Thailand reports its first case of a SARS-CoV-2 variant that originated from Brazil in an overseas traveler who is currently in quarantine. (Yahoo! News)
The Biden administration announces that it will support waiving patent protections on existing COVID-19 vaccines so that other countries can produce generic variants, following weeks of pressure from the international community. (CNBC)
The Philippines' Food and Drug Administration issues an emergency use authorization for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. (Rappler)
Video-sharing platform LiveLeak shuts down after 15 years. The website has been controversial over the years, hosting videos such as the killing of captives by ISIL, the execution of Saddam Hussein and anti-Islamic film Fitna, which have resulted in the website's subsequent censorship in multiple countries. (Mashable)
2021 Senedd election, 2021 Scottish Parliament election Wales and Scotland hold elections for their respective national parliaments. The elections use the proportional additional member system, unlike the first past the post system used in House of Commons elections. (The Guardian)
Wales and Scotland hold elections for their respective national parliaments. The elections use the proportional additional member system, unlike the first past the post system used in House of Commons elections. (The Guardian)
2021 Hartlepool by-election In what is considered a major blow to the opposition Labour Party, the Conservative Party candidate Jill Mortimer wins the by-election in Hartlepool, becoming the first-ever Conservative and female MP in the constituency's history. Mortimer hails it as a "truly historic" result. (BBC News)
2021 Malé bombing Former president of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed and four other people are injured in a bomb blast in the capital Malé. (BBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia The New South Wales government restricts the size of gatherings and reintroduces a mandatory mask-wearing policy for indoor areas and public transport after the wife of a man who tested positive for COVID-19 also tests positive. The restrictions will be in effect until Monday at 12:01 a.m. (The Sydney Morning Herald)
COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines Due to public outrage, President Rodrigo Duterte apologizes for receiving a dose of the Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV COVID-19 vaccine, which has not yet been authorized by the Philippines' Food and Drug Administration for emergency use. (BBC News)
Due to public outrage, President Rodrigo Duterte apologizes for receiving a dose of the Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV COVID-19 vaccine, which has not yet been authorized by the Philippines' Food and Drug Administration for emergency use. (BBC News)
Former president of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed and four other people are injured in a bomb blast in the capital Malé. (BBC News)
In what is considered a major blow to the opposition Labour Party, the Conservative Party candidate Jill Mortimer wins the by-election in Hartlepool, becoming the first-ever Conservative and female MP in the constituency's history. Mortimer hails it as a "truly historic" result. (BBC News)
Kivu conflict, Ituri conflict, Allied Democratic Forces insurgency The Democratic Republic of the Congo enacts a "state of siege" over the provinces of Kivu and Ituri for 30 days. During this time, both provinces will be placed under military rule. The provincial governments and entities of these provinces will either be replaced by offices of the FARDC or by the national police. Civil jurisdictions will also be replaced by military jurisdictions. (France 24)
Latvia's Saeima votes to formally recognize the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I as a genocide. (RFERL)
Lord's Resistance Army insurgency The International Criminal Court sentences Ugandan warlord and member of the Christian terrorist group Lord's Resistance Army Dominic Ongwen to 25 years in prison for charges including murder, rape and sexual enslavement. The former child soldier's lawyers had asked for a lenient sentence considering his childhood trauma. (DW)
Recognition of the Armenian Genocide Latvia's Saeima votes to formally recognize the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I as a genocide. (RFERL)
The Democratic Republic of the Congo enacts a "state of siege" over the provinces of Kivu and Ituri for 30 days. During this time, both provinces will be placed under military rule. The provincial governments and entities of these provinces will either be replaced by offices of the FARDC or by the national police. Civil jurisdictions will also be replaced by military jurisdictions. (France 24)
The International Criminal Court sentences Ugandan warlord and member of the Christian terrorist group Lord's Resistance Army Dominic Ongwen to 25 years in prison for charges including murder, rape and sexual enslavement. The former child soldier's lawyers had asked for a lenient sentence considering his childhood trauma. (DW)
