Portal:Current events
Topics in the news
- An express train derails in Hualien County, Taiwan, killing at least 54 people.
- Dozens of civilians are killed and 35,000 others displaced after Islamist rebels seize the city of Palma in Mozambique.
- Former President of Madagascar Didier Ratsiraka (pictured) dies at the age of 84.
- The cargo ship Ever Given is freed after it had run aground, blocking the Suez Canal for six days and resulting in a traffic jam of more than 350 vessels.
Disasters and accidents
- Hualien train derailment
- At least 54 people are killed and 156 more wounded after a Taroko Express train, directed to the celebration of the Tomb Sweeping festival, derails in Hualien, Taiwan. (BBC)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
- The Philippines reports a record 15,310 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which includes 3,709 cases that have not reported since March 31. This number brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 771,497. (ABS-CBN News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
Armed conflicts and attacks
Arts and culture
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the music industry, COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands, Eurovision Song Contest 2021
- The government announces that it will permit the attendance of around 3,500 fans into Rotterdam Ahoy for the Eurovision contest on May 18–22, as part of a trial to reopen public venues. (Radio France Internationale)
Business and economy
- New Zealand raises its minimum wage to $20 per hour, increasing the average income of 175,500 citizens by $44 per week, while income tax on those earning over $180,000 rises to 39 percent. Welfare spending, student allowances, and support for first time home buyers are also increased. (The Independent)
- The S&P 500 closes its trading day at 4,019.87, the first time it ended at above 4,000. (The Straits Times)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh
- Bangladesh reports a record 6,469 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, prompting the government to impose a series of new measures, including banning all travellers from the European Union and 12 other countries for two weeks beginning April 3. (Al Jazeera)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia
- Phnom Penh imposes a curfew from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time that suspends all non-essential business activities and gatherings for two weeks in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (Khmer Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
- The Japanese government designates Osaka, Hyogo, and Miyagi Prefectures for tougher measures against COVID-19 amid a rise in cases. The measures include fines of ¥200,000 ($1,808.80) for restaurants and bars that ignore mandates to shorten operating hours to 8:00 p.m., and capping attendance of large events to 5,000 people. These measures will be effective for one month beginning on April 5. (Kyodo News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, 501.V2 variant
- Malaysia reports nine locally transmitted cases of the 501.V2 variant of SARS-CoV-2, which was originally detected in South Africa. (Malaysiakini)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in France
- Prime Minister Jean Castex announces a ban of alcoholic drinks in parks and outdoor public spaces in France as part of the limited nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. (The Straits Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
- President Frank-Walter Steinmeier receives his first dose of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. (Barron's)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Moldova
- Moldova enters a 60-day state of emergency to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Acting Prime Minister Aureliu Ciocoi says that the rate of infection has increased to 635 per 100,000 people. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
- Turkey reports a record 40,806 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 3.3 million. (Anadolu Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in France
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in California
- COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan, Lineage P.1
- Michigan reports their first case of the Lineage P.1 variant in a person from Bay County. (Detroit News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
- Lockdown restrictions are eased in Queensland, including Brisbane, after a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases. (Nine News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Chile
- After surpassing one million cases, the government announces several new restrictions. Borders will be closed for 30 days; the curfew will start one hour earlier; work permits during quarantine will be given only for essential activities; and sales will be permitted only for food, medicine, and hygiene products. (CNA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
- The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority approves the general use of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. (Business Tech)
- COVID-19 vaccine
- Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
