Portal:Current events
Topics in the news
- An elevated section of the Mexico City Metro collapses, leaving at least 23 people dead and more than 70 others injured.
- Mark Selby (pictured) wins the World Snooker Championship, defeating Shaun Murphy in the final.
- Colombian president Iván Duque Márquez withdraws a proposed tax reform after nationwide protests leave at least nineteen people dead.
- In horse racing, Medina Spirit wins the Kentucky Derby, earning trainer Bob Baffert a record seventh victory in the race.
- In Israel, forty-five people are killed in a crowd crush at a religious festival on Mount Meron.
Armed conflicts and attacks
- War in Afghanistan
- 2021 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan
- Afghan security forces fight a huge offensive by the Taliban in Helmand as the United States started to withdraw troops from the country before the final deadline of September 11. Critics say the Taliban will try to retake control of the country. (Reuters)
- 2021 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan
- 2021 Myanmar protests
- Yuki Kitazumi becomes the first foreign journalist known to be charged since the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, after being accused of spreading fake news. (BBC)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia
- Cambodia reports a record 938 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 16,299. (Khmer Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
- India surpasses 20 million cases of COVID-19, becoming the second country to do so after the United States. (ABC Australia)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
International relations
- 2021 Colombian protests
- The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights condemns the excessive use of force by Colombian security forces during the ongoing protests that have left at least 16 civilians killed. (UNHCHR)
- The European Union calls for Colombia's security forces to avoid excessive force amidst the ongoing protests. (Reuters)
Law and crime
- Two children are killed and a man is wounded during a stabbing attack at a nursery in Saudades, Brazil. The attacker is arrested. (BBC)
- The first secretary at the Swiss embassy in Tehran, Iran, is found dead after falling from the building where she lived. The circumstances of the fall are not known. (BBC)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Insurgency in the Maghreb
- 2021 Niger attacks
- Sixteen Nigerien soldiers are killed and six others are wounded when their patrol is ambushed in Tahoua. (Al Jazeera)
- Kodyel attack
- At least 30 civilians are killed and 20 more wounded as several armed men assault a village in Foutouri, Burkina Faso. It is one of the deadliest attacks in the country's history. (Al Jazeera)
- 2021 Niger attacks
- War in Afghanistan
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks
- A bomb explodes near a school in Farah, injuring 21 people, including ten students. (ABC News)
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks
- 2021 Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan conflict
- Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan complete the withdrawal of their forces from the border. (The Times of Central Asia)
- Tajikistan says the border clashes left several people dead on their side. The death toll for Kyrgyzstan reaches 36 following the death of a four-year-old boy. (Al Jazeera) (AKIPress)
- Tajik President Emomali Rahmon orders that all residential buildings destroyed in Chorkuh be restored. (Asia-Plus)
- Kyrgyzs in Germany and the United Kingdom organize rallies and protests at Tajik embassies. Additionally, citizens living in San Francisco protest in support of the residents of Batken and call for international institutions to "bring Tajik President Rahmon to justice." (Kabar)
- Internal conflict in Myanmar
- The Kachin Independence Army says that it shot down a military helicopter of the armed forces. The separatist group's information department head reported that they were attacked with airstrikes and that they shot back. In a separate incident, a junta-appointed local administrator is stabbed to death in Yangon. (Reuters)
Arts and culture
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the arts and cultural heritage, COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
- Bavarian minister-president Markus Söder announces that the annual Oktoberfest celebrations in Munich, scheduled for late September to October, will be cancelled for a second consecutive year due to the pandemic. (ABS-CBN News)
Disasters and accidents
- Mexico City Metro overpass collapse
- At least 26 people are killed when a speedboat collides with a vessel transporting sand on the Padma River in Bangladesh. (Al Jazeera)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
- COVID-19 pandemic in Telangana, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on animals
- Eight Asiatic lions in Hyderabad Zoo test positive for COVID-19, the first such case in India. (Times of India)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Haryana, COVID-19 lockdown in India
- Haryana imposes a seven-day complete lockdown due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases across the state. (The Hindu)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi
- Authorities in Delhi request help from the Indian Armed Forces amidst shortages of medical oxygen and a lack of beds in intensive care units in the city's overwhelmed hospitals. The local government wants the army to formally take over the administration of COVID-19 care facilities and intensive care units. (BBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Telangana, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on animals
