COVID-19 pandemic in Russia President Vladimir Putin receives his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. It remains unknown which of Russia's three current vaccines was administered to the president. (AP)
Fourteen civilians are killed and four others wounded when the minibus they are travelling in hits a landmine in the outskirts of Mogadishu. A military commander blames al-Shabaab for the attack. (Arab News)
India–Pakistan relations Intelligence officers from both India and Pakistan confirm to Reuters that secret talks were held between the two nations, with the United Arab Emirates acting as the mediator, in January to help warm relations. Relations between the two had been strained after India conducting airstrikes in Balakot and India-administered Kashmir was stripped of its autonomy in 2019. (Reuters)
Intelligence officers from both India and Pakistan confirm to Reuters that secret talks were held between the two nations, with the United Arab Emirates acting as the mediator, in January to help warm relations. Relations between the two had been strained after India conducting airstrikes in Balakot and India-administered Kashmir was stripped of its autonomy in 2019. (Reuters)
President Vladimir Putin receives his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. It remains unknown which of Russia's three current vaccines was administered to the president. (AP)
The Federal Senate launches an inquiry into President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the pandemic, as total deaths are expected to surpass 360,000. Main areas of focus are on allegations that he sabotaged social distancing measures, his poor acquisition of vaccines and touting of ineffective treatments such as chloroquine, and the cause of oxygen shortages in Manaus's hospitals, among others. (Al Jazeera)
The government announces a 12-hour curfew in all cities from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. from April 16 to 30 due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (Hindustan Times)
The government bans eleven Islamic organizations, including ISIL and al-Qaeda, a week before the second anniversary of the bombings after the country's Roman Catholics threatened massive protests over the government's perceived failure to act against the perpetrators. (Al Jazeera)
The government imposes a 14-day lockdown in the capital Phnom Penh and its neighboring Takmao from midnight until April 28 amidst a community outbreak of COVID-19. (The Phnom Penh Post)
A judge lifts the curfew and house arrest restrictions of two brothers who are suspected of plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer last year. However, they are still required to wear GPS tethers. (People)
At least 20 people are killed and three more are wounded after a bus overturns after being hit by a truck in Asyut, Egypt. (Al Jazeera)
Bangladesh reports a record 96 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 9,987. (Dhaka Tribune)
Brexit The United Kingdom says that it has requested to respond to a European Union notification of intent to start legal proceedings over the UK's alleged breaching of the Northern Ireland Protocol by mid-May. The UK says that its unilateral delay of the introduction of new Irish Sea border checks on food, parcels and pets is lawful. (Politico.eu)
COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh Bangladesh reports a record 96 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 9,987. (Dhaka Tribune)
COVID-19 pandemic in Canada COVID-19 pandemic in Yukon Yukon confirms their first two cases of the Lineage P.1 variant that originated in Brazil. (Yukon News) (CBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark Denmark becomes the first European country to permanently suspend usage of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, following weeks of reports that the vaccine may cause blood clots. The move is expected to delay the country's vaccination program by "several weeks". (CBS News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Mongolia Mongolia reports a record 1,220 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby surpassing 1,000 daily cases for the first time. (News.MN)
COVID-19 pandemic in New York City New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announces that bars and restaurants in New York City and the state will be allowed to close at midnight beginning on April 19. (Patch.com)
COVID-19 pandemic in New York COVID-19 pandemic in New York City New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announces that bars and restaurants in New York City and the state will be allowed to close at midnight beginning on April 19. (Patch.com)
COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden COVID-19 vaccination in Sweden The Public Health Agency of Sweden suspends plans to start using the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine following reports of rare blood clot cases. 31,000 doses of the vaccine have been delivered to the country. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand Thailand reports a record 1,335 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 35,910. (Bangkok Post)
COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey Turkey reports new records of 62,797 cases and 279 deaths in the past 24 hours, thereby surpassing four million cases of COVID-19. (Daily Sabah)
COVID-19 pandemic in Yukon Yukon confirms their first two cases of the Lineage P.1 variant that originated in Brazil. (Yukon News) (CBC)
