India reports a new world record of 4,529 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 283,248. (The Straits Times)
International protests over the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis Pro-Palestinian protesters gather at a UAV factory in Leicester over its ties to Israel arms manufacture Elbit Systems. (Newsweek) In Kuwait, protesters burn Israeli flags and rally in support of Palestine. Protesters also reject normalization agreements signed by Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. (Reuters)
International reactions to the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, China–Israel relations Israel condemns an "antisemitic" report by China's state-owned China Global Television Network that claims that "wealthy Jews dominate the finance, media and internet sectors" in the United States. The report also claims that Israel is an American puppet state. The Israeli Foreign Ministry calls on CGTN to take down the video, citing its "racist and dangerous" ideas. (France 24) (The Jerusalem Post)
Israel condemns an "antisemitic" report by China's state-owned China Global Television Network that claims that "wealthy Jews dominate the finance, media and internet sectors" in the United States. The report also claims that Israel is an American puppet state. The Israeli Foreign Ministry calls on CGTN to take down the video, citing its "racist and dangerous" ideas. (France 24) (The Jerusalem Post)
It is revealed that the Ganges river in India has had hundreds of human bodies floating in its waters and buried in its banks in recent days, including some thought to have died of COVID-19. (BBC News)
Malaysia reports a record 6,075 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 485,496. (Free Malaysia Today)
Manhunt for Jürgen Conings A manhunt is ongoing for a far-right extremist, identified as a soldier, in Dilsen-Stokkem, Limburg, Belgium, after threatening virologist Marc Van Ranst. The suspect is heavily armed and considered as a serious threat. Four rocket launchers were found in his car. (BBC News)
Pro-Palestinian protesters gather at a UAV factory in Leicester over its ties to Israel arms manufacture Elbit Systems. (Newsweek)
Taiwan raises its COVID-19 alert level to level 3 nationwide, which is the same level as Taipei and New Taipei City, where masks are required to be worn at all times and gatherings of more than five people indoors and ten people outdoors are banned amid an increase in the number of locally transmitted cases. (The Guardian)
The Spanish Audiencia Nacional summons the leader of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, to present himself in court on June 1 on accusations of multiple charges related to human rights violations by human rights groups and Western Sahara individuals. Ghali, who is currently hospitalized in northern Spain, refused to sign the summon, saying that he has to refer to the Algerian embassy first. (Reuters)
The United States rejects a United Nations Security Council resolution that calls for a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Gaza. (The Washington Post) (Yahoo! News)
Zimbabwe reports its first cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant. The variant had been detected among a group of people in the central town of Kwekwe after a student returned from India on April 29. (Reuters)
In the aftermath of the attack, it is revealed at a Senate Armed Services cyber subcommittee hearing that the Department of Homeland Security was not alerted to the ransomware attack and that the Justice Department was not alerted to the ransom type or the amount of money demanded, prompting discussion about the numerous information silos in the government and difficulties of information-sharing between them. (USNI News)
China–Lithuania relations Three-fifths of the Lithuanian Parliament vote to pass a nonbinding resolution condemning the forced internment of Muslim Uyghurs as genocide, demanding the repeal of the Hong Kong national security law, and calling for international observers to be allowed to enter Tibet and for the Chinese government to begin negotiations with the current Dalai Lama. (Reuters)
Three-fifths of the Lithuanian Parliament vote to pass a nonbinding resolution condemning the forced internment of Muslim Uyghurs as genocide, demanding the repeal of the Hong Kong national security law, and calling for international observers to be allowed to enter Tibet and for the Chinese government to begin negotiations with the current Dalai Lama. (Reuters)
War in Afghanistan 2021 Afghanistan attacks Two separate roadside bombings kill 13 civilians in Helmand and Ghor Provinces. Meanwhile, militants stop a bus in western Afghanistan, targeting Hazara passengers and killing three of them. (ABC News)
2021 Afghanistan attacks Two separate roadside bombings kill 13 civilians in Helmand and Ghor Provinces. Meanwhile, militants stop a bus in western Afghanistan, targeting Hazara passengers and killing three of them. (ABC News)
2021 Ethiopian general election After delaying it twice, the National Election Board of Ethiopia schedules elections for June 21. (Reuters)
After delaying it twice, the National Election Board of Ethiopia schedules elections for June 21. (Reuters)
Argentine cattle farmers begin a nine-day protest against the government's implementation of a month-long restriction on meat exports to deter inflation. Farmers have agreed to suspend their sales of cattles to slaughterhouses during the protest. (Radio France Internationale)
Boko Haram insurgency Nigerian intelligence officials say that Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has either been killed or critically injured after detonating explosives in his house to avoid capture from the rival IS–West African Province faction. Several other Boko Haram members are also killed in the attack. However, no secondary sources have confirmed Shekau's death. (The Guardian)
COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina President Alberto Fernández announces a nine-day nationwide lockdown to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Panama Panama closes its border with Colombia due to COVID-19 concerns. The Colombian government had recently reopened the border, which had been closed since March 2020. Panama has so far recorded more than 370,000 COVID-19 cases and 6,300 deaths. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in South America COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina President Alberto Fernández announces a nine-day nationwide lockdown to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Reuters) COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, Lineage B.1.617 Brazil reports its first cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant, which was first discovered in India. The variant had been detected among a group of six crew members of a ship travelling from South Africa to deliver iron ore in São Luís, Maranhão. (Geo News) (Al Arabiya English)