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, Variants of SARS-CoV-2
- Indonesia reports its first two cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant, first discovered in India, in two people from Jakarta. The country also reports its first case of the Lineage B.1.351 variant, first discovered in South Africa, in a person from Bali. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
- COVID-19 vaccination in the Philippines
- President Rodrigo Duterte receives his first dose of the Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV vaccine. (CGTN)
- COVID-19 vaccination in the Philippines
- COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
- Thailand reports a record 31 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 276. (Bangkok Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
- COVID-19 pandemic in Algeria, Lineage B.1.617
- Algeria reports its first six cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant, first discovered in India, in people from the coastal province of Tipaza. (Al-Arabiya English)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco, Lineage B.1.617
- Morocco reports its first cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant, which was first discovered in India, in two people from Casablanca. (Morocco World News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania, Variants of SARS-CoV-2
- The Government of Tanzania announces that all travellers will be required to present negative COVID-19 test results at border points in order to reduce the spread of new variants. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Algeria, Lineage B.1.617
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark
- Denmark becomes the first country to exclude the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine from its vaccination programme over a potential link to a rare but serious form of thrombosis. (The Copenhagen Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
- Cafés, restaurants, and bars in Greece reopen for the first time in six months as the government begins to ease its COVID-19 restrictions. A nightly 9:00 p.m. curfew is also changed to 11:00 p.m. (AP)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
International relations
- Iran–United States relations, Iran–United Kingdom relations
- Iran denies yesterday's reports of an agreement to exchange prisoners with the United States and the United Kingdom. (PressTV)
Law and crime
- 2021 Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan conflict
- The prosecutor general's office of Tajikistan launches a criminal investigation into servicemen and citizens of Kyrgyzstan for "unleashing an aggressive war". (Trend News Agency)
- The Kyrgyz Prosecutor General's Office accuses the Tajikistan Armed Forces of invading the country and seizing their sovereign territory. (Katkus Media)
- German police say that they have dismantled one of the world's largest child pornography networks on the dark web, with over 400,000 registered users. Four people have been detained in raids, including a man from Paraguay, on suspicion of running the network. Europol also says that several paedophile chat sites were taken down in the German-led intelligence operation. (BBC)
Politics and elections
- 2021 Colombian protests
- Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez says that he is withdrawing a controversial tax reform proposal after thousands of predominantly working-class people took to the streets to protest against the plans, which they say unfairly target the poor. Seventeen people were killed in the protests. (BBC)
- Asylum in the United States
- U.S. President Joe Biden raises the cap on the number of refugees accepted from 15,000 to 62,500 in response to criticisms from members of his party and refugee agencies over his prior proposal to keep the Trump-era cap in place. Biden also announces that he plans to further raise the cap to 125,000 next year. (BBC)
Sports
- 2021 Indian Premier League, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cricket
- A match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore is postponed amidst a breach of the IPL's biosecure bubble as Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier, as well as a senior coach, all tested positive for COVID-19. (The Guardian)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2021 Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan conflict
- The death toll from the conflict increases to 46, with hundreds of people injured and more than 100 buildings destroyed. (BBC)
- Over 30,000 Kyrgyz civilians are evacuated from the Batken Region near the border with Tajikistan. (Trend News Agency)
- The Kyrgyzstan Interior Ministry and Tajikistan both report that the situation at the border is stable and calm. Both countries also agree to withdraw troops from the border. However, an unexploded air missile is discovered at a house in Batken, Kyrgyzstan, near the border. (Rferl.org) (Prensa Latina) (Kabar)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan
- Afghanistan reports 166 cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the total number of cases to 60,288. (TOLOnews)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia
- Cambodia reports a record 730 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 14,520. (Euronews)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
- India reports a record 3,689 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 215,542. (The Times of India)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, Lineage B.1.617
