Unthinkable scenes were seen yesterday at the United States Capitol, after supporters of president Donald Trump broke into the building during a session in which members of Congress were expected to confirm Trump’s loss in this year’s presidential election to his Democrat rival, Joe Biden. At least one person died during the ensuing clashes with the police and local security officers. Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro halted all purchases of syringes due to a spike in prices, precisely at the moment in which the prospect of vaccines against COVID-19 arriving in the country is increasing. Meanwhile, researchers from the University of São Paulo have been surprised after identifying 17 mutations of the new strain of the novel coronavirus first identified in the United Kingdom, which had two cases already detected in Brazil. The government of Germany has decided to extend a national lockdown and implement measures such as a mandatory quarantine and testing on visitors from abroad, in order to try to curb this new strain. Finally, dozens of pro-democracy militants have been arrested by the Chinese government in Hong Kong, accused of violating the controversial national security law approved last year.