Following recommendations from the Council on Ethics, the Government Pension Fund of Norway drops two firms from its portfolio for doing business with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The Norges Bank Investment Management also blacklists a company for owning factories in Myanmar. (Al Jazeera English)
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international relations, COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore The International Institute for Strategic Studies cancels the Shangri-La Dialogue intergovernmental forum which would have been held in Singapore on June 4–5 due to the worsening of the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country. (France 24)
Nigerian intelligence officials say that Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has either been killed or critically injured after detonating explosives in his house to avoid capture from the rival IS–West African Province faction. Several other Boko Haram members are also killed in the attack. However, no secondary sources have confirmed Shekau's death. (The Guardian)
President Alberto Fernández announces a nine-day nationwide lockdown to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Reuters)
The Central Electoral Commission of Kyrgyzstan announces that it has invalidated the results of the Bishkek City Council elections. During a meeting, Chairwoman Nurzhan Shaildabekova called for free elections. (AKIpress News Agency)
The International Institute for Strategic Studies cancels the Shangri-La Dialogue intergovernmental forum which would have been held in Singapore on June 4–5 due to the worsening of the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country. (France 24)
Xenophobia and racism related to the COVID-19 pandemic U.S. President Joe Biden signs the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, a bill that would expedite anti-Asian hate crime reviews to the U.S. Justice Department. (The New York Times)
Yemeni Civil War The United States sanctions two Houthi leaders for their roles in the Marib campaign. (Al Jazeera English)
2021 Israel–Palestine crisis Israel and Hamas agree to a ceasefire in order to stop airstrikes in Gaza and the launching of rockets in Israel. The 11 days of conflict have killed 232 people in Gaza and 11 in Israel. Egypt agrees to observe the implementation of the ceasefire. (BBC News)
2021 wildfire season Wildfires in Attica, Greece, prompt the evacuation of several villages and monasteries as the fires spread throughout the Geraneia mountain range. (Reuters)
A fight between rival gangs erupts in a jail in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, resulting in the deaths of seven people. (BBC News)
Brazil reports its first cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant, which was first discovered in India. The variant had been detected among a group of six crew members of a ship travelling from South Africa to deliver iron ore in São Luís, Maranhão. (Geo News) (Al Arabiya English)
Brunei suspends a reciprocal green lane arrangement with Singapore until further notice following the worsening situation of the pandemic in the latter country. (CNA)
ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming, whose company owns TikTok, announces that he will step down as CEO and that human resources chief Rubo Liang will succeed him. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, Lineage B.1.617 Brazil reports its first cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant, which was first discovered in India. The variant had been detected among a group of six crew members of a ship travelling from South Africa to deliver iron ore in São Luís, Maranhão. (Geo News) (Al Arabiya English)
COVID-19 pandemic in Brunei Brunei suspends a reciprocal green lane arrangement with Singapore until further notice following the worsening situation of the pandemic in the latter country. (CNA)
COVID-19 pandemic in Canada COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveils a three-step reopening plan as the number of COVID-19 cases decline. Golf, tennis, basketball, and other outdoor sports will be allowed to reopen on May 22, but the stay-at-home order will remain in place until June 2. (CBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs a law prohibiting schools and businesses from imposing mask mandates. She also signs a law that limits vaccine passports in the state. (Quad-City Times) (The Des Moines Register)
COVID-19 pandemic in Laos Laos extends its nationwide lockdown for another 15 days until June 4 as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase. (Big News Network)
COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia Malaysia reports a record for the second consecutive day of 6,806 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 492,302. The country also reports a record 59 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 2,099. (Malay Mail)
COVID-19 pandemic in Nicaragua Nicaragua approves the emergency use of the single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine. (PharmiWeb)
COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveils a three-step reopening plan as the number of COVID-19 cases decline. Golf, tennis, basketball, and other outdoor sports will be allowed to reopen on May 22, but the stay-at-home order will remain in place until June 2. (CBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, COVID-19 vaccination in the United Kingdom Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (CBS News) (BBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs a law prohibiting schools and businesses from imposing mask mandates. She also signs a law that limits vaccine passports in the state. (Quad-City Times) (The Des Moines Register) COVID-19 vaccination in the United States The FDA announces its approval for measures allowing the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be stored at regular refrigerator temperatures for up to 30 days before administration. Previously, the agency had only allowed such storage for five days. (Time)
COVID-19 vaccine The European Commission signs a third contract with Pfizer and BioNTech to secure 1.8 billion doses of its vaccine. (Deutsche Welle)
