many
reportedly escaped from the facility and others gathered in nearby
streets.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, In Libya a leak at
the Farwah facility owned by Mabruk Oil Operations occurred while a
tanker was loading oil. On Oct. 10 Libya’s National Oil Corporation
(NOC) said it has brought the oil spill under control.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, In Nigeria five
more students who were kidnapped by gunmen from a school in Kaduna
three months ago have been released after ransoms were paid.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Norway's leftwing
Labor Party and the rural Center Party said they have agreed to form
a minority government, the culmination of almost four weeks of
negotiations following last month's election win.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, The Norwegian Nobel
Committee awarded journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and
Dmitry Muratov (59) of Russia won the Nobel Peace Prize. Muratov
dedicated the Peace Prize to six of his paper's journalists murdered
for their work.
   (NY Times, 10/8/21)(Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, The Philippines'
week-long registration for candidates in the 2022 election closed
without an application from President Rodrigo Duterte's daughter,
disappointing many of her supporters, who up to the last minute were
egging her to run.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, A Polish court
ruling challenging the supremacy of European Union law plunged the
EU into an existential crisis, increasing fears among EU
policymakers and many Poles that Poland could eventually leave the
bloc.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Portugal’s
parliament approved four bills that enshrine in law the country’s
rules and procedures on blood donations, amid reports people are
being turned away due to their sexual orientation. Discrimination in
blood donations has been specifically prohibited in Portugal since
2010.
   (AP, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Russia designated
the Bellingcat investigative news outlet a "foreign agent" along
with nine people who work for Russian language news outlets or
non-governmental organizations.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Russia's state
statistic service Rosstat said at least 49,389 people died in Russia
in August due to the coronavirus and related causes, taking the toll
to around 418,000 people since the pandemic began.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, The Saudi-led
coalition fighting the Houthi movement in Yemen said a hostile
projectile launched by the group hit King Abdullah airport in Jizan,
injuring five civilians.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, South African
travel agencies reported a surge in reservations for travel to and
from Britain ahead of the country being removed from the UK's
COVID-19 red list next week.
   (AP, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Syrian air defenses
intercepted an Israeli missile attack above the Homs countryside,
injuring six soldiers and causing some material damage.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, The UN Human Rights
Council recognized access to a clean and healthy environment as a
fundamental right, formally adding its weight to the global fight
against climate change and its devastating consequences.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Zambia suffered a
major power outage affecting most parts of the country after a
problem at an important hydropower station. The state utility said
it was working to restore supply.
   (Reuters, 10/8/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 44,296,778 with the death toll at 712,704.
   (sfist.com, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, California became
the first state to say large department stores must display products
like toys and toothbrushes in gender-neutral ways, a win for LGBT
advocates who say the pink and blue hues of traditional marketing
methods pressure children to conform to gender stereotypes.
   (AP, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, In Georgia police
Officer Dylan Harrison (26) was killed early today in Alamo, about
124 miles west of Savannah. Authorities identified the suspect as
Damien "Luke" Anthony Ferguson (43) and said he should be considered
armed and dangerous.
   (FN, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Republican Sen.
Charles Grassley and Gov. Kim Reynolds embraced Donald Trump’s
return to Iowa, standing by the former president as he repeated his
false claims of voter fraud and a stolen election to a crowd of
thousands.
   (AP, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, In Louisiana Master
Trooper Adam Gaubert, a 19-year-veteran of the force, was shot and
killed in an area where an early morning homicide occurred. Suspect
Matthew Mire (31) was taken into custody after a daylong manhunt in
area woods.
   (Fox News, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Pride in Football,
the alliance of LGBT+ supporters' groups in Britain, criticized
Newcastle United's takeover by a Saudi Arabia-led consortium and
called for reforms to the Premier League's owners' and directors'
test.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Britain recorded
133 deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test, a slight
increase on a day earlier when 127 people died.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, In the Canary
Islands buildings near the volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma
were engulfed by rivers of lava. Since the Cumbre Vieja volcano
began erupting on Sept. 19 it has destroyed nearly 1,150 buildings
and engulfed 480 hectares (1,190 acres) of land.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Chinese President
Xi Jinping vowed to achieve "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan,
and did not directly mention the use of force after a week of
tensions with the Chinese-claimed island that sparked international
concern.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Czech PM Andrej
Babis's populist ANO party appeared headed for an election win,
according to partial results and projections. Czech voters evicted
the communists from parliament for the first time since the end of
World War Two, voting out a party whose forebears ruled the central
European nation from 1948 until the Velvet Revolution of 1989 that
ushered in democracy. Czech center-right opposition group Together
beat PM Andrej Babis's ANO party in a surprise parliamentary
election.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, President Nayib
Bukele said El Salvador will invest some of the $4 million gains it
has obtained from its bitcoin operations to build a veterinary
hospital.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, President Emmanuel
Macron said France will launch a campaign for the worldwide
abolition of the death penalty as part of its upcoming presidency of
the European Union.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, In Germany climate
activist Vanessa Nakate of Uganda visited the vast open-pit,
Garzweiler coal mine and a village that is to be bulldozed for its
expansion, saying the destruction is “really disturbing” and has
implications far beyond Germany.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Iran said it has
produced more than 120 kg (265 pounds) of 20% enriched uranium, far
more than what the UN nuclear watchdog reported last month.
   (AP, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Abolhassan
Bani-Sadr (88), who became Iran's first president after the 1979
Islamic revolution before fleeing into exile in France, died in
Paris following a long illness.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, PM Viktor Orban
signed a Hungarian government decree, welcoming the ruling by
Poland's Constitutional Court which has plunged the EU into an
existential crisis.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, In Italy some
10,000 people took to the streets of Rome against a government drive
to make the COVID-19 "Green Pass" mandatory for all workers. 12
people, including the leaders of the extreme right-wing party Forza
Nuova, were arrested.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Italy's health
ministry reported 46 coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24
hours, up from 30 during the prior period, while the daily tally of
new infections fell to 2,748 from 3,023.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, A government
official said Lebanon has no centrally generated electricity after
fuel shortages forced its two largest power stations to shut down.
Lebanon's power network completely stopped working at noon, and was
unlikely that it will work for several days.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Lebanese militant
group Hezbollah said Ali Atwa, a senior Hezbollah operative, has
died. Atwa was placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in
2001 with two other alleged participants in the 1985 hijacking of
TWA Flight 847.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Mali's presidency
said a Colombian nun who was kidnapped in 2017 by Islamist militants
in Mali has been freed.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, In Saudi Arabia ten
people were injured in two explosives-laden drone attacks at King
Abdullah airport in the southern city of Jizan over the last 24
hours.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, UN officials signed
a deal with Bangladesh to help provide basic services to thousands
of Rohingya Muslim refugees who have been moved to camps on a remote
island in the Bay of Bengal.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, A magnitude 6.7
earthquake struck the Vanuatu region.
   (Reuters, 10/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, According to
studio estimates "No Time to Die," the final James Bond film of the
Daniel Craig era, grossed $56 million from 4,407 North American
theaters this weekend.
   (AP, 10/10/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 44,326,894 with the death toll at 712,993.
   (sfist.com, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, A mysterious boom
jolted New Hampshire. Some complaints were registered next door in
Massachusetts. The source of the boom has confounded residents.
Meteorologists later said that a bolide, a type of large meteor
explosion in the atmosphere, might have been the source of a
disturbance.
   (NY Times, 10/10/21)(NY Times, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Southwest Airlines
canceled more than 1,000 flights and just over 800 a day earlier,
wreaking havoc on weekend travel plans for thousands of passengers.
Air traffic control staffing shortage and weather in Florida was
blamed. The disruption appeared to be limited to Southwest.
   (NY Times, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Austria's ruling
coalition soldiered on after Chancellor Sebastian Kurz quit to keep
it alive, but a top newspaper likened his future role in parliament
to Russian leader Vladimir Putin's stint as prime minister in name
only.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, In Belgium
thousands of demonstrators marched through Brussels to push world
leaders to take bolder action to fight climate change at the UN
climate summit in Glasgow starting this month.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Britain recorded
34,574 new cases of COVID-19 and 38 new deaths within 28 days of a
positive test for coronavirus. This compared with 34,950 new cases
and 133 deaths reported a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Czech President
Milos Zeman (77) was receiving treatment in an intensive care unit,
creating uncertainty at a time when he is due to lead political
talks about forming a new government after a parliamentary election.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Dubai's media
office said police have seized 500 kilograms of pure cocaine worth
more than 500 million dirhams ($136 million) in a drugs raid. One
person of Middle-Eastern origin was arrested.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Dream11, one of
India's most popular gaming apps, said it has suspended operations
in the southern state of Karnataka after a complaint was registered
against its founders claiming it was in violation of a new state
gambling law.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Iraqis voted in a
parliamentary election. Turnout at 41% was a record low, after many
lost faith in the democratic system brought in by the US-led
invasion of 2003.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)(Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Italy reported 27
coronavirus-related deaths, down from 46 the previous day, the
health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections fell
to 2,278 from 2,748. Italy reached the target of fully vaccinating
80% of the population over the age of 12 against COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Lebanon's power
supplies were back to normal after a blackout the previous day.
Lebanon's energy ministry said it received central bank approval to
for $100 million in credit to issue fuel import tenders for
electricity generation.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Malaysia lifted
interstate and international travel restrictions for residents fully
vaccinated against COVID-19, as the country achieved its target of
inoculating 90% of its adult population.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, North Korean
leader Kim Jong Un urged officials to focus on improving citizens'
lives in the face of a "grim" economic situation on the 76th
anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea.
   (AP, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, In Pakistan Abdul
Qadeer Khan (85), lionized at home as the father of Pakistan’s
atomic bomb despite admitting he was at the center of a nuclear
proliferation ring, died.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Poles gathered in
cities across the country to show support for the EU after the
nation’s constitutional court ruled this week that the Polish
constitution overrides some EU laws.
   (AP, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, President Tsai
Ing-wen said Taiwan will keep bolstering its defenses to ensure
nobody can force them to accept the path China has laid down that
offers neither freedom nor democracy. China's government denounced
her National Day speech.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Thousands of
Tunisians protested against President Kais Saied's seizure of almost
total power protested in the capital as the growing numbers taking
to the street in recent weeks has raised the risk of the political
crisis unleashing unrest.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Pope Francis
launched a two-year worldwide consultative process that could change
the way the Roman Catholic Church makes decisions and leave its mark
long after his pontificate is over.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Venezuela received
a second batch of 2.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines via the
COVAX mechanism, while the government said it hoped to reach
immunity for 70% of Venezuelans by the end of the month.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, In Yemen a car
bomb targeting the governor's convoy shook the southern port city of
Aden killing at least six people and wounding seven. Governor Ahmed
Lamlas and agriculture minister Salem al-Suqatri, both members of a
southern separatist group, survived.
   (Reuters, 10/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, The US State
Department and EU confirmed that two dozen countries have joined a
US- and EU-led effort to slash methane emissions 30% by 2030 from
2020 levels. The new signatories included Canada, the Central
African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Micronesia, France, Germany,
Guatemala, Guinea, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia,
Malta, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Rwanda, Sweden
and Togo.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, It was reported
that White House officials and Democrats in Congress say the US
Treasury is being held hostage by Republican Senator Ted Cruz's
efforts to halt a Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline, blocking critical
appointments when the federal debt limit remains a pressing issue.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Nicolas Chaillan,
the Pentagon's first chief software officer, said China has won the
artificial intelligence battle with the United States and is heading
towards global dominance because of its technological advances.
Chaillan resigned in September in protest against the slow pace of
technological transformation in the US military.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, The Nobel in
economics went to US-based David Card, Joshua Angrist and Guido
Imbens. Card has made a career of studying unintended experiments to
examine economic questions — like whether raising the minimum wage
causes people to lose jobs. Angrist and Imbens have developed
research tools that help economists to use real-life situations to
test big theories, like how additional education affects earnings.
   (NY Times, 10/11/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 44,346,045 with the death toll at 713,432.
   (sfist.com, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In Half Moon Bay,
Ca., Jeff Uhlmeyer of Olympia, Wa., won the 48th annual Pumpkin
Weigh-Off with a 2,191-pound gourd.
   (SFC, 10/11/21, p.C1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In California the
Alisal Fire began north of Santa Barbara. After 4 days it grew to
16,901 acres and was 41%% contained.
   (SFC, 10/13/21, p.C3)(SFC, 10/16/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In California a
twin-engine plane killed at least two people and left a swath of
destruction in a San Diego suburb. It nose-dived into the ground
after repeated warnings that it was flying dangerously low.
   (AP, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Republican Texas
Governor Greg Abbott, responding to what he called "bullying" by the
Biden Administration, barred all COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the
state by any entity, including private employers.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, It was reported
that scientists have unearthed evidence of a milestone in human
culture, the earliest-known use of tobacco, in the remnants of a
hearth built by early inhabitants of North America's interior about
12,300 years ago in Utah's Great Salt Lake Desert. Until now, the
earliest documented use of tobacco came in the form of nicotine
residue found inside a smoking pipe from Alabama dating to 3,300
years ago.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, DC Comics
announced that the new Superman, Jonathan Kent — who is the son of
Clark Kent and Lois Lane — will soon begin a romantic relationship
with a male friend.
   (NY Times, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Southwest Airlines
canceled hundreds more flights following a weekend of major service
disruptions.
   (AP, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, It was reported
that US prices for organic soybeans used to feed livestock and
manufacture soy milk have surged to record highs as imports that
make up most of the country's supply have declined, triggering price
increases for food including organically raised chicken.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, The IMF’s
executive board said that Kristalina Georgieva would remain as
managing director, clearing her of allegations of manipulating data
to placate Beijing.
   (NY Times, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In Australia the
Fortune of War, Sydney's oldest pub, opened one hour early to
welcome back its regulars after the city emerged from a more than
100-day lockdown, allowing COVID-19 vaccinated locals to enjoy new
freedoms including a morning beer.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Austria's Pres.
Alexander Van Der Bellen swore in former foreign minister Alexander
Schallenberg as chancellor.
   (SFC, 10/11/21, p.A2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, British police
announced they will not take any action against Prince Andrew after
a review prompted by a Jeffrey Epstein accuser who claims that he
sexually assaulted her.
   (AP, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Britain reported a
further 40,224 COVID-19 cases and 28 deaths within 28 days of a
positive test.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, AstraZeneca said
it antibody cocktail against COVID-19, which has proven to work as a
preventative shot in the non-infected, was also shown to save lives
and prevent severe disease when given as treatment within a week of
first symptoms.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In northern China
at least 28 people were left dead following heavy rains and violent
floods. The death toll included 13 people who died after a commuter
bus fell into a river near the city of Shijiazhuang.
   (SFC, 10/13/21, p.A2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, It was reported
that scientists at Estonia's Tartu University say they have found a
way to use peat in sodium-ion batteries, which reduces the overall
cost, although the technology is still in its infancy.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Ethiopia's
national army launched a ground offensive against forces from the
northern region of Tigray.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, The German city of
Cologne said it will start permitting mosques to broadcast muezzin
calls for prayer. The initiative will be limited to two years and
then be re-evaluated.
   (AP, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, India's largest
port operator Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone said that its
terminals would no longer handle export and import of container
cargoes from Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan from Nov. 15. The
decision came weeks after Indian officials seized nearly three tons
of heroin originating from Afghanistan worth an estimated 200
billion rupees ($2.65 billion) from two containers at western
Gujarat's Mundra Port.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Iraqi PM Mustafa
Al-Kadhimi said security forces have captured Sami Jasim, a senior
member of the Islamic State group. Jasim was a deputy to slain
leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and oversaw Islamic State finances.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Paddy Maloney
(83), frontman and bagpiper for the Chieftain's, died in Dublin. The
group's 1992 album "Another Country" won the Grammy for best
contemporary folk album. Maloney on his own branched into writing
and arranged music for such films as "Barry Lyndon" (1975), and
"Gangs of New York" (2002).
   (SSFC, 10/17/21, p.F8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, PM Naftali Bennett
said Israel will keep the Golan Heights, which it captured from
Syria in a 1967 war, even if international views on Damascus change.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Israeli
archaeologists said they have unearthed a massive ancient winemaking
complex dating back some 1,500 years in the central town of Yavne.
   (AP, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In Kashmir at
least five Indian soldiers and two militants were killed in a series
of gun battles, where security forces have stepped up operations
after several civilian killings last week.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In Libya hundreds
of migrants protested for the 10th straight day outside a UN
facility in Tripoli demanding evacuation from the North African
nation.
   (AP, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Mexican President
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said that well-known foreign companies
had engaged in what he described as fuel smuggling and he named
global energy trader Trafigura as an example of the practice.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In Mozambique
Mariano Nyongo, the leader of Renamo military junta, was killed
early this morning in fighting between the Defence and Security
Forces (FDS) and the insurgents in Sofala province.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In the Netherlands
hundreds of protesters from climate activist group Extinction
Rebellion blocked a busy intersection near the temporary home of the
parliament, marking the start of a week of protests the group plans
in The Hague before a UN climate conference that opens on Oct. 31.
   (AP, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, PM Jacinda Ardern
said New Zealand will require teachers and workers in the health and
disability sectors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as she
extended restrictions in Auckland, its largest city, for another
week.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In Nigeria
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State met with six women and their
nine children after they were held by the Islamic State West Africa
Province (ISWAP) group in a forest in Buni Yadi, an area of Yobe
State. They had escaped and walked for six days to the town of
Damboa in neighboring Borno.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In northwestern
Nigeria gunmen seized three student priests from a Catholic seminary
in Kaduna state. Six seminarians were injured in the attack.
   (AP, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In Russia jailed
Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said that a prison commission had
designated him an extremist and a terrorist, but officially no
longer regarded him as an escape risk.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Russia's state
coronavirus task force reported 29,409 new confirmed cases, the
highest number since the year’s start and just slightly lower than
the pandemic record reached in December.
   (AP, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In Syria at least
four people were killed when a car bomb exploded in the city of
Afrin, the latest such attack in the northwestern region that is
controlled by Turkey and Syrian rebels it supports. Turkey has
blamed previous bomb attacks in Afrin on the Syrian Kurdish YPG
group.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Tunisia's Pres.
Kais Saied unveiled a new government, but gave no hint when he would
relinquish his near total control after seizing most powers in July,
or start reforms needed for a financial rescue package to avert
economic disaster. The new Cabinet of 24 ministers and a secretary
of state has an unprecedented 10 women.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)(AP, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, The UN refugee
agency said it had recovered the bodies of 15 migrants and 177
survivors from two coastguard boats returning to Libya people who
had sought to cross the Mediterranean.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, The UN children's
agency UNICEF said some 19,000 migrant children have crossed the
dangerous Darien Gap on the border between Panama and Colombia so
far this year. At least five children have been found dead in the
jungle.
   (Reuters, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, The World Health
Organization (WHO) recommended that immunocompromised people be
given an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine, due to their higher
risk of breakthrough infections after standard immunization.
   (AP, 10/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The US House
passed a short-term bill to lift the debt limit, temporarily
averting default. The legislation lifts the debt ceiling by $480
billion, which the Treasury Department has estimated is enough to
last until at least Dec. 3.
   (NY Times, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The Pentagon said
it wants defense contractors to cut the ultimate cost of hypersonic
weapons, as the next generation of super-fast missiles being
developed currently cost tens of millions per unit.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The Food and Drug
Administration for the first time authorized an electronic cigarette
to be sold in the United States, a significant turn in one of the
most contentious public health debates in decades. The agency
signaled that it believed that the help certain vaping devices offer
smokers to quit traditional cigarettes is more significant than the
risks of ensnaring a new generation.
   (NY Times, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, New draft
guidelines by a US panel of experts said doctors should no longer
routinely start most people who are at high risk of heart disease on
a daily regimen of low-dose aspirin.
   (NY Times, 10/12/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 44,481,045 with the death toll at 714,553.
   (sfist.com, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Scientists at the
US Food and Drug Administration said that Moderna Inc had not met
all of the agency's criteria to support use of booster doses of its
COVID-19 vaccine, possibly because the efficacy of the shot's first
two doses has remained strong.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, It was reported
that more than 24,000 nurses and other health-care workers at Kaiser
Permanente in California and Oregon have overwhelmingly authorized a
strike, threatening to walk out over pay and working conditions
strained by the coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Walgreens said it
would close 5 stores in San Francisco citing concerns over retail
theft in the city.
   (SFC, 10/13/21, p.C5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, In Tennessee two
US postal workers in Memphis were fatally shot and a third employee,
identified as the shooter, died from a self-inflicted gunshot.
   (SFC, 10/13/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Two Texas-based
carriers said the federal mandate superseded an order by Republican
Governor Greg Abbott barring COVID-19 vaccine mandates by any
entity, including private employers. American Airlines and Southwest
Airlines said they would comply with US President Joe Biden's
executive order to require that their employees be vaccinated for
COVID-19 by a Dec. 8 deadline.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Northern Texas
federal Judge Mark Pittman issued a temporary retraining order
barring United Airlines Holdings Inc. from placing unvaccinated
workers with a religious or medical exemption on unpaid leave.
   (SFC, 10/14/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Boeing management
told its US employees in an internal message that with limited
exceptions they must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 8 or
face termination.
   (https://tinyurl.com/xyncyw2d)(SFC, 10/14/21,
p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Britain reported
38,520 further cases of COVID-19 and 181 more deaths within 28 days
of a positive test.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, In the Canary
Islands over 700 residents were ordered to abandon their homes on
the Spanish island of La Palma as red-hot lava advanced towards
their neighborhood. A day earlier Lava gushing from the volcano
engulfed a cement plant.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Chinese President
Xi Jinping announced the launch of a 1.5 billion yuan ($232.47
million) fund to support biodiversity protection in developing
countries, as talks continue on a new post-2020 global pact to
tackle species loss.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, China allowed
coal-fired power plants to pass on the high costs of generation to
some end-users via market-driven electricity prices, adding to
worries about building global inflationary pressures. China, the
world's largest coal consumer, has been grappling with a growing
energy crisis brought on by shortages and record high prices for the
fuel.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Cuba denied
government opponents permission to stage what they said would be a
peaceful march for civil liberties in Havana and a few other
provinces on grounds it was part of efforts to overthrow the
government, according to a letter handed to organizers.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The European Union
said it will give an additional 700 million euros ($809.2 million)
in emergency aid to Afghanistan and its neighboring countries ahead
of today's Group of 20 Afghan summit.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The EU imposed
cuts on catches of cod and herring in the Baltic Sea to make sure
threatened stock have a chance for survival.
   (SFC, 10/13/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, EU leaders vowed
to uphold Ukraine's energy security and signed deals intended to
bolster ties during a summit in Kyiv.
   (AP, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, President Emmanuel
Macron said France wants to be a leader in green hydrogen by 2030
and build low-carbon planes and small nuclear reactors as part of a
30 billion euro ($35 billion) investment plan dubbed "France 2030".
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The French
president’s office announced the death of Hubert Germain (101), the
last of an elite group of decorated French Resistance fighters who
helped liberate France from Nazi control in World War II.
   (AP, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, French bank
Societe Generale said it will cut 3,700 jobs between 2023 and 2025
as it merges its retail network with that of its unit Credit du
Nord.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Germany-based
CureVac NV said it will give up on its first-generation COVID-19
vaccine candidate and instead focus on collaborating with GSK to
develop improved mRNA vaccine technology.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Protesters in
Guatemala tried to topple a Christopher Columbus statue amid
protests against the treatment of indigenous people by European
conquerors. Another group of protesters succeeded in tearing away
the head on a monument to former President Jose Maria Reina Barrios,
who served from 1892 to 1898, after splashing it with red paint.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, India recommended
emergency use of Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 shot in the 2 to 18
age-group. India has so far fully vaccinated around 29% of about 944
million eligible adults.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Indian security
forces killed at least five militants in Indian-ruled Kashmir as
hundreds of Hindus fled the disputed Muslim-majority region after a
wave of violence.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, IRNA news agency
reported that Iran's intelligence agency has arrested 10 people
after “sophisticated and continuous” surveillance in Bushehr
province.
   (AP, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Italian PM Mario
Draghi hosted a special summit of the Group of 20 major economies to
discuss Afghanistan, as worries grow about a looming humanitarian
disaster following the Taliban's return to power.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Japan's ruling
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) pledged to double defence spending.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, In Lebanon a probe
into the catastrophic Beirut port explosion was frozen for the
second time in less than three weeks after two politicians wanted
for questioning filed a new complaint against the lead investigator,
Judge Tarek Bitar.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, In Libya a
Sudanese migrant (25) was beaten, shot and killed after escaping
from the government-run Mabani detention in Tripoli.
   (AP, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, In Nepal a bus
skidded off a mountain road and into a gorge leaving at least 28
people dead.
   (SFC, 10/13/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Respected Dutch
climate scientist Geert Jan van Oldenborgh (59) died. He co-founded
the World Weather Attribution network, a group that rapidly analyzes
the possible effects of climate change on extreme weather events. He
and co-founder Friederike Otto were recognized as one of Time
magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2021.
   (AP, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Norwegian PM Erna
Solberg (60) said she will step down as head of a three-party,
minority center-right government after a left-leaning bloc won last
month’s parliamentary election. The leader of Norway’s Labor Party,
Jonas Gahr Stoere, is expected to take over later this week.
   (AP, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, In the Philippines
nine people were killed and 11 left missing due to floods and
landslides caused by heavy rain from tropical cyclone Kompasu. The
death toll was later raised to at least 19 people. Another 14 people
were reported missing.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)(SFC, 10/15/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Romania reported
nearly 17,000 coronavirus infections and 442 deaths, its highest
numbers since the pandemic started.
   (SFC, 10/13/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The Kremlin said
it disagreed with comments by new Japanese PM Fumio Kishida that
Japan's sovereignty extended to a chain of islands known by Tokyo as
the Northern Territories, and that they were in fact part of Russia.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Russia hit another
record of daily coronavirus deaths as the country struggled with a
rapid surge of infections and lagging vaccination rates, but
authorities have been adamant that there would be no new national
lockdown.
   (AP, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Pomp, pageantry
and a grand military parade marked Spain’s national day ceremonies
in Madrid, overshadowing protests against what some see as a
misguided celebration of Spanish colonial history. A 1987 law which
made Oct. 12 the national holiday.
   (AP, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The top UN top
court (ICJ) ruled largely in favor of Somalia in its dispute with
Kenya, setting a sea boundary in part of the Indian Ocean believed
to be rich in oil and gas.
   (Reuters, 10/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Former Venezuelan
Defense Minister and retired general Raul Baduel, considered a
political prisoner by the opposition, died after contracting
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The United States
accused Cambodia of lacking transparency about Chinese construction
activities at its biggest naval base, and urged the government to
disclose to its people the full scope of Beijing's military
involvement.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The Biden
administration announced that it will help develop up to seven
offshore wind farms on the East and West coasts and in the Gulf of
Mexico.
   (SFC, 10/14/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The Social
Security Administration said US Social Security benefits for more
than 70 million Americans will rise by 5.9% for next year.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The FDA released
new guidelines aimed at reducing sodium intake. High salt levels
have been linked to high rates of high blood pressure.
   (SFC, 10/14/21, p.A9)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 44,590,780 with the death toll at 717,158.
   (sfist.com, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Gary Paulsen (82),
a prolific writer whose young-adult novels like “Hatchet” and
Dogsong” inspired generations of would-be adventurers with tales of
survival, exploration and nature red in tooth and claw, died at his
home in Tularosa, N.M.
   (NY Times, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Hollywood actor
William Shatner (90) and three fellow passengers flew to an altitude
of 66.5 miles aboard a Blue Origin ship over the West Texas desert.
   (SFC, 10/14/21, p.A9)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Ennahar TV said
Algerian security forces foiled a plot to carry out an armed attack
by separatists aided by "the Zionist entity" (Israel) and a North
African country.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The Argentine
government said it has struck a deal with retailers to freeze the
prices of 1,247 food and household products for 90 days to combat
inflation as the country heads toward congressional elections next
month.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The Pan American
Health Organization (PAHO) said Barbados is reporting the highest
number of COVID cases and deaths since the pandemic started, with a
five-fold increase in COVID infections over the last month.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The British trade
department said Britain and Italy have agreed to pursue a new trade
partnership, following talks on the sidelines of a G20 ministerial
meeting in Italy.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Britain reported
42,776 new COVID-19 cases, the highest number since mid-July, and
136 more deaths within 28 days of a positive test.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Bank of England
Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe said a collapse in cryptocurrencies is
a "plausible scenario" and rules are needed to regulate the
fast-growing sector as a "matter of urgency".
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, In Bulgaria about
1,000 miners and workers from the country's largest coal-fired power
plant marched in Sofia to protect their jobs and to urge the
government to support their industry.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Chilean opposition
lawmakers launched impeachment proceedings against President
Sebastian Pinera over possible irregularities in the sale of a
mining company, after new details emerged about the deal in the
Pandora Papers leak.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, In China more than
100 countries pledged to put the protection of habitats at the heart
of their government decision-making but they stopped short of
committing to specific targets to curb mass extinctions at the UN
Biodiversity Conference in Kunming.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Medics in eastern
Congo began an Ebola vaccination campaign, days after the death of a
two-year old boy raised fears of another major outbreak. CongoDRC
confirmed a second case of Ebola after a woman (42) tested positive
in the city of Beni.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)(Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, In Eswatini,
formerly Swaziland, soldiers were deployed to the streets following
protests this week that included demonstrations in schools by
students.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)  Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Ethiopian military
and allies from the Amhara region fought the Tigrayan forces on
several fronts, in both the Amhara and Afar regions which neighbor
Tigray.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The European Union
announced plans to open a representation in the Arctic and vowed to
protect environment in a region the bloc says is of key strategic
importance.
   (AP, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, It was reported
that Finnish scientists have produced coffee from cell cultures with
an aroma and taste resembling the real thing.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Officials said
India has resumed a small amount of exports of COVID-19 vaccines and
will increase exports significantly in the next few months as
domestic stocks build up and most of its own large population is
inoculated.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Senior Israeli and
Sudanese officials held a rare public meeting, pledging to
strengthen the nascent ties between the former adversaries.
   (AP, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Israel is
currently holding more than 4,600 Palestinians in connection with
the Mideast conflict. Officials said at least 250 Palestinian
prisoners held by Israel have begun a hunger strike to protest their
relocation to isolated cells.
   (AP, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Oracle opened the
first of two planned public cloud centers in Israel, enabling
companies and other Israeli customers to keep their data on local
servers rather than rely on other countries.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, A court in Naples
convicted the captain of an Italian commercial ship of
abandonment-related charges for returning 101 migrants rescued at
sea to Libya in 2018. He was sentenced to a year in prison.
   (AP, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Athletics Kenya
said long-distance runner Agnes Tirop (25), Kenya's two-times World
Championship bronze medalist, was found stabbed to death at her
home. She was allegedly stabbed by her husband.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, In Kenya Masten
Wanjala (20), a man who confessed to killing more than 10 children,
escaped from police cells in Nairobi. Wanjala was soon traced by
villagers to a house in Bungoma town and beaten to death.
   (BBC, 10/14/21)(BBC, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, In Kosovo ten
Serbs and 10 police officers were injured when police fired tear gas
to disperse a crowd that became hostile after raids on suspected
smugglers in a volatile area of Kosovo populated by the Serb
minority.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, A Namibian court
ruled that the son of a gay couple, born via surrogacy in South
Africa in 2019, is a Namibian citizen by descent, in a decision
hailed as "big win" for same-sex couples.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, New Caledonian
miner Prony Resources said Tesla Inc had agreed to purchase around
42,000 tons of nickel in a multi-year deal, a pact that is set to
make the miner a key supplier of the metal to the US electric car
maker.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, In Norway a
bow-and-arrow attack reportedly killed five people in Kongsberg.
Suspect Espen Andersen Braathen (37), a Danish convert to Islam, was
arrested. A relative described him as mentally ill and said the
family had suffered threats for several years. Police later said the
five people killed were all stabbed to death and not shot with a bow
and arrows as initially suspected.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)(Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Russia's sovereign
wealth fund said that the Sputnik Light vaccine shows 70%
effectiveness against the Delta variant of COVID-19 three months
after injection and the single product is likely to become the
country's main vaccine.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Sudan's security
service slapped a travel ban on members of a task force overseeing
the country's transition to democracy. The travel ban affected 11
civilian officials, most members of the Committee tasked with
dismantling former Pres. Omar al-Bashir's financial and political
legacy.
   (Reuters, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, In Syria an
Israeli strike over the Palmyra area of Homs province targeted a
communications tower, caused some material losses and killed one
soldier. Iran-backed forces in Syria said they would respond
forcefully.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, A UN investigator
said North Koreans living under strict pandemic restrictions are
facing a growing food crisis and the most vulnerable children and
elderly people in the isolated Asian nation are at risk of
starvation.
   (AP, 10/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The WHO named 26
scientists to a new advisory group charged with studying the origins
of the coronavirus.
   (SFC, 10/15/21, p.A65)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, US President Joe
Biden signed legislation temporarily raising the government's
borrowing limit to $28.9 trillion, pushing off the deadline for debt
default only until December.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, President Joe
Biden told visiting Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta that the United
States will make a one-time donation of more than 17 million doses
of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the African Union.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, The US Justice
Department reversed the 2018 firing of Andrew McCabe (53), the FBI’s
deputy director, settling a lawsuit he filed asserting that he was
dismissed for political reasons. President Donald J. Trump had been
hounding him over his role in the Russia investigation.
   (NY Times, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, The United States
and Greece signed an agreement which renews a long-standing defence
cooperation among the two countries.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, The Renew America
Movement (RAM), a group of anti-Trump Republicans, said they will
endorse a slate of Democratic lawmakers facing tough races in next
year's midterm elections and back vulnerable Republicans, in a bid
to stop the Republican Party from retaking control of Congress.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 44,694,149 with the death toll at 719,760.
   (sfist.com, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, In Alabama
Christopher Henderson (46) was sentenced to death for killing his
estranged wife, her unborn child and three other people six years
ago.
   (SFC, 10/15/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, BART leadership
said all employees of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit
system must be vaccinated by Dec. 13. BART said 833 of 4,000 plus
employees were still unvaccinated.
   (SFC, 10/15/21, p.C1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, In Los Angeles
real estate heir Robert A. Durst (78) was sentenced to life in
prison for the execution-style killing in 2000 of a close
confidante. Durst was born into a family whose Manhattan real estate
empire is valued today at about $8 billion.
   (NY Times, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, It was reported
that California's summer drought this year was the worst on record
since 1895.
   (SFC, 10/14/21, p.A1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Gov. Gretchen
Whitmer ordered a “whole-of-government” response to elevated levels
of lead in Benton Harbor's water and vowed to accelerate the
replacement of the southwestern Michigan' community's lead pipes.
   (AP, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Republican Gov.
Mike Parson condemned one of Missouri's largest newspapers for
exposing a flaw in a state database that allowed public access to
thousands of teachers' Social Security numbers, even though the
paper held off from reporting about the flaw until after the state
could fix it.
   (AP, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Lt. Col. Stuart
Scheller pleaded guilty to all six misdemeanor charges that mainly
focused on insubordination during court-martial hearing at Marine
Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
   (Washington Examiner, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Alex Murdaugh
(53), the South Carolina lawyer who has endured a dramatic downfall
since his wife and son were shot in an unsolved killing in June, was
arrested and charged with swindling millions of dollars from the
sons of his former housekeeper. In Sept. Murdaugh had arranged to
have himself shot so his son could collect an insurance payout.
   (NY Times, 10/14/21)(Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, The Texas House of
Representatives passed a bill that bans transgender women and girls
from participating in female school sports after three previous
attempts failed, all but assuring Republican Governor Greg Abbott
will sign it into law.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, More than 10,000
Deere & Co. workers went on strike, the first walkout at the
agricultural machinery company in more than three decades.
   (SFC, 10/15/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Reliable Robotics,
a Silicon Valley startup aiming to automate conventional fixed-wing
planes to ferry cargo and eventually passengers, said it has raised
$100 million from investors.
   (AP, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Britain reported
45,066 new COVID-19 cases and 157 more deaths within 28 days of a
positive test. COVID-19 infections in children in England rose in
September after schools returned from summer holidays.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, In Cameroon a
military police officer in the capital of the restive
English-speaking South West Region killed a five-year-old girl when
he fired on a car at a checkpoint, sparking angry protests. The
girl's parents had refused to pay a bribe of 500 CFA francs ($0.88).
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, In the Canary
Islands around 300 more people fled their homes early today as flows
of molten rock pouring from the Cumbre Vieja volcano threatened to
engulf another area on the island of La Palma. A 4.5-magnitude
earthquake shook La Palma overnight.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)(AP, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, China coal prices
held near record highs as cold weather swept into the country's
north and power plants stocked up on the fuel to ease an energy
crunch that is fuelling unprecedented factory gate inflation.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Egypt and Greece
clinched an agreement that sets the stage for an undersea cable that
will transmit power produced by renewables from North Africa to
Europe, the first such infrastructure in the Mediterranean.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Hungary reported
1,141 new COVID-19 infections, with the number rising above 1,000
for the first time during the fourth wave of the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, India's annual
wholesale price-based inflation, a proxy for producers' prices,
loitered in the double digits for the sixth month in a row in
September. Government data showed that India's merchandise trade
deficit widened to a record $22.6 billion in September, the highest
in at least about 14 years, as crude oil and gold imports surged.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Indonesia's
holiday island of Bali reopened to foreign tourists after 18 months
of pandemic hiatus, but the island still lacked international
flights.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Israeli soldiers
shot and killed a Palestinian man who was throwing fire-bombs at
cars near a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Italy's bankrupt
Alitalia national airline made its final flights after 74 years of
operations.
   (SFC, 10/15/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Japan dissolved
its parliament, setting the stage for an election at the end of the
month that will pit new PM Fumio Kishida against unpopular
opposition in a battle over who can better fix the pandemic-battered
economy.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Human Rights Watch
called on Kuwait to overturn a conviction against Maha al-Mutairi
(40), a transgender Kuwaiti woman, sentenced this month to two years
in prison for "imitating the opposite sex" online and to amend a law
that allows such prosecutions.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Latvian President
Egils Levits tested positive for COVID-19, prompting Finland's
President Sauli Niinisto, who had breakfast with him a day earlier,
to self-isolate. Levits had visited Sweden a day earlier for an
inter-governmental forum. Latvia confirmed 2,408 new novel
coronavirus cases and 21 deaths. Only 52% of Latvian adults are
fully vaccinated.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, In Lebanon at
least six Shi'ites were shot dead in Beirut, in an attack on
protesters who were heading for a demonstration called by Hezbollah
to demand the removal of the judge investigating the explosion that
ripped through the city's port last year. Hezbollah accused the
Lebanese Forces (LF), a Christian party that has close ties to Saudi
Arabia, of mounting the attack.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, New Zealand
reported 71 new local cases of COVID-19, its biggest rise in
infections in six weeks with all cases detected in Auckland, raising
prospects of a further extension of lockdown restrictions in the
country's largest city beyond next week.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Nigeria's top
general said that Abu Musab al-Barnawi, leader of the insurgent
group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), was dead. ISWAP,
an offshoot of the Boko Haram, has been fighting against the
Nigerian armed forces for 12 years.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Pakistan
International Airlines (PIA) suspended flights to Kabul after what
it called heavy-handed interference by Taliban authorities.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Peru's ruling
Marxist party said that the government of President Pedro Castillo
has swerved towards the right and that it would withhold support for
what it called a "caviar cabinet" in the opposition-dominated
Congress.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, The Polish embassy
in Tehran said Poland is donating a million AstraZeneca COVID-19
shots to Iran, the latest foreign delivery to be made from emerging
Europe's largest economy after a slowdown in its vaccination
program.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Qatar's emir named
two women among his new appointments to the Gulf state's advisory
Shura Council, after partial elections held for the first time
earlier this month saw not one of the more than 20 women candidates
secure a seat.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, A Russian court
imposed one year of restrictions on Anastasia Vasilyeva, a doctor
who treated and supported Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, after
finding her guilty of breaching COVID-19 safety rules.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, A Russian-led
security bloc said more than 3 million refugees from Afghanistan are
trying to reach Iran and Pakistan and the displacement of ethnic and
religious minorities in the country may escalate tensions to a
critical level.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Industry officials
said South Africa's biggest engineering union has rejected a new
wage offer as a strike that has already hit output at carmaker BMW
enters its second week and threatens more assembly lines.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, In Taiwan a fire
in a residential building in the southern city of Kaohsiung killed
46 people and injured another 41.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, It was reported
that Turkey has expanded its exports of armed drones by negotiating
sales deals with Morocco and Ethiopia after their successful use in
international conflicts.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, In eastern Ukraine
the Russia-backed separatist authorities in the Donetsk region,
population 2.2 million, reported 1,0005 new confirmed coronavirus
infections and 97 deaths in the past 24 hours. The region has seen a
total of 5,578 deaths.
   (SFC, 10/15/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, The United Arab
Emirates and South Korea agreed to start negotiations on a bilateral
trade deal targeting a broad expansion of economic ties.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, The UN said that
the deteriorating security situation in Colombia represents a
"considerable challenge" to the country's 2016 peace accords.
   (AP, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, The UN General
Assembly elected the United States to the Geneva-based Human Rights
Council, more than three years after the Trump administration quit
the 47-member body over what it called chronic bias against Israel
and a lack of reform.
   (Reuters, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, A new study by the
World Health Organization said only one in seven COVID-19 infections
in Africa are being detected, meaning the continent's estimated
infection level may be 59 million people. The WHO also said the
number of people killed by tuberculosis has risen for the first time
in more than a decade.
   (AP, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, In Yemen tribal
leaders and security officials said fighting between government
forces and the country’s Houthi rebels in the central province of
Marib killed at least 140 fighters this week.
   (AP, 10/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, US authorities
said suspected ransomware payments totaling $590 million were made
in the first six months of this year, more than the $416 million
reported for the whole of 2020, as Washington put the cryptocurrency
industry on alert about its role in combating ransomware attacks.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, The US Embassy in
Pakistan said that Washington is sending an additional 9.6 million
doses of the Pfizer vaccine to Islamabad in partnership with the
COVAX global vaccine initiative.
   (SFC, 10/16/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, The Pentagon said
it has offered unspecified condolence payments to the family of 10
civilians who were killed in the Aug. 29 botched US drone attack in
Afghanistan during the final days before American troops withdrew
from the country.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, The CFTC said
cryptocurrency Tether and crypto exchange Bitfinex will pay $42.5
million to settle civil charges from the US Commodity Futures
Trading Commission (CFTC) over allegedly making misleading
statements and making illegal transactions.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 44,787,489 with the death toll at 722,000.
   (sfist.com, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In Washington, DC,
Indigenous groups and other environmental activists marched to the
Capitol as they continued a weeklong protest demanding that Congress
and the Biden administration stop new fossil fuel projects and act
with greater urgency on climate change. Nearly 80 people were
arrested on the fifth day of the “People vs. Fossil Fuels” protest.
   (AP, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In Florida
Parkland school gunman Nikolas Cruz (23) pleaded guilty to charges
stemming from his November 2018 assault on a Broward deputy who was
guarding him at the Broward main jail. Cruz also planned to plead
guilty to all charges stemming from the February 2018 mass shooting
at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, during which he killed 17
students and staff and physically injured 17 more.
   (AP, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Chicago Mayor Lori
Lightfoot said that she took her fight with the head of the city's
police officers union to court, arguing that his call for officers
to ignore the order to report their COVID-19 vaccination status was
illegal.
   (AP, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Maine's beloved
puffins suffered one of their worst years for reproduction in
decades this summer due to a lack of the small fish they eat.
   (AP, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In Washington
state some 200 Boeing Co employees and others staged a protest over
the plane maker's COVID-19 vaccine requirement for US workers.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In Afghanistan a
large explosion tore through a Shi'ite mosque in the southern city
of Kandahar killing at least 35 people, the second week in a row
that militants bombed Friday prayers and killed dozens of
worshippers from the minority sect.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In western Albania
four Russian tourists were found asphyxiated in a hotel sauna in the
village of Qerret.
   (AP, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Argentine senior
officials met with private investors in New York, touting a much
sought-after economic "roadmap" for the embattled country and
playing up the chances of a positive deal with the International
Monetary Fund.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Foreign ministers
from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at an
emergency meeting excluded exclude Myanmar junta chief Min Aung
Hlaing from a regional meeting this month. They chose invite to
invite a non-political representative of the country.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, David Amess (69),
a lawmaker from PM Boris Johnson's Conservative Party, was stabbed
to death by a 25-year-old man who lunged at him at a meeting with
voters from his constituency at the red-brick Belfairs Methodist
Church in Leigh-on-Sea, east of London. Ali Harbi Ali, the son of an
ex-media adviser to a former prime minister of Somalia, was soon
arrested by British police under anti-terrorism laws following the
killing of lawmaker David Amess
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)(Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Britain recorded
145 more deaths from COVID-19, taking the total number of fatalities
within 28 days of a positive test to 138,379.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, The UK Health
Security Agency (UKHSA) said a private COVID-19 testing laboratory,
run by Immensa Health Clinic in central England, has been suspended
over concern that it has been incorrectly giving negative PCR test
results to people who are infected.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Cambridge
University's Jesus College said that it would return a looted bronze
cockerel to Nigeria later this month, making it the first UK
institution to hand back one of the artifacts known as the Benin
Bronzes.
   (AP, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, The Canadian city
of Iqaluit in the country's northern territory said lab results
confirmed that fuel had entered its water supply. Officials
suspected the fuel entered the city's water tanks from soil or
ground water contamination.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Central African
Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadera declared a unilateral
cessation of fighting against armed groups, saying he hoped it would
lead to peaceful dialogue.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, China's energy
crisis deepened as cold weather swept into much of the country and
power plants scrambled to stock up on coal, sending prices of the
fuel to record highs.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, China and Russia
held joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan and practiced how to
operate together and destroy floating enemy mines with artillery
fire.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, China launched a
rocket carrying three astronauts, including one woman, to the core
module of a future space station where they will live and work for
six months, the longest-ever duration in orbit for Chinese
astronauts.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, India reopened to
fully vaccinated foreign tourists traveling on chartered flights in
the latest easing of its coronavirus restrictions as infection
numbers decline.
   (AP, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In India a victim
(35) was beaten to death by a group of men who had accused him of
desecrating Sikh holy texts. One of the man's hands was hacked off.
A member of a Sikh warrior sect called the Nihangs was soon taken
into custody after the attack close to Singhu village, on the
northwest border of New Delhi.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In Indonesia 11
students drowned during a school outing for a cleanup along the
banks of the Cileueur River in West Java province.
   (SFC, 10/16/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Protests erupted
in Italy as one of the most stringent anti-coronavirus measures in
Europe went into effect, requiring all workers, from magistrates to
maids, to show a health pass to get into their place of employment.
   (AP, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, It was reported
that drought in northern Kenya is pushing millions towards hunger.
The United Nations World Food Program said the lack of rain means
2.4 million people in the region will struggle to find enough to eat
by November.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In Lithuania two
of the three largest hospitals in the capital Vilnius stopped
accepting non-urgent patients due to influx of COVID-19 cases.
Around 71% of Lithuanian adults have been fully vaccinated so far.
The country has reported the worst infection numbers in the EU in
the fortnight up to Oct. 10, with 864 new cases per 10,000 people.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, The Philippines
started vaccinating young people aged 12-17 against the coronavirus,
hoping it will enable schools to safely reopen even as the country
battles one of Asia's worst COVID-19 outbreaks.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, A Russian firm
said it had begun trials of the Betuvax-CoV-2 vaccine against
COVID-19, the second vaccine of its kind produced by a private
Russian company.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, South African
police said they have arrested 56 people who will likely face
charges of kidnapping after two government Cabinet ministers and a
deputy minister were held hostage for three hours when a meeting
with military veterans of the fight against apartheid ended in
disagreement.
   (AP, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Sudan's PM
Abdallah Hamdok unveiled a road map to end what he described as the
country's "worst and most dangerous" political crisis in its
two-year transition.
   (Reuters, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, The UN Security
Council voted unanimously to extend the UN political mission in
Haiti for nine months.
   (AP, 10/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In Venezuela an
Iran-flagged supertanker finished loading oil and prepared to set
sail to Iran carrying 2 million barrels of heavy crude provided by
state-run oil firm PDVSA. The vessel arrived in Venezuela in
September with its transponder turned off while carrying 2.1 million
barrels of Iranian condensate. The exchange provides Venezuela with
a stable supply of blending material needed to convert its extra
heavy oil into exportable grades. The pact also delivers heavy oil
to Iran for blending, refining or marketing.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, NASA launched a
first-of-its kind mission to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, two
large clusters of space rocks that scientists believe are remnants
of primordial material that formed the solar system's outer planets.
The space probe, dubbed Lucy and packed inside a special cargo
capsule, lifted off on schedule from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station. A solar panel jammed soon after launch.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)(SFC, 10/29/21,
p.A4)Â Â Â
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 44,895,611 with the death toll at 723,785.
   (sfist.com, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Bloomberg News
reported that "Squid Game," Netflix Inc's biggest original series
launched last month, is estimated to be worth almost $900 million
for the streaming giant. The nine-episode thriller, in which
cash-strapped contestants play childhood games with deadly
consequences in a bid to win 45.6 billion won ($38.58 million),
became an international hit.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, CNN reported that
COVID-19 is the leading cause of death for US police officers even
though members of law enforcement were among the first to be
eligible to receive the vaccine.
   (Axios, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, It was reported
that Real estate heir Robert Durst (78), who was sentenced this week
to life in prison for murdering a friend in 2000, has COVID and is
on a ventilator.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In Australia
thousands of Sydney residents flocked to a prominent horse race, as
the country's biggest city emerges from a strict COVID-19 lockdown
and the nation begins to live with the coronavirus through extensive
vaccination.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In Brazil two
members of the Kaingang tribe were killed in a dispute over renting
land to soy farmers. The murders were related to an arrangement to
grow cash crops on the Serrinha reservation, a 12,000-hectare area
in the southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Britain reported
43,423 new COVID-19 cases, with the total number of cases recorded
between Oct. 10 and Oct. 16 up 12.8% from the previous seven days.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Africa's premier
film festival opened in Burkina Faso. This was the 27th edition,
launched in 1969, of the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of
Ouagadougou (FESPACO).
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Cape Verde
national radio reported the extradition of Colombian businessman
Alex Saab to the US. The Venezuelan government in September had
named Saab - who was arrested in June 2020 when his plane stopped in
Cape Verde to refuel - as a member of its negotiating team in talks
with the opposition in Mexico.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, CongoDRC police
used tear gas to break up clashes between supporters of the
president and an opposition leader, as lawmakers selected a new head
of the electoral commission. Around 10,000 supporters of opposition
leader Martin Fayulu marched through the streets of Kinshasa in
protest over several issues.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)  Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In Haiti gang
members in Port-au-Prince kidnapped as many as 17 American
missionaries and their family members as they were leaving an
orphanage. 16 Americans and one Canadian were in Haiti to visit an
orphanage. The gang soon asked for $17 million to release them. The
400 Mawozo, a self-mocking name that loosely translates to "400
idiots," controls the city known as Croix-des-Bouquets where the
mission of Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries was traveling.
   (NY Times, 10/17/21)(Reuters, 10/18/21)(Reuters,
10/19/21)(Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Seven Hong Kong
democracy campaigners, including former lawmakers, were sentenced to
up to 12 months in jail for their role in a protest last year
against a sweeping national security law imposed by China.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In Indian Kashmir
militants shot and killed two civilians as a security crackdown in
the disputed region intensified.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In Indonesia a
magnitude 4.8 struck earthquake Bali island morning, killing at
least three people.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In Iran Valiollah
Seif, a former governor of Iran’s Central Bank, was sentenced to 10
years in prison on corruption charges involving the mismanagement of
millions of dollars. Two of his deputies also received jail terms.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Iranian naval
forces intervened to repel pirates who attacked an Iranian oil
tanker in the Gulf of Aden.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, It was reported
that an Iranian appeals court has upheld a verdict sentencing
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, an Iranian-British woman long held in
Tehran, to another year in prison.
   (AP, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Israeli sniper
fire allegedly killed former Syrian Druse lawmaker Midhat Saleh in
Ein el-Tinneh, a village along in the Golan Heights where he ran a
Syrian government office. Israeli media said Saleh had been
assisting the Iranian military against Israel.
   (AP, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In Italy tens of
thousands of union members and others gathered in Rome to stand up
against rising fascism, a week after right-wing extremists forced
their way into the headquarters of Italy's most powerful labor
confederation while protesting a COVID-19 certification requirement
for workplaces.
   (AP, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Former Ivorian
President Laurent Gbagbo (76) launched a new political party, the
African People’s Party — Ivory Coast, formally breaking ties with
those who ran his former party while he spent years facing war
crimes charges at the International Criminal Court.
   (AP, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Mexico's
government said it has identified in one day nearly 2,000 migrants
in the country irregularly.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, New Zealand
vaccinated at least 2.5% of its people as the government tries to
accelerate inoculations and live with COVID-19. 41 new cases were
reported, 40 of them in Auckland. More than 130,000 people received
shots in the "Vaxathon" festival.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)(SSFC, 10/17/21, p.A10)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Russia's national
coronavirus task force reported 1,002 deaths in the previous day, up
from 999 on Friday, along with 33,208 new confirmed COVID-19 cases,
more than 1,000 higher than the day before.
   (AP, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Saudi Arabia's
sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, announced the
launch of "THE RIG", which it said would be the world's first
tourism destination on offshore platforms.
   (Reuters, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Thousands of
Sudanese took to the streets in the capital, Khartoum, to call for
the dissolving of the joint military-civilian government of PM
Abdalla Hamdok.
   (AP, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Syrian government
shelling of a rebel-held town near the border with Turkey killed
four people and wounded more than a dozen.
   (AP, 10/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Venezuela said it
would suspend negotiations with the opposition that were set to
resume this weekend, after Cape Verde extradited Colombian
businessman Alex Saab, a Venezuelan envoy, to the United States on
money laundering charges. Hours after Saab's extradition, Venezuela
revoked the house arrest of six former executives of refiner Citgo,
a US subsidiary of state oil company PDVSA.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 44,928,323 with the death toll at 724,281.
   (sfist.com, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Britain reported
45,140 new cases of COVID-19, the highest daily number since the
middle of July, and 57 new deaths within 28 days of a positive test.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, In southern
CongoDRC about 50 people were killed when a truck overturned and
plunged into a river in Haut Katanga province.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Milan and Costa
Rica were among the winners of the Earthshot Prize, an environmental
award created by Britain's Prince William, who has criticized world
leaders for an uninspiring response to the climate change crisis.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, In the Canary
Islands 42 seismic movements were recorded on the island of la
Palma, the largest of which measured 4.3. President Angel Víctor
Torres said there is no immediate end in sight to the volcanic
eruption that has caused chaos on the island.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Cape Verde voted
for a new president who faces the task of stabilizing its
tourism-driven economy after the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Opposition candidate and former prime minister Jose Maria Neves (61)
won Cape Verde's presidential election. His main rival, the ruling
party's flagbearer Carlos Veiga, conceded defeat.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)(Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, The People's Bank
of China Governor Yi Gang said China's economy is "doing well", but
faces challenges such as default risks for certain firms due to
"mismanagement".
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, In El Salvador
thousands of people took to the streets in protest against President
Nayib Bukele who has stoked concern that he is steadily
concentrating power.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Egypt's government
said that as of Nov. 15 it require public servants to have a
vaccination certificate or show a weekly negative COVID-19 test
before entering their workplaces.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, In Israel Some 300
male and female volunteers stripped naked and donned white body
paint for an artistic installation by American photographer Spencer
Tunick meant to draw attention to the shrinking Dead Sea.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Italians began
voting in a two-day run-off for the local governments of 65 large
cities and smaller towns, including the capital Rome.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Kyodo news agency
reported that Japan's new PM Fumio Kishida sent a ritual offering to
the controversial Yasukuni Shrine for war dead for the autumn
festival, prompting the South Korean government to express
"disappointment".
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, In northern
Nigeria gunmen killed at least 30 people in an attack on a market in
Goronyo, Sokoto state.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, In Poland
thousands of protesters marched in two cities in solidarity with
migrants and asylum-seekers at the Poland-Belarus border who have
been pushed back by Polish authorities.
   (SFC, 10/18/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, A Russian actor
and a film director making the first move film in space returned to
Earth after spending 12 days on the International Space Station
(ISS).
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, A Tunisian court
ordered lawmaker Mehdi Ben Gharbia to be detained over suspected tax
fraud and money laundering - the fourth parliamentarian to be taken
into custody since President Kais Saied seized near total control of
the country in July.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Tunisian officials
said at least two migrants died and 21 have disappeared after their
boat capsized off the Tunisian coast in the Mediterranean Sea. 7
people were rescued.
   (AP, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, The Organization
for Security and Cooperation on Europe (OSCE) said it has suspended
its monitoring mission in eastern Ukraine following protests near
its headquarters in separatist-controlled Donetsk.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, The United Arab
Emirates recorded a drop in daily COVID-19 cases to below 100 for
the first time since the start of the outbreak last year as it hosts
a huge world fair to which it hopes to attract millions of visits.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Yemen's
Iran-aligned Houthi movement said it has seized new territory in the
energy-rich provinces of Shabwa and Marib, gains confirmed by
sources, as it presses an offensive likely to further complicate
international peace efforts. Rebels continued their weekslong
blockade of a district in the central province of Marib, cutting off
humanitarian aid and halting movement of its 37,000 people.
   (Reuters, 10/17/21)(AP, 10/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, The Biden
administration said it would require chemical manufacturers to test
and publicly report the amount of a family of chemicals known as
PFAS that is contained in household items like tape, nonstick pans
and stain-resistant furniture, the first step toward reducing their
presence in drinking water.
   (NY Times, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, President Joe
Biden's administration asked the US Supreme Court to block a Texas
law that imposes a near-total ban on abortion after a lower court
reinstated the Republican-backed measure.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, US Defense
Secretary Lloyd Austin signed an agreement to continue American
support for Georgia’s military for six years.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, The US Supreme
Court signaled that it is not retreating from its inclination to
grant a legal protection called "qualified immunity" to police
accused in lawsuits of using excessive force, ruling in favor of
officers in separate cases from California and Oklahoma.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Colin Powell (84),
the first Black US secretary of state and top military officer
during decades as one of America's most prominent leaders, died from
complications of COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated. His
reputation was tainted in 2003 when he touted spurious intelligence
at the United Nations to make the case for war with Iraq despite
deep misgivings.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 44,937,414 with the death toll at 724,417.
   (sfist.com, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Pamela McCorduck
(80), the author of “Machines Who Think: A Personal Inquiry Into the
History and Prospects of Artificial Intelligence” (1979), died at
her home in Walnut Creek, Ca. She described the book as "a dream in
urgent need of being realized".
   (NY Times, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Manuel Neri,
(b.1930), a San Francisco Bay area sculptor, died in Sacramento. He
sculpted the human form in plaster, bronze and marble.
   (SSFC, 10/24/21, p.F1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, A former Chicago
college student was convicted of attempting to provide material
support to the Islamic State group. Prosecutors said Thomas
Osadzinski (22) designed a computer code to help IS bypass programs
designed to block the group's propaganda. He was arrested in 2019
during an FBI sting and faced up to 20 years in prison.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, New York City
officials voted unanimously to remove a statue of Thomas Jefferson
from Council chambers, but delayed a decision on where to put it.
For the last two decades, some Black and Latino Council members,
citing Jefferson’s history as a slaveholder, called for the statue
to be banished.
   (NY Times, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Two cryptocurrency
lending platforms were asked to cease activities in New York by the
state's attorney general and three other platforms were directed to
provide information about their business.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Texas Republicans
approved redrawn US House maps that favor incumbents and decrease
political representation for growing minority communities, even as
Latinos drive much of the growth in the nation’s largest red state.
   (AP, 10/19/21)  Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Washington DC's
regional Metro system abruptly pulled more than half its fleet of
trains from service early today over a lingering problem with the
wheels and axles that caused a dramatic derailing last week.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Washington State
University announced that it has fired football coach Nick Rolovich,
and four of his assistants, for not getting vaccinated.
   (NY Times, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, At the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) Azerbaijan's deputy foreign
minister accused Armenia of “ethnic cleansing” and continuing to lay
landmines in Nagorno-Karabakh even after a cease-fire ended a
six-week war in the disputed region late last year.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Belarus ordered a
halt to routine medical care at state clinics in order to devote
more resources to coronavirus patients. Only about 20% of the
population have been fully vaccinated.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Britain reported
the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in three months with 49,156
new COVID-19 cases and 45 more deaths within 28 days of a positive
test.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Burundi began
vaccinations in the commercial capital, Bujumbura. Health workers
said that barely more than a dozen people had received doses by
mid-afternoon.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, The World Health
Organization (WHO) said 3 new Ebola cases have been confirmed in
eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, bringing the total to five in
the last 10 days.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, China's power
shortages hit growth in the world's second biggest economy,
threatening more pain for global supply chains, while Europe's gas
squeeze looked set to continue as Russia's Gazprom showed no sign of
hiking exports to the region in October.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, In China Zhu
Xianjian (37), a defector from North Korea, escaped from prison in
Jilin province. In 2013 he was caught defecting from North Korea.
After swimming across the Tumen River Zhu stole around $230 in cash,
several cellphones, and some clothes from homes in a nearby village
and also stabbed an elderly woman who tried to stop him. In 2014 he
was imprisoned for 11 years.
   (Business Insider, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, In the Czech Rep.
the head of parliament's upper house said President Milos Zeman is
currently unable to carry out his duties. Zeman has been in
intensive care for more than a week.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Ecuadorean
President Guillermo Lasso declared a state of emergency in the
Andean country as part of a crackdown on the consumption and
trafficking of drugs.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Rebellious
Tigrayan forces accused the Ethiopian government of launching air
strikes on the capital of Tigray region. The government initially
denied the reports, but later said the attacks had targeted rebel's
communications and weapons facilities. Three civilians were reported
killed.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)(BBC, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, In Greece human
rights activists unfurled a banner reading "No Genocide Games",
waved a Tibetan flag and called for a boycott of the Beijing 2022
Winter Olympics during the torch-lighting ceremony.
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Haitians joined a
nationwide general strike to protest a growing wave of kidnappings,
days after the abduction of a US-based group of missionaries fueled
international concerns over gang violence in the crisis-stricken
Caribbean nation.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, In India leaders
in the southern state of Kerala opened near-overflowing dams after
at least 22 people died when heavy rains lashed the region over the
weekend. The death toll soon rose to 28.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)(AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, The Indian
government said Dubai has signed an accord to build infrastructure
in Jammu and Kashmir.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Indian authorities
moved thousands of migrant workers in Kashmir to safer locations
overnight, while hundreds have fled the Himalayan valley after a
wave of targeted killings.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Iraq said it has
detained the mastermind behind a deadly 2016 bombing in a Baghdad
shopping center, which killed around 300 people and wounded 250.
Ghazwan al-Zobai (29) was detained in an unidentified foreign
country and transported to Iraq two days ago. Al-Zobai was an
al-Qaida militant when he was imprisoned by the Americans in Iraq at
Cropper prison until 2008, and then escaped from Abu Ghraib prison
in 2013.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Italy’s Pres.
Sergio Mattarella strongly criticized the violence that has erupted
amid protests over the country's new coronavirus workplace health
pass requirement, saying it appeared aimed at jeopardizing Italy’s
economic recovery.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Hassan Nasrallah,
the head of Lebanon's Hezbollah, said that his Iran-backed movement
has 100,000 "trained" and "armed" fighters at its disposal, speaking
after deadly violence in Beirut last week.
   (AFP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, PM Jacinda Ardern
said New Zealand's biggest city of Auckland will retain its lockdown
for two more weeks in the battle on the Delta variant of
coronavirus, as the country pushes to step up vaccinations.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Russia said it
would halt the activities of its diplomatic mission to NATO after
the Western military alliance expelled eight Russians saying they
were spies.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Slovakia reimposed
coronavirus restrictions in the hardest-hit parts of the country
amid the latest surge of infections. Slovakia has registered around
438,000 cases and 12,856 deaths.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Slovenia reported
364 new confirmed cases, almost double compared to a week ago.
Populist PM Janez Jansa blamed a rise in COVID-19 infections on
protests in early October that erupted into clashes between police
and thousands of opponents of vaccination and coronavirus
restrictions.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, South Korea set a
new goal for fighting climate change over the next decade, saying it
will aim to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below 2018
levels by 2030.
   (AP, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, In Sudan a sit-in
calling on the military to dissolve the government grew into the
thousands, with the country grappling with what its civilian
leadership has called the biggest crisis of a two-year-old
transition from autocracy.
   (Reuters, 10/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, WHO and the UN
children’s agency UNICEF said in a statement that they welcomed the
decision by the Taliban leadership supporting the resumption of
house-to-house polio vaccinations across the country.
   (AP, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, The US Justice
Department charged Representative Jeff Fortenberry, a Nebraska
Republican, with lying to investigators about campaign donations.
   (NY Times, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, The US committee
investigating the Capitol attack recommended charging Steve Bannon
with contempt for defying a subpoena.
   (NY Times, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, It was reported
that the FBI is conducting "law enforcement activity" at
US-blacklisted Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska's home in Washington,
DC. Deripaska (53) has been subject to the US sanctions since 2018.
Washington blacklisted him along with several other influential
Russians because of their ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin
following alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential
election.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, US cybersecurity
company CrowdStrike said a hacking group with suspected ties to
China burrowed into mobile telephone networks around the world and
used specialized tools to grab calling records and text messages
from telecommunication carriers. CrowdStrike said the group, which
it dubbed LightBasin, had been acting since at least 2016.