- Pfizer announces a revised efficacy rating of 91.3% for their vaccine candidate, down from its original rating of 95%, and affirms that protection afforded by the vaccine lasts for at least six months. Pfizer also announces that the vaccine appeared to provide protection against the 501.V2 variant in 100% of cases during their South African trial run. (CNBC)
- Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
International relations
- 2021 Myanmar protests, Myanmar–United Kingdom relations
- The United Kingdom places sanctions on Burmese conglomerate Myanmar Economic Corporation for funding the junta and for associating with military officials. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab also accuses the junta of "sinking to a new low with the wanton killing of innocent people, including children". (Reuters)
- Taiwan–United States relations
- U.S. ambassador to Palau John Hennessey-Niland becomes the first sitting American envoy to visit Taiwan since the U.S. cut formal ties in 1979. The visit coincided with the opening of a COVID-19 "travel bubble" between Taiwan and Palau. The highest level visit in 42 years prompted anger from China, who warned the U.S. against "crossing its red line". (The Diplomat) (The Independent)
- Russia–United States relations
- Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov warns of a rising "anti-White" racism in the United States, saying that political correctness was being "taken to the extreme". Lavrov also accuses the U.S. of attempting to spread a cultural revolution around the world. (The Moscow Times)
Law and crime
- 2019–20 Hong Kong protests
- A Hong Kong court convicts nine activists of the opposition pro-democracy camp for organizing and participating in an "unlawful assembly". Among those convicted are politicians Martin Lee, Leung Kwok-hung, and Margaret Ng, and entrepreneur Jimmy Lai. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
- Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Three Belgian police officers are injured and four people are arrested, after a crowd of around 2,000 people at the Bois de la Cambre park in Brussels is charged for violating social distancing measures by organizing and participating in a coronavirus party marketed as an April Fools' Day prank. (The Bangkok Post)
Politics and elections
- Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová appoints Finance Minister Eduard Heger as the new Prime Minister, ending a month-long political crisis. (Reuters)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Internal conflict in Myanmar
- Kachin conflict
- The Kachin Independence Army says that it attacked a police station in Kyaukgyi village-tract in Shwegu Township, Kachin State, injuring at least one officer. They claim that the police there are involved in killing civilians during the ongoing protests. (Irrawaddy)
- Kachin conflict
- Allied Democratic Forces insurgency
- ADF gunmen attack a village in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing at least 23 civilians. Two attackers are shot dead by responding security forces. (Al Jazeera)
- War in Donbass
- Russian President Vladimir Putin accuses Ukraine of "provoking armed confrontation" with pro-Russian separatists in the war-torn eastern portion of the country. Putin also said that Ukraine failed to comply with the July 2020 ceasefire of the conflict, which has killed over 14,000 people since it broke out in 2014. (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
- 2021 Nigerien coup d'état attempt
- Gunfire erupts in the streets of Niamey, Niger, during an attempted coup d'état by soldiers. The coup was foiled and the perpetrators were arrested. (France24)
- Indonesian National Police headquarters shooting
- A woman opens fire at the Indonesian National Police headquarters in Jakarta before being shot dead by police. A male accomplice flees the scene. No other casualties are reported. (Al Jazeera)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria
- Bulgaria reports a record 5,176 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 338,426. (Bulgarian National Television)
- COVID-19 pandemic in France
- President Emmanuel Macron announces the extension of the "light lockdown" to the rest of the country, which includes a school closure from April 12 to April 26, a one-month domestic travel ban, and closure of non-essential businesses beginning April 3 in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (The Wall Street Journal) (BBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
- The Rosselkhoznadzor approves the Carnivac-Cov, which is the world's first COVID-19 vaccine for animals. (NBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
- Ukraine reports a record 407 deaths in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 32,825. (Kyiv Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh
- Bangladesh reports a record 5,358 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 611,295. (Dhaka Tribune)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan
- Jordan reports a record 111 deaths in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 6,858. (Roya News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka receives 600,000 doses of the Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV vaccine from China. Vaccination of Chinese nationals could commence first as the Medicines Regulatory Authority says that the vaccination of Sri Lankans will begin after a study by a committee of experts. (Lanka Business Online)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, Lineage B.1.1.7
