Portal:Current events/2021 June 16

June 16, 2021 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2021 Israel–Palestine crisis
- The Israel Defense Forces carry out airstrikes on Khan Yunis and Gaza City in the Gaza Strip in the early morning, in response to incendiary balloons being flown from Gaza, putting the ceasefire in jeopardy. This comes after the Dance of Flags march was held in East Jerusalem. (Middle East Eye) (Times of Israel)
- Mediators renew their push for another ceasefire between Israel and Hamas following the airstrikes. (The New York Times)

Arts and culture

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the arts and cultural heritage
- The Taj Mahal reopens to tourists after a two-month closure due to the second wave of the pandemic in India. (Hindustan Times)
The United States House of Representatives votes 415–14 to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. This comes after the United States Senate voted unanimously to pass the same bill yesterday. The legislation will now head to U.S. President Joe Biden for his signature. (NBC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Andorra
    - The Andorran government lifts the obligation to wear masks outdoors, at work meetings and with people who are immunized. (Diari d'Andorra)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in North Macedonia
    - North Macedonia lifts their nighttime curfew and allows outdoor organized events, weddings and concerts to be held at 50% capacity. The government also lifts working hour restrictions on the hospitality sector, betting shops, gas stations, and casinos. (Xinhuanet)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom reports 9,055 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single-day total since February 25. (Sky News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia
    - Cambodia surpasses 40,000 cases of COVID-19. (Khmer Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Maldives
    - Maldives surpasses 200 deaths from COVID-19. (Raajje)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Mongolia
    - Mongolia reports a record 2,395 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 83,128. (AKI Press)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 vaccination in the United States
    - The United States government purchases 200 million doses of the vaccine produced by Moderna. (U.S. News & World Report)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Florida
    - Royal Caribbean International announces that it is delaying the inaugural sailing of their brand-new Odyssey of the Seas cruise liner from Fort Lauderdale to July 31 after eight crew members tested positive for COVID-19. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
  - South Africa restricts gatherings to 50 people for indoor social and religious events and 100 people for outdoor events, and also extends their curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. and restrict the sale of alcohol to Monday to Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. amid an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. (Al Jazeera)
Botswanan mining company Debswana presents a 1,098-carat diamond discovered on June 1 to President Mokgweetsi Masisi. The company claims that it is the third-largest diamond ever discovered. (The Guardian)

International relations

2021 Russia–United States summit, Russia–United States relations
- U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a summit meeting in Geneva. (CBS News)
German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer withdraws a platoon from a NATO mission in Lithuania. The withdrawal follows a report from Der Spiegel on Monday stating that the platoon's members engaged in misconduct, including bullying, filming a sexual assault against another soldier, and singing antisemitic songs to mark the birthday of dictator Adolf Hitler. (BBC News)
The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry rejects an Arab League resolution calling for the UN Security Council to intervene in the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on behalf of Egypt and Sudan. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

Fatou Bensouda steps down as Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, a position she has held since 2012. She is succeeded by Karim Ahmad Khan. (The Jerusalem Post)
At least sixty Berlin police officers are injured after squatters in a Friedrichshain building attacked them with stones while conducting a fire inspection. (BBC News)