Portal:Current events/2021 November 8

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Armed conflicts and attacks

• Islamic terrorism in Europe
• A knifeman attacks a policeman in Cannes, France, shouting that it was "in the name of the Prophet". The officer is not seriously wounded; the perpetrator is shot by other officers and is in critical condition. [https://www.arabnews.com/node/1963701 (Reuters via Arab News)]
• 2021 Democratic Republic of the Congo attacks
• Gunmen in the Democratic Republic of the Congo seize the villages of Tshanzu and Runyoni in North Kivu, near the borders with Uganda and Rwanda. [https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/armed-men-seize-congo-villages-near-uganda-rwanda-border-2021-11-08/ (Reuters)]

Business and economy

• Ukraine's oldest English language newspaper the Kyiv Post suspends publication after 26 years in print following a dispute between its owner and journalists. All of the newspaper's journalists have been fired with immediate effect. [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/08/ukrainian-english-language-newspaper-kyiv-post-suspends-publication (The Guardian)]

Disasters and accidents

• Maradi school fire
• Twenty-six children are killed and 13 others injured by a fire at a school in Maradi, Niger. [https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/9/at-least-26-children-die-in-niger-school-fire (Al Jazeera)]
• Three French climbers who went missing two weeks ago after attempting to reach Mingbo Eiger, near Mount Everest, are found dead by Nepali police. [https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/3-bodies-found-near-spot-where-french-climbers-went-missing-in-nepals-himalayas-2602833 (NDTV)]

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
• COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
• COVID-19 pandemic in Austria
• Austria restricts access to restaurants, bars, hotels and social and cultural events to only those who have been vaccinated or who have recovered from COVID-19 due to an increase in the number of new cases and hospitalizations. [https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/austria-introduces-tough-restrictions-for-unvaccinated/ (EURACTIV)]
• COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education
• Belgium reinstates mandatory face mask policy for secondary schoolchildren and their teachers in Wallonia. [https://www.levif.be/actualite/belgique/port-du-masque-du-changement-dans-les-ecoles-secondaires/article-normal-1488447.html?cookie_check=1636427062 (Le Vif)]
• COVID-19 pandemic in France, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education
• France reinstates a mandatory face mask policy for primary schoolchildren in many departments and administrative areas across the country as authorities try to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases. [https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/french-schoolchildren-mask-up-again-as-covid-cases-rise.913566 (Times of Malta)]
• COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
• Greece reports a record 7,335 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 792,239. [https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/greece-reports-record-high-daily-covid-infections/2415477 (Anadolu Agency)]
• COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
• Russia lifts its nationwide week-long paid holiday in most regions, which aimed to reduce the spread of COVID-19, despite still reporting high numbers of new cases and deaths. [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/russia-shutdown-ends-despite-coronavirus-wave/articleshow/87583206.cms (The Times of India)]
• COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia
• Slovakia closes hotels, bars, fitness centers, and restaurants, as well as limiting gatherings to 100 fully vaccinated people in 36 counties amid a record increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. [https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-europe-health-pandemics-slovakia-a53892de62b5e66d5410e4292fff0f3c (AP)]
• COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
• COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, COVID-19 vaccination in Australia
• Australia begins administering booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for people over the age of 18 years old who received their second dose at least six months ago. [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-08/australia-covid-booster-vaccination-program-begins-today/100601820 (ABC News Australia)]
• COVID-19 pandemic in Vanuatu
• Vanuatuan prime minister Bob Loughman confirms that two Vanuatuan citizens who were repatriated from New Caledonia have the Delta variant and urges residents to get vaccinated. [https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/455211/vanuatu-confirms-covid-cases-have-delta-variant (RNZ)]
• COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
• COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Singapore and Malaysia announce that they will establish a Vaccinated Travel Lane beginning on November 29 between Singapore's Changi Airport and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia for fully vaccinated international travellers. [https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/malaysia-singapore-vtl-vaccinated-travel-lane-covid19-2298486 (CNA)]
• COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
• COVID-19 pandemic in California
• Los Angeles begins to implement the U.S. strictest vaccine mandate that required people to show their proof of full vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results in the previous 72 hours in order to enter most indoor venues and large outdoor events of more than 5,000 attendes. [https://www.npr.org/2021/11/08/1053435012/strict-mandate-takes-effect-in-la-business-patrons-must-show-proof-of-vaccinatio (NPR)]
• Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
• The United States reopens its land and air borders for fully vaccinated international travelers for non-essential purposes after a 20-month closure for 33 countries due to the pandemic. Vaccinated international travelers are required to present negative COVID-19 test results before they travel, and airlines are required to use a contact tracing system. [https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20211107-us-finally-reopens-land-and-air-borders-after-20-months (AFP via France 24)]
• 2020–2021 H5N8 outbreak
• Poland reports outbreaks of the H5N8 bird flu at one chicken and five turkey farms, with four of the outbreaks occurring in the eastern part of the country. [https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/poland-reports-highly-pathogenic-h5n1-bird-flu-poultry-oie-2021-11-08/ (Reuters)]
• An outbreak of the H5 bird flu is reported at a small poultry unit near Alcester, Warwickshire, England. The infected birds will be culled. [https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-59208230 (BBC News)]
• The WHO and UNICEF launch a four-day polio vaccination campaign in Afghanistan backed by the Taliban, which aims to address the 3.3 million children who have not been vaccinated against polio since 2018. [https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2021/11/8/polio-vaccination-programme-resumes-in-afghanistan (Al Jazeera)]

International relations

• European migrant crisis
• 2021 Belarus–European Union border crisis
• A large crowd of migrants escorted by the Belarusian military attempts to break through the Belarus–Poland border near Bruzgi, Grodno Region. Several migrants are reported dead, with seven being found dead on the Polish side of the border, and a few more deaths are reported in Belarus. [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/08/belarus-escorts-hundreds-of-migrants-towards-polish-border (The Guardian)] [https://www.itv.com/news/2021-11-08/poland-tightens-security-as-migrants-congregate-on-border-with-belarus (ITV)]
• Police in Star Dojran, North Macedonia discover 42 migrants hiding in a truck. Authorities say that most of the migrants were of Syrian descent and were likely travelling through Greece. [https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1171345/north-macedonia-police-find-42-migrants-packed-in-a-truck/ (Ekathimerini)]
• Foreign relations of Colombia
• During a high-level state visit to Israel, Colombian Defense Minister Diego Molano declares Iran to be an enemy of Colombia despite both nations continuing to maintain diplomatic relations. [https://www.infobae.com/america/colombia/2021/11/08/ministro-de-defensa-de-colombia-asegura-que-iran-y-hezbola-son-enemigos-de-su-pais-apoyados-por-el-regimen-de-venezuela/ (Infobae)]
• Holy See–Switzerland relations
• Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis meets with the State Secretary of the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to mark 100 years of the restoration of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and the Holy See. The joint declaration, according to the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, called for the promotion of “peace and human rights, the worldwide abolition of the death penalty, the protection of minorities, and interreligious dialogue.” [https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/switzerland-marks-centenary-of-diplomatic-relations-with-holy-see/47093520 (Swissinfo)] [https://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=52842 (Catholic World News)]

Politics and elections

• Former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who has been on a hunger strike for 39 days, is moved to a prison hospital as his condition continues to deteriorate. [https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20211108-georgia-s-ex-president-saakashvili-moved-to-prison-hospital-amid-hunger-strike (France 24)]

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