- Restrictions temporarily increase in towns surrounding Byron Bay, New South Wales, after people linked to a recent outbreak of the UK variant in Brisbane spread the virus. Mask wearing is made mandatory indoors and private gatherings are limited to 30. (The Guardian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Tonga
- Tonga receives its first shipment of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine supplied through the COVAX initiative. (Matangi Tonga)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, Lineage B.1.1.7
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
- For the second consecutive day, Brazil reports a record total of 3,950 deaths from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, thereby bringing the number of deaths to 321,515. The total of 66,868 deaths in the past 31 days marked the most lethal month in the country for the duration of the pandemic. (G1)
- Brazil's health regulator Anvisa approves the emergency use of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. (The Brazilian Report)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
International relations
- China–Philippines relations, Territorial disputes in the South China Sea
- The Philippines says that a Chinese maritime fleet "manned by militias" have now spread to wider areas inside its exclusive economic zone after occupying the disputed Whitsun Reef, and defying its demands for the flotilla to be withdrawn from its waters. Chinese diplomats say that the boats were sheltering from rough seas and denies the involvement of militias. (Reuters)
- Myanmar–United States relations, 2021 Myanmar protests
- The U.S. State Department orders all "non-emergency" diplomats and their families to leave Myanmar amid worsening violence in the country. (France 24)
Law and crime
- 2021 Orange, California office shooting
- At least four people are killed and another injured during a mass shooting at an office building in Orange, California, United States. The attacker is shot and wounded by responding security forces. (CNN)
Politics and elections
- 2021 Dutch general election
- The new members of the House of Representatives are installed by Speaker Khadija Arib. (NOS)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Mali War
- Mali wedding airstrike
- A report by the United Nations mission in Mali concludes that an airstrike conducted by France in Mopti on January 3 killed 19 civilians at a wedding. The French military maintains that it had killed rebel fighters identified by aerial surveillance, and denies that a wedding had taken place in Bounti. (Al Jazeera)
- Mali wedding airstrike
- War in Afghanistan
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks
- Gunmen kill three female polio vaccination health workers in Jalalabad, Nangarhar. (Al Jazeera)
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks
- 2021 Myanmar protests
- Insurgency in Cabo Delgado
- Following the fall of Palma to Islamist militants, Portugal announces it will be deploying 60 special forces troops to Mozambique in the coming weeks to train local forces amid an intensifying insurgency. (France 24)
- A 65-year-old woman from the Philippines is critically wounded after being assaulted by a man during a racist attack in New York City. The perpetrator, a man in his 30s who was previously in prison for murdering his mother, is charged with hate crime assault. (Reuters)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- President Joe Biden signs the PPP Extension Act of 2021, a bill that would extend the Paycheck Protection Program deadline from March 31 to May 31. (CBS News)
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
- COVID-19 vaccination in Italy
- Prime Minister Mario Draghi and his wife Maria Serenella Cappello receive their first doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. (ANSA)
- The Government of Italy will impose a mandatory five-day quarantine for all travelers from other European Union member states until April 6. These travelers must also take a COVID-19 test at the end of the quarantine period. The only exceptions are for reasons of "proven necessity and urgency". (France 24)
- COVID-19 vaccination in Italy
- COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
- German health authorities suspend the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine in people under the age of 60 after new data showing a rise in unusual blood clots in the head was released. (ABC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
- Greece reports a record 4,340 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 260,077. (Ekathimerini)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
- Turkey reports a record 37,303 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 3.27 million. (Anadolu Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
- COVID-19 pandemic in South America
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
- Brazil reports a record 3,780 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thus bringing the nationwide death toll to 317,646. (Anadolu Agency)
- Brazil's health regulator Anvisa said Bharat Biotech's Covaxin did not meet its manufacturing standards. The Brazilian government previously signed a contract to buy 20 million doses. Bharat said in a statement that they would appeal the decision. (The Rio Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Venezuela
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
- COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia
- Ethiopia receives 300,000 doses of the Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV vaccine. (The National Herald)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Papua New Guinea
- Papua New Guinea begins a vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine supplied from Australia. Prime Minister James Marape is the first person to receive a dose of the vaccine. (The Guardian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan
- COVID-19 vaccine, Lineage B.1.1.7
- Trials for the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine show that it is 90% effective against COVID-19 and the Lineage B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2. (UrduPoint)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
Law and crime
- Sex trafficking in the United States
- An investigation is opened into U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R–FL) over whether he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and violated federal sex trafficking laws by allegedly paying her to travel with him. Gaetz denied the allegations. (The New York Times)
Politics and elections
- 2021 Hong Kong electoral reform
- China's National People's Congress Standing Committee members vote in favor of amendments of the Hong Kong Basic Law Annex I and II to overhaul the electoral system. The amendments are widely seen as a move to further reduce the influence of the opposition pro-democracy camp in the wake of the widespread anti-government protests of 2019 and the electoral landslide of the 2019 District Council election. (Hong Kong Free Press)
- Presidency of Jair Bolsonaro
- In a meeting with recently-appointed Defence Minister Walter Souza Braga Netto in the early hours of the day, the commanders of all three branches of the Brazilian Armed Forces – General Edson Leal Pujol (Army), Admiral Ilques Barbosa Junior (Navy), and Brigadier Antonio Carlos Moretti Bermudez (Air Force) – announce their intention to resign from their posts as soon as new successors are found. The collective resignation announcement comes less than a day after the dismissal of former Defence Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva and is allegedly a move to signal the Armed Forces' opposition to any military interference in politics. (O Estado de S. Paulo)
Sports
- 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament
- In college basketball, the UCLA Bruins advance to the Final Four as an 11th seed after defeating the Michigan Wolverines, becoming the fifth team to do so after LSU in 1986, George Mason in 2006, VCU in 2011, and Loyola–Chicago in 2018. They will also become the second team to reach the Final Four after starting in the First Four since the 2011 VCU Rams. They will play the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who defeated the USC Trojans. (Sports Illustrated)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- War in Afghanistan
- The New Zealand Defence Force withdraws their troops from Afghanistan, ending New Zealand's involvement in the war. (Newshub)
- Insurgency in the Maghreb
- Three soldiers are killed and seven others are wounded when two military posts are attacked in Kafolo and Téhini, Ivory Coast. Two attackers are also killed and four more are arrested. (Reuters)
- 2021 Myanmar protests
- The United States suspends its diplomatic trade engagement with Myanmar, which sought to help integrate the country into the global economy, following an escalation in violence perpetrated by the Burmese military against anti-coup protesters, until what Katherine Tai says would be "the return of a democratically elected government." (CNN)
Disasters and accidents
- 2021 Balongan refinery explosion
- One person is dead, twenty others are injured, and three are missing after an explosion at the Pertamina oil refinery in Indramayu, West Java, Indonesia. (The Guardian)
- 2021 Suez Canal obstruction
- The grounded container ship Ever Given is refloated and towed north, allowing the Suez Canal to reopen. At least 369 ships are now waiting to pass through the canal. (Reuters)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- COVID-19 pandemic in England
- Lockdown restrictions in England are relaxed as new COVID-19 laws enter force, formally ending the government's "stay at home" order, allowing the resumption of outdoor sports, and allowing people to meet in groups of up to six outdoors. (Sky News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in England
- COVID-19 pandemic in Albania
- Former Prime Minister and member of the Parliament Bashkim Fino dies from COVID-19 at the age of 58. (Balkans News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
- President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announces that a full weekend lockdown will be put in place during Ramadan and that restaurants will only be able to offer delivery and takeout due to an increasing number of high-risk cities across the country. (Hurriyet Daily News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh
- Bangladesh reports a record 5,181 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 600,895. This forces the government to impose further restrictions across the country. (Dhaka Tribune)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Kyrgyzstan
- Kyrgyzstan begins its vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using China's Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV vaccine. (Barron's)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Mongolia
