Portal:Current events/2021 March 4

March 4, 2021 (2021-03-04) (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Tigray War
  • The United Nations calls on Ethiopia to grant them access to the Tigray region to investigate reports of mass murders and sexual violence that may amount to war crimes. (Al Jazeera)

Disasters and accidents

• A tsunami warning is issued following a powerful earthquake off the coast of New Zealand. (USA Today)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
      • COVID-19 vaccination in the Philippines
        • The Philippines receives its first shipment of 487,200 doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine supplied by COVAX initiative. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia
      • Prime Minister Hun Sen receives a dose of Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine supplied by COVAX initiative. (The Washington Post)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka
      • Sri Lanka's National Medicines Regulatory Authority approves the use of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, becoming the second vaccine to be available for general public. (The Hindu)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
      • The Robert Koch Institute's Standing Committee on Vaccination officially approves the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged over 65. (BBC)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary
      • The government orders all schools and non-essential shops in Hungary to close beginning from March 8 until March 22 (for non-essential shops) and April 7 (schools) amid the spread of COVID-19 infections in third wave. (Swiss Info)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
      • Ukraine reports their first two cases of Lineage B.1.1.7 variant first detected in the United Kingdom from Ivano-Frankivsk region. (UNIAN)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Lesotho
      • Lesotho receives the first batch consisting 36,000 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India through COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme. (SowetanLIVE)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe
      • Zimbabwe becomes the first country in Africa to approve India's first indigenous Covaxin vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech. (Hindustan Times)

Law and crime

• Twenty people are killed and others are feared dead after smugglers intentionally throw 80 migrants overboard during a voyage from Djibouti to Yemen. (Al Jazeera)

• Aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol
  • The United States Capitol Police request that the National Guard remain at the Capitol for 60 days in response to a possible second attack on the building. (ABC News)

Politics and elections

• Phantom Films and Income Tax Department
  • A raid by the Indian government's Income Tax Department has been going on for over 40 hours with regards to allegation of tax evasion by the founders of Phantom Films. The digital devices of all those being interrogated, which includes Anurag Kashyap, Taapsee Pannu, Vikas Bahl, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena have been seized for investigation. According to certain sources, the officials have uncovered huge amounts of tax evasion. (NDTV)
  • This incident has kicked off a storm in the political circles, with the Maha Vikas Aghadi and Rahul Gandhi throwing their weight behind the filmstars who are being interrogated, stating that the Bharatiya Janata Party is using all the arms of the government to stifle the voices of those who support the 2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest. (NDTV)
• The Troubles
  • The Loyalist Communities Council and other loyalist groups in Northern Ireland tell Prime Minister Boris Johnson that they are withdrawing support for the Good Friday Agreement in opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol. (DW)
• Italy's Democratic Party secretary Nicola Zingaretti resigns, citing infighting over government posts. (Reuters)

Sports

• Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan, 2021 Pakistan Super League
  • Pakistan suspends its Twenty20 cricket competition in the Pakistan Super League after seven players tested positive for COVID-19. (RFI)

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March 2021

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