   (AP, 10/19/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 45,059,288 with the death toll at 726,439.
   (sfist.com, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, A wildlife
official told a House committee that manatees have starved to death
by the hundreds along Florida’s east coast because algae blooms and
contaminants are killing the seagrass the beloved sea mammals eat.
   (AP, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, It was reported
that surgeons in New York have attached a kidney grown in a
genetically altered pig to a human and found that the organ worked
normally.
   (NY Times, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, "Water's Soul," an
80-foot statue of a woman's head, by Barcelona-based artist Jaume
Plensa, with her index finger pressing on her lips now faces lower
Manhattan along the Hudson River, inviting the chaotic metropolis to
stop and listen.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, It was reported
that the number of homicides in Portland, Oregon, has now surpassed
its previous annual record of 66, set in 1987 – and there are still
more than two months to go in the calendar year.
   (Fox News, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Washington state
said 127 individual's had separated from employment with the state
police patrol because of the state's coronavirus mandate. They
included 53 civil servants and 74 commissioned officers.
   (SFC, 10/20/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, ProShares Bitcoin
Strategy Fund (BITO) listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The ETF
closed up 2.59% at $41.94 in its first day of trading.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Facebook said it
has shut down two large networks targeting users in Sudan in recent
months, as civilian and military leaders spar with one another over
the future of an interim power-sharing arrangement.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Austrian media
reported that the bodies of two men were found in a minibus carrying
dozens of migrants near the border with Hungary.
   (AP, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Brazilian senators
investigating the handling of the country's COVID-19 outbreak
dropped a recommendation from their draft report that President Jair
Bolsonaro be charged with genocide and homicide, instead accusing
him of "crimes against humanity".
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, British PM Boris
Johnson set out his ambition for a green revolution that he hopes
will force countries around the world to kick their addiction to
fossil fuels and commit to net zero carbon emissions.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Britain reported
223 deaths within 28 days of a positive test for COVID-19, the
highest figure since March.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Bulgaria said it
will make a COVID-19 "Green Certificate" mandatory for indoor access
to restaurants, cinemas, gyms and shopping malls as of Oct. 21, as
the country struggles with a rising number of coronavirus
infections.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Costa Rica's
Congress approved the legalization of marijuana for medicinal
purposes, despite opposition from conservative groups and President
Carlos Alvarado who still needs to put his stamp of approval on the
law.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Human Rights Watch
released a report saying the Cuban government engaged in systematic
abuses against people arrested for protesting in July as part of a
plan to suppress dissent.
   (AP, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, In Egypt 98 women
became the first female judges to join the State Council, one of the
country’s main judicial bodies.
   (AP, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, The European
Commission's chief executive warned Poland that its challenge to the
supremacy of European Union law called into question the very
foundations of the 27-nation bloc and could not go unpunished.
   ((Reuters, 10/19/21), 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, In Germany the
body of a man (35) was found early today by Berlin police officers
guarding the Russian Embassy in Berlin. Security services later said
he was an undercover agent of Russia's FSB intelligence service and
had fallen from an upper floor at the embassy. The was officially
listed as a second secretary at the embassy.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, In India, the
world's biggest onion exporter, onion prices have risen after heavy
rainfall in the country's key growing regions damaged the
summer-sown crop and delayed winter crop planting. Onion price
spikes have contributed to the fall of more than one state
government in the past.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Israel announced
that it has approved registration as West Bank residents for some
4,000 Palestinians who have been living for years in the
Israeli-occupied territory without official status.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Israeli startup
AIR unveiled its first "easy-to-operate" electric, vertical takeoff
and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that it aims to sell directly to
consumers predominantly in the United States starting in 2024.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Latvia's PM
Krisjanis Karins imposed a 3-week lockdown from Oct. 21 to Nov. 15,
becoming the first EU country to shut down again since the bloc
began reopening this year as vaccines became widely available.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)(SFC, 10/20/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, The Maltese
government responded to a critical European human rights evaluation
by vowing to soon propose new legislation to better protect
journalists in the wake of the 2017 assassination of investigative
reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia.
   (AP, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, It was reported
that Myanmar's military rulers have freed hundreds of political
prisoners in recent days, including Aung San Suu Kyi's party
spokesman and a famous comedian, although about 40 were swiftly
re-arrested.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Dutch authorities
placed Eritrean national Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam (37) on the
Netherlands' most-wanted list, as they seek to prosecute him for his
alleged involvement in large-scale human trafficking, abuse of
migrants trying to reach Europe and extortion.
   (AP, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, New coronavirus
infections in the Netherlands jumped 44% in the week through today,
forcing several hospitals in the country to cut back on regular care
to deal with a rising number of COVID-19 cases. Some 48 COVID-19
deaths were recorded, twice as many as in the previous week.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, New Zealand
recorded 94 new COVID-19 infections, of which 87 were in Auckland,
the highest number of daily cases since the pandemic began last
year, taking the total number of cases in the current outbreak to
2,099.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, North Korea fired
a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) off its east coast.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Romania reported
record numbers of daily coronavirus deaths and infections, as a
hospital system stretched to breaking point by the EU's
second-lowest vaccination rate ran out of intensive care beds. New
infections in the preceding 24 hours topped 18,800 while 574 people
died of the virus.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Moscow's mayor
announced four months of stay-home restrictions for unvaccinated
over-60s and the Russian government proposed a week-long workplace
shutdown as the national death toll from COVID-19 hit yet another
daily high.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Senegal's navy
said it has seized more than two tons of pure cocaine from a ship
off its Atlantic coast, in the West African country's largest ever
cocaine bust.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, South Korea opened
its largest defence expo ever, showing off its next-generation
fighter jet, drones, and other technology in an effort to boost
exports as economies around the world rebound from the COVID-19
pandemic.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Spain announced
new rules smoothing the path for unaccompanied young migrants to
obtain residence and work permits, with around 15,000 expected to
benefit from changes.
   (AP, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, State-owned
Anadolu news agency said Turkish prosecutors have ordered the arrest
of 158 suspects including 33 serving soldiers in an operation
targeting people allegedly linked to a Muslim preacher who Turkey
says was behind a 2016 failed coup.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, The UN children's
agency UNICEF said ten thousand Yemeni children have been killed or
maimed since a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened in
March 2015 after the Iran-aligned Houthi group ousted the
government.
   (Reuters, 10/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, The World Health
Organization said there was a 7% rise in new coronavirus cases
across Europe last week, the only region in the world where cases
increased. Britain, Russia and Turkey accounted for the most cases.
   (AP, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, All 50 US Senate
Republicans voted to block Democrats from advancing a scaled-back
voting rights bill.
   (NY Times, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The US and several
European countries condemned North Korea’s recent missile tests and
said Pyongyang’s technical advances demonstrate the urgent need to
ramp up implementation of UN sanctions on its nuclear and missile
programs and its economic activities.
   (AP, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Trump Media and
Technology Group and Digital World Acquisition Corp, a Special
Purpose Acquisition Vehicle, said they would merge to create a new
social media app called TRUTH Social. Trump's company said it plans
a beta launch next month and a full roll-out in the first quarter of
2022.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, US federal health
officials said more than 650 people in 37 states have been sickened
in a salmonella outbreak linked to imported onions.
   (NY Times, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The US Food and
Drug Administration authorized booster doses. The FDA cleared
Moderna, J&J COVID-19 boosters, backed use of different vaccine
for boost, and said Americans can choose a different shot from their
original inoculation.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The US Commerce
Department announced new rules intended to curb the sale of
offensive cybersecurity products to some countries with
"authoritarian" practices.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 45,148,142 with the death toll at 728,470.
   (sfist.com, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Mihaly
Csikszentmihalyi, a Hungarian American psychologist, died at his
home in Claremont, Calif. He showed how everyone from artists to
assembly-line workers can be transported to a state of focused
contentment by getting caught in the “flow,” a term he coined and
later popularized.
   (NY Times, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The body of Brian
Laundrie (23) was found in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental
Park in Sarasota County, Fla. The FBI said he had died of a
self-inflicted gunshot wound. A notebook found nearby included a
written confession of his killing fiancee Gabrielle Petito (22). Her
remains were found Sept. 19 in a camping area in Wyoming.
   (SSFC, 1/23/22, p.A11)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Bitcoin rallied to
a record, topping $66,000 for the first time, amid a wave of
excitement about how the financial establishment is increasingly
accepting the digital currency's rise.
   (AP, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation said it will spend $120 million to boost
access to generic versions of drugmaker Merck’s antiviral COVID-19
pill for lower income countries, if the drug gets approved by
regulators.
   (AP, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Shares of Novavax
Inc fell 16% after a report from Politico said the company faces
significant hurdles in proving it can manufacture its experimental
COVID-19 vaccine that meets regulators' quality standards, resulting
in production delays.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, In Florida accused
shooter Nikolas Cruz (23) pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and
17 counts of attempted murder in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory
Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, the deadliest ever at a US
high school.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, New York Mayor
Bill de Blasio ordered all city employees to show proof of
inoculation against COVID-19 or be placed on unpaid leave, drawing
criticism from a police union which vowed to fight the mandate in
court.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, A report from the
Climate Council said Australia ranks dead last among comparable
nations in addressing the climate challenge at its source — by
cutting emissions.
   (AP, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Benin's parliament
voted to legalize abortion in most circumstances, becoming one of
only a handful of African countries to do so.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Barbados elected
Sandra Mason (72) as its first-ever president to replace Britain's
Queen Elizabeth as head of state in a decisive step toward shedding
the Caribbean island's colonial past.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, It was reported
that the giant Itaipu hydroelectric power plant, wedged between
Brazil and Paraguay on the Parana River, is facing an energy crunch
amid record low river and rainfall levels that experts say could
last into next year.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Britain and New
Zealand reached agreement in principle on a free trade deal designed
to reduce tariffs, improve services trade, and take London one step
closer to membership in a broader trans-Pacific trade agreement.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Britain's
competition regulator said it has fined Facebook 50.5 million pounds
($69.4 million) for breaching an order imposed during its
investigation into the US social media giant's purchase of GIF
platform Giphy.
   (AP, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, British lender
Lloyds Banking Group said it will close a further 48 branches across
England and Wales, as it seeks to further cut costs by trimming its
physical network.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, It was reported
that the AY.4.2 variant of the delta virus now accounts for about 8%
of sequenced coronavirus cases in Britain.
   (SFC, 10/20/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Britain's
competition watchdog fined Facebook $69.4 million for violating
rules during the UK investigation into the social media giant's
purchase of the GIF-sharing platform.
   (SFC, 10/21/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Britain reported
49,139 new COVID-19 cases and 179 more deaths within 28 days of a
positive test. The number of new cases has been rising rapidly, with
infections in the last seven days up 17% compared to the week
before.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, It was reported
that Bulgaria, where only a quarter of the population has taken a
first dose of vaccine, banned access to indoor public spaces this
week for anyone who cannot show proof of vaccination, a negative
test or recovery from a recent infection.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Statistics Canada
data showed inflation increased to 4.4% in September, beating the
average analyst estimate of 4.3%, to reach its fastest clip since
February 2003.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Canada's House of
Commons said it will require all 338 lawmakers to be fully
vaccinated against COVID-19 when they return to work next month,
potentially locking out some members of parliament from the official
opposition Conservatives.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, China reported a
fourth day of new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in a handful of
cities across the country, prompting alarmed local governments to
double down on efforts to track potential carriers amid the
country's zero-tolerance policy. A total of 17 new local cases were
reported for Oct. 19, up from nine a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Colombia's
Congress approved the 350.4 trillion peso ($93 billion) spending
package proposed by the government for its 2022 budget, the second
consecutive year it has approved a record sum.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, In eastern
CongoDRC at least 16 people were killed and several others kidnapped
by rebels near Beni. Ugandan-based ADF rebels were blamed. The
Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the attack.
   (AP, 10/21/21)(Reuters, 10/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The presidents of
Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic asked for US
assistance in stemming the flow of thousands of migrants crossing
the dangerous jungles that divide Panama and Colombia as they make
their way to the United States.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The Czech
government said it will force restaurants to check patrons' COVID-19
status, among other measures it decided today, to stem a spike in
infections that is the highest since April.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, In Egypt at least
17 people were killed when a truck and a microbus collided on the
Ring Road in Greater Cairo.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, El Salvador's
congress voted to uphold the country's complete abortion ban, ruling
against terminations even in exceptional circumstances. Forty women
were currently serving prison terms of 10 to 30 years for
convictions related to abortions.
   (SFC, 10/21/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Ethiopian
government air strikes hit the capital of the northern Tigray
region, the third such attack this week in a stepped up a campaign
to weaken rebellious Tigrayan forces.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Indian officials
said floods unleashed by days of unseasonal heavy rain have wrecked
crops, blocked roads and washed away bridges in northern India,
killing at least 46 people, as they mounted rescue efforts for those
stranded.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, COGAT, the Israeli
defense body in charge of Palestinian civilian affairs, said an
additional 3,000 Gazans will be allowed into Israel to work,
bringing the total of recently announced new permits to 10,000.
   (AP, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, In Japan the Mount
Aso volcano erupted on the main southern island of Kyushu, blasting
ash several miles into the sky and prompting officials to warn
against the threat of lava flows and falling rocks, but there were
no reports of injuries or casualties.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, PM Sheikh Sabah
Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said Kuwait has lifted all COVID-19
restrictions for vaccinated people.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Lebanon’s
government raised the price of fuel by about 25%, effectively
removing all subsidies on fuel products and pricing them at market
rate amid a worsening economic crisis.
   (AP, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, In southern Mexico
two foreign tourists were killed in the apparent crossfire of a drug
cartel shootout in Tulum, Quintana Roo state. Three other tourists
were wounded.
   (SSFC, 10/24/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Norwegian robotics
firm AutoStore said it had priced its initial public offering (IPO)
at 31 Norwegian crowns per share, the top of its target range,
valuing the company at 103.5 billion crowns ($12.4 billion).
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, President Vladimir
Putin ordered most Russians to stay off work for a week later this
month amid rising COVID-19 infections and deaths, and he strongly
urged reluctant citizens to get vaccinated.
   (AP, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Jailed Kremlin
critic Alexei Navalny was awarded the European Parliament's annual
human rights prize for his efforts to challenge President Vladimir
Putin's grip on power.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Senegal said it
recorded zero new COVID-19 cases today for the first time since the
pandemic began. The health ministry has registered 73,875 cases and
1,873 deaths since the outbreak began.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Serbia introduced
COVID-19 passes for indoor venues late at night following weeks of
surging infections and relatively low vaccination rates.
   (AP, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Singapore's health
ministry recorded 18 new deaths due to COVID-19, the highest since
the beginning of the pandemic, while it reported 3,862 cases of the
disease.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Spain's High Court
agreed to extradite former Venezuelan spymaster Hugo Carvajal to the
United States, where he faces drug trafficking charges, after he was
denied asylum in Spain.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, In Syria a blast
on an army bus in Damascus killed 14 people. This was quickly
followed by army shelling in rebel-held Idlib which rescue workers
said killed 12 people. In an apparent third incident a blast during
maintenance at a Syrian army ammunition depot killed five people and
injured four on the road between the cities of Homs and Hama.
   (Reuters, 10/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Syria executed 24
people after convicting them on terrorism charges for igniting last
year’s devastating wildfires, leaving three people dead and burning
thousands of hectares of forests.
   (AP, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Human Rights Watch
said US asylum officers have documented dozens of incidents since
2016 of migrants alleging US border agents physically abused them
after they were apprehended at the US-Mexico border.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Tom Morey,
inventor of the surfing Boogie Board (1971), died in Laguna Hills,
Ca.
   (https://tinyurl.com/4pe46k5v)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Edward O. Wilson
(92), Harvard naturalist hailed as the Darwin of the 21st century,
said humankind is not too polarized to save the planet. He has
called for setting aside half the planet as a nature preserve says
the slope of human history will always be downward unless there is
global cooperation to save existing species.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Prof. Quandra
Prettyman (88) died at her home in Manhattan. She had developed some
of the country’s first courses in Black women’s literature as the
first Black full-time faculty member at Barnard College.
   (NY Times, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, A Minnesota judge
sentenced former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor to 57
months in prison, the maximum penalty possible, for fatally shooting
an Australian woman after she called police to report a possible
sexual assault in 2017.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In New Mexico
Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer and
wounded a director when he discharged a prop gun on set during
filming of movie "Rust." Baldwin (63) was handed what was described
as a safe "cold gun" on the set of his movie "Rust", but the gun
contained live rounds when it was fired.
   (Reuters, 10/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, WeWork became a
publicly traded company after a spectacular collapse during its
first attempt to do so two years ago. Shares at the opening rose
almost 9%, to $11.27 each.
   (AP, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Afghanistan, India
and Pakistan were among 11 countries singled out by US intelligence
agencies as being "highly vulnerable" in terms of their ability to
prepare for and respond to environmental and societal crises caused
by climate change.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Austria, Britain,
France, Italy, Spain and the United States said they have reached an
agreement on the transition from national digital services taxes
contested by Washington to a new global tax deal.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Britain reported
52,009 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily amount since July 17,
and 115 deaths within 28 days of a positive test. PM Boris Johnson
Britain is sticking with its current plan for managing COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, China reported 13
new domestically transmitted cases for Oct. 20, bringing the total
number since Oct. 16 to 42. The latest cluster, involving mostly
northern and northwestern China, has reached the capital, Beijing,
and the neighboring Hebei province.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In eastern
CongoDRC at least 16 people were killed and several others kidnapped
by rebels near Beni. Ugandan-based ADF rebels were blamed.
   (AP, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, It was reported
that mobile operators in the southern African kingdom of Eswatini,
formerly Swaziland, have been told to suspend access to Facebook and
its messenger app, after protests against King Mswati III (53)
flared up. Southern African nations have sent envoys to Eswatini to
engage with King Mswati III about the political and civil unrest.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)(AP, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Ethiopia carried
out an air strike on the city of Mekelle for the third day this
week, in a campaign to weaken rebellious Tigrayan forces they have
been fighting for nearly a year.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In France the
world’s biggest triceratops skeleton, known as “Big John,” was sold
for 6.6 million euros ($7.7 million) at a Paris auction house. The
skeleton, estimated to be over 66 million years old, was found in
2014 in South Dakota.
   (AP, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, India celebrated
the milestone of administering 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses,
with the government promoting the achievement in song and video even
as a recent drop in inoculations worries healthcare providers.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, It was reported
that more than 150 people have died in flooding across India and
Nepal in recent days, as heavy late monsoon rains triggered flash
floods, destroyed homes, crops and infrastructure and left thousands
stranded. The death toll in Nepal passed 100. in India at least 88
died people were killed.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)(SFC, 10/23/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In Iran Ruhollah
Parazideh (38) died two days after he poured gasoline over himself,
and put a lit match to his neck outside the local office of the
Foundation for Martyrs and War-Disabled People in Yasuj. The father
of three had pleaded for job assistance.
   (AP, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, NATO defence
ministers agreed a new master plan to defend against any potential
Russian attack on multiple fronts, reaffirming the alliance's core
goal of deterring Moscow despite a growing focus on China.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, The Dutch
government's forensic lab said it had decrypted electric carmaker
Tesla Inc's closely guarded driving data-storage system, uncovering
a wealth of information that could be used to investigate serious
accidents.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Niger said six
members of its national guard have been killed and several others
left injured and missing after an armed attack on a convoy in the
country's western Tillaberi region.
   (AP, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, PM Mateusz
Morawiecki said Poland will not bow to European Union "blackmail"
but will seek to solve ongoing disputes, as he arrived to defend his
nation before a meeting of fellow leaders in an escalating
ideological battle.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In Poland four
people were killed and 18 injured in a storm that battered the
country with hurricane-force winds late today, damaging properties
and felling trees across western and central areas of the country.
   (Reuters, 10/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Mayor Sergei
Sobyanin said Moscow will reintroduce COVID-19 lockdown measures
from Oct. 28, with supermarkets and pharmacies the only shops
allowed to stay open in an effort to cut soaring infections and
deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, South Africa's
biggest metalworkers union said that it had accepted a three-year
wage offer in the steel and engineering sector, paving the way for a
strike to end.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, South Korea's
first domestically built space rocket blasted off, but failed to
fully place a dummy satellite into orbit, delivering mixed results
for a test launch that represents a major leap for the country's
ambitious space plans.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In Sudan thousands
of people took to the streets of Khartoum demanding a fully civilian
government.
   (AP, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Sweden said it has
extended the pause of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for people aged 30
and younger due to rare heart-related side effects.
   (Reuters, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Turkey's state
broadcaster TRT News reported that six suspects, including four
Russians, have been jailed pending trial over an alleged plot
against Chechen dissidents in Turkey.
   (AP, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In Ukraine
coronavirus infections and deaths surged to all-time highs amid a
laggard pace of vaccination, with overall inoculations among the
lowest in Europe. Authorities reported 22,415 new confirmed
infections and 546 deaths in the past 24 hours. Only about 15% of
the population is fully vaccinated.
   (AP, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, United Nations
human rights experts urged Pakistan to release Stephen Masih, a
Christian man, who was detained two years ago for insulting Islam's
Prophet Muhammad and is believed to be mentally ill.
   (AP, 10/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, The US budget
deficit totaled $2.77 trillion for 2021, the 2nd highest on record
but an improvement from the all-time high of $3.13 trillion reached
in 2020.
   (SFC, 10/23/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, The US State
Department announced a reward of up to $10 million for information
leading to the arrest or conviction of Colombian businessman Alvaro
Pulido over money laundering charges in connection with an alleged
Venezuela bribery scheme.
   (Reuters, 10/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, The US military
killed Abdul Hamid al-Matar, a senior al-Qaida leader, in an
airstrike in northwest Syria.
   (SFC, 10/23/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Lev Parnas, a
onetime associate of Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Rudy
Giuliani, was found guilty in NYC of violating US campaign finance
laws during the 2018 elections.
   (Reuters, 10/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, The US military
reportedly killed Abdul Hamid al-Matar, a senior al-Qaida leader, in
a drone strike in northwest Syria.
   (AP, 10/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, In northern
California the sale of the 50,500-acre N3 Ranch in Livermore was
finalized. Danville entrepreneur Bill Brown, the founder and board
chairman of Walnut Creek wholesaler Central Garden and Pet. Co.
acquired the property, which had been listed for $68 million. The
property is covered by the 1965 Williamson Act, which gives owners a
property tax break in exchange for preserving an area as farmland
and open space.
   (SFC, 10/25/21, p.C3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Illinois Gov. J.B.
Pritzker issued an executive order requiring workers in licensed day
care centers to be vaccinated by Dec. 3 or undergo weekly testing.
  Â
(https://www.illinois.gov/news/press-release.24044.html)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Environmental
activists staged protests across several continents to press their
demands for more government action to curb global warming ahead of
the UN climate summit in Glasgow.
   (SFC, 10/23/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, In Bangladesh at
least six people were killed in an attack at a Rohingya camp in the
Cox Bazar's Ukhiya area.
   (Reuters, 10/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, China said there
is "no room" for compromise or concessions over the issue of Taiwan.
   (SFC, 10/23/21, p.A2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Colombia's police
chief said Jamaica will extradite a former Colombian military member
implicated in the assassination of former Haiti President Jovenel
Moise to Port-au-Prince.
   (Reuters, 10/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Nurses in Eswatini
were refusing to treat police officers as they accuse them of
shooting colleagues during a pro-democracy rally on Oct. 20.
   (BBC, 10/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, In India movie
theaters in Mumbai reopened after more than 18 months of closure.
Entry required COVID-19 certificates or "safe status" on a state-run
health app.
   (SFC, 10/23/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Israel designated
six Palestinian civil society groups as terrorist organizations and
accused them of funneling donor aid to militants, a move that drew
criticism from the United Nations and human rights watchdogs.
   (Reuters, 10/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, In Paraguay
Bernard Raymond von Bredow, a museum owner and luthier, was found
slain along with his daughter (14) at their home in Aregua. Police
in November arrested two Germans and a Chilean suspected in the
killing. Police said they were trying to get documents proving the
authenticity of valuable violins.
   (https://tinyurl.com/ycknd4hy)(SFC, 11/11/21,
p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Russia reported a
fourth straight daily record of COVID-19 deaths, with still a week
to go before the start of a nationwide workplace shutdown ordered by
President Vladimir Putin to try to curb a rise in infections. The
government coronavirus task force reported 37,141 new
infections and 1,064 deaths in the last 245 hours.
   (Reuters, 10/22/21)(SFC, 10/23/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Tunisia imposed
COVID-19 vaccine passes on Tunisians and all foreign visitors.
   (Reuters, 10/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Ukraine shut
schools in coronavirus hotspots and announced a requirement for
vaccine certificates or negative tests to access public transport in
the capital, after COVID-19 deaths hit a record high.
   (Reuters, 10/22/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 45,408,150 with the death toll at 735,416.
   (sfist.com, 10/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, In Nevada eleven
Pablo Picasso artworks sold for a combined $109 million in a Las
Vegas auction coinciding with the artist's 140th birthday.
   (SFC, 10/25/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, In Texas a driver
lost control during a drag racing event at the Kerrville-Kerr County
Airport and slammed into a crowd of spectators, killing two children
and injuring eight other people.
   (AP, 10/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, The top
decision-making body of the Chinese parliament said it will roll out
a pilot real estate tax in some regions.
   (Reuters, 10/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, China passed a law
to strengthen border protection amid a protracted standoff with
India, worries about spillover effects from Taliban-controlled
Afghanistan and the spread of COVID-19 from Southeast Asia.
   (Reuters, 10/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, The official
Xinhua news agency said China has passed an education law that seeks
to cut the "twin pressures" of homework and off-site tutoring in
core subjects.
   (Reuters, 10/23/21)
2021      Oct 23, China
reported 26 new coronavirus cases concentrated in the northern
provinces and linked to domestic vacation travel.
   (SFC, 10/25/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Dairo Antonio
Usuga, known as Otoniel, was caught by Colombia's armed forces
during an operation in a rural area of the Uraba region, Antioquia
province. Otoniel had reportedly trafficked between 180 tons and 200
tons of cocaine a year with the Clan del Golfo, and was responsible
for the deaths of more than 200 members of Colombia's security
forces.
   (Reuters, 10/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Croatia reported a
surge in daily new coronavirus cases and Interior Minister Davor
Bozinovic urged citizens to get vaccinated. 50% of the population
have received shots.
   (SSFC, 10/24/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Ecuador's SNAI
prison authority said it has found the bodies of seven prisoners in
the same jail where violence between gangs lead to the deaths of 119
inmates last month.
   (Reuters, 10/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, In Pakistan
thousands of supporters of Saad Rizvi, head of the banned
Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan party, departed Lahore for Islamabad to
pressure the government to release Rizvi, who was arrested last
year. The supporters clashed with police for a 2nd straight day.
   (SSFC, 10/24/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Saudi Arabia
pledged to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2060, deepened
its 2030 targets and joined an international coalition seeking to
cut emissions of the potent planet-warming gas methane by 30% in
nine years.
   (Axios, 10/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Serbia introduced
a limited COVID-19 pass requirement.
   (SSFC, 10/24/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, It was reported
that Spain's government will reimburse all Spanish citizens who paid
fines during a nearly 3-month state of emergency last year. Police
had meted out some 1.1 million fines to citizens who defied a
stay-at-home order and other restrictions.
   (SFC, 10/25/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Slovenia said its
number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has reached a nine-month high.
   (SSFC, 10/24/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Turkish President
Tayyip Erdogan said he had ordered the foreign ministry to declare
10 ambassadors from Western countries 'persona non grata' for
calling for the release of philanthropist Osman Kavala.
   (Reuters, 10/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, In Uganda a bomb
packed with nails and shrapnel killed at least one person in a pork
restaurant on the outskirts of Kampala.
   (Reuters, 10/24/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 45,428,030 with the death toll at 735,799.
   (sfist.com, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, A powerful storm
drenched wildfire-scarred Northern California, triggering mudslides
and flooding, while heavy winds toppled utility poles and downed
trees in what meteorologists called a "bomb cyclone".
   (Reuters, 10/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, James Michael
Tyler (59), who played the deadpan, smitten barista Gunther on the
TV show “Friends,” died at his home in Los Angeles.
   (NY Times, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, San Francisco
recorded 4.02 inches of rain, its wettest day ever for October.
   (SFC, 10/26/21, p.C3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, Microsoft said in
a blog post that the Russian-based agency behind last year's massive
SolarWinds cyberattack has targeted hundreds more companies and
organizations in its latest wave of attacks on US-based computer
systems.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, The Chaman border
crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan was briefly opened to let
people with urgent medical needs into Pakistan. The crossing, a
vital source of customs revenue for the cash-strapped government in
Afghanistan, has been closed for about three weeks, despite repeated
protests by truckers and others stuck waiting at the border.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, Richard Ratcliffe,
the husband of UK charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has
been detained for more than five years in Iran, began a hunger
strike again after a court decided she has to spend another year in
prison. His effort was to pressure PM Boris Johnson to secure the
release of his wife and other detained dual British-Iranian
nationals.
   (AP, 10/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, Pakistan
resoundingly beat India at the Twenty20 World Cup, for its first
cricket win against its bigger neighbor in such a match, triggering
celebrations at home and in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Three Kashmiri
students were arrested on Oct. 27 for hailing the victory.
Authorities said six people had been detained in adjoining Jammu,
where social media posts showed more than two dozen people
celebrating after India's loss.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, The UN children's
agency UNICEF said fuel shortages in Haiti are putting the lives of
hundreds of women and children at risk as hospitals run low on
supplies for electricity.
   (Reuters, 10/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, Uzbek President
Shavkat Mirziyoyev was re-elected for a second five-year term,
winning 80.1% of the vote in a poll which Western observers said was
not truly competitive despite improvements brought by recent
reforms.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, The MV Southys, a
Vietnamese oil tanker, was seized at gunpoint by Iranian soldiers in
the Gulf of Oman. Analysts later suspected it was trying to transfer
sanctioned Iranian crude oil to Asia. The tanker was reported free
on Nov. 10 after the Revolutionary Guard had drained the Iranian oil
from it, under a court order.
   (AP, 11/4/21)(AP, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, The Biden
administration said it will invest $70 million to boost the
availability and lower costs of rapid, over-the-counter COVID-19
tests in the United States, as it looks to ease a nationwide
shortage that drove up testing costs.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, US President Joe
Biden signed an order imposing new vaccine requirements for most
foreign national air travelers and lifting severe travel
restrictions on China, India and much of Europe effective Nov. 8.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 45,470,130 with the death toll at 736,305.
   (sfist.com, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, In Idaho two
people were killed and five injured during a shooting at a mall in
Boise this afternoon in which the assailant traded gunfire with the
police. Suspect Jacob Bergquist (27) was taken into custody in
critical condition and died the next day.
   (NY Times, 10/25/21)(Reuters, 10/27/21)(SFC,
10/27/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Authorities in
Cook County said they have identified another victim of John Wayne
Gacy, the serial killer who terrorized Chicago in the 1970s,
murdering dozens of young men and burying their bodies at his
suburban home. The latest identification is Francis Wayne Alexander,
a native of North Carolina who was living in Chicago at the time of
his death.
   (NY Times, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Texas Governor
Greg Abbott signed into law a bill banning transgender girls from
participating in female sports at public schools, due to take effect
on Jan. 18.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Hertz said that it
would convert more than 20 percent of its rental fleet to Tesla’s
electric cars by the end of next year, an announcement that helped
propel Tesla’s stock value beyond $1 trillion for the first time.
Hertz said it will buy 100,000 electric vehicles from Tesla.
   (NY Times, 10/25/21)(SFC, 10/26/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, US tech giant
Google said it has paid Russia more than 32 million rubles
($455,079) in fines for failing to delete content Moscow deems
illegal.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Mastercard Inc
said it would allow partners on its network to enable their
consumers to buy, sell and hold cryptocurrency using a digital
wallet, as well as reward them with digital currencies under loyalty
programs.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Moderna that a low
dose of its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and appears to work in 6- to
11-year-olds, as the manufacturer moves toward expanding shots to
children.
   (AP, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Australia’s PM
Scott Morrison announced that a fifth National's party minister will
join his Cabinet as part of deal to cement the junior coalition
partner's support for a national target of zero net carbon emissions
by 2050.
   (AP, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Senior officials
from Canada and Germany who were tasked with breaking a deadlock in
negotiations ahead of next week's summit announced that current data
shows the goal won't be reached until 2023 — three years later than
agreed.
   (AP, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, President Xi
Jinping vowed that China would always uphold world peace and
international rules, amid concerns expressed by the United States
and other countries over its increasing assertiveness globally.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Tougher Covid-19
restrictions came into force in Romania and the Czech Republic,
while in Slovakia stricter rules were expanded to more regions. In
Bulgaria, police began imposing fines on people who break
restrictions.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Egypt’s president
said he will not extend the state of emergency that had been imposed
across the country for more than four years.
   (AP, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Estonia reported
1,787 new coronavirus cases, equal to its March pandemic peak. Proof
of vaccination or having recovered from COVID-19 was now required
for obtaining a coronavirus certificate to attend public events.
   (SFC, 10/26/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Hong Kong activist
Ma Chun-man (31), dubbed "Captain America 2.0" for wielding the
superhero's shield during protests, was found guilty of incitement
to secession, the second person convicted under a China-imposed
national security law in a crackdown on dissent.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Amnesty
International said it would close its Hong Kong offices because a
China-imposed security law had now made it "effectively impossible"
for rights groups to work freely without the risk of reprisals.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, The Bank of Japan
said Japan and China have extended a currency swap arrangement,
signed in 2018, for three years to October 2024, as part of efforts
to ensure financial system stability.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, The eye of
Hurricane Rick came ashore on Mexico's Pacific coast early today
lashing the region with 100 mile-per-hour (MPH) winds and heavy
rains that could trigger flash flooding and mudslides.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, New Zealand
reported 109 new locally acquired coronavirus cases, the bulk of
them in its largest city, Auckland, as the country saw its
second-worst day of daily infections since the pandemic began.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, In northern
Nigeria armed men on motorbikes killed at least 18 people at a
mosque in Niger state.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Poland said it is
increasing the number of troops on its border with Belarus to around
10,000, as the country tries to stem a surge in migration which it
blames on Minsk.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Russia reported
37,930 new COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours, its highest
single-day case tally since the start of the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, A senior ASWJ
official said fighting in Somalia's Galmudug state between the
Somali army and its former ally, the Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama'a militia,
has killed 120 people over the past three days. The fighting has
displaced at least 100,000 people.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Sudan’s top
generals seized power, arresting the prime minister, imposing a
state of emergency and opening fire on protesters. Sudan's ruling
council head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced a state of emergency
across the country.
   (NY Times, 10/25/21)(Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Switzerland-based
Novartis said its canakinumab drug had failed in another trial,
missing targets to improve overall survival rates for lung cancer
patients and prevent the progression-free survival of people with
the condition.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, An official in the
Syrian foreign ministry said Israel had attacked the southern region
early today.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, The United Nations
said greenhouse gas concentrations hit a record last year and the
world is "way off track" on capping rising temperatures, showing the
task facing climate talks in Glasgow aimed at averting dangerous
levels of warming.
   (Reuters, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, A UN investigator
reported that Iran so far this year has carried out 230 executions
that included nine women and one child who was executed in secret.
   (AP, 10/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, The US Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) approved an order to expel a unit of
China Telecom Ltd., one of China's three major state carriers, from
the American market as a national security threat amid rising
tensions with Beijing.
   (SFC, 10/28/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, The US Justice
Dept. said law enforcement officials in the US and Europe have
arrested 150 people and seized more than $31 million in an
international drug trafficking investigation stemming from sales on
the darknet.
   (SFC, 10/27/21, p.A5)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 45,553,214 with the death toll at 737,779.
   (sfist.com, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Comedian Mort Sahl
(94) died at his home in Mill Valley, Calif. He confronted
Eisenhower-era cultural complacency with acid stage monologues,
delivering biting social commentary in the guise of a stand-up
comedian and thus changing the nature of both stand-up comedy and
social commentary.
   (NY Times, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, The North Dakota
Department of Health switched off comments on its social media
accounts, saying it was doing so to combat the spread of
misinformation.
   (SFC, 10/27/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, It was reported
that Philadelphia will spend $14 million to equip all of its
officers with stun guns, train them on how to use them and require
officers to wear them while on duty.
   (AP, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, It was reported
that Becton Dickinson and Co has partnered with Amazon.com Inc to
begin shipment of a new at-home rapid COVID-19 test that can confirm
results using an entirely automated smartphone app.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Raytheon
Technologies' top boss warned the US aerospace and defense firm will
lose 'several thousand' employees who refused to take COVID-19
vaccines, as it prepares to meet the Biden administrations Jan. 1
deadline for immunization. The company has a total of 125,000 US
employees.
   (AP, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Belgium reimposed
mask restrictions that it relaxed a few weeks ago and expanded a
nationwide use of the COVID-19 pass as deaths reached an average of
13 per day.
   (SFC, 10/27/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, A Brazilian Senate
investigative committee approved a report that calls for President
Jair Bolsonaro to be indicted for nine crimes related to his
handling of the coronavirus pandemic, including crimes against
humanity. The panel also recommended charges against 77 other
people.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)(SFC, 10/29/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Official data
showed that full-time earnings in Britain rose by the most since
2008 in April, up by 4.3% from a year earlier, although the
government's furlough scheme and other distortions related to
COVID-19 probably pushed up growth.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, A jump in the
number of people in China infected with bird flu this year is
raising concern among experts, who say a previously circulating
strain appears to have changed and may be more infectious to people.
China has reported 21 human infections with the H5N6 subtype of
avian influenza in 2021.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Colombia said some
42,600 hectares (105,267 acres) of rainforest were destroyed in its
Amazon region across three of the country's provinces in the first
half of 2021. The figure represents a 34% decrease in deforestation
across the provinces.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, In Ecuador
thousands of demonstrators protested against the economic policies
of conservative President Guillermo Lasso, days after he raised
gasoline prices, blocking roads in some parts of the country.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, India's health
minister said that a government panel of experts was looking into a
Delta coronavirus subvariant, AY.4.2, that has been detected in the
United Kingdom.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Iran said a
cyberattack has disrupted the sale of heavily subsidized gasoline,
causing long lines at gas stations across the country weeks before
the anniversary of 2019 street protests that followed fuel price
hikes.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, In Iraq Islamic
State gunmen attacked a village in Diyala province, killing at least
11 civilians and wounding six others.
   (AP, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Japanese Princess
Mako quietly married a commoner without traditional wedding
celebrations.
   (AP, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, In Japan startup
A.L.I. Technologies, backed by soccer player Keisuke Honda, put
their 77.7 million yen ($680,000) hoverbike on sale. It promised to
fly for 40 minutes at up to 100 kph (62 mph).
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, King Abdullah II
of Jordan visited Poland for talks with President Andrzej Duda on
security issues and further defense cooperation.
   (AP, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, A Dutch appeals
court ruled that a collection of ancient Crimean gold artefacts,
claimed both by Ukraine and by museums in the Russian-annexed
peninsula, should be returned to the Ukrainian state.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Qatar's ruling
emir warned the Gulf state against excessive tribalism he said
endangered national unity, proposing a plan to promote equal
citizenship through changes to legislation that has inflamed tribal
sensitivities.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Russia ordered
regional leaders to step up their fight against COVID-19 as the
daily death toll hit a record for the sixth time in eight days.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, A powerful
cyclonic storm hit Sicily causing widespread flooding around the
city of Catania, turning streets and squares into rivers and lakes,
and causing at least two deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, South Korean
former president Roh Tae-woo (88) died. The decorated war veteran
played a pivotal but controversial role in the transition to
democratic elections from rule by authoritarian leaders.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Sweden registered
9 new COVID-19 deaths since Oct. 22, pushing the death toll since
the start of the pandemic past 15,000.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Switzerland said
it was recommending COVID-19 booster shots for people over 65 but
not for the general population.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Syria’s
electricity ministry signed a $115 million contract with an Iranian
company to rehabilitate a power station in a central province of the
war-torn country.
   (AP, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Ukraine's health
minister urged more citizens to get vaccinated as coronavirus deaths
hit a daily record of 734, with hospitalizations up more than a
fifth on the previous week.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, A UN report said
current commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions put the planet
on track for an average 2.7 degrees Celsius temperature rise this
century.
   (Reuters, 10/26/21)
   (AP, 10/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, The US State
Department said it has issued its first passport with an “X” gender
designation — a milestone in the recognition of the rights of people
who do not identify as male or female — and expects to be able to
offer the option to nonbinary, intersex and gender-nonconforming
people early next year.
   (AP, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, US federal
prosecutors said two sheriff's deputies in Maine accepted new cars
and an ownership stake in an operation that illegally sold more than
$13 million in pot grown for the state’s medical marijuana program.
   (AP, 10/28/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 45,638,297 with the death toll at 739,254. It was
reported that new daily COVID-19 cases in the US has plunged 57%
since peaking on Sept. 1.
   (sfist.com, 10/28/21)(SFC, 10/27/21, p.A1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, A former nurse in
East Texas was sentenced for killing four patients at a hospital in
Tyler, Texas. William George Davis was found guilty of capital
murder on October 19.
   (CBS News, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Merck said it has
granted the Medicines Patent Pool, a United Nations-backed
nonprofit, a royalty-free license for molnupiravir, its oral
antiviral COVID-19 pill.
   (Axios, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Uber Technologies
Inc said it is launching a new partnership with rental car company
Hertz to offer 50,000 Tesla Inc vehicles as a rental option to its
ride-hail drivers by 2023.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, It was reported
that Argentina’s Parana River, South America's second-largest river
behind only the Amazon, has retreated this year to its lowest level
since its record low in 1944, hit by cyclical droughts and dwindling
rainfall upriver in Brazil.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Australia and the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed during a
summit to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership between
them.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Britain’s finance
minister Rishi Sunak said stronger economic growth and lower
borrowing would allow him to increase public spending as Britain
emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, and he vowed to protect
households from rising inflation.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Bulgaria's tally
of coronavirus infections rose by 6,813 in the past 24 hours, a
record daily increase as the European Union's least vaccinated
country grappled with a fourth wave of the pandemic. The virus
killed 124 people in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death
toll to 23,440.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, China insisted
that Taiwan had no right to join the United Nations, after the
United States ratcheted up tensions with a call for the democratic
island to have greater involvement in the world body.
   (AFP, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, It was reported
that vegetable prices are surging in China after heavy rain swamped
crops this month, fuelling concern over food prices at a time when
consumers must brace for a hike in energy costs in the run-up to
winter.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Ecuador's
President Guillermo Lasso called for dialogue following a second day
of demonstrations by indigenous and civil society groups against
gasoline price rises, and said his government would keep security
forces on highways to maintain order.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, The European
Union's top court said it had ordered Poland to pay a penalty of 1
million euros ($1.16 million) per day for not suspending the
disciplinary chamber of the Supreme Court.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, A severe fuel
shortage was pushing Haiti to the brink of collapse because gangs,
not the government, ruled about half of the nation’s capital.
   (NY Times, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Hong Kong's
legislature passed a new film censorship law to "safeguard national
security", though critics say it will dampen creativity in its world
famous movie industry and further reduce freedoms in the former
British colony.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, India rejected
calls to announce a net zero carbon emissions target and said it was
more important for the world to lay out a pathway to reduce such
emissions and avert a dangerous rise in global temperatures.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, India's antitrust
watchdog raided the offices of Associated Alcohols & Breweries
and Some Distilleries as part of an investigation into alleged price
fixing in liquor products.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Indonesia's 2019
decision to block internet access during periods of social unrest
was lawful, its constitutional court ruled, in a move activists said
sets a dangerous precedent for internet freedom in the world's third
largest democracy.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, In Iran a lesbian
woman, identified only as Sareh (28), was arrested by the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps. She was held by authorities on charges of
“supporting homosexuality” and human trafficking. She had been
living in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region and was attempting to
enter Turkey to seek asylum, but she had to cross through Iran.
   (https://6rang.org/english/3240/)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, An Israeli
committee approved about 3,000 new settler homes in the occupied
West Bank, a day after the Biden administration issued its strongest
condemnation yet of the proposed construction.
   (AP, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Lao police seized
a record haul of illicit drugs in the Golden Triangle region. The
United Nations said was Asia's largest single drug bust ever.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Thousands of
mostly Central American migrants trekking across southern Mexico
advanced only a short distance, with children and painfully
blistered feet, the latest human caravan seeking to reach either
Mexico City or the US border.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, In Myanmar midday
bombings near a busy government office injured at least nine people
in Mandalay, in what appeared to be the latest high-profile attack
by militants opposed to the country’s military rulers.
   (AP, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, In Pakistan
thousands of demonstrators from the banned Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan
(TLP) Islamist group clashed with police, killing and wounding
several people from both sides. Thousands of TLP activists have
blocked Pakistan's busiest highway, demanding the release of their
leader and the expulsion of France's ambassador over the publication
by a satirical magazine of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Poland reported
8,361 daily COVID-19 cases and 133 deaths, with the number of new
infections reaching the highest level since late April.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Russia’s Pres.
Vladimir Putin told Alexei Miller, the head of state-controlled gas
giant Gazprom, to start pumping gas into the company's storage
facilities in Austria and Germany after it fills domestic depots by
Nov. 8. The EU depends on Russia for more than 40% of its gas
imports.
   (AP, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Russia hit another
record for daily COVID-19 deaths as authorities across the country
moved to keep most people off work in line with a Kremlin order
aimed at stemming the spread.
   (AP, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Saudi Arabia said
it had licensed 44 international companies to set up regional
headquarters in the capital Riyadh under the kingdom's push to
become a regional commercial hub and vie for foreign capital and
talent.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, In Spain 45 wine
bottles worth a total of 1.65 million euros, including one "unique"
19th-century vintage worth 310,000 euros, were spirited out in a
meticulously planned theft from the cellars of the famous
hotel-restaurant El Atrio. In 2022 a former Mexican beauty queen and
a Romanian-Dutch accomplice were arrested in Croatia over the theft.
The stolen wine was not recovered and the investigation continued.
   (Reuters, 7/20/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Sudan’s state oil
company workers and doctors said they were joining protests against
the military coup that has derailed the country's planned transition
to democracy. The World Bank halted disbursements for operations in
Sudan in response to the military's seizure of power from a
transitional government
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Sweden announced
it will be offering a third vaccine shot to people 65 and over as
well as to health care workers and nursing home staff.
   (AP, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, President Tayyip
Erdogan said Turkey had signed a memorandum of understanding under
which it will receive loans worth $3.2 billion to help it meet clean
energy goals set out in the Paris climate accord.
   (Reuters, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, The UAE sent 12
Yemenis, initially detained at the Guantanamo Bay US military
prison, to Yemen where they were expected to be released.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, US President Joe
Biden held an unusually long meeting with Pope Francis at the
Vatican as a debate raged back home about the Catholic president's
support for abortion rights.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, The US Justice
Department detailed a series of policy changes aimed at rooting out
repeat corporate misconduct and prioritizing individual
prosecutions, signaling a shift to a tougher tone toward white
collar crime.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, The US State
Department said the Russian government last week approved US air
carriers' requests for overflights. Some cargo and passenger
airlines sought additional flights.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, The US Treasury
sanctioned two top Lebanese contractors and a lawmaker close to the
Hezbollah movement over alleged large-scale corruption that
undermined the rule of law in Lebanon.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, It was announced
that the US Justice Department will pay $88 million, which includes
$63 million for the families of the nine people killed and $25
million for five survivors who were inside a Black South Carolina
church in 2015. A faulty background check allowed Dylann Roof to
purchase the gun he used in the massacre.
   (AP, 10/28/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 45,785,675 with the death toll at 742,281.
   (sfist.com, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, UCSF opened the
Weill Neurosciences Building, the largest center for integrated
neuroscience in the US, at its Mission Bay campus in San Francisco.
   (SFC, 10/28/21, p.C1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, The state of
Florida sued President Joe Biden's administration over its
coronavirus vaccine mandate for federal contractors, opening yet
another battleground between Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and the
White House.
   (AP, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, In Louisiana the
2nd Circuit Court of Appeal in Shreveport ruled that the state's
largest health system cannot fire or otherwise discipline employees
who refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19 while the mandate's
legality is being litigated in court.
   (SFC, 10/30/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Condemned Oklahoma
prisoner John Grant (60) convulsed and vomited before dying from a
cocktail of drugs as the state conducted its first execution in
years despite questions about its lethal injection protocol.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, It was reported
that an estimated 30 million to 50 million doses of Johnson &
Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine made early this year sits idle in
Emergent BioSolutions Inc's plant in Baltimore awaiting a green
light from US regulators to ship.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Majid Khan (41), a
suburban Baltimore high school graduate turned Al Qaeda courier,
spoke to a US military jury for the first time and gave a detailed
account of the brutal forced feedings, crude waterboarding and other
physical and sexual abuse he endured during his 2003 to 2006
detention in the C.I.A.’s overseas prison network. Following the
testimony a US military jury condemned torture by the CIA after
9/11, calling it “a stain on the moral fiber of America.”
   (AP, 10/28/21)(NY Times, 10/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Facebook changed
its corporate name to Meta. It’s a reference to the “metaverse,” a
more immersive online world that may be Mark Zuckerberg’s escape
hatch.
   (NY Times, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Pfizer Inc and
BioNTech SE said they expect to deliver 50 million more doses of
their COVID-19 vaccine to the US government by April-end, as the
country prepares to vaccinate children.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Salesforce
announced $300 million in new climate-related commitments from the
company and CEO Marc Benioff, along with his wife, Lynne.
   (SFC, 10/29/21, p.C1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, The Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said it has agreed with China to
upgrade their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership,
a day after reaching a similar deal with Australia.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Austria-based
chipmaker AT&S said it sees the global chip shortage taking at
least another year to stabilize and for production capacities to
cover demand.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, A Supreme Court
justice said Brazil's authorities will not tolerate the
dissemination of fake news in next year's elections, after an
electoral court acquitted far-right President Jair Bolsonaro of such
a crime in the 2018 election.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, British teenager
Danyal Hussein (19), who murdered two sisters in a London park in
2020 as part of a pact he believed he had made with demonic forces
to kill women every six months in exchange for a future lottery win,
was jailed for a minimum of 35 years.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, David Henderson
(67), the businessman who organized the 2019 flight that crashed and
killed pilot David Ibbotson and soccer player Emiliano Sala (28),
was found guilty by the Cardiff Crown Court of endangering the
safety of the aircraft. Ibbotson, who regularly flew for Henderson,
did not hold a commercial pilot's license or a qualification to fly
at night.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, In Bulgaria
thousands of restaurant owners, chefs, waiters and bartenders took
to the streets in cities across the country to protest a government
decision to impose a mandatory COVID-19 health pass on all people
seeking to enter indoor entertainment venues.
   (SFC, 10/29/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, A Chinese central
banker warned that online brokerages not licensed in China are
acting illegally if they serve Chinese clients via the Internet,
sending New York-listed shares of Futu Holdings Ltd and UP Fintech
Holding sharply lower.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, The health
authority in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong said that
one case of a human being infected with the H5N6 strain of bird flu
has been reported in the city of Dongguan. Experts considered the
risk of transmission to be low at this stage.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, It was reported
that Beijing city is demanding a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot for
some key workers, making it the first key Chinese metropolis to
publicly articulate a booster mandate, as the country combats a
fresh outbreak caused by the Delta variant.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Democratic
Republic of Congo's environment minister said the country intends to
ban all log exports and implement other measures to lessen threats
to its carbon-absorbing tropical rainforest, a major bulwark against
climate change.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Cuba's National
Assembly approved a raft of laws broadening citizens' legal rights
even as the Communist-run country comes under fire at home and
abroad for a crackdown on protests earlier this year.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, The World Bank
said it has approved a $360 million development policy financing
(DPF) loan to support Egypt's post-pandemic recovery.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, An Ethiopian air
strike hit the capital of the northern region of Tigray, with
Tigrayan forces saying it killed three civilians in their homes,
while the government said the strike hit a factory where military
equipment was stored.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, France detained a
British fishing boat in French waters overnight. Britain warned
Paris against further retaliation in a rapidly deteriorating row
over post-Brexit fishing rights.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, French drugmaker
Sanofi said the COVID-19 vaccine that it is developing with British
partner GlaxoSmithKline will have a price tag of less than 10 euros.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Germany's
coronavirus caseload took its biggest jump in two weeks, with over
28,000 new infections, adding heft to worries about restrictions
this winter.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, The Mexican army
arrested five suspected drug smugglers in Culiacan and seized a
record 260 pounds of the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
   (SSFC, 11/7/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, It was reported
that Myanmar security forces have killed more than 1,200 people
since February, including at least 131 detainees tortured to death.
   (AP, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Qatar launched a
national climate change action plan aimed at achieving a 25%
reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Moscow started a
nonworking period intended to stem coronavirus infections as new
daily cases and deaths from COVID-19 surged to all-time highs.
   (AP, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Scotland’s
University of Aberdeen handed over to a Nigerian delegation a Benin
Bronze that was among thousands looted by British troops in 1897,
the third European institution in two days to return cultural
artefacts to their African homelands. Aberdeen had acquired the
bronze head at an auction in 1957.
   (Reuters, 10/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, South Korea’s
intelligence agency told a closed-door parliamentary hearing that
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had issued orders calling for every
grain of rice to be secured and all-out efforts devoted to farming.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, In Yemen at least
11 civilians, including women and children, were killed when a
ballistic missile launched by Houthi rebels struck their house in
the central province of Marib.
   (AP, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, The United States
issued a fresh round of Iran-related sanctions targeting four
individuals and two entities linked to Tehran's Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, The Biden
administration made a renewed attempt to end a Trump-era immigration
program that forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for US court
hearings.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 45,836,469 with the death toll at 743,565.
   (sfist.com, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, It was reported
that Merriam-Webster has added 455 new words to its venerable
dictionary, including a number of abbreviations and slang terms that
have become ubiquitous on social media.
   (AP, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, US drugmaker
AbbVie Inc raised its 2021 adjusted profit forecast for the third
time this year and said it expects its newer drugs to recreate the
success of its blockbuster treatment Humira over the next few years.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Apple Inc lost its
crown as the world's most valuable public company to Microsoft Corp,
as the iPhone maker's shares continued their downward slide.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, The Belarusian
interior ministry classified three of the country's most popular
opposition social media channels as extremist organizations, meaning
that people can face up to seven years in prison for subscribing to
them.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, It was reported
that Belarus has forced the closure of the US Embassy’s Public
Diplomacy and USAID offices as of Nov. 20 in a move that comes amid
the tensions with the U.S. and its allies over Belarusian
authorities' crackdown on protests.
   (AP, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Britain's Prince
Andrew rejected Virginia Giuffre's accusations that he sexually
abused her more than two decades ago when she was 17, and urged a US
judge to dismiss her civil lawsuit.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Britain's Office
for National Statistics said the prevalence of COVID-19 infections
in England hit its highest level since the start of the year,
reaching around 1 in 50 people in the week ending Oct. 22.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, In northern
Burkina Faso several people were missing after a convoy belonging to
Canadian mining company Iamgold was attacked.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, China published
rules that require its globally systemically important banks to beef
up capacity to absorb losses to head off financial instability.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, China’s Inner
Mongolia region said 2,428 visitors had been placed under
observation at hotels in the cities of Baotou and Ordos. The region
accounted for 19 of the 48 new cases of domestic COVID-19
transmission.
   (AP, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, India-based
Reliance Industries said its low-cost 4G smartphone, jointly
developed by the group's Jio telecoms venture and Alphabet's Google,
will launch in stores from this festive season of Diwali for 6,499
rupees ($87).
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, In India Puneeth
Rajkumar (46), a dashing lead in films and a member of an
illustrious movie family, died of a heart attack. Offices and shops
in Bengaluru shut down and police were brought in to control
swarming crowds of fans in anticipation of violence after the
popular actor’s death.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, In Indonesia
Heather Mack, an American woman jailed in 2015 with her boyfriend
for murdering her mother and stuffing the remains in a suitcase on
the Indonesian island of Bali, was released from prison after
serving a chunk of her 10-year sentence. On Nov. 3 Mack was taken
into custody as she arrived at Chicago's O'Hare Int'l. Airport. She
was indicted on murder conspiracy charges.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)(SFC, 11/4/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Win Htein, a
senior aide to Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, was
sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of high treason.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Government
formation talks in the Netherlands became the longest on record, 226
days after the March 17 elections delivered a fractured political
landscape that made parties more reluctant than ever to compromise.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Philippine
government troops killed Muslim militant leader Salahuddin Hassan
and his wife at a hideout of the Daulah Islamiya group in
Maguindanao province. More than two dozen other gunmen managed to
escape.
   (SFC, 10/30/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Russia recorded
another record of daily coronavirus deaths as authorities hoped to
stem contagion by keeping most people off work. The government’s
coronavirus task force reported 1,163 deaths in 24 hours, the
largest daily number since the pandemic began.
   (AP, 10/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Russia's natural
gas giant Gazprom and the Moldovan government said they had signed a
new five-year contract for Russian gas supplies.
   (Reuters, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Saudi Arabia
expelled Lebanon's envoy and banned all Lebanese imports, and
Bahrain and Kuwait followed suit, giving the top Lebanese diplomats
48 hours to exit. The row came over critical comments made by
Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi about the Saudi-led
military intervention in Yemen.
   (Reuters, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, South Korean
President Moon Jae-in met Pope Francis, giving him a cross made from
barbed wire from the peninsula's demilitarized zone and again urging
him to visit North Korea.
   (Reuters, 10/29/21)  Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Ukraine's Pres.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy pleaded with citizens to get vaccinated quickly
as daily infections soared to another all-time high, fueled by a
slow vaccine uptake. The Health Ministry reported 26,870 new
confirmed infections in the last 24 hours and 648 deaths, bringing
the total toll to 66,852.
   (AP, 10/29/21)(SFC, 10/30/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, The UN Security
Council extended the UN peacekeeping mission in the disputed Western
Sahara for a year, expressing concern at the breakdown of the 1991
cease-fire between Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front
and calling for a revival of UN-led negotiations.
   (AP, 10/29/21)  Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, A US intelligence
briefing said that a natural origin and a lab leak were both
plausible hypotheses to explain how SARS-CoV-2, the virus
responsible for COVID-19, first infected humans, but that the truth
may never be known.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 45,932,838 with the death toll at 745,495.
   (sfist.com, 10/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In California one
person died early today and another 13 people were pulled from the
Pacific Ocean after a large group attempted to cross the US-Mexico
border by swimming around a barrier in San Diego.
   (AP, 10/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, American Airlines
said it has canceled more than 1,400 flights over the weekend due to
staff shortages and unfavorable weather.
   (AP, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, US tractor maker
Deere & Co agreed on a new six-year contract with the United
Auto Workers (UAW) union that would be subject to a vote by the
company's striking workers.
   (Reuters, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, The Taliban called
on the United States and other countries to recognize their
government in Afghanistan, saying that a failure to do so and the
continued freezing of Afghan funds abroad would lead to problems not
only for the country but for the world.
   (Reuters, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In Australia 76.8%
of those 16 and older were fully vaccinated.
   (Reuters, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In Canada a
suspected ransomware cyber attack against the healthcare system in
Newfoundland province disrupted services and forced the cancellation
of some appointments.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, China warned
Lithuania and European officials not to disrupt ties over decisions
by Taiwan and the Baltic country to open reciprocal representative
offices.
   (Reuters, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, China's latest
COVID-19 outbreak was developing rapidly. National Health Commission
spokesperson Mi Feng said China has given 1.07 billion people
complete COVID-19 vaccine doses as of Oct. 29.
   (Reuters, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Rebellious
Tigrayan forces said they had seized the strategic town of Dessie in
Ethiopia's Amhara region where tens of thousands of ethnic Amharas
have sought refuge from an escalation in fighting, but the
government denied this.
   (Reuters, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Israeli missiles
hit northwest of Damascus. The areas contained arms depots for
Lebanon's Hezbollah group, and positions of the Syrian military and
Iran-backed militias. Syrian air defenses reportedly shot down
several incoming missiles from northern Israel.
   (AP, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In Rome the heads
of the world's 20 biggest economies kicked off two days of talks
where they acknowledged the existential threat of climate change,
but stopped short of radical new commitments to tame global warming.
Thousands of people marched during the summit, calling on G20
leaders to act against climate change and ensure fair access to
COVID-19 vaccines.
   (Reuters, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Seven Malian
soldiers were killed in two separate attacks on patrols in the
center-west of the country, the latest bloodshed to indicate
violence is shifting southward into previously peaceful areas.
   (Reuters, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In northwestern
Myanmar more than 160 buildings, including at least two churches,
were destroyed by fires caused by shelling by government troops in
Thantlang, Chin state.
   (AP, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In New Zealand 74%
of eligible people were fully vaccinated and 76.8% of those 16 and
older in Australia.
   (Reuters, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Philippine forces
killed Jorge Madlos (aka Ka Oris), a key commander in the communist
New People's Army, in Bukidnon province.
   (SFC, 11/2/21, p.A2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, The Philippines
reported its highest single-day coronavirus deaths, mostly due to
the reclassification of previous cases. The health ministry recorded
423 COVID-19 deaths, eclipsing the 401 casualties reported on April.
9.
   (Reuters, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Tens of thousands
of Sudanese staged protests in Khartoum and other cities to demand
the restoration of a civilian-led government to put the country back
on a path to democracy after a military coup. The Central Doctors
Committee said two protesters were shot dead by troops in the
capital Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman.
   (Reuters, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In Yemen at least
eight people were killed by a car bomb in the southern city of Aden.
   (AP, 10/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, President Joe
Biden announced at the G-20 summit that the US had reached a deal to
roll back tariffs on billions of dollars of European steel and
aluminum, easing a trade war that had strained the trans-Atlantic
relationship since the Trump administration.
   (NBC News, 10/31/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 45,959,154 with the death toll at 745,725.
   (sfist.com, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Colorado Gov.
Jared Polis signed an executive order allowing hospitals to redirect
incoming patients as the state experienced its worst coronavirus
wave in a year.
   (SFC, 11/4/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, American Airlines
canceled nearly 850 domestic and international flights, citing
staffing shortages and unfavorable weather, pushing total
cancellations to 1,739 and counting since Oct 29.
   (Reuters, 10/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Elon Musk, the
richest person in the world, said he will sell $6 billion worth of
Tesla stock and donate the proceeds to the United Nations’ food
agency if it could show how the money would solve world hunger.
   (AP, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Algeria shut off a
gas pipeline that fuels Morocco and Spain, heightening tensions.
   (AP, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Chinese foreign
ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said a declassified US intelligence
report saying it was plausible that the COVID-19 pandemic originated
in a laboratory is unscientific and has no credibility.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Chinese bishops
and religious leaders briefed senior Hong Kong Catholic clergymen on
President Xi Jinping's vision of religion with "Chinese
characteristics" in an unprecedented meeting organized by the
mainland's representative office in the city.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, In Rome leaders of
the Group of 20 major economies reached an agreement on the wording
of the final communique. G20 leaders made a compromise commitment to
reach carbon neutrality “by or around mid-century” as they wrapped
up a two-day summit. They agreed to end public financing for
coal-fired power generation abroad, but set no target for phasing
out coal domestically.
   (AP, 10/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, On the sidelines
of the G20 in Rome Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and US President
Joe Biden agreed to form a joint mechanism to improve strained ties.
   (Reuters, 10/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Japan held general
elections. New PM Fumio Kishida’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party
(LDP) was on track to keep its majority in the powerful lower house.
The LDP won a solid majority of 261 seats. The conservative Japan
Innovation Party (JIP), which almost quadrupled its haul to 41 seats
in the 465-seat legislature, ended up the election's biggest winner,
overtaking even the Komeito party, the LDP's coalition partner.
   (Reuters, 10/31/21)(Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, In Japan Kyota
Hattori (24), a drifter who admired the Joker from Batman and
dressed as him, carried out a Halloween attack on a Tokyo train. The
stabbing and arson attack left 17 people injured. Hattori was
arrested on the spot.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, In central Mexico
an illegal tap on a natural gas line caused three explosions that
rocked the city of Pueblo killing at least one person.
   (SFC, 11/2/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Mexican
photojournalist Alfredo Cardoso died from his injuries after being
shot two days earlier, the second reporter to be killed in less than
a week in the country.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, North Macedonia's
PM Zoran Zaev resigned after his party lost the second round of
mayoral elections in several towns in the country, including the
capital Skopje.
   (Reuters, 10/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Russia’s national
coronavirus task force reported 40,993 new infections over the
previous day, up more than 700 on the previous record of a day
earlier.
   (AP, 10/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Swiss police in
Zermatt, a resort town at the foot of the famed Matterhorn peak,
swept into the 19th century Walliserkanne restaurant and sealed it
off after its owners had defied a closure order and kept serving.
The owners had flouted a government requirement to check patrons’
COVID-19 passes.
   (AP, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, The UN climate
summit in Glasgow opened with appeals for action and prayers,
kicking off two weeks of intense diplomatic negotiations by almost
200 countries on how to tackle the common challenge of intensifying
global warming.
   (AP, 10/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, In Yemen at least
10 civilians were killed and 25 wounded when two ballistic missiles
from Houthi rebels stuck a religious educational facility in the
central province of Marib.
   (AP, 11/1/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 45,972,717 with the death toll at 745,883.
   (sfist.com, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, In California
Orange County Superior Court Judge Peter Wilson issued a tentative
ruling that said the governments hadn’t proven the pharmaceutical
companies used deceptive marketing to increase unnecessary opioid
prescriptions and create a public nuisance.