- Mongolia reports a record 575 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 7,589. (AKI Press)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan
- President Arif Alvi and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak both test positive for COVID-19. (The News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
- The Philippines reports a record 10,016 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 731,894. (ABS-CBN News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 vaccination in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state)
- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announces that the state will expand their vaccine eligibility to adults 30 and older beginning tomorrow, and to anyone aged 16 and older beginning on April 6. (The New York Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Texas
- COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state)
- COVID-19 vaccination in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, Lineage B.1.1.7
- Brisbane enters a three-day lockdown after a reported outbreak of the Lineage B.1.1.7 variant, with some minor lockdown measures extending to the rest of Queensland. (News.com.au)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Chile, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics
- Due to the increase of cases in the country, President Sebastián Piñera introduces a constitutional reform to postpone the regional, local, and Constitutional Convention elections, scheduled for April 10 and 11. (La Tercera)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco
- Morocco suspends all flights to Spain and France due to the worsening of the epidemiologic situation in Europe. (La Razón)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
Law and crime
- State v. Chauvin, Killing of George Floyd, George Floyd protests
- The murder trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin for his involvement in the killing of George Floyd begins in Hennepin County, Minnesota. A series of protests in the United States and around the world occurred in 2020 in response to the killing. (The Washington Post)
- Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot
- A judge orders three men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to stand trial, after a three-day preliminary hearing. Threat of terrorism charges are also dismissed against two of the defendants. (ABC News)
- 2020–2021 Belarusian protests
- Belarusian authorities charge opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya with terrorism for allegedly attempting to stage false flag bombings in the capital Minsk and Barysaw. (Euronews)
- A court in Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany, sentences a 52-year-old man to nine years and 10 months in prison for removing several screws from high-speed rail tracks in a failed attempt to cause trains to derail. The man's motive was not established. (DW)
- Russian anti-corruption activist and politician Ivan Zhdanov, head of the Anti-Corruption Foundation and an ally of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, accuses authorities of detaining his father in order to pressure him on his anti-government activities, including mass protests to call for the release of Navalny. (Reuters)
Politics and elections
- 2021 Australian Parliament House sexual misconduct allegations
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces a reshuffle of his Cabinet in light of recent controversies. Michaelia Cash becomes Attorney-General and Industrial Relations Minister, replacing alleged rapist Christian Porter, who is instead made Industry, Science and Technology Minister. Peter Dutton becomes Leader of the House, replacing Porter and Defence Minister, replacing Linda Reynolds, who was criticised for her handling of a rape allegation among her ministerial staff. Reynolds is instead made Government Services Minister. (Sydney Morning Herald)
- Presidency of Jair Bolsonaro
- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announces a Cabinet reshuffle, naming new Defence, Justice, and Foreign Ministers, as well as a new Attorney General, Secretary of Government and Chief of Staff amidst a rise of the COVID-19 cases and deaths, as well as the mismanagement of the government handling of the pandemic. Former Defence Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva allegedly resigned over pressure from Bolsonaro to make the Armed Forces publicly support him. (O Estado de S. Paulo) (O Estado de S. Paulo2) (Al Jazeera)
- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan removes Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh in light of rising inflation and Shaikh's defeat in the recent Senate elections. Minister of Industries and Production Hammad Azhar is selected to replace him. (Reuters)
- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa calls on all members of the ruling African National Congress that are facing charges of corruption or other serious crimes to resign from their positions within 30 days and threatens to suspend those who do not comply. (Reuters)
- The Houthi government in Sanaa, Yemen, deports several Yemenite Jewish families to the United Arab Emirates after reaching an agreement with the families to leave Yemen. Four elderly Yemenite Jews remain in the country. (Al Monitor)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- War in Afghanistan
