Portal:Current events/2021 June 26

June 26, 2021 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

A 28-year-old white supremacist hijacks a truck in Winthrop, Massachusetts, before crashing into an unoccupied home, causing extensive damage. He then fails to hijack another vehicle before opening fire on black bystanders, killing a woman and a man. Police exchange gunfire with the attacker, killing him at the scene. White supremacist rhetoric is found in the gunman's handwriting. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

Surfside condominium building collapse
- Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava orders an audit of older buildings in the county following the collapse of the condominium in Surfside, Florida, United States. (Forbes)
- The death toll from the building collapse increases to five. (WSVN-TV)
2021 Albuquerque hot air balloon crash
- Five people are killed in a hot air balloon crash in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. (Albuquerque Journal)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
      - COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa
        Ottawa reports six new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the region's lowest daily total since August 23, 2020. (CTV News Ottawa)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan
      - Michigan reports its first case of the Lineage B.1.617 Delta variant in a fully vaccinated person from Ottawa County. (WEYI-TV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports a record 21,095 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, 9,271 of which are from Jakarta, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2.09 million. (detikHealth)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan
    - Taiwan reports its first six locally transmitted cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant involving people living or having come into contact with an unlicensed taxicab driver from Pingtung County. (Focus Taiwan)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
    - Vietnam reports a record 738 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 15,152. (The Star)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iceland
    - Iceland becomes the first country in Europe to lift all remaining COVID-19-related restrictions due to a vaccination campaign that saw 88% of the population receive at least one vaccine dose. (MedicalXpress)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - Health Secretary Matt Hancock resigns after being caught on CCTV breaking COVID-19 guidance that he had helped to create. Prime Minister Boris Johnson appoints former Chancellor Sajid Javid as his replacement. (GB News) (The Mirror)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - The New South Wales Government imposes a two-week "hard" lockdown in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast and Wollongong until midnight on July 9. Residents are not allowed to leave their homes except for four essential reasons due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the region. In addition, weddings will be cancelled from June 28 until the end of the lockdown. (The Sydney Morning Herald)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
  - As South Africa faces its third wave of COVID-19, scientists say that the Delta variant of the virus appears to be dominating most of the infections in the worst-hit country in Africa. South Africa reported over 18,000 new cases on Friday. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2021 Peruvian general election
- Peru prepares for major protests in response to the June 6 election which saw socialist candidate Pedro Castillo of Free Peru winning the presidency by a narrow margin of 44,000 votes. Presidential candidate Fujimori Keiko, who lost to Castillo in the second round, has called for several thousand votes to be blocked, largely from the rural areas, where she alleges that fraud occurred. Castillo's supporters have vowed to call for a general strike if his victory is not confirmed soon. (Reuters)