   (AP, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, A US judge in
Florida dismissed money laundering counts against Alex Saab, an ally
of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, but he remained accused of
one count of conspiracy to launder money. US prosecutors requested
that seven of the initial eight charges contained in a July 2019
indictment be dropped to comply with assurances that officials made
to the government of Cape Verde in seeking Saab's extradition.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Mayor Bill de
Blasio said about 9,000 New York City municipal workers were put on
unpaid leave for refusing to comply with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate
that took effect today. Thousands of city firefighters called out
sick in an apparent protest over the requirement.
   (AP, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, New York woke up to
its first full workday under Mayor Bill de Blasio's order that all
city workers be vaccinated for COVID-19, with many police officers
and firefighters still refusing the shot and one labor leader
calling the mandate a recipe for disaster.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Oklahoma's
Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt sent a letter asking Defense Sec. Lloyd
Austin to consider suspending a vaccination mandate for members of
the Oklahoma National Guard. Acting on an order from Stitt, the
state's adjutant general later sent a memo telling troops that they
aren’t required to get the shot.
   (SFC, 11/18/21,
p.A5)(https://tinyurl.com/4fwfpbkb)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Dr. Aaron T. Beck
(100) died at his home in Philadelphia. His brand of pragmatic,
thought-monitoring psychotherapy became the centerpiece of a
scientific transformation in the treatment of depression, anxiety
and many related mental disorders. Beck's work along with that of
Albert Ellis, a psychologist working independently, provided the
architecture of what is known as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT).
   (NY Times, 11/1/21)(SSFC, 11/7/21, p.F8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, It was reported
that West Virginia's vaccination rate has plummeted to the lowest
among the US states. 41% of the population is fully vaccinated.
   (SFC, 11/1/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Amazon founder Jeff
Bezos announced a $2 billion commitment to fight climate change at
the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), in Scotland.
   (Fox News, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Facebook said that
last month it removed a troll farm with more than 1,000 Facebook and
Instagram accounts which it was said was run by the Nicaraguan
government and the country's ruling party, the Sandinista National
Liberation Front.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Yahoo stopped
allowing its services to be accessible from mainland China "in
recognition of the increasingly challenging business and legal
environment", the second Western tech brand to quit the country in
recent weeks.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, The Nur-Sultan
cabinet and Facebook owner Meta Platforms said Facebook has granted
the Kazakh government access to its content reporting system, after
the Central Asian nation threatened to block the social network for
millions of local users.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Novavax Inc and
partner Serum Institute of India said they received emergency use
authorization for their COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia, making it the
first approval anywhere in the world for Novavax.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Australia’s
government said it will introduce two permanent residence visas for
Hong Kong citizens who have been living in Australia.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Australia, Israel
and Thailand eased international border restrictions significantly
for the first time in 18 months, offering a broad test of demand for
travel worldwide amid the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Britain gave France
48 hours to back down in a fishing row that threatens to spiral into
a wider trade dispute between two of Europe's biggest economies or
face tortuous legal action under the Brexit trade deal.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Britain recorded
40,077 new COVID-19 cases and 40 deaths of people who had tested
positive for the disease within 28 days.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, China's President
Xi Jinping in a written statement called on all COP26 parties to
take stronger action to jointly tackle the climate challenge.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, China’s government
said it will strengthen efforts to reduce the amount of grain lost
at harvest and food wasted in kitchens across the country, as part
of a broad action plan to further boost food security.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, China's Ganfeng
Lithium Co Ltd and its unit GFL International Co Ltd said they have
signed a contract to supply battery-grade lithium products to US
electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla Inc.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Egyptian
authorities arrested the suspect in a gruesome beheading in the Suez
Canal city of Ismailia, soon after shocking footage of the slaying
set off an uproar on social media. The suspect had a history of
mental illness and had been previously treated for drug addiction.
On January 5, 2922, Abdel-Rahman Nazmy was sentenced to death.
   (AP, 11/1/21)(AP, 1/5/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Ethiopia's
government accused rebellious Tigrayan forces of killing 100 youths
in the key town of Kombolcha, as the United States expressed concern
about Tigrayan advances a year into the fighting.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, French President
Emmanuel Macron said his government was postponing implementation of
sanctions on Britain over a fishing row until the end of Tuesday
while the two sides discuss fresh proposals to resolve the dispute.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, India's PM Narendra
Modi used the COP26 climate talks to announce 2070 as the target for
his country to reach net zero carbon emissions, two decades beyond
what scientists say is needed to avert catastrophic climate impacts.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Indonesia said it
has approved the Sinovac Biotech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged
6-11, following the US Food and Drug Administration's approval of
the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for younger kids.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Iraqi media said
the government plans to sign energy contracts worth tens of billions
of dollars with Saudi Arabia. State newspaper Al-Sabaah reported
that Baghdad is discussing a partnership with Saudi Aramco to
explore and develop natural gas fields in Iraq's western desert.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Israel authorized
some 1,300 Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank days after
advancing plans to build more than 3,000 housing units for Jewish
settlers.
   (AP, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Namibia suspended
imports of live poultry, birds and poultry products from Germany and
the Netherlands after outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird
flu in the European countries.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, In Nigeria rescuers
searched for survivors in the wreckage of a 21-storey apartment
building that collapsed under construction in Lagos. The death toll
soon rose to 43 with dozens still missing.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)(SFC, 11/2/21, p.A4)(AP,
11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, In Northern Ireland
two masked and armed men hijacked and set fire to a bus in the
pro-British unionist town of Newtownards early today. Local media
said the attack was linked to tensions over post-Brexit trade
barriers.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Authorities in
Russia's Novgorod region ordered most residents to stay off work for
one more week starting Nov. 8 as coronavirus infections and deaths
remained at all-time highs.
   (AP, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, At COP26 in
Scotland more than 100 countries, including Brazil, China and the
US, pledged to stop deforestation by the end of the decade and slash
emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, A Singapore
minister said the city-state could see as many 2,000 COVID-19 deaths
annually over time, mainly among the elderly, but that it was
focused on avoiding excess mortality, as the country battles its
biggest surge in infections.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, New rules aimed at
moving South Koreans toward "living with COVID-19" came into effect,
with the easing of a range of curbs and the introduction of vaccine
passports at high-risk venues such as gyms, saunas and bars. More
than 75% of the country's population has been fully vaccinated.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Tonga said its main
island will go into lockdown for a week after the South Pacific
nation reported its first case of the coronavirus. A traveler
arriving from New Zealand had tested positive and isolated at a
quarantine hotel.
   (AP, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, The Ukrainian
capital Kyiv implemented tough new restrictions in an attempt to
stem a surge in COVID-19 infections that is affecting many countries
across eastern Europe amid a low take-up of vaccinations. Less than
a fifth of the total population of around 41 million, has been fully
vaccinated so far.
   (Reuters, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, The United Arab
Emirates said it has approved for emergency use the Pfizer-BioNtech
COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11.
   (AP, 11/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, President Joe Biden
said in a letter to Congress said the United States plans to remove
Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from the agreement that gives them
duty-free access to the United States, citing human rights
violations.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, An analysis done by
the Urban Institute said the 2020 US census missed an estimated 1.6
million people, but given hurdles posed by the pandemic and natural
disasters, the undercount was smaller than expected.
   (AP, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, A US panel of
experts for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
gave its blessing for a lower dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to
protect younger children against Covid-19.
   (NY Times, 11/2/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 46,102,397 with the death toll at 747,401.
   (sfist.com, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, The San Francisco
Police Dept. said that it has placed as many as 70 employees on
leave who failed to meet the city's vaccination deadline this week.
   (SFC, 11/3/21, p.C4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, California-based
electric vehicle maker Fisker Inc said it has struck a battery
supply deal for its flagship Fisker Ocean SUV with Chinese battery
maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, The Atlanta Braves
won the World Series — one of the city’s only major sports titles in
decades — beating the Houston Astros, 7-0, in Game 6.
   (NY Times, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Michelle Wu, a
protégée of Senator Elizabeth Warren, was elected as the next mayor
of Boston.
   (NY Times, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Detroit Mayor Mike
Duggan won a third term, a sign that voters approve of his job
leading the city out of bankruptcy and restoring basic services like
streetlights.
   (NY Times, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Voters in
Minneapolis, Minn., rejected a ballot measure that would have
replaced the city’s police department with a Department of Public
Safety.
   (NY Times, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, In New Jersey, Gov.
Phil Murphy, a Democrat, won a surprisingly close race.
   (NY Times, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Eric Adams became
New York’s mayor-elect, easily winning the general election after
having relied on an anti-crime message to defeat more progressive
candidates in the Democratic primary.
   (NY Times, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, In NYC Daniel
Rendon Herrera (56), once considered Colombia's most wanted drug
lord, accepted responsibility for trafficking at least 73,645 kg (81
tons) of cocaine that spread addiction and death in his home country
and the United States.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Glenn Youngkin
became the first Republican to win the governor’s race in Virginia
since 2009, beating Terry McAuliffe, 50.7 to 48.6 percent.
   (NY Times, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, The Taliban
announced a complete ban on the use of foreign currency in
Afghanistan, a move sure to cause further disruption to an economy
pushed to the brink of collapse by the abrupt withdrawal of
international support.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, In Afghanistan at
least 25 people were killed and 34 wounded when two explosions
followed by gunfire hit the country’s biggest military hospital in
Kabul.
   (NY Times, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, It was reported
that Bolivia's highlands city of La Paz has been hit by an unusual
heatwave, with levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation soaring off the
charts, exacerbated by unusually low levels of cloud cover some
experts link to climate change.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, In southern Chile a
freight train was derailed and some of its cargo units burned by
unknown assailants, amid tensions between the state and the local
Mapuche indigenous group demanding the return of ancestral lands.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Chinese tennis star
Peng Shuai (35) posted that Zhang Gaoli (75), a former vice-premier
and member of the powerful Politburo Standing Committee, had forced
her to have sex despite repeated refusals following a round of
tennis three years ago. The post was quickly removed. Zhang retired
in 2018 and has largely disappeared from public life.
   (SFC, 11/5/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, The five Czech
centrist and center-right parties reached an agreement on forming a
majority coalition government and its key agenda.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Ethiopia declared a
state of emergency and called on its citizens to pick up arms and
prepare to defend the capital as rebel forces from the northern
region of Tigray pressed south toward the city following the capture
of two key towns.
   (NY Times, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Greenland's
government said it has taken a first step toward joining the Paris
Agreement on climate and aims to develop the Arctic island's vast
hydro power potential.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Israel's justice
ministry said Google had blocked sites of a hacking group that
leaked user details of an Israeli LGBTQ dating site, an attack some
security experts blamed on Iran.
   (AFP, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, It was reported
that the English-language Lebanese newspaper The Daily Star has told
its staff they will all be laid off, joining a list of Lebanese
media outlets that have been forced to close or scale back due to
financial pressures.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, The Dutch
government decided to re-impose measures, including the wearing of
face masks, aimed at slowing the latest spike in COVID-19
infections.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, In Niger at least
69 people were killed in an attack by suspected Islamist insurgents
near the border with Mali.
   (BBC, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, In Nigeria gunmen
abducted six people, four staff members and two children, overnight
from the staff quarters of the Univ. of Abuja.
   (AP, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Palestinian
families rejected an offer that would have delayed their eviction by
Jewish settlers in a tense Jerusalem neighborhood, where protests
and clashes helped ignite the 11-day Gaza war in May.
   (AP, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, The Peruvian
Ministry of Energy and Mines said a rural community will lift its
blockade of the country's largest copper mine Antamina after
protests forced miners to suspend operations.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Romania reported a
record daily number of 591 COVID-19 deaths amid a persistently low
vaccination rate and a wave of coronavirus infections that has
overwhelmed the country's ailing health care system. Only 37% of
adults in Romania have been fully vaccinated.
   (AP, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Coronavirus deaths
in Russia hit another daily record. The state coronavirus task force
reported 39,008 new confirmed cases and 1,178 COVID-19 deaths.
   (AP, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Slovenia registered
a record high 3,456 COVID-19 infections, or 44.7% of the number of
people tested. Medical experts suggested tighter restrictions to
rein in the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, In South Africa
early results from local elections gave the ruling African National
Congress (ANC) 46% of the vote. Local polls showed support for the
legacy party of Nelson Mandela dipping below half for the first
time. The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa's largest
opposition party, won mayoral posts in three major cities in the
country's economic heartland, a blow to the governing African
National Congress (ANC) in the wake of its worst-ever election
result.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)(Reuters, 11/4/21)(Reuters,
11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, In South Sudan five
people died when a small cargo plane crashed shortly after take-off
from Juba Airport.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Spain said it has
adopted a European Union copyright directive that allows third-party
online news platforms to negotiate directly with content providers,
setting the stage for Alphabet's Google News to return to the
country.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Syrian singer Sabah
Fakhri (88) died. He was known across the Arab world for performing
traditional music from Aleppo in concerts that could go on for
hours.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, The United Nations
mission in Central African Republic accused the country's
presidential guard of opening fire on unarmed Egyptian peacekeepers
and wounding 10 of them, but the government said the accusation was
inaccurate. In an attempt to leave the area a bus transporting the
Egyptian unit struck and killed a woman.
   (Reuters, 11/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, US lawmakers
approved legislation calling for more sanctions and other punitive
measures to ratchet up pressure on Nicaragua's President Daniel
Ortega just days before an election there that Washington has
denounced as a sham.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, The US Commerce
Department added four companies from Israel, Russia and Singapore to
its "entity list", saying they engaged in "activities that are
contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the
United States".
   (AP, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, The FBI released
hundreds of pages of newly declassified documents about its long
effort to explore connections between the Saudi government and the
Sept. 11 attacks, revealing the scope of a strenuous but ultimately
fruitless investigation whose outcome many question to this day.
   (AP, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, The US started
vaccinating children aged 5 to 11 against COVID-19, with roughly 28
million school-age kids now eligible for the shots that provide
protection against the illness.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 46,182,380 with the death toll at 748,943.
   (sfist.com, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Connecticut
officials and refugee advocates called on landlords to rent
apartments to dozens of families that fled Afghanistan and will be
resettling in the state, saying they'll guarantee rent is paid and
even co-sign rental agreements if necessary.
   (AP, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, In Iowa the body
high school Spanish teacher Nohema Graber was found was found in a
Fairfield park. In 2022 teenagers Willard Miller (17) and Jeremy
Goodale (17) were charged with killing their teacher because of
frustrations over a bad grade.
   (https://tinyurl.com/mr39cvpb)(SFC, 11/3/22,
p.A11)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, It was reported
that an Iowa study showed that hundreds of white-tailed deer
infected with the coronavirus likely contracted the disease from
humans and have rapidly spread it among other animals. 80% of the
deer sampled from April 2020 to January 2021 were infected.
   (SFC, 11/3/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Karim Codrington
(32), Army veteran from Radcliff, sued three Louisville Metro Police
officers and former police Chief Steve Conrad, saying he was
unlawfully searched on Aug. 10, 2018, and charged with drug offenses
during a traffic stop because he is Black.
   (The Courier Journal, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, In eastern
Afghanistan roadside bomb struck a Taliban patrol in a stronghold of
Islamic State militants, killing two people and wounding three.
   (AP, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, The Algerian
president's office said that three Algerians were killed by a
military strike on their trucks, and it accused Moroccan forces in
the disputed Western Sahara of being behind the attack.
   (AP, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Belarus declared
the Poland-based Belsat news channel an "extremist" organization,
meaning its employees and viewers can face up to seven years in
prison. Belsat, a Warsaw-based satellite channel, provides
Belarusians an alternative to state media.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Beijing shoppers
stocked up on cabbage, rice and flour for the winter, after the
government urged people to keep stores of basic goods in case of
emergencies, though it assured them there were sufficient supplies
after some panic buying.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Damon Galgut won
the Booker Prize for “The Promise,” a satirical novel about a white
family in post-apartheid South Africa.
   (NY Times, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, In Chile a
magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Valparaiso early today.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, China's government
ordered 38 apps from a number of companies including social media
giant Tencent Corp to rectify what it called the excessive
collection of personal information.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, China's new locally
transmitted COVID-19 cases spiked to a near three-month high and
tighter curbs to contain the spread were expected in the capital
Beijing ahead of a key gathering of the highest-ranking members of
the Communist Party next week.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Colombia’s top cop
said authorities are focused on breaking up the Clan del Golfo gang
- whose network extends to 28 countries around the world - after the
capture of the group's leader late last month.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, In Congo DRC 9
people were killed in clashes in the eastern city of Bukavu early
today after an incursion by unidentified gunmen.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, A Hong Kong court
ruled that Tony Chung (20), the former leader of pro-independence
group Studentlocalism, was guilty of secession under the city's
sweeping national security law, as well as money laundering,
following a plea bargain with the prosecution.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, India-based Bharat
Biotech said its COVID-19 vaccine has been granted an extension of
shelf life for up to 12 months from the date of manufacture by
India's drug regulator. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it
had approved Indian drugmaker Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine for
emergency use, paving the way for the homegrown shot to be accepted
as a valid vaccine in many poor countries.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Israel said it has
begun testing a massive inflatable missile detection system designed
to hover at high altitudes and detect long-range threats.
   (AP, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Italy's medicines
agency AIFA recommended a booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna
vaccine to those inoculated with the Johnson & Johnson shot.
   (AP, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Myanmar's ruling
military stood by its decision to deny a Southeast Asian envoy
access to detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, resisting growing
international pressure to comply with a regional peace plan agreed
in April.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Philippines
President Rodrigo Duterte said that local government officials will
be punished for falling behind their targets for COVID-19
vaccinations as the country seeks to open up the economy.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)  Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Russia’s state
coronavirus task force reported over 40,000 new confirmed cases from
a day earlier, the most since the start of the pandemic. Coronavirus
cases and deaths remained at all-time highs as more regions
announced extending existing restrictions in an effort to tame the
country's unrelenting surge of infections.
   (AP, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Russian President
Vladimir Putin urged the country's arms manufacturers to develop
even more advanced hypersonic missiles and high-energy lasers to
maintain the country's edge in military technologies.
   (AP, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, A Russian Antonov
An-12 cargo plane carrying seven people crash-landed in Siberia and
was engulfed in flames after disappearing from radar just outside
the city of Irkutsk. At least two people were killed.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, It was reported
that South Africa is set to receive $8.5bn (£6.2bn) to help end its
reliance on coal in a deal announced at the COP26 climate summit.
   (BBC, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, In Scotland banks,
insurers and investors with around $130 trillion or 40% of the
world's capital at their disposal pledged to put limiting climate
change at the center of their work.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, South Korea said it
would ramp up COVID-19 testing at schools after a sharp rise of
infections among children, weeks ahead of a plan to fully reopen
schools nationwide.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Syria’s military
said Israel has carried out an air raid that hit a military post on
the outskirts of the capital of Damascus early today, causing
material damage.
   (AP, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Taiwan welcomed its
first official European Parliament delegation amid heightened
tension between Taipei and Beijing. Taiwan does not have formal
diplomatic ties with any European nations except tiny Vatican City.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Police in Thailand
announced the arrest of the head of a company suspected of cheating
overseas buyers of millions of dollars they paid for undelivered
medical rubber gloves during the coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, New data showed
that Turkey's annual inflation rate rose to its highest in more than
2-1/2 years in October (19.89%), as the central bank, under
political pressure to provide more monetary stimulus, has
aggressively cut its policy rate in recent months.
   (Reuters, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, In Ukraine more
than a thousand blocked several streets in Kyiv protesting against
COVID-19 vaccine certificates and state-imposed restrictions aimed
at halting the spread of the virus.
   (SFC, 11/4/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, The United Nations
children's agency said it was planning to set up a system to
directly fund Afghan teachers, after the international community
placed a freeze on funding to the Taliban-led administration.
   (AP, 11/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Officials said
President Joe Biden will begin enforcing his mandate that
private-sector workers be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested
weekly starting Jan. 4, in a reprieve to companies struggling with
labor shortages during the crucial US holiday season. A requirement
that federal contractors be vaccinated was moved back a month to the
same date.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The US justice
department said Igor Danchenko, a Russian analyst who was the main
source for Christopher Steele’s dossier on Donald Trump and Moscow,
has been arrested by US authorities. A five-page indictment released
today accused Danchenko of lying repeatedly to the FBI when
interviewed in 2017 – a criminal offense.
   (AP, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The US Justice
Department sued Texas, arguing that the state’s new voting law would
disenfranchise people.
   (NY Times, 11/4/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 46,262,847 with the death toll at 750,623.
   (sfist.com, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Alphabet's said it
plans to allow third-party payment systems in South Korea to comply
with a new law, marking the first time the US tech giant has amended
its payment policy for a specific country.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Emergent
BioSolutions said the US government has canceled a $600 million deal
with the company, a COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer that ruined
millions of doses.
   (NY Times, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Australia charged
Terence Darrell Kelly (36) with various offenses related to the
abduction of Cleo Smith (4), who was recently found after an 18-day
search following her disappearance from a family tent.
   (SFC, 11/5/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Austria's daily new
coronavirus infections surged towards the record set a year ago,
making a lockdown for the unvaccinated ever more likely as the
government struggles to convince holdouts to get their shot. Roughly
64% of Austria's population is fully vaccinated against the
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The presidents of
Belarus and Russia signed an array of measures to deepen the
integration of the two countries but stop short of a full merger.
   (AP, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Belgium reported a
steep rise in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations back to
levels last experienced in October 2020, three days after the United
States advised its citizens against travelling to the country that
hosts EU and NATO headquarters.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Britain became the
first country in the world to approve molnupiravir, a potentially
game-changing COVID-19 antiviral pill jointly developed by US-based
Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, in a boost to the fight against
the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)(SFC, 11/5/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Beijing issued its
first heavy pollution alert for the fall and winter, requiring the
suspension of some outdoor construction, factory operations and
outdoor school activities.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Sinopec, China's
state-owned oil giant, signed a contract with the US Venture Global
LNG to buy 4 million tons of LNG annually for 20 years at a ceremony
in Shanghai.
   (South China Morning Post, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, In Congo DRC
thousands of historic artefacts were destroyed late today in the
town of Gungu after a private museum burnt to ashes.
   (BBC, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Croatia reported
6,310 infections of COVID-19 which is the highest daily number of
infections since the beginning of the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, In Ethiopia a wave
of fear spread across Addis Ababa as the authorities accelerated
their campaign against members of the once-powerful Tigrayan ethnic
group accused of sympathizing with rebels now pressing toward the
city.
   (NY Times, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Coronavirus
infections were hitting record levels in many countries across
Europe as winter takes hold, prompting a call for action from the
World Health Organization which described the new wave as a "grave
concern".
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Germany's disease
control agency reported the highest number of new coronavirus
infections since the outbreak of the pandemic.
   (AP, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Hungary's governing
party acknowledged that that the government had purchased the
military-grade spyware Pegasus, produced by Israel-based NSO Group.
The spyware was allegedly used it to target journalists, business
people and an opposition politician.
   (SFC, 11/5/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The Climate
Investment Funds (CIF) said India, Indonesia and the Philippines
will join South Africa as the first recipients of a multibillion
dollar pilot program aimed at accelerating their transition from
coal power to clean energy.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Israel's parliament
passed a national budget for the first time in three years early
today, avoiding a November deadline that would have brought down the
new government and triggered another election.
   (AP, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The Latvian
parliament allowed businesses to fire workers who refuse to either
get a COVID-19 vaccine or transfer to remote work, as the country
battles one of the worst COVID-19 waves in European Union.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Lebanese PM Najib
Mikati said he had agreed with President Michel Aoun on a "roadmap"
to solve a diplomatic row with Saudi Arabia.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, It was reported
that Lithuania has built the first stretches of a steel wall on its
border with Belarus since migrants from the Middle East and other
areas began entering from Belarus this year.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, In Mexico dozens of
migrants traveling north to Mexico City clashed with the National
Guard in the southern state of Chiapas, near to where a Cuban
national was killed on Sunday by the militarized police force.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, In Mexico two
suspected drug gang members were shot dead on a beachfront near the
southern resort of Cancun.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The Netherlands
reported a new outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 bird flu among ducks
at a poultry farm in the central province of Flevoland. About 10,000
animals will be culled at the farm.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Environmental
campaigners awarded their ‘Fossil of the Day’ award to the Polish
government for giving — and then apparently backtracking on — a
pledge to speed up its phaseout of coal power.
   (AP, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Portugal’s Pres.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced that he is dissolving parliament
and calling a snap election for Jan. 30, following the minority
Socialist government’s defeat in a key vote on post-pandemic plans
to spend billions of euros in EU funding.
   (AP, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Russian President
Vladimir Putin marked the national Unity Day holiday with a trip to
Crimea, declaring the region will always be a part of Russia.
   (AP, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Russia’s national
coronavirus task force said 1,195 people died of COVID-19 over the
past day, exceeding the 1,189 recorded the previous day.
   (AP, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, In Scotland more
than 40 countries pledged to phase out coal, the dirtiest fossil
fuel, in a deal announced today at the United Nations climate summit
in Glasgow. several of the biggest coal consumers were notably
absent from the accord, including China and India, which together
burn roughly two-thirds of the world’s coal, as well as Australia.
The United States, which still generates about one-fifth of its
electricity from coal, also did not sign the pledge.
   (NY Times, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The Scotland
registered Cornelis Gert Jan scallop dredger, impounded by France
amid the dispute over post-Brexit fishing rights, arrived in the UK
after being released by French authorities.
   (AP, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Roche Pharma
announced a $20.7 billion move to buy back nearly a third of its
voting stock from fellow Swiss drugmaker Novartis.
   (Reuters, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The United Arab
Emirates' Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) said it has completed
construction of Unit 3 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, the Arab
world's first multi-unit operating nuclear energy plant.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The UN food agency
said world food prices rose for a third straight month in October to
reach a fresh 10-year peak, led again by increases in cereals and
vegetable oils.
   (Reuters, 11/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, US Democrats set
aside divisions between progressives and centrists to pass a $1
trillion package of highway, broadband and other infrastructure
improvement, sending it on to President Joe Biden to sign into law.
The infrastructure bill passed with the support of 13 Republicans.
   (Reuters, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, A senior Biden
administration official said the US government has seen proof that
at least some members of the group of American and Canadian
missionaries kidnapped in Haiti last month are alive.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 46,346,347 with the death toll at 751,776.
   (sfist.com, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, In Florida
administrative Judge Brian Newman rejected a case from school
officials in six counties that challenged a state ban on coronavirus
mask mandates.
   (SSFC, 11/7/21, p.A12)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, It was reported
that Montana's Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte's administration
quashed plans for a public service campaign to promote COVID-19
vaccinations for eligible teenagers over the summer. 55% of
Montana's eligible population are now fully vaccinated, compare with
68% of people nationally age 12 and up.
   (SFC, 11/5/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, A federal jury in
Ohio convicted Yanjun Xu, who worked for China's Ministry of State
Security, of conspiring and attempting to commit economic espionage
and theft of trade secrets. Xu had been lured to Belgium, where he
was arrested in April 2018. He was the first Chinese intelligence
officer ever to be extradited to the US.
   (CBS, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, In Texas at least
eight people were killed and many others injured in a crush at the
opening night of Houston's Astroworld music festival triggered by a
surge of fans pushing toward the stage. Days later the death of a
college student (22) raised the toll to nine. On Nov. 14 a boy (9)
became the 10th, and youngest, person to die from injuries sustained
at the Astroworld festival in Texas.
   (Reuters, 11/6/21)(Reuters, 11/11/21)(NY Times,
11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Pfizer said a trial
of the company’s experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 was
stopped early after the drug was shown to cut by 89% the chances of
hospitalization or death for adults at risk of developing severe
disease. The results appeared to surpass those seen with Merck &
Co Inc's pill, molnupiravir.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Social network
Twitter Inc said it has temporarily disabled its Trends section in
Africa's conflict-hit nation of Ethiopia over threats of physical
harm.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Austria said it is
barring those not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 from cafes,
restaurants and hairdressers as infections approach the record set a
year ago and the government struggles to convince holdouts to get
the shot.
   (Reuters, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Belize said it has
settled its cash tender offer to purchase US dollar bonds due in
2034 and redeem all bonds that were not tendered into the offer in a
switch to bolster marine conservation.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, In Bosnia flooding
caused by heavy rains overnight caused power cuts in many parts of
Sarajevo, with roads blocked, school classes cancelled and a plant
filling oxygen tanks for COVID-19 patients submerged.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, In Brazil
protesters blocked the entrance to an iron ore mine in Minas Gerais
state owned by Samarco Mineracao SA, a joint venture of Vale SA and
BHP Group PLC, to mark the sixth anniversary of a dam failure there
that led to 19 deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Britain reported
193 deaths people who had tested positive for COVID-19 within the
past 28 days, and an extra 34,029 cases.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, A government funded
feasibility study confirmed a report that Britain could revive
domestic production of super strong magnets used in electric
vehicles (EVs) and wind turbines with government support, to reduce
its reliance on China and achieve vital cuts in carbon emissions.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, It was reported
that British scientists have identified a gene that doubles the risk
of dying from COVID-19, providing new insights into why some people
are more susceptible to the disease than others, while opening up
possibilities for targeted medicine. Researchers said around 60% of
people with South Asian ancestry carry the high-risk gene.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, A spokeswoman for
China's Taiwan Affairs Office said China will make people who
support Taiwan independence criminally liable for life.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, China's most
populous province Guangdong said that its two biggest metropolises
Guangzhou and Shenzhen must allocate at least 10% of their land for
rental housing to meet rising demand for homes especially among the
young.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, China has now given
1.072 billion people, 75.96% of the nation's 1.41 billion
population, complete COVID-19 vaccine doses.
   (Reuters, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Costa Rican
officials said that they would require Covid-19 vaccinations for
people under 18 “to safeguard the best interests” of children,
becoming one of the first countries to implement such a mandate.
   (NY Times, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Croatia reported
6,932 new cases of COVID-19 and decided to tighten measures against
the spreading of the disease, including introducing obligatory
digital certificates for public sector employees.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, It was reported
that nine anti-government factions were forming an alliance to push
for a political transition in Ethiopia.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, The French
government put the entire country on high alert for bird flu as the
virus spread across Europe.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, German state
leaders warned the country may need a new lockdown unless it takes
urgent action. Health minister Jens Spahn said Germany's COVID-19
situation is entering a very difficult period with rising numbers of
intensive care patients.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, In India residents
of New Delhi woke up under a blanket of smog darkening the city, the
most dangerous air pollution of the year after Diwali revelers
defied - as usual - a fireworks ban during India's annual Hindu
festival of lights.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Indonesia's
government over land assets linked to an automaker company owned by
the son of late president Suharto, in its latest attempt to recover
money from the once-powerful family.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Iran’s atomic
agency said that its stockpile of 20% enriched uranium has reached
over 210 kg (463 lbs), the latest defiant move ahead of upcoming
nuclear talks with the West.
   (AP, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Iraqi police fired
tear gas and live ammunition into the air as scores of the
protesters threw stones and tried to advance towards Baghdad's
fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings and foreign
embassies. At least one protester was killed along with injuries of
demonstrators and security forces. The next day PM Mustafa
al-Kadhimi ordered an investigation.
   (Reuters, 11/6/21)(AP, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, It was reported
that Trieste, Italy, has emerged as the center of a COVID-19
outbreak two weeks after protesters marched along dockside workers
saying an expansive health pass infringed on their right to work.
   (SFC, 11/5/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, The Dutch Supreme
Court handed Russia at least a temporary victory in an appeal of
what’s believed to be the world’s largest award in an arbitration
case after former shareholders of bankrupted Russian oil giant Yukos
accused the Kremlin of taking down the company in 2003 to silence
Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a fierce critic of President
Vladimir Putin.
   (AP, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, In Nigeria an oil
spill was discovered in the Niger Delta. Aiteo Eastern E&P later
reported an "extremely high order" oil spill from the jointly owned
well and has had to abort immediate efforts to control the leak due
to the pressure emanating from the well head.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, A Palestinian boy
(13) was shot and killed by Israeli fire during clashes in the
occupied West Bank. Mohammad Daadas, died as a result of a gunshot
wound to the stomach during clashes with Israeli forces near the
northern West Bank village of Deir al-Hatab.
   (AP, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Portugal’s
parliament approved a reworded bill to allow euthanasia and
physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill and seriously injured
people, after a court blocked the initial version because of what it
said was unclear terminology. The legislation still required the
signature of Portugal’s president to become law, and he is known to
have deep reservations.
   (AP, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, A senior Russian
official said the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened in 10 Russian
regions despite a week-long nationwide workplace shutdown designed
to curb a surge in infections.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, In Sierra Leone at
least 99 people were killed and more than 100 injured in Freetown
late today when a fuel tanker exploded following a collision. More
than 100 casualties were being treated in hospitals and clinics. On
Nov. 13 health ministry data showed that the death toll from the
fuel tanker explosion had risen to 144 from a previous estimate of
115.
   (Reuters, 11/6/21)(Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Spain’s health
minister signed an order granting single women, lesbians, bisexuals
and transgender people access to medically assisted reproduction in
the public health system, where it is performed free of charge.
   (AP, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, The Turkish lira
weakened 0.5% as investor concerns persisted over the combination of
lower rates and higher inflation, and after the government denied a
newspaper report that the finance minister had offered his
resignation.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, It was reported
that Uzbekistan's government has signed its first contract to buy
electricity from a household equipped with solar panels.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, The UN's theme
today in Glasgow was youth involvement, with leaders talking about
how important young people are in the battle to keep the world from
getting too hot and wild from extreme weather. Mostly young
activists carried banners with slogans such as “I have to clear up
my mess, why don’t you clear up yours?” and "Stop climate crimes".
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, The United Nations'
top human rights official condemned actions by military leaders
following a coup in Sudan and said that excessive use of force by
security forces had left at least 13 people dead and more than 300
injured.
   (Reuters, 11/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, A US federal
appeals panel temporarily blocked a new coronavirus vaccine mandate
for large businesses, in a sign that the Biden administration may
face an uphill battle in its biggest effort yet to combat the virus
among the American work force.
   (NY Times, 11/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, A US Navy ship
named for slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk, who served four years
in the Navy before being forced out, was christened and launched in
San Diego Bay.
   (AP, 11/6/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 46,446,788 with the death toll at 754,061.
   (sfist.com, 11/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Australia reached a
full inoculation rate of 80% of those aged 16 and older, which PM
Scott Morrison called a "magnificent milestone" on the path to
becoming one of the world's most vaccinated countries against
COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, More than 1,000
people demonstrated in Australia's biggest cities of Sydney and
Melbourne to protest against the government's climate policies and
the strategies it offered at a UN climate summit in Glasgow.
   (Reuters, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Britain reported
155 deaths of people who had tested positive for COVID-19 within the
past 28 days, and a further 30,693 new infections.
   (Reuters, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Around 3,000
Georgian protesters held a rally in support of jailed former
president Mikheil Saakashvili outside the prison where he says he is
on hunger strike. The state security service said the protests were
part of a planned coup devised and directed by Saakashvili.
   (Reuters, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, In India fire swept
through the intensive care unit (ICU) of a government hospital in
the western city of Ahmednagar, Maharashtra state, killing 11 people
and injuring several.
   (AP, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Israeli PM Naftali
Bennett said there was no room in Jerusalem for another American
mission.
   (SFC, 11/8/21, p.A2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, New Zealand's 206
new daily community infections carried it past the double-hundred
mark for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic, as the
nation scrambles to vaccinate its population of 5 million.
   (Reuters, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Russia’s national
coronavirus task force reported 41,335 new cases since the previous
day, exceeding the previous daily record of 40,993 from Oct. 31. The
task force reported about 57.2 million full-course vaccinations, or
less than 40% of the country’s 146 million people.
   (AP, 11/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, In Scotland tens of
thousands of demonstrators marched in Glasgow to call for urgent
climate action.
   (NY Times, 11/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Zambia experienced
a nationwide power blackout after an unidentified problem. The state
utility said it was working to restore electricity supply.
   (Reuters, 11/6/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 46,482,837 with the death toll at 754,391.
   (sfist.com, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, In NYC Peres
Jepchirchir, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, took first at the
New York City Marathon among women. Albert Korir, also from Kenya,
won the men’s race.
   (NY Times, 11/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Dean Stockwell
(85), American film and TV actor, died in New Mexico. His films
included "Anchors Away" (1945), "Gentleman's Agreement" (1947),
"Song of the Thin Man" (1947), "Compulsion" (1959), "Long Days
Journey Into Night" (1962), "Paris, Texas" (1984), "Blue Velvet"
(1986), 'Married to the Mob" (1988), "Tucker: The Man and His Dream"
(1988) and "The Player" (1992).
   (SFC, 11/10/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Abu Dhabi state
news agency WAM said non-Muslims will be allowed to marry, divorce
and get joint child custody under civil law in Abu Dhabi according
to a new decree issued today by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan.
   (Reuters, 11/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, The Taliban-run
Afghan public health ministry announced the start of a four-day
nationwide polio vaccination campaign aimed at inoculating children
under age 5.
   (AP, 11/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, China's weather
agency issued the winter's first snowstorm orange alert, the
second-highest level, while nationwide cold wave alarms fuelled
concerns over traffic disruptions and flu outbreaks amid rising
COVID-19 cases.
   (Reuters, 11/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, China administered
about 8.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines today, bringing the
total number of doses given to 2.3 billion.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, In Ethiopia tens of
thousands rallied in Addis Ababa in support of PM Abiy Ahmed's
government as federal troops fought rebellious forces who are
threatening to march on the city.
   (Reuters, 11/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, India's
manufacturing capital Chennai came to a standstill with many areas
flooded after the southern Indian coast was battered by heavy
rainfall overnight, prompting authorities to issue warnings and
evacuate people from low-lying areas.
   (Reuters, 11/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Iraqi PM Mustafa
al-Kadhimi escaped unharmed in an assassination attempt by armed
drone in Baghdad. Iraqi security officials soon said the attack was
carried out by at least one Iranian-backed militia group. A top
Iranian general visited Baghdad after the assassination attempt, and
said Tehran and its allies had nothing to do with the drone attack.
   (Reuters, 11/7/21)(Reuters, 11/8/21)(AP, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Local media said
Japan recorded no daily deaths today from COVID-19 for the first
time in more than a year. Vaccinations have increased now to cover
more than 70% of Japan's population.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Nicaraguans voted
in a presidential election marked by longtime President Daniel
Ortega's ruthless campaign to extend his tight grip on power by
jailing critics in a contest the United States has dismissed as a
sham. Ortega easily secured a fourth consecutive term as president,
after the former guerrilla fighter suppressed political rivals in a
vote critics said was rigged but which won Russian recognition.
   (Reuters, 11/7/21)(Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, In Northern Ireland
four masked men boarded the double decker bus on the outskirts of
Belfast. The group ordered the driver and passengers off the bus
before setting it ablaze. It was the fourth attack this year amid
discontent over the trade deal struck as part of the UK’s departure
from the European Union.
   (AP, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Poland's Health
Ministry issued instructions to doctors confirming that it is legal
to terminate a pregnancy when the woman's health or life is in
danger.
   (SFC, 11/8/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Portuguese police
found the charred body of a three-year-old British-German boy in a
burned-out car and his father's body nearby in a rural area some 100
km south of Lisbon in what they believe was a murder-suicide.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, South African
whistleblower Athol Williams, who testified at a state inquiry into
massive corruption allegations, left the country fearing for his
life. Athol had named 39 people and companies involved in the
scandal.
   (BBC, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Sudanese
pro-democracy groups launched two days of civil disobedience and
strikes in protest at last month's military coup, though
participation appeared to be limited by continuing interruptions to
internet and phone connections. Security forces dispersed
demonstrators and rounded up more than 100 people in Khartoum.
   (Reuters, 11/7/21)(AP, 11/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, In Yemen a court
run by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels sentenced actress and model
Intisar al-Hammadi (20) to five years in prison on charges of
committing an indecent act and having drugs in her possession. Three
other female travel companions were also handed prison terms.
   (AP, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, International
travelers were allowed to enter the US with proof of vaccination and
a negative Covid test. The US-Mexico-Canada borders reopened after
20 months of COVID disruption.
   (NY Times, 11/8/21)(Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, The US Justice
Department said that it had brought charges against Yevgeniy
Polyanin (28), a Russian national, whom it accused of conducting
ransomware attacks against American government entities and
businesses, including one that temporarily shut down the meat supply
giant JBS. The department also unsealed a separate indictment
accusing a Ukrainian national, Yaroslav Vasinskyi (22), with
conducting multiple ransomware attacks, including the July 2021
assault on the technology company Kaseya. Europol said seven hackers
linked to REvil and another ransomware family have been arrested
since February.
   (NY Times, 11/8/21)(SFC, 11/9/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, A US federal judge
ruled that United Airlines Holdings Inc can impose a COVID-19
vaccine mandate on its employees that only provides unpaid leave for
workers who are exempted for medical or religious reasons.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 46,490,680 with the death toll at 754,474.
   (sfist.com, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Chicago police said
10 people were killed and 50 others were wounded in shootings across
the city this weekend.
   (Fox News, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Four astronauts
inside a SpaceX capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico after
almost 200 days in orbit in the ISS.
   (NY Times, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Global COVID-19
cases surpassed 250 million as some countries in eastern Europe
experience record outbreaks, even as the Delta variant surge eases
and many countries resume trade and tourism. More than half the
world's population has yet to receive a single dose of a COVID-19
vaccine.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, In Afghanistan the
World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN children's agency kicked
off a polio vaccination campaign with Taliban backing, the first
nationwide campaign to fight the disease in three years.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Britain’s farm
ministry confirmed that an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 bird flu
has been reported at a small poultry unit in central England.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Bulgarian
veterinary authorities reported a new outbreak of African swine
fever at an industrial farm that has a total of 180 pigs in the
southern village of Radinovo.
   (AP, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Cambodia PM Hun Sen
said Australia has pledged more than three million COVID-19 vaccine
doses helping the Southeast nation give booster shots to its people.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Chin’s port city
Dalian ordered all businesses handling imported chilled and frozen
foods to suspend operations after an outbreak of COVID-19 that began
last week.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Two Chinese
astronauts completed a space walk outside the core module of a
future space station, with 41-year-old Wang Yaping becoming the
first Chinese woman to perform the maneuver.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, In eastern Congo
DRC gunmen seized at least two villages overnight near the border
with Uganda and Rwanda. A local official blamed fighters from the
M23 rebel group.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, The Czech
Republic's prospective new center-right prime minister promised
rapid change, after reaching an agreement among a coalition of five
parties to form a government and oust PM Andrej Babis following an
election last month.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Egypt and Israel
said they agreed on an increase in Egyptian border forces in a
restive northern part of the Sinai Peninsula, where Egypt has
battled Islamic militants for years.
   (AP, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, French health
authorities said the number of people hospitalized because of
COVID-19 went up by 156 over the past 24 hours, the highest daily
rise since Aug. 23, to reach a one-month peak of 6,865.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, France's Catholic
Church agreed to financially compensate sex abuse victims in what
the president of the country's Bishop Conference hailed as a
“decisive step”.
   (AP, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Germany's
coronavirus infection rate has risen to its highest level since the
start of the pandemic. Doctors warned they will need to postpone
scheduled operations in coming weeks to cope.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Former Georgian
president Mikheil Saakashvili was transferred to a prison hospital
in the capital Tbilisi, just over five weeks after he declared a
hunger strike in jail.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, In India many
students in New Delhi stayed at home rather than return to reopened
schools as a toxic smog shrouded the city.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, In India the health
department of Kampur said at least 89 people, including 17 children,
have tested positive for the Zika virus in a surge of cases in city.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Indian drugmaker
Zydus Cadila said India has placed an order for 10 million doses of
its DNA COVID-19 vaccine at a price of 265 rupees ($3.57) per dose.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Iran’s judicial
authorities reportedly banned a newspaper for publishing a
front-page graphic that appeared to show Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei's hand drawing the poverty line in the Islamic Republic
amid widespread anger over the nation's cratering economy.
   (AP, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, An Italian judge
found 70 defendants guilty in the first sentencing at one of the
country's largest-ever mafia trials. The fast-track trial, held over
the weekend, involved 91 defendants and allowed those convicted to
have their sentences reduced by a third.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Kuwait's government
submitted its resignation to the ruling emir for a 2nd time this
year, a move which along with an amnesty pardoning political
dissidents could help end a standoff with opposition lawmakers that
has hindered fiscal reform.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)(AP, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Santiago Nieto, the
head of Mexico's financial intelligence unit (UIF), was replaced,
days after large amounts of cash were found in the possession of
guests on the way to his wedding in Guatemala.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Nepalese police
said a local rescue team has recovered the bodies of three French
climbers who went missing nearly two weeks ago. They had been out of
contact with the expedition organizers since Oct. 26 when an
avalanche hit an area of Kantega mountain.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, New Zealand began
hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Week
entirely online. Leaders of the Asia-Pacific trade group APEC
focused on the region's economic recovery from the coronavirus
pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, In southern Niger
at least 25 children aged five to six died after their straw-hut
classrooms caught fire in the Maradi region..
   (BBC, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Amnesty
International and internet security watchdog Citizen Lab said mobile
phones of six Palestinian rights workers in the Israeli-occupied
West Bank were hacked using Israeli technology firm NSO Group's
Pegasus spyware.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Polish authorities
accused Belarus of trying to spark a major confrontation and said
they had mobilized additional soldiers as footage on social media
showed hundreds of migrants walking towards the Polish border.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, The World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said Poland has reported
several outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu at poultry
farms with flocks totaling nearly 650,000 birds.
   (AP, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Police in Portugal
searched premises across the country, acting on a tip-off that
Portuguese troops stationed with a UN force in Africa have smuggled
diamonds, drugs and gold back into Europe.
   (AP, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Russia reported
39,400 new COVID-19 cases, including nearly 5,000 in Moscow alone.
Most Russians went back to work for the first time in more than a
week as a nationwide workplace shutdown was lifted across most
regions.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, In Russia a top
human rights lawyer who defended the Anti-Corruption Foundation of
jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny was added to the Justice
Ministry's list of "foreign agents." Ivan Pavlov and four other
lawyers were placed on the list, now comprising 93 names.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Slovakia expanded
strict coronavirus restrictions including hotel, bar and restaurant
closures to almost a half of the country amid a record surge of
infections.
   (AP, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Tunisian police
fired tear gas at protesters who refused an authority's decision to
reopen a controlled landfill in the southern town of Agareb.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, The United Arab
Emirates said it will require all gold refineries to undergo annual
audits to ensure their suppliers are responsible.
   (Reuters, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, UN humanitarian
chief Martin Griffiths urged Myanmar’s military leaders to provide
unimpeded access to the more than 3 million people in need of
life-saving humanitarian assistance since government forces seized
power on Feb. 1.
   (AP, 11/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, A US federal judge
ruled that the House of Representatives committee investigating the
deadly attack on the US Capitol can access former President Donald
Trump's White House records.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, A US federal
investigation reported that at least 13 former Trump administration
officials violated the law by intermingling campaigning with their
official government duties.
   (SFC, 11/10/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, The US Holocaust
Memorial Museum said it has compiled evidence of increasing
government repression against Uyghur Muslims in China’s western
Xinjiang region.
   (AP, 11/9/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 46,629,359 with the death toll at 755,988.
   (sfist.com, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Jeff Carpoff (50),
a SF Bay Area businessman, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for
running a billion-dollar Ponzi scheme. He and his wife, Paulette
Carpoff (47), had pleaded guilty in January 2020 to a scheme that
involved selling investors mobile solar generators, at least half of
which didn’t exist.
   (NY Times, 11/10/21)(SFC, 11/11/21, p.C1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, The Oklahoma
Supreme Court overturned a $465 million opioid ruling against
drugmaker Johnson & Johnson, finding that a lower court wrongly
interpreted the state's public nuisance law in the first case of its
kind in the US to go to trial.
   (SFC, 11/10/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, General Electric
announced plans to split into three companies focused on energy,
aviation and health care.
   (NY Times, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Inovio
Pharmaceuticals Inc said the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
had lifted a partial clinical hold on late-stage trial of its
COVID-19 vaccine within the country.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Satellite internet
company Viasat said it will enter Latin America as an internet
provider targeting remote communities with limited connectivity,
seeking to win customers where telecoms have failed to make inroads.
A day earlier Viasat announced that it was buying rival Inmarsat for
$7.3 billion.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Analysts said the
latest national pledges submitted to the UN climate conference in
Glasgow to tackle climate change this decade would lead to around
2.4 degrees Celsius of global warming this century, far above safe
levels.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Australia’s PM
Scott Morrison announced plans to encourage people to buy electric
vehicles weeks after his government was accused at a UN conference
in Scotland of being a laggard in fighting climate change.
   (AP, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Benin's President
Patrice Talon signed an agreement to take back from France 26
artworks seized from the former French colony in the 19th century,
and said he hoped it would pave the way for more cultural treasures
to be handed back.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Brazil's lower
house of Congress approved a constitutional amendment that would
allow far-right President Jair Bolsonaro to spend an additional 92
billion reais ($16.5 billion) next year to ramp up welfare spending
ahead of elections. The measure advanced to the Senate, where
Bolsonaro has said it may face resistance.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Britain’s health
minister Sajid Javid said health workers in England will have to be
vaccinated against COVID-19 by April 1.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021      Nov 9, The UK's
telecoms regulator said thousands of Britain's iconic red phone
boxes will be protected from removal under new rules, saying they
can still be a lifeline for people in need.
   (SFC, 11/10/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Bulgaria reported a
record 334 daily coronavirus deaths as the European Union's least
vaccinated country grappled with a fourth wave of the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, President Sebastián
Piñera was impeached by the lower house of Chile's congress, setting
up a trial in the nation's Senate over allegations he favored the
sale of a family property while in office. The vote to impeach got
the bare minimum of 78 votes needed in the 155-member Chamber of
Deputies. It's unlikely he will be removed by the 43-member Senate,
where the opposition has only 24 of the 29 votes needed to remove a
president.
   (AP, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, The Czech Republic
reported 14,539 new coronavirus cases, not far from an all-time peak
seen in January, and again had to start limiting non-urgent hospital
care to cater for admissions of COVID-19 patients.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, A UN spokesperson
said at least 16 United Nations staff and dependents have been
detained in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, amid reports of
widespread arrests of ethnic Tigrayans.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, European Union
governments partially suspended a visa facilitation deal for
Belarusian officials in response to a "hybrid attack" that Brussels
says Minsk is waging by pushing migrants across its borders with
Poland and Lithuania. The UN refugee agency UNHCR expressed concern
about hundreds of migrants camped out near the Belarus border with
Poland and called for an end to vulnerable people being used as
political pawns.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, New Delhi pledged
"game-changing" steps to clean its foul air, including intensive
water sprinkling and a crackdown on the burning of garbage, as
eye-stinging smog covered the Indian capital for a fifth straight
day.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, New Zealand beefed
up security measures at its parliament as thousands of people
gathered to protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and government
lockdowns aimed at controlling the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, It was reported
that at least 18 people were killed in Niger and 7 injured after a
gold mine collapsed over the weekend in the village of Dan Issa in
the Maradi region.
   (AP, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, The Pakistani
government and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan entered into a
cease-fire agreement. The militant group failed to the extend the
agreement in December accusing the government of not honoring the
truce and failing to release 102 of their fighters.
   (SSFC, 12/12/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Protesters in
Peru's Cotabambas province blocked once again a key mining corridor
used by the huge MMG Ltd's Las Bambas copper mine, despite a
preliminary agreement to keep the road free. The government and the
mine had failed to send senior representatives or scheduled talks.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, It was reported
that hundreds of people have been dying each day for the past two
months in Romania, which has been among the hardest-hit in the
current virus onslaught raging through Central and Eastern European
nations. About 40% of the population has been fully vaccinated.
   (AP, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested that the European Union could
provide financial assistance to Belarus in order to encourage it to
stop migrants from crossing into the bloc.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Russia said the
nationwide workplace shutdown it ended this week had helped turn the
tide on a wave of COVID-19 cases, even as officials reported the
largest one-day death toll of the pandemic so far. The state
coronavirus task force reported 1,211 COVID-19 deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)(SFC, 11/10/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, It was reported
that cancer rates in the Serbian town of Radinac have quadrupled in
under a decade. The nearby Chinese-owned Smedrevo steel mill has
coated the town in red dust.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, A Singapore court
stayed the execution of a Malaysian man convicted of heroin
smuggling on grounds that he was not of sound mind. Nagaenthran
Dharmalingam was set to be executed on Nov. 10.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Slovakia reported a
record high 7,055 new coronavirus infections and again had to start
limiting non-urgent hospital care to cater for admissions of
COVID-19 patients.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, It was reported
that South African officials are investigating an alarming rise in
seal deaths along the west coast near Cape Town, with malnutrition
one potential cause.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, It was reported
that South Korean diesel vehicle drivers have started panic buying
urea after China's custom's last month introduced a new export
requirement, effectively halting exports in order to boost supplies
to the domestic market.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, South Korean
engineer Kim Gwang-ho was awarded more than $24 million by the
whistleblower program of the US auto safety regulator for a tip-off
about safety lapses at Hyundai Motor Co, his employer of 26 years.
His action led to an agreement last year by Hyundai and its
affiliate, Kia, to pay a record civil penalty of $210 million over
recalls involving nearly 1.7 million vehicles.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Tunisian protesters
angered by an authority's decision to reopen a controlled landfill
in the southern town of Agareb set fire to a police station.
   (Reuters, 11/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, A Yemeni journalist
and her child were killed in an explosion that targeted her family’s
vehicle in the southern city of Aden.
   (AP, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, President Biden
acknowledged the rising cost of living, issuing a statement on the
heels of the report saying that “reversing this trend is a top
priority for me.” Consumer prices surged at the fastest pace in more
than three decades in October as fuel costs picked up, supply chains
remained under pressure and rents moved higher.
   (NY Times, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, US President Joe
Biden signed into law a bill calling for more sanctions and other
punitive measures against the government of Nicaraguan President
Daniel Ortega.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, The United States
stepped up its campaign against corruption in Cambodia, issuing an
advisory to US businesses and blacklisting two government officials
accused of scheming to profit from construction work at Cambodia's
biggest naval base.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, A surprise deal
between China and the United States, the world's two biggest
greenhouse gas emitters, boosted the COP26 UN climate summit as it
entered two final days of tough bargaining to try to stop global
warming becoming catastrophic.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, The US vowed to
support Taiwan in hopes of preventing a Chinese invasion, standing
firm ahead of long-awaited talks between leaders Joe Biden and Xi
Jinping.
   (AFP, 11/10/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 46,711,908 with the death toll at 757,792.
   (sfist.com, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, In Florida a
SpaceX rocket carried four astronauts into orbit late today,
including the 600th person to reach space in 60 years.
   (AP, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, A federal judge
approved a settlement worth $626 million for victims of the lead
water crisis in Flint, Michigan, in a case brought by tens of
thousands of residents affected by the contaminated water.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Former New Jersey
gym owner Scott Fairlamb, who was the first person to plead guilty
to assaulting a police officer during the attack on the Capitol in
January, was sentenced to 41 months in prison, the most severe
punishment given so far to any of the more than 650 people charged
in the riot.
   (NY Times, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, A US federal judge
ruled that Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates in Texas schools
violates the rights of students with disabilities, clearing the path
for districts in the state to issue their own rules for face
coverings, a decision that could affect more than five million
students.
   (NY Times, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, It was reported
that William “Doc” Gallagher (80), a Texas Christian radio host who
called himself the “Money Doctor,” has been sentenced to three life
sentences plus 30 years by a Tarrant County judge after pleading
guilty to operating a Ponzi scheme that prosecutors allege stole $32
million from elderly listeners.
   (Axios, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Alphabet unit
Google lost an appeal against a 2.42-billion-euro ($2.8-billion)
European antitrust decision, a major win for the bloc's competition
chief Margrethe Vestager in the first of three court rulings that
will strengthen the EU's push to regulate big tech.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Shares of DoorDash
Inc jumped 16% after the US food delivery firm inked an $8 billion
deal to buy Finnish startup Wolt to grab a slice of the European
market and maintain its blistering pace of growth.
   (AP, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Merck & Co Inc
and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said the Japanese government
will pay about $1.2 billion for 1.6 million courses of their
COVID-19 antiviral pill molnupiravir.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, As many as
4,000-5,000 Afghans have been crossing into Iran daily since the
Taliban seized Kabul in August and hundreds of thousands more are
expected to arrive in the coming winter according to the Norwegian
Refugee Council (NRC).
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Belarusian police
detained and fined freestyle skier Aliaksandra Ramanouskaya (25) in
the capital Minsk for allegedly violating protest laws.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Britain's
parliament was embroiled in a growing sleaze scandal as allegations
of lawmakers being paid for external work which may have breached
parliamentary rules dominated the headlines.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, In an investiture
ceremony at Windsor Castle, Prince Charles anointed rock star and
charity patron Elton John as a member of the Order of the Companions
of Honor.
   (AP, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, In Cameroon an
explosive device wounded at least 11 university students when it was
thrown on to the roof of a lecture hall in a part of western
Cameroon where English-speaking separatists are at war with
government forces.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, China's foreign
ministry said that a visit to Taiwan by a US congressional
delegation violates the One China policy, and that the United States
must immediately stop all forms of official interaction with Taiwan.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, It was reported
that China's factory gate inflation hit a 26-year high in October as
coal prices soared amid a power crunch in the country's industrial
heartland, further squeezing profit margins for producers and
heightening stagflation concerns.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, In Denmark an
investigation concluded that between 1970 and 2010 a culture of
sexual misconduct, occasions of heavy drinking and incidents of
bullying were common at the Danish Radio Girls’ Choir, made up of
teenagers and young women. The 34-page report concluded that most
cases went back 20-50 years.
   (AP, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Rights group
Amnesty International said fighters from Ethiopia's Tigray region
have gang-raped and abused women in neighboring Amhara region.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, A UN spokesperson
said Ethiopian authorities have detained 72 drivers working with the
United Nations in Semera, the capital city of Afar region, amid
international alarm over reported widespread arrests of ethnic
Tigrayans as the war in the country's north escalates.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Guinea said it
will begin vaccinating children aged 12-17 against COVID-19 with a
consignment of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, In India diplomats
and security analysts from Afghanistan's neighbors, with the notable
exceptions of China and Pakistan, gathered in New Delhi to discuss
how to engage with the country's Taliban rulers.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, It was reported
that Kazakhstan is struggling to meet the energy needs of its
booming cryptocurrency mining industry, which is flourishing thanks
to cheap power and an exodus of crypto miners from neighboring
China.
   (AP, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Russia reported a
record 1,239 deaths from COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours, two days
after most of its regions emerged from a week-long workplace
shutdown designed to curb the spread of the virus.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, In Scotland
automakers, airlines and governments unveiled a raft of pledges at
the UN climate summit to slash greenhouse gas emissions from global
transport, albeit with some conspicuous absences. A coalition of 19
countries including Britain and the US agreed to create zero
emissions shipping trade routes between ports to speed up the
decarbonization of the global maritime industry.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)(AP, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, It was reported
that Singapore will no longer cover the medical costs of COVID-19
patients who are eligible to get vaccinated against the virus but
choose not to.
   (SFC, 11/10/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, It was reported
that South Korea has rejected refugee status for ethnic Chinese
people who have been “stateless” since they fled North Korea years
ago.
   (AP, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, A Sudanese court
ordered the country’s three main telecommunications providers to
restore internet access. However, authorities did not show any sign
yet of carrying out that order.
   (AP, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Swedish
center-left PM Stefan Lofven formally resigned, opening the way for
Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson to become the country's first
woman premier if she can win parliament's approval.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, A Thai court ruled
that three anti-government activists who had called for reform of
the country's powerful monarchy had violated the constitution by
making what it called a veiled attempt to overthrow the institution.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, The United Nations
said it has paid nearly $8 million in salaries to some 23,500 health
workers across Afghanistan over the past month, bypassing the
Taliban-run health ministry in a test case to inject much needed
liquidity into a dire Afghan economy.
   (Reuters, 11/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, The United Nations
Security Council issued a press statement expressing “deep concern”
about ongoing violence in Myanmar, whose military-installed
government is using force against opponents.
   (AP, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, The UN Security
Council slapped sanctions on three Houthi rebels linked to
cross-border attacks from Yemen into Saudi Arabia and to fighting in
the government’s last stronghold in the country’s north.
   (AP, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, The US State
Department called on Iran-backed Houthi rebels to release Yemeni US
Embassy staff the fighters detained in the northern city of Sanaa
after breaching the compound in the war-ravaged country.
   (Axios, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, A federal appeals
court issued a short-term injunction blocking the National Archives
from turning over to Congress documents from the Trump White House
related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, a day before the House committee
investigating the attack was set to receive the first batch.
   (NY Times, 11/11/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 46,798,462 with the death toll at 759,154.
   (sfist.com, 11/12/21)  Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, It was reported
that companies in North America added a record number of robots in
the first nine months of this year as they rushed to speed up
assembly lines and struggled to add human workers.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Jay Last,
physicist and one of the original founders of Fairchild
Semiconductor in 1957, died in Los Angeles. Last had retired from
the chip business in 1974 and spent the rest of his life as an
investor, art collector, writer and amateur mountain climber.
   (SFC, 11/23/21, p.C4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Ruth Ann Minner,
former governor of Delaware (86), died at the Delaware Hospice
Center in Milford. She was raised by a sharecropper and dropped out
of high school but went on to become the first and only woman to
serve as governor of Delaware.
   (NY Times, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Graeme Edge (80),
drummer and co-founder of the British Moody Blues band, died at his
home in Bradenton, Florida.
   (SFC, 11/14/21, p.F7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Medical research
software mogul Glen de Vries, who flew to space last month with
actor William Shatner aboard a rocketship operated by Jeff Bezos'
Blue Origin, died in a small plane crash in New Jersey.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Armistice
remembrances took place around the world after the coronavirus
pandemic wiped out ceremonies last year to mark the end 1918 end of
World War I.
   (AP, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, John Nkengasong,
head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control, said Moderna Inc has
offered to sell its COVID-19 vaccines to the African Union at $7 a
shot, half the price paid by the United States earlier in the year.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Belarusian leader
Alexander Lukashenko raised the possibility he could shut down the
transit of natural gas to Europe via Belarus in retaliation against
any new EU sanctions imposed over his country's handling of
migrants. Russian gas flows on the Yamal-Europe pipeline halved over
the last 24 hours.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Migrants stranded
inside Belarus threw rocks and branches at Polish border guards and
used logs to try to break down a razor wire fence overnight in new
attempts to force their way into the EU. Lithuania, Estonia and
Latvia condemned "the deliberate escalation of the ongoing hybrid
attack by the Belarusian regime, which is posing serious threats to
European security", referring to charges that Belarus is using
migrants as a weapon.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, The Canadian
government said it was temporarily withdrawing non-essential
personnel from its embassy in Haiti, citing a rapidly deteriorating
security situation in the country.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, China's ruling
Communist Party approved a rare resolution elevating President Xi
Jinping's status in its history.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Authorities in
Beijing city imposed new curbs on conferences and events after
confirming six locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, including
individuals who had attended conferences in person in the city.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, China’s port city
of Dalian reported 52 locally transmitted infections with confirmed
symptoms, a daily count higher than any other Chinese city affected
in an ongoing nationwide outbreak since mid-October, and more than
doubling from 21 cases a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, In eastern Congo
DRC at least two people drowned and dozens left missing after a
passenger boat sank on Lake Kivu. Volunteers counted 15 bodies by
the time the search was called off in the evening due to heavy rain.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Czech PM Andrej
Babis and his government resigned in a formal step required by the
Constitution following last month’s parliamentary election.
President Milos Zeman was expected to ask Babis to stay in office
until a new government is appointed.
   (AP, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, El Salvador’s
President Nayib Bukele deployed the military to patrol streets
throughout the country in response to a surge in murders this week.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, The European
Commission said the EU will seek to blacklist airlines that
transport to Belarus migrants who later attempt to cross the EU
border and will coordinate its planned sanctions against Minsk with
the United States.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, The European
Union’ parliament condemned Poland’s recent near-total ban on
abortions and called on the Polish government to make sure it no
longer leads to the death of pregnant women.
   (AP, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Europe's drug
regulator recommended adding a rare type of spinal inflammation
called transverse myelitis as a side-effect of Johnson &
Johnson's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Authorities said
heavy rains across southern India and Sri Lanka have killed at least
41 people, 16 in Tamil Nadu and 25 in Sri Lanka.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Indonesia's
foreign minister defended her country's objection to a global
deforestation pledge made last week.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, It was reported
that Iran is sending tens of thousands of Afghan migrants back to
Taliban-ruled Afghanistan every week despite the threat of famine,
with many Afghans alleging they have been mistreated by Iranian
authorities.
   (AFP, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Palestinian
prisoner Miqdad al-Qawasmi ended a 113-day hunger strike after
Israel agreed not to extend his detention without trial beyond
February.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, The Palestinian
Foreign Ministry said it has detected spyware developed by the
Israeli hacker-for-hire company NSO Group on the phones of three
senior officials and accused Israel of using the military-grade
Pegasus software to eavesdrop on them.
   (AP, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Security forces in
Poland were tasked with securing the nation's eastern border amid a
migration fight with Belarus while also protecting the capital and
other cities during Independence Day marches organized by far-right
groups that turned violent in the past.
   (AP, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Portugal's Roman
Catholic Church said it would create an independent commission to
investigate historical child sexual abuse allegedly committed by
members of the clergy following pressure from prominent congregants
to lift a veil of silence around the issue.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Russia reported
40,759 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,237 deaths. Fewer than
40% of the country's 146 million population have been fully
vaccinated.
