At least 16 people are killed in a head-on collision between two buses near Caborca in the Mexican state of Sonora. (USA Today)
Bangladesh reports a record 7,626 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 659,278. (Dhaka Tribune)
Bavaria signs a "preliminary contract" to purchase 2.5 million doses of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, which is subject to approval from the European Medicines Agency. (Euronews)
Belgium temporarily restricts the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine to people over 55 years old following a report from the European Medicines Agency that there is a "possible link" between the vaccine and very rare blood clotting cases. (The Brussels Times)
Brazil reports its first case of the 501.V2 variant, which was originally detected in South Africa, in a person from São Paulo. (News24)
COVID-19 vaccine The European Medicines Agency announces that blood clotting should be listed as a "very rare" side effect of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. It also insists that benefits of using the vaccine continue to outweigh the risks. (DW)
Estonia suspends the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine by people under 60 years old following a report of a possible link with cases of blood clotting. (Eesti Rahvusringhääling)
In west Belfast, Loyalist youths hijack a bus and set it on fire. A photographer is also assaulted and his cameras are damaged. (RTÉ News)
India reports a record 115,736 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Al Jazeera)
Iran reports a record 20,954 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,984,348. (Middle East Online)
Morocco announces a nationwide curfew during Ramadan from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. to combat the spread of COVID-19. (North Africa Post)
Qatar announces a re-imposition of the strict lockdown beginning April 9, which will close restaurants, cafés, cinemas, hairdressers, museums, and libraries and ban most indoor activities, in order to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases. (MedicalXpress)
Thailand reports its first locally transmitted cases of the Lineage B.1.1.7 variant first detected in the United Kingdom. It found 24 cases in the Thong Lor cluster in Bangkok. (Bangkok Post)
The death toll from tribal clashes, which started two days ago between Masalits and Arabs in Geneina, West Darfur, Sudan, increases to 87 people killed and 191 more wounded. (Al Jazeera)
The European Medicines Agency announces that blood clotting should be listed as a "very rare" side effect of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. It also insists that benefits of using the vaccine continue to outweigh the risks. (DW)
Turkey reports a record 54,740 new confirmed cases and 276 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Arab News)
A Pemex petrochemical manufacturing refinery in Minatitlán, Veracruz, Mexico, suffers a large explosion followed by a fire. No deaths are reported, but seven people, including five firefighters, are injured. (Oil Price)
Argentina reports 23,683 new cases of COVID-19, a record for the third consecutive day. (TN)
Bangladesh reports a record 6,854 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 666,132. (The Financial Express)
Brazil reports a record 4,249 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 345,025. (ANI News)
Canada receives its first shipment of vaccine doses from the COVAX initiative. (CBC)
COVID-19 vaccination in Canada Canada receives its first shipment of vaccine doses from the COVAX initiative. (CBC)
Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announces the rediscovery of Aten, a 3,000-year-old "lost golden city", near Luxor. Unearthed by a team led by Zahi Hawass, the site is the largest city ever found in Egyptian history. (AFP via MSN)
India reports a record 126,789 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 12,928,574. (The Times of India)
Iran reports 22,586 cases, a record for the third consecutive day. In the process, the country has surpassed two million cases of COVID-19. (AP)
Nicaragua says that they have slowly started vaccinations for people over 60 using an AstraZeneca vaccine that was made in India. (The Independent)
Poland reports a record 954 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which also includes the total number of deaths from Good Friday until Easter Monday, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 56,659. (The First News)
The Food and Drug Administration suspends the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine by people under 60 years old following reports of a possible link with cases of blood clots. (ABS-CBN News)
The Netherlands officially suspends the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine by people under 60 years old due to concerns over reports of severe blood clotting. (NL Times)
Tunisia approves the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. (Al Arabiya)
Turkey reports a record 54,941 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Reuters)
Argentina reports 24,130 new cases of COVID-19, a record for the fourth consecutive day, thereby bringing the total cases to nearly 2.5 million. (Página 12)
Cambodia reports a record 576 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 3,604. (The Star)
Death and funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, dies at home in Windsor Castle aged 99. He was the longest-serving Royal Consort of the United Kingdom. (The Independent)
Forty people are killed during a road accident involving a bus in Kiwawa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Thirty-one others are injured and hospitalized. (Reuters)
Giorgos Karaivaz, a notable Greek journalist, is shot dead by two gunmen near his home in Athens. The murder appears to be connected to Karaivaz's investigations. (Al Jazeera)
Greece restricts the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine to people over 30 years old following reports of a possible link with rare blood clotting cases. (Ekathimerini)