The New South Wales government restricts the size of gatherings and reintroduces a mandatory mask-wearing policy for indoor areas and public transport after the wife of a man who tested positive for COVID-19 also tests positive. The restrictions will be in effect until Monday at 12:01 a.m. (The Sydney Morning Herald)
2021 Jersey dispute France sends two patrol boats, the Athos and Le Themis, to Jersey in response to the British deployment of the HMS Severn and the HMS Tamar to Jersey. The dispute arose after French fishermen threatened to blockade the port of Saint Helier in protest of a new system for obtaining fishing permits. (Bloomberg)
Cambodia ends a three-week blanket lockdown in Phnom Penh despite an increase in the number of COVID-19 infections, though tighter restrictions remain in place in some districts. (Reuters)
China has "indefinitely" suspended all activity under a China–Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue, its state economic planner said. This has occurred after China imposed sanctions on Australian wine and coal while failing to renew Australian hay import permits, and Australia states cancelled participation in China's Belt and Road Initiative and are reviewing Chinese company Landbridge Group's lease on the Port of Darwin previously provided for 99 years at A$506 million. (Al Jazeera – Suspension) (9News) (Al Jazeera – Port Darwin)
COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia Cambodia ends a three-week blanket lockdown in Phnom Penh despite an increase in the number of COVID-19 infections, though tighter restrictions remain in place in some districts. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark Gyms, theatres, and cinemas are reopened in Denmark as a part of the easing of restrictions and a reliance of the "corona pass", which confirms that a person has either tested negative in the past 72 hours, been vaccinated, or recently recovered from COVID-19. (France 24)
COVID-19 pandemic in India India reports a world record of 412,262 new cases in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 21 million. The country also reports a record 3,980 deaths from COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 230,168. (ABC Australia)
COVID-19 pandemic in North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev receives his first dose of the BBIBP-CorV vaccine. (Xinhua News Agency)
COVID-19 pandemic in Poland, Lineage P.1 Poland reports its first three cases of the Lineage P.1 variant, which was first discovered in Brazil, in the southern voivodeship of Silesia. (The First News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Russia COVID-19 vaccination in Russia Russia authorizes the use of a single-shot "Sputnik Light" vaccine, which it says has an efficacy rate of 79.4%. (CNBC)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States A study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates that the true COVID-19 death toll in the United States is more than 900,000 people. (NPR)
COVID-19 pandemic in Uzbekistan Uzbekistan reports 452 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single-day total this year, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 93,176. (Xinhuanet)
COVID-19 vaccination in Russia Russia authorizes the use of a single-shot "Sputnik Light" vaccine, which it says has an efficacy rate of 79.4%. (CNBC)
France sends two patrol boats, the Athos and Le Themis, to Jersey in response to the British deployment of the HMS Severn and the HMS Tamar to Jersey. The dispute arose after French fishermen threatened to blockade the port of Saint Helier in protest of a new system for obtaining fishing permits. (Bloomberg)
Gyms, theatres, and cinemas are reopened in Denmark as a part of the easing of restrictions and a reliance of the "corona pass", which confirms that a person has either tested negative in the past 72 hours, been vaccinated, or recently recovered from COVID-19. (France 24)
Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong is sentenced to a further 10 months imprisonment for participating in an unauthorized assembly on June 4, 2020 to commemorate the crackdown on the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. (Reuters)
India reports a world record of 412,262 new cases in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 21 million. The country also reports a record 3,980 deaths from COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 230,168. (ABC Australia)
Poland reports its first three cases of the Lineage P.1 variant, which was first discovered in Brazil, in the southern voivodeship of Silesia. (The First News)
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev receives his first dose of the BBIBP-CorV vaccine. (Xinhua News Agency)
Russia authorizes the use of a single-shot "Sputnik Light" vaccine, which it says has an efficacy rate of 79.4%. (CNBC)