   (SFC, 11/12/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Saudi Arabia
issued a royal decree which grants citizenship to "experts and
exceptional global talents" who will contribute to the growth of the
kingdom under its ambitious reform plans.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Sierra Leone's
chief auditor Lara Taylor-Pearce, who has been widely praised for
her efforts to improve government accountability, said President
Julius Maada Bio had suspended her while the attorney general
investigates her office.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, F.W. de Klerk
(85), former president of South Africa, died at his home near Cape
Town. As president he dismantled the apartheid system that he and
his ancestors had helped put in place.
   (NY Times, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Sudan's army chief
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was sworn in as head of a new 14-member
transitional council he appointed to lead the country following the
military takeover late last month, shrugging off domestic and
international pressure to reverse the coup. Sudanese medic Mohamed
Nagi Al-Assam, prominent in the uprising against Bashir and a vocal
critic of the coup, was arrested earlier today and taken to an
unknown location.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Syria signed a
contract Thursday with a group of companies from the United Arab
Emirates to build a solar power station in a Damascus suburb.
   (AP, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Turkish
authorities reportedly arrested an American diplomat working for the
US Consulate in Lebanon for allegedly providing a fake passport to a
Syrian man. The Syrian was detained for questioning after he
attempted to travel to Germany on the false passport, which was in
D.J.K.’s name. Police also seized an envelope containing $10,000
from the diplomat. The US later denied that the arrested man was a
diplomat.
   (AP, 12/22/21)(AP, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Ukraine said it
will deploy another 8,500 troops and police officers, and 15
helicopters, to guard its border with Belarus, aiming to prevent
possible attempts by migrants to breach the frontier.
   (Reuters, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, The UN refugee
agency said that the number of people around the world forced to
abandon their homes likely increased to more than 84 million in the
first half of this year, an increase fueled in particular by
conflicts in Africa.
   (AP, 11/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The United States
and Qatar agreed that Qatar will represent the diplomatic interests
of the United States in Afghanistan, an important signal of
potential direct engagement between Washington and Kabul in the
future after two decades of war.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Congressional
Democrats introduced a motion to censure Republican Representative
Paul Gosar over a cartoon video that depicted him killing Democratic
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and swinging swords at
President Joe Biden.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Washington
announced sanctions targeting Eritrea for its role in the year-long
war in neighboring northern Ethiopia.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Steve Bannon, a
longtime ally of former President Donald Trump, was indicted on two
counts of criminal contempt of Congress after he defied a subpoena
from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at
the US Capitol.
   (AP, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Officials said
Medicare's “Part B” outpatient premium will jump by $21.60 a month
to $170.10 in 2022, one of the largest increases ever. A new
Alzheimer's drug, Aduhelm made by Biogen, was responsible for about
half of that.
   (AP, 11/12/21)(SFC, 11/14/21, p.A10)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, In Connecticut
nursing home officials said eight residents have died during a
coronavirus outbreak while 89 residents and employees have tested
positive for the disease at the Geer Nursing and Rehabilitation
Center in Canaan.
   (AP, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Johnson &
Johnson said it plans to spin off its consumer health division that
sells Listerine and Baby Powder to focus on pharmaceuticals and
medical devices in the biggest shake-up in the US company's 135-year
history.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 46,872,659 with the death toll at 759,827.
   (sfist.com, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Chancellor
Alexander Schallenberg said Austria is implementing a lockdown for
unvaccinated people in two hard-hit regions next week and looks
poised to move forward with similar measures nationwide.
   (AP, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Belarus said it
has sent some 2,000 migrants back to their countries as part of
efforts to stop illegal migration, as Minsk faces accusations of
encouraging the migrants to cross into Poland and Lithuania via its
territory.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Brazil's Supreme
Court suspended a government order that prevented companies from
requiring employees to provide proof that they have been vaccinate
against COVID-19 and stopped dismissals of those not immunized.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Satellite data
showed that deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest rose in
October from a year ago, undercutting vows by the government of
President Jair Bolsonaro that it is curbing destruction of a crucial
bulwark against climate change.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, China's President
Xi Jinping, via video link, told fellow Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation leaders that economic and technological cooperation is
important for the bloc and should receive further investment. APEC
leaders vowed to address economic recovery in the region by shoring
up supply chains, tackling labor issues and continuing to respond to
the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, It was reported
that China's Singles' Day, the world's biggest online shopping fest,
lost its gloss and braced for more modest growth in coming years,
hurt by a slower economy and tighter regulatory scrutiny. The 11 day
event grew by just 8.5%.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, China reported the
first COVID-19 cases among foreign athletes at preparatory events
for the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Games.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, A Chinese court
ruled against Kangmei Pharmaceutical Co and some of its former
executives, handing victory to investors in China's first
class-action lawsuit against corporate fraud.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The Czech
government said it is requiring children to get tested for COVID-19
as part of efforts to curtail a recent steep rise in cases. The
students will be tested in two waves on Nov. 22 and Nov. 29.
   (AP, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Ecuador's Attorney
General's Office said that through a local court it had frozen the
bank accounts of many business leaders and former government
officials, including former Pres. Rafael Correa and members of his
administration, who were sentenced last year for breaking campaign
finance laws.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Locusts were added
to the European Union's list of approved food as part of the bloc's
push towards more sustainable farming and diets. The dried yellow
mealworm larvae of beetle tenebrio molitor was authorized in June.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Germany's disease
control center is calling for people to cancel or avoid large events
and to reduce their contacts as the country's coronavirus infection
rate hit the latest in a string of new highs. The Robert Koch
Institute said that Germany's infection rate climbed to 263.7 new
cases per 100,000 residents over seven days, up from 249.1 the
previous day.
   (AP, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, India's federal
pollution control board ordered states and local bodies to be in
"complete readiness" for emergency measures to tackle New Delhi's
worsening smog conditions due to a drop in temperature and wind
speeds.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Latvia's
parliament voted to ban lawmakers who refuse COVID-19 vaccine from
voting on legislature and participating in discussions. The
restriction will last from Nov. 15 until mid-2022.
   (AP, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, A Myanmar court
sentenced the American journalist Danny Fenster (37) to 11 years in
prison, the maximum possible sentence. Amnesty International
declared Mr. Fenster a prisoner of conscience and called for him to
be freed immediately and unconditionally.
   (NY Times, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The Netherlands
announced a partial lockdown. Bars and restaurants will close early
and sporting events will be held without spectators under a
three-week effort to contain a rapid surge in COVID-19 cases.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The president's
office of the Philippines said people coming to work in offices will
have to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or get tested frequently, as
the country battles one of Asia's worst outbreaks.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, In Poland the body
of a young Syrian man was found near the border with Belarus. At
least eight migrants have already died and fears grew for the safety
of others as harsh winter conditions set in. Gaylan Delir Ismael
(25) of Kurdistan was one of at least 11 people known to have died
in the border crisis.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)(AP, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Spanish police
investigated the early morning robbery of a 'bitcoin ATM' in a raid
on a cryptocurrency exchange outlet in a wealthy Barcelona
neighborhood.
   (AP, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Turkey banned
Syrian, Yemeni and Iraqi citizens from flights to Minsk, potentially
closing off one of the routes used by migrants that the EU says have
been flown in by Belarus to create a deliberate humanitarian crisis
on its frontier.
   (Reuters, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The UN Security
Council extended the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in the
Central African Republic at a meeting that saw Russia and the West
clash over Russia’s military presence in the conflict-wracked
nation.
   (AP, 11/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, The FBI and
security specialists said hackers compromised a Federal Bureau of
Investigation email system and sent tens of thousands of messages
warning of a possible cyberattack.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 47,017,389 with the death toll at 762,681.
   (sfist.com, 11/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Ed Bullins (86),
among the most significant Black playwrights of the 20th century,
died at his home in Roxbury, Mass. He was a leading voice in the
Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and ’70s and produced nearly 100
plays that reflected the Black urban experience.
   (NY Times, 11/16/21)(SSFC, 11/21/21, p.F7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, In Michigan four
of five people on a commuter plane died when it crashed on Beaver
Island, west of Mackinaw City.
   (AP, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, In Afghanistan a
magnetic bomb attached to a minivan exploded in a heavily Shi'ite
area of Kabul, causing an unknown number of casualties. At least six
people were killed.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, It was reported
that Boris Johnson's Conservatives have lost their lead in two
opinion polls after a growing parliamentary standards scandal
prompted almost two thirds of respondents in one survey to say the
British prime minister's party was disreputable.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Britain’s
Economist Magazine said that Hong Kong declined to renew the visa of
one its journalists, urging the city to maintain foreign media
access as concerns grow about media freedoms in the global financial
hub.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, The UK recorded
157 deaths from COVID-19 and a further 38,351 cases.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, In Ecuador at
least 68 prisoners were killed and more than two dozen injured in
overnight violence at the Penitenciaria del Litoral prison, in what
officials characterize as fights among rival gangs.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Honduras' outgoing
Prs. Juan Orlando Hernandez visited Taiwan and said he hoped his
country would continue its friendship, as Taipei sought to maintain
relations with the Central American country amid a diplomatic
tug-of-war with Beijing.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, The Chief Justice
of India asked the central government to come up with an emergency
plan to tackle New Delhi's toxic air quality and dangerous smog
conditions, calling the situation "very serious".
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, A provocative
exhibit by dissident Chinese artist Badiucao opened in the
industrial northern Italian city of Brescia despite pressure from
the Chinese embassy in Rome to cancel it.
   (AP, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Police in India's
western state of Maharashtra killed at least 26 Maoist militants,
including a top leader, in an ambush operation in dense forest. The
Naxals, including six women were killed in Gadchiroli district along
with Milind Teltumbde, a central committee member. Five soldiers and
two civilians were killed in an ambush by suspected rebels in
Manipur state.
   (Reuters, 11/14/21)(SFC, 11/15/21, p.A24)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Kuwait's state
news agency (KUNA) said emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah has
issued two decrees for amnesty, pardoning and reducing sentences
imposed on 35 people.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, A Nigerian army
general and three soldiers were killed during an attack by Islamic
State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants in the northeast of the
country.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, In northern
Pakistan two policemen were killed and six injured, including a
young girl, by an improvised explosive device in attacks near
Afghanistan as local Taliban militants agreed a month's ceasefire
after talks with the government.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, In Poland a group
of about 50 migrants broke through defenses on the border and
entered the country near the village of Starzyna. All of the people
were caught by Polish uniformed services and brought back to the
border.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Russia’s national
coronavirus task force said that a record 1,241 people died from the
virus over the past day.
   (AP, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Negotiators took
the two-week UN climate talks in Scotland into an extra day,
wrestling with a fresh draft of an agreement intended to give the
world a realistic shot at avoiding the worst effects of global
warming. Diplomats from nearly 200 countries struck a major
agreement aimed at intensifying global efforts to fight climate
change by calling on governments to return next year with stronger
plans to curb their planet-warming emissions and urging wealthy
nations to “at least double” funding to protect poor nations from
the hazards of a hotter planet.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)(NY Times, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Sudanese security
forces fired tear gas to disperse crowds in the capital Khartoum as
protesters gathered for nationwide mass rallies against a military
takeover last month. Five demonstrators were killed in pro-democracy
protests. Two more Sudanese protesters died days later in the
hospital from wounds after being shot during mass protests raising
the total death toll to seven.
   (Reuters, 11/13/21)(BBC, 11/13/21)(AP, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Syria’s private
Cham Wings Airlines suspended flights between Damascus and the
Belarus capital of Minsk because of the “critical circumstances”
along the Belarus-Poland border where thousands of migrants have
been trying to cross into the European Union.
   (AP, 11/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Yemen's warring
sides clashed south of the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah late today,
after Iranian-backed Houthi fighters moved into territory ceded by
forces allied to a Saudi-led coalition.
   (Reuters, 11/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, The US Treasury
Department said it will partner with Israel to combat ransomware,
with the two countries launching a joint task force to address
cybersecurity.
   (Reuters, 11/14/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 47,061,192 with the death toll at 763,056.
   (sfist.com, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, It was reported
that satellite data has revealed nearly 800 major methane leaks at
oil and gas facilities from four countries: the US, Algeria,
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
   (SFC, 11/14/21, p.A24)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Cuban Americans in
Miami held rallies and led prayers to support dissidents on the
Communist-run Caribbean island whose planned protests largely
fizzled under pressure from authorities and government supporters.
   (Reuters, 11/1421)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, The WSJ reported
that former President Donald Trump's family hotel company has
reached a deal to sell the rights to its Washington, D.C., hotel for
$375 million. Miami-based investment firm CGI Merchant Group was in
contract to acquire the lease.
   (Reuters, 11/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Argentines headed
to the polls for midterm elections that will establish the power
balance in Congress, with the ruling Peronist party battling to
avoid damaging losses that could erase its majority in the Senate
held for almost 40 years.
   (Reuters, 11/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Chancellor
Alexander Schallenberg said Austria is placing millions of people
not fully vaccinated against the coronavirus in lockdown as of
midnight tonight to deal with a surge in infections to record
levels.
   (AP, 11/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, In southern
Bulgaria a fire broke out on a ward for COVID-19 patients in Sliven,
killing three people.
   (SFC, 11/15/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, In England an
explosion engulfed a taxi in flames outside a hospital in Liverpool.
Police the next day identified Emad Al Swealmeen (32), a suspected
terrorist who was killed in the blast.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Bulgarians began
voting in a third parliamentary election this year. With nearly 76%
of the ballots counted, results showed that the We Continue the
Change party, founded few weeks ago by two Harvard graduates, has
captured 25.3% of the vote, edging out the opposition center-right
GERB party of former PM Boyko Borissov by nearly 3%.
   (Reuters, 11/14/21)(AP, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, In western Canada
storms wrecked roads in the British Columbia, forced an oil pipeline
to close and limited land access to Vancouver. Hundreds of people
were trapped in their vehicles when mudslides cut off a highway near
the mountain town of Agassiz.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, In Burkina Faso 49
military police officers and four civilians were killed in an attack
on a gendarmerie post near a gold mine in Inata, a territory in the
northern Soum region.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Chinese
authorities recorded 32 new domestically transmitted COVID-19
infections with confirmed symptoms, most of which were in
northeastern Dalian city. Nearly 1,500 university students at Dalian
were soon confined to their dormitories and hotels.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)(SFC, 11/16/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, China’s anti-graft
watchdog said a former president of a domestic branch of Bank of
China suspected of embezzlement was repatriated to China after
fleeing to the US. Xu Guojun was suspected of embezzlement with
another two former presidents of the Kaiping branch of BOC before he
fled to the US in 2001.
   (Reuters, 11/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Dubai began
banning travelers from Iraq from passing through the emirate on
their way to Belarus, cutting off the last major air route from the
Middle East to Minsk. The UAE barred Afghan, Syrian, Yemeni and
Iraqi citizens from flights to Minsk.
   (NY Times, 11/14/21)(Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Police in India's
central Madhya Pradesh state arrested two men with 20 kg of
marijuana and found they were using the Amazon India website to
order and further smuggle the substance in the guise of stevia
leaves, a natural sweetener, to other Indian states.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, In Iran at least
one person died after two moderate earthquakes struck the southern
province of Hormozgan.
   (Reuters, 11/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Israel approved
giving the COVID-19 vaccine to children between the ages of 5 and
11.
   (AP, 11/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, It was reported
that floating pumice spewed last August from an undersea volcano in
Japan's Ogasawara Islands has damaged boats and ports as far north
as Okinawa and Kyushu.
   (SFC, 11/14/21, p.A24)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Kuwait's Emir
Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Sabah accepted the resignation of the
government, as the oil-rich country's rulers seek to end a feud with
lawmakers that has hindered fiscal reforms.
   (Reuters, 11/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Kuwait released a
group of prisoners pardoned by the emir in an amnesty intended to
defuse a political row, including Shi'ite Muslim Kuwaitis convicted
in 2016 for spying for Iran and Lebanon's Iran-allied Hezbollah.
   (Reuters, 11/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, In northwest
Nigeria armed men killed at least 15 people in raids in Sokoto
state. The death toll was soon raised to at least 43.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)(Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Russia news
reported that Russia has started supplying India with S-400 air
defence missile systems.
   (Reuters, 11/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Spain’s foreign
minister summoned Cuba’s top diplomat in Madrid to explain why
Havana has revoked the press credentials of five journalists on the
island working for Spanish state news agency Efe.
   (AP, 11/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Thousands of
Tunisians protesting against Pres. Kais Saied's seizure of political
power four months ago tried to march on the suspended parliament, as
hundreds of police blocked off the area.
   (Reuters, 11/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, US President Joe
Biden met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a virtual meeting meant
to reduce the chances of a superpower conflict. The two leaders
pledged to improve cooperation, but offered no concrete action after
three and a half hours of talks.
   (NY Times, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, President Biden
signed the $1 trillion infrastructure bill into law.
   (NY Times, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, President Joe
Biden announced a step toward prohibiting oil and gas development
outside the boundaries of a major Native American park in the
Southwestern US as part of a tribal summit he is hosting. Biden also
signed an executive order aimed at improving public safety and
justice for Native Americans.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Daniel Hsu of
Seattle, an American who had been blocked for years from leaving
China, returned to the United States. His release came just hours
before the two countries' leaders met.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)(AP, 11/23/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 47,084,497 with the death toll at 763,168.
   (sfist.com, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Los Angeles-based
Air Lease Corp. sealed a deal to acquire 111 new aircraft from
European plane maker Airbus at the Dubai Air Show.
   (SFC, 11/16/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Florida's Gov. Ron
DeSantis announced plans to give $5,000 bonuses to unvaccinated
police officers who relocate to his state. DeSantis said his plan
has nothing to do with Covid-19 vaccine mandates roiling big-city
police departments.
   (SFC, 11/19/21,
p.A10)(https://tinyurl.com/frvsfern)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Michigan reported
3,040 adults hospitalized with the coronavirus, its largest number
since late April. Days later the CDC said Michigan leads the nation
in new COVID-19 cases with 504 per 100,000 residents.
   (SFC, 11/18/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, International
Business Machines said it has designed a new quantum computing chip
that its executives believe will let quantum systems start to
outperform classical computers at some tasks within the next two
years.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, In Afghanistan a
bomb blast in Kabul wounded two people, just two days after a
similar explosion that was claimed by the Islamic State militant
group.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Austria imposed a
lockdown on people unvaccinated against the coronavirus as winter
approaches and infections rise across Europe, with Germany
considering tighter curbs and Britain expanding its booster program
to younger adults.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, The Belgian
government put the country on increased risk for bird flu as the
virus spreads across Europe.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Officials said
Britain's COVID-19 booster vaccine rollout is to be extended to
people aged between 40 and 49, in a bid to boost waning immunity in
the population ahead of the colder winter months.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Royal Dutch Shell
said it would scrap its dual share structure and move its head
office to Britain from the Netherlands, pushed away by Dutch taxes
and facing climate pressure in court as the energy giant shifts from
oil and gas.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Cambodia reopened
its borders to fully vaccinated travelers, two weeks earlier than
originally planned, as it emerges from a lengthy lockdown bolstered
by one of the world's highest rates of immunization against
COVID-19.
   (AP, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, In Egypt a ban on
public sector employees entering their offices if they are
unvaccinated and untested for COVID-19 took effect as the government
pushed to accelerate vaccination rates in the final weeks of the
year.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, The European Union
stepped up sanctions against Belarus, which denounced as "absurd"
Western accusations that it was driving a migrant crisis that has
left up to 4,000 people stranded in freezing forests on its border
with Poland. EU members Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia said Belarus
is forcing migrants to breach the European Union border, and the
government of President Alexander Lukashenko must be held
accountable for human trafficking.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, The EU imposed
sanctions on four ministers recently appointed to the Syrian
government, blaming them for playing a role in the continued
repression on civilians in the war-torn country.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Germany's
coronavirus infection rate rose to its highest level since the start
of the pandemic, as the three parties in talks to form a new
government plan an expansion of measures to tackle the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Guatemala
extradited a son of former Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli
to the United States, where he and his brother face bribery and
money laundering charges linked to Brazilian construction firm
Odebrecht.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Haitian businesses
began opening their doors and activities were resuming on the
country's streets as the G9 gang coalition eased a blockade on fuel
deliveries that caused crippling shortages for nearly a month.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, India's Supreme
Court told authorities to shut offices in the capital and nearby
cities, allowing millions to work from home as officials seek ways
to reduce hazardous air pollution that led to the closure of
schools.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, India began
allowing fully vaccinated foreign tourists to enter the country on
regular commercial flights, in the latest easing of coronavirus
restrictions as infections fall and vaccinations rise.
   (AP, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Kenya's High Court
jailed four policemen found guilty of the manslaughter of Alexander
Monson, the son of a British aristocrat who was found dead in a
police cell in the beach town of Diani in 2012.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, In Kenya three
Islamist militants, described as dangerous, escaped from a
maximum-security prison just outside Nairobi. Seven prison wardens
were soon arrested. The militants, one of whom had taken part in a
2015 attack that killed 148 people, were recaptured on Nov. 18.
   (BBC, 11/16/21)(Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Danny Fenster, an
American journalist, was released from prison in Myanmar and will be
allowed to leave the country. Myanmar's military-owned Myawaddy TV
said Fenster had been granted an amnesty following requests from
former US state governor and diplomat with longstanding Myanmar ties
Bill Richardson. Myawaddy TV also credited for the release Yohei
Sasakawa, the chairman of the Nippon Foundation, who doubles as
Japan's special envoy on Myanmar for national reconciliation, as
well as former Japanese minister Hideo Watanabe.
   (NY Times, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, The number of
COVID-19 patients in Dutch hospitals increased to around 2,000,
including almost 400 in intensive care, reaching the highest level
since May.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Russia carried out
an antisatellite missile test, obliterating one of its own
satellites in orbit. The test created a vast cloud of debris that
continues to orbit Earth, and some of the material loomed
dangerously close to the International Space Station, forcing
astronauts to take shelter for hours in a pair of spacecraft capable
of returning them to Earth.
   (NY Times, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, A new round of
fighting between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists began with a
dispute over grocery shopping. One Ukrainian soldier was killed.
   (NY Times, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, The United Nations
announced it will provide $40 million in emergency funding for
conflict-wracked northern Ethiopia and drought-affected southern
areas, and welcomed the release of 34 truck drivers waiting to
deliver aid to war-torn Tigray.
   (AP, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, A court in Vietnam
sentenced Nguyen Tri Gioan (42), an aquaculture farmer, to seven
years in prison after finding him guilty of spreading "anti-state
propaganda" on Facebook.
   (Reuters, 11/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, President Joe
Biden banned members of the Nicaraguan government from entering the
United States as he issued a broad proclamation in response to an
election that Washington has denounced as rigged in favor of
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, The US State
Department again urged US citizens in Ethiopia to leave the country
immediately, adding that the United States has no plans to
facilitate an evacuation via military or commercial aircraft as
Washington steps up pressure to bring an end to the conflict in
Ethiopia.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, A Frida Kahlo
self-portrait fetched $34.9 million at Sotheby’s, the most expensive
artwork by a Latin American artist sold at auction.
   (NY Times, 11/16/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 47,223,923 with the death toll at 764,440.
   (sfist.com, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, A federal appeals
court ruled against the National Rifle Association in the gun rights
group's lawsuit challenging New York state's closing of gun stores
early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Facebook said
hackers from Pakistan used Facebook to target people in Afghanistan
with connections to the previous government during the Taliban's
takeover of the country.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Google said it
will spend A$1 billion ($736 million) in Australia over five years,
resetting ties months after a threat to pull its services to avoid
tougher government regulation.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Drugmaker Pfizer
Inc. said it has signed a deal with a UN-backed group to allow other
manufacturers to make its experimental COVID-19 pill, a move that
could make the treatment available to more than half of the world’s
population.
   (AP, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Armenia's
parliament said that 15 Armenian soldiers had died in clashes on the
country's border with Azerbaijan. Armenia asked Russia to help
defend its territorial sovereignty against Azerbaijan.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Britain reported
37,243 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 compared with 39,705 a day
earlier.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, In Burkina Faso
hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Ouagadougou demanding
President Roch Kabore resign for failing to rein in militants who
roam the north and east and last weekend killed 28 soldiers and four
civilians.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, It was reported
that China and the US have agreed to ease restrictions on each
other's journalists amid a slight relaxation of tensions between the
two sides.
   (AP, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, China's ruling
Communist Party slammed the "money worship", "extreme individualism"
and corruption that emerged in the four decades since the country
opened up, calling for stronger party leadership and moral
discipline.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, It was reported
that authorities in Ethiopia have detained at least 1,000 people,
most of them of Tigrayan origin, under a state of emergency the
government declared earlier this month after a brutal yearlong war
with rival Tigray forces.
   (AP, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Germany's energy
regulator suspended the approval process for a major new pipeline
bringing Russian gas into Europe, throwing up a new roadblock to the
contentious project and driving up regional gas prices.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, The president of
the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said she is resigning
as she cannot appeal to the city's government to ease COVID-19
restrictions at the same time as having to undergo quarantine
herself.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, India's Akasa Air
placed an order for 72 Boeing 737 MAX jets, valued at nearly $9
billion at list prices - a deal that could help the US plane maker
regain lost ground in one of the world's most promising markets.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Indonesia's
counter-terrorism police arrested a member of the Indonesian Ulema
Council on charges of raising funds for the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah
Islamiah (JI) group blamed for deadly bombings. Ahmad Zain An-Najah
was arrested along with two associates.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Israel and the
United Arab Emirates launched talks to establish a free trade
agreement between the two countries.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Japan distanced
itself from a visit to Myanmar by its special envoy during which he
played a role in the release from jail of US journalist Danny
Fenster.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, The Mexican
Supreme Court declared unconstitutional a bid by the country's
ruling party to extend the period in office of the tribunal's chief
justice, which President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had supported.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Mexico's military
arrested the wife of Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes,
best known as "El Mencho", in the western Jalisco state. Oseguera's
daughter, Jessica Johanna Oseguera Gonzalez, was arrested in
February 2020, and last May pleaded guilty in a US court to carrying
out financial dealings with Mexican firms identified as narcotics
traffickers.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Saddam Hussein
Beni Odeh (26), Palestinian man, was shot and killed by Israeli fire
at the entrance to Tammun in the occupied West Bank.
   (AP, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Philippine boats,
which were transporting food to military personnel based on a
Philippine-occupied atoll in the South China Sea, had to abort their
mission after three Chinese coast guard vessels used water cannon to
block the resupply boats.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Polish security
forces turned water cannon on migrants who threw rocks across the
Belarusian border, where thousands have gathered in a chaotic
attempt to reach the European Union.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, A Warsaw court
confirmed the arrest order for Michal Sobansk (46), a Polish
businessman who is a descendant of one of Poland's aristocratic
families. The businessman, charged with committing crimes relating
to property valued at 44 million zlotys ($11 million) while he acted
as an “intermediary” for his “clients” in exchange for a
“commission” has been held in isolation in a prison in the western
Polish city of Wroclaw since June.
   (AP, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Turkish media
reported that Samir Handal, a suspect of "great interest" in the
July assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, was detained
at the Istanbul Airport by authorities as he was flying transit from
the United States to Jordan.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, In Uganda a triple
suicide bombing killed at least three people in the heart of
Kampala, sending members of parliament and others rushing for cover
as cars burst into flames in the latest in a wave of bomb attacks.
Officials blamed the attacks on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF),
an armed group based in the DR Congo.
   (Reuters, 11/16/21)(BBC, 11/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Ukraine recorded a
record number of daily COVID-19 deaths. Only 19.8% of the population
has been vaccinated so far.
   (SFC, 11/17/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, The US House
censured Paul Gosar (223-207), an Arizona Republican, for posting an
animated video depicting him killing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Just
two Republicans, Representatives Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam
Kinzinger of Illinois, joined Democrats in favor.
   (NY Times, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, A cybersecurity
alert published by the US Homeland Security Department (DHS) said a
hacking group "sponsored" by Iran's government is launching
disruptive cyberattacks against a wide range of US companies,
including healthcare providers and transportation firms.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Law enforcement
agencies in the US, Britain, and Australia issued a joint statement
labeling an Iran-sponsored group as a serious threat to cyber
security.
   (Fox News, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, The US Justice
Department said a federal jury in New Jersey has convicted three El
Salvadoran nationals in the international criminal gang MS-13 of
murder and racketeering offenses.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Jacob Chansley
(34) of Arizona, the man known as the "QAnon Shaman," who stormed
the Senate chamber on January 6 adorned in face paint and wearing a
fur helmet with horns, was sentenced to 41 months behind bars on for
his involvement in the attack on the Capitol.
   (CBS News, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Jason Mott won the
National Book Award for his novel “Hell of a Book.” The nonfiction
prize went to Tiya Miles for "All That She Carried".
   (NY Times, 11/17/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 47,331,191 with the death toll at 766,232.
   (sfist.com, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Data from the US
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that over 100,000
people in the United States died from drug overdoses during the
12-month period ending April 2021.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Florida lawmakers,
at the request of Gov. Ron DeSantis, passed new laws sharply
curtailing mask and vaccine mandates. Fringe anti-vaccination views
met with little pushback.
   (NY Times, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Illinois-based
Deere & Co. workers approved a new contract that will deliver
10% raises and end a month-long strike.
   (SFC, 11/19/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, A Mississippi man
who shot his estranged wife to death and sexually assaulted his
stepdaughter during an eight-hour 2010 standoff with police was put
to death. David Cox was the first prisoner executed in Mississippi
in nine years. Prior to his execution Cox told his attorneys he
killed Felicia Cox in 2007, providing detailed instructions on where
investigators could find her remains and waiving his attorney-client
privilege after death. On Dec 12 her body was found on land that had
once belonged to her family in Pontotoc County.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)(AP, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Dave Frishberg
(88), the jazz songwriter whose sardonic wit as a lyricist and
melodic cleverness as a composer placed him in the top echelon of
his craft, died in Portland, Ore. His songs included "My Attorney
Bernie" (1983) and "Peel Me a Grape" (1967), sung by Blossom Dearie.
   (NY Times, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Tennessee Governor
Bill Lee released a video trying to persuade officers to join the
Tennessee Highway Patrol because it doesn't have any coronavirus
related mandates.
   (SFC, 11/19/21,
p.A10)(https://tinyurl.com/62y86sbj)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, A new quantum
computer startup born from researchers at Harvard University and
Massachusetts Institute of Technology called QuEra Computing said it
has raised $17 million from investors, including Japanese e-commerce
giant Rakuten Inc.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, In Afghanistan two
explosions hit Kabul, killing at least one person and wounding at
least six, including three women.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Four Afghan
journalists threatened by the Taliban regime arrived in North
Macedonia where they were being given temporary shelter.
   (AP, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Austrian
coronavirus infections hit a new daily record, the third day of a
lockdown for those not fully vaccinated aimed at halting the surge.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, A British court
sentenced nine members of the climate action group Insulate Britain
to up to six months in prison for breaching an injunction designed
to prevent road blockades.
   (AP, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Britain recorded
38,263 new COVID-19 cases and a further 201 deaths within 28 days of
a positive test.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, It was reported
that hundreds of people have gone missing in Burkina Faso amid
extremist violence. Reports of missing relatives quadrupled from 104
to 407 between 2019 and 2020.
   (AP, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Cambodia released
26 political, environmental and youth activists facing charges of
incitement against the government, which human rights groups said
was a positive step but that many more remained incarcerated.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Lawmakers in
eastern CongoDRC said at least 144 civilians have been killed this
month. Parliament approved a motion to extend the state of siege as
it as done every two weeks despite objections by lawmakers in North
Kivu and Ituri provinces.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Cuban protest
leader Yunior Garcia and his wife landed at Madrid's Barajas
airport. El Pais quoted sources close to Garcia as saying he left
due to the "brutal police pressure" he had suffered in recent weeks
ahead of the planned demonstration.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Czech PM Andrej
Babis said authorities will ban people who have not been vaccinated
or have not recovered from coronavirus infection from access to
public events and services from Nov. 22.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, An Egyptian court
sentenced Zyad Elelaimy, a prominent human rights lawyer and former
member of parliament, to five years in prison for his conviction on
charges that rights advocates have decried as baseless and
politically motivated. The court also sentenced journalists Hossam
Monis and Hisham Fouad to four years in prison on the same charges.
Two other defendants got three-year sentences.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Greece reported
6,682 new coronavirus infections and 87 deaths, bringing total
infections to 853,841 since the pandemic began last year, while
17,012 people have died.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, In Haiti Gilbert
Dragon (52), a suspect in the July assassination of Haitian Pres.
Jovenel Moise, died while being transferred to a hospital from
pretrial detention after suffering coronavirus symptom.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Hong Kong
authorities captured and euthanized seven wild boars late as they
began a campaign to reduce their numbers in urban areas around the
financial center after one bit a policeman last week.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Indian troops in
Kashmir killed five militants believed to belong to a group named
The Resistance Front (TRF), which claimed recent killings of
migrants in the disputed territory, in two gun battles south of
Srinagar.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, In India more
children were in hospital with breathing problems as pollution
levels remained dangerously high in New Delhi. The government shut
five power stations and extended school closures to try to contain
the crisis.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Indian budget
airline SpiceJet said US plane maker Boeing had agreed to settle the
outstanding claims related to the grounding of its 737 MAX aircraft.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, An Israeli
military court handed down a reduced sentence to a Spanish woman who
admitted in a plea bargain to raising funds for a West Bank charity
that were diverted to a banned militant group, the Popular Front for
the Liberation of Palestine. Juana Ruiz Sánchez was sentenced to 13
months in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 50,000 shekels.
   (AP, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, It was reported
that ten people were found dead at the bottom of an overcrowded
wooden boat packed with 99 surviving migrants and refugees who were
rescued off Libya.
   (AP, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Dutch health
authorities said they were running short of COVID-19 tests, as the
Netherlands registered more than 20,000 new coronavirus cases for
the second day in a row, the highest since the pandemic began.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Pakistan's
parliament passed a law allowing electronic vote counting despite
furious protests from the opposition which said it had been pushed
through by the government to rig the next election.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Pakistan
introduced chemical castration as a possible punishment for serial
rapists under a law that also calls for faster trials of suspected
sexual offenders.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, A Palestinian teen
allegedly stabbed two Israeli border police officers in Jerusalem's
Old City before being fatally shot.
   (AP, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Russia said it
would deploy a new paratroop regiment on annexed Crimea by the
beginning of December and complained about a British deal to boost
Ukraine's navy which it said showed British military activities were
expanding near its borders.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, South Korea
reported 3,187 new coronavirus cases and 21 deaths, the 16thÂ
consecutive day of double-digit fatalities.
   (SFC, 11/18/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Thousands of
Sudanese protested against last month's coup in Khartoum and other
cities. Security forces shot dead at least 15 people and wounded
dozens as thousands of protesters took to the streets in three
cities on the deadliest day in a month of demonstrations against
military rule.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Sweden said it is
introducing a digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate for public
gatherings and events with more than 100 people indoors as of Dec.
1. Sweden recorded 13 new coronavirus deaths raising its official
total to 15,107.
   (AP, 11/17/21)(SFC, 11/18/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Syrian state TV
said Israel launched two missiles early today targeting an empty
building in southern Damascus from the Israeli-occupied Golan
Heights.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Turkish President
Tayyip Erdogan accelerated a market meltdown when he pledged to
continue his battle against interest rates "to the end", sending the
lira to new depths and prompting opposition leaders to call for
early elections.
   (Reuters, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, In Uganda four
suspected ADF operatives were killed near the border.
   (BBC, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, The UN's nuclear
watchdog IAEA reported that Iran has again boosted its stock of
highly enriched uranium.
   (AP, 11/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, US President Joe
Biden and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pledged to
create a working groups on arms trafficking and related transborder
crime and border security.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The United States
said it is lifting restrictions on four Burundians whom it had
sanctioned in 2015 over violence in the country.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, US prosecutors
announced sex-trafficking charges alleging that girls and young
women were coerced to have sex with the founder of a
Philippines-based church who is a friend and adviser to President
Rodrigo Duterte.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The US Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) voted unanimously to require
wireless carriers to allow texting to the new "988" National Suicide
Prevention hotline that will begin use by July 2022.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, A US study said
first known COVID-19 case was a market vendor in the Chinese city of
Wuhan, not an accountant who appeared to have no link to the market
but whose case contributed to speculation the virus could have
leaked from a lab.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 47,428,697 with the death toll at 767,515.
   (sfist.com, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The Latin Grammy
Awards named the Cuban protest anthem “Patria y Vida!” (or “Homeland
and Life!”) song of the year.
   (NY Times, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, A rare first
printing of the US Constitution, one of 13 known copies, sold at
Sotheby’s in New York for $43.2 million, a record price for a
document or book sold at auction.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, In California Gary
Stephen Maynard (47), a college professor from San Jose, was
indicted of arson on federal property. Prosecutors said he was
responsible for setting the Cascade Fire, Everitt Fire, Ranch Fire
and the Conard Fire during his alleged spree.
   (SFC, 11/19/21, p.C3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Peter Buck (90),
founder of the Subway sandwich chain, died in Danbury, Conn. His
$1,000 investment in a family friend's Connecticut sandwich shop in
1965 provided the genesis for what is now the world's largest
restaurant chain.
   (AP, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Gov. Kevin Stitt
of Oklahoma called off the execution of a death-row inmate just
hours before the man was scheduled to die today by lethal injection,
culminating an extraordinary campaign for clemency that drew in
celebrities, his fellow conservatives and Christian leaders.
   (NY Times, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Oregon authorities
seized 250 tons of illegal marijuana from several industrial
warehouses in White City.
   (SFC, 11/22/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Rhode Island-based
CVS Health said it plans to close 900 stores over the next three
years.
   (SFC, 11/19/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Pfizer Inc said
the US government would pay $5.29 billion for 10 million courses of
its experimental COVID-19 antiviral drug, as the country rushes to
secure promising oral treatments for the disease.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Belarus
authorities cleared the main camps where migrants had huddled at the
border with Poland, in what appeared to be a major development in a
crisis that has spiraled in recent weeks into an East-West
confrontation. Hundreds of Iraqis who have camped for weeks at
Belarus' borders with the EU checked in for a flight back to Iraq.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Brazil's annual
government report showed that deforestation in its Amazon rainforest
soared 22% in a year to the highest level since 2006.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Britain's
Environment Agency and water regulator Ofwat said it had launched a
major investigation into sewage treatment after water companies
admitted that they could be releasing unpermitted sewage discharges
into rivers and watercourses.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Britain recorded
46,807 daily COVID-19 cases, the highest since Oct. 22, and 199
deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Canada struggled
to reach 18,000 people stranded in British Columbia after floods and
mudslides destroyed roads, houses and bridges in what could be the
costliest natural disaster in the country's history.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Ecuador's
President Guillermo Lasso renewed a 30-day state of emergency in
nine of the country's 24 provinces, as his government seeks to curb
crime it says is connected to drug consumption and trafficking.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, French President
Emmanuel Macron announced the launch of a new app against school
bullying as well a change to the law aiming to widen parental
control on all electronic devices used by children.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Greece ordered
private sector doctors in five regions in the north of the country
to assist its health system as it grapples with a surge in COVID-19
infections.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Hungary said will
make a third, booster shot against COVID-19 mandatory for all
healthcare workers and will require protective mask wearing in most
closed places as of Nov. 20.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Israel charged a
man, employed as a cleaner in the home of Israeli Defence Minister
Benny Gantz with attempting to spy for the Black Shadow hacking
group which is purportedly linked to Iran. Omri Goren Gorochovsky
(37) was arrested on Nov. 4.
   (AFP, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Lebanon instructed
airlines to limit passengers traveling to Belarus to those having
visas, residency permits or Belarusian citizenship.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, In Mexico migrant
groups from Haiti and Central America joined forces as they left the
southern Mexican city of Tapachula to head towards the US border.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Mexican
authorities discovered 10 bodies, nine of them hanging from an
overpass, in Ciudad Cuauhtemoc, Zacatecas state. One of the bodies
fell to the ground before authorities arrived at the scene.
   (SFC, 11/20/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The Philippines
condemned "in strongest terms" the actions of three Chinese coast
guard vessels that it said blocked and used water cannon on resupply
boats headed towards a Philippine-occupied atoll in the South China
Sea.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Russian natural
gas flows through the Yamal-Europe pipeline to Germany eased this
morning, but gas prices dropped despite ongoing uncertainty over
Russian supplies this winter.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Russia recorded
1,251 coronavirus deaths, a record high for a 2nd straight day.
   (SFC, 11/19/21, p.A10)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Saudi state media
said a Saudi-led coalition carried out a wide operation against
targets in Yemen after intercepting and destroying a drone that
attempted to attack Saudi Arabia's Abha international airport.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The Swiss Digital
Exchange (SDX) said its new digital trading and settlement arm will
issue a bond to show how blockchain can benefit mainstream
securities and not just the crypto assets it was originally intended
for.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Taiwan's Pres.
Tsai Ing-wen commissioned into service 64 upgraded F-16V fighter
jets at an air force base in Chiayi.
   (SFC, 11/19/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Taiwan opened a de
facto embassy in Lithuania in a diplomatic breakthrough for the
Chinese-claimed island, brushing aside Beijing's strong opposition
to the move.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said Togo has reported an
outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus on a poultry
farm.
   (Reuters, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, It was reported
that security forces in Uganda have shot dead Muslim cleric Sheikh
Muhammad Abas Kirevu, just outside Kampala. He was accused of
working with an armed group linked to suicide bombings in the
capital.
   (BBC, 11/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The White House
confirmed that President Joe Biden is nominating two former
government officials to serve on the US Postal Service (USPS) Board
of Governors, replacing the current chairman, Ron Bloom.
   (AP, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, President Joe
Biden's $1.75 trillion bill to bolster the social safety net and
fight climate change passed the US House of Representatives and
headed to the Senate, where divided moderates and liberals still
need to reach agreement.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The US
Transportation Department said it was awarding nearly $1 billion in
infrastructure grants as the Biden administration prepares to
dramatically boost funding on the nation's roads, bridges, rail,
transit and other projects.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, US Interior
Secretary Deb Haaland declared “squaw” to be a derogatory term and
said she is taking steps to remove the term from federal government
use and to replace other derogatory place names.
   (AP, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The US Food and
Drug Administration authorized booster doses of Pfizer Inc and
BioNTech SE's COVID-19 vaccine for all adults, a move aimed at
addressing waning protection among fully vaccinated Americans in the
face of Delta variant-driven breakthrough cases of the illness.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 47,539,865 with the death toll at 768,789.
   (sfist.com, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, In San Francisco
six suspects were arrested late today, accused of leaving a Louis
Vuitton store in the city’s Union Square shopping district "emptied
out." Other high-end retailers, including Fendi and Yves Saint
Laurent, also were struck.
   (Fox News, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, It was reported
that the family of Elijah McClain has settled a civil rights lawsuit
with the city of Aurora, Colorado, for $15 million, reportedly the
highest police settlement in the history of the state.
   (The Grio, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Ian Fishback (42),
an Army whistle-blower, died an adult foster care facility in
Bangor, Mich. His allegations that fellow members of the 82nd
Airborne Division in Iraq routinely beat and abused prisoners
prompted the Senate to approve anti-torture legislation in 2005.
   (NY Times, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, In Oregon law
enforcement in Portland declared a riot late today as about 200
demonstrators protested the acquittal of a teen who killed two
people and injured another in Wisconsin.
   (AP, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, A Wisconsin jury
acquitted teenager Kyle Rittenhouse (18) of murder in the fatal
shooting of two men during racial justice protests marred by arson,
rioting and looting on Aug. 25, 2020 in Kenosha. The decision that
re-ignited fierce debate about gun rights and the boundaries of self
defense in the United States.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, BioMarin
Pharmaceutical Inc's injection for children with the most common
type of dwarfism received clearance from the US health regulator,
making it the first approved therapy for achondroplasia in the
country.
   (AP, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Austria said it
will become the first country in western Europe to reimpose a full
COVID-19 lockdown. In addition to lockdown it would require the
whole population to be vaccinated from Feb. 1.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Britain's interior
minister Priti Patel said she had banned the Palestinian militant
group Hamas in a move that brings the UK's stance on Gaza's rulers
in line with the US and the EU.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Britain's health
ministry said it would add booster shots to the COVID-19 pass for
outbound international travel, though it added they would not be
added to the domestic pass at this time. Britain reported 44,242 new
COVID-19 cases and 157 more deaths within 28 days of a positive
test.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, It was reported
that the Chinese government's revenue from land sales slumped for a
fourth month in October compared with year-ago levels, as
cash-strapped developers moved cautiously on land buying after
tighter regulatory curbs on new borrowing.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, In the Czech Rep.
the daily tally of coronavirus infections jumped to 22,936, almost
500 more than the previous record set Nov. 16.
   (AP, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, It was reported
that heavy rain around Aswan, Egypt, has forced fat-tailed scorpions
into people's homes. Some 450 residents were reported stung with at
least three deaths.
   (https://tinyurl.com/r4zk9hkt)(SSFC, 11/21/21,
p.B10)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The European
Union's drug regulator advised that an experimental COVID-19 pill
from Merck should be given within five days of first symptoms to
treat adults who do not need oxygen support and are at risk of their
disease worsening.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Authorities
imposed a curfew on the French overseas territory of Guadeloupe
following five days of civil unrest over COVID-19 protocols that
have seen barricades burned in the streets and firefighters and
doctors walk out on strike.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Former Georgian
President Mikheil Saakashvili agreed to end a 50-day hunger strike
in prison after authorities offered to move him to a military
hospital from a prison hospital where an independent rights
commissioner had said he was being abused by fellow inmates and not
receiving appropriate medical treatment..
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Haiti opened a
consulate in the southern Mexican border city of Tapachula in a bid
to help manage migration, amid a steep increase in Haitians
attempting to cross the US-Mexico frontier.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, It was reported
that Hong Kong's banking regulator has fined four banks, including
local units of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and UBS, a
combined HK$44.2 million ($5.67 million) for breaches of anti-money
laundering rules.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Hong Kong's Hang
Seng Indexes Company said embattled developer China Evergrande Group
will be removed from Hong Kong's Hang Seng China Enterprises Index.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Indian PM Narendra
Modi said he would repeal agriculture laws that farmers have been
protesting against for more than a year, sparking celebrations for
what farmers called a hard-fought victory.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, In India at least
17 people died and dozens were reported missing in the southern
state of Andhra Pradesh after days of heavy rains.
   (AP, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Indonesian police
said they are investigating claims by a hacker who said this week
they have stolen personal data of thousands of police officers, the
latest in a spate of cyber attacks that has highlighted the
country's digital vulnerabilities.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, In central Iran
thousands of farmers and their supporters gathered in the city of
Isfahan, in a major protest over water shortages in the
drought-stricken region.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Japan's Cabinet
approved a record 56 trillion yen ($490 billion) stimulus package to
help the economy out of the doldrums worsened by the coronavirus
pandemic.
   (SFC, 11/20/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, In Kenya Kate
Mitchell, a British national who worked for BBC Media Action in a
number of African countries, was found dead in Nairobi. Police told
local media they were investigating it as a murder and exploring
possible motives.
   (BBC, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Malawi police
fired teargas to quell an anti-government protest over alleged
corruption and economic mismanagement by President Lazarus
Chakwera's administration.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, In eastern Mexico
migrants from 12 countries were among more than 400 people found
hidden in the back of two semi-trailers, most of them from
neighboring Guatemala.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)(SSFC, 11/21/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, In the Netherlands
three people were hospitalized after police in Rotterdam fired shots
during a violent protest late today against COVID-19 measures. 51
people were arrested.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Nicaragua's
government announced that it will withdraw from the Organization of
American States (OAS). The regional body has accused Pres. Daniel
Ortega's government of acts of repression and rigging this month's
election.
   (SFC, 11/20/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Norway officials
said the country is imposing stricter border controls in a bid to
tackle a rise in coronavirus infections.
   (SFC, 11/20/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, A government
official said Pakistan has removed a clause from a new criminal law
that had allowed chemical castration as a possible punishment for
serial rapists.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, It was reported
that the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC)
has suspended a probe at Manila's request into suspected rights
abuses during Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's crackdown on
drugs. Manila had filed the deferral request on Nov. 10, citing the
country's own investigations into drug war killings.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Poland accused
Belarus of trucking hundreds of migrants back to the border and
pushing them to attempt to cross illegally, only hours after
clearing camps at a frontier that has become the focus of an
escalating East-West crisis. The number of migrants trying to force
their way into Poland from Belarus fell again after an apparent
change in tack by Minsk that could help calm a crisis that has
escalated into a major East-West confrontation.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)(Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The International
Labour Organization (ILO) said Qatar is not adequately investigating
and reporting worker deaths including unexplained fatalities among
seemingly healthy laborers.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The Geo Barents
vessel, run by charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF), arrived in
Sicily carrying the bodies of 10 migrants found dead at sea, along
with dozens of people it rescued this week as they tried to cross
the Mediterranean.
   (Reuters, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Spanish
authorities said a group of 39 Palestinian refugees has sought
asylum in Spain after refusing to get back on a plane during a
Barcelona stopover on their flight from Cairo.
   (AP, 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, World Toilet Day.
The UN started World Toilet Day in 2012, and this year's campaign is
designed to raise awareness of the 3.6 billion people — roughly half
of the world's population — living without access to safe sanitary
systems.
   (Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn., 11/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The UN said
Somalia's "rapidly worsening" drought has left more than two million
people facing severe food and water shortages.
   (AP, 11/19/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 47,672,306 with the death toll at 770,804.
   (sfist.com, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, About 80 looters
in ski masks ransacked a Nordstrom location in Walnut Creek, about
25 miles outside San Francisco, in a scene described by witnesses as
"insane" and like something "out of a movie." Most of the looters
got away. Three people were arrested.
   (Fox News, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, The Walt Disney
Company paused a coronavirus vaccine mandate for employees of its
Florida theme park after the State Legislature and the governor made
it illegal for employers to require all workers get the shots.
   (NY Times, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Officials said
Afghanistan's Taliban administration will begin paying the overdue
salaries of government workers today.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, In Austria
thousands of people, many of them far-right supporters, protested in
Vienna against coronavirus restrictions a day after Austria's
government announced a new lockdown and said vaccines would be made
compulsory next year.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, The British
government said it is seeking to eliminate all avoidable plastic
waste. Under proposals in a 12-week public consultation, businesses
and consumers will need to move towards more sustainable
alternatives.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Britain recorded
40,941 daily COVID-19 cases, a decrease on a day earlier when 44,242
cases were recorded.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Wu Liangyou, an
official at the National Health Commission (NHC), said China had
given 76.3% of its population complete COVID-19 vaccine doses by
Nov. 19. A total of 1.076 billion people in the country have
received the required number of doses for their COVID vaccination.
65.73 million people have received a booster dose.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, President Nayib
Bukele said El Salvador plans to build the world's first "Bitcoin
City", funded initially by bitcoin-backed bonds, doubling down on
his bet to harness the crypto currency to fuel investment in the
Central American country. The city will be built near the Conchagua
volcano to take advantage of geothermal energy to power both the
city and Bitcoin mining.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)(SFC, 11/22/21,
p.A2)Â Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, In France tens of
thousands of people marched through Paris and other cities to demand
more government action to prevent violence against women.
   (SSFC, 11/21/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Indian police said
they had charged senior executives of Amazon.com's local unit under
narcotics laws in a case of alleged marijuana smuggling via the
online retailer.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Iran's
Revolutionary Guards said they had seized a foreign ship in Gulf
waters loaded with what they described as smuggled diesel.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Iran announced it
has now fully vaccinated 44 million people, more than half of its
population of 85 million. The country has been hit the worst by the
pandemic in the Middle East.
   (AP, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, The coalition of
Malaysian PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob scored a crucial win in a state
election seen as a test for the country's fractured political
parties as they gear up for national polls that could be called by
next year.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Five police
officers were injured in the Netherlands and at least 40 people
detained across three provinces as violent protests against COVID-19
restrictions continued for a second night.
   (Reuters, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Prominent Somali
journalist Abdiaziz Mohamud Guled, also known as Abdiaziz Afrika, a
critic of the Islamist militant group al-Shabab, was killed in a
suicide bomb attack in Mogadishu.
   (BBC, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Two hundred
vaccinated foreign tourists arrived in Vietnam's beach-fringed
island of Phu Quoc, the first wave of visitors to the country in
nearly two years as it seeks to resurrect its pandemic-ravaged
tourism economy.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Yemen's
Iran-aligned Houthi movement said it had fired 14 drones at several
Saudi Arabian cities, including at Saudi Aramco facilities in
Jeddah. Saudi state news said the Saudi-led coalition has attached
13 targets during a military operation against the Houthis in Yemen.
   (Reuters, 11/20/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 47,711,609 with the death toll at 771,044.
   (sfist.com, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, In the SF Bay Area
30-40 suspects staged break-ins in Larkspur and Palo Alto. The
Larkspur store reported over $250,000 in lost merchandise and
damage.
   (SFC, 11/27/21, p.C1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Robert Bly (94),
the Minnesota poet, author and translator, died at his home in
Minneapolis. He articulated the solitude of landscapes, galvanized
protests against the Vietnam War and started a controversial men’s
movement with a best seller that called for a restoration of primal
male audacity. His work included more than books of poetry.
   (NY Times, 11/22/21)(SSFC, 11/28/21, p.F6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, In northwest
Nebraska three people died in a plane crash near Chadron.
   (AP, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, In Wisconsin at
least five people were killed and 40 others wounded after a car
plowed into a holiday parade in Waukesha, a Milwaukee suburb. One
person was in custody. Darrell Edward Brooks Jr (39) was taken into
custody after a red Ford Escape SUV drove into the parade. Days
later a boy (8) became the 6th victim.
   (NY Times, 11/22/21)(The Independent,
11/22/21)(NY Times, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, It was reported
that the class of US Rhodes Scholars for 2022 includes the most
women ever selected for the scholarship in one year. Of the 32
students chosen to study at the University of Oxford in England, 22
are women.
   (AP, 11/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, In Belgium police
and protesters clashed in the streets of Brussels in demonstrations
over government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions, with police firing
water cannon and tear gas at demonstrators throwing rocks and smoke
bombs.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Britain called for
international action on the issue of medical devices such as
oximeters that work better on people with lighter skin, saying the
disparities may have cost lives of ethnic minority patients during
the COVID-19 pandemic. Britain reported 40,004 new cases and 61
deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/21/21)(Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Bulgarians voted
to choose the country's next president in a run-off election, weary
of widespread corruption in the European Union's poorest member
state amid rising energy costs and high death toll from the
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Chileans began to
vote in what is widely seen as the nation's most divisive
presidential election since the country's 1990 return to democracy.
On the Right, Jose Antonio Kast (55), a Catholic and father of nine,
has promised to crack down on crime. On the Left, lawmaker Gabriel
Boric (35) has pledged to scrap the nation's laissez-faire economic
model. Former congressman Jose Antonio Kast finished on top in the
first-round vote. Both men were well short of the majority needed to
win outright.
   (Reuters, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, China downgraded
its diplomatic ties with Lithuania, expressing strong
dissatisfaction with the Baltic State after Taiwan opened a de facto
embassy there, escalating a row that has sucked in Washington.
   (Reuters, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Chinese tennis
star Peng Shuai, whose whereabouts have been a matter of
international concern for weeks, attended a tennis tournament in
Beijing, according to official photos published by the tournament
organized by China Open.
   (Reuters, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Colombia and
Ecuador agreed to the bilateral reopening of their shared border
from the start of December after it was closed amid the coronavirus
pandemic, and pledged to work together to combat drug trafficking.
   (Reuters, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, The French
overseas territory of Guadeloupe was hit by a third night of looting
and rioting amid protests against COVID-19 measures, with gunmen
shooting at police and firefighters.
   (Reuters, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, In Haiti two of
the 17 aid workers kidnapped more than a month ago were released.
Christian Aid Ministries, based in Ohio, said it would not make
public their names or say why they were freed.
   (NY Times, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, A cyberattack
disrupted access to Iran's privately owned Mahan Air, marking the
latest in a series of cyberattacks on Iranian infrastructure that
has put the country on edge.
   (Reuters, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Kenya's government
issued a directive that residents must show proof of COVID-19
vaccination by Dec. 21 to access services. Only 8.8% of people are
fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Kenya so far.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, In the Netherlands
riots broke out in cities across the country, the third night in a
row that police clashed with mobs of angry youths who set fires and
threw rocks to protest COVID-19 restrictions.
   (NY Times, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, A Palestinian
gunman from the Islamist group Hamas killed an Israeli and wounded
three other people in Jerusalem's Old City before being shot dead by
police.
   (Reuters, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Sudan's military
reinstated PM Abdalla Hamdok and announced the release of all
political detainees after weeks of deadly unrest triggered by a
coup. Under an agreement signed with military leader General Abdel
Fattah al-Burhan, Hamdok will lead a civilian government of
technocrats for a transitional period.
   (Reuters, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Uganda's Jacob
Kiplimo shaved one second off the world half-marathon record when he
clocked 57 minutes 31 seconds in the Lisbon Half Marathon road race.
   (Reuters, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Venezuelans headed
to the polls in local and regional elections which represent a major
challenge for electoral authorities and opposition politicians
alike.
   (Reuters, 11/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, It was reported
that the US Justice Department will pay $130 million to survivors
and families of victims of the 2018 massacre in Parkland, Fla.,
settling a lawsuit that accused the FBI of failing to properly
investigate two tips.
   (NY Times, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, The US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State Department
advised against travel to Germany and Denmark because of a rising
number of COVID-19 cases in those countries.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, A unanimous
Supreme Court rejected a claim that the Memphis, Tennessee, area has
been taking water that belongs to Mississippi from an underground
aquifer that sits beneath parts of both states.
   (AP, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, The Obama
Foundation said Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is donating $100 million
to the foundation in honor of Congressman John Lewis, a hero of the
US civil rights movement of the 1960s who died last year.
   (AP, 11/22/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 47,731,686 with the death toll at 771,122.
   (sfist.com, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, A Nordstrom
department store in a Los Angeles mall became the latest target in a
string of "smash-and-grab" robberies that have hit luxury retailers
in California and Illinois. The LAPD said it had taken 3 suspects
into custody. Local reports said as many as 20 people may have been
involved in the break-in and theft.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, A federal judge in
Denver ruled that lawyers Gary D. Fielder and Ernest J. Walker more
than $180,000 in attorney's fees for defendants Dominion Voting
Systems, Facebook and others, saying their lawsuit, alleging the
2020 presidential election stolen from Donald Trump, was intended to
manipulate gullible members of the public.
   (SFC, 11/25/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, The US Navy said a
water and fuel mixture had leaked into a fire suppression system
drain line in a tunnel at a massive fuel storage facility 3 miles
(4.8 km) inland of Pearl Harbor. The Navy said it removed about
14,000 gallons (53,000 liters) of the mixture, and said the liquid
hadn’t leaked into the environment.
   (AP, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Minnesota set
another record for COVID-19 patients receiving hospital care. The
statewide total for fatalities reached 9,229.
   (SFC, 11/25/21, p.A9)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, New York City said
it severing ties with CORE Services Group, one of the largest
nonprofit organizations running homeless shelters, citing the
charity’s repeated management failures, conflicts of interest and
excessive executive salaries. A New York Times investigation
published last month found that CORE CEO Jack A. Brown III had
collected more than $1 million a year, hired his relatives and
steered millions of dollars in business to for-profit companies he
controlled.
   (NY Times, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, In New York a
legislative investigation was released showing that former Gov.
Andrew Cuomo had sexually harassed women and ordered state workers
to help produce a book on pandemic leadership during work hours.
   (SFC, 11/23/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, New York
University’s medical center said it has received a $166 million gift
from Jeff Bezos and his family.
   (AP, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, It was reported
that the Minderoo Foundation, owned by Andrew Forrest, chairman of
iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group, plans to help 18 small
publishers by applying to the Australian Competition and Consumer
Commission (ACCC) on their behalf so they can negotiate together
without breaching competition laws to secure licensing deals with
Google and Facebook.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Austria powered
down public life as its fourth national COVID-19 lockdown began,
making it the first western European country to reimpose the drastic
and unpopular measure this autumn in the face of surging coronavirus
infections.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Bahrain said its
security forces have arrested a number of suspected militants ahead
of a planned attack and confiscated weapons and explosives that had
come from Iran.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, In Brazil
residents on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro found the corpses of at
least seven people in a mangrove after a sustained gunbattle with
local police. The bodies were found after a weekend-long operation
in the area, which began after a local police officer died while on
patrol Nov. 20.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, The organizers of
the Brit Awards announced they are scrapping separate male and
female artist categories in a shakeup designed to make the music
prizes more inclusive. Next year’s awards will feature trophies for
UK and international artist of the year, replacing male and female
awards in each category.
   (AP, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Britain reported
44,917 further cases of COVID-19 and 45 more deaths within 28 days
of a positive test.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Cambodia police
said three refugees deported by Thailand have been jailed on charges
of conspiracy and incitement. pressure grew on Thailand to protect
activists at risk of persecution at home.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, It was reported
that Canada is ending its pandemic-era policy of turning back
asylum-seekers trying to cross into the country between ports of
entry.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Chinese leader Xi
Jinping said his country will not seek dominance over Southeast Asia
or bully its smaller neighbors, amid ongoing friction over the South
China Sea.
   (AP, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, China's government
said Taiwan firms operating in China need to draw a line between
themselves and independence supporters, after punishing a major
Taiwanese firm ostensibly for business violations.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Ecuador's
President Guillermo Lasso pardoned prisoners jailed for minor
traffic crimes and others suffering terminal illnesses to alleviate
overcrowding in penitentiaries across the country.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, The German
military and soldiers' representatives agreed to add the coronavirus
shot to the list of vaccines that soldiers must get.
   (SFC, 11/24/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Greece introduced
a wide range of new restrictions aimed at curbing a spike in
coronavirus infections.
   (SFC, 11/23/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Indian farmers
held a mass rally to demand minimum support prices be extended to
all produce, not just rice and wheat.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, It was reported
that India's salesmen face ruin as mom-and-pop stores are targeted
by JioMart, an app rolled out by Reliance Industries billionaire
Mukesh Ambani in his drive to revolutionize retail distribution in
India.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Israel’s internal
security agency said that it had arrested more than 50 members of a
Hamas cell in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem in recent
weeks that were involved in planning attacks on Israelis.
   (AP, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Italian customs
police dismantled a Nigerian organized crime syndicate that forced
dozens of young women into prostitution and begging on the streets
of Italy and then smuggled out millions of euros in ill-gained
revenues to Nigeria, with cash hidden in suitcase handles or pasta
packages.
   (AP, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Khurram Parvez, a
prominent activist in Indian-administered Kashmir, was arrested late
today by India's federal National Investigation Agency (NIA) on
terror funding charges.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, PM Jacinda Ardern
said New Zealand will adopt a new system of living with the
coronavirus virus from Dec. 3, which will end tough restrictions and
allow businesses to operate in its biggest city.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Nicaragua
announced that it is lifting the visa requirement for Cuban
nationals in a move which could make it easier for Cubans to migrate
north toward the United States.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Oman and Qatar
signed agreements on military cooperation, taxation, tourism, ports,
labor and investment as Oman seeks to invigorate its debt-burdened
economy.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Palestinian hunger
strikers Kayed Fasfous (34) and Ayyad al-Harimi (28) suspended their
strikes against Israel’s controversial policy of detaining them
without charge after reaching a deal that will allow them to go free
in the coming months.
   (AP, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, It was reported
that Portugal shut down its last remaining coal plant over the
weekend, ending the use of the polluting material for electricity
generation and becoming the fourth country in the European Union to
do so.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Romania's centrist
Liberals and the leftist Social Democrats finalized their grand
coalition and the country's president nominated retired army general
Nicolae Ciuca as prime minister, hoping to end a two-month long
political stalemate.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Sudanese doctors
said security forces have targeted hospitals and blocked injured
protesters from treatment since the military seized control of the
country last month, after raising the total number of anti-coup
protesters killed to 41.
   (AP, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Uganda said that
seven suspects had been killed and 106 people detained during
operations by the security services linked to three suicide bombings
in the capital Kampala last week.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, The United Nations
pushed for urgent action to prop up Afghanistan's banks, warning
that a spike in people unable to repay loans, lower deposits and a
cash liquidity crunch could cause the financial system to collapse
within months.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Venezuela's
National Electoral Council (CNE) awarded victory to the ruling
Socialist party in 20 governorships and three to opposition
politicians in an initial announcement following local and regional
elections.
   (Reuters, 11/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, The White House
said The United States will release 50 million barrels of crude from
the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help cool oil prices, that
will start hitting the market in mid- to late-December.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, The United States
and India agreed to expand trade of some agricultural products,
including US cherries, alfalfa and distiller dried grains as well as
Indian mangoes, grapes, shrimp and water buffalo meat.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 47,974,891 with the death toll at 773,581.
   (sfist.com, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, A federal jury in
Cleveland found that three of the nation’s largest pharmacy chains —
CVS Health, Walmart and Walgreens — had substantially contributed to
the crisis of opioid overdoses and deaths in two Ohio counties.
   (NY Times, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Texas Gov. Greg
Abbott announced that Samsung plans to build a $17 billion
semiconductor factory outside of Austin, Texas, amid a global
shortage of chips used in phones, cars and other electronic devices.
   (SFC, 11/25/21,
p.C2)(https://tinyurl.com/w793r3s)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, A jury found the
organizers of the 2017 far-right rally in Charlottesville, Va.,
liable for injuries and awarded more than $25 million in damages.
The jury deadlocked on two federal conspiracy charges.