- Malaysia reports its first case of the Lineage B.1.617 variant when the authorities screen an Indian national at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. (Malay Mail)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
- Abu Dhabi updates its travel procedures for residents and visitors who are fully vaccinated. (Gulf Today)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan
- COVID-19 pandemic in South America
- COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
- Argentina surpasses three million cases of COVID-19. (Clarín)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
International relations
- Iran–United States relations, Iran–United Kingdom relations
- Iranian state media report a deal to release $7 billion of frozen Iranian funds has been reached between Iran, the United States, and the United Kingdom for the release of prisoners with Western-links, including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, in which the British government has agreed to pay a £400 million debt for her release. (Sky News)
- The United States denies the claim that it had agreed to exchange either prisoners or money with Iran. The United Kingdom likewise denies that any definitive decision has been made in the case of Zaghari-Ratcliffe's repatriation. (AP)
- Iranian state media report a deal to release $7 billion of frozen Iranian funds has been reached between Iran, the United States, and the United Kingdom for the release of prisoners with Western-links, including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, in which the British government has agreed to pay a £400 million debt for her release. (Sky News)
Law and crime
- 2021 Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan conflict
- The Kyrgyzstan Interior Ministry launches 11 criminal probe investigations into the events on the border with Tajikistan. (AKIpress)
- Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- The Jerusalem District Court orders at least six families residing in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem to vacate their homes, following decades of litigation by Jewish settler organizations claiming they are the rightful owners of the property. Hamas condemns this ruling as "dangerous, racist behavior", threatening retaliation. (Al Jazeera) (Jerusalem Post)
- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad signs a decree that grants amnesty and reduces sentences for prisoners ahead of an election on May 26. (Middle East Eye)
- Istanbul police announce that, on Wednesday, they arrested an Afghan man who served as a close aide to former ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and who had helped him hide in Syria's Idlib Governorate after the group lost its territory in 2019. The man lived in the Ataşehir district on the Asian side of the city. (Al Jazeera)
Politics and elections
- 2021 Texas's 6th congressional district special election
- Following a competitive special election for Texas's 6th congressional district yesterday, Susan Wright, the wife of late Representative Ron Wright finishes first in the jungle primary and advances to the runoff election. After a tight race for second place between Republican Jake Ellzey and Democrat Jana Sanchez, Sanchez concedes defeat, thereby allowing Ellzey to become the second candidate in the runoff. (CNN)
Sports
- 2020–21 Serie A
- Inter Milan wins Serie A, the highest tier in the Italian football league system, for the first time since the 2009–10 season, ending Juventus's run of nine consecutive titles. (CNN)
- 2020–21 Premier League
- A protest of over 200 fans causes the postponement of the Manchester United F.C. v. Liverpool F.C. Premier League football game. (The Guardian)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- War in Afghanistan
- Afghan peace process
- The United States formally begins withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan to mark the final phase of the end to its longest war. Additionally, NATO also starts withdrawing their troops. (AP)
- Taliban insurgents overrun an Afghan National Army base in Ghazni Province, capturing dozens of troops and killing a "number of others". Acting Defense Minister General Yasin Zia confirms the fall of the security installation to the Taliban. (VOA)
- Afghan peace process
- 2021 Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan conflict
- Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov signs a decree that declares a two-day nationwide mourning effort for those who have died during border clashes with Tajikistan. (TASS)
- Kyrgyzstan accuses Tajikistan of building-up troops and military equipment on the border. The Kyrgyz side also accuses Tajik forces of opening fire on Kyrgyz vehicles in the area. A Tajik spokesman speaking from Dushanbe says the country was sticking to the ceasefire and withdrawal of troops. (Reuters)
- Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan agree to a new ceasefire following border clashes, which includes withdrawing troops from the border. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urges both countries to honor the agreement. (Al Jazeera) (Trend News Agency)
- ISIL insurgency in Iraq
- Seven members of the Kurdistan military force Peshmerga are killed in an ISIL attack in the Kirkuk Governorate. (Macau Business) (Rudaw)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships
- COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism
- Italian cruise line Costa Cruises returns to service for the first time in nearly five months following a ban of cruises by the Italian government due to the pandemic. Several Costa ships had reported cases on board in the previous year. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism
Disasters and accidents
