January 11th - 17th

Image: Drew Angerer / MCT

Gracie Linthwaite 
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This week curfews are imposed across the globe as countries attempt to reduce the spread of coronavirus, Uganda cuts off internet access during its presidential election, and Trump becomes the only president in US history to be impeached twice. 

Europe 

France:
France tightens its evening curfew to help combat the virus. The curfew means everyone must be home by 18:00 unless they are returning from school or work. 
https://apnews.com/article/europe-curfews-coronavirus-0bf7ee470baca48c9f189acc4d4ef0a5

Italy: 
Former Italian PM Matteo Renzi has triggered a political crisis in the middle of the pandemic, by pulling his ministers out of the government in a row over how to spend billions of euros of EU Covid recovery funding, effectively leaving the ruling coalition without a majority in parliament. The current Prime Minister Giusseppe Conte now has to find a way to prop up his coalition. 
https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210113-italy-s-government-plunged-into-crisis-as-former-pm-renzi-pulls-support

The Netherlands: 
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s government stepped down on Friday after it emerged that officials had wrongly pursued thousands of people over welfare fraud. The government will continue to lead the country’s coronavirus response team in a caretaker capacity. 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-55674146

UK:
A global health insurance card is to replace EHIC. UK residents can apply for the new card to access emergency medical care when their EHIC card runs out. 
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/ghic-does-differ-ehic/

Africa

Ethiopia:
More than 100 people have been killed in renewed ethnic attacks in the restive area of Metekel in Ethiopia’s western Benishangul-Gumuz region. The instability poses a threat to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which has been built on the Blue Nile in Benishangul-Gumuz - and is the subject of tense negotiations over how it will affect Sudan and Egypt, countries which also use the Nile waters. 
https://www.arise.tv/more-than-100-killed-in-deadly-violence-in-ethiopias-mega-dam-region/

Mozambique:
Fifteen women and six children kidnapped by Islamist militants in the gas-rich northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado have been rescued by the army. Most of them had been abducted from the island of Matemo last week, according to police chief Bernadino Rafael. The militants, known locals as al-Shabab, or the youth, have launched a series of attacks on villages and towns in the are over the past three years. 
http://www.channelafrica.co.za/sabc/home/channelafrica/news/details?id=b6d13b02-fa43-4c6d-b335-038f9047d85c&title=Kidnapped%20women%20freed%20from%20Mozambique%20militants

Uganda:
On the eve of the presidential election, authorities in Uganda cut off internet access in the country. This ban came a day after the government ordered a block on all social media and messaging apps. President Yoweri Museveni said this was because Facebook had banned several accounts which backed his ruling party. 
https://apnews.com/article/kampala-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-uganda-united-states-65942284f4e73dbf120ace23775baae4

Museveni has been declared the winner of the presidential election, despite his main rival Bobi Wine alleging vote-rigging. The election commission has failed to answer how voting results were transmitted during the internet blackout, saying merely ‘we designed our own system’. 
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/16/ugandas-museveni-declared-winner-of-presidential-election

Middle East

Lebanon:
An all-day curfew has been imposed, forbidding people from leaving their homes and forcing them to rely on food deliveries. 
https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-beirut-lebanon-coronavirus-pandemic-35462371979711787e00f9eaf87f3006

Asia and Oceania

Australia:
A former Australian soldier allegedly stormed an animal shelter in full tactical gear and pointed an assault rifle at an animal ranger because he was looking for his lost cat, a Melbourne court has heard. Mr Wittman, 44, faces charges including kidnapping, false imprisonment, armed robbery and firearm offences. 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-55667023

China:
A Huawei patent has been brought to light for a system that identifies people who appear to the of Uighur origin. The company denies selling technology that can identify the ethnic group and plans to reword the patent. 
https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2021/01/13/huawei-patent-mentions-use-of-uighur-spotting-tech/#.YASEYi2cZQI

India:
India’s Supreme Court indefinitely puts on hold three controversial farm laws. Farmers have been camped outside capital Delhi demanding the repeal of the laws. 
https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/indias-top-court-puts-controversial-farm-laws-hold

The country begins the world’s biggest Covid vaccine drive. Health and frontline workers are the first in line for jabs at vaccination centres. 
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/india-covid-vaccine-coronavirus-latest-b1788303.html

Indonesia:
An earthquake shook the island of Sulawesi on Friday, injuring hundreds and destroying a hospital. The death toll has now risen to 73. 
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/15/indonesia-earthquake-deaths-sulawesi-island

Japan:
Japan is hit by severe snow storms, killing at least eight and bringing some regions to a standstill. 
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/japan-snow-storm-death-toll-b1786142.html

Americas

Brazil:
Data from Brazil shows Sinovac’s coronavirus vaccine to be only 50.4% effective. The UK has banned arrival from South America over concerns about a new variant. 
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-brazil-coronavirus/new-brazil-data-shows-disappointing-504-efficacy-for-chinas-coronavac-vaccine-idUSKBN29H2CE

US:
Officials say 170 individuals are being investigated for their involvement in the deadly Capitol riots, and 70 have been charged. 
https://news.sky.com/story/us-capitol-riots-investigators-warn-that-hundreds-of-people-are-expected-to-be-charged-12186318

Trump has been impeached for the second time for ‘inciting’ the US Capitol riot. Ten Republicans joined 222 Democrats in voting for his impeachment. 
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/13/donald-trump-impeached-for-inciting-us-capitol-riot

The only woman on federal death row is executed. Lisa Montgomery, who killed a pregnant woman and took her baby, died by lethal injection in Indiana. 
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/13/us/politics/lisa-montgomery-execution.html