Portal Current events 2021 March 29

March 29, 2021 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
- The New Zealand Defence Force withdraws their troops from Afghanistan, ending New Zealand's involvement in the war. (Newshub)
Insurgency in the Maghreb
- Three soldiers are killed and seven others are wounded when two military posts are attacked in Kafolo and Téhini, Ivory Coast. Two attackers are also killed and four more are arrested. (Reuters)
2021–2022 Myanmar protests
- The United States suspends its diplomatic trade engagement with Myanmar, which sought to help integrate the country into the global economy, following an escalation in violence perpetrated by the Burmese military against anti-coup protesters, until what Katherine Tai says would be "the return of a democratically elected government." (CNN)

Disasters and accidents

2021 Balongan refinery explosion
- One person is dead, twenty others are injured, and three are missing after an explosion at the Pertamina oil refinery in Indramayu, West Java, Indonesia. (The Guardian)
2021 Suez Canal obstruction
- The grounded container ship Ever Given is refloated and towed north, allowing the Suez Canal to reopen. At least 369 ships are now waiting to pass through the canal. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - COVID-19 pandemic in England
      - Lockdown restrictions in England are relaxed as new COVID-19 laws enter force, formally ending the government's "stay at home" order, allowing the resumption of outdoor sports, and allowing people to meet in groups of up to six outdoors. (Sky News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Albania
    - Former Prime Minister and member of the Parliament Bashkim Fino dies from COVID-19 at the age of 58. (Balkans News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
    - President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announces that a full weekend lockdown will be put in place during Ramadan and that restaurants will only be able to offer delivery and takeout due to an increasing number of high-risk cities across the country. (Hurriyet Daily News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh
    - Bangladesh reports a record 5,181 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 600,895. This forces the government to impose further restrictions across the country. (Dhaka Tribune)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Kyrgyzstan
    - Kyrgyzstan begins its vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using China's Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV vaccine. (Barron's)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Mongolia
    - Mongolia reports a record 575 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 7,589. (AKI Press)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan
    - President Arif Alvi and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak both test positive for COVID-19. (The News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Philippines reports a record 10,016 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 731,894. (ABS-CBN News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 vaccination in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state)
      - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announces that the state will expand their vaccine eligibility to adults 30 and older beginning tomorrow, and to anyone aged 16 and older beginning on April 6. (The New York Times)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Texas
      - Texas expands their vaccine eligibility to all adults. (KTBC-TV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, Lineage B.1.1.7
  - Brisbane enters a three-day lockdown after a reported outbreak of the Lineage B.1.1.7 variant, with some minor lockdown measures extending to the rest of Queensland. (News.com.au)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Chile, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics
  - Due to the increase of cases in the country, President Sebastián Piñera introduces a constitutional reform to postpone the regional, local, and Constitutional Convention elections, scheduled for April 10 and 11. (La Tercera)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco
  - Morocco suspends all flights to Spain and France due to the worsening of the epidemiologic situation in Europe. (La Razón)

Law and crime

State v. Chauvin, Killing of George Floyd, George Floyd protests
- The murder trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin for his involvement in the killing of George Floyd begins in Hennepin County, Minnesota. A series of protests in the United States and around the world occurred in 2020 in response to the killing. (The Washington Post)
Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot
- A judge orders three men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to stand trial, after a three-day preliminary hearing. Threat of terrorism charges are dismissed against two of the defendants. (ABC News)
2020–2021 Belarusian protests
- Belarusian authorities charge opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya with terrorism for allegedly attempting to stage false flag bombings in the capital Minsk and Barysaw. (Euronews)
A court in Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany, sentences a 52-year-old man to nine years and 10 months in prison for removing several screws from high-speed rail tracks in a failed attempt to cause trains to derail. His motive was not established. (DW)
Russian anti-corruption activist and politician Ivan Zhdanov, head of the Anti-Corruption Foundation and an ally of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, accuses authorities of detaining his father in order to pressure him on his anti-government activities, including mass protests to call for the release of Navalny. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2021 Australian Parliament House sexual misconduct allegations
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces a reshuffle of his Cabinet in light of recent controversies. Michaelia Cash becomes Attorney-General and Industrial Relations Minister, replacing alleged rapist Christian Porter, who is instead made Industry, Science and Technology Minister. Peter Dutton becomes Leader of the House, replacing Porter and Defence Minister, replacing Linda Reynolds, who was criticised for her handling of a rape allegation among her ministerial staff. Reynolds is instead made Government Services Minister. (Sydney Morning Herald)
Presidency of Jair Bolsonaro
- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announces a Cabinet reshuffle, naming new Defence, Justice, and Foreign Ministers, as well as a new Attorney General, Secretary of Government and Chief of Staff amidst a rise of the COVID-19 cases and deaths, as well as the mismanagement of the government handling of the pandemic. Former Defence Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva allegedly resigned over pressure from Bolsonaro to make the Armed Forces publicly support him. (O Estado de S. Paulo) (O Estado de S. Paulo₂) (Al Jazeera)
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan removes Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh in light of rising inflation and Shaikh's defeat in the recent Senate elections. Minister of Industries and Production Hammad Azhar is selected to replace him. (Reuters)
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa calls on all members of the ruling African National Congress that are facing charges of corruption or other serious crimes to resign from their positions within 30 days and threatens to suspend those who do not comply. (Reuters)
The Houthi government in Sanaa, Yemen, deports several Yemenite Jewish families to the United Arab Emirates after reaching an agreement with the families to leave Yemen. Four elderly Yemenite Jews remain in the country. (Al Monitor)