Portal:Current events/2022 January 11

January 11, 2022 (Tuesday)

Disasters and accidents

At an apartment construction site in Gwangju, South Korea, an outer wall of the building collapses, trapping six workers. (AP)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, COVID-19 vaccination in Canada
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, COVID-19 vaccination in Quebec
    - Quebec announces plans to impose a "significant" tax on those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19, with exemptions for those who have legitimate medical exemptions from taking the vaccine. However, few additional details were revealed on a policy which would be a first in Canada. (The Globe and Mail)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports a record 368,149 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (CNBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Italy reports a record 220,532 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 7.77 million. (Agenzia Italia)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
    - Poland surpasses 100,000 deaths from COVID-19, becoming the 15th nation to do so. (The Independent)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia
    - Patriarch Porfirije, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, tests positive for COVID-19. (Bloomberg)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia
    - Slovenia reports a record 5,164 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (The Slovenia Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
    - Turkey reports a record 74,266 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Anadolu Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
    - Argentina reports a record 134,439 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 6,533,635. (Infobae)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Bolivia
    - Bolivian vice president David Choquehuanca tests positive for COVID-19 for the third time. Six government ministers also test positive for COVID-19. (France 24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
  - The Israeli Health ministry approves a reduction of the isolation period for asymptomatic positive COVID-19 patients from ten to seven days in order to keep the economy running despite an increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant cases. The changes will be in effect on January 13. (The Times of Israel)

Politics and elections

President of the European Parliament David Sassoli dies in Aviano, Italy. (Politico)
Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola becomes acting President of the European Parliament. Metsola is the first Maltese person to hold this position. (Politico)