The United Nations Security Council declares its concern about the war in Ethiopia's Tigray Region for the first time since the conflict began, particularly because of the use of sexual violence by security forces against civilian women and girls. The statement drafted by Ireland has been approved unanimously by the council.
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April 22, 2021 (Thursday)
3.1 minutes to read
Armed conflicts and attacks
Business and economy
Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association Chairman Akio Toyoda announces that the 2021 Tokyo Motor Show will be cancelled due to COVID-19. It is the first cancellation in the event's history.
Health and environment
The number of vaccines administered in the United Arab Emirates surpasses 10 million doses.
Belgium reports its first cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant in a group of Indian nursing students who travelled from Paris.
Spain surpasses 10 million people who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Canadian government announces that the country will ban all travel from India and Pakistan due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in those countries.
The U.S. surpasses 32 million cases of COVID-19.
The North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will begin its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, with around 60,000 doses arriving in Goma. This comes after the country's announcement that it will kick off uts own vaccination campaign by using AstraZeneca's vaccine.
International relations
The UK House of Commons unanimously passes a non-binding resolution condemning the internment of Uyghurs as genocide.
The Russian Defense Ministry announces that it will move its forces away from the Ukrainian border beginning tomorrow. Ukraine and its western allies accused Russia of trying to provoke conflict by moving troops to the border, while Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu claimed that it was only to conduct drills.
The United States hosts a two-day Leaders Summit on Climate and invites 40 world leaders to discuss the necessity of combating climate change and committing to reduce their nations' emissions. Due to quarantine protocols, the conference is virtual.
Law and crime
Letters with CETME rifle bullets are received by the Spanish Minister of the Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska, the leader of Podemos Pablo Iglesias and the general director of the Civil Guard MarĂa Gámez. The death threats are condemned by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
Three of the seven Catholic clergy who were kidnapped in Croix-des-Bouquets, Ouest, Haiti, on April 11 are released.
Demonstrations spread throughout Columbus the day after 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant was shot and killed by a Columbus police officer, demanding police accountability. During a vigil for Ma'Khia, local activist Hana Abdur Rahim called for the abolition of the police system.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier signs into law changes to the Infectious Diseases Protection Act that will give the federal government the power to impose "emergency brake" measures in areas where the infection rate exceeds certain levels. The signing comes after the Bundesrat gave its final approval for the controversial law.
Ahmad Al Aliwi Al-Issa, the suspect in last month's mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado, faces more than 40 additional charges in relation to the incident. The new charges include attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and using a high-capacity magazine, which is illegal in Colorado.
Politics and elections
The United States Senate votes 94–1 to pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act with bipartisan changes. The bill, which would expedite anti-Asian hate crime reviews to the U.S. Justice Department, will next head to the United States House of Representatives.
The United States House of Representatives votes 216–208 to pass a bill that would make Washington, D.C. the 51st state, with general support from Democrats and opposition from Republicans.
Science and technology
NASA's Perseverance rover successfully synthesizes breathable oxygen while on the surface of Mars. This demonstrates the feasibility of locally producing oxygen for human life support and propellant production.
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