- Bharuch hospital fire
- A hospital fire in Bharuch, Gujarat, India, kills at least 16 COVID-19 patients and two nurses. (The Scottish Sun)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
- India reports a new global record of 401,993 cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby marking the first time a country reported more than 400,000 new cases in a single day. This subsequently brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 19 million. (Nikkei Asia)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
- Osaka Prefecture reports a record 1,262 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan, Lineage B.1.617
- Jordan reports its first three cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant, which originally discovered in India. (Khaleej Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
- The Singaporean government bans all long-term pass holders and short-term visitors who have been in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the last two weeks from entering or transiting through the country. It also tightens its social distancing rules in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Bloomberg)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Syria
- Syria's rebel-held Idlib Governorate begins its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, with a 45-year-old nurse receiving the first dose. (Arab News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
- Thailand reports a record 21 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 224. (Bangkok Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
- COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya
- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta lifts the lockdown imposed in Nairobi and surrounding counties, allowing bars, restaurants, schools, and religious services to reopen and revising the evening curfew to 10:00 p.m. (U.S. News & World Report)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
Science and technology
- International Space Station programme
- SpaceX Crew-1
- The four-astronaut crew of SpaceX's Crew Dragon Resilience successfully splashes down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Panama City, Florida, arriving from a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station. (NDTV)
- SpaceX Crew-1
Sports
- 2021 Kentucky Derby
- The 147th Kentucky Derby is held at Churchill Downs at a 50% capacity, with Medina Spirit winning the race. (CBS News)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- War in Afghanistan
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks
- 2021 Puli Alam bombing
- A suicide car bombing kills 30 people and wounds 91 others in Puli Alam, Logar. (BBC)
- 2021 Puli Alam bombing
- 2021 Afghanistan attacks
- Kivu conflict
- Ituri conflict
- Democratic Republic of the Congo President Félix Tshisekedi declares a "state of siege" in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu due to a spate of violence from armed groups in those areas. (News24)
- Ituri conflict
- 2021 Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan conflict
- Thirty-one people are killed and 154 others are wounded in Kyrgyzstan, while 10 people are killed and 90 others are wounded in Tajikistan, as the fighting between the two Central Asian countries enters its second day. (Al Jazeera English)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on The Walt Disney Company
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in California
- Disneyland, the second most visited amusement park in the world, reopens with a limited capacity and guidelines for social distancing face masks in effect after more than one year of closure due to the pandemic. (The Japan Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in California
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka, COVID-19 recession
- Sri Lanka's GDP contracts 3.6% in 2020, its worst economic performance since gaining independence in 1948. (RTL)
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on The Walt Disney Company
- The world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge, Arouca 516, is completed in North Region, Portugal, with local residents being the first people allowed to cross it. (The Guardian)
Disasters and accidents
- 2021 Meron stampede
- At least 45 people are killed and at least 150 others are injured in a crowd crush during a Lag BaOmer celebration in Meron, Israel. It is the deadliest peacetime disaster in the country's history. (The Times of Israel)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
- COVID-19 vaccination in Indonesia
- The Indonesian Food and Drug Authority grants an emergency use authorization for the Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV vaccine, where the vaccine will be used as part of a mutual vaccination scheme. (CNA)
- COVID-19 vaccination in Indonesia
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
- COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
- Japan receives its first shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. (The Japan Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
- President Moon Jae-in receives his second dose of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. (Yonhap News Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Albania
- COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
- Germany administers a record 1.1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in the last 24 hours. (Bloomberg)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
- Turkey reports a record 394 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 40,131. (The Washington Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan, Lineage B.1.617