   (NY Times, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, A senior Red Cross
official warned that "serious problems" remain with a remote island
off southern Bangladesh housing Rohingya refugees, as officials
prepared to ship thousands more people there this week.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Thousands of
miners halted work at Bosnia's seven coal mines in support of
colleagues protesting in Sarajevo against what they said were
government violations of work and pay regulations.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Britain said it
will allow privately-held oil reserves to be released voluntarily in
answer to a global stockpile release effort led by the United
States.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Britain reported
42,484 further cases of COVID-19 and 165 more deaths within 28 days
of a positive test.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, In western
Bulgaria a bus carrying North Macedonian tourists crashed in flames
on a highway before daybreak, killing at least 45 people, including
12 children.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Chile's lower
house approved a bill that would permit same-sex marriage in the
South American country of 19 million, sending the measure back to
the Senate where it appears to have the support needed to become
law.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Colombia's armed
forces seized 10 tons of cocaine, the largest shipment so far this
year, and destroyed two drug labs in an anti-narcotics mission in
the southeast of the country.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, France's Health
Minister Olivier Veran announced that there were more than 30,000
new infections recorded in the last 24 hours, the highest single day
number since early August and nearly six times the 5,226 new cases
recorded a day earlier..
   (The Telegraph, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Tony Chung (20),
the former leader of Hong Kong pro-independence group
Studentlocalism, was sentenced to a total of 43 months in prison for
trying to separate the city from China, and for money laundering.
His plea bargain led to a 25% reduction in his sentence.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, India said it will
release 5 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves in
coordination with other buyers including the United States, China,
Japan and South Korea.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, India reported
7,579 new coronavirus infections, the smallest rise in
one-and-a-half-years despite huge festival gatherings in recent
weeks, thanks to rising vaccinations and antibodies from prior
infections.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, In Italy Rudy
Guede, the only person convicted in the 2007 murder of British
student Meredith Kercher, was freed after serving most of his
16-year prison sentence. He has denied killing Kercher.
   (AP, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, A spokesman said
Kazakhstan's former president, Nursultan Nazarbayev (81), will hand
over his role as the leader of the ruling Nur Otan party to
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (68).
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Kuwait state media
said PM Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid has been reappointed and tasked with
forming a cabinet that would be the Gulf OPEC oil producer's third
this year in a domestic political standoff.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Officials said
thousands of migrants in southern Mexico have accepted a government
offer to quit a US-bound caravan in exchange for Mexican visas.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, In central Mexico
the bodies of six people were found hanged from a bridge and a tree
in Zacatecas state, a region ravaged by criminal gang violence, the
second such incident in the area in less than a week.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, A shadow
government in Myanmar said it has raised $6.3 million of its Nov. 22
inaugural bonds sale, in its biggest move yet to generate funds for
its "revolution" to topple the ruling military junta.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Dutch coronavirus
infection numbers hit a new weekly record, climbing 39% while
hospital and intensive care unit admissions also rose sharply,
prompting the government to make social distancing mandatory again
for all adults.
   (AP, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Lahore, Pakistan,
became the world's 3rd most polluted city behind Dhaka, Bangladesh,
and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
   (SFC, 11/24/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, The Philippine
navy successfully transported food supplies to Filipino forces
guarding a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, a week after
China’s coast guard used water cannons to force the supply boats to
turn back, sparking outrage and warnings from Manila.
   (AP, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Poland said that
groups of migrants had made new attempts to cross over the border
from Belarus and it would be premature to say that the worst of the
crisis on the European Union's eastern frontier was over.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Qatar detained two
journalists from Norway and deleted footage they had gathered at a
migrant labor camp as they tried to report on worker issues ahead of
the FIFA 2022 World Cup. The journalists were released after 30
hours.
   (SFC, 11/25/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Yevgeny Smirnov
Irina Fatyanova, involved with Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's
recent political campaign, said they have fled Russia as the jailed
opposition leader launched a new bid to challenge his designation by
prison authorities as an extremist.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, In Serbia a series
of explosions ripped through an munitions factory on the outskirts
of Belgrade, killing at least two workers and injuring at least 16.
   (AP, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Chun Doo-hwan
(90), South Korea’s most vilified former military dictator, died at
his home in Seoul. He had seized power in a coup and ruled his
country with an iron fist for most of the 1980s, dispatching
paratroopers and armored vehicles to mow down hundreds of
pro-democracy protesters.
   (NY Times, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Catalonia's
separatist party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) said the
Spanish government will pass a new 5% tax on audiovisual production
and force streaming platforms, such as Netflix, to air shows in
regional languages.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, In eastern Sri
Lanka at least six people died and around ten were missing after a
ferry they were traveling in capsized.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Turkey's lira
nose-dived 15% in its second-worst day ever after President Tayyip
Erdogan defended recent sharp rate cuts, and vowed to win his
"economic war of independence" despite widespread criticism and
pleas to reverse course.
   (Reuters, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, It was reported
that whistleblower Emma Reilly, who warned her bosses at the UN
Human Rights office that China was getting information on dissidents
coming to speak at the world body, has been fired. Reilly was
dismissed within 24 hours of her giving an interview to the leading
French newspaper Le Monde. It washer case that alerted many to the
growing influence of China within the UN system.
   (Fox News, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, The World Health
Organization and the UN-backed Medicines Patent Pool said the
Spanish National Research Council had signed a licensing agreement
for its COVID-19 antibody test. It is the first time any
manufacturer has allowed its coronavirus test to be included in a
technology pool set up by WHO.
   (AP, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, In Yemen a
Saudi-led coalition airstrike gutted a plastics factory in the
rebel-held capital of Sanaa, the latest attack amid an escalation in
fighting in recent weeks.
   (AP, 11/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, The US Trade
Representative's office said that it is moving to terminate its
trade retaliation case against India after Washington and New Delhi
agreed on a global tax deal transition arrangement that will
withdraw India's digital services tax.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, NASA launched a
spacecraft to test a plan to save humanity from killer asteroids.
The Double Asteroid Redirection Test spacecraft could be the first
to alter an asteroid’s path, a technique that may be used to defend
the planet in the future.
   (NY Times, 11/24/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 48,002,161 with the death toll at 774,120.
   (sfist.com, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, In Los Angeles the
Nordstrom store at the Westfield Topanga Mall was robbed by five
people this evening, with the robbers taking seven to eight
expensive purses. An Apple store in Santa Rosa was also robbed today
of $20,000 in merchandise. The district attorney for San Francisco
charged nine people in connection to multiple organized robberies in
the city.
   (The Hill, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, A Georgia jury
found three white men guilty of murder in the Feb. 2020 shooting of
Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man.
   (NY Times, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Apple Inc issued
alert messages to at least six Thai activists and researchers who
have been critical of the government, warning it believed their
iPhones had been targeted by "state-sponsored attackers".
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, The Pan American
Health Organization (PAHO) said new COVID-19 cases have jumped 23%
in the Americas in the last week, mostly in North America where both
the United States and Canada reported increasing infection rates.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Australia
classified neo-Nazi organization The Base and Hezbollah, the
Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group, as
terrorist organizations.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Bahrain announced
plans for over $30 billion in spending to spur investment and build
up infrastructure over the next several years, promising to create
five brand-new cities on man-made islands.
   (AP, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Britain reported
43,676 further cases of COVID-19 and 149 more deaths within 28 days
of a positive test.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Authorities in
Cyprus said they will deny access to indoor areas such as shopping
malls, restaurants and supermarkets to anyone who hasn’t received a
third booster shot seven months after being vaccinated against
COVID-19.
   (AP, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, A Danish frigate
killed four pirates in waters south of Nigeria in an operation to
protect shipping in the Gulf of Guinea. Four pirates remaining were
taken on board the frigate, and no Danish personnel were hurt in the
incident.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, State-affiliated
media reported that Ethiopia's PM Abiy Ahmed has gone to direct the
war from the front lines, as two Olympian athletes announced they
were enlisting in the military. Germany and France became the latest
countries to advise their citizens to leave Ethiopia, amid an
escalation in the country's civil war.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)(BBC, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, European Union
ambassadors approved the renewal of sanctions on four Chinese
officials and one Chinese entity as part of an extension of a human
rights blacklist.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Coronavirus
infections broke records in parts of Europe. Slovakia, the Czech
Republic, the Netherlands and Hungary all reported new highs in
daily infections.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, French media
reported that a boat with migrants sank in the English channel off
the French coast. 27 migrants died after their dinghy capsized while
trying to cross the Channel from France to Britain. A manslaughter
lawsuit was later filed by Utopia 56, a French humanitarian
organization, accusing Channel authorities of not doing enough to
prevent the deaths.Â
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)(SSFC, 11/28/21, p.A4)(SFC,
12/21/21, p.A2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, In Germany Olaf
Scholz and his coalition partners from the progressive Greens and
the pro-business Free Democrats stepped in front of the cameras to
announce a 177-page governing deal they have negotiated under strict
secrecy since the Sept. 26 election.
   (NY Times, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Haiti's PM Ariel
Henry swore in his new Cabinet as the country struggled with a rise
in violence, kidnappings and ongoing fuel shortages blamed on
powerful gangs.
   (SFC, 11/26/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, It was reported
that plans by the Indian government for a new bill that would bar
most private cryptocurrencies has triggered heavy selling in the
country's digital currency markets, as investors look to exit
positions despite the losses.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Iran and the UAE
agreed to open a new chapter in bilateral relations.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Beny Steinmetz
(65), the Israeli billionaire convicted of bribery weeks apart in
Romania and Switzerland, was arrested by Greek police when the
private jet he was on landed at Athens airport. He was released 24
hours later on condition he didn’t leave Greece.
   (Bloomberg, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Italy tightened
the screws on people still unwilling to take an anti-COVID jab,
sharply restricting access to an array of services and making
vaccines mandatory for a wider group of public sector workers.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Libya's top
electoral body disqualified Seif al-Islam Khadafy, the sone of
former dictator Moammar Khadafy, from running in next months
presidential election.
   (SFC, 11/26/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Mexican officials
began dispersing several hundred migrants gathered in the southern
city of Tapachula by busing them to other states, heading off the
prospect of a new caravan heading north.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, The Searching
Mothers of Sonora announced that they have found more than 20 bodies
in clandestine graves in a town east of Hermosillo, Mexico.
Collective Pres. Patricia Cecilia Flores Armenta called for the
United Nations' Committee on Enforced Disappearances to get involved
in the investigation and speed up the exhumation of the bodies.
   (AZCentral, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Russian President
Vladimir Putin said he has taken an experimental nasal vaccine
against the coronavirus, three days after he received his booster
shot, as Russia faces its worst surge of infections and deaths since
the pandemic began.
   (AP, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, South Korea
reported a new daily record of 4,116 cases and battles a spike in
serious cases straining hospitals. It was reported that a little
known sect led by a pastor who pokes eyes to heal is at the center
of a COVID-19 outbreak in in Cheonan city. South Korea this month
switched to a "living with COVID-19" plan aimed at lifting rigid
distancing rules and ultimately reopening after reaching vaccination
goals last month. South Korea has recorded 425,065 total infections,
with 3,363 deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Sweden's first
female prime minister, Social Democrat Magdalena Andersson, resigned
after less than 12 hours in the top job after the Green Party quit
their two-party coalition, stoking political uncertainty.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Syria’s military
said Israeli warplanes attacked army positions in the country’s
central region early today, leaving two civilians dead and seven
people wounded — six of them soldiers.
   (AP, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Turkey and the
United Arab Emirates signed accords on energy and technology
investments after talks between President Tayyip Erdogan and Abu
Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in Ankara.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, The UN said a
convoy of about 40 trucks carrying relief supplies, including food,
had left for Tigray from neighboring Afar. The UN estimates 100
trucks should be entering Tigray each day to meet humanitarian
needs.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
 2021      Nov 24, Zambia's
central bank raised interest rates by 50 basis points to 9.0% to
help bring down stubbornly high inflation, with price rises only
seen falling back within the bank's target range in 2023.
   (Reuters, 11/24/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 48,107,102 with the death toll at 775,628.
   (sfist.com, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Members of Native
American tribes gathered in Plymouth, Mass., to mourn Indigenous
people worldwide who have suffered centuries of racism and
mistreatment in a tradition that began in 1970.
   (SFC, 11/26/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Spectators once
again lined the streets of Manhattan for the 95th annual Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade after last year's spectacle was scaled down
and closed to the public because of the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Australia
announced it is sending police, troops and diplomats to the Solomon
Islands to help after anti-government demonstrators defied lockdown
orders and took to the streets for a second day in violent protests.
   (AP, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Austria said it
has found a case of bird flu on a small chicken farm near Vienna
airport and is ordering poultry farms with more than 350 birds to
keep them indoors.
   (AP, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Belarusian and
Russian fighter jets jointly patrolled Belarus' border, in the
latest sign of Moscow's support for its ally in a standoff with the
EU over migrants camped at the frontier with Poland.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Britain reported
47,240 new cases of COVID-19. A further 147 people were reported as
having died within 28 days of a positive test for COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Burkina Faso
President Roch Kabore promised to end "dysfunction" within the
military in a speech, as the nation braced for more protests against
worsening insecurity.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Statistics Canada
said the murder rate in Canada last year rose to its highest level
since 2005.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, China's Shanghai
city detected three domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases with
confirmed symptoms. This prompted Shanghai to limit tourism
activities and a nearby city to cut public transport services, as
China insisted on zero tolerance against letting clusters spread.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, State-backed media
said Chinese tech group Baidu Inc and self-driving startup Pony.ai
have won approval to launch paid driverless robotaxi services that
will see the firms deploy not more than 100 vehicles in an area in
China's capital Beijing.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, The Czech
government declared a 30 day state of emergency involving early
closure of bars and clubs and a ban on Christmas markets as the
continent battled a surge in coronavirus cases.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Egypt's highest
civilian court issued a final ruling upholding a death sentence for
21 suspected Islamist militants. The defendants were convicted of
belonging to Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis group, which changed its name to
Sinai Province after pledging allegiance to the Islamic State.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Egypt unveiled a
restored road connecting two ancient temple complexes in Karnak and
Luxor in a lavish ceremony aimed at raising the profile of one of
the country's top tourist spots.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Ethiopia’s
government issued a new order aiming to restrict media reporting of
the country’s yearlong war, prohibiting the sharing of non-official
information on “military-related movements, battlefront results and
situations”.
   (AP, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, The EU's drug
regulator approved the use of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for
children between the ages of five and 11 paving the way for them to
be given a first shot as Europe struggles with a surge in cases.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, French authorities
announced that booster shots would be made available to everyone
aged over 18, rather than just the over-65s and those with
underlying health issues.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Investigators with
Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission delivered
a final report to the president Thursday, identifying and
recommending prosecution for those most responsible for crimes and
human rights abuses committed during the 22-year rule of former
President Yahya Jammeh.
   (AP, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Germany said a
case of African swine fever (ASF) has been found in a wild boar in
the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, close to a case found
on a farm in the state earlier in November.
   (AP, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, The number of new
daily cases in Germany hit a record of 75,961 and its total death
toll reached 100,119 since the start of the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Indonesia's
Constitutional Court ordered the government to amend parts of a 2020
job creation law within two years, citing procedural flaws in how
the controversial legislation was handled.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Protests against
COVID-19 restrictions in the French territory of Martinique
intensified and the situation is "very strained," after rioters
injured police officers, attacked journalists and set fire to the
state representative's residence.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, It was reported
that the Mexican government is rapidly running out of tools to
control the expansion of the feared Jalisco cartel on the front
lines of Mexico’s narco war in the western state of Michoacan and
the stalled ground effort is being supplemented by an increasingly
sophisticated aerial conflict.
   (AP, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Portugal said it
is bringing back some tight pandemic restrictions as of Dec. 1 in
response to a recent rise in coronavirus infections.
   (SFC, 11/26/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Romanian President
Klaus Iohannis swore in a new coalition government led by a Liberal
former army general and declared an end to a months-long political
crisis that had gripped the Eastern European nation.
   (AP, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, A methane
explosion at a coal mine in Russia's Siberia killed 11 people and
injured more than 40, with dozens of others remaining trapped at the
Listvyazhnaya mine in the Kemerova region. The death toll soon rose
to at least 52.
   (AP, 11/25/21)((SFC, 11/26/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Sierra Leone's
anti-corruption commission indicted six officials on corruption
allegations, including an opposition front-runner for the 2023
presidential election.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Slovakia went into
a two-week lockdown, as the country with one of the EU's lowest
vaccination rates reported a critical situation in hospitals and new
infections that topped global tables.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, In Somalia a large
explosion outside a school in Mogadishu killed at least eight people
including students.
   (AP, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, South African
scientists said they have detected a new COVID-19 variant in small
numbers and are working to understand its potential implications.
They said variant B.1.1.529 has a "very unusual constellation" of
mutations, which are concerning because they could help it evade the
body's immune response and make it more transmissible.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, South Korea said
it will start a task force to consider outlawing the centuries-old
practice of dog meat consumption.
   (SFC, 11/26/21, p.A2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, In Sudan tens of
thousands protested in the streets of Khartoum and other cities,
keeping up the pressure on military leaders after they struck a deal
to bring back a civilian prime minister deposed in a coup one month
ago.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, In Turkey riot
police fired pepper gas to disperse demonstrators who gathered in
Istanbul to protest violence against women, some chanting
"government resign", nearly five months after Turkey withdrew from a
treaty on the issue.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Pope Francis
declared five Catholic priests who were killed during the Paris
Commune revolutionary government that took control of Paris in 1871
were martyrs who were killed out of “hatred for the faith”.
   (AP, 11/25/21)
 2021      Nov 25, Vietnam said
an African swine fever outbreak is spreading widely in the country
and is hurting the local farming industry, forcing the culling of
three times the number of hogs culled last year.
   (Reuters, 11/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, The United States
and six other nations issued a joint statement calling on the
international community to suspend all assistance to Myanmar's
military, and expressing grave concern over reports of human rights
abuses by its security forces.
   (AP, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, President Joe
Biden said the United States will bar entry to most travelers from
eight southern African countries starting on Nov. 29, after a
potentially more-contagious new coronavirus variant was identified
in South Africa.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 48,133,538 with the death toll at 775,833.
   (sfist.com, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, In Lakewood, Los
Angeles County, a group of suspects ages 15 to 20 stormed a Home
Depot store around 8:30 p.m. and grabbed tools such as crowbars,
mallets and sledgehammers before getting away in vehicles that were
waiting outside. In the Beverly Grove section of Los Angeles, a
large group entered a Bottega Veneta store and used pepper spray
against some who tried to stop them while grabbing high-end
merchandise there.
   (AP, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Stephen Sondheim
(91), Broadway composer and lyricist, died at his home in Roxbury,
Connecticut. He helped American musical theater evolve beyond pure
entertainment and reach new artistic heights with such works as
"West Side Story," "Into the Woods" and "Sweeney Todd".
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, New York Governor
Kathy Hochul issued a COVID-19 "disaster emergency" declaration,
citing increasing rates of infections and hospitalizations.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Merck & Co
said updated data from its study of its experimental COVID-19 pill
showed the drug was significantly less effective in cutting
hospitalizations and deaths than previously reported.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Hundreds of Afghan
girls took entrance exams for a Turkish foundation in Kabul that
runs some of Afghanistan's most highly regarded schools, despite a
delay by the Taliban in allowing the 13-year-olds to return to the
classroom.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Australia said it
was investigating the newly identified COVID-19 variant spreading in
South Africa and warned it may close its borders to travelers from
the African nation if risks from the new strain rise.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Belgium detected
Europe's first confirmed case of the new variant of COVID-19, and at
the same time announced measures aimed at curbing a rapidly
spreading fourth wave of coronavirus infections. A case of variant
B.1.1.529 had been found in an unvaccinated person who had developed
symptoms and tested positive on Nov. 22.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Belarusian leader
Alexander Lukashenko told migrants stranded at the border with
Poland that his country would help them to return home if they
wanted but would not force them. Lukashenko said it was the EU that
deliberately provoked a humanitarian crisis.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Brazil said it
will shut its borders to travelers arriving from six southern
African countries as of Nov. 29 due to the new coronavirus variant.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, The head of the
COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium said it is likely that the new
coronavirus variant B.1.1.529 that is spreading in South Africa will
end up in Britain, but efforts to buy time and reduce transmission
would help.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Central London
shops and businesses hoping to receive a much-needed boost from
Black Friday sales were hit by disruption to the tube network as
drivers held their biggest strike since 2018.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Britain reported
50,091 new COVID-19 cases, the highest since October 21, government
statistics showed, adding there had been a further 160 deaths within
28 days of a positive coronavirus test.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Members of
Extinction Rebellion targeted 13 Amazon fulfilment centers in the
United Kingdom with the aim of disrupting 50% of the company's
deliveries on Black Friday, which marks the unofficial start to the
holiday shopping season. They staged similar protests in Germany and
the Netherlands.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Canadian Foreign
Minister Melanie Joly urged citizens to leave Ethiopia immediately,
saying Canada was very worried by the "rapidly deteriorating
security situation".
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Authorities in the
eastern Chinese city of Wenzhou said their investigation had found
that Alvin Chau, the founder of junket operator Suncity, had formed
a junket agent network in the mainland to help citizens engage in
offshore and cross-border gambling activities.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, The border port of
Wanding in China's Yunnan province resumed trade with neighboring
Myanmar after being closed for 136 days due to the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Democratic
Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi agreed to a joint
operation with Uganda's army against Islamist rebels accused of
suicide bombings in Kampala this month.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Coronavirus
infections in the Czech Republic jumped to a new record high, a
surge that hit the country's president and delayed the appointment
of the new prime minister.
   (AP, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Ethiopia's PM Abiy
Ahmed vowed to "bury the enemy" in what state media said was his
first message from the battlefront, as the United Nations warned
that the year-long conflict has left more than nine million people
in need of food aid.
   (AFP, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, The EU said it
will ease its restrictions on exporting COVID-19 vaccines.
   (SFC, 11/27/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, French fishermen
disrupted cross-Channel traffic for several hours in protest at the
post-Brexit fishing rights granted by Britain, blocking ferries and
freight traffic through the Channel Tunnel.
   (AFP, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Hong Kong's
government said it will ban non-Hong Kong residents arriving from
eight southern African states from entering the territory if they
had stayed in those countries within the past 21 days.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, The Indian
government advised people against subscribing to Starlink Internet
Services, a division of billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX aerospace
company, as it does not have a license to operate in the country.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, India said it will
resume international passenger flights from mid-December with
COVID-19 linked curbs for "at risk" countries, and ordered tightened
screening at borders as fears over a new coronavirus variant spread
globally.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, India restarted
exports of COVID-19 shots to the global vaccine-sharing network
COVAX for the first time since April, and producer Serum Institute
of India (SII) forecast a substantial increase in supplies from
early next year.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Iranian police
fired tear gas and fought protesters with batons in Isfahan, a city
that has seen days of demonstrations demanding government action
over a drought.
   (AP, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Iran banned the
entry of travelers from South Africa and five neighboring countries
after the discovery of a new coronavirus variant in the region.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Ireland, one of
the world's most vaccinated nations, said it will make COVID-19
booster shots available to all adults in a sharp ramping up of plans
to provide additional protection.
   (AP, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Israel imposed a
travel ban on most African states, after reporting cases of a new
and potentially vaccine-resistant coronavirus variant first detected
in South Africa.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Italy reported 51
coronavirus-related deaths against 71 the day before, while the
daily tally of new infections fell slightly to 13,686 from 13,764.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Japan said it will
tighten border controls for people arriving from six African nations
from midnight after a new and possibly vaccine-resistant coronavirus
variant was detected in South Africa.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Japan’s Cabinet
approved a 770 billion yen ($6.8 billion) request for an extra
defense budget through March to expedite the purchase of missiles,
anti-submarine rockets and other weapons amid rising concern over
the escalation of military activities by China, Russia and North
Korea.
   (AP, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Several thousand
Jordanians protested against a water-for-energy deal with Israel and
the United Emirates, calling on their government to scrap its peace
agreement with Israel and saying any normalization was a humiliating
submission.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Lebanon's
Hezbollah leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, said the group had spent
more than $10 million on free and subsidized fuel sourced from Iran
for the Lebanese people since September.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, In Lebanon a small
group of protesters broke into a ministry building in Beirut early
today and removed a photo of the president from one of its main
rooms, as the Lebanese pound hit a new low amid a worsening economic
and political stalemate.
   (AP, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, In central Mexico
at least 19 people were killed and 20 more injured when a passenger
bus traveling on a highway in Mexico state crashed into a house.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Myanmar's ruling
military threatened to arrest citizens who invest in bonds offered
by a shadow government, warning of lengthy prison sentences for
their involvement in what it called "terrorist" financing.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Romania's central
bank unveiled a new 20 lei banknote celebrating World War I
lieutenant Ecaterina Teodoroiu, the first named woman to be depicted
on Romanian money.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Russian President
Vladimir Putin hosted the leaders of regional rivals Armenia and
Azerbaijan for talks marking the first anniversary of a
Moscow-brokered peace deal that ended fighting in the separatist
region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
   (AP, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, A Russian cargo
craft carrying a new docking module successfully hooked up with the
International Space Station after a two-day space journey.
   (AP, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, In the Solomon
Islands more than a hundred people looted shops, before Australian
Federal Police officers arrived. Australian police began taking
control of hotspots following three days of violent protests in the
South Pacific island nation. Police found three bodies in a
burned-out building, as police made more than a hundred arrests
following rioting in Honiara in the past several days.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)(Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, South African
sport began to shut down after the detection of a new coronavirus
variant in the country, with the imposition of travel bans forcing
rugby teams and golfers to scramble to try and leave and the
European golf tour to cancel one of its tournaments.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, The Spanish region
of Catalonia postponed the introduction of mandatory COVID passes at
bars, restaurants and gyms after thousands of people attempted to
download the certificate from a local government website and crashed
the system.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, It was reported
that several Sudanese political figures arrested since a coup last
month have started a hunger strike in protest at their continued
detention.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, President
Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine had uncovered a plot to overthrow
his government next week, involving individuals from Russia caught
on tape talking about roping Ukraine's richest businessman into
backing a coup.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, The United
Nations' committee against enforced disappearances expressed concern
that the Mexican government has not adopted its recommendations
aimed at preventing disappearances in the Latin American country.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, The World Trade
Organization (WTO) became the first major diplomatic casualty of the
new coronavirus variant when it postponed its first ministerial
meeting in four years due to the deteriorating health situation.
   (Reuters, 11/26/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 48,186,332 with the death toll at 776,385.
   (sfist.com, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Algerians voted to
elect mayors and regional leaders amid widespread worry and
frustration over rising prices for basic goods, housing and health
care.
   (AP, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Australia and
several other countries joined nations imposing restrictions on
travel from southern Africa after the discovery of the new Omicron
coronavirus variant sparked global concern and triggered a sell-off
on financial markets.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Austria said it
has detected its first suspected case of the new Omicron coronavirus
variant in the Tirol.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Bahrain banned
entry to travelers from four more African states, increasing the
number of banned countries on its red list to 10, due to concerns
over the spread of COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, In Britain at
least two people died and tens of thousands were left without power
as Storm Arwen brought strong winds across many parts of the UK,
with gusts of up to 100 miles per hour (160 kph).
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Britain announced
new measures to try to slow the spread of the newly identified
Omicron coronavirus variant. Health minister Sajid Javid said two
linked cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant have been
detected in Britain connected to travel to southern Africa.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, In Burkina Faso
protesters burned tires and pillaged a government building in
Ouagadougou after police fired tear gas to disperse a march against
the state's failure to stop a wave of violence by Islamist
militants.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Authorities in
Beijing said Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi Corp (1810.HK) will
build a plant that can produce 300,000 vehicles annually in Beijing
for its electric vehicle unit.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Czech President
Miloš Zeman (77) was discharged from the capital's military hospital
after testing positive for the coronavirus.
   (AP, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, France's farm
ministry said it has detected a highly pathogenic bird flu virus on
a poultry farm in the north of the country.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)  Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Officials in the
western state of Hesse said the Omicron variant of the coronavirus
has probably arrived in Germany, after mutations were found in a
passenger arriving from South Africa.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Hungary said it
will impose restrictions on travelers from Botswana, Lesotho,
Swaziland, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, after a
new coronavirus variant was detected in South Africa.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Indian PM Narendra
Modi told officials to review plans to ease travel restrictions as
concerns rise over the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, In northern Iraq a
roadside bomb attack by Islamic State group fighters killed five
Kurdish forces and wounded four others.
   (AP, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Israel said it
would ban the entry of all foreigners into the country, making it
the first country to shut its borders completely in response to a
new and potentially more contagious coronavirus variant. PM Naftali
Bennett said Israel would use counter-terrorism phone-tracking
technology in order to contain the spread of the Omicron variant. On
Dec. 2 Israel said it was halting the use of a controversial phone
tracking technology to trace possible cases of the new coronavirus
variant.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)(AP, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Japan said it will
tighten border controls for the southern African nations of
Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia, as of midnight requiring a 10-day
quarantine for any entrants.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Macau said police
were questioning Alvin Chau, after a Chinese city issued an arrest
warrant for the junket mogul, accusing him of operating gambling
activities in mainland China.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Malaysian police
said it will look into a claim a factory worker of Dyson supplier
ATA IMS Bhd was beaten at its station but that it had not received
any formal complaints. British home appliance maker Dyson has said
that it was ending its contract with ATA after an audit of the
company's labor practices and allegations by a whistleblower.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Dutch health
authorities said they had detected 61 COVID-19 cases among people
who flew from South Africa a day earlier and were now doing further
tests to see whether any are infected with the new Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, A Russian court
ordered five people to remain in pre-trial detention for two months
pending an investigation into a devastating blast in a coal mine in
Siberia that resulted in dozens of deaths.
   (AP, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Russia's US
Ambassador Anatoly Antonov said that 27 more Russian diplomats and
their families were expelled from the United States and would leave
on Jan. 30.
   (AP, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, The Saudi-led
coalition fighting in Yemen launched air strikes on military targets
in Sanaa, asking civilians not to gather around or approach the
targeted sites.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)  Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, In Serbia
skirmishes erupted between police and anti-government demonstrators
who blocked roads and bridges in the Balkan country in protest
against new laws they say favor interests of foreign investors
devastating the environment.
   (AP, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, South Africa said
it was being punished for its advanced ability to detect new
COVID-19 variants early, as travel bans and restrictions imposed
because of the new Omicron variant threaten to harm tourism and
other sectors of the economy.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, In Spain thousands
of police officers marched through Madrid to protest against a
proposed reform of a 2015 security law which they say will hamper
their ability to do their work. The legislation allows authorities
to fine media organizations for distributing unauthorized images of
police, strictly limits demonstrations and imposes heavy fines for
offenders. Police would also have to use less harmful materials at
protests.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Sri Lanka said it
was barring travelers from six Southern African countries over
concerns about the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Sudan's military
claimed that Ethiopian military and militia forces attacked the
border area of al-Fashaqa, a disputed agricultural area that
straddles the two countries.
   (AP, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, It was reported
that Sudan's former minister of cabinet affairs Khalid Omer Yousif
was released from detention along with others less than a day after
beginning a hunger strike.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Switzerland
widened quarantine requirements to stem the spread of the new
Omicron coronavirus variant to travelers arriving from Britain, the
Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Egypt and Malawi, where cases have
been detected.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, The United Arab
Emirates said a new criminal code would come into force in January
as part of what it called the most sweeping legal reform in the Gulf
state's history.
   (Reuters, 11/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Former US Defense
Secretary Mark Esper filed a lawsuit against the Department of
Defense for withholding parts of a memoir about the time he spent in
the administration of Donald Trump.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 48,207,699 with the death toll at 776,578.
   (sfist.com, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In southern
California four children, including an infant, and their grandmother
were found shot to death. The father, Germarcus David (29), turned
himself in to deputies at the Lancaster sheriff's station soon after
the mother found the bodies.
   (SFC, 11/30/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Lee Elder (87),
the first African American to take part in the Masters tournament
(1975), died in in Escondido, Ca.
   (NY Times, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Fashion designer
Virgil Abloh (41), whose work bridged streetwear and the luxury
world, died of cancer in Chicago.
   (NY Times, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Phil Saviano (69),
a clergy sex abuse survivor and whistleblower, died in Douglas,
Mass. He played a pivotal role in exposing decades of predatory
assaults by Roman Catholic priests in the United States.
   (AP, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Australia
confirmed that two people arriving from southern Africa over the
weekend had tested positive for the Omicron coronavirus variant,
adding to a growing number of countries fighting the highly
infectious strain.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Botswana's health
minister said the country had detected 15 more cases of the Omicron
coronavirus variant, adding to the four confirmed cases it declared
on Nov. 26.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Tens of thousands
of people northern England and Scotland remained without power after
a storm brought sleet, subzero temperatures and disruptions across
much of the UK.
   (AP, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Britain said it
has recorded the third case of the newly identified Omicron
coronavirus variant. The infected individual, who was no longer in
Britain, was linked to travel to Southern Africa.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In Burkina Faso
suspected militants killed four soldiers in northern Loroum
province.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Cambodian former
prime minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh (77), the current king's
half-brother, died in France. He spent his later years in the
political shadow of his one-time rival PM Hun Sen.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, A study by Peking
University mathematicians said China could face more than 630,000
COVID-19 infections a day if it dropped its zero-tolerance policies
by lifting travel curbs.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Czech President
Milos Zeman appointed the leader of a center-right alliance Petr
Fiala as prime minister in a ceremony he performed from a plexiglass
cubicle after testing positive for COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In the Czech Rep.
several thousand people protested in Prague against anti-coronavirus
restrictions as many Czech hospitals halted non-urgent procedures in
the face of one of the world's fastest rates of new infections.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, France began
repatriating some of its nationals from the Ethiopian capital Addis
Ababa after chartering a special flight to bring them back to Paris.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, France's health
minister said the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is probably
already circulating in France, adding that the government was
tightening restrictions to contain its spread.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Germany said it
had detected a total of three cases of the new Omicron coronavirus
variant after a suspected infection in the western state of Hesse
was confirmed.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In Germany police
shut down vaccine operations by Winfried Stöcker, a millionaire
doctor in Lübeck. He facing criminal charges after vaccinating an
estimated 20,000 people with a COVID-19 vaccine that he concocted.
Stöcker is also the owner of the Lübeck Airport.
   (The Hill, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Ghana said it will
ramp up its COVID-19 inoculation campaign next month and make the
vaccine mandatory for targeted groups including all public sector
and health workers from Jan. 22. Only 1.4 million people of Ghana's
30 million are fully vaccinated.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Hondurans headed
to the polls in what could be their country’s most significant
elections in more than a decade. Xiomara Castro, the opposition
candidate, led in initial results. She would be the first woman to
lead the country.
   (NY Times, 11/28/21)(NY Times, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Iceland's current
government coalition, consisting of three parties from the left to
the right, said it has agreed to continue for another term after
they bolstered their majority in a Sept 25 general election.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Indonesia said it
will ban the entry of travelers who have been in eight African
countries and extend quarantine times for all arrivals to curb the
spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Israel's
government approved the immigration of several thousand Jews from
war-torn Ethiopia, some of whom have waited for decades to join
their relatives in Israel.
   (AP, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Italy reported 47
coronavirus-related deaths, against 90 the day before. The daily
tally of new infections rose slightly to 12,932 from 12,877.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Kyrgyzstan held
parliamentary elections. Allies of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov
appeared set to win the election by a landslide.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Lithuanian
President Gitanas Nauseda said that the NATO military alliance
needed to adjust its stance towards Belarus, whose military, he
said, was becoming more integrated with Russian armed forces.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Macau police said
they had arrested 11 people in an investigation into an illegal
gambling and money-laundering syndicate, a day after businessman
Alvin Chau, who organizes trips to Asian casinos for big spending
gamblers, was questioned at a police station.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Maldives said it
was barring travelers from seven African countries as of today over
concerns about the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Morocco said it is
suspending all incoming air travel from around the world starting
Nov. 29 for two weeks because of the rapid spread of the new omicron
variant.
   (AP, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Dutch health
authorities said that 13 cases of the new Omicron coronavirus
variant have been found in the Netherlands among passengers that
were on two flights from South Africa that arrived on Nov. 26.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In Nigeria gunmen
freed more than 260 inmates late today during an attack on a prison
in the central city of Jos, in the country's fourth such raid this
year. A gunbattle left one guard and nine prisoners dead.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, A magnitude of 7.5
earthquake struck northern Peru early today, damaging some buildings
and blocking several roads with rubble.
   (AP, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, The Philippines
further tightened border controls to keep out the new Omicron
variant of the coronavirus, adding seven European countries to a
travel ban that initially covered seven African nations.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In Serbia
thousands of people rallied in Belgrade to demand an end to alarming
levels of air pollution.
   (AP, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Singapore-based
virtual currency exchange Coinstore said it has begun operations in
India at a time when the Indian government is preparing legislation
to effectively bar most private cryptocurrencies.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, A South African
doctor, who was one of the first to suspect a different coronavirus
strain among patients, said that symptoms of the Omicron variant
were so far mild and could be treated at home. Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa
condemned travel bans enacted against his country and its neighbors
over the new coronavirus variant Omicron.
   (Reuters, 11/28/21)(BBC, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Spain detected its
first case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in a
51-year-old man who arrived from South Africa after a layover in
Amsterdam. The patient was in fair condition with light symptoms.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Sudan’s armed
forces said that six of its forces were killed in fighting in the
country’s border region with Ethiopia.
   (AP, 11/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Switzerland's
government said the first probable case of the Omicron variant of
COVID-19 has been detected in the country, as entry restrictions
tightened to check its spread.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Swiss voters
backed legislation authorizing special COVID-19 certificates under
which only people who have been vaccinated, recovered or tested
negative can attend public events and gatherings.
   (SFC, 11/29/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Four more people
died on Tanzania's Pemba island after eating poisonous turtle meat,
raising the death toll over the last two days to seven. In rare
cases turtle meat can be toxic due to a type of food poisoning known
as chelonitoxism.
   (BBC, 11/29/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 48,253,807 with the death toll at 776,890.
   (sfist.com, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Michigan recorded
a record 4,181 adults hospitalized with the coronavirus, the most
since the pandemic began.
   (SFC, 11/30/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, It was reported
that Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has stepped down as CEO of the
social media platform. He was succeeded by Twitter's current chief
technology officer, Parag Agrawal.
   (AP, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Negotiators in
Vienna resumed talks over reviving Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with
world powers, with hopes of quick progress muted after a hard-line
new government in Tehran led to a more than five-month hiatus. The
US remained outside of the negotiations as it has for other talks
since leaving the deal under then-President Donald Trump's “maximum
pressure” campaign against Tehran.
   (AP, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Botswana's Court
of Appeal upheld a 2019 ruling that decriminalized gay sex, a
decision hailed by gay community as establishing the southern
African country as a "true democracy".
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Britain said it
will offer a COVID-19 booster shot to all adults in a bid to
accelerate its vaccination program amid concern over the new Omicron
coronavirus variant, as eight more cases were found in the country.
Britain reported 42,583 further cases of COVID-19 and 35 more deaths
within 28 days of a positive test, according to official data.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Canada said a
further two cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant have been
detected in Ottawa, bringing the country's total number of cases to
five.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Chad's ruling
military council said it has granted a general amnesty to members of
armed groups as one of its steps towards a proposed national
dialogue.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, President Xi
Jinping said China would offer another 1 billion doses of COVID-19
vaccines to African countries and would encourage Chinese companies
to invest no less than $10 billion in Africa over the next three
years.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, The Colombian,
Chilean and Peruvian stock exchanges approved a merger into a
regional holding company, creating Latin America's second biggest
bourse.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, It was reported
that the Commonwealth of Dominica has approved a bilateral agreement
with Switzerland, enabling Dominica to sell its carbon credits to
help Switzerland meet its Paris Agreement emissions pledge.
   (PR Newswire, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, It was reported
that Ghana’s government is ordering access to beaches, restaurants,
night clubs and stadiums be limited to people who have been
vaccinated against COVID-19, as part of its efforts to fight the
spread of the virus.
   (AP, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Hong Kong
authorities issued arrest warrants for former democratic legislator
Ted Hui and former district councilor Yau Man-chun, now living
abroad, for inciting people not to vote or to cast blank votes at a
Dec. 19 legislative election.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Hong Kong banned
non-residents from entering the city from four African countries and
plans to expand that to travelers who have been to Australia,
Canada, Israel and six European countries in the past 21 days due to
fears over Omicron.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, India's parliament
passed a bill to repeal three laws aiming at deregulating
agricultural markets, bowing to pressure from farmers who have
protested for over a year to demand that the laws be rolled back.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Kazakhstan
suspended flights with Egypt, a popular holiday destination for
residents of the central Asian nation, citing a case of the Omicron
variant of coronavirus found in Belgium in a passenger arriving from
the African country.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Defence Minister
Artis Pabriks said Latvia needs a permanent US military presence to
deter Russia and wants to boost its defenses with US Patriot
missiles, as NATO's chief visited allied troops in the Baltic
country.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Malaysia and
Singapore reopened one of the world's busiest land borders, allowing
vaccinated travelers to cross after nearly two years of being shut
due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Myanmar's navy
seized a boat carrying 228 Rohingya and arrested all on board after
the latest attempt by members of the persecuted Muslim minority
group to leave the country.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Paraguay said it
has imposed a travel ban on foreigners from 10 African countries in
a bid to prevent entry of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, amid
concerns about its spread worldwide.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Poland said it
would ban flights to seven African countries from Dec 1-17, extend
quarantines for some travelers and further limit numbers allowed
into places like restaurants, amid concerns over the new Omicron
variant of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Portugal detected
13 cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant, all involving players
and staff of top division soccer club Belenenses SAD, one of whose
players recently returned from South Africa.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, It was reported
that a dispute between Airbus and Qatar Airways over paint and
surface flaws on A350 jets stretches beyond the Gulf, with at least
five other airlines raising concerns since the high-tech model
entered service.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, The developer of
Russia's Sputnik V vaccine said that it will immediately start
working on adapting that COVID-19 vaccine to counter the omicron
variant. A new version of Sputnik V could be ready for mass
production in 45 days.
   (AP, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Sweden's first
female prime minister Magdalena Andersson was reappointed days after
she quit amid political turmoil and jostling ahead of elections.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, The WHO said the
Omicron coronavirus variant carried a very high risk of infection
surges as more countries closed their borders and reported cases of
the new strain.
   (Reuters, 11/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, The US warned of
"serious consequences" if Russia escalates the conflict in Ukraine,
sending a clear message to Russian President Vladimir Putin as he
continues to mobilize troops on the border of his neighboring
country.
   (The Hill, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, The United States
revoked its designation of the Colombian group the Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) as a foreign terrorist organization
five years after it reached a peace deal with the Colombian
government.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, A US federal judge
issued a preliminary injunction to halt the start of President
Biden’s national vaccine mandate for health care workers, which had
been set to begin next week.
   (NY Times, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, A US judge
sentenced Emma Coronel Aispuro (32), the wife of imprisoned Mexican
drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, to three years in prison,
after she pleaded guilty to helping the Sinaloa drug cartel.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, A US federal
appeals court reinstated California's voter-approved ban on
possessing large-capacity gun magazines, those holding more than 10
cartridges.
   (SFC, 12/1/21, p.C1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Dr. Anthony Fauci,
the top US infectious disease expert, said the COVID-19 pandemic has
diverted scientific and financial resources from the fight against
AIDS, seriously impeding global efforts to achieve the U.N. goal of
ending AIDS by 2030.
   (AP, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, A panel of US
health advisors backed the benefits of molnupiravir, a COVID-19 pill
from Merck. The FDA panel voted 13-10 that the drug's benefits
outweigh its risks.
   (SFC, 12/1/21, p.A5)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 48,454,229 with the death toll at 778,870.
   (sfist.com, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, The Los Angeles
City Council voted unanimously to ban so-called ghost guns,
untraceable firearms that are typically sold in kits for at-home
assembly without serial numbers or background check requirements.
   (The Hill, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Los Angeles, Ca.,
began enforcing one of the strictest vaccine mandates in the US. It
required proof of shots for everyone entering a wide variety of
businesses.
   (SFC, 12/1/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Atlanta City
Council member Andre Dickens won a runoff election to become the
city's next mayor.
   (SFC, 12/1/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Three students
were killed in a shooting at a high school in Oxford, Mich. The
police arrested Ethan Crumbley, a 15-year-old suspect. Crumbley
carried out the shooting in a Detroit suburb using a handgun his
father had bought four days earlier. A fourth injured student died
the next day. On Dec. 3 Crumbley's parents were charged with
involuntary manslaughter.
   (NY Times, 11/30/21)(NY Times, 12/1/21)(AP,
12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, In an attempt to
curb a surge in overdose deaths caused by increasingly potent street
drugs, New York City authorized two supervised injection sites in
Manhattan that began operating today.
   (NY Times, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, CNN anchor Chris
Cuomo was suspended indefinitely by the network after new details
emerged about his efforts to assist his brother, Andrew M. Cuomo,
the former governor of New York, as he faced a cascade of sexual
harassment accusations that led to the governor’s resignation.
   (NY Times, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Rev. C. Herbert
Oliver (96), a civil rights apostle who confronted the
segregationist police commissioner Bull Connor in Birmingham, Ala.,
and challenged the way the public school system in New York City
educated Black children, died in Brooklyn.
   (NY Times, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Scientists
unveiled plans to map the world's huge underground webs of fungi for
the first time, to identify hotspots that could better protect
natural ecosystems and store carbon dioxide to help tackle climate
change.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, A Human Rights
Watch investigation reported that more than 100 former members of
the military and police have been killed or forcibly disappeared by
the Taliban since the group came into power.
   (NY Times, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Australian
authorities confirmed a person with COVID-19 had the new Omicron
variant after disclosing that the person had been active in the
community, but urged calm as they weighed up the severity of the
strain.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Barbados removed
Britain's Queen Elizabeth as its head of state and become a
republic, as it severed imperial ties some 400 years after English
ships first reached the Caribbean island. President-elect Sandra
Mason replaced Queen Elizabeth.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Belgium and
Britain said they will cooperate more closely to fight illegal
migration, days after France snubbed Britain and said it needed to
get serious before talks on the matter could resume.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, The UK said a
further eight cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been
identified in England, taking the total number to 13. New mask
mandates and other measures aimed at curbing the spread of the
Omicron coronavirus variant came into force.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Burkinabe Security
Minister Maxime Kone said Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Togo
have carried out a joint military operation to counter increased
attacks by Islamist insurgent groups in parts of West Africa.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, China said it
expects to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics "smoothly" and on schedule,
despite challenges posed by the emergence of the new Omicron
coronavirus variant.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, In eastern
CongoDRC one Congolese and one international staff member of the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were abducted in
North Kivu province. Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo mounted
air and artillery strikes in a joint operation in North Kivu
province against an Islamic State-linked militia.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, The Inter-American
Court of Human Rights ruled that El Salvador had violated the rights
of a woman who was sent to prison for breaching the country's tough
abortion laws and died in 2010 while serving her 30-year sentence.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, The European Union
called on Beijing to show proof of the wellbeing of tennis star Peng
Shuai, adding its voice to international concern about her fate
since she alleged sexual assault by a former top Chinese official.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, French police tore
down a makeshift camp near the northern port of Dunkirk where scores
of migrants who say they are fleeing war, poverty and persecution in
the Middle East were hunkered down with hopes of reaching Britain.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, France honored
US-born Josephine Baker (1906-1975) by inducting her into the French
Pantheon, the first Black woman to receive the nation's highest
honor.
   (SFC, 12/1/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, France said it has
registered about 47,000 new confirmed COVID-19 cases over the past
24 hours, the highest one-day tally since April 8 at the height of
the third wave of the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, French police
reinforcements arrived in the Caribbean territory of Martinique to
restore order after unrest that erupted over COVID-19 measures, in
particular the mandatory vaccination of healthcare workers.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, A German court
jailed Taha al-Jumailly (29), a former Islamic State militant, for
life for involvement in genocide and crimes against humanity against
minority Yazidis in Iraq and Syria, including the murder of a
five-year-old girl.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, PM Kyriakos
Mitsotakis said Greece will impose fines of €100 (£85) at monthly
intervals from mid-January on those who refuse vaccination.
   (BBC, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Honduras'
conservative ruling party candidate late today conceded defeat in
the presidential election, paving the way for his leftist rival
Xiomara Castro to become the first female leader of the struggling
Central American country.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021      Nov 30, India's
health ministry said states should ramp up COVID-19 testing as the
world battles the new coronavirus variant Omicron, while some cities
delayed the reopening of schools as a precautionary measure.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021      Nov 30, Iraq
released final results from the Oct. 10 general election, confirming
populist Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's movement's victory as the
biggest bloc, with 73 seats in the fractious 329-seat house.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Japan confirmed
its first case of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, a day after
closing its borders to all foreigners in one of the world's toughest
precautionary measures.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Lesotho's former
prime minister, Thomas Thabane (82), was charged over the 2017
murder of his estranged wife in a case that has shocked the southern
African highland kingdom. His current wife, Maesaiah Thabane (43),
has also been charged over the murder.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Maldives' former
president Abdulla Yameen was freed from house arrest after a top
court overturned a money-laundering and embezzlement conviction,
allowing him to potentially make a return to politics.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, The Mozambican
government said that it had detected two cases of Omicron variant in
the country.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, It was reported
that Myanmar's military government has filed a new corruption charge
against deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and former
President Win Myint. The new charge relates to the purchase and
rental of a helicopter and falls under the anti-corruption law,
violations of which are punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Hundreds of civil
society organizations in Myanmar joined their international
colleagues in signing a letter asking Total's CEO to stop payments
to military-controlled accounts.
   (AP, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, In northern
Nigeria a boat carrying students capsized on the Watari dam in Kano
state, killing at least 29.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, It was reported
that Gaza's Hamas rulers have reached an agreement by which Qatar
will resume subsidizing the salaries of public employees by sending
fuel to the impoverished territory.
   (AP, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Poland's president
signed into law legislation that will limit the access of aid
charities and journalists to its border with Belarus as the country
grapples with a simmering migrant crisis.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Russian President
Vladimir Putin sternly warned NATO against deploying its troops and
weapons to Ukraine, saying it represents a red line for Russia and
would trigger a strong response.
   (AP, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, A rebel Russian
monk who castigated the Kremlin and denied that the coronavirus
existed was convicted on accusations of encouraging suicides and
given a 3½-year prison sentence. Father Sergiy was arrested in
December 2020 on charges of inciting suicidal actions through
sermons in which he urged believers to "die for Russia".
   (AP, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Scotland's First
Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the nine cases of the Omicron
coronavirus variant in Scotland were all linked to the same Nov. 20
private event, and none of the people who had tested positive for
the variant had required hospital treatment.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Slovenia said it
may ban Johnson & Johnson's Janssen COVID-19 vaccine except when
people request it, after concluding a young woman's death was linked
to the shot.
   (AP, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Sudanese security
forces deployed tear gas on tens of thousands of protesters
gathering in central Khartoum to oppose military rule following last
month's coup.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, The Swedish health
agency recommended that all travelers above the age of 6 entering
Sweden from outside the Nordic region take a COVID-19 test within
seven days due to the spread of the Omicron variant of the
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Syrian authorities
said they seized over 500 kg (1,000 pounds) of amphetamine pills
known by the brand name Captagon hidden in pasta packages in a van
bound for Saudi Arabia.
   (AP, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Ukraine PM Denys
Shmygal accused Russia of being "absolutely" behind what he called
an attempt to organize a coup to overthrow the pro-Western
government in Kyiv, citing intelligence.
   (Reuters, 11/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov, A company started by
Bill Gates, TerraPower, announced it had chosen Kemmerer, Wyoming,
for a nontraditional, sodium-cooled nuclear reactor that will bring
on workers from a local coal-fired power plant scheduled to close
soon.
   (AP, 1/17/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov The National Museum of
Afghanistan reopened for the first time since the Taliban takeover
of Afghanistan in mid-August amid the chaotic withdrawal of US and
NATO troops.
   (AP, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov, Radio Free Asia
reported that copies of Squid Game had been smuggled into North
Korea on USB drives and SD cards. A man who is said to have smuggled
in the show was later sentenced to death by a firing squad. NK News
later cited experts who said this was unlikely.
   (Kotaku, 11/24/21)(Business Insider, 11/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Health officials
identified Omicron in the US: a patient in California who had
returned from South Africa.
   (NY Times, 12/2/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 48,577,181 with the death toll at 780,443.
   (sfist.com, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, In southern
California Jacqueline Avant (81), wife of music executive Clarence
Avant, died from a gunshot wound as her home in Beverly Hills was
burglarized. On March 3 Aariel Maynor (30) pleaded guilty to her
fatal shooting and the attempted murder of a security guard.
   (SFC, 3/5/22, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, O.J. Simpson (74)
was granted good behavior credits and discharged from parole. He had
served 9 years in a Nevada prison for armed robbery and was released
on parole in 2017. He had been acquitted in 1995 of the double
slayings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald
Goldman. A civil court later found him responsible for the killings.
   (SFC, 12/15/21, p.B8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, The Women’s Tennis
Association suspended tournaments in China after the star player
Peng Shuai (35) vanished from public life.
   (NY Times, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Planned Parenthood
said its Los Angeles clinics suffered a ransomware attack in October
and personal information of 400,000 patients was stolen. An
"unauthorized person" gained access to the Los Angeles affiliate's
network between Oct. 9 and 17 and installed ransomware and malware.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Tesla said it has
officially moved its headquarters to a large factory under
construction outside of Austin, Texas.
   (SFC, 12/2/21, p.C3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, A senior politician
from Belize pledged "steadfast" support for Taiwan during a meeting
with President Tsai Ing-wen, amid doubts whether fellow Central
American nation Honduras will maintain ties with the island
following a presidential election.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, In northern Benin
two people were killed and several wounded when Islamist militants
attacked an army position in the Porga region. One jihadist was
killed by troops in an attack a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Brazil reported a
third case of the Omicron coronavirus variant, casting doubt on
plans to loosen containment curbs ahead of year-end holidays in
response to a fall in infection numbers.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, PM Boris Johnson
issued a "call to get jabs in arms" as Britain stepped up its
COVID-19 booster program to fend off the Omicron variant after
another 10 cases of the new strain were identified.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Miroslav Zikmund
(102), a legendary Czech travel writer, died.
   (AP, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Ethiopia's PM Abiy
Ahmed said soldiers supported by regional forces have recaptured
territory from rebellious Tigrayan fighters.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Fiji welcomed back
its first tourists in more than 600 days, despite a threat posed by
the newly detected omicron variant of the coronavirus.
   (SFC, 12/2/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, France said the
Channel island of Guernsey has approved all licenses its fishermen
are entitled to under the terms of Britain's post-Brexit trade
agreement, but dozens more were still being withheld by Britain and
Jersey.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Ghana's health
ministry said it detected the country's first cases of the Omicron
COVID-19 variant on passengers who arrived at Accra international
airport following sequencing carried out on Nov. 21.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, It was reported
that India's northern Haryana and Punjab states have suffered
electricity cuts after a directive to stop operating six of the 11
coal-fired power plants around national capital New Delhi in a bid
to reduce pollution.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Indonesian police
detained eight Papuan students after a rally in Jayapura marking the
1963 end of Dutch colonial occupation of the resource-rich and
remote Papua region. The students were charged with treason. On Dec.
3 Amnesty International called for their release.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Japan's flag
airlines halted new reservations and the government widened a travel
ban amid escalating alarm over Omicron after a second case of the
coronavirus variant was detected in the country. Japan's ban on
incoming int'l. flights was retracted the next day.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)(SFC, 12/2/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Macau-based Suncity
Group announced in a statement that CEO Alvin Chau had resigned from
all his positions in the company. All of its VIP gaming rooms in
Macau, the world's largest gambling hub, were closed after the
company's CEO was arrested.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Nigeria confirmed
its first cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant in air passenger
arrivals, but amended an earlier statement to say the travelers had
arrived in Nigeria only over the past week.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Portugal said it is
entering a so-called state of calamity to curb an upward trend in
coronavirus infections.
   (SFC, 12/2/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Russia said it was
ordering US embassy staff who have been in Moscow for more than
three years to fly home by Jan. 31, a retaliatory move for what
Moscow said was a U.S. decision to limit the terms of Russian
diplomats.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, It was reported
that Saudi Arabia has confirmed its first case of the Omicron
COVID-19 variant coming from a north African country.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Organizers halted a
music festival for young people on the South African coast after 36
people tested positive for COVID-19 at the site, the latest impact
from a new wave of infections sweeping across the country.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, President Tayyip
Erdogan said Turks should act with reason and avoid panic after the
lira slumped to record lows, adding that Turkey's current 20% annual
inflation could be solved rapidly.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Hundreds of Ugandan
soldiers in armored vehicles crossed the border into eastern
Democratic Republic of Congo, as a joint offensive against an
Islamic State-linked armed group appeared to expand.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, The United Arab
Emirates announced its first known case of the new COVID-19 variant
Omicron. The variant was detected in an African woman who had
travelled from an African country and transited through an Arab
country. The woman had received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, The UN nuclear
watchdog (IAEA) said Iran has started the process of enriching
uranium to 20% purity with advanced centrifuges at its Fordow
facility buried inside a mountain.
   (Reuters, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres said UN flights between Tigray’s capital Mekelle
and Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa had also restarted. 157 trucks
with food and humanitarian aid arrived in Tigray’s capital for the
first time in more than six weeks and another aid convoy was moving.
   (AP, 12/1/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Pres. Joe Biden
said the US government will require private health insurance
companies to reimburse customers for the cost of over-the-counter
at-home COVID-19 tests under new measures to combat the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, The US, EU, Britain
and Canada slapped simultaneous sanctions on dozens of officials,
organizations and companies in Belarus taking aim at those accused
of taking part in an attack on the EU using migrants.
   (SFC, 12/3/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, US and Mexican
officials said the Biden administration will restart a controversial
Trump-era border program that forces asylum seekers to wait in
Mexico for US immigration hearings, in keeping with a federal court
order.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, The Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) sued to block Nvidia’s $40 billion acquisition of a
fellow chip company, Arm, halting what would be the biggest
semiconductor industry deal in history, as federal regulators push
to rein in corporate consolidation.
   (NY Times, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, The Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) said Chinese companies that list on US
stock exchanges must disclose whether they are owned or controlled
by a government entity, and provide evidence of their auditing
inspections.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Democratic and
Republican leaders in the US Congress agreed on a proposal to fund
federal agencies through mid-February, clearing the way for a House
of Representatives vote that would be a critical step in averting a
partial government shutdown.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, US federal
officials said Félix Delgado, prominent mayor in Puerto Rico accused
of awarding 50 contracts worth nearly $10 million to an asphalt
company, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and
receive kickbacks. He faced up to 20 years in prison.
   (AP, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Spacewalking
astronauts replaced a broken antenna outside the International Space
Station after getting NASA’s all-clear for orbiting debris.
   (AP, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Major League
Baseball is in a work stoppage for the first time in nearly three
decades after the owners of M.L.B.’s 30 clubs and the players failed
to reach a new collective bargaining agreement before the expiration
of the previous five-year pact.
   (NY Times, 12/2/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 48,775,512 with the death toll at 782,794.
   (sfist.com, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Los Angeles police
said more than a dozen people have been arrested for coordinating a
series of tandem smash-and-grab thefts across Los Angeles. All 14
were immediately released from custody due to a zero-bail policy
implemented last year in a bid to reduce overcrowding at Los Angeles
County jails during the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (Daily News, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, US health officials
reported a case of the omicron coronavirus variant in a Colorado
woman who had recently traveled to South Africa.
   (SFC, 12/3/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, It was reported
that the US Navy's water system in Pearl Harbor has become
contaminated by petroleum. The Navy said that tests had identified
petroleum in its Red Hill well which taps into an aquifer near the
base.
   (AP, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, The US state's
health department said a case of the Omicron coronavirus variant has
been identified in Minnesota.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Nicholas Mitchell
(39) of Dover, New Hampshire, accused of putting razor blades and
screws in pizza dough at supermarkets in Maine and New Hampshire,
was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison.
Mitchell was arrested in October 2020 after razor blades were found
in pizza dough sold at a Hannaford store in Saco.
   (AP, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, US Health officials
reported multiple cases of the omicron coronavirus variant in New
York City. An adult male had a recent travel history to New York
City, and had been fully vaccinated. He developed mild symptoms on
Nov. 22 and sought COVID-19 testing on Nov. 24.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)(SFC, 12/3/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Kellogg Co said it
has reached an agreement with the union on a new five-year contract
for its employees at a few breakfast-cereal plants in the United
States, potentially bringing a near two-month long strike to an end.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, US health officials
reported multiple cases of the omicron coronavirus variant in New
York City.
   (SFC, 12/3/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Novavax Inc said it
could begin commercial manufacturing of a COVID-19 vaccine tailored
for the Omicron coronavirus variant in January next year, while it
tests whether or not its current vaccine works against the variant.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Uber Technologies
Inc. agreed to pay a $9 million settlement for its failure to comply
with California regulators for information about sexual assault
claims made by its customers and drivers over nearly two years.
   (SFC, 12/4/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Australia's tally
of people with the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 edged higher,
prompting state governments to bolster domestic border controls as
health experts wait to learn more about the dangers posed by the
strain. New South Wales reported its seventh case of the variant, a
person who arrived on Nov. 23 from Doha, Qatar, and noted that the
person had not been in southern Africa, suggesting they caught the
virus on the flight.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Former Chancellor
Sebastian Kurz (35) stunned Austria and left a power vacuum in his
governing conservative party by announcing he was leaving politics,
after coming under criminal investigation for suspected corruption.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Meghan, Britain's
Duchess of Sussex, called for an overhaul of tabloid newspapers
after she won victory in her long-running privacy battle with a
British newspaper which had printed a personal letter she wrote to
her estranged father.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Britain recorded
53,945 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily figure since July 17,
as the dominant Delta variant spreads and measures come in to curb
the Omicron variant of concern.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, British drugmaker
said GSK said laboratory analysis of the antibody-based COVID-19
therapy it is developing with US partner Vir has indicated the drug
is effective against the new Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, China's aviation
regulator cleared the Boeing 737 Max to return to flying with
technical upgrades.
   (SFC, 12/3/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Manzhouli, a
Chinese city adjacent to Russia, said that starting Dec. 3, it would
suspend certain activities for goods transported via highway, its
latest move to tighten virus curbs along borders amid its COVID-19
resurgence. Manzhouli reported 53 locally transmitted COVID-19
infections with confirmed symptoms for Dec. 1, bringing the total
number to 151 since Nov. 28.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Cuban health
authorities said that researchers in the communist-run country are
upgrading its homegrown COVID vaccines to ensure protection against
the new Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Germany agreed on
new COVID-19 restrictions.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Ghana said it
detected the Omicron coronavirus variant in 34 samples from
travelers who returned to the country from Nov. 21-25.
   (AP, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Greek authorities
said 17 Turkish nationals received permission to enter Greece and
apply for asylum there after they crossed the border from Turkey.
   (AP, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, India's capital New
Delhi ordered the closure of schools and colleges until further
notice from Dec. 3 after the Supreme Court criticized the city
government for reopening educational institutions despite "very
poor" air quality.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, India reported its
first two cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant but the
government said it had no immediate plan to authorize booster
vaccine shots despite demands from lawmakers.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Israel on urged
world powers to halt nuclear talks with Iran immediately, citing a
UN watchdog's announcement that Tehran has started producing
enriched uranium with more advanced centrifuges.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Laos held a
Buddhist ceremony to bless its new $6 billion high-speed rail line.
The Chinese-led initiative connects China's southeastern city of
Kunming to the Laos capital Vientiane, stretching more than 1,000 km
(621.37 miles).
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, A Libyan court
ruled that Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, a son of the late Libyan dictator
Moammar Gadhafi, can compete in upcoming presidential elections,
overturning a decision by the country's top electoral body to
disqualify him.
   (AP, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Dutch health
authorities said most of the 62 people who tested positive for
COVID-19 after arriving on two flights from South Africa last week
had been vaccinated, lending weight to a call for pre-flight testing
regardless of vaccination status. All 14 passengers who were later
found to have been infected with the Omicron variant were
vaccinated.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Officials in Norway
said at least 50 people in and around Oslo have been infected with
the omicron coronavirus variant, and the cases are connected to a
Norwegian company’s Christmas party in an Oslo restaurant.
   (AP, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, It was reported
that Russia has deployed its Bastion coastal missile defence system
to a remote part of the Kuril island chain in the Pacific near
Japan.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Health officials in
South Africa said the new coronavirus variant Omicron has now become
dominant in South Africa and is driving a sharp increase in new
infections.
   (BBC, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, South Korea broke
its daily record for coronavirus infections for a 2nd straight day
with more than 5,200 new cases.
   (SFC, 12/3/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Regional
authorities in Madrid said they had detected Spain's first domestic
case of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in a vaccinated person without
links to risk countries, and were investigating two other similar
suspected cases.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, It was reported
that ten oil workers were killed and one was injured in an attack
that targeted a bus carrying them in Syria's eastern Deir al-Zor
countryside.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Pope Francis
arrived on the divided island of Cyprus, calling for people to
"welcome and integrate one another" in a county that has found
itself on one of the frontlines of Europe's migration crisis.
   (Reuters, 12/2/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Zimbabwe said it
has identified its first case of the omicron variant of Covid-19, a
day after announcing a 10-day mandatory quarantine of all travelers
entering the country.
   (https://tinyurl.com/2p9227tb)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, It was reported
that Apple Inc iPhones of at least nine US State Department
employees were hacked by an unknown assailant using sophisticated
spyware developed by the Israel-based NSO Group. The hacks, which
took place in the last several months, hit US officials either based
in Uganda or focused on matters concerning the East African country.
   (AP, 12/3/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 48,833,401 with the death toll at 785,916.
   (sfist.com, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, The California
Statewide Commission on Recycling Markets and Curbside Recycling
asked the California attorney general and regulator CalRecycle to
crack down on what it claims is illegal labeling that's undermining
the state's efforts to tackle plastic pollution.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, In the SF Bay Area
Alameda County Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch announced a
statewide halt to use the pesticide sulfoxaflor, which kills insects
on many crops but is toxic to honeybees. He said a statewide ban
would be issued within 30 days, unless a higher court intervened.