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks
- Two guards are killed at a water dam near the Pashtun Kot, Faryab, by the Taliban. (Hindustan Times)
- Over 20 civilians are killed in an operation launched by Afghan security forces against the Taliban. (Anadolu Agency)
- Three police officers are killed in a roadside bomb blast in Laghman. (Xinhuanet)
- Five pro-government militia men are killed in a overnight attack in the Nangarhar Province in eastern Afghanistan. (The News International)
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks
- Terrorism in Indonesia
- 2021 Makassar cathedral bombing
- Twenty people are wounded in a double suicide bombing outside the Sacred Heart Catholic Cathedral in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. (CNA)
- 2021 Makassar cathedral bombing
- 2021 Myanmar protests
- Myanmar's security forces open fire on a funeral being held for a person killed in Yangon, with no casualties reported. The Kachin Independence Army also attacks a police station, prompting the military to conduct airstrikes. (Reuters)
Business and economy
- Tencent Music announces that, starting tomorrow, it will buyback up to US$1 billion of its own stock over the next year in response to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission tightening its auditing standards for foreign firms listed on American stock exchanges. (Reuters)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
- COVID-19 pandemic in Maharashtra
- Maharashtra reports a record 40,414 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours despite a nightly curfew, thereby bringing the total of confirmed cases to 2.71 million. (Hindustan Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Maharashtra
- COVID-19 pandemic in Mongolia
- Mongolia surpasses 7,000 cases of COVID-19. (Marketwatch)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in North Macedonia
- North Macedonia receives their first shipment of 24,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative. (UNICEF)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia
- Prime Minister Janez Jansa announces a circuit-breaker lockdown from April 1 to 12, which will close all non-essential businesses and in-person cultural and religious venues, ban gatherings of more than 10 people, and shift schools to remote learning. (STA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- COVID-19 vaccination in the United Kingdom
- The number of people who have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the United Kingdom surpasses 30 million. (Sky News)
- COVID-19 vaccination in the United Kingdom
- COVID-19 pandemic in North Macedonia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Chile
- A lockdown begins across the entirety of Chile, despite its successful vaccination programme, as the hospital occupancy rate reaches 95%. (The Guardian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
- Mexico publishes revised figures, indicating that the number of deaths caused by COVID-19 is 60% higher than previously reported. The revised total is 321,000, thereby making it the country with the world's second-highest number of deaths. (BBC) (Al Jazeera)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
Politics and elections
- 2019–2022 Sudanese transition to democracy
- The Sudanese transitional government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North sign an agreement in the South Sudanese capital of Juba, holding that the new government will maintain the separation of church and state and uphold the right to worship for all religions. (VOA)
- Janikhel incident
- Thousands of protesters in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province break through police barricades and attempt to march to Bannu, and eventually reach Islamabad, in order to demand a government probe into the deaths of four youths near Janikhel. The protesters allege that the youths were tortured and killed by security forces. (Reuters)
- Dianne Feinstein becomes the longest serving U.S. Senator from California, surpassing Hiram Johnson. (Los Angeles Times)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Insurgency in Cabo Delgado
- Battle of Palma
- In the fourth day of a siege in Palma, Mozambique, several people are killed by ISIL-linked militants. Local civilians are killed in streets and buildings, with reports of beheadings. A South African man and a British citizen are murdered after a hotel and a evacuation convoy are attacked; other foreigners are also suspected to have been killed. At least 21 soldiers are shot dead while responding to the hotel attack. (The Times) (The Telegraph)
- Islamist militants have taken control of Palma after outnumbered government forces withdraw from the town, according to security forces. (The Guardian)
- Battle of Palma
- War in Afghanistan
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks
- Three people are killed in a car bombing in Kandahar Province. (Lokmat)
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks
- 2021 Myanmar protests
- More than 114 anti-coup protesters are killed by the military as junta leader Min Aung Hlaing celebrates Armed Forces Day and promises to "protect people and strive for democracy". The protests erupted across the country despite a warning by state television that protesters could be "shot in the head and back". (Reuters) (WGAU)
