Portal:Current events/2022 January 14

January 14, 2022 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Mali War
- Operation Barkhane
  - Sweden announces that it will withdraw its troops from a French-led special forces mission in Mali later this year, in response to Mali's ruling military junta inviting private Russian military contractors to fight Islamist rebels. The deployment was originally expected to end in 2024. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2022 Hunga Tonga eruption and tsunami
- The Hunga Tonga, an undersea volcano, erupts, sending ash and steam 20 kilometers into the air. The government of Tonga issues a tsunami warning and advises people in all islands of Tonga to avoid the coasts. (RNZ)
Magnitude 6.6 earthquake strikes Banten and Sumatra Island at 16:05 local time.
- The earthquake hit 52 kilometres (32 miles) of a depth of 10 kilometres. There was no immediate reports of casualties though.

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic
      - The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases issues a resolution stating that all foreign nationals entering the Philippines must present proof of full vaccination. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
    - The Philippines reports a record for the second consecutive day of 37,207 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 3,129,512. (Rappler)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Bhutan
    - Bhutan reports its first 14 cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in people who travelled abroad. (The Economic Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia, COVID-19 vaccination in Cambodia
    - Cambodia begins administering fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for high-risk groups, including healthcare workers, government ministers, and members of the armed forces. (AP)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Germany reports a record for the third consecutive day of 92,223 new cases of COVID-19. (Anadolu Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden
    - Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson tests positive for COVID-19. (The New York Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, COVID-19 vaccination in Brazil
    - Brazil begins a COVID-19 vaccination program for children aged 5 to 11 years old with the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine despite objections from President Jair Bolsonaro. (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Uruguay
    - Uruguay opens its borders to citizens and residents who have been infected with COVID-19. People will need to travel in private vehicles across the border and be in a family "bubble". (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico, COVID-19 drug development
  - Mexican health regulator COFEPRIS approves the emergency use of Pfizer's anti-COVID-19 oral drug Paxlovid. (The Hindu)
Earthquakes in Indonesia
- A magnitude 6.6 earthquake is felt in Java and neighbouring islands in Indonesia. (Antara News) (CNA)

Science and technology

2022 Ukraine cyberattack
- Up to 70 Ukrainian government websites are affected by cyberattacks. (BBC News)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- 2022 Australian Open
  - The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Alex Hawke, invokes his ministerial powers under the Migration Act 1958 to cancel Novak Djokovic's visa on "health and good order grounds". (ABC News Australia)