   (SFC, 12/7/21, p.C3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Charlotte Maillard
Shultz (88), San Francisco protocol chief for more than five
decades, died at her Stanford home.
   (SFC, 12/4/21, p.A1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Nebraska's state's
health department said six cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19
have been found, marking the sixth US state with confirmed cases..
New Jersey, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Utah each
reported their first cases of the Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, The National
Weather Service said 19.04 inches (48.4 cm) of rain fell in Seattle,
Wa., between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30, breaking a record set in 2006.
   (AP, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Afghanistan's
Taliban government released a decree which said women should not be
considered "property" and must consent to marriage.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Austria's ruling
conservatives picked Karl Nehammer, an immigration hardliner and the
current interior minister, to lead them and the nation after a wave
of resignations by senior officials set off by their fallen star
Sebastian Kurz.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Belarus said it
would retaliate after the United States and its allies imposed
sanctions against dozens of individuals and entities there, and it
complained that its economy was facing unprecedented external
pressure.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, A Belarus court
sentenced Volha Zalatar, a neighborhood activist and mother of five,
to four years in prison for creating an “extremist group” on the
messaging app Telegram.
   (AP, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Belgium tightened
its coronavirus restrictions for the third consecutive week to fight
one of Europe's worst spikes of COVID-19 cases, but stopped short of
the strict curbs imposed in the neighboring Netherlands or Austria.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, A Brazilian Supreme
Court justice ordered that a probe be opened into President Jair
Bolsonaro for having said during a live broadcast on multiple social
media platforms in October that COVID-19 vaccines may raise the
chance of contracting AIDS.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Britain reported
50,584 further cases of COVID-19 and 143 more deaths within 28 days
of a positive test.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Didi, a China-based
ride-hailing giant, said it will immediately start delisting on the
New York stock exchange and start preparations for listing in Hong
Kong.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, It was reported
that Ethiopian authorities have closed all secondary schools so
pupils can harvest crops for those on the frontline of the civil
war.
   (BBC, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Europe crossed 75
million coronavirus cases, according to a Reuters tally, as the
region braced for the new Omicron variant at a time when hospitals
in some countries are already strained by the current surge.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, European Court of
Human Rights (ECHR) told Turkey it was preparing "infringement
proceedings" over its failure to release imprisoned philanthropist
Osman Kavala, a move that could lead to Ankara's suspension from the
body.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Germany's health
minister said that more than 1% of the population — almost a million
people — are currently infected with the coronavirus, and called on
citizens to get vaccinated if they haven’t done so yet. The country
confirmed 74,352 new daily COVID-19 cases and 390 additional deaths.
   (AP, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Authorities in
Germany said a former employee at the British embassy in Berlin
accused of passing documents to the Russian intelligence service is
facing extradition to Britain. The British national named only as
David S. in accordance with German privacy conventions, was arrested
in August on suspicion of providing information to Russian
intelligence in exchange for cash since at least November 2020.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Hong Kong democracy
activist Nathan Law, speaking from London, called on voters in his
home city to ignore a legislative election this month, the first
under sweeping new rules imposed by Beijing, saying they should not
lend the vote any legitimacy.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, It was reported
that India has revoked a patent for a potato variety grown
exclusively for PepsiCo Inc's popular Lay's potato chips.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, In northern Iraq an
attack early today by Islamic State militants on a village killed
three villagers and 10 Kurdish soldiers.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, In northern Israel
a night of violence ignited when a man was shot and killed in the
Arab town of Umm al-Fahm ended with police shooting and killing a
man involved in an alleged car-ramming attack that wounded two
officers.
   (AP, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, In Mali
unidentified armed men northeast of the town of Bourem attacked a
convoy belonging to the UN peacekeeping mission, killing one
civilian worker and wounding another. Militants killed at least 31
people in central Mali when they fired upon a bus ferrying people to
a market in Bandiagara.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Mexico said it has
confirmed its first case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The infected person arrived from South Africa on Nov. 21, and six
days later presented symptoms of the highly-contagious respiratory
disease.
   (AP, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Myanmar state media
reported that more than 400 telecommunication towers in the country
have been destroyed by opponents of a Feb. 1 coup.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, In The Netherlands
dozens of flag-waving demonstrators from a Kurdish organization
broke into the Dutch grounds of the global chemical weapons watchdog
to protest what they alleged was the use of chemical weapons by
Turkish forces.
   (AP, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Aucklanders
returned to nightclubs, cinemas and cafes as New Zealand's biggest
city exited pandemic lockdown after more than 100 days.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, A mob of factory
employees in eastern Pakistan tortured and burned a Sri Lankan
manager in a "horrific" attack that PM Imran Khan said brought shame
on the country. Investigators believed the attackers in Sialkot had
accused the manager of blasphemy for tearing down a poster with
Islamic holy verses. Over 100 people were soon identified and
arrested.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)(The Independent, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, The Philippine
Court of Appeals granted a request by Maria Ressa to travel to Oslo
to receive her Nobel Prize Peace Prize on Dec. 10, noting that "she
is not a flight risk." Ressa's news site, Rappler, has had its
license suspended and she is embroiled in various legal cases.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Senegal recorded
its first case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in a
tourist who attended a demonstration in the capital Dakar last month
with about 300 people of varying nationalities.
   (Reuters, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Slovakia reported
15,278 new COVID-19 cases, the highest number in a single day since
the pandemic broke out, but the Health Ministry said a technical
issue inflated the number.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, A South African
high court struck down an urgent application brought by
environmentalists to stop oil major Royal Dutch Shell starting
seismic surveys to explore for petroleum systems off the eastern
seaboard's popular Wild Coast.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, South Africa said
it is being hit by a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections driven by
the Omicron variant which has been detected in seven of the
country's nine provinces.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, It was reported
that severe flooding has hit South Sudan's northern state of Unity,
cutting off communities from accessing supplies of food and other
vital commodities.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Swiss-based Power
trader and operator Energy Financing Team (EFT) said it has signed
an agreement on the construction of a 60-megawatt (MW) solar plant
in Bosnia with China's Dongfang Electric International Corporation
(DEC).
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Thai authorities
intercepted nearly 900 kg (2,000 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine
hidden in a cargo shipment at Bangkok's Port Custom Office and bound
for Taiwan where it could be sold for up to $88 million.
   (Reuters, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, The United Arab
Emirates ordered 80 Rafale fighter jets and 12 military helicopters,
deepening economic and political ties with France through an arms
contract worth 17 billion euros ($19.20 billion).
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, The United Nations
Development Program said it aims to almost triple its plastic waste
management to 100 cities in India by 2024. India generates about 3.4
million tons of plastic waste annually.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, A UN expert said
contemporary forms of slavery exist in Sri Lanka, with vulnerable
groups such as children, women, ethnic minorities and older people
particularly affected.
   (AP, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, The UN Security
Council voted unanimously o allow international naval forces to
continue using all necessary means to fight piracy off the coast of
Somalia — but only for the next three months because the Somali
government says there has been no piracy incident for over four
years and it’s time to end the operation.
   (AP, 12/3/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, It was reported
that Venezuela has denied visa extensions for electoral observers
from the European Union, requiring them to leave the South American
country this weekend.
   (Reuters, 12/3/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 49,018,649 with the death toll at 787,898.
   (sfist.com, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, The Louisiana
Department of Health said a cruise ship set to dock in New
Orleans with over 3,000 passengers has detected 10 cases of COVID-19
among its crew and guests.
   (Reuters, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, James and Jennifer
Crumbley, the parents of the teen charged in the Oxford High School
shooting, were located and arrested early today in Detroit after a
citizen saw their vehicle and called police.
   (Detroit Free Press, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, The star anchor
Chris Cuomo was fired by CNN over his efforts to help his brother,
former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, fight off a sexual harassment
scandal.
   (NY Times, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Stonewall Jackson
(89), the honky-tonk singer who overcame an abusive, hardscrabble
childhood and went on to enjoy a long, successful career in country
music, including more than 60 years as a member of the cast of the
Grand Ole Opry, died in Nashville.
   (NY Times, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, The Omicron
coronavirus variant spread in Australia, testing plans to reopen the
economy as a cluster in Sydney grew to 13 cases and an infection was
suspected in the state of Queensland.
   (Reuters, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In Austria more
than 40,000 people marched through Vienna to protest against a
lockdown and plans to make vaccinations compulsory to curb the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In central Austria
an avalanche killed three skiers in the Tweng area of Salzburg
province.
   (SFC, 12/6/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, It was reported
that Antwerp has become the main port of entry into Europe for
cocaine, which is being blamed for a surge of violence that has
prompted some Belgian officials to call for a war on drugs.
   (NY Times, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Britain reported
42,848 new COVID-19 cases, a drop in daily cases following two
straight days where more than 50,000 cases were recorded.
   (Reuters, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Chilean health
authorities reported that they detected the first case of the
Omicron variant of the coronavirus in a person who had arrived in
the copper-producing South American country from Africa.
   (Reuters, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, El Salvador
President Nayib Bukele said the Central American country had
acquired an additional 150 bitcoins after the digital currency's
value slumped again, enlarging his bet on the cryptocurrency despite
criticism.
   (Reuters, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, French President
Emmanuel Macron met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the
final leg of a two-day Gulf tour. France and Saudi Arabia agreed to
do more to help the Lebanese population, work to solving a
diplomatic row between Beirut and the Gulf states and jointly push
to get the government there running.
   (AP, 12/4/21)(Reuters, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Gambians cast their
votes for president using a unique voting system - marbles dropped
into each candidate's ballot drum. President Adama Barrow
comfortably won re-election, though he may face a legal challenge
from opposition candidates who rejected the results because of
unspecified irregularities.
   (Reuters, 12/4/21)(Reuters, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, German
Chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz's center-left party gave its
overwhelming approval to forming a new government with
environmentalist and pro-business parties — the first of three such
decisions needed for Scholz to take office next week.
   (AP, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In Germany five
bodies with gunshot and stabbing wounds were found in a house just
outside Berlin. The victims included three children. A prosecutor
later said the father had faked a vaccination certificate and feared
his children would be taken away from him when the forgery was
discovered,
   (AP, 12/4/21)(Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In India at least
14 civilians and one member of the security forces were killed in
Nagaland state late today, after Indian forces mistook a group of
laborers for militants and opened fire.
   (Reuters, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, India reported
8,603 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total to 34.62 million. Deaths
rose by 415 to 470,530. India also reported its third case of the
Omicron coronavirus variant.
   (Reuters, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, The Semeru volcano
on the Indonesian island of Java erupted, killing one person,
injuring at least 35 and trapping some people in buildings as it
spewed out huge clouds of smoke and ash. The death toll soon rose to
48 with 36 others left missing.
   (Reuters, 12/4/21)(Reuters, 12/5/21)(SSFC,
12/26/21, p.B8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Israeli police shot
a Palestinian after he stabbed and wounded an ultra-Orthodox Jew
near Damascus Gate just outside Jerusalem's Old City, a crowded area
that is often the scene of demonstrations and clashes.
   (AP, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In Kenya at least
20 people drowned after a bus traveling to a wedding plunged into
the Enziu River.
   (BBC, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Myanmar troops
leveled more than 580 structures in Thantlang, Chin state.
   (SFC, 1/1/21, p.A2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In The Netherlands
several thousand people gathered in the central town of Utrecht to
protest against new coronavirus restrictions that came into force
last weekend. Dutch health authorities said the final tally of
passengers on two flights from South Africa last week who had tested
positive for the Omicron coronavirus variant was 18.
   (Reuters, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Pakistan received a
$3 billion loan from Saudi Arabia as part of an economic support
package.
   (Reuters, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Saudi Aramco said
it has signed five agreements with French companies, including an
agreement to explore a hydrogen-powered vehicle business with
Gaussin.
   (Reuters, 12/4/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In Serbia thousands
of protesters in Belgrade and other Serbian towns blocked roads and
bridges to decry a planned lithium mine.
   (SSFC, 12/5/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, South Korea
reported 5,128 new COVID-19 cases, a slight decline after reporting
a record daily tally of 5,352 a day earlier. The country has
reported a total of 473,034 cases, with 3,852 deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, The US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention said the Omicron variant of the
coronavirus has been found in about 15 US states so far, but the
Delta variant remains the majority of COVID-19 cases nationwide.
   (Reuters, 12/5/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 49,062,819 with the death toll at 788,271.
   (sfist.com, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, Bob Dole (98),
former US Senate majority leader from Kansas, died. He grew up in
Dust Bowl deprivation and suffered grievous wounds during World War
II.
   (NY Times, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, It was reported
that insurance companies operating in Louisiana will be charged at
least $100 million to pay the claims of two failed property insurers
who went belly up in Hurricane Ida’s aftermath. But the cost of
dealing with the insolvent insurers ultimately will fall on the
state after companies recoup the dollars through a series of tax
credits.
   (AP, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, In Afghanistan
women’s rights activists in Kabul insisted Sunday they would
continue fighting for their right to education, employment and
participation in Afghan political and social life, and said a recent
Taliban decree banning forced marriage was not enough to address the
issue of women’s rights.
   (AP, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, Argentina said it
has detected its first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant in a
person who had traveled from South Africa.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, In Belgium police
fired teargas and used water cannons to disperse protesters pelting
officers with cobblestones and fireworks as a demonstration in
Brussels over government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions turned
violent.
   (Reuters, 12/5/21)
2021      Dec 5, Britain's
health security agency reported 86 new cases of the Omicron variant
of COVID-19, taking the total number identified so far to 246.
   (Reuters, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, In Haiti three
missionaries who were kidnapped in October were released. Another 12
remained abducted.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)(SFC, 12/7/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, In India protesters
threw stones and set fire to areas around a camp belonging to Indian
forces in the remote northeast, with one civilian shot dead in
renewed violence. 14 civilians and a soldier were killed over the
last 24 hours in a series of attacks in the northeastern state of
Nagaland. Twelve of men, most of them coal miners, were from Oting
village.
   (Reuters, 12/5/21)(AP, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, Israeli authorities
freed Kayed Fasfous (32), a prominent Palestinian prisoner, two
weeks after striking a release deal that ended his marathon 131-day
hunger strike.
   (AP, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, A Jordanian court
sentenced five senior health officials to three years in jail for
causing the death of 10 COVID-19 patients following an oxygen outage
in a major state hospital.
   (Reuters, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, In Myanmar five
people were killed and at least 15 arrested after security forces in
a car rammed into an anti-coup protest this morning in Yangon.
   (Reuters, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, South Africans took
to their beaches to protest against plans by Royal Dutch Shell to do
seismic oil exploration they say will threaten marine wildlife such
as whales, dolphins, seals and penguins on a pristine coastal
stretch.
   (Reuters, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, South Korea
reported three more Omicron coronavirus variant cases, bringing its
total confirmed so far to 12.
   (Reuters, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, It was reported
that a Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen
accelerated airstrikes on the capital and elsewhere in the
conflict-stricken country in recent weeks, as government forces
advanced in the west coast and the key province of Marib.
   (AP, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, In Sudan tribal
clashes between Arabs and non-Arabs killed at least 24 people in the
western Darfur region. Days later the death toll was raised to 88.
   (AP, 12/5/21)(AP, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, It was reported
that an illegal drug industry run by powerful associates and
relatives of President Bashar al-Assad has grown into a
multibillion-dollar operation, eclipsing Syria’s legal exports and
turning the country into the world’s newest narcostate.
   (NY Times, 12/5/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Jen Psaki, the
White House press secretary, said administration officials did not
believe it was appropriate to send a delegation of US officials to
the Games in February after “genocide and crimes against humanity”
in Xinjiang.
   (NY Times, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, The US Justice
Department said it has closed its investigation into the 1955 murder
of Emmett Till, without charges.
   (NY Times, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, The United States
imposed sanctions on Alain Mukonda, a Democratic Republic of Congo
national, it accused of providing support to Israeli mining magnate
Dan Gertler, part of a policy to target corruption in the central
African country.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 49,097,146 with the death toll at 788,418.
   (sfist.com, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Georgia's prison
system agreed to pay $2.2 million to the parents of Jenna Mitchell
(25), a transgender inmate, who hung herself in her cell on Dec. 4
2017. She had been housed in solitary confinement for more than two
weeks before hanging herself.
   (NBC News, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, In Hawaii a strong
storm flooded roads knocked out power across the state.
   (SFC, 12/7/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Manhattan District
Attorney Cy Vance said hedge fund billionaire and philanthropist
Michael Steinhardt has surrendered $70 million of stolen antiquities
and accepted a first-of-its-kind lifetime ban on acquiring
antiquities to resolve a criminal probe. Steinhardt, who turns 81 on
Dec. 7, built his wealth running the hedge fund Steinhardt Partners,
which he closed in 1995 to focus on Jewish philanthropic issues.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, New York City
declared that all private-sector employers must implement COVID-19
vaccine mandates for their workers, as the highly transmissible
Omicron variant has spread to at least one-third of US states. NYC
set a Dec. 27 deadline for all 184,000 businesses within its limits
to make their employees show proof that they have been vaccinated.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, The US Dept. of
Justice sued Texas over new redistricting maps, saying the plans
discriminate against voters in the state's booming Latino and black
populations.
   (SFC, 12/7/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Drugmaker Merck
& Co announced a deal with Thermo Fisher Scientific to
manufacture its experimental COVID-19 pill at the medical device
maker's site in Whitby, Ontario.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, It was reported
that in the past three months, more than 300,000 Afghans have
crossed illegally into Iran, according to the Norwegian Refugee
Council, and that more are coming at the rate of 4,000 to 5,000 a
day.
   (AP, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Austria's third
conservative chancellor in two months, Karl Nehammer (49), took
office seeking to bring the coalition government out of months of
scandal-tainted turmoil and guide the country out of its coronavirus
lockdown.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Belarus announced
retaliatory restrictions on airlines from the European Union and the
UK, as well as a ban on imports of Western goods from countries that
have introduced sanctions against the former Soviet nation.
   (AP, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Britain reported
51,459 further cases of COVID-19 and 41 more deaths within 28 days
of a positive test.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, In the Central
African Rep. mercenaries from the infamous Wagner Group dragged two
women out of a compound, stabbed them in their abdomen and then
disemboweled them. At least six other women in Bèzèrè were
reportedly killed in the same manner across the village.
   (The Daily Beast, 9/2/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, China Evergrande
Group said it has set up a risk management committee as the
cash-strapped property developer inches closer to a debt
restructuring that has loomed for months over global markets and the
world's second-largest economy.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Croatia confirmed
its first two cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, In southern Egypt
an apartment building collapsed in Beni Suef province, killing at
least three children.
   (AP, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Ethiopia's
government said its forces have recaptured the strategic towns of
Dessie and Kombolcha from rebellious Tigrayan forces.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Gambian police
fired tear gas to disperse supporters of losing presidential
candidate Ousainou Darboe who had taken to the streets outside the
capital Banjul to contest the re-election of President Adama Barrow.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, India and Russia
signed 28 investment pacts, including deals on steel, shipbuilding,
coal and energy. Moscow and New Delhi also signed a deal that will
see India produce more than 600,000 AK-203 assault rifles.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Indonesia's Mt.
Semeru volcano was active again, spewing out hot clouds of ash, two
days after a powerful eruption killed at least 34 people and left
dozens missing.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)(Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Iraqi forces and
Kurdish Peshmerga fighters recaptured Luhaiban village in northern
Iraq after Islamic State militants took it over the previous day.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Israel said that
countries interested in buying its cyber technologies would have to
commit to using them to prevent only a limited list of terrorist
acts and serious crimes.
   (AP, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Mexican officials
continued the transfer of thousands of migrants from southern Mexico
to other regions as northern border states prepare to receive asylum
seekers sent back to Mexico from the United States.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, A 16-year-old
Palestinian rammed a vehicle into an Israeli checkpoint in the West
Bank overnight, wounding a security guard before being shot and
“neutralized” at the scene.
   (AP, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Italy tightened
curbs on people still not vaccinated against COVID-19, limiting
their access to an array of places and services.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, The leader of
Myanmar’s junta, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, reduced the
sentence meted out to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (76) to two years, hours
after a court handed down a four-year term to the country’s ousted
civilian leader.
   (NY Times, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Namibia said it has
detected 18 cases of Omicron variant and will continue to strengthen
surveillance and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  Â
(http://www.news.cn/english/2021-12/06/c_1310354863.htm)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Nepal said it has
detected its first two cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, The Palestinian
Authority (PA) said it would cut wages paid to its employees in
response to a cash crunch exacerbated by a renewed dispute with
Israel over payments it makes to Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Russia-based
Rosneft said it has signed a deal to supply refiner Indian Oil with
up to 2 million tons of crude next year.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Russia confirmed
its first two cases of the omicron variant in travelers who returned
from South Africa.
   (SFC, 12/7/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Solomon Islands PM
Manasseh Sogavare survived a no-confidence motion in parliament
after accusing the Pacific island nation's most populous province of
being "Taiwan's agent" and anti-government protesters of attempting
a coup.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Spanish health
authorities said nearly 70 nurses and doctors working in the
intensive care unit at a Spanish hospital have tested positive for
COVID-19 after attending a Christmas party.
   (AP, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Thousands of
Sudanese took to the streets in Khartoum and other cities in the
latest protests against the October military coup and subsequent
deal that reinstated PM Abdalla Hamdok.
   (AP, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Thailand said it
has detected its first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant in a
US citizen who had traveled to the country from Spain late last
month.
   (Reuters, 12/6/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, President Biden met
with Vladimir Putin by video to discuss tensions at the
Russia-Ukraine border. Putin and Biden set out their opposing
positions on Ukraine and agreed that Russia and the United States
should keep talking.
   (NY Times, 12/7/21)(Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, The US Treasury
Department imposed financial sanctions on Uganda's chief of military
intelligence, Major General Abel Kandiho, over alleged human rights
abuses committed under his watch.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, The United States
marked the 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on the US naval
base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, The US Federal
Trade Commission and seven states, including California, announced a
settlement of up to $40 million against Vyera Pharmaceuticals for
raising the price of Daraprim, a potentially life-saving
medication, from $17.50 to $750 per tablet, after obtaining
exclusive rights to the drug in 2015. Company founder and former CEO
Martin Shkreli still faced a trial.
   (SFC, 12/9/21, p.C5)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 49,293,764 with the death toll at 789,997.
   (sfist.com, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Kellogg Co said a
majority of its US cereal plant workers have voted against a new
five-year contract, forcing it to hire permanent replacements as
employees extend a strike that started more than two months ago.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, It was reported
that Apple Inc Chief Executive Tim Cook signed an agreement with
Chinese officials, estimated to be worth about $275 billion, to
placate threats that would have hobbled its devices and services in
the country.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Ford Motor Co said
it plans to launch a new subscription software service aimed at
small businesses, in collaboration with enterprise software company
Salesforce.com Inc.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, The African Union
called for an urgent end to travel restrictions imposed on some of
its member states, saying the measures effectively penalize
governments for timely data sharing in line with international
health regulations.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Judges at the
International Court of Justice, examining Armenian allegations that
Azerbaijan breached a convention against racial discrimination,
ordered Azerbaijan to prevent incitement of racial hatred against
Armenians and protect Armenian prisoners of war. The court has yet
to rule on a similar case from Azerbaijan's side.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, In Belgium several
thousand health workers rallied in Brussels to oppose mandatory
COVID-19 vaccines and to demand better working conditions as a surge
in new cases weighed heavily on hospitals.
   (SFC, 12/7/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Britain said it has
found a further 101 confirmed cases of the Omicron coronavirus
variant, taking the total number of cases to 437.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, British drugmaker
GSK said its antibody-based COVID-19 therapy with US partner Vir
Biotechnology is effective against all mutations of the new Omicron
coronavirus variant, citing new data from early-stage studies.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, In Burundi at least
38 inmates were killed and dozens more injured in a fire at the main
prison in Gitega.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, In Canada cases of
COVID-19 were on the rise Ontario province due to the Delta variant.
An expert panel said Omicron "will hit us hard and fast" next year.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Canada-based
Medicago said its plant-based COVID-19 vaccine was 71% effective at
preventing COVID-19 infection. Study results did not include the
emerging omicron variant.
   (SFC, 12/8/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Canadian police
said Matthew Philbert (31) of Ottawa has been arrested on suspicion
of mounting ransomware attacks in the United States and Canada after
a joint probe that took almost two years.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Chilean lawmakers
legalized same-sex marriage following more than a decade of legal
campaigns to change the rules as social mores shift in the largely
Catholic country.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, China said the
United States has betrayed Olympic principles and will have to "pay
a price" for its diplomatic boycott of the Winter Games in Beijing.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, China reported 74
new confirmed coronavirus cases, down from 94 a day earlier. Of the
new infections, 44 were locally transmitted.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, In CongoDRC Vital
Kamerhe, former chief of staff to President Felix Tshisekedi, was
granted provisional release from prison where he was serving a
13-year sentence for embezzling $48 million in public funds.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Danish health
authorities said the new Omicron coronavirus variant has spread
across the country. Denmark has registered a total of 398 cases of
infection with the variant first identified in South Africa.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, An Egyptian court
ordered the release pending trial of Patrick George Zaki (29), a
rights activist, who has been imprisoned for nearly two years in a
case that has drawn significant international attention. Zaki walked
free the next day.
   (AP, 12/7/21)(AP, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, The European Union
drug regulator gave its backing to mixing different types of
vaccines in initial vaccination and booster campaigns to battle the
coronavirus.
   (AP, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, French RTL radio
reported that one of the suspected killers of Saudi journalist Jamal
Khashoggi was arrested today at the Roissy airport near Paris as he
was about to board a flight to Riyadh. He was released the next day
after officials concluded it was a case of mistaken identity.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)(Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, In southern Iraq a
motorbike rigged with explosives killed four people in Basra.
Islamic State militants were suspected of carrying out the attack.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Israel announced
the completion of a sensor-equipped underground wall on its side of
the Gaza border, a counter-measure developed after Hamas militants
used tunnels to blindside its troops in a 2014 war.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Tokyo governor
Yuriko Koike announced that a same-sex partnership system would be
allowed early next year and made legal in the fiscal year beginning
April 2022, vastly expanding the number of people in Japan who can
benefit.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, A Kenyan police
officer shot dead six people in a rampage in a neighborhood in
Nairobi and then shot and killed himself.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, In western Kenya a
suspected member of Somali Islamist group al Shabaab detonated an
explosive device that killed two people at their home and himself.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Mali said it has
indefinitely suspended exports of rice, maize and other grains to
protect its food supply as the United Nations warned of worsening
hunger in West Africa.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Myanmar soldiers
reportedly rounded up 11 people in a village in Sagaing in a central
area of the strife-torn country before shooting them and setting
fire to their bodies. Residents said some of the victims were still
alive when burned. About 50 soldiers stormed Done Tow village
killing 10 people including five teenagers.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)(SFC, 1/1/21, p.A2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, New Zealand said it
will not be sending diplomatic representatives at a ministerial
level to the Beijing Winter Olympics in February citing COVID-19 as
the reason.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, In Nigeria at least
30 passengers on a bus in Sokoto state were burnt to death when
gunmen torched it.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, It was reported
that up to one million COVID-19 vaccines are estimated to have
expired in Nigeria last month without being used, one of the biggest
single losses of doses that shows the difficulty African nations
have getting shots in arms.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, The Norwegian
government said it is introducing gathering limits for the holidays
and urged people to work from home for the next four weeks to
counter an uptick in COVID-19 cases.
   (SFC, 12/9/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Peruvian President
Pedro Castillo gained breathing room after Congress voted against a
motion to impeach him amid protests in capital city Lima both for
and against the under-fire leftist leader.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, In Poland the body
of a migrant believed to be from Nigeria was found in a forest near
the border with Belarus.
   (AP, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, The Saudi-led
coalition fighting in Yemen said it bombed military targets in the
capital Sanaa after the Iran-aligned Houthis launched ballistic
missiles and armed drones into Saudi Arabia, including at Aramco oil
facilities in Jeddah.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Sweden said it will
reintroduce a raft of measures to curb rising COVID-19 infections,
urging renewed social distancing and the use of masks in public
transportation.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Syria said Israeli
warplanes fired missiles that struck the port of Latakia early
today, hitting containers and igniting a huge fire.
   (AP, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Uganda reported its
first seven cases of the omicron variant.Â
   (SFC, 12/7/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Ukrainian
authorities charged that Russia is sending tanks and snipers to the
line of contact in war-torn eastern Ukraine to “provoke return
fire,” an accusation that comes amid fears that a Russian troop
buildup near the Ukrainian border might indicate plans for an
invasion.
   (AP, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, A government
circular said the UAE will shift to a working week of four and half
days with a Saturday-Sunday weekend from the start of next year to
better align its economy with global markets, but private companies
will be free to choose their own working week.
   (Reuters, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Experts at the
World Health Organization recommended against using blood plasma
from people who have recovered from COVID-19 as a treatment for
patients with the illness, saying evidence has not shown the costly,
time-consuming transfusions to be effective in preventing severe
illness or death.
   (AP, 12/7/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, President Biden set
in motion a plan to make the federal government carbon neutral,
ordering federal agencies to buy electric vehicles, to power
facilities with wind, solar and nuclear energy, and to use
sustainable building materials.
   (NY Times, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, US authorities sent
the first two migrants back to Mexico under the reinstated “Remain
in Mexico” policy.
   (AP, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The United States
imposed an arms embargo and new export restrictions on Cambodia to
address human rights abuses and corruption, as well as the growing
influence of China's military.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The United States
imposed sanctions on dozens of individuals and entities across
Europe and the Western Hemisphere, targeting El Salvador officials
over alleged negotiations with the MS-13 gang and an organized crime
group based in northern Kosovo.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The US FDA
authorized an AstraZeneca treatment that protects people with
weakened immune systems. The antibody treatment, to be sold under
the brand name Evusheld, is engineered to be “long-acting,” meaning
the body metabolizes it more slowly so that it can stay active for
months.
   (NY Times, 12/9/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 49,410,379 with the death toll at 791,705.
   (sfist.com, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, In California David
Scott Smith (66) and his son, Travis Shane Smith (32) were arrested
on suspicion of starting the massive Caldor wildfire that destroyed
many homes and forced tens of thousands of people to flee Lake Tahoe
communities earlier this year.
   (AP, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Scott Peterson (49)
was resentenced to life in prison without parole by a California
court for the 2002 murder of his wife and unborn son.
   (Today, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, In San Francisco
blues and jazz singer Denise Perrier (b.1939), died. Her albums
included "I Wanna Be Loved" (1966) and "East Meets West" (2002).
   (SSFC, 12/26/21, p.F1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The Manhattan, NY
district attorney’s office said several mail carriers for the United
States Postal Service were paid by a ringleader to steal credit
cards from mail they delivered in a $750,000 identity theft scam.
Michael Richards (37) who was the ringleader according to
authorities, was charged with recruiting several USPS workers to
steal credit cards.
   (Miami Herald, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The North Carolina
Supreme Court ordered a two-month delay in the state’s 2022 primary
elections, giving critics of the state legislature’s gerrymandered
political maps additional time to pursue a legal battle to redraw
them.
   (NY Times, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Scientists reported
that one of the largest planets ever detected orbits at an enormous
distance around two stars with a combined mass up to 10 times
greater than our sun. The gas giant apparently similar in
composition to Jupiter, but about 11 times more massive, is about
325 light years from Earth. Its orbit is 560 times wider than
Earth's.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Drugmaker AbbVie
Inc agreed to pay $200 million to settle claims by New York that it
helped fuel an epidemic of opioid addiction in the state, on the day
jurors were expected to hear closing arguments at the end of a
five-month trial.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Meta Platforms Inc,
formerly known as Facebook, said it would ban all Myanmar-military
controlled businesses from having a presence on its platforms in an
expansion of its earlier curbs on the country's security forces.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Australia and
Britain said they will join the United States in a diplomatic
boycott of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, as other allies
weighed similar moves to protest at China's human rights record.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, British PM Boris
Johnson apologized after a video surfaced showing his staff laughing
and joking about a party in Downing Street during a Christmas
COVID-19 lockdown last year when such festivities were banned.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Britain reported
51,342 new cases of COVID-19 and a further 161 deaths within 28 days
of a positive coronavirus test result. Cases were up 11.3% over the
last seven days compared to the previous seven days. Britain
reported 131 new cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant, taking
the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 568.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Burkina Faso
President Roch Kabore fired PM Christophe Dabire amid an escalating
security crisis that has killed thousands and led to street protests
calling for his ouster.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Canada joined
Australia, Britain and the United States in a diplomatic boycott of
the Winter Olympics in Beijing, with China calling the boycotts
"political posturing" and a smear campaign.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, It was reported
that Alberta's government from 2018-2020 granted Canada's most
emissions-intense oil sands facility reductions in payments that
polluters are required to make for generating higher emissions than
most of the industry.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, China's medical
products regulator said it had approved the use of Brii Biosciences'
neutralizing antibody cocktail for COVID-19, the first treatment of
its type against the virus given the go-ahead in the country.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The Czech
government approved a plan to deploy 150 service members in Poland
to help guard the border with Belarus. They will have a mandate to
stay in Poland for 180 days.
   (AP, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Finland said it
plans to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for health and social care
workers. Finland has to date recorded 197,476 cases and 1,389 deaths
and has vaccinated 81.8% of people that are 12 years or older with
two vaccine doses.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, In Germany Social
Democrat Olaf Scholz was sworn in as chancellor, ending Angela
Merkel's 16 years of conservative rule and paving the way for his
coalition government that has promised to boost green investment and
strengthen European unity.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Germany recorded
the highest number of deaths from COVID-19 since February as it
battles to stop a fourth wave of the pandemic. A total of 69,601 new
infections were reported, 2,415 more than the same time a week ago,
and another 527 people died.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Germany-based
BioNTech and US-based Pfizer said a three-shot course of their
COVID-19 vaccine was able to neutralize the new Omicron variant in a
laboratory test and they could deliver an upgraded vaccine in March
2022 if needed.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The head of India's
armed forces, General Bipin Rawat, was among 13 people killed when
the military helicopter they were traveling in crashed. A lone
survivor succumbed to his injuries on Dec. 15.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)(Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Japanese
billionaire Yusaku Maezawa (46) set out to became the first space
tourist in more than a decade to travel to the International Space
Station (ISS) when he blasted off from Kazakhstan on a voyage he
sees as a dry run for his planned trip around the moon with Elon
Musk's SpaceX in 2023.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Kuwait said it has
detected its first case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, A Malaysian court
upheld former premier Najib Razak's conviction on corruption charges
over a multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia
Development Bhd (1MDB), dealing a blow to his hopes of a political
comeback.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, In central Mali an
explosion killed seven United Nations peacekeepers and seriously
wounded three others.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, It was reported
that four lecturers at a leading university in Morocco have appeared
in court over accusations of offering students better grades in
exchange for sex. A fifth lecturer faced charges of indecent assault
and battery.
   (BBC, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, In Nigeria a state
minister said a wellhead that has been spilling oil and gas in
Bayelsa state has been successfully shut, more than a month after it
started polluting the Delta creeks.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Filipino journalist
Jesus "Jess" Malabanan (58), who formerly worked with Reuters was
killed late today while watching television at home in Calbayog,
Samar province.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, South Africa
reported nearly 20,000 new COVID-19 cases, a record since the
Omicron variant was detected, and 36 new COVID-related deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Sri Lanka ordered a
countrywide recall of cooking gas cylinders after hundreds of
unexplained explosions and fires in recent weeks which have injured
several people, including about 60 such explosions on Dec. 2.
   (Reuters, 12/8/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Pres. Joe Biden
opened the first White House Summit for Democracy. He spoke to
representatives of more than 100 countries in a video gathering and
sounded an alarm about a global slide for democratic institutions.
   (SFC, 12/10/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, It was reported
that the United States will put Chinese artificial intelligence
company SenseTime on an investment blacklist on Dec. 10. The
Financial Times cited people familiar with the decision, as the
company is finalizing its Hong Kong IPO.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The US Senate
passed and sent to President Joe Biden the first of two bills needed
to raise the federal government's $28.9 trillion debt limit and
avert an unprecedented default.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The US Treasury
Department targeted government officials and companies it accused of
corruption, including officials in El Salvador and Guatemala
involved in their countries COVID-19 responses.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The US Food and
Drug Administration authorized booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine
from Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE for those aged 16 and 17.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 49,570,424 with the death toll at 793,597.
   (sfist.com, 12/10/21)
2021      Dec 9, In Florida
former US narcotics agent Jose Irizarry (47) was sentenced to more
than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with
a Colombian cartel. Prosecutors said he and his co-conspirators had
used diverted $9 million from undercover money laundering
investigations.
   (SFC, 12/11/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, It was reported
that Georgia Republicans have purge Black Democrats from county
election boards.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, A jury in Chicago
found the actor Jussie Smollett guilty of falsely reporting to the
police that he had been the victim of a racist and homophobic
assault in 2019, an attack that investigators concluded was a hoax
directed by the actor himself.
   (NY Times, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Al Unser (82),
4-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, died at his home in New
Mexico. He won the Indy 500 in 1970, 1971, 1978 and 1987.
   (SFC, 12/11/21, p.B8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The New York City
Council approved a measure that would let noncitizens who are legal
residents vote in local elections. Mayor Bill de Blasio has said he
would not veto it.
   (NY Times, 12/9/21)(SFC, 12/10/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, In Buffalo, NY,
Starbucks workers voted to unionize, a first for the 50-year-old
coffee retailer in the US.
   (SFC, 12/10/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Oklahoma executed
Bigler Stouffer II (79) for the 1985 shooting death of Linda Reaves,
an Oklahoma City-area school teacher.
   (SFC, 12/10/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, A judge in Texas
ruled that a law prohibiting abortions after about six weeks
violated the state's constitution because it allows private citizens
to sue abortion providers.
   (NY Times, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, US railroad
operators Union Pacific Corp and BNSF Railway said they were
suspending their COVID-19 vaccine mandate for their employees, two
days after a judge blocked the Biden administration's inoculation
rule for federal contractors.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Crypto startup Palm
NFT Studio said it had raised $27 million in an early-stage funding
round led by Microsoft Corp's venture fund M12 with participation
from venture firm Griffin Gaming Partners.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, SpaceX launched
NASA's newest X-ray observatory from Kennedy Space Center. The
Imaging X-ray Polarization Explorer (IXPE) rocketed into orbit and
was expected to unveil dramatic and extreme parts of the universe as
never before.
   (SFC, 12/10/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Brazil's Senate
approved the extension of a payroll tax exemption for 17 economic
sectors until December 2023, a measure seen as necessary to save
jobs during a period of stagnant growth caused by the coronavirus
pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Britain said it had
agreed a digital trade deal with Singapore, the first
digitally-focused trade pact signed by a European nation.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Britain said it
will send 140 military engineers to Poland this month to provide
support at its border with Belarus, in response to what it termed
pressures from "irregular migration".
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Britain's farming
and environment minister George Eustice said the UK is experiencing
it worst ever outbreak of bird flu. Around 500,000 birds had been
culled as a result of 36 confirmed outbreaks.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The British-based
Uyghur Tribunal, an unofficial tribunal of lawyers and campaigners,
said Chinese President Xi Jinping bore primary responsibility for
what it said was genocide, crimes against humanity and torture of
Uyghurs and members of other minorities in the Xinjiang region.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, In Cameroon a
regional government official said a resurgence of tit-for-tat
violence between herders and farmers has killed at least 22 people
and injured more than 30 others this week in the Far North region.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Judges at the
International Criminal Court confirmed war crimes and crimes against
humanity charges levied by prosecutors against Mahamat Said Abdel
Kain, a former commander of the "Seleka" faction in Central African
Republic.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Chile's
center-right President Sebastián Piñera signed into law a bill
legalizing same-sex marriage, days after it was approved by Congress
in a historic vote.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, It was reported
that China has told multinationals to sever ties with Lithuania or
face being shut out of the Chinese market, dragging companies into a
dispute between the Baltic state and Beijing.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, China's Ministry of
Industry and Information Technology said it has removed 106 apps
from Chinese app stores including movie review app Douban, karaoke
app Changba, and phone reseller Aihuishou, citing violations of
privacy law.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Equatorial Guinea
oil minister Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima said Chevron and his
government have signed a production-sharing agreement for an
offshore block in the in the country's Douala Basin.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The World Food
Program (WFP) said it has suspended distribution of food aid in two
northern Ethiopian towns after gunmen looted its warehouses.
   (BBC, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Germany's
independent vaccination advisory panel said it was recommending
COVID-19 shots for children aged 5 to 11 with pre-existing
conditions or who are in close contact to vulnerable people.
   (AP, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, In Hong Kong tycoon
and prominent pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai and two others were
convicted for their roles in last year's banned Tiananmen
candlelight vigil, amid a crackdown on dissent in the city and
Beijing's tightening political control.
   (SFC, 12/10/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Indian farmers
called off a year-long protest after the government conceded a
clutch of demands, including assurances to consider guaranteed
prices for all produce, instead of just rice and wheat.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Iraq and the US-led
coalition said they have concluded a final round of technical talks
to formally transition from a combat mission tasked with rooting out
the extremist Islamic State group to an advisory mission to assist
Iraqi forces.
   (AP, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Italy's antitrust
authority fined Amazon $1.3 billion, accusing the company of
exploiting its dominant position against independent sellers on its
website in violation of EU competition rules.
   (SFC, 12/10/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, In Italy film
director Lina Wertmüller (93) died overnight at her home in Rome.
She combined sexual warfare and leftist politics in the provocative,
genre-defying films “The Seduction of Mimi,” “Swept Away” and “Seven
Beauties,” which established her as one of the most original
directors of the 1970s.
   (NY Times, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The Jordanian
health ministry announced that it had identified its first two cases
of the omicron variant of coronavirus.
   (AP, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, In Mexico at least
55 people died after a truck carrying more than 100 migrants crashed
in southern Chiapas State. Most of the victims were Guatemalan
migrants.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)(Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, New Zealand
unveiled a plan to eventually ban all sales of cigarettes in the
country, a decades-long effort unique in the world to prevent young
people from taking up smoking. The proposed legislation would leave
current smokers free to continue buying cigarettes. But it would
gradually raise the smoking age, year by year, until it covers the
entire population.
   (NY Times, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The International
Monetary Fund said it has approved a three-year loan deal for Niger
worth around $276 million, warning that security risks threatened
the West African nation's economic outlook.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Singapore said it
has detected its first locally transmitted case of the COVID-19
variant Omicron in a member of staff at the city state's airport,
warning that more Omicron cases are likely to be detected.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Slovakia's
parliament approved a plan to give people 60 and older up to $339 if
they are vaccinated against COVID-19.
   (SFC, 12/10/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, In South Korea
several parents associations held protests against a vaccine pass
mandate for children aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19
among teenagers. From February, those aged 12 or older will have to
show a vaccine pass to enter public spaces, including private
tuition centers, libraries and study cafes.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Switzerland's
supreme court overturned the conviction of a Geneva doctor who
helped a healthy 86-year-old woman commit suicide so she would not
have to outlive her dying husband. It sent the case back to see if
he should be retried under the Narcotics Act.
   (AP, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The Tunisian
presidency said the political problem in Tunisia today stemmed from
the current 2014 constitution which was no longer valid.
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Turkey said three
of its soldiers were killed in an attack by Kurdish militants during
cross-border operations in northern Iraq. The Turkish Defence
Ministry added that six of the militants were "neutralized".
   (Reuters, 12/9/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The US White House
announced that Australia, Denmark and Norway would join it in an
effort to curb technology exports to governments that use the
products for repression. Canada, France, the Netherlands, and the
United Kingdom also supported the move.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The United States
formalized guidance allowing personal remittances to flow to
Afghanistan, providing protection to senders and financial
institutions from US sanctions on the Taliban as the country faces a
deepening humanitarian crisis and economic collapse.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The United States
imposed extensive human rights-related sanctions on dozens of people
and entities tied to China, Myanmar, North Korea and Bangladesh, and
added Chinese artificial intelligence company SenseTime Group to an
investment blacklist.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The US Supreme
Court allowed abortion providers to pursue a legal challenge to a
ban on most abortions in Texas, with the fate of the
Republican-backed measure that allows private citizens to enforce it
now hanging in the balance.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, US federal
prosecutors said Evan Neumann (49), a California man charged with
assaulting police in the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol and using a
metal barricade as a battering ram, has fled the United States and
is believed to have taken refuge in Belarus.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, US Navy Cmdr.
Lucian Kins was relieved of his duties as 2nd in command of the
destroyer Winston Churchill because he refused to get a vaccine and
refused to be tested for the coronavirus. He was the first naval
officer to be fired for vaccine refusal.
   (SSFC, 12/12/21, p.A10)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, A US CDC report
said most of the 43 COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant
identified in the United States so far were in people who were fully
vaccinated, and a third of them had received a booster dose.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 49,687,827 with the death toll at 794,941.
   (sfist.com, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, In northeastern
Arkansas a score of people were trapped in a nursing home after it
was struck by a tornado that killed two people and injured five.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, A federal jury in
Florida awarded $22.5 million to a US Army veteran who alleged that
combat earplugs sold by 3M Co caused him to suffer hearing loss and
tinnitus, the biggest verdict yet in massive litigation over the
product. More than 272,000 lawsuits have been filed by
servicemembers and veterans who say defective earplugs made by 3M
caused their hearing damage.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Days after
announcing his candidacy for governor, Republican David Perdue
furthered embraced debunked claims of electoral fraud in Georgia's
2020 presidential race by joining a lawsuit seeking to prove he and
former President Donald Trump were cheated out of election
victories.
   (AP, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, At least two
workers were confirmed dead when an Amazon.com Inc warehouse
collapsed in Edwardsville, Illinois. A day later six Amazon workers
were confirmed dead.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)(Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Kentucky's Gov.
Andy Beshear declared the state's chronic nursing shortage to be an
emergency, taking executive actions to boost enrollment in nurse
training programs.
   (SFC, 12/11/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, A devastating
swarm of tornadoes ripped through six US states, killing more than
90 people in 6 states and leaving a trail of destroyed homes and
businesses along a path that stretched more than 200 miles. At least
64 people, including six children, lost their lives in Kentucky. The
National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center said it received
36 reports of tornadoes touching down in Illinois, Kentucky,
Tennessee, Missouri and Arkansas, and Mississippi.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)(NY Times, 12/13/21)(Reuters,
12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, New York Governor
Kathy Hochul said that starting next week, face coverings must be
worn inside all businesses and venues unless they have implemented a
vaccine requirement. The measure will be in effect from Dec. 13 to
Jan. 15 in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Alan Swinney (51),
a self-professed member of the Proud boys from Texas, was sentenced
to 10 years in prison for shooting a man in the eye with a paintball
gun during violent protests in Oregon last year. Prosecutors said he
led a small group of like minded people in Portland on Aug 15 and
Aug. 22, 2020, in multiple acts of violence during demonstrations
stemming from the murder of George Floyd.
   (AP, 12/10/21)(SFC, 12/14/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Cybersecurity firm
Cloudstrike said a software vulnerability in the online game
Minecraft is rapidly emerging as a major threat to
internet-connected devices around the world. New Zealand's computer
emergency response team was among the first to report the flaw a day
earlier. The flaw in open-source Apache software was discovered on
Nov. 24 by the Chinese tech giant Alibaba.
   (SFC, 12/11/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Brazil's health
ministry said its website was hit by a hacker attack that took
several systems down, including one with information about the
national immunization program and a second one used to issue digital
vaccination certificates.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Softbank-backed
Brazilian company 2TM, which runs the largest cryptocurrency
exchange in Latin America, said it has launched a venture capital
unit focusing on blockchain companies around the world.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Britain said it
had signed a trilateral agreement with Norway and the European Union
on fishing catch limits for 2022 for six jointly managed fish stocks
in the North Sea.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Britain granted
another 23 licenses to French fishermen meeting to resolve a
post-Brexit battle over fishing rights. The EU had set London a
December 10 deadline to grant licenses to dozens of French fishing
boats under a Brexit deal signed last year.
   (AFP, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Britain recorded
58,194 new cases of COVID-19 and a further 120 deaths within 28 days
of a positive coronavirus test.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Foreign ministers
from the Group of Seven industrialized nations gathering for a
weekend in Liverpool, with the British hosts seeking elusive unity
to ease growing tensions with Russia, China and Iran.
   (AP, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Bulgaria's new
centrist We Continue The Change (PP) party said it had sealed a
broad coalition deal with socialist, populist and center-right
factions after eight months of political paralysis.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Burkina Faso's
military said that its joint operation with Niger's army killed
about 100 extremist rebels between Nov. 25 and Dec. 9. The joint
force also arrested 20 suspects and seized significant equipment
from the rebels in the past two weeks. At least 13 soldiers were
killed during this time and seven others were wounded.
   (AP, 12/10/21)(Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, In Canada David
Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General launched a
consultation, cooperation and engagement process with Indigenous
peoples to advance implementation of the United Nations Declaration
on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
   (CNW Group, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Ottawa warned that
COVID-19 cases in Canada have started to increase and severity
trends could also rise, saying the rapid spread of the Omicron
variant abroad should be a "serious alarm bell" for those wanting to
travel.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The International
Monetary Fund approved a three-year extended credit facility worth
$570 million for Chad.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, In Chile more than
a hundred homes were burned overnight by a forest fire that spread
to the town of Castro on the tourist island of Chiloe.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Chinese leaders
promised tax cuts and support for entrepreneurs to shore up slumping
economic growth after a campaign to rein in surging corporate debt
caused bankruptcies and defaults among real estate developers.
   (AP, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, China and
Nicaragua re-established diplomatic ties after the Central American
country broke relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, boosting
Beijing in a part of the world long considered the United States'
backyard and angering Washington.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Democratic
Republic of Congo's environment minister said unidentified officials
forged her signature to grant conservation licenses for the
country's vast forests that play a pivotal role in regulating the
Earth's climate.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, ExxonMobil and
partner Qatar Energy expanded their stake in potential oil and gas
deposits off Cyprus by signing a deal with the east Mediterranean
island nation for a second exploration license in waters that Turkey
partly claims.
   (AP, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, France announced
that it will soon open to the public the most highly classified
parts of its national archives about the Algerian war of
independence, shedding light on some of the darkest chapters in
France's 20th century history.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, It was reported
that Germany has pledged to admit 25,000 Afghans deemed most at risk
following the Taliban takeover in Kabul from about 40,000 such
people that European Union states are to accept. The Netherlands
agreed to admit more than 3,100 Afghans whose life and safety is now
seen most at risk. France and Spain will take in 2,500 people,
followed by 2,000 who will head to Sweden.   Â
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Workers at German
hospitals, doctor's offices and nursing homes must prove that they
are vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 by mid-March as part
of new legislation passed by the parliament.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, It was reported
that Ghana is introducing some of the world's strictest Covid travel
rules, by banning any adult who has not been vaccinated from flying
in with effect from Dec 13.
   (BBC, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Police in Greece
arrested 11 members of a self-styled vigilante group who handcuffed
a high school principal (61) ahead of a daily COVID-19 entry check
of students. The group had taken the principal to a nearby precinct
and asked police to charge him, but were themselves detained.
   (SSFC, 12/12/21, p.A10)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Israeli forces
shot and killed Palestinian amil Abu Ayyash (31) during clashes in
the occupied West Bank.
   (AP, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Lebanon’s
state-run National News Agency reported that arms stored for Hamas
have exploded in the Burj Shamali camp, killing and injuring a
number of people. On Dec. 11 the Hamas group said that the
explosions were caused by an electrical short-circuit in a storage
area for oxygen bottles used to treat coronavirus patients. A
Lebanese security official said that the exploded in the camp was
clearly ammunition.
   (AP, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Protesters in
Myanmar closed businesses and stayed off the streets in a "silent
strike" against rule by the military and its ousting of the
Southeast Asian country's democratically elected government in a
February coup.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority announced that it was restricting Emirates to
just one weekly flight from 21 that had been initially approved. The
Emirates airline in response said it will suspend all flights to
Nigeria from next week.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Police in North
Macedonia discovered 41 migrants from Cuba and India, including five
children, in a routine police check on country's main highway and
arrested the van's driver.
   (AP, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Romania introduced
new travel restrictions and isolation measures for people entering
the country as officials seek to avert another health care crisis
following the emergence of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Scottish First
Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that the Omicron coronavirus variant
was growing exponentially and would overtake Delta as the dominant
strain within days, as she tightened self-isolation rules.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Serb lawmakers
voted to start work on pulling their autonomous Serb Republic out of
Bosnia's armed forces, judiciary and tax system, in a non-binding
motion meant to pave the way for secession from Bosnia.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, South Korea's
coronavirus infections exceeded 7,000 for a 3rd consecutive day. The
worst surge since the start of the pandemic overwhelmed hospitals
and depleted the healthcare workforce.
   (SFC, 12/11/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Severe flooding in
Spain's Navarre region submerged cars and houses and killed at least
one person as heavy rains from Storm Barra caused rivers to burst
their banks.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, A Sudanese medical
group said renewed tribal clashes this week between Arabs and
non-Arabs in Darfur have killed at least 33 more people, warning of
still escalating violence in the war-wracked region.
   (AP, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, In Sweden Volvo
Cars, majority owned by China's Geely Holding, said it had launched
an investigation into a cyber security breach and the theft of some
research and development data that could impact the company's
operation.
   (AP, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The World Bank
said donors agreed to transfer $280 million from a frozen, trust
fund to the World Food Program (WFP) and UNICEF to support nutrition
and health in Afghanistan.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, US President Joe
Biden approved an emergency declaration for Kentucky after the state
was battered by a swarm of tornadoes.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 49,849,846 with the death toll at 796,947.
   (sfist.com, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Bryce Young became
the second consecutive Alabama player to win the Heisman Trophy.
   (NY Times, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, California Gov.
Gavin Newsom pledged to empower private citizens to enforce a ban on
the manufacture and sale of assault weapons in the state, citing the
same authority claimed by conservative lawmakers in Texas to outlaw
most abortions once a heartbeat is detected.
   (AP, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Armed
smash-and-grab looters broke into a high-end exotic car dealership
in Chicago, stealing millions of dollars in watches.
   (Fox News, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Novelist Anne Rice
(80) died in Rancho Mirage, Ca. Her lush, best-selling gothic tales,
including “Interview With a Vampire” (1976), reinvented the
blood-drinking immortals as tragic antiheroes.
   (AP,
12/12/21)(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Rice)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, A Blue Origin New
Shepard rocket blasted off from western Texas carrying four paying
customers and two VIP guests on a 10-minute flight into space. Laura
Shepard Churchly, the daughter of astronaut Alan Shepard, was one of
the two guests.
   (SSFC, 12/12/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, A court in Benin
convicted Reckya Madougou, one of President Patrice Talon's main
opponents, for complicity in acts of terrorism. She was sentenced to
20 years in prison after a trial her lawyers denounced as a
political hit job.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Brazil's Supreme
Court Justice Luis Roberto Barroso ruled that the country must
demand proof of vaccination for visitors seeking to enter the
country.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, The G7 democracies
sought to present a united front against Russian aggression toward
Ukraine as Britain hosted a meeting of foreign ministers in the
northern English city of Liverpool.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Britain reported
54,073 new COVID-19 cases and 132 more deaths within 28 days of a
positive test.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Teen pilot Zara
Rutherford (19) landed in Seoul from Russia, the first Asia stop on
her attempt to become the youngest woman to fly around the world
solo. The British-Belgian departed from Kortrijk-Wevelgem Airport in
western Belgium on her 51,000-km (32,000-mile) journey, which is to
span five continents and 52 countries.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Extreme winds hit
the Canadian province of Ontario to plunge more than 280,000 homes
and businesses into darkness. Power supplies were soon restored to
some.
   (Reuters, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, China's
government-backed newspaper Dahe Daily reported late today that
e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding has dismissed a female
employee who accused a former co-worker of sexual assault earlier
this year.
   (Reuters, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Israeli
researchers said they found that a three-shot course of the
Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine provided significant protection
against the new Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Italy reported 96
coronavirus-related deaths, down from 118 the day before, the health
ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections rose to
21,042.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Japanese Foreign
Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
agreed on the need to fortify their countries' alliance amid a
tougher regional security environment.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Palestinians held
municipal elections in the Israeli-occupied West Bank in a rare
democratic exercise and amid rising anger with President Mahmoud
Abbas after he cancelled planned legislative and presidential votes
earlier this year.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Portuguese police
said Joao Rendeiro, a former bank head who vanished to escape a jail
sentence for tax fraud and other crimes, has been captured in South
Africa three months after he disappeared.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, In Serbia hundreds
of people braved sleet and cold weather to block roads across the
country for the third straight weekend to protest government plans
to allow Rio Tinto's open a lithium mine.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, In Sicily three
people were killed and six are still missing after a gas explosion
late today caused several residential buildings in the town of
Ravanusa to collapse. Rescuers soon pulled four more bodies out of
the rubble of houses bringing the total death toll to seven.
   (Reuters, 12/12/21)(Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Two Tibetan
students chained themselves to the Olympic rings outside the Swiss
headquarters of the International Olympic Committee to call for an
international boycott of next year's winter games.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Pope Francis drew
attention to a problem that the Vatican has long sought to downplay:
the abuses of power by mother superiors against nuns who, because of
their vows of obedience, have little recourse but to obey. He said
“Veil of Silence: Abuse, Violence, Frustrations in Female Religious
Life” by Salvatore Cernuzio doesn’t detail “striking” cases of
violence and abuse "but rather the everyday abuses that harm the
strength of the vocation".
   (AP, 12/11/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, The World Bank
said it has approved a $600 million loan for a Philippine reform
program to position the Southeast Asian country for a competitive
and resilient economic recovery.
   (Reuters, 12/11/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 49,921,405 with the death toll at 797,346.
   (sfist.com, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Studio estimates
said Steven Spielberg's lavish “West Side Story” revival made little
noise at the box office, debuting with $10.5 million in ticket sales
despite critical acclaim and two years-worth of anticipation.
   (AP, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, It was reported
that that a federal panel has approved renaming Squaw Mountain in
Colorado to Mestaa'ehehe Mountain, after a Cheyenne woman who
facilitated relations between white settlers and Native American
tribes in the early 19th century.
   (SSFC, 12/12/21, p.A18)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, It was reported
that the drought and heat waves that led to the huge wildfires in
southern Australia in 2019 and 2020 have killed up to 60% of the
trees that escaped the blazes.
   (SSFC, 12/12/21, p.B12)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Austria ended
lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people across most of the
country, three weeks after reimposing strict rules to combat a
rising wave of coronavirus infections.
   (AP, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Britain raised its
COVID alert level to 4 from level 3 on its 5-point scale in response
to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the virus. Medical
authorities warned that hospitalizations are likely to rise sharply
over the coming weeks.
   (Reuters, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, G7 delegates
meeting in L:iverpool warned that Russia faces massive consequences
and severe costs if President Vladimir Putin attacks Ukraine.
   (Reuters, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, In the Czech Rep.
several thousand people marched through Prague, protesting a
COVID-19 vaccination mandate for certain groups including people age
60 and over.
   (AP, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, It was reported
that Tigrayan forces have recaptured the town of Lalibela in
Ethiopia, less than two weeks after government forces and their
allies took control.
   (Reuters, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, France's interior
minister said it has opened 400 investigations into networks
providing fake COVID-19 health passes, as virus-related
hospitalizations rise sharply across the country.
   (AP, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, In Lebanon four
people were killed and others were injured in a shooting in the
Palestinian camp of Burj al-Shemali. Officials blamed rival movement
Fatah for the bloodshed.
   (Reuters, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Legendary Mexican
singer Vicente Fernandez (81), an emblematic figure of ranchera
music, died. The singer of classic hits like "Mujeres Divinas" and
"Por Tu Maldito Amor" performed to packed houses on stages in
Europe, the United States and Latin America.
   (Reuters, 12/12/21)   Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, The French
territory of New Caledonia voted against independence in a
referendum, amid a big drop in turnout due to a boycott of the vote
by the independence movement. The indigenous Kanak population, who
largely favor independence, had called for non-participation in the
referendum because they are in a 12-month mourning period following
a September surge in coronavirus infections.
   (Reuters, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, PM Naftali Bennett
began the first official visit by an Israeli leader to the United
Arab Emirates, seeking to strengthen Gulf ties at a time of
heightened regional tension as world powers try to revive a nuclear
deal with Iran.
   (Reuters, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Nigeria said it
plans to ban flights from Argentina, Britain, Canada and Saudi
Arabia from this week in retaliation for being added to those
countries' red lists over the detection of the Omicron coronavirus
variant last month.
   (Reuters, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Heavy snowfall
covered Belgrade and much of the Balkans, hampering traffic,
canceling flights at the Serbian capital’s main airport and
disrupting public transportation.
   (AP, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, South Africa's
69-year-old President Cyril Ramaphosa tested positive for COVID-19,
though is showing only mild symptoms.
   (Reuters, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Vietnam's biggest
conglomerate Vingroup said it had started building a $174 million
battery cell plant for its VinFast electric vehicles business so the
company can own its battery supply chain.
   (Reuters, 12/12/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, US Vice President
Kamala Harris announced new investment in Central America from
companies such as Pepsico and Cargill, that boost her efforts to
lower migration from the region into the United States.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, The US Congress
gave final approval to legislation that would raise the debt ceiling
by $2.5 trillion, moving over nearly unanimous Republican opposition
to stave off the threat of a first-ever federal default until at
least early 2023.
   (NY Times, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, A divided US
appeals court rebuffed a request by six employees to block United
Airlines from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for workers that
imposes unpaid leave on those who are granted religious or medical
exceptions.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, It was reported
that victims of disgraced former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar
have reached a $380 million settlement with USA Gymnastics, the US
Olympic & Paralympic Committee and their insurers after a
five-year legal battle.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, A survey released
by the New York Federal Reserve said US consumers' short-term
inflation expectations pushed higher in November and expectations
for future earnings growth dropped, suggesting they anticipate price
increases will outpace wage gains at an even faster rate in the near
term.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 49,938,379 with the death toll at 797,456.
   (sfist.com, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, California state
officials said a new mask mandate will go into effect on Dec. 15 and
will remain until at least Jan. 15.
   (NY Times, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Kentucky officials
confirmed that 74 people had died as tornadoes hit the state on Dec.
10. The toll was expected to grow as crews continued to pick through
mountains of rubble.
   (NY Times, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, New York State
began requiring people wear masks indoors in public if proof of full
vaccination was not required, a policy that is in effect at least
until Jan. 15. The US Supreme Court refused to block New York’s
requirement that health care workers be vaccinated against the
coronavirus even when they cite religious objections.
   (NY Times, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Tesla Chief
Executive Officer Elon Musk was named Time magazine's "Person of the
Year" for 2021, a year that saw his electric car company become the
most valuable carmaker in the world and his rocket company soar to
the edge of space with an all-civilian crew.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, It was reported
that Meta Platforms Inc, the owner of social media platform
Facebook, is behind a $60 million deal to acquire the trademark
assets of US regional bank Meta Financial Group.
   (AP, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Australia signed a
A$1 billion ($716.5 million) defence deal with South Korea, boosting
Seoul's efforts to grow its military exports.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, British PM Boris
Johnson said the first patient had died after contracting the
Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The United Kingdom has recorded
a further 54,661 cases of COVID-19 and 38 more deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, NatWest was fined
265 million pounds ($350.9 million) for failing to prevent the
laundering of nearly 400 million pounds, capping the first criminal
money laundering case against a British bank.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, UK-based Virgin
Atlantic said it has received 400 million pounds ($530 million) of
new funding from its shareholders to help the airline ride out the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Bulgarian
lawmakers voted in Kiril Petkov (41), a Harvard-educated
entrepreneur, as prime minister and approved the lineup of his broad
coalition government, ending months of political deadlock in the
European Union's poorest member state.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, It was reported
that Burundi’s government has signaled that it won’t allow a
recently appointed UN special rapporteur on human rights into the
East African nation.
   (AP, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Officials said
Canada is setting aside C$40 billion ($31.2 billion) to compensate
Indigenous children and families in foster care for suffering
discrimination, and will start paying out once a protracted lawsuit
is settled.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, The Cumbre Vieja
volcano on the Canary Island of La Palma fell silent as constant
tremors stopped late today, though experts cautioned this did not
necessarily mean the eruption is nearing an end after 85 days.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, It was reported
that health authorities in northern China's port city of Tianjin
have detected the first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant in
the country's mainland. The infection was discovered in a traveler
who arrived in the city from overseas on Dec. 9.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, More than a dozen
Chinese-listed companies said they had suspended production in
coronavirus-hit parts of eastern Zhejiang province in response to
local government's tightened COVID-19 curbs, causing their share
prices to plunge. Zhejiang reported a total of 173 locally
transmitted cases with confirmed symptoms during the Dec. 6-12
period.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, One of two Danish
crew members missing from a capsized barge was found dead in the
hull after an overnight collision with a British cargo vessel in a
busy Baltic Sea route off Sweden. Two crew members on a British
cargo vessel were found to be over the legal limit for alcohol after
the collision.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)(Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Pirates took six
hostages during an attack on the Tonsberg, a Greek-operated
container ship, in international waters in the Gulf of Guinea near
Bioko Island, a territory belonging to Equatorial Guinea.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, The EU imposed
sanctions on a group of private Russian military contractors it
accuses of fomenting violence and committing human rights abuses in
the Middle East, Africa and Ukraine.
