ISIL militants raid the town of al-Saan in Salamiyah District, western Hama, kidnapping dozens of people, including eight soldiers. Several people are later released by the terror group, while one person is reportedly killed.
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April 7, 2021 (Wednesday)
3.5 minutes to read
Armed conflicts and attacks
Security forces open fire on anti-coup protesters, killing 15 people and wounding dozens more. A Chinese-owned garment factory in Yangon is also set on fire by a mob. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners says that the junta appears to be shifting its focus from the cities to rural areas, and is "losing control" of the country.
The death toll from tribal clashes, which started two days ago between Masalits and Arabs in Geneina, West Darfur, Sudan, increases to 87 people killed and 191 more wounded.
About 25 to 100 people have been killed in ongoing clashes between the Afar and Somali Regions of Ethiopia. Fighting had begun on Friday when the Somali Region's special forces attacked the areas of Haruk and Gewane using heavy weapons including machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.
Business and economy
The G20 finance ministers and central bank governors agree to extend the debt moratorium period for the least developed countries until December.
Disasters and accidents
At least 16 people are killed in a head-on collision between two buses near Caborca in the Mexican state of Sonora.
Health and environment
Castile and León suspends the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine until the European Medicines Agency's security report is published.
Bangladesh reports a record 7,626 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 659,278.
Belgium temporarily restricts the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine to people over 55 years old following a report from the European Medicines Agency that there is a "possible link" between the vaccine and very rare blood clotting cases.
Brazil reports its first case of the 501.V2 variant, which was originally detected in South Africa, in a person from SĂŁo Paulo.
The Ministry of Health restricts the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine to people over 60 years old following a report of a "possible link" with very rare blood clotting.
Thailand reports its first locally transmitted cases of the Lineage B.1.1.7 variant first detected in the United Kingdom. It found 24 cases in the Thong Lor cluster in Bangkok.
Bavaria signs a "preliminary contract" to purchase 2.5 million doses of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, which is subject to approval from the European Medicines Agency.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh orders the extension of the curfew from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. IST to the entire state, as well as banning all public gatherings, due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.
Estonia suspends the use of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine by people under 60 years old following a report of a possible link with cases of blood clotting.
The European Medicines Agency announces that blood clotting should be listed as a "very rare" side effect of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. It also insists that benefits of using the vaccine continue to outweigh the risks.
Argentina reports 22,039 new cases of COVID-19, a record for the second consecutive day. The country also reports 199 deaths. These numbers bring the total number of cases to more than 2.4 million and the total number of deaths to 56,833.
President Alberto Fernández announces a three-week curfew from midnight to 6:00 p.m. beginning from April 9 to April 30 amidst a record number of COVID-19 cases.
International relations
Myanmar's Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Kyaw Zwar Minn, is dismissed by a military attaché and locked out of the embassy in London. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab condemns the "bullying actions" but says the UK has accepted the change.
Law and crime
Politics and elections
Vera Bergkamp of the Democrats 66 party is elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives, becoming the first lesbian legislative speaker in the Dutch legislature.
The government formally repeals a 1913 law, which allows the government to censor or ban films, effectively outlawing film censorship in the country.
Sports
FIFA indefinitely bans Chad from all global football competitions, citing government interference in the country's football federation.
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