Portal:Current events/2022 February 15
{{Current events|year=2022|month=02|day=15|content=
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Russo-Ukrainian War
- 2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis
- Reactions to the 2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis
- Vladimir Putin claims that a "genocide" is occurring in Eastern Ukraine. [https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-says-russia-does-not-want-war-calls-donbass-genocide-2022-02-15/ (Reuters)]
- The State Duma of Russia passes a bill to officially recognise the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic in Eastern Ukraine as independent states. The bill has been sent to President Vladimir Putin for final approval. [http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/europe/20220215/ab6821835bf8414189ae114cf188b1b1/c.html (Xinhuanet)] [https://www.dw.com/en/russian-duma-asks-putin-to-recognize-ukrainian-regions-as-independent/a-60783596 (Deutsche Welle)]
- Russian President Vladimir Putin says that diplomatic talks will continue. Russia also announces that troops will be partially pulled out from the border but that exercises will continue. [https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/russia-says-some-troops-pulling-back-from-ukraine-border-but-exercises-continue-11644920006 (Wall Street Journal)] [https://truthout.org/video/russia-says-it-pulled-back-some-troops-from-ukraine-as-talks-continue/?amp (Truthout.org)]
- Several Ukrainian websites, including the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Privatbank, and Oschadbank are affected by cyberattacks. [https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/russia-ukraine-financial-defense-sites-under-attack-by-hackers/ (CBS News)]
- The U.S. and its NATO allies in Europe say that they are ready to retaliate against Russian cyberwarfare on Ukraine depending on the severity of the attacks. [https://www.reuters.com/world/us-allies-ready-retaliate-russian-cyberattacks-say-officials-2022-02-15/ (Reuters)]
- War in Donbas
- The Luhansk People's Republic says that a service member has been killed on the frontline by a Ukrainian military sniper, according to its office at the Joint Centre of Control and Coordination. [https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/lpr-says-its-servicemen-killed-in-donbas-afte-1470701.html (Urdu Point)]
- An attempted terrorist attack on a memorial rally in the city of Luhansk is reportedly stopped. Russian media blames the Ukrainian Defence Ministry and "special services" of being involved in the attack. A video shows an improvised explosive device being discovered inside a garbage can. [https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-696579 (The Jerusalem Post)]
Disasters and accidents
- Capsizing of the Villa de Pitanxo
- A Spanish-owned fishing trawler, Villa de Pitanxo, sinks off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, killing 10 crew members and leaving 11 others missing. A search and rescue operation is underway. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-60392368 (BBC News)]
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
- Indonesia reports a record 57,049 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 4.9 million. [https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2022/02/15/17345961/update-15-februari-bertambah-26747-kasus-sembuh-covid-19-jadi-4349848 (Kompas)]
- COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
- Japan reports a record 236 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, the number of cumulative COVID-19 cases surpasses four million. [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/02/15/national/covid-cases-february-15/ (The Japan Times)]
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
- South Korea reports a record 57,177 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1.46 million. [http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220215000641 (The Korea Herald)]
- COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
- Vietnam lifts its COVID-19-related curbs on international passenger flights with no limitation on the number of flights in order to restore the travel to pre-pandemic level. [https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/2/14/vietnam-to-end-covid-curbs-on-international-flights (Al-Jazeera)]
Law and crime
- Canada convoy protest
- 2022 alleged plot to kill Coutts RCMP officers
- Four men are arrested on suspicion of plotting to murder officers with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The arrests occurred during a protest blockading the Canada–U.S. border near Coutts, Alberta. [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-rcmp-charge-four-men-with-plotting-to-murder-officers-in-connection/ (The Globe and Mail)]
- A number of protestors at Coutts have dispersed after an RCMP raid on a "smaller group within the larger protest" resulted in the seizure of weapons, ammunition, and body armour and the arrests of 13 people on Monday. [https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/protesters-clear-coutts-alta-highway-after-weapons-seized-emergencies-act-invoked-1.5781971 (CTV News)]
- Chief of police of the Ottawa Police Service Peter Sloly resigns amid criticism of his handling of the protests. [https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/ottawa-police-chief-peter-sloly-resigns-1.5782036 (CTV News Ottawa)]
- Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández is arrested in Tegucigalpa after the U.S. requested his extradition on charges of drug trafficking. [https://www.efe.com/efe/espana/mundo/el-expresidente-hondureno-hernandez-es-capturado-tras-la-peticion-de-ee-uu-por-narcotrafico/10001-4740520 (EFE)]
Politics and elections
- 2022 United States elections
- 2022 Louisville mayoral election
- In Louisville, Kentucky, council candidate Quintez Brown is charged with attempted murder, a day after he allegedly opened fire on mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg in his campaign office, narrowly missing him. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/council-candidate-accused-of-trying-to-kill-would-be-mayor/2022/02/15/ef6b9d3c-8e76-11ec-8ddd-52136988d263_story.html (AP via The Washington Post)]
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