   (AP, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, The operator of
Ghana's main international airport said it will fine airlines $3,500
for every passenger they fly in who is not vaccinated against
COVID-19 or who tests positive for the coronavirus upon arrival.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Eight Hong Kong
pro-democracy activists were sentenced to up to 14 months in prison
for organizing, taking part in and inciting participation in a
banned vigil last year for victims of China's 1989 Tiananmen Square
crackdown.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, In Hungary seven
people were killed and four injured when a car with a Serbian
license plate carrying migrants crashed into a house late today in
the village of Morahalom near the Serbian border. The car was
carrying 10 migrants.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, India's PM
Narendra Modi opened part of a large-scale development project in
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh state, looking to garner support ahead of
key state elections. The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham mega project was
first commissioned in 2019.
   (SFC, 12/14/21, p.A2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, India's western
state of Gujarat has acknowledged more COVID-19 deaths than its
official tally, according to a court document filed today, lending
weight to fears that the country's actual toll was much higher than
reported.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Italy reported 98
coronavirus-related deaths against 66 the day before. The daily
tally of new infections fell to 12,712 from 19,215. Italy has
registered 134,929 deaths linked to COVID-19 since its outbreak
emerged in February last year.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, It was reported
that Ivory Coast cashew processors are being driven towards
bankruptcy by Asian exporters who buy up all the local supply,
thwarting a government plan to invigorate the sector.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, In Indian Kashmir
two police personnel were killed and at least 14 others injured when
militants attacked their bus on the outskirts of Srinagar.
Fatalities soon rose to three as a policeman who was on a bus
succumbed to his injuries.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)(Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Israeli forces
shot dead Jamil Kayyal (31), a Palestinian man, early today during
clashes that erupted in the West Bank city of Nablus.
   (AP, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Japanese
billionaire fashion tycoon Yusaku Maezawa (46) rejected criticism
from those who questioned his decision to pay a fortune for a trip
to the International Space Station, saying the “amazing” experience
was worth it.
   (AP, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Malaysian
authorities said American chip manufacturer Intel Corporation will
invest 30 billion ringgit ($7.10 billion) in a new, state-of-the-art
facility.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Nigeria said it
will destroy around one million expired COVID-19 vaccines. Some
COVID-19 doses donated by rich Western countries had a remaining
shelf life of only weeks.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, It was reported
that a violent mafia-style gang in Nigeria linked to murder and
fraud has infiltrated the country's political system and launched a
global scamming operation well beyond Nigeria's borders. The "Black
Axe" gang has been operating for decades in Nigeria and is among the
country's most-feared organized crime syndicates.
   (BBC, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, PM Jonas Gahr
Stoere Norway will further tighten restrictions in a bid to limit an
expected surge of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Pakistan said it
has confirmed its first case of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, in the
country's most populous city of Karachi.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Former students
and faculty members from the Afghanistan National Institute of Music
arrived with their families in Portugal, where they are being
granted asylum and where they hope to rebuild their acclaimed
school.
   (AP, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Russia vetoed a
first-of-its-kind UN Security Council resolution casting climate
change as a threat to international peace and security, sinking a
years-long effort to make global warming more central to
decision-making in the UN's most powerful body.
   (AP, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Saudi Arabia's
energy minister said that the kingdom plans to invest 380 billion
riyals ($101 billion) in renewable energy projects and a further 142
billion riyals in energy distribution through 2030.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, The head of
Senegal's immunization program said at least 200,000 COVID-19
vaccines have expired without being used in the past two months and
another 200,000 are set to expire at the end of December because
demand is too slow.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, South Korean
President Moon Jae-in said the US, North Korea, his country and
China have agreed "in principle" to declare a formal end to the
Korean War. But they've yet to meet on the matter due to Pyongyang's
demands.
   (Axios, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Sudanese security
forces fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Khartoum in the
latest street demonstrations against the October military coup and
subsequent deal that reinstated deposed PM Abdalla Hamdok. Thousands
of people took to the streets in Khartoum and other Sudanese cities
as part of relentless demonstrations that have engulfed the country
since the military seized power on Oct. 25.
   (AP, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Syrian Kurdish-led
forces said their ant-terrorism unit, with US-led coalition support,
killed five suspected Islamic State group fighters in a raid to
break up a militant cell in Syria’s east.
   (AP, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Turkey's lira
crashed as much as 7% to a record near 15 to the dollar before
whip-sawing back after the central bank intervened, gripped by
worries over President Tayyip Erdogan's risky new economic policy
and prospects of another rate cut.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, The UAE's state
news agency WAM said Israel and the United Arab Emirates plan to
establish a joint research and development fund.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, It was reported
that a Vatican department has apologized for "causing pain to the
entire LGBTQ community" by removing from its website a link to
resource material from a Catholic gay rights advocacy group.
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, A Vietnamese court
jailed a former head of Hanoi's governing body for a further eight
years for abuse of power. Nguyen Duc Chung (54) was found guilty of
charges stemming from the siphoning of 36 billion dong ($1.57
million) from a public investment project, which he used to help a
company owned by his family   .
   (Reuters, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, In Yemen Maj. Gen.
Nasser al-Dhaibani, who headed military operations of the
government’s armed forces, was killed on the front line in the Balaq
mountain range, south of the city of Marib.
   (AP, 12/13/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, US Vice President
Kamala Harris and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced more
than $8.7 billion in capital investments in community development
financial institutions and minority-owned banking firms to boost
lending in disadvantaged areas.
   (AP, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, A US judge
dismissed a bid by former President Donald Trump to keep his tax
returns from a House of Representatives committee, ruling that
Congress' legislative interest outweighed any deference Trump should
receive as a former president.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, US passenger
railroad Amtrak said it will temporarily suspend a vaccine mandate
for employees and now no longer expects to be forced to cut some
service in January.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 50,142,292 with the death toll at 798,942. The
number of deaths compiled by Johns Hopkins Univ. topped 800,000.
   (sfist.com, 12/15/21)(SFC, 12/15/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Rain drenched
Southern California as a powerful storm slid down the
drought-stricken state, snarling traffic as vehicles spun out and
raising the threat of mudslides in areas scarred by wildfires.
   (AP, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, The San Francisco
Board of supervisors unanimously passed groundbreaking legislation
to provide paid sick leave for cleaners, nannies, gardeners and
other domestic workers.
   (SFC, 12/16/21, p.C1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Ken Kragen (85),
the founding president of USA for Africa, the foundation set up to
administer the aid money raised by “We Are the World” (1985), died
at his home in LA.
   (NY Times, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, A New York State
ethics board ordered former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to turn over
millions of dollars in profits from his coronavirus pandemic memoir,
giving him 30 days to comply.
   (NY Times, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Ricardo
Martinelli, a son of the former Panamanian President Ricardo
Martinelli, pleaded guilty in NYC to a US money laundering charge
linked to Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht, becoming the second
of his children to admit wrongdoing.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Scientists
announced that NASA's Parker Solar Probe has officially “touched”
the sun, plunging through the unexplored solar atmosphere known as
the corona. The probe actually flew through the corona in April
during the spacecraft’s eighth close approach to the sun. Scientists
said it took a few months to get the data back and then several more
months to confirm.
   (AP, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, A World Trade
Organization panel ruled in favor of Brazil, Australia and Guatemala
in their trade disputes with India over sugar subsidies and asked
New Delhi to conform with global rules.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Afghanistan's
central bank said it was working to ensure the stability of the
afghani, a day after the currency lost almost 12% of its value
against the dollar in a matter of hours amid a deepening economic
crisis and soaring inflation.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Albania's Special
Prosecutor’s Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime said
Lefter Koka (57), environment minister, has been arrested following
months of investigation and is accused of abuse of post, corruption
and money laundering.
   (AP, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, A court in Belarus
sentenced Syarhei Tsikhanouski (43), the opposition leader's
husband, to 18 years in jail after he was arrested during an attempt
to run for president against incumbent Alexander Lukashenko, a
verdict his wife called political revenge.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Britain reported
59,610 new COVID-19 cases, the highest figure since early January,
as it faces what PM Boris Johnson has called a "tidal wave" on
infections from the Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, It was reported
that Chinese social media platform Weibo Corp has been slapped with
a 3 million yuan ($470,000) fine by the Cyberspace Administration of
China (CAC), China's internet regulator, for repeatedly publishing
illegal information.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, It was reported
that multiple companies have suspended operations in Zhejiang
province, one of China's biggest and busiest manufacturing hubs, as
authorities double down to contain a COVID-19 outbreak, halting some
production of goods from batteries and clothing to textile dyes and
plastics.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, In Colombia a
bombing at an airport in the northern city of Cucuta left three
people dead.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, It was reported
that the Congolese rumba, now has Unesco-protected status. It is the
culmination of campaigning by two countries - the Democratic
Republic of Congo and neighboring Congo-Brazzaville.
   (BBC, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, The European Court
of Human Rights issued a ruling urging Russia to introduce measures
tackling domestic violence against women, which it said is happening
on a “staggering scale” amid “systematic problems in securing
prosecutions and convictions”.
   (AP, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, The European Court
of Justice said a child with two mothers certified in one EU nation
must also be recognized by the other EU members as such.
   (AP, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, French forces left
the city of Timbuktu late today, the latest sign that the former
colonial power is drawing down its presence in northern Mali nearly
nine years after driving Islamic extremists from power there in a
military intervention. The Malian military has occupied the former
French military base.
   (AP, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, German supplier of
chemicals and materials used in making semiconductors, Merck KGaA,
announced it is to invest 500 million euros in Taiwan over the next
five to seven years, primarily in semiconductor technologies.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, In Haiti more at
least 75 were killed when a fuel truck exploded overnight in a
street in the city of Cap-Haïtien.
   (NY Times, 12/14/21)(Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Indian troops
killed a suspected militant during a gunbattle in the
federally-controlled Jammu and Kashmir region.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Vaccine producer
the Serum Institute of India (SII) and a government official said
India is struggling to export its surplus of COVID-19 vaccines as
logistical hurdles delay their use in many countries despite low
levels of inoculation.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Japan pledged $3.4
billion in its largest contribution to the International Development
Association (IDA) of the World Bank, to ensure the recovery of
low-income countries from the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Kenya Health
Minister Mutahi Kagwe told a press conference in the coastal city of
Mombasa that the country had detected cases of the Omicron variant
for the first time.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, A Kenyan court
temporarily halted the government's plan to require COVID-19
vaccination for access to public services until a petition
challenging it is heard and ruled upon.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, It was reported
that Lebanese officials have agreed that losses in the country's
financial sector amount to between $68 billion and $69 billion as it
seeks to negotiate an International Monetary Fund (IMF) support
program.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, It was reported
that photographer Soe Naing, detained after an anti-coup protest in
Myanmar's biggest city last week, has died while in custody.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Dutch broadcaster
RTL said schools in the Netherlands will close a week early for
Christmas this year as coronavirus infections remain high and
hospitals struggle with a wave of COVID-19 patients.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, The African
Development Bank (AfDB) said it will lend Nigeria $210 million to
support smallholder farmers producing strategic crops and livestock.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte withdrew his bid to become a senator, the
same day his preferred successor quit the presidential race, adding
to uncertainty about the mercurial leader's political future and the
scope of his influence.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Russian President
Vladimir Putin said that he wants "immediate" talks with the United
States and NATO over security guarantees, as tensions soar between
Moscow and the West over Ukraine.
   (AP, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Rwanda's health
ministry said the small central African country had detected six
cases of the Omicron variant as it pushed for people to get
vaccinated.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Gulf Arab leaders
gathered in Riyadh for an annual summit expected to stress cohesion
after a deep rift, at a time of regional concern over Iran and
rising economic rivalry within the oil-producing bloc.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Somali Islamists
captured the town of Eldheere in the semi-autonomous central state
of Galmudug, part of a string of incursions underscoring the group's
gains amid divisions between the central government and its
erstwhile allies in the region.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, South Korea's
Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) posted 7,850 cases,
with the number of patients in serious condition also reaching a
fresh high at 964.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Spanish police
arrested Moroccan national Fikri Amellah, an internationally wanted
drug trafficker suspected of using the proceeds from importing tons
of hashish and cocaine to splash out on luxury cars, yachts and
high-end watches.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, The United Arab
Emirates suspended talks on a $23 billion deal to purchase
American-made F-35 planes, armed drones and other equipment. Emirati
officials blamed an American insistence on restrictions on how and
where the F-35s could be used and say they are a violation of the
UAE's sovereignty.
   (AP, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, The UN said more
than 100 former Afghan national security forces and others have been
killed since the Taliban takeover in August, most at the hands of
the hardline Islamist group which is recruiting boy soldiers and
quashing women's rights. The WFP said almost all Afghans do not have
enough to eat.
   (Reuters, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, The UN weather
agency said it has certified a 38-degree Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit)
reading in the Russian town of Verkhoyansk on June 20, 2020, as the
highest temperature ever recorded in the Arctic.
   (AP, 12/14/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, A majority of the
US Senate (89-10) backed the National Defense Authorization Act, or
NDAA, sending the $770 billion bill to President Joe Biden's desk
for his signature.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Citing
high-quality filtration systems aboard planes, Southwest Airlines
CEO Gary Kelly stated that “masks don’t add much, if anything, in
the air cabin environment.” On Dec 17 Kelly tested positive for
COVID-19 after returning home from the Senate hearing.
   (AP, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, A US federal
appeals court in New Orleans revived in 26 states a Biden
administration COVID-19 vaccine mandate requiring millions of US
healthcare workers to get vaccinated if they work in federally
funded facilities. It ruled that a lower court only had the
authority to block the mandate in the 14 states that had sued.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, It was reported
that that the US Air Force has discharged 27 people for refusing to
get the COVID-19 vaccine, making them the first service members to
be removed for disobeying the mandate to get shots.
   (SFC, 12/15/21, p.A5)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 50,261,30 with the death toll at 800,983.
   (sfist.com, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Water agencies in
southern California, along with Arizona and Nevada, reached an
agreement to significantly reduce the amount of water they take from
the Colorado River to avoid dangerously low levels of water in Lake
Mead.
   (SFC, 12/16/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, A freakish wind
storm brought "Dust Bowl" conditions and gusts of more than 100 mph
(161 kph) to parts of the Great Plains and Upper Midwest. The storm
closed highways in western Kansas, spawned reported tornadoes in
Nebraska and Iowa and raised concerns about fires because of
unusually high temperatures. At least five people died due to the
storm, one in Minnesota, 3 in Kansas and one in Iowa.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)(AP, 15/15/21)(SFC, 12/17/21,
p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Black writer bell
hooks (69) died at her home in Berea, Ky. She insisted on using all
lowercase letters in her name. Her writing on gender and race helped
push feminism beyond its white, middle-class worldview to include
the voices of Black and working-class women. Her books included
“Ain’t I a Woman? Black Women and Feminism” (1981).
   (NY Times, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Former Minneapolis
police officer Derek Chauvin (45) pleaded guilty in a federal court
to charges he violated George Floyd's civil rights, likely extending
his prison sentence after his earlier conviction for the Black man's
murder.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Minnesota reported
54 more COVID-19 deaths raising the state's total to 10,018.
   (SFC, 12/17/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Eric Adams, New
York City’s mayor-elect, named Keechant Sewell, a Long Island police
official, as the city’s next police commissioner, making her the
first woman to lead the nation’s largest police force.
   (The Guardian, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, The New York City
Council voted to ban the use of natural gas in new buildings,
following in the footsteps of dozens of smaller US cities seeking to
shift from fossil fuels to cleaner forms of energy.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Bristol Myers
Squibb Co's Orencia became the first drug to win US approval for the
prevention of acute Graft versus Host Disease (aGvHD), a potentially
fatal complication that could occur after a stem cell transplant.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, It was reported
that state-sponsored hackers from countries including Iran and China
are actively exploiting a major vulnerability in Apache logging
package log4j to target vulnerable organizations around the world.
   (The Hill, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Ghulam Isaczai,
the former Afghan government’s ambassador to the United Nations,
resigned after the country’s current Taliban rulers sought to
replace him with their own envoy. Taliban leaders have been trying
to put their own representative, Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, in their
country’s seat at the UN.
   (AP, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Australia reopened
borders to vaccinated skilled migrants and foreign students after a
nearly two-year ban on their entry, in a bid to boost an economy hit
by stop-start COVID-19 lockdowns.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, In Australia four
children were killed and several more badly injured after strong
winds lifted an inflated jumping castle into the air during
end-of-year school celebrations, causing them to fall 10 meters (33
feet) in Devonport, Tasmania state. Four days later a boy (11) died
from the accident, taking the death toll from the tragedy to six
children.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)(Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, In Belgium the
young adult daughter of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei
Navalny received a standing ovation from European Union lawmakers as
she accepted the EU's top human rights prize on her father's behalf.
   (AP, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, The UK recorded
its most daily coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic as
a senior British health chief said there could be a "staggering"
rise over the next few days. A further 78,610 COVID-19 infections
were reported, about 10,000 more than the previous high reported in
January.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, In London David
Fuller (67), a double murderer who sexually abused more than 100
corpses in hospital mortuaries was sentenced, to life in prison.
Fuller had filmed himself carrying out the attacks on at least 102
bodies in mortuaries inside the now-closed Kent and Sussex Hospital
and the Tunbridge Wells Hospital, in Pembury, where he had worked as
an electrician since 1989.
   (AP, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Britain-based
GlaxoSmithKline and France-based Sanofi said they expect data from
late-stage clinical trials of its booster dose of their COVID-19
vaccine candidate in the first quarter, instead of this year.
Preliminary data from trials showed the single-dose booster provided
strong immune responses.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, It was reported
that efforts using poison to eradicate invasive mice on Britain's
Gough Island, home to one of the world's largest seabird colonies,
have failed. A remote camera recently revealed that at least one
mouse had survived on the South Atlantic island.
   (BBC, 12/15/21)(SSFC, 12/19/21, p.B10)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, It was reported
that Chilean authorities have registered more than 25,000 people
arriving this year through the Atacama Desert, as compared to 16,500
for all of 2020. Most of the migrants were said to be from
Venezuela, with some from Colombia and Haiti.
   (SFC, 12/15/21, p.A4) Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Presidents Xi
Jinping and Vladimir Putin agreed in a video call that China and
Russia should stand firm in rejecting Western interference and
defending each other's security interests.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, A private jet
crashed minutes after taking off outside Santo Domingo in the
Dominican Republic, killing all nine people on board, including
Puerto Rican music producer Flow La Movie.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Six European
supermarket chains, including two owned by Dutch firm Ahold Delhaize
and a Carrefour subsidiary, said they would stop selling some or all
beef products from Brazil due to links with destruction of the
Amazon rainforest.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, German Chancellor
Olaf Scholz 963) said his government would make Europe's largest
economy fit for the future by fostering investment in climate
protection and digitalization, vowing no one would be left behind in
this major transformation. He also underscored the importance of
strengthening the European Union and standing shoulder-to-shoulder
with transatlantic allies in the face of security threats like the
Russian military build-up in Ukraine.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, It was reported
that India has approved a $10 billion incentive plan to attract
semiconductor and display manufacturers, as part of a deepening push
to establish the country as a global electronics production hub.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Iran and a UN
watchdog said they have reached agreement on replacing cameras at a
nuclear complex, as Western powers warn time is running out to
revive a deal on Tehran's atomic program.
   (AFP, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, The Israeli
government said it was donating 1 million coronavirus vaccines to
the UN-backed COVAX program.
   (AP, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Lebanon’s interior
minister ordered the deportation of members of Bahrain’s outlawed
Shiite opposition party after they criticized from Beirut their
country’s human rights record.
   (AP, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Lithuania's
diplomatic delegation to China left the country in a hastily
arranged exit, as relations soured further over Taiwan, which opened
a de facto embassy in Vilnius last month.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, A boat capsized
off Malaysia killing 11 people, among them suspected undocumented
migrants. A search and rescue mission was underway for 25 missing
Indonesians.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Nigeria's upper
chamber of parliament approved President Muhammadu Buhari's request
for $5.8 billion in borrowing from international lenders.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Nigerian senators
rejected, for the third time in five years, a bill that seeks to
promote gender equality, citing “socio-cultural and Islamic
concerns”.
   (AP, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, North Korea's
state media reported that Kim Yong Ju (b.1920), the younger brother
of North Korea founder Kim Il Sung who was once regarded as the
country’s No. 2 official before his nephew was anointed as the next
ruler, has died.
   (AP, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, The Philippines
said it has detected two imported cases of the Omicron coronavirus
variant of concern, its first reported cases.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, South Africa's
high court ordered former President Jacob Zuma to return to jail,
after setting aside an earlier decision to release him on medical
parole.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, South Africa
reported a record number of new daily COVID-19 infections in a
fourth wave believed to be largely caused by the Omicron coronavirus
variant. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD)
reported 26,976 new cases in the past 24 hours, surpassing a peak of
26,485 in early July.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, The Seoul-based
Transitional Justice Working Group, in a report titled report titled
"Mapping Killings under Kim Jong Un: North Korea's Response to
International Pressure," documented 27 executions, most by firing
squad, on charges that included of watching or distributing South
Korean videos, drugs, prostitution and human trafficking.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Five Turkish
healthcare unions representing more than 250,000 health workers,
doctors and other medical personnel went on a one-day strike,
protesting poor wages and harsh working conditions amid a currency
meltdown.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, The UN migration
agency said it has launched a coronavirus vaccination campaign for
stranded migrants in war-torn Yemen.
   (AP, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, A Vietnamese court
sentenced Facebook users Trinh Ba Phuong to 10 years in prison and
five years of house arrest and Nguyen Thi Tam to six years in jail
and three years of house arrest for anti-state activities.
   (Reuters, 12/15/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, President Joe
Biden signed a bill raising the US debt limit into law, averting
what would have been an unprecedented default.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, The US Commerce
Department hit several Chinese companies with export restrictions,
citing national security reasons including what Washington says is
their role in oppressing China's Uyghurs or helping Beijing's
military.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, The US federal
government permanently lifted a major restriction on access to
abortion pills. It will allow patients to receive the medication by
mail instead of requiring them to obtain the pills in person from
specially certified health providers.
   (NY Times, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, A federal judge
overturned Purdue Pharma’s opioid settlement, ruling that the
company’s owners, members of the Sackler family, could not receive
protection from civil lawsuits.
   (NY Times, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, The US Marine
Corps said it has discharged 103 Marines so far for refusing the
vaccine, and the Army said it has reprimanded more than 2,700
soldiers and will begin discharge proceedings in January.
   (AP, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, The US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention said it had received reports of eight
cases of myocarditis, a type of heart inflammation, in children aged
5-11 years who received Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 50,381,441 with the death toll at 802,542.
   (sfist.com, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Ophthalmologist
Alan Scott (89), the “Father of Botox,” died in Greenbrae, Calif. He
turned a toxin into a medical treatment — and then watched as his
innovation became a cosmetic phenomenon. Dr. Scott first injected
the powerful paralytic Clostridium botulinum into the eye muscles of
a patient (1978) who had undergone retinal detachment surgery that
had left his eye pulled to one side.
   (NY Times, 1/12/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, In Florida even
though there have been practically no cases of clinical infection,
wastewater samples show that the new omicron variant is now the
dominant strain of COVID-19 in Orange County, home to the nation's
largest theme park resorts.
   (AP, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, A teen's death in
Kentucky pushed the total of the Dec. 10 storm-related casualties in
five states to 90, including 76 in Kentucky.
   (AP, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Former McDonald’s
chief executive Steve Easterbrook, who was ousted by the company in
2019 for having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate,
has returned $105 million in cash and stock to the company in one of
the largest clawbacks in the history of corporate America.
   (NY Times, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Intel said it will
invest 30 billion ringgit ($7.1 billion) to expand its manufacturing
operation in Malaysia as chipmakers work to diversify their global
supply chains that were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (AP, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Australia-based
Qantas Airways picked Airbus as the preferred supplier to replace
its domestic fleet, switching from Boeing in a major win for the
European plane maker that also triggered an upheaval in engine
supplies.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Brazilian
President Jair Bolsonaro said that he has asked for the names of
health officials that had approved COVID-19 vaccines for children in
Brazil, saying he planned to make their identities public despite
previous death threats.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Britain became the
first G7 economy to hike interest rates since the onset of the
pandemic, with the US Federal Reserve also signaling plans to
tighten in 2022 but the European Central Bank only slightly reining
in stimulus.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, New cases of
COVID-19 in Britain hit a record high for the second day running.
Britain reported 88,376 new infections, the highest since the start
of the pandemic and up around 10,000 over the previous day.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, AstraZeneca said a
lab-study of its COVID-19 antibody cocktail, Evusheld, found that
the treatment retained neutralizing activity against the Omicron
coronavirus variant, showing promise for wider use of the therapy.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Human Rights Watch
accused separatist fighters in Cameroon's Anglophone regions of
systematically targeting schools, students and teachers during a
civil war that has killed thousands of people.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Canada, Britain,
Sweden and Ukraine set a new deadline for Iran to negotiate
reparations for families of victims of the Jan 8, 2020, downed
Ukrainian flight, warning that their "patience is wearing thin."
They said Tehran must indicate by January 5 if it is willing to
engage in negotiations.
   (AP, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Authorities in
Democratic Republic of Congo declared the end of its 13th Ebola
outbreak that emerged in early October in North Kivu province and
infected 11 people, killing six of them.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Denmark approved
Merck & Co Inc's molnupiravir antiviral pill for COVID-19
patients at risk of serious illness, including the elderly.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Amnesty
International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) said armed forces from
Ethiopia's Amhara region have stepped up killings, mass detentions
and expulsions of ethnic Tigrayans in neighboring western Tigray.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, France announced
that because of surging COVID-19 cases in Britain only designated
categories of people would be allowed to travel between the two
countries, and anyone arriving from Britain would have to
self-isolate.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, It was reported
that the remaining 12 missionaries of a group of Canadian and
American missionaries, kidnapped on October 16 by a gang in Haiti,
have been released. Ransom money was raised to pay for the release
of the group, but a dozen of them escaped captivity on their own.
   (BBC, 12/16/21)(Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, In India three
people were killed and 10 injured in a fire at a plant owned by
Indian chemicals maker Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd in the western
state of Gujarat.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Indonesia's Pres.
Joko Widodo urged people to refrain from traveling abroad after the
county detected its first case of the omicron variant.
   (SFC, 12/17/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Jewish settler
Yehuda Dimentman was killed and two others were wounded in a
Palestinian shooting attack near a Jewish settler outpost in the
occupied West Bank. Israeli forces soon arrested four Palestinian
suspects believed to have taken part in the deadly shooting.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)(AP, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Japan officially
approved Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine for its booster program
while Novavax Inc filed for first approval of its shot in the
country.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Masayuki Uemura
(78), Japanese engineer who developed the Nintendo Entertainment
system (1983), died in j in Japan.
   (SSFC, 12/19/21, p.F8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Lebanon's central
bank said it would sell US dollars to commercial banks at the rate
on its Sayrafa foreign exchange platform, but analysts said offering
more hard currency would do little to steady the already crippled
Lebanese pound.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, It was reported
that Malta has become the first EU country to agree to formally
legalize the use and growing of marijuana for recreational purposes.
   (SFC, 12/16/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, NATO stood by its
promise to open a path to Ukrainian membership amid warnings from
Western intelligence agencies that Moscow could soon begin a
military incursion.
   (NY Times, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Thousands marched
in New Zealand's capital Wellington to protest against COVID-19
vaccine mandates and lockdowns, as the country reached the 90% fully
vaccinated milestone.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Norway's central
bank raised its benchmark interest rate as widely expected, and said
more hikes were likely next year although that would depend on the
impact of a surge in coronavirus infections and the emergence of the
Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, The Palestinian
Health Ministry said it has identified its first three cases of the
omicron variant of the coronavirus in the occupied West Bank.
   (AP, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Electoral
authorities in the Philippines rejected the first of a series of
complaints seeking to disqualify presidential contender Ferdinand
Marcos Jr (64), the early frontrunner ahead of next year's election.
The decision was made public on Dec. 18.
   (Reuters, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Typhoon Rai
rapidly intensified to a Category 5 storm before making landfall in
the southern Philippines, forcing mass evacuations and flight
cancellations as floodwaters reached chest-high in low-lying
communities. At least 72 people died in the central province of
Bohol in the wake of Typhoon Rai. The death toll soon passed 400
people with 82 still missing.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)(Reuters, 12/19/21)(Reuters,
12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Russia said it was
ready to send a government minister to "any neutral country" for
talks with the United States on its proposals for security in
Europe, and presidents Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden could speak
again before New Year.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Russia fined
Twitter, Facebook owner Meta Platforms and TikTok for failing to
delete content the government deems illegal, the latest in a string
of penalties against foreign technology firms.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, The authorities in
Serbia's western town of Loznica said it was scrapping a plan
adopted this year to open a lithium mine in the area after
opposition from activists, although developer Rio Tinto said it had
not given up on the project.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, South Korea said
it will reinstate stricter social distancing rules a
month-and-a-half after easing them under a 'living with COVID-19'
policy, as the number of new infections and serious cases spirals.
Curbs will return from Dec. 4 to Jan. 2, limiting gatherings to no
more than four people - as long as they are fully vaccinated.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Syria’s military
said Israeli rockets hit army posts in the country’s south early
today, killing one soldier and causing material damage.
   (AP, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Sweden said it
will require visitors from other Nordic nations to have a vaccine
pass to cross the border as it tightens restrictions in the face of
rising number of COVID-19 infections and worries about the Omicron
variant.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, President Tayyip
Erdogan said Turkey will hike its minimum wage by a massive 50% to
4,250 lira ($275.44) per month next year to address a currency crash
and inflation spike.
   (Reuters, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, The United Nations
cultural agency placed a traditional Haitian soup, widely seen as a
symbol of the nation's independence, on its prized intangible
cultural heritage list.
   (AP, 12/16/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The US government
imposed sanctions on Ali Darassa, a militia leader in Central
African Republic (CAR) whose forces it accused of murder, torture,
rape and kidnapping.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A US federal
appeals court panel allowed Pres. Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate
for larger private employers to move ahead.
   (SFC, 12/18/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A federal judge
sentenced Robert Scott Palmer (54), a US Capitol rioter, to 63
months in prison on charges that he threw a wooden plank and a fire
extinguisher at police during the Jan. 6 attack on the seat of
government. He was the first rioter to be sentenced on the charge of
assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers using a dangerous or
deadly weapon.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, It was reported
that the US Postal Service (USPS) and NAACP have reached a
settlement to resolve a 2020 lawsuit over election mail that the
Justice Department said would ensure prioritizing delivering ballots
in future elections.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A US CDC report
said most of the 43 COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant
identified in the United States so far were in people who were fully
vaccinated, and a third of them had received a booster dose.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new strategy called
"test-to-stay" that allows unvaccinated children to stay in school
even if they have been exposed to the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 50,381,441 with the death toll at 803,851.
   (sfist.com, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, SF Mayor London
Bree declared a state of emergency in the Tenderloin in an effort to
stem a tide of fatal overdoses and street crime.
   (SFC, 12/18/21, p.A1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Former SF Public
works Director Mohammed Nuru (59) agreed to plead guilty to a
federal fraud charge involving multiple bribes and kickbacks.
   (SFC, 12/18/21, p.A1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A board of the
regulatory Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted to keep
the shrimp fishery shuttered for at least three more years because
of concerns about the health of the crustacean's population amid
warming ocean temperatures.
   (AP, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, New York state
reported that slightly more than 21,000 people had tested positive
for COVID-19, a new high since tests became widely available.
   (AP, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Virginia police
said Anthony Robinson (35), a suspected serial killer dubbed the
“shopping cart killer,” has been arrested after he was suspected to
be linked to the killings of at least four women.
   (The Independent, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Washington state
Sen. Doug Ericksen (52), a staunch conservative, died. His death
came weeks after he said he had tested positive for the coronavirus
while in El Salvador. He was an outspoken critic of Democratic Gov.
Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 emergency orders, and had introduced
legislation aimed at protecting the rights of people who do not wish
to get vaccinated.
   (AP, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, JPMorgan Chase was
fined $200 million by regulators for failing to track work-related
communication on employees' personal phones and email. Staff members
in the bank's security division had avoided oversight by discussing
company business on their personal devices.
   (SFC, 12/18/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Eve Babitz (78),
the voluptuous bard of Los Angeles, who wrote with sharp wit and a
connoisseur’s enthusiasm of its outsize characters and sensuous
pleasures and found critical acclaim and a new audience late in
life, died at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.
   (NY Times, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The NOAA’s Arctic
Report Card documented the numerous ways that climate change
continues to fundamentally alter this once reliably frozen region.
The Arctic is warming two to three times faster than the rest of the
planet.
   (https://tinyurl.com/35mtfwym)(SSFC, 12/19/21,
p.B10)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A Brazilian
federal police document said President Jair Bolsonaro had a "direct
and relevant" role in spreading disinformation about the country's
electoral process during live streams on social media.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, In Brazil a summit
of the South American trade bloc Mercosur ended without a final
presidential statement, as member nations failed to reach an
agreement to reduce import tariffs amid a sharp rise in inflation.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, British PM Boris
Johnson said he took personal responsibility for the loss of a
Conservative stronghold in an election defeat that showed public
dismay over a litany of scandals and stepped up pressure on the
British prime minister from mutinous lawmakers.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A British study
showed that the risk of reinfection with the Omicron coronavirus
variant is more than five times higher and it has shown no sign of
being milder than Delta. Britain reported a new high of 93,045
COVID-19 infections, breaking the record set a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Officials in
Canada said a that all travelers would need a negative PCR test to
re-enter the country. The test would have to be taken in a country
other than Canada.
   (SFC, 12/20/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, China's commerce
ministry said it firmly opposed action taken in the United States to
put investment and export curbs on eight Chinese technology firms
and pass a bill that would ban imports from China's Xinjiang region.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, It was reported
that China is pressuring German car parts giant Continental to stop
using components made in Lithuania, amid a dispute between Beijing
and the Baltic state over the status of Taiwan.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, China's securities
regulator said a stock connect scheme linking Shanghai and London
will be broadened to include Shenzhen-listed companies, as well as
capital markets in Germany and Switzerland.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The new
center-right government of Czech PM Petr Fiala (57) took office
facing soaring inflation and energy costs, record budget deficits
and the dragging COVID-19 pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Egyptian health
authorities said they have identified the country’s first cases of
the highly transmissible omicron variant of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, France said it has
detected bird flu on a duck farm in the southwest of the country,
marking a return of the disease to the foie gras production region
where duck flocks were decimated by outbreaks last winter.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, India's health
ministry said it has detected a total of 101 cases of the Omicron
variant of the coronavirus, adding some districts were showing a
rise in overall infections relative to tests.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, India's antitrust
agency suspended Amazon.com's 2019 deal with Future Group,
potentially denting the US e-commerce giant's attempts to block the
sale of Future's retail assets to an Indian market leader.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Talks aimed at
salvaging Iran's tattered 2015 nuclear deal with world powers
adjourned to allow the Iranian negotiator to return home for
consultations after a round marked by tensions over new demands from
Tehran.
   (AP, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Iraqi officials
said at least eight people have died and more are feared injured
amid severe flooding caused by torrential rainfall in Irbil province
in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region.
   (AP, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Jewish settlers
burst into several villages in the occupied West Bank, smashing
homes and cars and beating up at least two people. The attacks came
a day after Palestinian gunmen killed an Israeli man in a shooting
ambush in the territory.
   (AP, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Associated Press
photographer Mahmoud Illean was pushed and beaten by Israeli police
in an unprovoked attack while covering a protest in a tense
Jerusalem neighborhood, sending him to the hospital with head
injuries.
   (AP, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Ivory Coast
workers blocked access to the main ports of Abidjan and San Pedro.
Stevedores and dockers walked away over demands that the government
respect a 2019 agreement to pay them three euros ($3.40) per hour,
in line with international standards. The week-long strike comes at
a time when cocoa exporters are rushing to ship out beans from the
previous season without penalty.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, In Japan 24 people
were killed after a fire swept through a psychiatry clinic in Osaka.
Police were investigating possible arson after reports a man had
spilled liquid that fueled the blaze. Police soon identified Morio
Tanimoto (61) as a prime suspect behind the fire. Days later the
death toll rose to 25. Tanimoto died on Dec. 30 due to carbon
monoxide inhalation from the fire.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)(Reuters, 12/18/21)(Reuters,
12/20/21)(Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, At least 102
migrants were reported dead after their wooden boat capsized off
Libya.
   (AP, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A court in
Madagascar convicted two French citizens of having plotted a failed
coup against President Andry Rajoelina and sentenced them to 10
years and 20 years of forced labor. Paul Rafanoharana was sentenced
to 20 years in prison and Philippe François was given a 10-year
prison sentence.
   (AP, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Mali's foreign
affairs ministry said that Chad planned to deploy 1,000 additional
soldiers to Mali to reinforce its troops battling insurgents there,
as France scales back its military presence in Africa's Sahel
region.
   (Reuters, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Mexican officials
said the former chief of security for Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex)
has been arrested in Canada on charges of protecting a fuel theft
racket within the state-run oil company, and his extradition process
has begun.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, For the 10th
anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s death, North Koreans were required to
enter an 11-day mourning period and adhere to several bans the
government imposed, such as laughing, drinking alcohol and
participating in leisure activities.
   (Radio Free Asia, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Poland's
parliament unexpectedly passed a bill that would force Discovery
Inc. to sell its controlling share of TVN, Poland’s largest
television network.
   (AP, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Qatar said it has
registered its first four cases of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Russia said it
wanted a legally binding guarantee that the NATO military alliance
would give up any military activity in Eastern Europe and Ukraine,
part of a wish list of ambitious security guarantees it wants to
negotiate with the West.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Saudi state news
agency (SPA) said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has launched the
plan and main features of the Jeddah Central Project, previously
known as New Jeddah Downtown, with total investments of 75 billion
riyals ($19.99 billion).
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, In Sudan tear gas
was fired at thousands of supporters of the opposition Forces for
Freedom and Change movement who had gathered in the capital
Khartoum.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Switzerland's
highest court dismissed a final appeal by Vladislav Klyushin, a
Kremlin-linked Russian businessman seeking to block his extradition
to the United States, by arguing he was a victim of a US political
campaign to snare him on trumped-up charges.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Thai authorities
said at least 2,500 people including hundreds of children have fled
a flare-up in fighting between the Myanmar army and ethnic minority
rebels and have taken refuge across the border in Thailand.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, In Tunisia several
thousand people demonstrated against President Kais Saied, pointing
to growing opposition to his seizure of power and suspension of
parliament five months ago.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, UAE billionaire
Majid Al Futtaim died. He rose from working as a bank clerk to
creating an eponymous business empire most known for its massive
Dubai mall with an indoor ski slope.
   (AP, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A UN-backed court
set up to try leaders of the brutal Khmer Rouge dropped genocide
charges against Cambodian ex-navy commander Meas Muth. The court
said it was terminating the case "in the absence of a definitive and
enforceable indictment".
   (AP, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The United Nations
refugee agency (UNHCR) said clashes between herders, fishermen and
farmers in the far north of Cameroon have driven at least 100,000
people from their homes in the past two weeks, creating a
humanitarian emergency.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The UN Human
Rights Council voted to set up an independent investigation into
abuses in the Ethiopian conflict.
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The World Health
Organization issued an emergency use listing to Serum Institute of
India's version of US-based Novavax Inc's COVID-19 vaccine, paving
the way for the two companies to ship their doses for the COVAX
program. This was the 9th vaccine to be granted emergency use by the
WHO
   (Reuters, 12/17/21)(SFC, 12/18/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Republican US
Senator Ted Cruz will get a vote in January on his bill to slap
sanctions on Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline in a deal struck with
Democrats in which he agreed to lift holds on dozens of President
Joe Biden's nominees for ambassador posts.
   (Reuters, 12/18/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 50,718,428 with the death toll at 806,058.
   (sfist.com, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, In southern
California rapper Drakeo the Ruler was fatally stabbed at a Los
Angeles music festival where he and others were scheduled to
perform.
   (SFC, 12/20/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The Royal
Caribbean Symphony of the Seas ship docked in Port Miami with 48
passengers testing positive for the coronavirus. 98% of the those
testing positive had been fully vaccinated. The 7-night cruise had
left Miami on Dec. 11 with 95% of passengers and crew fully
vaccinated.
   (SFC, 12/20/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, In Minnesota seven
people were found dead inside a home in Moorhead. The victims
included four adults and three children. Blood samples showed a
lethal level of carbon monoxide in the immigrant family from
Honduras.
   (AP, 12/20/21)(SFC, 12/21/21, p.A3)(Fox News,
12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, David Wagoner
(96), novelist and a leading figure in poetry circles, especially in
the Pacific Northwest, died in Edmonds, Wa. His novel "The Escape
Artist" (1965) was turned into a 1982 movie starring Griffin O'Neal.
   (SSFC, 1/2/22, p.F7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Australia reported
record high new COVID-19 cases for a third day, with outbreaks
growing in the two most populous states, however Prime Minister
Scott Morrison continued to downplay the risks as the country eases
pandemic curbs.
   (Reuters, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Former Brexit
negotiator David Frost resigned from the government with immediate
effect, topping a torrid week for British PM Boris Johnson after a
party rebellion on new coronavirus curbs and by-election
humiliation.
   (AP, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, London Mayor Sadiq
Khan declared a "major incident" to help the capital's hospitals
cope with a surge in COVID-19 cases caused by the fast-spreading
Omicron coronavirus variant. The UK reported 90,418 new COVID-19
cases, down from a record of just over 93,000 a day earlier, and 125
deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test.
   (Reuters, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Beijing city said
it is advising residents not to leave town during a major holiday
season in early 2022, part of efforts to limit coronavirus risks
while the Winter Olympics Games are being held.
   (Reuters, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, In China four
people were killed and another eight injured when part of a bridge
ramp collapsed in Ezhou City, in central Hubei province.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Germany's national
disease control center, the Robert Koch Institute, added Britain to
its list of “virus variant areas” late today.
   (AP, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Guatemalan
authorities said that 12 people were killed in the village of
Chiquix, 155 kms (96 miles) east of the capital, where a
long-running land dispute has sparked conflicts between the
residents of two municipalities.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, In India a Chennai
district government said more than 150 employees at a Foxconn
factory that makes iPhones for Apple Inc were hospitalized for food
poisoning this week but almost all have now been discharged. Indian
police detained scores of people for blocking highways in a protest
against the food poisoning incident. Dozens of those detained were
soon released.
   (Reuters, 12/18/21)(Reuters, 12/19/21)(Reuters,
12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, In India a man was
beaten to death in the northern city of Amritsar after he allegedly
attempted to commit a sacrilegious act inside the historic Golden
Temple, one of Sikhs' most revered shrines.
   (AP, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Israeli officers
arrested a Palestinian woman (65) after she stabbed and lightly
wounded a settler (38) in the center of the highly contested city of
Hebron.
   (AP, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Italy's national
health institute (ISS) said the highly contagious Omicron variant of
the coronavirus is spreading quickly, with new cases identified in
the country's north and south.
   (Reuters, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The Libyan coast
guard retrieved at least 62 bodies of migrants following a 2nd
shipwreck off its coast.
   (AP, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Malaysian
officials said thousands of people have been displaced by flash
floods following non-stop rainfall over the last 24 hours. At least
eight people died in the floods. At least 10,000 people were trapped
by the flooding.
   (Reuters, 12/18/21)(Reuters, 12/20/21)(SFC,
12/21/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, In Pakistan at
least 12 people were killed and 11 others injured in an explosion in
a sewer system in Karachi's industrial area. A gas leak beneath a
local bank was suspected.
   (SSFC, 12/19/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, In Senegal the
19th annual Fashion Week event opened in Dakar with the dual themes
of inclusiveness and sustainability.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, In Spain thousands
of Catalans took to the streets of Barcelona to protest a court
decision that mandates that 25% of all schools subjects be taught in
Spanish, reducing the still predominant use of the local Catalan
language in classrooms.
   (SSFC, 12/19/21, p.A12)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Taiwan's
opposition suffered a major setback after voters rejected four
referendums it had championed as a show of no confidence in the
government.
   (Reuters, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Ukraine said it
has detected its first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant. So
far Ukraine has reported 3.6 million cases of COVID-19 and 92,929
deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The Vatican warned
conservative Roman Catholics who have balked at Pope Francis'
decision to restrict the old traditionalist Latin Mass that they
were sowing division and engaging in "sterile polemics".
   (Reuters, 12/18/21)  Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, It was reported
that Cardinal Peter Turkson (73) of Ghana, seen by some as a
candidate to become the first African pope in about 1,500 years, has
abruptly offered his resignation from a key Vatican department.
   (Reuters, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The World Health
Organization said the omicron variant of the coronavirus has been
detected in 89 countries, and COVID-19 cases involving the variant
are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in places with community
transmission and not just infections acquired abroad.
   (AP, 12/18/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, US Senator Joe
Manchin, a West Virginia moderate Democrat who is key to President
Joe Biden's hopes of passing a $1.75 trillion domestic investment
bill, said he would not support the package.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 50,796,445 with the death toll at 806,343.
   (sfist.com, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Sally Ann Howes
(91), an English-born grande dame of American and British musical
comedy, died Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. She captivated children as
Truly Scrumptious in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” the 1968 film
featuring a magic jalopy that floats and flies into fantasy
adventures.
   (NY Times, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Kentucky Gov. Andy
Beshear said the death toll from the Dec. 10 tornadoes left 78
people killed in the state and that those missing have been
accounted for. Officials in Tennessee reported a 5th death from the
storm leaving a total 92 people confirmed dead. Kentucky's death
toll was later revised to 77.
   (SSFC, 12/19/21, p.A12)(Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, The Interfax news
agency reported that Facebook has paid 17 million rubles ($229,643)
in fines owed in Russia for failing to delete content Moscow deems
illegal.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Distributor Sony
Corp "Spider-Man: No Way Home" racked up roughly $253 million in US
and Canadian ticket sales over the weekend, crushing pandemic
records and ranking as the third-biggest domestic debut in Hollywood
history.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, A light plane
crashed into waters off Australia's east coast this morning, killing
all four people on board including two children.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, In Belgium
thousands of peaceful protesters demonstrated in Brussels for a
third time against reinforced COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the
Belgian government to counter a spike in infections as the omicron
variant sweeps across Europe.
   (AP, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, PM Boris Johnson
was left reeling after his Brexit minister resigned, ending a
difficult week during which his Conservative party suffered a
humiliating defeat in a local by-election and his own MPs rebelled
over new coronavirus curbs. Johnson announced the appointment of
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to become the country's lead negotiator
with the EU.
   (AFP, 12/19/21)(AP, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Britain reported
more than 12,000 further confirmed cases of the fast-spreading
Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The UK reported 82,886 new
COVID-19 cases and 45 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Sky News reported
that GlaxoSmithKline Plc has picked former Chief Executive Officer
of Tesco Plc Dave Lewis to head GSK's consumer healthcare unit,
which is being spun off into a standalone business.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Carlos Marín (53),
a Spanish baritone, died Manchester, England. He rocketed to
international fame after the impresario Simon Cowell chose him to be
a member of Il Divo, the multinational quartet whose slick pop music
delivered in operatic style sold millions of records and filled
arenas.
   (NY Times, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Chileans headed to
the polls to vote in the Andean nation's most divisive presidential
election in decades, with two candidates offering starkly different
visions for the future from pensions and privatization to human
rights. Gabriel Boric (35), a former student protest leader allied
to the Communist Party, faced ultra-conservative Jose Antonio Kast
(55), a law-and-order candidate and defender of former dictator
Augusto Pinochet. Chileans elected Gabriel Boric as their next
president
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)(NY Times, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Chinese tennis
star Peng Shuai (35) said that she had never accused anyone of
sexually assaulting her, and that a social media post she had made
early last month had been misunderstood. After that post, she was
absent from public view for nearly three weeks.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Justice Minister
Eric Dupond-Moretti said France will make it easier for citizens to
take their mother's name once they are adults.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, German Defence
Minister Christine Lambrecht said NATO will discuss Russia's
security proposals but it will not let Moscow dictate the alliance's
military posture.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Hong Kong
government efforts and last-ditch campaigning by candidates
struggled to boost turnout in an overhauled legislative election,
the first under a sweeping new security law. Only candidates
screened by the government as "patriots" could run. Pro-Beijing
candidates swept to victory in the legislative election that critics
described as undemocratic. Turnout hit a record low amid a crackdown
on the city's freedoms by China.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)(Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Indonesia's Semeru
volcano on Java island erupted early spewing a two km (1.24 miles)
high ash column, prompting authorities to warn people to stay away
from the eruption range.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, State TV reported
that Iran has detected its first case of infection by the new
omicron variant of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Dutch urban
centers were largely deserted as the country began a snap lockdown
that, aimed at stemming an expected COVID-19 surge caused by the
fast-spreading Omicron variant, left people's Christmas plans in
disarray.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Pakistan's PM
Imran Khan warned of chaos if the worsening emergency in Afghanistan
was not urgently addressed. Islamic countries pledged to set up a
humanitarian trust fund for Afghanistan as, with millions facing
hunger and a harsh winter setting in.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Poles marched in
cities across the country to defend a US-owned television network
that is being targeted by the country's right-wing government and to
protect media freedoms in a European Union nation where democratic
norms are eroding.
   (AP, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, A Russian court
handed the retired father of one of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei
Navalny's allies a three-year suspended sentence, in a corruption
case that critics say is without merit. Yury Zhdanov (67) spent
several months in pre-trial detention, but was released from custody
after sentencing.
   (AP, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, In Spain thousands
of people dressed as Santa Claus took part in a charity run through
Madrid to raise money for people affected by a three-month volcanic
eruption on the Spanish island of La Palma.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, In Sudan hundreds
of thousands of people marched to the presidential palace in
Khartoum in protest at the Oct. 25 military coup, drawing volleys of
tear gas and stun grenades from security forces. One man was shot
dead in the protests.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)(Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, It was reported
that that Swedish scientists have found evidence that microbes in
the soil and sea are evolving to eat plastic.
   (AP, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, A senior Thai
official said Thailand has sent over 600 Myanmar refugees who fled
fighting between the military and ethnic rebels back across the
border.
   (Reuters, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, The UAE announced
that it will no longer censor films released in cinemas, the
country's latest effort to boost its brand as a liberal hub
attractive to foreigners.
   (AP, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, United Nations
human rights envoy Tom Andrews warned that a decision by Bangladesh
to close schools for Rohingya refugees risks leaving a generation of
children "practically uneducated".
   (AP, 12/19/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, The US Customs and
Border Protection (CBP) said it has banned imports from Malaysian
glove manufacturer Brightway Group over suspected forced labor
practices.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, US federal health
officials announced more than $280 million to smooth the transition
from the current 10-digit suicide-prevention number to three digits,
to be available on July 16. The new 988 number will also handle text
and chat.
   (SFC, 12/21/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, The United States
named Under Secretary of State Uzra Zeya as special coordinator for
Tibet, drawing warnings from China to stay out of its internal
affairs.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, The US Navy seized
1,400 AK-47 rifles and ammunition from a fishing boat it claimed was
smuggling weapons from Iran to Huthi rebels in war-torn Yemen.
   (AP, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, The US State
Department said American citizens should reconsider travel to
Ukraine amid increased threats from Russia and that it continues to
advise against to travel to the country due to the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, The Biden
administration raised vehicle mileage standards to significantly
reduce emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases, reversing a
Trump-era rollback that loosened fuel efficiency standards. The EPA
announced strengthened limits on pollution from automobile tailpipes
in a bid to reduce a major source of the carbon dioxide emissions
that are heating the planet. The more stringent rule would require
passenger vehicles to travel an average of 55 miles per gallon of
gasoline by 2026, from just under 38 miles per gallon today.
   (AP, 12/20/21)(NY Times, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, US authorities
charged Vladislav Klyushin (41) and four others with gleaning
material nonpublic information about company performance
announcements and trading ahead of the news. One of the others
charged, an employee of Klyushin’s named Ivan Ermakov (35), a former
Russian military intelligence officer, was previously charged for
his alleged role in hacking and an influence effort related to the
2016 presidential election. Klyushin was extradited by the US from
Switzerland on Dec. 18. The four other co-defendants remained at
large.
   (Bloomberg, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, The National
Hockey League and its players’ association agreed to pause play
until next week because of the coronavirus, becoming the first North
American professional sports league to suspend games en masse amid
the rapid rise of the Omicron variant.
   (NY Times, 12/21/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 50,927,640 with the death toll at 806,817.
   (sfist.com, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Los Angeles called
off its New Year's Eve party as coronavirus cases surged across the
country.
   (SFC, 12/21/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Mayor Muriel
Bowser said Washington, DC will reinstate an indoor mask mandate
beginning December 21, until the morning of January 31.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Minnesota Gov. Tim
Walz tested positive for COVID-19, along with his wife and teenage
son. All three had been vaccinated.
   (AP, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, The New York Times
reported that former US President Donald Trump has sued NY state
Attorney General Letitia James, seeking to halt her long-running
investigation of his business practices.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, In Rhode Island a
new mask mandate went into effect as coronavirus cases surged across
the country.
   (SFC, 12/21/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Texas' Harris
County reported its first death related to the Omicron COVID-19
variant, a man who was unvaccinated.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Biogen said it is
slashing the price of Aduhelm, its new Alzheimer's treatment, in
half from about $56,000 annually to $28,200.
   (SFC, 12/21/21, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Moderna said a
booster shot of its coronavirus vaccine significantly raises the
level of antibodies that can thwart the Omicron variant.
   (NY Times, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Britain reported
91,743 new COVID-19 cases, the second highest figure since the start
of the pandemic, as the Omicron variant continues to spread rapidly.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Quebec, Canada's
second-most-populous province, ordered bars, gyms and casinos shut
and directed people to work only from home. The province had a
record 4,500 new cases of the coronavirus a day.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, China cut its
lending benchmark loan prime rate (LPR) for the first time in 20
months, in a bid to prop up growth in the slowing economy, although
it remains wary of loosening conditions in the country's highly
leveraged property market.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Chinese
researchers said in a paper that COVID-19 booster shot produced by
China's Sinopharm had "significantly lower" neutralizing activity
against the Omicron variant, although they added the vaccine's
efficacy against Omicron remained unclear.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Top Chinese
e-commerce live streamer Viya, whose real name is Huang Wei, was
fined by the tax bureau in Hangzhou, for hiding personal income and
other offences in 2019 and 2020.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, In eastern
CongoDRC residents of Goma launched violent protests in which at
least two people died over fears that police from neighboring Rwanda
had entered the country.
   (AP, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, It was reported
that Cuba has vaccinated over 90% of its population with at least
one dose, and 83% of the population is now fully inoculated, placing
it second globally behind only the United Arab Emirates among
countries of at least 1 million people.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Prominent Egyptian
activist Alaa Abdel Fattah was sentenced to five years in prison,
after being tried on charges of spreading fake news. Blogger Mohamed
Ibrahim and lawyer Mohamed El-Baqer, who faced the same charges,
were sentenced to four years.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, In Ethiopia
Tigrayan forces fighting the central government said they have
withdrawn from neighboring regions in Ethiopia's north, a step
towards a possible ceasefire after major territorial gains by the
Ethiopian military.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, The EU approved
the use of Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine in people 18 years and older,
giving a boost to the US biotech after long delays and paving the
way for a fifth shot in the region as the Omicron variant spreads
quickly.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, India's market
regulator ordered a year-long suspension of futures trading in key
farm commodities, as the world's biggest importer of vegetable oils,
and a major producer of wheat and rice, struggles to tame food
inflation.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, India allowed
imports of refined palm oil until December 2022, as the world's
biggest vegetable oil buyer tries to bring down edible oil prices.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Indian vaccine
maker Bharat Biotech said it has submitted an application to the
country's drug regulator to conduct a late-stage trial for a booster
dose of its intranasal COVID-19 vaccine.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Israel added the
United States to its "no-fly" list, citing concerns over the spread
of the COVID-19 Omicron variant. Other countries banned included
Belgium, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Morocco, Portugal,
Switzerland and Turkey.
   {Israel, USA, COVID-19}
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)(SFC, 12/21/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Japan said a
cluster of coronavirus infections linked to a US military base has
grown to at least 180, raising fears over the spread of the virus in
the community.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, A cargo ship
carrying 130 illegal passengers sank off Madagascar's northeastern
coast, killing at least 19 people and leaving 66 missing. The death
toll soon rose to 83 with five still missing.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)(Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, New Zealand
authorities said they had linked a 26-year-old man's death to Pfizer
Inc's COVID-19 vaccine after the person suffered myocarditis, a rare
inflammation of the heart muscle, after taking his first dose.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, It was reported
that a female soldier has been arrested in Nigeria for accepting a
marriage proposal while on duty.
   (BBC, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Qatar Airways said
it is taking Airbus to court charging the manufacturer of failing to
correct what it says is accelerated surface degradation impacting
the Airbus A350 aircraft.
   (AP, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Poland and
Lithuania joined Ukraine to call for stronger Western sanctions
against Moscow amid a Russian troop buildup near the Ukrainian
border that has fueled fears of an invasion.
   (AP, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Russia said it
urgently needed a response from the United States on its sweeping
security demands and again warned of a possible Russian military
response unless it saw political action to assuage its concerns.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Russia ordered two
German diplomats to leave in response to the expulsion of two
Russian envoys after a German court's ruling that blamed Moscow for
the killing of a Chechen man in Berlin two years ago.
   (AP, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, A Saudi-led
coalition fighting the Iran-backed rebels in Yemen launched
“precision airstrikes" against rebel targets at the airport in the
Yemeni capital of Sanaa.
   (AP, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Singapore's
ministry of health said preliminary tests had detected two suspected
cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 linked to a gym, with
results for a third coronavirus case related to the gym pending.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Thailand's health
ministry said a Thai woman has tested positive to the Omicron
variant of the coronavirus in the country's first reported case of
local transmission.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Ukrainian
authorities placed former president Petro Poroshenko under formal
investigation for high treason, accusing him of links to financing
separatist forces in the eastern Donbass region.
   (Reuters, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, The Biden
administration said it will open federal COVID-19 testing sites in
New York City this week and buy 500 million at-home rapid tests that
Americans can order online for free starting in January as it tries
to tackle the Omicron variant of the coronavirus sweeping the
country.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, US Secretary of
State Antony Blinken said the United States is providing the World
Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund and five
other global aid groups an additional $580 million to fight
COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, The US Justice
Department announced it would not force federal inmates who were
sent home due to the coronavirus pandemic to return to prison once
the emergency is lifted.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, The US Secret
Service said nearly $100 billion at minimum has been stolen from
COVID-19 relief programs set up to help businesses and people who
lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Most of the loss came from
unemployment fraud.
   (SFC, 12/22/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Officials said 55
agents with an investigative unit of the Department of Homeland
Security will wear body cameras for the first time as part of a
six-month pilot program that will focus on the costs and benefits of
using the technology in federal law enforcement.
   (AP, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Former President
Donald Trump said he would hold a news conference on Jan. 6, one
year after the deadly riots at the US Capitol, which the Republican
has been accused of fomenting.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, US Representative
Scott Perry, an ally of former President Donald Trump, said he would
not provide information requested by a congressional committee
investigating the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol.
   (AP, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, It was reported
that at least 16 US cities and counties are handing out
no-strings-attached payments to some low-income residents. At least
31 other local governments plan to do so in the months ahead.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, A US federal jury
found Harvard Prof. Charles Lieber (62) guilty of two counts of
making false statements to the US government about whether he
participated in Thousand Talents Plan, a program designed by the
Chinese government to attract foreign-educated scientists to China.
   (NY Times, 12/21/21)(SFC, 12/23/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, It was reported
that researchers at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research have
developed a pan-coronavirus vaccine effective against all variants,
including Omicron, Defense One reports.
   (Defense One, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, It was reported
that two of the three monoclonal antibody treatments that doctors
have depended on to keep Covid-19 patients from becoming seriously
ill do not appear to thwart the latest version of the coronavirus.
The one monoclonal antibody treatment that has performed well
against Omicron in laboratory experiments is also the most recently
authorized: sotrovimab, made by GlaxoSmithKline and Vir
Biotechnology and cleared in May.
   (NY Times, 12/21/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 51,118,897 with the death toll at 808,051.
   (sfist.com, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, US officials
announced approval of two solar projects in California and moved to
open up public lands in three other Western states to potential
solar development, as part of the Biden administration’s effort to
counter climate change by shifting from fossil fuels.
   (AP, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, A new five-year
deal ended months-long stalemate between Kellogg and its factory
workers in Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, New York City
Mayor Bill de Blasio said that residents who get a COVID-19 vaccine
booster by the end of the year will receive $100 from the city.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, It was reported
Burlington, Vermont, is paying the price of slashing its police
force by nearly 30% amid the defund the police movement that spread
across the country in 2020. The city averaged about 95 active-duty
officers before defunding, and now has only about 64.
   (Fox News, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, A US study showed
that older adults taking Bayer AG's blockbuster blood thinner pill
Xarelto for a common type of irregular heart rhythm had
significantly higher rates of serious bleeding and stroke compared
to those taking rival pill Eliquis.
   (AP, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Walgreens Boots
Alliance said it is limiting sales of at-home COVID-19 tests to four
per customer due to a surge in demand, as the Omicron variant of the
coronavirus spreads rapidly across the United States.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, It was reported
that Brazilian environmental agents this week shut down schemes
involving hundreds of companies the agents said were covering up
illegal logging in the Amazon rainforest.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Britain announced
1 billion pounds ($1.3 billion) of extra support for businesses hit
hardest by the wave of Omicron variant coronavirus cases, which is
hammering the country's hospitality sector and other businesses.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Britain said it
had agreed a new deal with Norway for fishing in each other’s waters
in 2022.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Britain reported
90,629 new COVID-19 cases, and total cases in the seven days to Dec.
21 were 63% higher than in the previous seven-day period.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, British PM Boris
Johnson apologized in a letter for not disclosing an exchange of
messages with a Conservative Party donor to the head of an
investigation into how his flat refurbishment was funded. the letter
was made public on Jan. 6, 2022.
   (Reuters, 1/6/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, In southern Chile
some 30 properties were burned in an arson attack in a region shaken
by a long conflict between the government and members of the Mapuche
ethnic group. Congress extended the state of emergency in four
provinces of the southern regions of Bio Bio and La Araucania.,
effective from mid-October, until Jan. 10.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, China said it has
barred entry to four people from a US commission on religious
freedom, following US sanctions this month against Chinese people
and entities over accusations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Dubai's ruler,
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, was ordered by the High Court
in London to provide a British record of more than 554 million
pounds ($733 million) to settle a custody battle with his ex-wife,
Princess Haya bint al-Hussein, over their two children.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, In East Timor
Richard Daschbach (84), a defrocked Catholic missionary priest, was
found guilty and sentenced to 12 years in prison for sexually
abusing orphaned and disadvantaged young girls.
   (SFC, 12/22/21, p.A3)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, A government
spokeswoman said the Ethiopian army was clearing rebellious Tigrayan
forces from the northern Amhara and Afar regions.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, The European
Commission adopted rules that will make the EU COVID-19 certificate
valid for travel nine months after the completion of the primary
vaccination schedule.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, PM Viktor Orban
said Hungary will not change its immigration policies despite a
recent ruling from the EU’s top court that found them in
contradiction with the bloc's laws.
   (AP, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, It was reported
that Apple supplier Foxconn's plant near Chennai in southern India
remained shut this week following protests sparked by a food
poisoning incident.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, In eastern India a
fire at Indian Oil Corp's Haldia refinery killed three people and
injured 44.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Ambassador Hassan
Irloo, Iran's top diplomat to Yemen, died after reportedly
contracting the coronavirus, just days after he was abruptly
recalled from his mission in the war-torn nation.
   (AP, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Ireland said it
will begin a "phased exit" from its 71% stake in Allied Irish Banks
over the next six months, as it pares back state ownership of its
largest banks.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Officials said
Israel, which late last year was an early trailblazer in its efforts
to administer a first coronavirus vaccine dose to its citizens, now
plans to offer fourth doses in a bid to curb the rapid spread of the
Omicron variant.
   (NY Times, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Israeli troops
killed a Palestinian man who allegedly tried to ram his vehicle into
a military checkpoint in the occupied West Bank.
   (AP, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, New Zealand
postponed its phased border re-opening plans until the end of
February over concerns of the rapid global spread of the Omicron
variant of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Portugal said it
is reimposing coronavirus restrictions because of fears over the
threat from the omicron variant, despite the country having one of
the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the world. From midnight
Dec. 24, working from home will be mandatory and discotheques and
bars will be closed.
   (AP, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Romanian
protesters tried to force their way into parliament, blocking
traffic and vandalizing some cars in the capital Bucharest in an
attempt to prevent lawmakers from making a COVID-19 health pass
mandatory for workers.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, President Vladimir
Putin warned that Russia was prepared to take military steps in
response to "unfriendly" Western actions over the Ukraine conflict,
in a sharp escalation of rhetoric.
   (AFP, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Scottish First
Minister Nicola Sturgeon said public New Year's Eve celebrations in
Scotland would be cancelled as she set out plans for post-Christmas
restrictions on large scale events to try to slow the spread of the
Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Fighting between
elements of Somali pro-government forces killed at least seven
people and injured 50 in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, It was reported
that South African scientists are investigating the "highly
plausible hypothesis" that the emergence of new Covid-19 variants
could be linked, in some cases, to mutations taking place inside
infected people whose immune systems have already been weakened by
other factors, including, though not limited to, untreated HIV.
   (BBC, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Sweden said it
will urge all employees to work from home if possible and impose
tighter rules for social distancing, as it ratchets up restrictions
to fight a surge in new infections and the Omicron variant of the
COVID-19 virus.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Thailand
reinstated its mandatory COVID-19 quarantine for foreign visitors
and scrap a quarantine waiver due to concerns over the spread of the
Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, The United Nations
Human Rights Office said that it had received 13 allegations of rape
and gang rape by security forces during protests in Sudan on Dec.