- Colombian Defense Minister Diego Molano accuses FARC splinter group Dagoberto Ramos Mobile Column of being responsible for yesterday's car bombing in Corinto, Cauca Department, that injured 43 people, eleven of whom were public officials. (Reuters)
Disasters and accidents
- At least 18 people are killed and 24 others are injured when an apartment complex building collapses in Cairo, Egypt. (Al Jazeera)
- A Eurocopter AS350B3 helicopter crashes into a glacier near Anchorage, Alaska, killing five people, including Czech billionaire Petr Kellner. One crew member survived and has been hospitalized. (Reuters)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, COVID-19 community quarantines in the Philippines
- Enhanced community quarantine in Luzon
- The government announces that the Greater Manila Area will be placed under enhanced community quarantine, which includes a curfew from 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. local time, for one week from March 29 to April 4. (Inquirer)
- Enhanced community quarantine in Luzon
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bhutan
- Bhutan launches their largest vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine that was received from India. (CNA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia
- Cambodia reports a record 179 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,157. (Khmer Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, COVID-19 community quarantines in the Philippines
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland
- First Minister Arlene Foster receives her first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. (The Irish Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Wales
- Wales lifts their "stay local" rules that have been imposed since December, allowing people to travel freely within the country. They also allow up to six people from two different households to meet and exercise outdoors, as well as resumption of organised outdoor activities and sports for people under the age of 18. (The Independent)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland
- COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
- Turkey reports 30,021 new cases in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single-day total this year, thereby bringing its cumulative case total to 3,179,115. (Arab News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
International relations
- China–Iran relations
- Iran–China 25-year Cooperation Program
- China and Iran sign a 25-year cooperation agreement at a live televised ceremony in Tehran, following a two-day state visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The accord is expected to significantly increase Chinese investment in Iran, especially in the energy and infrastructure sectors. (Reuters)
- Iran–China 25-year Cooperation Program
- War in Afghanistan
- Afghanistan–United States relations, Afghan peace process
- United States envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad visits Turkey in a effort to encourage parties to accelerate negotiations and end the conflict. (Voice of America)
- Afghanistan–United States relations, Afghan peace process
- China–United States relations, Canada–China relations
- China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs places sanctions against the chair and vice-chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and Canadian MP Michael Chong. Beijing’s sanctions followed those imposed by the United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada earlier this week for what they say are violations of the rights of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. (Reuters)
Law and crime
- One person is killed and six others are wounded in a mass stabbing in and around a public library in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (CBC News)
- List of mass shootings in the United States in 2021, Crime in Virginia
- A series of shootings occur on the oceanfront of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Friday night. They consist of a mass shooting that left eight people injured; a subsequent, fatal shooting by a police officer; and an unrelated fatal shooting that occurred nearby. (CNN)
Politics and elections
- Voter suppression in the United States, 2020–21 Georgia state elections
- Changes to Georgia voting laws which have been called voter suppression results in the MLB looking to proposals to move the MLB All-Star Game this July in Atlanta. Civil rights groups also urged the PGA to pull the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Newsweek)
- Thousands of women protest in Istanbul over Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention. (Reuters)
- Scottish National Party MP Kenny MacAskill defects to the newly formed Scottish nationalist Alba Party, becoming the party's first MP in the House of Commons. (BBC)
Science and technology
- COVID-19 misinformation by governments
- Facebook blocks the account of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro for spreading fake news related to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as alleged miraculous remedies to combat the disease. (El Mundo)
| April 2021 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
Ongoing events
Business
Disasters
- COVID-19 pandemic
- 2020–21 Australian region cyclone season
- 2020–21 European windstorm season
- 2020–21 H5N8 outbreak
- 2021 Pacific typhoon season
