News Watch

Thousands of Tunisians rioted on multiple nights, starting in mid-January, over COVID-19 policies, clashing with police, vandalizing property and looting. More than 600 people were arrested, most ages 14 and 15.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Tunisia was already suffering from high unemployment and a poor economy. A third of its youth is unemployed. One of Tunisia’s largest industries is tourism, which shrunk dramatically in 2020.

Multinight protests against a COVID-19 curfew in the Netherlands became violent in cities across the country starting in late January, with protesters clashing with police, setting cars and bikes on fire and vandalizing and looting stores. More than 450 people had been arrested as of press time.

Farmers protesting new regulations in India broke through police barricades and stormed the Red Fort in Delhi on Jan. 26. During the incident, one police officer was killed and at least 80 farmers were injured.

The farmers were granted permission to march along the perimeter of the city as long as they avoided Republic Day celebrations. However, the group quickly broke from their agreed-upon path, marching toward central Delhi and the Parliament building.

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The US Department of State posts up-to-date travel advisories on every country and many territories, ranking each 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions), 2 (Exercise Increased Caution), 3 (Reconsider Travel) or 4 (Do Not Travel). Note: A country’s regions are also ranked and may have different rankings than the country as a whole. Visit travel.state.gov and click on “Travel Advisories” at the top of the page.

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At press time, active COVID-19 infections had been confirmed in 191 countries and territories, with more than 83 million cases and, resulting from those, more than 1.8 million deaths. The country with the most confirmed cases was the US, with 19.9 million. It was followed by India (10.3 million), Brazil (7.6 million) and Russia (3.1 million). At least 18 countries had each recorded more than 1 million cases.

On Dec. 29, Russia’s deputy prime minister revealed that the country...

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In western Ethiopia on Dec. 23, a group of armed men attacked a village in the region of Benishangul-Gumuz, killing more than 100 people and injuring more than 30. The identities of the attackers were unknown at press time.

In a subsequent military action, the Ethiopian armed forces killed at least 40 people thought to be involved in the attack. The Ethiopian government had not identified what group was targeted in the counterattack or how they were identified. Additionally, five...

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Armed rebels moved toward Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), in December, taking control of some neighboring towns. The rebels came into direct conflict with UN peacekeepers and Rwandan troops who were present at the request of the CAR government. The two forces combined to prevent the rebels from entering Bangui.

Former CAR president François Bozizé has been accused of backing the rebels as part of a coup attempt, which he denies. Bozizé was ruled ineligible...

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The Mexican government increased the number of federal police stationed in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, after a former governor of the state, Aristóteles Sandoval, was assassinated, and one of his bodyguards was injured, at a restaurant in the popular tourist city on Dec. 18.

Authorities blamed the assassination on the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the most powerful and violent in Mexico and a major distributor of illegal drugs. The CJNG has been accused of assassinating...

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