Portal:Current events/2021 June 4

June 4, 2021 (Friday)

Business and economy

Nigerian Information Minister Lai Mohammed announces that the government is indefinitely suspending Twitter's operations in the country, saying that the social media service is being used for "activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence". The move comes two days after President Muhammadu Buhari was temporarily suspended from Twitter for posting an inflammatory tweet directed at groups believed to be responsible for attacking government buildings in recent weeks. (Al Jazeera English)
United Airlines announces it has ordered 15 supersonic jets from the Denver-based aircraft startup Boom Technology, provided the jets meet safety standards, with plans to put them into service in 2029. This is the first time that an airline will use supersonic jets in their service since Air France and British Airways retired Concorde in 2003. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

A Mil Mi-8 helicopter crashes in the Alay District in Kyrgyzstan, injuring 13 people. (AKIpress News Agency)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan
    - Afghanistan reports a record 36 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 3,104. (Anadolu Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    - Malaysia surpasses 600,000 cases of COVID-19. (Today)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan
    - Taiwan surpasses 10,000 cases of COVID-19. (Focus Taiwan)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam, COVID-19 vaccination in Vietnam
    - The Ministry of Health approves the emergency use of the Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV vaccine, making it the third vaccine to be authorized for use in the country. (VnExpress International)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
    - The French government issues new rules that would allow all vaccinated travellers from the European Union and seven other "green" countries to enter the country without showing a negative testing result beginning on June 9. (ABC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malta
    - Malta reports its first case of the "Delta" B.1.617.2 variant, which was originally discovered in India. (The Malta Independent)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, COVID-19 vaccination in the United Kingdom
    - The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approves the usage of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for people between the ages of 12 and 15, making it the first vaccine to be approved for use in teenagers in the UK. (The Independent)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Some lockdown restrictions are lifted in regional Victoria as health authorities are confident that the current outbreak is limited to the state capital of Melbourne. Restrictions will remain in place in Greater Melbourne for another week. A 5 km (3.1 mi) travel limit is extended to 10 km (6.2 mi), and QR check ins at public places are now mandatory. (The Guardian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, COVID-19 vaccination in Brazil
  - Brazilian health regulator Anvisa grants a conditional approval for the Sputnik V and Covaxin vaccines. (Reuters)
Nepal reports its first death from mucormycosis, or "black fungus", in a 65-year-old man who was being treated in the ICU at a hospital in Dhangadhi after being diagnosed with temporal lobe encephalitis. (Medical Xpress)

International relations

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya asks the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union to exercise more pressure on the government of Alexander Lukashenko. Tsikhanouskaya, who is currently in self-exile in Lithuania, has been calling for such sanctions since the arrest of activist and journalist Roman Protasevich on May 23. (Reuters)

Law and crime

2021 Israel–Palestine crisis
- International protests over the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis
  - Pro-Palestine protesters in the U.S. gather at the Port of Oakland to attempt to block an Israeli cargo ship from entering the port. Protesters also call for an economic boycott of Israel following the 11-day conflict. (San Francisco Chronicle)
- At least 23 runners in East Jerusalem are injured after Israeli police fired tear gas and stun grenades at people participating in a 3.5 km (2.2 mi)-run organized to show solidarity with Palestinian families facing eviction in Sheikh Jarrah. (Al Jazeera English)
2020-2021 United States racial unrest, 2020–2021 Minneapolis–Saint Paul racial unrest
- Protesters face off with officers in Minneapolis over the shooting death of Winston Boogie Smith. It was the second night of protests in response to the fatal shooting in the Uptown neighborhood. The fatal shooting comes as the city has been on edge since the death of George Floyd and the fatal killing of Daunte Wright by police officers. (NBC News)

Science and technology

Facebook announces that it will no longer grant blanket immunity to politicians who use its service, especially if their posts are deemed to be deceptive or abusive. The announcement comes as Facebook officially bans former U.S. President Donald Trump from the website until January 2023 after he posted a message which Facebook viewed as supportive of the 2021 United States Capitol attack. (The Daily Telegraph) (France 24)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on motorsport
- 2021 Formula One World Championship, COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
  - The Singapore Grand Prix, originally scheduled for October 3, is cancelled due to pandemic-related travel restrictions imposed on Singapore. (Seven News)