COVID-19 vaccination in Sweden The Public Health Agency of Sweden suspends plans to start using the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine following reports of rare blood clot cases. 31,000 doses of the vaccine have been delivered to the country. (Reuters)
COVID-19 vaccination in the United States White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients says that the Biden administration will accelerate doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. The move comes after the United States suspended usage of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. (CNBC)
COVID-19 vaccine In a study published by the National Health Service, the Pfizer vaccine has been found to reduce hospitalizations in elderly people by 75%. (Metro)
Denmark becomes the first European country to permanently suspend usage of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, following weeks of reports that the vaccine may cause blood clots. The move is expected to delay the country's vaccination program by "several weeks". (CBS News)
Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot A judge lifts the curfew and house arrest restrictions of two brothers who are suspected of plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer last year. However, they are still required to wear GPS tethers. (People)
In a study published by the National Health Service, the Pfizer vaccine has been found to reduce hospitalizations in elderly people by 75%. (Metro)
India reports a record 184,372 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 13.9 million. (France 24)
Mongolia reports a record 1,220 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby surpassing 1,000 daily cases for the first time. (News.MN)
Pakistani Interior Minster Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad announces the far-right Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan will be banned, following days of violent protests by supporters over the arrest of party chief Saad Hussain Rizvi. (Al Jazeera)
Thailand reports a record 1,335 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 35,910. (Bangkok Post)
The Public Health Agency of Sweden suspends plans to start using the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine following reports of rare blood clot cases. 31,000 doses of the vaccine have been delivered to the country. (Reuters)
The United Kingdom says that it has requested to respond to a European Union notification of intent to start legal proceedings over the UK's alleged breaching of the Northern Ireland Protocol by mid-May. The UK says that its unilateral delay of the introduction of new Irish Sea border checks on food, parcels and pets is lawful. (Politico.eu)
This date's notation in month-day-year format appears as the first five digits after the decimal point in the decimal representation of the square root of 2, a famous mathematical constant believed to be the first number ever proven to be irrational. (Nerd Paradise)
Turkey reports new records of 62,797 cases and 279 deaths in the past 24 hours, thereby surpassing four million cases of COVID-19. (Daily Sabah)
White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients says that the Biden administration will accelerate doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. The move comes after the United States suspended usage of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. (CNBC)
Yukon confirms their first two cases of the Lineage P.1 variant that originated in Brazil. (Yukon News) (CBC)
Argentina's president Alberto Fernández announces that his government is closing schools and imposing a curfew in Buenos Aires amidst a spike of the COVID-19 cases. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina Argentina's president Alberto Fernández announces that his government is closing schools and imposing a curfew in Buenos Aires amidst a spike of the COVID-19 cases. (Reuters)
At least four people are killed and 17 others are wounded in a car bomb attack at a market in Sadr City, Baghdad. (Al Jazeera)
COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen receives her first dose of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. (Politico)
Eight people are killed and seven others injured in a mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Police say the gunman took his own life afterwards. (CNN) (CNN2) (AP)
Indianapolis FedEx shooting Eight people are killed and seven others injured in a mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Police say the gunman took his own life afterwards. (CNN) (CNN2) (AP)
ISIL insurgency in Iraq At least four people are killed and 17 others are wounded in a car bomb attack at a market in Sadr City, Baghdad. (Al Jazeera)
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen receives her first dose of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. (Politico)
Russia–Ukraine relations Ukraine protests an alleged announcement by Russia that, beginning next week, it would be closing the Kerch Strait to foreign warships and state ships until October. (Interfax-Ukraine)
Ukraine protests an alleged announcement by Russia that, beginning next week, it would be closing the Kerch Strait to foreign warships and state ships until October. (Interfax-Ukraine)
2021 Myanmar protests Security forces arrest 25-year-old Wai Moe Naing, one of the most prominent leaders of the anti-coup protests, near Monywa. Separately, soldiers open fire on protesters in Mandalay to disperse a group of medical workers, killing one person and injuring several others. (Reuters)