Ethiopia announces that it will proceed with plans to start generating power from the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in the coming rainy season between June and August. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also says that it will not tolerate "any move that's aimed at disrupting the water filling process, its operation and water releasing scheme". (AP)
In Midtown Manhattan, pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protesters clash at Times Square despite a ceasefire being announced between Israel and Hamas militants. One protester suffers a minor burn after fireworks were thrown from a car. (Fox News) (Newsweek)
International protests over the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis In Midtown Manhattan, pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protesters clash at Times Square despite a ceasefire being announced between Israel and Hamas militants. One protester suffers a minor burn after fireworks were thrown from a car. (Fox News) (Newsweek)
International reactions to the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont introduces a resolution that would block an arms sale of $735 million in weapons to Israel in response to the conflict between Israel and Gaza. (CBS News)
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs a law prohibiting schools and businesses from imposing mask mandates. She also signs a law that limits vaccine passports in the state. (Quad-City Times) (The Des Moines Register)
Israel and Hamas agree to a ceasefire in order to stop airstrikes in Gaza and the launching of rockets in Israel. The 11 days of conflict have killed 232 people in Gaza and 11 in Israel. Egypt agrees to observe the implementation of the ceasefire. (BBC News)
Laos extends its nationwide lockdown for another 15 days until June 4 as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase. (Big News Network)
Malaysia reports a record for the second consecutive day of 6,806 new cases of COVID-19, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 492,302. The country also reports a record 59 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 2,099. (Malay Mail)
Microsoft announces that it will discontinue support for Internet Explorer on June 15, 2022. (Reuters)
Nicaragua approves the emergency use of the single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine. (PharmiWeb)
Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveils a three-step reopening plan as the number of COVID-19 cases decline. Golf, tennis, basketball, and other outdoor sports will be allowed to reopen on May 22, but the stay-at-home order will remain in place until June 2. (CBC News)
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (CBS News) (BBC News)
The European Commission signs a third contract with Pfizer and BioNTech to secure 1.8 billion doses of its vaccine. (Deutsche Welle)
The FDA announces its approval for measures allowing the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be stored at regular refrigerator temperatures for up to 30 days before administration. Previously, the agency had only allowed such storage for five days. (Time)
The French Constitutional Council strikes down Article 24 of the so-called global security law, which criminalized the sharing of images that could reveal the identity of police officers. (Euronews)
Two separate roadside bombings kill 13 civilians in Helmand and Ghor Provinces. Meanwhile, militants stop a bus in western Afghanistan, targeting Hazara passengers and killing three of them. (ABC News)
Wildfires in Attica, Greece, prompt the evacuation of several villages and monasteries as the fires spread throughout the Geraneia mountain range. (Reuters)
2021 Catalan regional election The Catalan government is formed after months of negotiations, with Pere Aragonès becoming the 132nd President, the first from the Republican Left of Catalonia in forty years and the youngest in the institution's seven-hundred-year history. Aragonès pledges to immediately restart independence talks with the Spanish government. (DW)
A decryption key for the hospital records has been provided to the Irish Health Service Executive. The government says that it had not paid and would not pay any ransom in exchange for the purported key. The group responsible for the cyberattack continues to threaten to sell patient data. (US News and World Report)
The Catalan government is formed after months of negotiations, with Pere Aragonès becoming the 132nd President, the first from the Republican Left of Catalonia in forty years and the youngest in the institution's seven-hundred-year history. Aragonès pledges to immediately restart independence talks with the Spanish government. (DW)
COVID-19 pandemic in Japan The Japanese government officially approves the use of the Moderna and Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for people aged 18 and older. It comes after the Health Ministry panel recommended the approval of both vaccines. (The New York Times) (Kyodo News) Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announces the extension of the state of emergency to Okinawa from May 23 until June 20 after a record 207 new cases of COVID-19 are reported in the prefecture in the past 24 hours. (The Japan Times)
COVID-19 pandemic in Norway The Norwegian government announces that phase two of easing COVID-19 restrictions will begin on May 27, allowing bars to serve alcohol until midnight and raise the maximum number of guests in one's home to 10 people as the number of cases declined. (MedicalXpress)
One Catholic priest is killed and another kidnapped in an armed attack on the parish in Malunfashi, Sokoto State, in northern Nigeria. Several other people are wounded in the assault. (Fides)
The Norwegian government announces that phase two of easing COVID-19 restrictions will begin on May 27, allowing bars to serve alcohol until midnight and raise the maximum number of guests in one's home to 10 people as the number of cases declined. (MedicalXpress)
2021 Chaman bombing Seven people are killed and 14 others are wounded in a bombing at a Palestine solidarity rally in Chaman, Balochistan, Pakistan. (Dawn)
2021 Israel–Palestine crisis Ten more bodies are found under the rubble of bombed buildings in Gaza, thereby bringing the Palestinian death toll to 243. Despite this, the ceasefire agreed by Israel and Hamas begins. (Al Jazeera) Israeli security forces fire stun grenades and rubber bullets at Palestinians attending Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, and they also hit journalists at the scene with batons, injuring at least 20 people. (CNN)