- 2020–21 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
- Yemeni famine
Politics
- Afghan peace process
- Armenian protests
- Belarusian protests
- Bulgarian protests
- East Mediterranean crisis
- Greek protests
- Indian farmers' protests
- Indonesia omnibus law protests
- Libyan peace process
- Myanmar protests
- Nicaraguan protests
- Nigerian protests
- Persian Gulf crisis
- Russian protests
- Second Arab Spring
- Sudanese protests
- Tigrayan peace process
- Thai protests
- United States racial unrest
- Venezuelan presidential crisis
- Yellow vests movement
Recent
- March
- 19: Curaçao, Estates
- 21: Republic of Congo, President
- 23: Israel, Knesset
- 28: Turkmenistan, Assembly
Upcoming
- April
- 4: Bulgaria, National Assembly
- 6: Greenland, Inatsisartut
- 9: Djibouti, President (1st)
- 9: Samoa, Legislative Assembly
- 11: Benin, President (1st)
- 11: Chad, President
- 11: Chile, Constitutional convention
- 11: Ecuador, President (2nd)
- 11: Kyrgyzstan, Constitutional referendum
- 11: Peru, President (1st), Congress
- 14: Cayman Islands, Parliament
Recently concluded
- France: Nicolas Sarkozy
- Israel: Faina Kirschenbaum
- Kuwait: Mohammad Shahid Islam
- Switzerland: Beny Steinmetz
- United States: Impeachment of Donald Trump
Ongoing
- Argentina: Rodolfo Martín Villa
- Armenia: Serzh Sargsyan
- Colombia: Álvaro Uribe
- India: Disha Ravi
- Indonesia: Muhammad Rizieq Shihab
- Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu
- Kyrgyzstan: Almazbek Atambayev
- Malta: Yorgen Fenech
- South Africa: Jacob Zuma
- Spain: 2017 Barcelona attacks, Bárcenas affair, Barçagate
- Sudan: Omar al-Bashir
- United States: Derek Chauvin
- International: The Gambia v. Myanmar
Upcoming
- Canada: Raj Grewal
- Indonesia: Edhy Prabowo, Juliari Batubara, Nurdin Abdullah
- Kosovo: Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli
- Lesotho: Maesiah Thabane
- Rwanda: Paul Rusesabagina
- United Kingdom: Apsana Begum
- United States: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Elizabeth Holmes, Meng Wanzhou, R. Kelly, Ghislaine Maxwell
- Zimbabwe: Ignatius Chombo
- Association football
- Women's association football
- American football
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cricket
- Golf
- Ice hockey
- Rugby union
- Other sports seasons
March
- 31: Kamal Ganzouri
- 30: G. Gordon Liddy
- 29: Bashkim Fino
- 29: Sarah Onyango Obama
- 28: Joseph Edward Duncan
- 28: Liu Kai-chi
- 28: Didier Ratsiraka
- 27: Petr Kellner
- 27: Howard Schnellenberger
- 26: Haseena Moin
- 25: Bill Brock
- 25: Beverly Cleary
- 25: Larry McMurtry
- 25: Uta Ranke-Heinemann
- 25: Bertrand Tavernier
- 24: Jessica Walter
- 24: Mahmoud al-Werfalli
- 24: Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum
- 23: Ethel Gabriel
- 23: Don Heffington
- 23: Hana Hegerová
- 23: George Segal
- 22: Elgin Baylor
- 22: Guy Brice Parfait Kolélas
- 22: Peng Shilu
- 21: Nawal El Saadawi
- 20: José Baselga
- 20: Peter Lorimer
- 20: Richard Mendani
- 19: Glynn Lunney
- 19: Barry Orton
- 19: Elsa Peretti
- 18: Richard Gilliland
- 18: Paul Jackson
- 18: Picanyol
- 17: Antón García Abril
- 17: John Magufuli
- 16: Moudud Ahmed
- 16: Sabine Schmitz
- 15: Stephen Bechtel Jr.
- 15: Dragoljub Đuričić
- 15: Yaphet Kotto
- 15: Doug Parkinson
- 15: Ian Waddell
- 14: Henry Darrow
- 14: Frankie de la Cruz
- 14: Laxman Pai
- 13: Marvelous Marvin Hagler
- 13: Murray Walker
- 12: Ronald DeFeo Jr.
- 12: Goodwill Zwelithini
- 11: Norman J. Warren
- 10: Hamed Bakayoko
- 10: Ali Mahdi Muhammad
- 10: Manuel Saturnino da Costa
- 9: James Levine
- 9: Erling Lorentzen
- 9: Roger Mudd
- 9: Cliff Simon
- 9: Isela Vega
- 8: Rhéal Cormier
- 8: Leon Gast
- 8: Norton Juster
- 8: Kind
- 8: Trevor Peacock
- 7: Dmitri Bashkirov
- 7: Khin Maung Latt
- 7: Carl J. Shapiro
- 6: Joaquin Bernas
- 6: Lou Ottens
- 6: Nikki van der Zyl
- 6: Carla Wallenda
- 5: David Bailie
- 5: Patrick Dupond
- 5: Frank J. Kelley
- 5: Michael Stanley
- 4: Jim Crockett Jr.
- 4: Walter Gretzky
- 4: Tony Hendra
- 4: Bhaskar Menon
- 4: Mark Pavelich
- 4: David Schindler
- 3: Joe Altobelli
- 3: Nicola Pagett
Africa
- Algeria, Libya and Tunisia
- Cameroon
- Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
- Central African Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ethiopia
- Ethiopia and Sudan
- Ghana
- Mali
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Somalia
- Sudan
- War in Darfur
- South Kordofan conflict
- Sudanese nomadic conflicts (incl. South Sudan)
- Western Sahara
Americas
- Colombia
- Mexico
- Peru
Asia-Pacific
- Afghanistan
- China
- India
- India and Pakistan
- Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines
- Indonesia
- Myanmar
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Thailand
Europe
- Armenia and Azerbaijan
- Ukraine
Global
Middle East
- Egypt
- Iran and the Persian Gulf
- Iraq
- Iraq and Syria (map)
- Israel and Gaza
- Israel and Syria
- Syria
- Turkey
- Yemen and Saudi Arabia
2021 events and developments by topic
Arts
Architecture – Comics – Film – Home video – Literature – Music (Country, Rock, Metal, UK, US) – Radio – Television (UK, US) – Video games
Politics and government
Elections – International leaders – Sovereign states – Sovereign state leaders – Territorial governors
Science and technology
Archaeology – Biotechnology – Computing – Palaeontology – Quantum computing and communication – Space/Astronomy – Spaceflight
Environment and environmental sciences
Birding/Ornithology – Climate change
