Portal:Current events/2022 January 1

January 1, 2022 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry survives an assassination attempt when shooters opened fire at a ceremony celebrating the country's independence anniversary in a church in the city of Gonaïves. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

2021–2022 Boulder County fires
- At least three people are confirmed missing, and at least 988 homes are confirmed destroyed, after a wildfire struck Boulder County, Colorado, United States, since December 30. (CNN)
Vaishno Devi Temple stampede
- Twelve people are killed and 13 others injured during a stampede at the Vaishno Devi Temple in Indian-administered Kashmir, triggered by many people who were at the temple to celebrate the New Year. (Al Jazeera) (The Times of India)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - COVID-19 pandemic in England
      - England reports a record 162,572 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (The Independent)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France surpasses 10 million cases of COVID-19, becoming the sixth country to reach the milestone. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - The Republic of Ireland reports a record 23,281 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Irish Independent)
  - Europe surpasses 100 million cases of COVID-19. (Voice of America)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain, COVID-19 drug development
    - Bahrain authorizes the emergency use of Pfizer's anti-viral oral drug Paxlovid for adults over the age of 18 years. (Arab News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates, Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic
    - The United Arab Emirates announces that unvaccinated citizens will be banned from travel and that vaccinated citizens will need to receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine beginning on January 10. (Gulf News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
  - Argentina imposes a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination certificate for people over the age of 13 years to participate in many types of activities, both indoors and outdoors. (Buenos Aires Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Australia reports a record for the twelfth consecutive day of 35,326 new cases of COVID-19. New South Wales, Victoria and other states report record numbers of new cases. (The Guardian)
Birth control in France
- France begins to introduce free birth control to women aged 18 to 25 years to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies. Up to three million women will receive enhanced access to contraceptive pills, intrauterine devices, patches and injectables. (DW)
France officially bans the use of plastic packaging for large vegetables and fruits, such as cucumbers, carrots, and bananas. Spain plans to introduce a similar law in 2023. (The Guardian)
Israel reports the world's first case of "florona," which is believed to be a double infection of COVID-19 and influenza, in an unvaccinated pregnant woman who was admitted to the Rabin Medical Center to give birth. (Hindustan Times)

International relations

Finland–Russia relations, Enlargement of NATO
- Finland rejects Russian demands that it never join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, with President Sauli Niinistö saying that it is his country's right to join the military alliance if it wants to. (The Daily Telegraph)

Law and crime

Austria legalizes assisted suicide for people over the age of 18 years who are terminally ill or who suffer from a permanent, debilitating condition. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

Protesters in Baghdad, Iraq, hold a rally to mark the second anniversary of the assassination of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps general Qasem Soleimani. (AP)