- Michigan reports its first case of the Lineage B.1.617 variant first discovered in India in a person from Clinton County. (WDIV-TV)
- Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lineage B.1.617
- The White House announces that the United States will begin restricting travel from India beginning on May 4 due to an increase in the number of cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant of COVID-19, which originated in India. (AP)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan, Lineage B.1.617
- COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships
- Japanese authorities announce that they are disembarking passengers and crew from the MS Asuka II cruise ship after one passenger tested positive for COVID-19. The passenger is in isolation in a cabin and is in stable condition. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 vaccine
- The World Health Organization grants an emergency use authorization for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. (Al Jazeera)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
Law and crime
- Colombian peace process
- The leaders of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia acknowledge their responsibility for tens of thousands of kidnappings during the Colombian conflict. (Reuters)
- 2020–2021 Thai protests
- Pro-democracy protest leader Parit Chiwarak is hospitalized over concerns for his health due to his continued hunger strike since March 15. The corrections department states that he was transferred to a hospital over concerns about his condition worsening to the point where he required specialized care. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
- Family and friends of Brazilian Workers' Party activist Rodrigo Pilha, who has been imprisoned for over a month after displaying a banner calling President Jair Bolsonaro "genocidal" over poor management of the COVID-19 pandemic, say that he was beaten and tortured in prison by wardens. (Forum)
Politics and elections
- 2021 Palestinian legislative election, Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- President Mahmoud Abbas postpones the election scheduled for May 22 until further notice, after the government of Israel allegedly rejected the holding of the election in East Jerusalem. Abbas says that the election cannot be held without the participation of the disputed area. (Xinhuanet)
- Impeachment of Wilson Witzel
- In Brazil, Governor of Rio de Janeiro Wilson Witzel is impeached and replaced by Vice Governor Cláudio Castro. (Reuters)
Sports
- 2021 NFL Draft, 2021 Green Bay Packers season
- Amidst ongoing tensions surrounding the future of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the team trades up to select Clemson wide receiver Amari Rodgers with the 85th pick. (ABC News) (Packers.com)
- Numerous British sports teams, athletes, sports governing bodies, and companies participate in a social media boycott from 3:00 p.m. BST to 11:59 p.m. on May 3 to demand action from social media companies against online abuse. (CNBC)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Colombian conflict, Venezuelan crisis
- 2021 Apure clashes
- Eight Venezuelan soldiers are killed in clashes with irregular armed groups operating on the Colombian border. The Venezuelan government says that the groups are narcoterrorists connected to Colombian president Ivan Duque while Colombian security sources say that they are FARC dissidents. (Al Jazeera)
- 2021 Apure clashes
- 2021 Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan conflict
- A clash between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan forces on the border between the two countries results in four deaths and dozens of injuries. (The Guardian)
- The foreign ministers of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan say they have agreed to a ceasefire at the border. (TASS)
Business and economy
- Cross-Strait relations, Economy of Taiwan
- The Taiwanese Ministry of Labor bans both domestic and foreign companies from advertising jobs located in China, especially ones related to the integrated circuit and semiconductor industries. The move comes in light of both increased tensions between the two countries, and China aggressively recruiting Taiwanese workers to build up its own semiconductor industry. (Nikkei Asia)
- The price of copper exceeds US$10,000 per tonne for the first time since February 2011. Analysts cite a strong demand in China and the weakening of the U.S. dollar for the increase in price. (Channels TV)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in France, Lineage B.1.617
- Nouvelle-Aquitaine reports France's first case of the Lineage B.1.617 variant in a person who travelled from India. (MedicalXpress)
- President Emmanuel Macron unveils a gradual easing of lockdown. He said schools would reopen on May 3, followed by the reopening of museums, cinemas, shops, and cafés on May 19. In the second week of June, cafés and restaurants will be allowed to serve inside and the curfew will be scrapped on June 30 after it pushes back to 9:00 p.m. (The New York Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
- Italy surpasses four million cases of COVID-19. (ANSA in English)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Romania, Lineage B.1.617
- Romania reports its first case of the Lineage B.1.617 variant first detected in India in a person from Brașov County. (Romania Insider)
- COVID-19 pandemic in France, Lineage B.1.617
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong
- Hong Kong reopens bars and nightclubs to those who have received at least one vaccine dose. These venues will also be allowed to stay open until 2:00 a.m. (Euronews)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
- COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
- Vietnam reports its first locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in 35 days, in four members of a family from Hà Nam Province and one person from Ho Chi Minh City. (The Straits Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong
- COVID-19 pandemic in South America
- COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
- Brazil surpasses 400,000 COVID-19 deaths, becoming the second country to do so after the United States. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in New York City
- New York City mayor Bill de Blasio announces the city government's intent to lift all pandemic-related restrictions and "fully reopen" by July 1. (CBS News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Louisiana, Lineage P.1
- Louisiana reports their first two cases of the Lineage P.1 variant that originated in Brazil. (The Times-Picayune)
- COVID-19 pandemic in New York City
- COVID-19 pandemic in Costa Rica
- Costa Rica announces new COVID-19 restrictions on driving and businesses amidst a rise of new cases. (The Tico TImes)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo announces that it will redeploy several of their AstraZeneca vaccines to other Africa countries. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda, Lineage B.1.617
- Uganda reports its first cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant in people who travelled from India to Kampala. (The Independent Uganda)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- China reports a new outbreak of the African Swine Fever in Inner Mongolia, where 343 of 432 pigs died on a farm near Baotou. (Reuters)
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announces that it will ban flavored cigars and menthol cigarettes within a year, claiming they disproportionately impact low-income and minority households. (CNN)
International relations
- Cyprus dispute
- President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades says that the two-state solution proposed by Turkish Cypriots will never be accepted and claims that it violates United Nations resolutions. Greek Cypriots advocate a federal united country, whereas the Turkish side supports a two-state solution. (Reuters)
Law and crime
- Papua conflict
- Indonesian authorities formally designate West Papuan separatists as "terrorists", after a call on Sunday from President Joko Widodo to crack down on them. The Chief Security Minister cites a 2018 counter-terrorism law to back the measure whereas a spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army rejects the move. (Reuters)
- The Mexican Congress passes legislation outlawing revenge porn. It is sent to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for his signature. (Reuters)
Sports
- 2021 NFL season
- In American football, the National Football League starts its draft for the 2021 season, with the Jacksonville Jaguars taking quarterback Trevor Lawrence as the first pick of the draft. (USA Today) (ESPN)
Disasters and accidents
- Riga hostel fire
- A 6.4 magnitude earthquake hits the Indian states of West Bengal and Assam, part of Meghalaya, and part of Bangladesh, causing damage to houses and buildings. Two people die from heart attacks, while ten others are wounded by the earthquake itself. (The Hindu)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia
- Cambodia reports a record 698 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide number of cases to 11,761. (Khmer Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
- COVID-19 vaccination in India
- India begins a COVID-19 vaccine registration for those over the age of 18. (The Hindu)
- India surpasses 200,000 deaths from COVID-19 after a record 3,293 deaths are reported in the past 24 hours, subsequently becoming the fourth country to do so. The country also reports a new global record of 360,960 new cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 17.9 million. (NBC News)
- COVID-19 vaccination in India
- COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
- COVID-19 community quarantines in the Philippines
- President Rodrigo Duterte approves the extension of the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine in the Greater Manila Area until May 14. (ABS-CBN News)
- COVID-19 community quarantines in the Philippines
- COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in Albania
- Albania surpasses 10,000 seniors who have received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (TV Klan)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
- Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announces an easing of the country's lockdown restrictions after a decrease in the number of new cases, which will allow shopping malls and museums to reopen on May 4, hotels to reopen on May 8, and restaurants and cafés to serve people on outdoor terraces beginning on May 15. (The First News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
- Turkey signs an agreement to purchase 50 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. (Daily Sabah)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Albania
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
- COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia
- Tunisian authorities announce that they will impose a mandatory quarantine on all travelers for a week beginning on May 3 and continue to suspend schools until May 16 in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. (Al-Arabiya)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
- COVID-19 vaccination in South Africa