19. Opposition medics reported a second person killed.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, The UN Human
Rights office urged Belarus and Poland to "ensure that refugees' and
migrants' human rights are at the center of their actions". Refugees
were being back and forth across their border and left with little
if any food, clean water or shelter.
   (Reuters, 12/21/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, The United States
formally exempted US and UN officials doing official business with
the Taliban from US sanctions, clearing the way for proposed UN
payments next year of some $6 million to the Islamists for security.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, US President Joe
Biden said that his administration was extending the pause on
student loan repayment for an additional 90 days.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, The US Justice
Department said it resolved probes into Balfour Beatty Communities,
one of the US military's largest private landlords, after it pleaded
guilty on to one count of major fraud and agreed to pay over $65
million in fines and restitution.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, US auto safety
regulators said they have opened a formal safety investigation into
580,000 Tesla vehicles sold since 2017 over the automaker's decision
to allow games to be played on the front center touchscreen.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, The National
Hockey League said it will not send its players to compete in the
men's ice hockey tournament at the Beijing Winter Olympics due to
COVID-19 concerns, as the league entered a pause following an
outbreak of the Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, The US Food and
Drug Administration authorized Paxlovid, Pfizer's antiviral COVID-19
pill, making it the first at-home treatment for the coronavirus. It
is expected to become an important tool in the fight against the
fast spreading Omicron variant.
   (NY Times, 12/22/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 51,366,058 with the death toll at 810,566.
   (sfist.com, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, An Illinois board
overseeing state employee pension funds voted to bar funds from
holding Unilever PLC shares due to sales limits by the company's Ben
& Jerry's ice cream brand in Israel, joining at least five other
US states moving to restrict the stock.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Franklin Thomas
(87), former head of the Ford Foundation (1967-1996), died at his
home in Manhattan. He was the first Black person to run a major
American philanthropic group.
   (SSFC, 12/26/21, p.F6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Amazon, which
faces mounting scrutiny over worker rights, agreed to let its
warehouse employees more easily organize in the workplace as part of
a nationwide settlement with the National Labor Relations Board.
   (NY Times, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Pfizer Inc said it
will provide an additional 2.5 million doses of its COVID-19 pill
Paxlovid to the United Kingdom.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, It was reported
that over 300 Brazilian senior officials have resigned from their
posts over budget cuts to the country's tax and customs agency, amid
anger over President Jair Bolsonaro's decision to grant police pay
rises.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, The British
government said that it was reducing the COVID-19 self-isolation
period to seven days from 10 days for people in England who get a
negative result on a lateral flow test two days in a row. Britain
said it has signed contracts to buy a further 4.25 million courses
of antivirals for its health service to help combat the new Omicron
variant of coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Britain reported
more than 100,000 new daily COVID-19 cases for the first time since
widespread testing was introduced, with 106,122 compared with 90,629
a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, A Canadian court
approved a settlement in which the government would need to commit
at least C$6 billion ($4.68 billion) for safe drinking water
infrastructure for First Nations and pay C$1.5 billion in
compensation for individuals deprived of clean drinking water.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Tax officials from
China's most economically prosperous cities and provinces posted
identical notices on their websites ordering celebrities and live
streamers to conduct a self-review of any tax-related misdoings,
correct these issues, and report to the relevant tax authorities.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, China's Zhejiang
Huayou Cobalt said it would pay a total $422 million to acquire the
Arcadia hard-rock lithium mine in Zimbabwe.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Denmark scrapped
extraordinary travel restrictions for ten countries in southern
Africa, originally imposed to curb the spread of the Omicron
variant, after authorities said they did not contribute to
controlling the epidemic.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, A Danish woman
(49) was remanded in custody over her alleged involvement in a money
laundering case in which more than 30 billion Danish crowns ($4.5
billion) was channeled through Danske Bank's Estonian branch.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Egypt's President
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that new subsidy cards for basic goods
will cover no more than two people, warning newly weds they should
no longer expect the state to feed their children.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, The EU and the UK
announced that they have struck a fishing deal on their shared
stocks. Environmentalists said fish will continue to be
overexploited under the new rules.
   (AP, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, France said it has
cancelled its order for Merck & Co's COVID-19 antiviral drug
following disappointing trial data and hopes instead to receive
Pfizer's competing drug before the end of January.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, The new
German-language broadcast of Russia's international television
station RT went off the air days after its launch after German
authorities ruled that it did not have the license it needed to
operate in the country.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Greece ramped up a
sea-and-air search after a migrant smuggling vessel sank leaving at
least three people dead and dozens reported missing. 12 people were
rescued.
   (SFC, 12/23/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Hong Kong
University (HKU) fenced off a statue on its campus that for more
than two decades has commemorated pro-democracy protesters killed
during China's Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, India's capital
New Delhi banned Christmas and other celebrations ahead of New Year
to contain a possible surge in the Omicron coronavirus variant, as
the city reported the country's highest number of cases along with
Maharashtra state.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, It was reported
that Sony's India unit has finalized a deal with local rival Zee
Entertainment to merge their television channels, film assets and
streaming platforms, joining forces to take on the likes of Netflix
and Disney in India.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Kenya announced
new rules demanding proof of vaccination to access public places and
transport. The rules were met by a combination of bemusement,
dismissal and the occasional spot of enforcement as people headed
home for Christmas.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Libya's parliament
said the planned presidential election for Dec. 24 would not go
ahead, leaving the internationally-backed peace process in chaos and
the fate of the interim government in doubt.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Morocco said it is
ready to restore diplomatic cooperation with Germany, apparently
thanks to a perceived shift in position toward the disputed Western
Sahara.
   (AP, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Myanmar said it
will start accepting Renminbi as an official settlement currency
next year for trade with China, as it looks to restart several joint
projects and forge closer economic ties with Beijing.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Nigeria destroyed
more than a million doses of expired AstraZeneca vaccines in a bid
to assure a wary public that they have been taken out of
circulation.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Northern Ireland
reported an all-time high of 3,231 COVID-19 cases, up from an
average of just over 2,000 in the previous seven days.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, North Macedonia’s
PM Zoran Zaev formally resigned, in a move he had announced after
his governing Social Democrat party's heavy defeat in October's
local elections. Zaev is set to be replaced by a former deputy
finance minister, Dimitar Kovachevski.
   (AP, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, In Myanmar many
were swept into a lake below by the landslide of mining waste at a
jade mine in the Hpakant area. Around 50 people were still
unaccounted for and had likely died. Two more bodies were soon found
taking the confirmed death toll to three.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Peruvian community
protesters, who have blocked a key transport road used by MMG Ltd's
Las Bambas copper mine, said they will clear the route until at
least Dec. 30 following talks with the government.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Portugal's health
minister predicted the Omicron variant would trigger a record number
of infections in the coming days as authorities reported nearly
9,000 new cases, the highest since early February and up from 5,754
the previous day.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Singapore said it
will freeze the sale of tickets for arriving flights and buses under
its quarantine-free travel program for four weeks from Dec. 23,
citing the risk from the fast-spreading Omicron COVID-19 variant.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, It was reported
that a South African study suggests reduced risks of hospitalization
and severe disease in people infected with the Omicron coronavirus
variant versus the Delta one, though the authors say some of that is
likely due to high population immunity.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Some 300 South
Korean small business owners protested in Seoul over the return of
strict social distancing rules, urging the government to compensate
them for financial losses and scrap its "vaccine pass" policy.
   (Reuters, 12/22/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, A Tunisian court
issued a verdict in absentia sentencing former president Moncef
Marzouki to four years in prison after he criticized President Kais
Saied and called for protests. Marzouki, who lives in Paris, has
described Saied's seizure of powers in July as a coup.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, US President Joe
Biden signed into law legislation that bans imports from China's
Xinjiang region over concerns about forced labor.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, US Transportation
Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced over $241 million in
discretionary grant funding for 25 projects to improve port
facilities in 19 US states and one territory to address supply chain
challenges at ports.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, The US State
Department said the United States will allow its consular officers
to waive in-person interviews for H-1B and other certain
non-immigrant visa applicants through next year to help reduce visa
wait times.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, A US federal
safety regulator said Tesla has agreed to modify software in its
cars to prevent drivers and passengers from playing video games on
the dashboard screens while vehicle are in motion.
   (NY Times, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, It was reported
that the US government has paused the distribution of COVID-19
antibody treatments from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly,
saying the therapies were unlikely to be effective against the
Omicron coronavirus variant.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Over 3,000
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day flights were canceled globally as
Omicron continued to spread.
   (NY Times, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, The US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention said it is currently investigating
two separate listeria outbreaks linked to packaged salads produced
by Dole PLC and Fresh Express.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, The US authorized
molnupiravir, Merck & Co's antiviral pill for COVID-19, for
certain high-risk adult patients, a day after giving the go-ahead to
a similar but more effective treatment from Pfizer.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, A Los Angeles
police officer opened fire on Daniel Elena-Lopez (24), who was
involved in an assault at a Burlington clothing store. One of the
shots pierced a wall, killing Valentina Orellana-Peralta (14) in a
dressing room of the store in North Hollywood.
   (NY Times, 12/23/21)(LA Times, 12/24/21)(SFC,
12/28/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Inyoung You (23),
a former Boston College student, pleaded guilty to an involuntary
manslaughter charge stemming from what prosecutors said was her role
in encouraging her boyfriend, Alexander Urtula (22), to commit
suicide in 2019 through unrelenting verbal, physical and
psychological abuse. Judge Robert Ullmann sentenced her to a
2-1/2-year suspended jail sentence and 10 years of probation and
barred her from profiting from her high-profile case.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, A Minnesota jury
found Kimberly Potter (49), a former police officer, guilty of
manslaughter in the April 11 fatal shooting of Daunte Wright (20).
   (NY Times, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Author Joan Didion
(87) died in NYC. She first emerged as a writer of substance in the
late 1960s as an early practitioner of "new journalism," which
allowed writers to take a narrative, more personalized perspective.
Her 1968 essay collection "Slouching Toward Bethlehem," a title
borrowed from poet William Butler Yeats, looked at the culture of
her native California.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Grace Mirabella
(92) died at her home in Manhattan. As editor in chief (1971-1988)
she transformed Vogue magazine from a glittery, color-splashed paean
to the spirit of the 1960s into a more sensible adviser to women
entering the work force in the 1970s and ’80s.
   (NY Times, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Endo International
Plc agreed to pay Texas $63 million to resolve claims by the state
and local governments that the drugmaker helped fuel the US opioid
epidemic.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, It was reported
that Utah billionaire Jeff T. Green has formally resigned his
membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and
rebuked the faith over social issues and LGBTQ rights. He pledged to
donate 90% of his estimated $5 billion fortune, starting with a
$600,000 donation to Equality Utah, an LGBTQ rights group.
   (SFC, 12/23/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, It was reported
that plastic waste generated by e-commerce giant Amazon skyrocketed
29% in 2020, compared with data for 2019.
   (SFC, 12/23/21, p.A1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, It was reported
that rising COVID-19 infections in China's city of Xian have spurred
a lockdown of its 13 million residents, with stretches of highway
eerily bare, as many people queued in the cold to get their noses
swabbed at testing sites.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, In Afghanistan a
suicide bomber was killed at the gate of a passport office in Kabul,
and several people were injured in the blast. The Islamic State soon
took responsibility.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)(Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Australia reported
a major spike in coronavirus infections. New South Wales state
reimposed mask wearing indoors.
   (SFC, 12/24/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Belarus' interior
ministry said it has added United States broadcaster Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty to its list of extremist organizations.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Britain recorded a
record number of new coronavirus cases as the Omicron variant swept
across the country, with the daily tally reaching 119,789 from
106,122 a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, AstraZeneca said a
three-dose course of its COVID-19 vaccine is effective against the
rapidly-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Bulgarian PM Kiril
Petkov said that elderly people who get a COVID-19 shot will be
eligible for a cash reward as part of his government's drive to
boost the vaccination rates, the lowest in the European Union.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, In Burkina Faso
suspected militants killed at least 41 members of a
government-backed civilian militia in the country's desert north.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, The Cyberspace
Administration of China (CAC) said it will scrutinize online
platforms such as social media networks and video-sharing sites to
clamp down on fake accounts and information as part of its drive to
"clean up" the internet.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Jilin in northeast
China said it is offering married couples bank loans of up to
200,000 yuan ($31,400) if they have kids, joining other provinces in
the roll-out of financial incentives to overcome a declining
population.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Chinese gaming and
social media company Tencent said it will pay out a $16.4 billion
dividend by distributing most of its JD.com stake, weakening its
ties to the e-commerce firm and raising questions about its plans
for other holdings.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, In eastern
CongoDRC at least three people died in a plane crash in South Kivu
province. Another local official said the death toll could be as
high as five.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Prominent Egyptian
human rights activist Sanaa Seif was released after serving her
sentence on charges of spreading false news and insulting a police
officer. She had been behind bars since June 2020.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Ethiopia’s
government announced that its forces will not advance deeper into
the Tigray region.
   (AP, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, France condemned
the Malian transitional authorities' decision to allow the
deployment of the Wagner Group, and accused Moscow of funding the
private military company's use of mercenaries in the West African
country.
   (AP, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, France had its
worst-ever day in terms of new COVID-19 cases, with more than 91,000
new cases being recorded while the number of deaths also climbed, as
the country battles against a fifth wave of the virus.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Honduras began
offering booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to all adults as it
seeks to counter the threat posed by the Omicron variant of the
virus.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Researchers from
Hong Kong said three doses of Sinovac's CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine
do not produce adequate levels of antibodies to fight the Omicron
variant of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Indian PM Narendra
Modi asked chiefs of states to ramp up oxygen supplies and
strengthen health infrastructure to contain a possible surge of
Omicron cases ahead of the festive season, as gatherings in public
spaces and markets grow in size. India recorded 236 Omicron
coronavirus cases across 16 states over the last 24 hours.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Japan's Kyodo news
agency said Japanese and US armed forces have drawn up a draft plan
for a joint operation for a possible Taiwan emergency.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, The Moroccan
government extended the nationwide health state of emergency to Jan.
31.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Myanmar's military
carried out more airstrikes on a rebel-controlled area near the Thai
border, in the latest escalation of violence that has sent hundreds
fleeing into Thailand.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, In Nigeria at
least five people were killed and more than a dozen injured after
several explosions near an air force base in Maiduguri town, ahead
of a visit by President Muhammadu Buhari.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, It was reported
that Russian mercenaries have deployed to separatist-controlled
eastern Ukraine in recent weeks to bolster defenses against
Ukrainian government forces as tensions between Moscow and the West
rise.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, The Solomon
Islands said China will send police officers to help train its
police force, after rioting last month sparked by the country's 2019
switch of diplomatic relations to Beijing from Taiwan.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, South Africa's
health regulator approved the use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine
for a second dose or booster, paving the way for the shot widely
used in South Africa to shore up protection against the Omicron
variant.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Senior South
Korean diplomats held talks with Chinese counterparts after a
diplomatic spat with Taiwan over Seoul's cancellation of an
invitation to a senior Taipei official to take part in a business
forum last week.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Thai authorities
said they have seized crystal methamphetamine with a street value of
almost $30 million stuffed inside boxing punch bags bound for
Australia.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Uganda charged 15
people with offences including terrorism and aiding terrorism
related to their alleged role in bombings in the country's capital
and elsewhere in October and November that left at least nine people
dead.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, The Vatican said
all officials and employees will have to have a green pass showing
they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or prove they have
recovered from the virus.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Zambia said it
will introduce COVID-19 booster vaccines as it battles the
respiratory disease which has infected over 200,000 people and
killed more than 3,000.
   (Reuters, 12/23/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, The Biden
administration said it will lift travel restrictions on eight
southern African countries imposed last month over concerns about
the fast-spreading COVID-19 Omicron variant. Foreign nationals who
are barred from the United States because they have been in one of
the eight countries within the prior 14 days will again be allowed
on US-bound flights leaving after 12:01 a.m. ET on Dec. 31.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, FlightAware, a
flight tracking firm, said the current number of Christmas Eve
flights canceled globally is 2,029, with 448 canceled in the United
States, as the spreading COVID-19 Omicron variant takes a toll on
its flight crews and other workers. Commercial airlines around the
world canceled more than 4,500 flights over the Christmas weekend.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 51,816,067 with the death toll at 815,426.
   (sfist.com, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, The SF Board of
Supervisors early today approved an emergency order to tackle the
opioid epidemic in San Francisco’s troubled Tenderloin neighborhood,
despite reservations by some that the declaration will be used by
the mayor to criminalize people who are homeless, addicted to drugs
or both.
   (AP, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, In central
California a boogie boarder died after a presumed shark attack near
Morro Bay. Bodyboarder Tomas Abraham Butterfield (42) died of
multiple traumatic injuries following an attack by a great white
shark in Morro Bay.
   (SFC, 12/25/21, p.C6)   (SFC,
3/31/22, p.C2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, It was reported
that that Universal Orlando is reinstating its mask requirements as
COVID-19 cases surged due to the omicron variant. Florida reported
32,850 new coronavirus infections, its highest since the start of
the pandemic.
   (SFC, 12/24/21, p.A4)(SSFC, 12/26/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, A New York state
judge ordered the New York Times to return internal documents to the
conservative activist group Project Veritas, a restriction the
newspaper said violates decades of First Amendment protections.
Project Veritas has been engaged in defamation litigation against
the New York Times since last year, when the newspaper published a
piece calling the group's work "deceptive." Justice Charles Wood
said that the Project Veritas legal memos were not a matter of
public concern and that the group has a right to keep them private
that outweighs concerns about freedom of the press.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Roche said that
the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Emergency Use
Authorization (EUA) to its COVID-19 at-home rapid test that can be
used by people as young as 14.
   (AP, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, It was reported
that xylazine, an animal sedative, has been used as an additive to
fentanyl and heroin and was involved in fatal drug overdoses in 23
states in 2019.
   (SFC, 12/24/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, In southern
Bangladesh a massive fire swept through a crowded river ferry early
today, leaving at least 39 people dead and 70 injured. The death
toll soon rose to 40.
   (AP, 12/24/21)(AP, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Bhutan said it has
started giving COVID-19 booster shots to senior citizens and
priority groups as the Himalayan kingdom tries to stave off the
Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Britain reported
another day of record COVID-19 cases, with new estimates showing
swathes of London's population are carrying the virus, underlining
the relentless advance of the Omicron variant. Government data
showed 122,186 new cases.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Cambodia's
longtime ruling party voted to endorse PM Hun Sen's eldest son as
"future prime minister," but did not specify when he might succeed
his father, who has been in power for more than three decades.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, China's Central
Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement that 26
people in Xian were being held accountable for "not doing a good
job" in their COVID-19 prevention and control effort. The city of 13
million detected 75 domestically transmitted cases with confirmed
symptoms.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)(Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, A Gambian truth
and reconciliation commission said in a published report that former
President Yahya Jammeh was responsible for a spree of killings,
torture and rapes during his 22-year rule over the tiny West African
nation.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Greek coast guard
divers searched the hull of a submerged sailboat for passengers
possibly trapped inside after the vessel hit rocks and sank off the
coast of southern Greece. At least 16 people died after a migrant
boat capsized in the Aegean Sea late today, bringing the three-day
death toll from such shipwrecks in Greek waters to at least 30.
   (AP, 12/24/21)(AP, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Two more Hong Kong
universities removed public monuments to the 1989 Tiananmen protests
in Beijing, following the dismantling of a sculpture commemorating
victims of the crackdown at another university this week.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, In India police in
Uttarakhand announced an investigation into a 3-day conference in
Haridwar where hundreds of right-wing Hindu activists and monks took
an oath to turn the country into a Hindu nation. Monks at the
conference had called for other Hindus to arm themselves and kill
Muslims.
   (SFC, 12/27/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Ireland reported
its highest number of daily COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began
but those requiring critical care fell further amid a rapid rollout
of booster vaccines to battle a surge of the dominant Omicron
variant.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Japan's Cabinet
approved a record 5.4 trillion yen ($47 billion) defense budget for
fiscal 2022 that includes funding for research and development of a
new fighter jet and other “game-changing” weapons as Japan bolsters
its defense capabilities in response to China’s growing military
might and its tensions with Taiwan.
   (AP, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, It was reported
that the world's first dual-mode vehicle, equally at home on road
and rail, is set to make its public debut on Dec. 25 in the town of
Kaiyo in Japan's Tokushima prefecture.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, A Japanese health
ministry panel recommended approval of the COVID-19 antiviral pill
developed by Merck & Co Inc, part of PM Fumio Kishida's plan to
roll out new treatments by year-end as concerns rise about the
Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Mali's government
denied the presence of Russian mercenaries in the West African
country after 15 Western powers accused Russia of providing material
support to a deployment of private military contractors.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, A court in the
southern Mexican state of Chiapas sentenced two army officers to 30
years in prison for femicide for killing a 28-year-old woman in
April 2019.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, In Myanmar more
than 30 people, including women and children, were killed and their
bodies burnt in the conflict-torn Kayah state. International aid
group Save the Children later said two of its staffers were missing
in the massacre.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)(AP, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, A Dutch court
imposed a 4-year prison sentence on a 41-year-old man convicted of
attempted murder for firing gunshots at the Saudi embassy in The
Hague on Nov. 12, 2020, after he was refused a visa to travel to
Mecca.
   (AP, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, A Moscow court
slapped Google with a $98.4 million fine and Facebook's parent Meta
$27.2 million over their failure to delete content banned by local
law.
   (SSFC, 12/26/21, p.A4)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, South Africa's
government announced that those without symptoms of COVID-19 will no
longer need to isolate or test if they have been in contact with a
positive case.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, South Korea's
President Moon Jae-in granted a pardon to former President Park
Geun-hye, who was in prison after being convicted of corruption,
amid a tight presidential race.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Thailand reported
its first domestic cluster of coronavirus infections from the
Omicron variant in northeastern Kalasin province.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Turkey's Pres.
Tayyip Erdogan said the government had burst a bubble in the foreign
exchange market by taking steps this week to protect lira deposits
against volatility. He expected companies and sellers to cut their
prices following the rebound of the lira, including on cars and
houses and said that the government will track down those who do
not.
   (Reuters, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, It was reported
that Turkey has frozen the assets of 770 Turkish nationals and a
Chicago-based foundation. The list of targets includes 454 people
with alleged links to Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lives in
the United States.
   (AP, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, A Yemeni rebel
attack on Saudi Arabia's southern border town of Jizan killed two
people and wounded seven more late today.
   (AP, 12/24/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, US airlines
canceled close to 900 flights, the second straight day of massive
cancellations as surging COVID-19 infections have sidelined some
pilots and other crew members, upending plans for tens of thousands
of holiday travelers over the Christmas weekend.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, NASA's James Webb
Space Telescope, built to give the world its first glimpse of the
universe as it existed when the earliest galaxies formed, was
launched by rocket early today inside the cargo bay of an Ariane 5
rocket in French Guiana, opening a new era of astronomy.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 52,042,035 with the death toll at 816,436.
   (sfist.com, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Wayne Thiebaud
(101), internationally know as the dean of West Coast Figurative
painters, died in Sacramento. He was also credited with originating
Pop Art.
   (SFC, 12/27/21, p.A1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Johnny Isakson
(76), a GOP moderate who served Georgia in both the US House of
Representatives (1999-2005) and Senate (2005-2019), died.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Isakson)(SSFC, 12/26/21, p.F7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Thomas Lovejoy, a
prominent biologist for major conservation groups, died at his home
in McLean, Va. He spent decades on an expansive, ongoing project in
Brazil to preserve the Amazon rain forest.
   (NY Times, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Chile said it
plans to offer a 4th dose of the coronavirus vaccine to its citizens
as of February. The country has recorded 39,000 COVID-19 deaths.
   (SSFC, 12/26/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, It was reported
that China has replaced Chen Quanguo, who as Communist Party chief
in the Xinjiang region oversaw a security crackdown targeting ethnic
Uyghurs and other Muslims in the name of fighting religious
extremism.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Xian, China, a
city of 13 million entered its fourth day of lockdown. It detected
155 domestically transmitted cases with confirmed symptoms, up from
75 a day earlier. That drove the national daily count to 158, the
highest since China managed to contain a nationwide outbreak in
early 2020.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, In eastern
CongoDRC a suicide bomber struck a restaurant in the city of Beni,
killing at least five people as well as himself.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Ecuador said it is
making vaccination against the coronavirus mandatory.
   (SSFC, 12/26/21, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, France recorded a
record high of 104,611 COVID-19 infections, breaking the 100,000
threshold for the first time since the pandemic began as the omicron
variant continued its rapid spread.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, India's Bharat
Biotech said its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin has gained approval for
emergency use in children aged 12 to 18. PM Narendra Modi said in an
address to the nation that 15-18 year olds would start receiving
COVID-19 vaccinations from Jan. 3.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Israeli forces
clashed with Palestinians late today in the West Bank in an area
that has seen a recent uptick in friction.
   (AP, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Italy reported a
third successive record tally of COVID-19 cases, with new infections
hitting 54,762 against 50,599 a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, The bodies of 27
migrants, who drowned trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe,
washed up on Libya's coastline. Three survivors had said there were
35 people in total on their boat, which had sunk.
   (AP, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Interfax news
agency reported that more than 10,000 Russian troops have been
returning to their permanent bases after month-long drills near
Ukraine.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, OVD-Info, a
Russian organization that tracks political arrests and provides
legal aid to detainees, said that government regulators blocked its
website, the latest move in a months-long crackdown on independent
media and human rights organizations.
   (AP, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, The Saudi-led
coalition launched a "large-scale" assault on Yemen after missiles
fired by Iran-backed Huthi rebels killed two people in the kingdom,
the first such deaths in three years.
   (AFP, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Scientists
declared the eruption on Spain's La Palma officially over, allowing
islanders to breathe a sigh of relief nearly 100 days after the
Cumbre Vieja volcano began to spew out lava, rock and ash and
upended the lives of thousands.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, In Sudan
protesters opposed to military rule reached the vicinity of the
presidential palace in the capital of Khartoum for the second time
in a week, despite heavy tear gas and a communications black out.
Sudanese security forces fired tear gas to disperse the crowds on a
tenth day of major demonstrations since an Oct. 25 coup.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Uzbekistan
launched its first gas-to-liquids plant, a $3.6 billion project to
extract value from domestically produced gas and reduce its
dependency on imports of oil products.
   (Reuters, 12/25/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, US airlines called
off hundreds of flights for a third day in a row as surging COVID-19
infections due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant grounded
crews and forced tens of thousands of Christmas weekend travelers to
change their plans.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 52,105,779 with the death toll at 816,535.
   (sfist.com, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, At the island
community of Kodiak, the air temperature at a tidal gauge hit 67 F
(19.4°C) degrees, the highest December reading ever recorded in
Alaska.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, It was reported
that Louisiana researchers have identified 14 new species of shrews
on Indonesia's Sulawesi island where seven in that genus were
previously known.
   (AP, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Edward O. Wilson
(92), a biologist and author who conducted pioneering work on
biodiversity, insects and human nature, died in Burlington, Mass.
His book “On Human Nature” won the Pulitzer Prize for general
nonfiction in 1979; “The Ants,” which Dr. Wilson wrote with his
longtime colleague Bert Hölldobler, won him his second Pulitzer, in
1991.
   (NY Times, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, In Texas three
teens were killed and a 4th wounded at a gas station in Garland.
Police sought Abel Elias Acosta (14) as the suspected gunman. His
father Richard Acosta (33) turned himself into police the next day.
The father was charged with capital murder for allegedly acting as a
get-away driver.
   (SFC, 12/31/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Sarah Weddington
(76), a Texas lawyer who as a 26-year-old successfully argued the
landmark abortion rights case Roe v. Wade before the US Supreme
Court, died in Austin.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Algeria started
requiring a “vaccine passport” to enter a broad range of public
venues, in a bid to boost the country's low inoculation rate and
overcome vaccine hesitancy that has left millions of vaccines
unused.
   (AP, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Australia’s state
of New South Wales reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases
and a sharp jump in hospitalizations while thousands of people were
isolating at home after contracting the virus or coming into contact
with someone who has.
   (AP, 12/26/21)  Â
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, In Belgium
thousands of performers, theater operators, event organizers and
others rallied in Brussels to protests the government's decision to
shut down cultural life to stem the spread of the surging omicron
variant.
   (SFC, 12/27/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, In northeastern
Brazil the Igua dam collapsed in Bahia state after weeks of heavy
rains, swamping already swollen local rivers and threatening flash
floods.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Britain's Home
Secretary Priti Patel said people found guilty of online racist
abuse against footballers will be banned from attending games for up
to 10 years under new laws.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Jean-Marc Vallée
(58), the Canadian-born director behind the film “Dallas Buyers
Club” and the HBO show “Big Little Lies,” was found dead at his
cabin outside Quebec City. He was famous for a naturalistic and
generous approach that brought out the best in those he worked with.
His films also included "Black List" (1995), “C.R.A.Z.Y.” (2005),
"The Young Victoria" (2009) and "Wild" (2014).
   (NY Times, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Former Greek
President Karolos Papoulias (92) died. He served two terms between
2005 and 2015.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Israel's
government set a goal of doubling the number of Jewish settlers in
the Golan Heights within five years, a move that could tighten its
hold on the territory it occupied in fighting with Syria in 1967.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Israeli drugmaker
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries said it was entering the medical
cannabis market by signing an exclusive and mutual collaboration
agreement with another Israeli company, Tikun Olam-Cannbit.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, In Japan more than
100 domestic flights were grounded due to heavy snow in the northern
and western parts of the country.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Kosovo's health
ministry said it had registered its first nine cases of the Omicron
coronavirus variant in the Balkan country.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Omani authorities
required foreign travelers aged 18 or older to have received at
least two COVID-19 vaccine doses to enter the sultanate.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, The Palestinian
health ministry said it had identified the first case of the Omicron
coronavirus variant in the Gaza Strip. Gaza, with a population of
2.2 million people, has registered 189,837 COVID-19 infections and
1,691 deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, The Saudi-led
coalition fighting in Yemen said it struck a Huthi rebel camp in the
capital Sanaa, as it intensified an aerial bombing campaign against
the Iran-backed insurgents.
   (AFP, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Archbishop Desmond
Tutu (90), Nobel Peace Prize laureate and veteran of South Africa's
struggle against white minority rule, died.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, In Sudan a gold
mine collapsed in West Kordofan killing at least 32 people.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, The Financial
Times reported that the UAE government has told some of its biggest
business families that it plans to remove their monopolies on the
sale of imported goods.
   (Reuters, 12/26/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, US President Joe
Biden signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act, or
NDAA, for fiscal year 2022, which authorizes $770 billion in defense
spending.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, United States navy
vessels seized 385 kg (849 pounds) of heroin in the Arabian Sea
worth some $4 million, in a major bust by the international maritime
operation in the region.
   (AP, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, A US federal
appeals court ruled that Google can pay $13 million to a
privacy-rights group to settle a suit over its former use of "Street
View" vehicles to collect private computer information from homes
around the world. Google said it halted the 2007 program in 2010.
   (SFC, 12/28/21, p.C1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, US federal health
officials shortened by half the recommended isolation period for
many infected Americans, hoping to minimize rising disruptions to
the economy and everyday life.
   (NY Times, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, At least 2,300
more flights were canceled globally as travel disruptions from one
of the year’s busiest weekends for flying spilled into the workweek.
Rising COVID-19 cases, along with bad weather, caused US airlines to
cancel more than 1,000 flights, and the spread of the Omicron
variant prompted the US government's top infectious disease expert
to suggest the government consider mandating vaccines for domestic
flights.
   (NY Times, 12/27/21)(Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 52,337,541 with the death toll at 816,695.
   (sfist.com, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, In Colorado a lone
gunman shot four people to death and wounded three, including a
police officer, in a Denver-area shooting spree that unfolded at
several locations and ended with police killing the suspect. A 5th
victim died the next day.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, A severely
corroded pipeline ruptured and spilled more than 300,000 gallons of
diesel fuel just outside New Orleans. An estimated 50,000 gallons
were later recovered and cleanup continued.
   (SFC, 1/13/22, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Riot Games, the
video game maker behind popular titles like League of Legends and
Valorant, said that it had agreed to pay $100 million to settle a
gender discrimination suit with more than 2,000 current and former
female employees.
   (NY Times, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, In Argentina
confirmed COVID-19 cases almost doubled from Dec. 24 to 20,263 new
infections.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Australia reported
its first confirmed death from the new Omicron variant of COVID-19
amid its biggest daily surge in infections, but the authorities
refrained from imposing new restrictions saying hospitalization
rates remained low.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, In Brazil the
death toll from floods hammering the northeast rose to 20, as the
governor of Bahia state declared it the worst disaster in the
state's history and rescuers braced for more rain in the coming
days.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Brazil's Positivo
Tecnologia SA announced t had been awarded a 1.17 billion reais
($206.85 million) contract to supply electronic voting machines for
the country's 2022 elections.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Britain reported
98,515 new cases of COVID-19 and 143 deaths within 28 days of a
positive test result.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, April Ashley (86),
one of the first Britons to undergo gender confirmation surgery,
died. She rose from poverty to the heights of London society,
rubbing shoulders with John Lennon and Mick Jagger — and all while
fighting for legal recognition of her gender.
   (NY Times, 1/3/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Chinese citizens
lashed out online against billionaire Tesla founder Elon Musk's
space ambitions after China complained that its space station was
forced to take evasive action to avoid collision with satellites
launched by Musk's Starlink program. Satellites from Starlink
Internet Services, a division of Musk's SpaceX aerospace company,
had two "close encounters" with the Chinese space station on July 1
and Oct. 21, according to a document submitted by China earlier this
month to the UN's space agency.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, China's Xian
tightened curbs on travel within the city as it started a new round
of testing on the fifth day of a lockdown of its 13 million people.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Denmark recorded
16,164 new coronavirus cases, its highest daily number since the
start of the pandemic. Seven deaths in the last 24 hours put its
total death toll at 3,217.
   (SFC, 12/28/21, p.A6)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Greece announced
further restrictions effective from Jan. 3-16 to contain a further
upsurge in COVID-19 infections including the Omicron variant,
targeting mainly night-time entertainment venues. Confirmed new
COVID-19 cases surged to a record of 9,284.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, The Indian
government "refused" to renew a permission that is vital for Mother
Teresa's Missionaries of Charity to be able to secure foreign funds,
cutting off a key source the charity has depended on to run its
programs for the impoverished.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, In India a Tamil
Nadu state official said a Foxconn iPhone factory at the center of a
mass food-poisoning incident will extend a week-long closure by an
extra three days.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, A boat carrying
scores of Rohingya refugees including women and children broke down
and was stranded in waters off the coast of Aceh province on
Indonesia's Sumatra island.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, It was reported
that Benjamin Briere, a French tourist jailed in Iran on spying
charges since spring 2020, has begun a hunger strike.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Iraq's Supreme
Court ratified the results of an October parliamentary election and
rejected appeals lodged by Iran-backed Shi'ite factions, derailing
their attempt to overturn a vote in which they performed poorly.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, It was reported
that an outbreak of avian flu has killed more than 5,000 migratory
cranes in Israel, prompting authorities to declare a popular nature
reserve off-limits to visitors and warn of a possible egg shortage
as poultry birds are culled as a precaution.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Health experts
urged the Italian government to relax COVID-19 quarantine rules,
saying that the country otherwise risked paralysis as the highly
infectious Omicron variant spreads. Italy reported 142
coronavirus-related deaths against 81 the day before.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Japan's defence
minister Nobuo Kishi agreed to launch a military hotline with China
next year. Kishi held a video call with Wei Fenghe where the
Japanese defence chief stressed the importance of stability in the
Taiwan strait.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, North Korea opened
a key political conference to review past projects and discuss new
policies amid the pandemic and a diplomatic deadlock with the United
States.
   (AP, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Poland's Pres.
Andrzej Duda vetoed a media bill that critics said was aimed at
silencing a Discovery-owned news channel that is critical of the
government, citing worries about the strain the law would put on
relations with Washington.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, A Russian court
added two more years to a 13-year jail sentence for historian Yuri
Dmitriev, in a sex abuse case that his supporters say was trumped up
to punish him for uncovering mass graves of Stalin's Gulags.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Andrei Zakharov,
an investigative journalist for the BBC's Russian-language service
in Moscow, said in a video released today that he had felt compelled
to leave Russia for self-imposed exile in Britain due to what he
called unprecedented surveillance.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Slovenia reported
an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus at a small
poultry farm in the east of the country.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Somalia's PM
Mohammed Hussein Roble accused President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed
of staging a coup attempt as a simmering political dispute between
both leaders of the Horn of Africa country escalated.
   (Reuters, 12/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, The CDC said the
Omicron variant was estimated to be 58.6% of the coronavirus
variants circulating in the United States for the week ending Dec.
25. Total US COVID-19 cases reached over 52,782,055 with the
death toll at 818,765. The average number of daily confirmed
coronavirus cases in the United States hit a record high of 258,312
over the past seven days
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)(sfist.com, 12/29/21)(Reuters,
12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, John Madden (85),
Hall of Fame coach, died at his home in Pleasanton, Ca. He became
one of America’s most recognizable ambassadors of professional
football, reaching millions, and generations, from the broadcast
booth and through the popular video game that bears his name.
   (NY Times, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, In Atlanta,
Georgia, hijackers seized a UPS big rig, kidnapping its driver and
stealing an untold number of packages, during a brazen heist. Less
than a quarter of the load was taken.
   (NBC News, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, In Michigan a
newly created independent commission approved maps that create
districts so competitive that Democrats have a fighting chance of
recapturing the State Senate for the first time since 1984.
   (NY Times, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, A New York state
appeals court put on hold part of a trial judge's decision blocking
the New York Times from reporting on documents prepared by a lawyer
for the conservative activist group Project Veritas.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Harry Reid (82),
former US senator from Nevada (1987-2017), died. He led a Democratic
majority during Barack Obama’s presidency and steered the Affordable
Care Act into law.
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Reid)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, PGA of America
said former US President Donald Trump has resolved a dispute with
the PGA of America over the golf association's decision earlier this
year to pull a major professional tournament from a Trump-owned golf
course in New Jersey. Terms of the settlement remained confidential.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, In Richmond,
Virginia, conservation experts pulled books, money, ammunition,
documents and other artifacts from an 1887 time capsule placed in a
pedestal that held a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
   (SFC, 12/29/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, US carriers Delta
Air Lines and Alaska Air Group cancelled hundreds of flights due to
adverse weather conditions and rising cases of the Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Bolivia reported
an all-time record of 4,934 new cases of COVID-19, but without any
confirmed cases of the variant in the Andean nation.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Britain reported a
record 129,471 new cases of COVID-19, a day after PM Boris Johnson
said he would not bring in new restrictions to limit the spread of
the virus this year.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Canada's Quebec
province said it had no choice but to allow some essential
healthcare staff to continue working instead of isolating at home
after testing positive, to prevent staff shortages from crippling
healthcare services. Healthcare unions quickly opposed the decision.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, China's local
coronavirus cases rose for a fourth day, with the majority of
infections reported by Xian, a city that has put its 13 million
people under lockdown.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Colombia’s police
said they have captured five people during raids in the Andean
country’s second city Medellin and surrounding areas in connection
with the Dec. 14 bombing at an airport in the northern city of
Cucuta that left three people dead.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, German Arriaza, a
former senior Salvadoran anti-corruption prosecutor, said President
Nayib Bukele’s government shut down his unit’s investigation into
its alleged negotiations with violent street gangs to help expand
its power. The ending of Arriaza's investigation and his flight
abroad have not been reported before.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Gambia's Supreme
Court dismissed a legal challenge to President Adama Barrow's recent
election victory, ruling that the petition had not followed proper
procedure.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Greece reported a
new daily record of 21,657 COVID-19 infections, more than double the
level of the day before.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, India said it has
approved Merck's COVID-19 pill and two more vaccines for emergency
use as the world's second most populous country braces for a
possible spike in coronavirus cases due to the rapidly spreading
Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Indonesian
authorities said they will help repair a stranded boat packed with
over 100 Rohingya off its coast but will not allow its passengers to
seek refuge in the Southeast Asian country and will turn the vessel
away.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Indonesia said it
has lifted a ban on the Boeing 737 MAX, three years after the crash
of one of the aircraft operated by domestic carrier Lion Air with
the loss of all 189 people on board.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Iran and Russia
both gave upbeat views about talks that kicked off this week to
salvage Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with global powers, although
Western nations have said the negotiations are going too slowly.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Israel launched an
air strike on the Syrian port of Latakia, setting ablaze the
container storage area and damaging nearby buildings in a 2nd attack
on the facility this month.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Italy allowed a
charity boat carrying 558 migrants rescued at sea over the last 11
days to dock in the Sicilian port of Augusta, with another vessel
waiting offshore for permission to bring 440 more to land.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Italy reported 202
coronavirus-related deaths against 142 the day before. The daily
tally of new infections rose to 78,313 from 30,810, hitting a fresh
record in terms of new cases since the start of the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Japan's government
mapped out a plan for releasing contaminated water from the crippled
Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea, including compensation
standards for local industry and the compilation of a safety
assessment report.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Kuwait's ruling
emir announced the formation of a new Cabinet, breaking a weekslong
deadlock with the nomination of 15 new government ministers who will
have to address a series of political and financial difficulties.
   (AP, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Lebanon’s energy
minister launched two projects in the country’s north to facilitate
the flow of natural gas from Egypt. The move aims to improve
electricity production and expand the country’s tanks to increase
oil reserves.
   (AP, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Libya's parliament
suspended its session until next week without a vote on any of the
proposals raised a day earlier for handling the fallout of last
week's delayed election.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Malaysia said it
has lifted a travel ban on eight southern African countries that had
been among the first to report the Omicron variant of the
coronavirus, citing the greater spread of the variant worldwide.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, The Philippines
said it lifted a four-year-old ban on open-pit mining for copper,
gold, silver and complex ores, marking the second landmark policy
move this year as the government tries to revitalize the industry.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Portugal reported
a record 17,172 new coronavirus infections, although the rate was
about half the level of the worst surge at the start of the year and
hospitalizations were an even smaller fraction of that.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Russian state
investigators detained the former heads of provincial election
headquarters in the Siberian cities of Tomsk and Irkutsk for
questioning. Leonid Volkov said he had tried to persuade both
activists, Kseniya Fadeyeva and Zakhar Sarapulov, to leave Russia,
as he and a number of other dissidents have done, but they refused.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Russia's Supreme
Court ordered Memorial, the country's best-known human rights group,
to be liquidated for breaking a law requiring groups to register as
foreign agents, capping a year of crackdowns on Kremlin critics
unseen since the Soviet days.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, In Russia Abubakar
Yangulbaev, a lawyer with the Committee for the Prevention of
Torture, was taken by "officials from the Chechen Center to Prevent
Extremism or simply political police" to a police station in
Pyatigorsk. A day earlier Yangulbaev had reported that more than 30
members of his own family had been detained in Chechnya.
   (The Daily Beast, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, It was reported
that research by South African scientists suggests that Omicron
could displace the Delta variant of the coronavirus because
infection with the new variant boosts immunity to the older one.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, South Africa
recalled rules that no longer required people without symptoms of
COVID-19 to isolate or test if they have been in contact with a
positive case.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Spain's Telefonica
said it has reached an agreement with labor unions to cut some 15%
of its domestic workforce via voluntary redundancies in a plan
estimated to cost it 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion) this year.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Tanzania signed a
contract with Turkish firm Yapi Merkezi to build a 368 km section of
standard gauge railway that is expected to cost $1.9 billion and
will be funded by loans.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Turkey's daily
coronavirus cases exceeded 30,000 for the first time since October
19, as Health Minister Fahrettin Koca warned against rising cases
due to the Omicron variant. Turkey registered 32,176 infections and
184 deaths from the virus.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Ugandan author
Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, who won a prestigious prize this year for
courageous writing, was detained. He is best known for "The Greedy
Barbarian," a satirical novel which describes high-level corruption
in a fictional country, and "Banana Republic: Where Writing is
Treasonous," an account of the torture he was subjected to while in
detention in 2020.
   (BBC, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, The United Arab
Emirates said it has approved emergency use of Sinopharm's
protein-based COVID-19 vaccine and it will be available to the
public as a booster dose starting January 2022.
   (Reuters, 12/28/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, It was reported
that the Pentagon is building a second courtroom for war crimes
trials at Guantánamo Bay that will exclude the public from the
chamber, the latest move toward secrecy in the nearly 20-year-old
detention operation.
   (NY Times, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, The US Securities
and Exchange Commission charged Medallion Financial Corp and its
president with fraud for trying to inflate the stock price of the
lender to taxicab medallion buyers, amid competition from Uber and
Lyft.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 53,217,506 with the death toll at 821,346. New US
cases topped 488,000.
   (sfist.com, 12/30/21)(SFC, 12/30/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, An acting regional
director of the US National Labor Relations Board alleged that the
NY Times. Co. wrongly interfered with, restrained and coerced
employees exercising their rights under federal labor law.
   (Reuters, 1/5/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, A Manhattan jury
convicted Ghislaine Maxwell, the former companion to the disgraced
financier Jeffrey Epstein, of conspiring with him for at least a
decade to recruit, groom and sexually abuse underage girls.
   (NY Times, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, In southern
Argentina a helicopter that was fighting forest fires in the rugged
Patagonia region crashed, killing two crew members.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, The Belgian
government reversed course by allowing theaters to reopen after a
court suspended their closure ordered a week ago to try to stem the
surge in infections from the Omicron coronavirus variant.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Bolivia's main
cities canceled any public activities for New year's Eve after the
country reached a record 4,939 new cases of the coronavirus. A bit
more than 39% of the population was fully vaccinated.
   (SFC, 12/30/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, British PM Boris
Johnson warned that the overwhelming majority of patients ending up
in intensive care with COVID-19 had not received their booster
vaccine, as he urged people to get their jabs. Patients with
COVID-19 occupied 10,462 beds in English hospitals, up by 916 on the
day before. Britain reported 183,037 COVID-19 cases, a new record
and over 53,000 more than the previous highest figure registered
just a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, It was reported
that Cuba will give booster shots to its entire population in
January, in a bid to keep the highly contagious Omicron variant of
the coronavirus at bay.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Ethiopian
lawmakers approved a bill to establish a commission for national
dialogue, amid international pressure for negotiations to end the
13-month conflict in the Tigray region.
   (AP, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, France was seeing
a "tsunami" of COVID-19 infections, with 208,000 cases reported over
the past 24 hours, a new national and European record.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Germany’s health
minister said that the country's coronavirus infection rate is
likely two to three times higher than statistics currently show, and
urged his compatriots to be cautious during New Year's celebrations.
   (AP, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Hundreds of Hong
Kong police officers arrested seven people connected to an outspoken
pro-democracy news website and raided the site’s headquarters, in
yet another government crackdown on the city’s once-vibrant
independent press. Pro-democracy media outlet Stand News said it
would shut down after police raided its office earlier in the day
and arrested senior staff on suspected "seditious publication"
offences.
   (NY Times, 12/29/21)(Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, It was reported
that Indian tax officials have seized more than $30 million in cash
and gold in raids on suspected tax evaders this week including a
record haul of 1.94 billion rupees ($26 million) and 23 kg of gold
ahead of assembly elections in five states.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Apple said it had
placed the southern Indian factory of iPhone assembler Foxconn on
probation after both companies found that some worker dormitories
and dining rooms did not meet required standards.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Indonesia said it
will allow a boat packed with Rohingya which had become stranded off
its coast to dock in the Southeast Asian country, after calls from
aid organizations to allow the vessel to seek refuge.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, An Israeli was
wounded in a shooting attack on the Gaza border, after a rare visit
to Israel by Palestinian Pres. Mahmoud Abbas drew condemnation from
the enclave's Hamas rulers. Three Palestinian farmers were reported
wounded.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, It was reported
that Israel was acting to contain a severe outbreak of avian flu
that has already led to mass culling of infected poultry and has
caused the deaths of about 5,000 migratory cranes in a popular
nature reserve in the north of the country.
   (NY Times, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Italy reported
98,030 against 78,313 a day earlier. Restaurant and club owners
sought urgent government support due to increased cancellations
prompted by a surge in coronavirus infections.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Libya’s top
prosecutor ordered the country's culture minister jailed pending an
investigation into allegations of corruption. Minister Mabrouka
Othman would be jailed for four days pending the investigations into
alleged managerial and financial irregularities and forgery.
   (AP, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, PM Ismail Sabri
Yaakob said Malaysia will provide 1.4 billion ringgit ($334.93
million) in cash aid and other forms of relief for those devastated
by severe floods this month.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, In western Mali
four soldiers were killed and a dozen more seriously injured when
their patrol was ambushed by suspected militants near the town of
Nara.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Poland reported
794 COVID-related deaths, the highest number in the fourth wave of
the pandemic, a deputy health minister said, adding the figure could
be a result of delayed reporting due to the Christmas holidays.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Portugal reported
a new record of 26,867 coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, up
sharply from 17,172 the previous day, although daily deaths dropped
to a fraction of early 2021 peaks.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Russian President
Vladimir Putin said that a new pipeline to Germany has been fully
filled with natural gas, noting that it could help quickly reduce
soaring European energy prices.
   (AP, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Authorities in
Sudan's North Darfur state announced a night curfew after armed
groups looted a UN World Food Program warehouse and facilities used
by a former peacekeeping mission.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Switzerland
reported a record high of 17,634 new COVID-19 infections within the
last 24 hours.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Thai health
authorities warned that residents should brace themselves for a
potential jump in coronavirus cases after classifying the country's
first cluster of the Omicron variant as a super-spreader incident.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, The Turkish lira
weakened for the third consecutive day, tumbling 5.6% and eating
further into the huge gains made the previous week, as worries
persisted over soaring inflation and unorthodox monetary policy.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, In the UAE daily
coronavirus infections rose above 2,000 for the first time since
June. Authorities recorded 2,234 new infections in the past 24
hours.
   (Reuters, 12/29/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, President Biden
and Vladimir Putin held a 50-minute call, in which Putin warned
against imposing economic sanctions on Russia. A terse White House
statement said Biden "made clear that the United States and its
allies and partners will respond decisively if Russia further
invades Ukraine".
   (NY Times, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, It was reported
that GOP House members Marjorie Taylor Greene and Andrew Clyde of
Georgia have incurred more than $100,000 in fines for not wearing
masks on the House floor. Other Republicans have also incurred
fines. A federal lawsuit was pending to strike down the fines as
unconstitutional.
   (SFC, 12/30/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, The US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention said people should avoid cruise
travel regardless of vaccination status, following a jump in onboard
COVID-19 cases, in a major blow to the industry that has been
ravaged by the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 53,875,553 with the death toll at 823,307.
   (sfist.com, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, San Francisco
police released data that showed police seizure of 56.2 pounds of
fentanyl in the Tenderloin district this year, five times more than
was reported seized in 2020.
   (SFC, 1/1/21, p.C1)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Colorado’s
governor reduced the prison sentence for trucker Rogel L.
Aguilera-Mederos, involved in a 2019 crash that killed four people,
to 10 years from 110 years.
   (NY Times, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Fast-moving
wildfires in Colorado swept through suburban areas near Denver,
prompting the evacuation of tens of thousands of people in Boulder
County. 991 homes were destroyed and two people were left missing.
   (NY Times, 12/31/21)(Reuters, 1/2/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, A New York jury
found that the American division of Teva Pharmaceuticals, an
Israeli-based company, contributed to the deadly opioid crisis in
New York, inundating the state with prescription painkillers that
led to thousands of deaths.
   (NY Times, 12/30/21)(Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Bahrain appointed
its first ambassador to Syria in more than a decade.
   (AP, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Brazilian
President Jair Bolsonaro rejected an offer of aid from Argentina,
saying that his country did not need the assistance dealing with
deadly floods that have affected broad swaths of the country's
northeast and killed dozens.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Britain's foreign
minister Liz Truss spoke to her counterparts from the United States,
Germany and France about deterring Russian aggression towards
Ukraine, concerns about Iran's nuclear program and solidarity with
Lithuania in face of China pressure.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, China's industrial
and tech hub of Xian reported more than 100 new cases of COVID-19,
taking its tally of locally transmitted infections to the highest in
any Chinese city this year.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, In China thousands
of people left messages on the social media account of the late
Chinese COVID-19 whistleblower Li Wenliang on the anniversary of the
day he learned of possible pneumonia-causing virus cases in Wuhan
and shared the information with fellow doctors. On Jan. 12, 2020, he
went to hospital, infected with the virus that causes the COVID-19
disease and died on Feb. 7, 2020.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, China Evergrande
Group said in its Wechat account that 91.7% of its national projects
have resumed construction after three months of effort. Shares of
the company tumbled after the embattled real estate developer did
not pay offshore coupons due earlier this week.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, China reported 166
locally transmitted infections with confirmed symptoms, with 161
from Xian, which is fighting the worst outbreak for a Chinese city
this year.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Coronavirus deaths
in Eastern Europe topped 1 million.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Greece reported a
single-day record high of 35,580 COVID-19 infections as the highly
contagious Omicron becomes the dominant variant in the country.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Indian authorities
started to impose stringent rules to prevent mass gatherings at new
year's parties and public venues to combat a spike in COVID-19
infections, even as top leaders led large political rallies.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Indian security
forces shot dead six militants and lost one soldier in a series of
operations in disputed Kashmir, as a crackdown against insurgent
groups continues after a spate of civilian killings this year.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Iran said it has
used a satellite launch rocket to send three research devices into
space.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Israel approved a
4th vaccine dose for people most vulnerable to COVID-19.
   (SFC, 12/31/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Italy reported
126,888 COVID-19 related cases, against 98,030 the day before, while
the number of deaths rose to 156 from 148.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, In Mexico a statue
of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was unveiled by
outgoing Mayor Roberto Tellez Monroy in the municipality of
Atlacomulco in the central State of Mexico. It lasted just two days
in the important opposition stronghold.
   (Reuters, 1/1/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, A court in
military-ruled Myanmar jailed three prominent show business figures
for three years each for their part in protests against a February
coup. They included high-profile actor couple Pyay Ti Oo and Eaindra
Kyaw Zin and male model Paing Takhon.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, A joint military
force said six troops from Nigeria and Niger were killed by Islamic
State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants during an operation
this month.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, North Korea urged
its 1.2 million troops to unite behind leader Kim Jong Un and defend
him with their lives, as the country celebrated the 10th anniversary
of Kim’s ascension to supreme commander of the military.
   (AP, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, It was reported
that a record wave of unauthorized migrants entered Panama this year
from Colombia, as a surge of mostly Haitians entered the Central
American country in route to the United States.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Russian
authorities ordered hospitals to get prepared for a possible surge
in COVID-19 cases. Russian statistics service, Rosstat, said 87,527
people had died from coronavirus-related causes in November, making
it the deadliest month in Russia since the start of the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, The Russian
government extended its approval for drugmaker Pharmasyntez to
produce a generic version of US anti-COVID-19 drug remdesivir
without a patent for one year, citing the need to protect its
citizens.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, In Somalia
fighters from the al Shabaab militant group attacked a town north of
Mogadishu, killing at least seven people as they battled government
security forces.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, South Africa's
government lifted a midnight to 4 a.m. curfew on people's movement
with immediate effect, believing the country has passed the peak of
its fourth COVID-19 wave driven by the Omicron variant.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, A clinical trial
in South Africa reported that a Johnson & Johnson booster shot
provided strong protection against the Omicron variant, greatly
reducing the risk of hospitalization.
   (NY Times, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, South Korean media
outlets reported that North Korea has allegedly stolen over $1.7
billion worth of crypto from exchanges over several years.
   (BeInCrypto, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Sudanese security
forces shot dead four people during nationwide protests, as tens of
thousands of people marched against military rule. This was the 11th
round of major demonstrations since an Oct. 25 coup. The death toll
soon rose to five.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)(Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Sweden set a new
daily record for COVID-19 cases, registering 11,507 cases. The
previous record of 11,376 cases was set in late December 2020.
   (Reuters, 1/4/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, The Turkish lira
fell as much as 6%, extending a four-day slide after last week's big
gains, as the government struggled to convince savers to ignore the
volatility and worries over surging inflation and unorthodox rate
cuts.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Turkey recorded
39,681 new COVID-19 cases, the highest number of daily infections
since April 28. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca warned about the
growing prevalence of the Omicron variant. Turkey began
administering its domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine, Turkovac,
at hospitals across the country, amid a rapid surge in infections
due to the variant.
   (Reuters, 12/30/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, In Yemen an
airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition mistakenly hit a camp of allied
Yemeni pro-government forces, killing at least 12 troops.
   (AP, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Thousands of
flights within the United States and internationally were delayed or
canceled, adding to the travel disruptions during the holiday week
due to adverse weather and rising cases of the Omicron coronavirus
variant.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Total US COVID-19
cases reached over 54,443,678 with the death toll at 824,630.
   (sfist.com, 1/1/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, In southern
California a massive spill of raw sewage forced the city of Long
Beach to close all swimming areas at nearby beaches. The leak
occurred a day earlier in the city of Carson and was caused by the
failure of a 48-inch sewer main line.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, A fire destroyed a
Planned Parenthood health clinic in Knoxville. The facility was
completing a $2.2 million renovation. The Fire Dept. later said
arson was the cause.
   (SFC, 1/10/22, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Tesla announced
the opening of its showroom in Urumqi, the Xinjiang capital, and
said on its Chinese social media account, “Let’s start Xinjiang’s
all-electric journey!” American activists soon appealed to Tesla
Inc. to close a new showroom in Xinjiang, where officials are
accused of abuses against mostly Muslim ethnic minorities.
   (AP, 1/3/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Holocaust survivor
Gertrude Pressburger (94) died. She became famous during Austria's
2016 presidential campaign with a video message in which “Mrs.
Gertrude” warned of hatred and exclusion triggered by the far right.
   (AP, 1/1/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Brazilian
President Jair Bolsonaro announced a 700 million reais ($125.67
million) relief credit line to help the northeastern region with the
impacts of severe flooding.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Britain said it
has approved Pfizer's COVID-19 pill for adults who have mild to
moderate infection and are at high risk of their illness worsening,
its second easily administered antiviral against the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Britain reported a
record high 189,846 new cases of COVID-19, up slightly from 189,213
the previous day. A British analysis said the risk of
hospitalization with the Omicron variant of coronavirus is about
one-third that of the Delta variant.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Denis O’Dell (98),
a British film producer and director who worked with The Beatles on
the movie “A Hard Day’s Night” and other productions, died overnight
at his home in Spain.
   (AP, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Canada said it
will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been
living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from
Afghanistan in the fall.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, A court in
Ontario, Canada, awarded C$107 million ($83.94 million), plus
interest, to the families of six people who died when the Iranian
Revolutionary Guards downed a Ukraine International Airlines plane
near Tehran two years ago. A lawyer said his team will look to seize
Iranian assets in Canada and abroad.
   (Reuters, 1/3/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Quebec, Canada,
reimposed a nighttime beginning this evening and Ontario delayed the
resumption of school by two days as several provinces reported new
highs for coronavirus infections.
   (SFC, 1/1/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, China opened an
embassy in Nicaragua for the first time since 1990. This came three
weeks after Pres. Daniel Ortega's government broke off relations
with Taiwan.
   (SSFC, 1/2/21, p.A7)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, China's anti-graft
agency accused US retail giant Walmart Inc and its Sam's Club chain
of "stupidity and shorted-sightedness" after Chinese news outlets
reported Sam's Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from
stores.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, China's market
regulator said that Tesla Inc will recall 19,697 imported model S
vehicles, 35,836 imported model 3s, and 144,208 China-made model 3
vehicles in China due to possible security risks.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, A study by
researchers said that Sinovac's two-dose COVID-19 vaccine followed
by a booster Pfizer-BioNTech shot showed a lower immune response
against the Omicron variant compared with other strains.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Germany began
shutting down half of the six nuclear plants it still has in
operation, a year before the country draws the final curtain on its
decades-long use of atomic power. The remaining three nuclear plants
— Emsland, Isar and Neckarwestheim — will be powered down by the end
of 2022.
   (AP, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Hong Kong's health
officials said the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has made its
way past some of the world's toughest COVID 19 restrictions, with
the city reporting its first cases outside its strict quarantine
system.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, India's
competition watchdog ordered an investigation into Apple Inc's
business practices in the country, saying it was of the initial view
that the iPhone maker had violated certain antitrust laws.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Israel said it has
signed a deal with the United States to buy 12 Lockheed Martin Corp
CH-53K helicopters and two Boeing Co KC-46 refueling planes at an
estimated total price of around $3.1 billion.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Israeli troops
shot and killed Amir Atef Reyan, a Palestinian man, as he ran toward
a bus stop in the occupied West Bank wielding a knife in an
attempted stabbing attack.
   (AP, 12/31/21)
2022Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, In northwestern
Nigeria at least 21 schoolchildren were rescued hours after they
were abducted by armed groups. The next day the Nigeria Air Force
launched “successful” airstrikes targeting the camps of the gunmen
in Zamfara state.
   (AP, 1/3/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Portugal reported
a new daily record of 30,829 coronavirus cases, up from 28,659 the
previous day, with the rapidly spreading Omicron variant accounting
for an estimated 83% of all new cases.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, It was reported
that Russia test-fired around 10 new Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic
cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Former South
Korean President Park Geun-hye (69) was released from prison nearly
five years after being convicted of corruption, fuelling debate over
whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential
election.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Tunisian security
forces detained Noureddine Bhair, a senior official from the biggest
party in the suspended parliament. He was the first official
detained since President Kais Saied seized governing powers in July.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, President Tayyip
Erdogan said that Turks should keep all their savings in lira and
that recent exchange rate volatility was largely under control after
the lira weakened sharply in the last two months.
   (Reuters, 12/31/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Turkey allowed a
5th dose as a booster for people who received two doses of the
Sinovac and BioNTech vaccines.
   (SFC, 1/1/21, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec, In California the
Save the Redwoods League donated 523 acres of redwood forestland in
Mendocino County to the InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council for
stewardship.
   (SFC, 1/26/22, p.A8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec, In Ohio a record
50,866 children tested positive for the coronavirus this month, more
than any month since the start of the pandemic.
   (SFC, 1/7/22, p.A5)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec, Sony, which now owns
Columbia, announced that it has acquired Bruce Springsteen’s entire
body of work, his recordings and his songwriting catalog, for what
two people briefed on the deal said was about $550 million.
   (NY Times, 12/20/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec, Elon Musk's Tesla
company signed an agreement with Australia's Syrah Resources, which
operates one of the world’s largest graphite mines in Mozambique.
Tesla will buy the material from the company's processing plant in
Vidalia, Louisiana, which sources graphite from its mine in Balama,
Mozambique.
   (AP, 1/16/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec, Soldiers from
Ethiopia's national army killed 30 civilians in a district of the
Oromiya Zone in the Amhara region. This was only made public in 2022
by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
   (Reuters, 3/11/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec, in Nigeria Abdulmalik
Mohammed Tanko (34), the owner of her school, allegedly kidnapped
Hanifa Abubakar in the northern Kano state to demand a ransom of
$14,600 (£10,800). Police later said he killed Hanifa after
realizing she had recognized him. Tanko was later arrested and his
establishment closed.
   (BBC, 1/21/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Scott Anderson
authored "The Quiet Americans," an indictment of the CIA as
witnessed by four operatives: Frank Wisner, Michael Burke, Edward
Lansdale and Peter Sichel.
   (Econ., 10/3/20, p.72)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â John Ghazvinian, an
American academic of Iranian origin, authored "America and Iran: A
History, 1720 to the Present."
   (Econ., 1/23/21, p.67)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Graham Hutchings authored
"China 1949: Year of Revolution."
   (Econ., 1/23/21, p.33)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Yang Jisheng authored "The
World Turned Upside Down," a chronicle of Mao Zedong's Cultural
Revolution (1966-1976), was published in English.
   (https://tinyurl.com/y24lmrdf)(Econ., 9/19/20,
p.43)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Kate Lister, a lecturer at
Leeds Trinity University in England, authored “Harlots, Whores &
Hackabouts: A History of Sex for Sale”.
   (NY Daily News, 10/27/21)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Yale Prof. Marissa King
authored "Social Chemistry: Decoding The Elements of Human
Connection".
   (Econ., 1/9/21, p.57)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Barre Seid, an electronics
manufacturing mogul, donated 100 percent of the shares of Tripp Lite
to a new political group controlled by conservative activist Leonard
A. Leo, before the company was sold to an Irish conglomerate for
$1.65 billion. Marble Freedom Trust received all of the proceeds
from the sale, in a transaction that appears to have been structured
to allow the nonprofit group and Mr. Seid to avoid paying taxes on
the proceeds. Mr. Seid, a longtime conservative donor made a fortune
as the chairman and chief executive of an electrical device
manufacturing company in Chicago now known as Tripp Lite.
   (NY Times, 8/22/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Global concentrations of
the greenhouse gas methane soared by a record amount for this year.
This marked the 2nd consecutive year for the record increase.
   (SSFC, 4/17/22, p.B8)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â Kenya overtook South
Africa to become the continent's top avocado exporter. The avocado
sector has become so lucrative that organized criminal gangs began
to target growers.
   (BBC, 1/16/22)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â The Pakistani Taliban made
87 attacks this year that killed 158 people. The Darul Uloom
Haqqania seminary in Karachi has educated more Taliban leaders than
any school in the world.
   (SFC, 2/23/22, p.A2)
2021Â Â Â Â Â Â In Peru a roughly
36-million-year-old well-preserved skull was dug up intact from the
bone-dry rocks of the southern Ocucaje desert, with rows of long,
pointy teeth. The ferocious marine predator, an ancient ancestor of
modern-day whales, once lived in a prehistoric ocean that covered
part of what is now Peru. It was believed to belong to a new species
of basilosaurus.
   (Reuters, 3/17/22)