Sources: Reuters
Indonesia reports 12,990 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single-day total of new cases since late-January. It brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1.96 million. [https:--www.straitstimes.com-asia-se-asia-indonesia-reports-12990-new-coronavirus-infections-290-deaths ("The Straits Times")]*The Palestinian Authority cancels a planned vaccine exchange with Israel involving at least one million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, saying the first batch of doses Israel was going to send were near expiration. The swap was previously announced earlier in the day. [https:--www.aljazeera.com-news-2021-6-18-palestinians-to-get-1-million-covid-vaccine-doses-in-israel-swap (Al Jazeera)]*Oman speeds up its COVID-19 vaccination as the number of cases increases in the country, which has seen only a small percentage of the population vaccinated. [https:--www.reuters.com-world-middle-east-oman-slowest-vaccinator-gulf-pushes-campaign-amid-covid-19-surge-2021-06-18- (Reuters)]*Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin closes the Euro 2020 fan zone due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the Russian capital. [https:--www.dw.com-en-moscow-closes-euro-2020-fan-zone-as-covid-cases-surge-a-57950652 (DW)]*Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announces that as of June 26, it will no longer be mandatory to wear a face mask outdoors. [https:--www.lavanguardia.com-vida-20210618-7539733-mascarilla-exteriores-espana-26-junio.html ("La Vanguardia")]*Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. [https:--www.lavanguardia.com-politica-20210618-7541594-pedro-sanchez-recibe-primera-dosis-vacuna-covid-19-madrid.html ("La Vanguardia")]***British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expands COVID-19 vaccinations to people aged 18 years and older amidst concerns about the Lineage B.1.617 Delta variant. [https:--www.nytimes.com-2021-06-18-world-uk-vaccine-eligibility.html ("The New York Times")]*Restrictions are eased in Melbourne as the number of cases decreases. Melbournians will now be allowed to travel anywhere in the state of Victoria, public gatherings increase to 20 people and masks are no longer required outdoors. Private gatherings of up to two people will be allowed, gyms and indoor entertainment reopen, and workforce capacities increase. These new restrictions bring Melbourne into line with the rest of Victoria. [https:--www.9news.com.au-national-victorian-lockdown-restrictions-melbourne-coronavirus-covid19-rules-what-can-i-do-61700b39-6f71-4bd3-85c8-c2fa1f99a520 (9 News)]***Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern receives her first dose of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. [https:--i.stuff.co.nz-national-health-coronavirus-300336289-important-milestone-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-gets-first-covid19-vaccine (Stuff.co.nz)]*Papua New Guinea receives 146,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from New Zealand, facilitated through the COVAX initiative. [https:--www.rnz.co.nz-international-pacific-news-445020-png-receives-146-thousand-vaccine-doses-from-nz (RNZ)]President Yoweri Museveni announces that the country has imposed new restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19, including a ban on vehicular movements except for essential workers. [https:--www.reuters.com-world-africa-uganda-imposes-new-anti-coronavirus-measures-stem-raging-pandemic-2021-06-18- (Reuters)]COVID-19 pandemic in Asia2021-06-18
Due to heightened tensions, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe cancels his scheduled trips to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, and convenes a National Security Council meeting, likely to discuss Iran's attack on U.S. forces based in Iraq. 2020-01-8
British Defence Minister Gavin Williamson announces that a joint British-Omani military training base will open in Oman next year. 2018-11-5
South Korean President Moon Jae-in announces plans to create a Northeast Asian railroad community with North Korea, the United States, China, Japan, Russia, and Mongolia. 2018-08-15
Somali pirates release a German ship with 22 crew, eight months after it was seized near Oman. 2010-12-28
Somali pirates hijack a Liberian ship 80 nautical miles east of the border between Tanzania and Mozambique, in their most southerly attack yet. 2010-12-10
Somali pirates hijack a Bangladeshi cargo ship off the coast of India. [https:--www.bbc.co.uk-news-world-south-asia-11925616 (BBC)] [https:--web.archive.org-web-20101207041937-http:--www.straitstimes.com-BreakingNews-Asia-Story-STIStory_611002.html ("Straits Times")] [http:--www.capitalfm.co.ke-news-Africa-Pirates-steering-ship-towards-Somalia-10766.html (Capital FM Kenya)]date=August 2019 2010-12-6
Somali pirates attack and seize two ships in the Indian Ocean. 2010-10-24
Two potential pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia are disrupted by the Seychelles Coast Guard and the Australian navy. 2010-05-30