Colonial Pipeline cyberattack Colonial Pipeline, which supplies 45% of the U.S. East Coast's fuel supply, suffers a malware attack that causes a shutdown of their system. (CNBC)
Colonial Pipeline, which supplies 45% of the U.S. East Coast's fuel supply, suffers a malware attack that causes a shutdown of their system. (CNBC)
2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war Armenia says that it has returned all prisoners of war to Azerbaijan under Article 8 of the November 9 agreement. (Asbarez)
2021 Senedd election The Welsh Labour Party wins a record sixth term in office. With 52 out of 60 seats declared, Labour has won 30 seats in the Senedd, reaching a working majority and equalling their best performance. (BBC News)
Armenia says that it has returned all prisoners of war to Azerbaijan under Article 8 of the November 9 agreement. (Asbarez)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic The United Kingdom adds Turkey, the Maldives and Nepal to its "red list" of countries, where travellers will be required to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days upon their return to the UK at their own expense. Twelve countries are also added to the government's "green list", including Portugal and Israel. This new "traffic light system" will take effect on May 17, when international travel is no longer illegal. (BBC News)
Elections in the United Kingdom 2021 Senedd election The Welsh Labour Party wins a record sixth term in office. With 52 out of 60 seats declared, Labour has won 30 seats in the Senedd, reaching a working majority and equalling their best performance. (BBC News)
The United Kingdom adds Turkey, the Maldives and Nepal to its "red list" of countries, where travellers will be required to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days upon their return to the UK at their own expense. Twelve countries are also added to the government's "green list", including Portugal and Israel. This new "traffic light system" will take effect on May 17, when international travel is no longer illegal. (BBC News)
A tower block at New Providence Wharf, London, United Kingdom, catches fire. The block is clad in the same material as that which was on Grenfell Tower, which caught fire in 2017. More than 100 firefighters and 20 fire engines were sent to the scene. (Metro)
A whole-genome study confirms the existence of four distinct species of giraffes, corroborating the conclusions of a 2016 DNA study; previously, it was believed that all giraffes were members of a single species. The study also supports the existence of seven subspecies of giraffes. (Sci-News)
COVID-19 pandemic in India India reports a world record of 414,188 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 21.49 million. (Al Jazeera)
COVID-19 pandemic in Japan Japan extends the state of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo, and Kyoto until May 31. It also declares a state of emergency for Aichi and Fukuoka Prefectures. (The Japan Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia Malaysia reports 4,498 new cases in the past 24 hours, which is the first time the country has reported 4,000 new cases since February. It subsequently brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 432,425. (Malay Mail)
France–Lebanon relations, Lebanese liquidity crisis French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian threatens to step up pressure against Lebanese politicians he accuses of committing "collective suicide" by failing to pull the country out of its economic meltdown. During his visit to Beirut, Le Drian said that punitive actions could be taken by France and the European Union. (Reuters)
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian threatens to step up pressure against Lebanese politicians he accuses of committing "collective suicide" by failing to pull the country out of its economic meltdown. During his visit to Beirut, Le Drian said that punitive actions could be taken by France and the European Union. (Reuters)
India reports a world record of 414,188 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 21.49 million. (Al Jazeera)
Japan extends the state of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo, and Kyoto until May 31. It also declares a state of emergency for Aichi and Fukuoka Prefectures. (The Japan Times)
Malaysia reports 4,498 new cases in the past 24 hours, which is the first time the country has reported 4,000 new cases since February. It subsequently brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 432,425. (Malay Mail)
The Welsh Labour Party wins a record sixth term in office. With 52 out of 60 seats declared, Labour has won 30 seats in the Senedd, reaching a working majority and equalling their best performance. (BBC News)
UEFA reveals that nine of the 12 association football clubs that planned to participate in the suspended European Super League proposal agree, through a "club commitment declaration", to financial sanctions imposed by the governing body. This includes a five percent cut in their revenue for one season. Only Barcelona, Juventus, and Real Madrid did not sign the declaration, although UEFA has committed to "take appropriate action" against clubs still committed to the Super League. (IOL)