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announces a weekend curfew in the national capital territory of Delhi from 10:00 p.m. on Saturday to 5:00 a.m. on Monday due to a substantial increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (The Economic Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Andorra Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Ubach tests positive for COVID-19 after an outbreak in the Ministry's headquarters. (Diari d’Andorra)
COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh Bangladesh surpasses 10,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Bdnews24.com)
COVID-19 pandemic in Canada COVID-19 pandemic in Manitoba, Lineage P.1 Manitoba reports its first case of the Lineage P.1 variant originally detected in Brazil in a person from the Interlake-Eastern region. (CBC) COVID-19 pandemic in Nunavut Nunavut's capital Iqaluit imposes a lockdown after the first COVID-19 case was reported last night. (CTV News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announces a weekend curfew in the national capital territory of Delhi from 10:00 p.m. on Saturday to 5:00 a.m. on Monday due to a substantial increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (The Economic Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in France France surpasses 100,000 deaths from COVID-19. (France 24)
COVID-19 pandemic in India COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announces a weekend curfew in the national capital territory of Delhi from 10:00 p.m. on Saturday to 5:00 a.m. on Monday due to a substantial increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (The Economic Times) India reports a record 200,739 new cases and 1,038 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to over 14 million and confirmed deaths to 173,123. India is also the second country to surpass 14 million cases, after the United States. (AP)
COVID-19 pandemic in Manitoba, Lineage P.1 Manitoba reports its first case of the Lineage P.1 variant originally detected in Brazil in a person from the Interlake-Eastern region. (CBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in Nunavut Nunavut's capital Iqaluit imposes a lockdown after the first COVID-19 case was reported last night. (CTV News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon receives her first dose of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. (The Herald)
COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand Thailand reports a record for the second consecutive day of 1,543 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 37,453. (Bangkok Post)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines The Philippines surpasses 900,000 total cases of COVID-19. (ABS-CBN News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey Turkey reports a record 297 deaths in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 35,031. (Reuters)
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon receives her first dose of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. (The Herald)
Gaza–Israel conflict Israeli Air Force jets and helicopters strike Hamas-linked targets in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for earlier rocket fire targeting southern Israel. The IDF says that an armaments production facility and a tunnel used to smuggle weapons were hit. (The Times of Israel)
Israeli Air Force jets and helicopters strike Hamas-linked targets in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for earlier rocket fire targeting southern Israel. The IDF says that an armaments production facility and a tunnel used to smuggle weapons were hit. (The Times of Israel)
Manitoba reports its first case of the Lineage P.1 variant originally detected in Brazil in a person from the Interlake-Eastern region. (CBC)
Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Ubach tests positive for COVID-19 after an outbreak in the Ministry's headquarters. (Diari d’Andorra)
Nunavut's capital Iqaluit imposes a lockdown after the first COVID-19 case was reported last night. (CTV News)
Security forces arrest 25-year-old Wai Moe Naing, one of the most prominent leaders of the anti-coup protests, near Monywa. Separately, soldiers open fire on protesters in Mandalay to disperse a group of medical workers, killing one person and injuring several others. (Reuters)
Several protests take place around the city after the video is released, including one that briefly shut down northbound Michigan Avenue and another at Union Park. (WMAQ-TV)
Thailand reports a record for the second consecutive day of 1,543 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 37,453. (Bangkok Post)
The French National Assembly approves a controversial global security law proposal that extends police powers and makes it a crime to help identify on-duty police officers "with the obvious intent of harming". Amnesty International denounces the law's "generalized surveillance practices" and "vague provisions". (AP via Daily Sabah)
The French National Assembly votes unanimously to amend an existing age of consent law in order to officially recognize sex with children under the age of 15 as rape and making it punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Previously, the law allowed an adult to claim the consent of a child in court. The bill also classifies incestuous sex with a minor under the age of 18 as rape. (Reuters)
The Philippines surpasses 900,000 total cases of COVID-19. (ABS-CBN News)