- South Africa resumes its use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to healthcare workers after a pause of more than two weeks, following the drug authority decision that the vaccine is safe. (AP)
- COVID-19 vaccination in South Africa
- COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
Law and crime
- Trump–Ukraine scandal
- Federal investigators raid the home of Rudy Giuliani, the former personal lawyer of former President Donald Trump, for suspected illegal lobbying of the federal government on behalf of Ukrainian officials. (The New York Times)
- Mass shootings in the United States
- A gunman kills two of his family members and two responding sheriff's deputies during a 13-hour standoff in Boone, North Carolina. The perpetrator later commits suicide at the scene. (AP)
- LNU Lightning Complex fires
- A man from Vallejo, California, is arrested and charged for intentionally setting the Markley Fire, which killed two people and eventually merged with the Hennessey Fire as part of the LNU Lightning Complex, one of the largest wildfires in California's history. Authorities say the suspect set the fire in order to cover up the murder of a woman found near Lake Berryessa, which he had already been arrested and charged for in September 2020. (NBC News)
- Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot
- Federal prosecutors lay out additional charges for three men suspected of plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The new charges, which include conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, relate to an alleged related plot by the men to detonate explosives at a bridge in order to slow down responding law enforcement. (CNN) (Detroit Free-Press)
- Four people are killed and another is wounded during a mass stabbing at a hospital in Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany. The perpetrator, identified as a female hospital's employee, is arrested. The victims are all patients. (Reuters)
- Two children are killed and 16 more are wounded during a mass stabbing attack at a kindergarten in Beiliu, Guangxi, China. The attacker has been arrested. (BBC)
- Five former members of the Italian far-left group Red Brigades, the co-founder of Lotta Continua, and another far-left militant are arrested in Paris, France. (Ansa)
- The Spanish postal service intercepts a letter with bullets enclosed that was mailed to former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. (El Periódico)
Politics and elections
- 2021 Northern Ireland riots
- Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster announces her resignation after losing the support of her Democratic Unionist Party in the aftermath of the riots. (UrduPoint)
May 2021 | ||||||
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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 | 31 |
Ongoing events
Business
Disasters
- COVID-19 pandemic
- 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
- Anti-Netanyahu protests
- Armenian protests
- Belarusian protests
- Colombian tax reform protests
- Greek protests
- Indian farmers' protests
- Indonesia omnibus law protests
- Libyan peace process
- Myanmar protests
- Nicaraguan protests
- Nigerian protests
- Persian Gulf crisis
- Peruvian crisis
- Russian protests
- Second Arab Spring
- Sudanese protests
- Tigrayan peace process
- Thai protests
- United States racial unrest
- United States Stop Asian Hate protests
- Venezuelan presidential crisis
- Yellow vests movement
Recently concluded
- Brazil: Wilson Witzel
- France: Nicolas Sarkozy
- Israel: Faina Kirschenbaum
- United States: Derek Chauvin
Ongoing
- Argentina: Rodolfo Martín Villa
- Armenia: Serzh Sargsyan
- Colombia: Álvaro Uribe
- India: Disha Ravi
- Indonesia: Muhammad Rizieq Shihab, Edhy Prabowo, Juliari Batubara
- Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu
- Kyrgyzstan: Almazbek Atambayev
- Malta: Yorgen Fenech
- South Africa: Jacob Zuma
- Spain: 2017 Barcelona attacks, Bárcenas affair, Barçagate
- Sudan: Omar al-Bashir
- International: The Gambia v. Myanmar
Upcoming
- Canada: Raj Grewal
- Indonesia: 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
May
- 3: Donald Cameron
- 2: Frank Costa
- 2: Jacques d'Amboise
- 2: Carlos Romero Barceló
- 2: Bobby Unser
- 1: Olympia Dukakis
April
- 30: Eli Broad
- 29: Anne Buydens
- 29: Johnny Crawford
- 29: Prince Muhammad bin Talal
- 28: Michael Collins
- 28: El Risitas
- 27: Al Schmitt
- 26: Vassos Lyssarides
- 25: Jon Konrads
- 24: Christa Ludwig
- 23: Mario Meoni
- 23: Milva
- 22: Shock G
- 21: Alfredo Graciani
- 20: Idriss Déby
- 20: Monte Hellman
- 20: Les McKeown
- 19: Walter Mondale
- 19: Jim Steinman
- 18: Mohammad Hejazi
- 17: Black Rob
- 17: Vivek
- 16: Charles Geschke
- 16: Barry Mason
- 16: Helen McCrory
- 16: Andrew Peacock
- 16: Kakarla Subba Rao
- 16: Felix Silla
- 16: Ranjit Sinha
- 15: Vartan Gregorian
- 14: Yıldırım Akbulut
- 14: Abdul Matin Khasru
- 14: Michel Louvain
- 14: Bernie Madoff
- 14: Ahmed Usman
- 13: Peter Warner
- 12: Shirley Williams
- 11: Joseph Siravo
- 10: LaDonna Brave Bull Allard
- 10: Félix del Blanco Prieto
- 9: Nikki Grahame
- 9: Ramsey Clark
- 9: Giorgos Karaivaz
- 9: DMX
- 9: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
- 8: Phillip Adams
- 8: Jovan Divjak
- 8: Richard Rush
- 7: Anne Beatts
- 7: James Hampton
- 6: Charles H. Coolidge
- 6: Alcee Hastings
- 6: Julen Madariaga
- 6: Tommy Raudonikis
- 6: Predrag Živković Tozovac
- 5: Philip K. Chapman
- 5: Krzysztof Krawczyk
- 5: Izz al-Din Manasirah
- 5: Paul Ritter
- 4: Cheryl Gillan
- 4: Robert Mundell
- 4: Shashikala
Africa
- Algeria, Libya and Tunisia
- Cameroon
- Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- 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