2021 Scottish Parliament election The Scottish National Party wins a historic fourth term in office. Along with the Scottish Greens, the majority of seats in the new Scottish Parliament will belong to parties favouring a proposed second independence referendum. Voter turnout also reaches a record high of 64%. (The Guardian)
War in Afghanistan 2021 Afghanistan attacks 2021 Kabul school bombing A bombing outside a school in a Hazara area of Kabul kills 58 people and injures more than 150 others. The majority of the casualties are schoolgirls. The Taliban denies involvement in the attack, which is the deadliest in Afghanistan so far this year. (Al Jazeera)
2021 Afghanistan attacks 2021 Kabul school bombing A bombing outside a school in a Hazara area of Kabul kills 58 people and injures more than 150 others. The majority of the casualties are schoolgirls. The Taliban denies involvement in the attack, which is the deadliest in Afghanistan so far this year. (Al Jazeera)
2021 Kabul school bombing A bombing outside a school in a Hazara area of Kabul kills 58 people and injures more than 150 others. The majority of the casualties are schoolgirls. The Taliban denies involvement in the attack, which is the deadliest in Afghanistan so far this year. (Al Jazeera)
A bombing outside a school in a Hazara area of Kabul kills 58 people and injures more than 150 others. The majority of the casualties are schoolgirls. The Taliban denies involvement in the attack, which is the deadliest in Afghanistan so far this year. (Al Jazeera)
The Scottish National Party wins a historic fourth term in office. Along with the Scottish Greens, the majority of seats in the new Scottish Parliament will belong to parties favouring a proposed second independence referendum. Voter turnout also reaches a record high of 64%. (The Guardian)
COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, Lineage B.1.617 Bangladesh reports its first six cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant, which was discovered in India, prompting the authorities to extend the land border closure by two weeks. (Dhaka Tribune)
COVID-19 pandemic in India COVID-19 pandemic in Kerala, COVID-19 lockdown in India Kerala enters a nine-day complete lockdown, closing shops, suspending public transport, and severely restricting the on-road movement of people amidst an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (The Economic Times) India reports 401,078 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 21.9 million. The country also reports a record 4,187 deaths in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 238,270. (Khaleej Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Kerala, COVID-19 lockdown in India Kerala enters a nine-day complete lockdown, closing shops, suspending public transport, and severely restricting the on-road movement of people amidst an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (The Economic Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Madagascar Madagascar receives its first shipment of 50,000 doses of the Covishield vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. (Africanews)
COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan Pakistan declares an eight-day partial lockdown until May 16 ahead of the celebration of Eid al-Fitr next week. (BBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, Lineage B.1.617 South Africa reports its first four cases of the Lineage B.1.617.2 variant in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, where all of these had a travel history to India. (SABC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka approves the emergency use of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as the country faces its third wave of the pandemic and the highest number of active cases since the pandemic began. The minister overseeing the situation says that Sri Lanka will try to secure five million doses of the vaccine as India has restricted the supply of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. (Reuters)
Datu Paglas market occupation More than 200 BIFF militants storm the town of Datu Paglas, Philippines, forcing many residents to evacuate. The town's market is occupied by the fighters, before being reclaimed by the army. (Al Jazeera)
European Union response to the COVID-19 pandemic The European Commission signs a new deal with Pfizer and BioNTech to purchase 900 million doses of its vaccine with an additional option to purchase another 900 million doses for delivery from 2021 to 2023 which they intend to use as booster shots against the illness and to allow for the vaccination of children and teenagers. (The Irish Times)
India reports 401,078 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 21.9 million. The country also reports a record 4,187 deaths in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 238,270. (Khaleej Times)