Hungary surpasses 700,000 cases of COVID-19. (Daily News Hungary)
India reports a record 131,968 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 13 million. (The Times of India)
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer urges the state to halt in-person classes, indoor dining, and youth sports for two weeks due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (Detroit Free Press)
Nevada reports its first three cases of the Lineage P.1 variant, which originated from Brazil. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, dies at home in Windsor Castle aged 99. He was the longest-serving Royal Consort of the United Kingdom. (The Independent)
The Drug Regulatory Authority grants Emergency Use Authorization for Sinovac CoronaVac vaccine. (Geo News)
The La Soufrière volcano on Saint Vincent, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines erupts, prompting the evacuation of 16,000 people. (AP)
2021 Apure clashes The Venezuelan Armed Forces announce the arrest of an unspecified number of Sinaloa Cartel members amidst clashes with FARC dissidents in the state of Apure. (Al Jazeera)
2021 Grand National Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore becomes the first female winner of the Grand National. Another horse, The Grand Mile, suffers a broken leg and is euthanised. (BBC News) (The Manchester Evening News)
2021 Rock Hill shooting The sole survivor of a mass shooting in Rock Hill, South Carolina, that killed five others three days earlier has died from his gunshot wounds, according to the local coroner. (AP)
Bangladesh reports a record 77 deaths in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 9,661. (Bdnews24.com)
Capital punishment in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia executes three soldiers for "high treason" and "cooperating with the enemy" in Najran Province. (Reuters)
India reports a record 145,384 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 13.2 million. (The Times of India)
Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore becomes the first female winner of the Grand National. Another horse, The Grand Mile, suffers a broken leg and is euthanised. (BBC News) (The Manchester Evening News)
Ottawa reports a record 325 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (CBC)
Saudi Arabia executes three soldiers for "high treason" and "cooperating with the enemy" in Najran Province. (Reuters)
Speaker of the General Council Roser Suñé receives the first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine. (Diari d'Andorra)
The sole survivor of a mass shooting in Rock Hill, South Carolina, that killed five others three days earlier has died from his gunshot wounds, according to the local coroner. (AP)
The Venezuelan Armed Forces announce the arrest of an unspecified number of Sinaloa Cartel members amidst clashes with FARC dissidents in the state of Apure. (Al Jazeera)
Toronto Mayor John Tory receives his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. (CTV News)
2021 Masters Tournament Hideki Matsuyama wins the 85th edition of the Masters to become first male Japanese major champion. (Reuters)
A Ukrainian soldier is killed and another is seriously wounded by Russian separatist forces artillery fire on the front line in Eastern Ukraine, bringing the total number of troops killed in combat this year to 27. (AP)
An Israeli study finds that the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine may be less effective against the South African variant when compared to other strains of the virus. (Reuters)
Bangladesh reports 78 deaths from COVID-19, a record for the second consecutive day, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 9,739. (Dhaka Tribune)
Centre-right candidate Guillermo Lasso defeats socialist Andrés Arauz in the second round of voting in Ecuador for the presidency. (The Wall Street Journal)
COVID-19 vaccine, 501.V2 variant An Israeli study finds that the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine may be less effective against the South African variant when compared to other strains of the virus. (Reuters)
Hideki Matsuyama wins the 85th edition of the Masters to become first male Japanese major champion. (Reuters)
Iraq receives 50,000 doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine. (Anadolu Agency)
Pakistan reports 114 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the highest number of deaths this year, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 15,443. (Geo News)
Seven Catholic clergy, including two French citizens, are kidnapped in Croix-des-Bouquets, Ouest, Haiti. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Thailand reports a record 967 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of cases to 32,625. (Bangkok Post)
The Greater Manila Area, the provinces of Abra and Quirino, and the city of Santiago, Isabela, are placed under the looser modified enhanced community quarantine until the end of April. (Rappler)
COVID-19 vaccination in India India approves Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. (Reuters)
COVID-19 vaccination in the Republic of Ireland The National Immunisation Advisory Committee recommends that the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine should only be given to people over 60 years old following concerns about rare blood clots. (Thejournal.ie)
Death and funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh The BBC receives a record 110,994 complaints over their coverage of Prince Philip's death, mostly due to the extent of the coverage. (The Guardian)
India reports a record for the seventh consecutive day of 168,912 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of cases to 13.52 million and surpassing Brazil to become the country with the second-highest total of infections. (Hindustan Times) (The Hill)
Solomon Islands receives 50,000 doses of the Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV vaccine from China. (Solomon Times)
Thailand reports a record for the second consecutive day of 985 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of cases to 33,610. (AP)
