Portal:Current events/2021 April 25

April 25, 2021 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- Afghan peace process
  - United States Army General Austin S. Miller announces that U.S. troops have started their withdrawal from Afghanistan. However, he also warned that Afghan security forces "must be ready" to take over. (Stars and Stripes)

Arts and culture

93rd Academy Awards
- Nomadland wins Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards. Nomadland director Chloé Zhao wins Best Director, the second woman to win this award. (The Guardian)
- Anthony Hopkins becomes the oldest person to win Best Actor for his role in The Father at 83. (The Guardian)
- South Korean actress Youn Yuh-jung wins Best Supporting Actress for Minari, becoming the first Korean to win in any of the acting categories. (The Korean Herald)

Businesses and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
- The Italian government signs a large package of investment and reforms that will be financed by the European Union’s €800 billion recovery fund, of which the country received €191.5 billion including €69 billion of grants. (Bloomberg News)

Disasters and accidents

KRI Nanggala (402)
- Indonesian authorities say that the navy submarine that sunk off the coast of Bali was found split into three parts in the ocean. It comes after officials received signals from a location of 838 m (2,749 ft). The authorities also say that the 53 crew members are confirmed dead. (The Wall Street Journal)
Baghdad hospital fire
- Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi suspends his health minister and the Governor of Baghdad, who will both be probed on the fire. (Anadolu Agency)
Incidents at European amusement parks
- Riders are forced to climb down the top of the lift hill on the Big One roller coaster at the Blackpool Pleasure Beach after it broke down. (Blackpool Gazette)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi, COVID-19 lockdown in India
      - Delhi extends its lockdown until May 3 amid a record breaking increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. (NDTV)
    - India reports 349,691 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is a world record for the fourth consecutive day, thereby bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 16.9 million. The country also reports a record 2,767 deaths in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 192,311. (CNN)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal
    - Nepal surpasses 300,000 cases of COVID-19. (The Himalayan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
    - Thailand reports a record 11 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 140. (Bangkok Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece, Lineage B.1.617
    - Greece reports its first two cases of the Lineage B.1.617 variant first detected in India. (Greek Reporter)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
    - Italy bans anyone who had travelled to India within the past 14 days from entering the country in order to reduce the spread of the Lineage B.1.617 variant. (The Hill)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt
  - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji
  - The Fijian Health Ministry announces the introduction of containment zones in Lami, Suva, and Nausori beginning tomorrow at 4:00 a.m. for 14 days after four community cases were detected. (Fiji Times)

International relations

India–United States relations, Deployment of COVID-19 vaccines, COVID-19 pandemic in India
- NIAID director Anthony Fauci says that the United States will consider sending unused vaccines and medical aid to India to help them combat their COVID-19 outbreak. (The New Indian Express) (Bloomberg News)
- U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announces that the country will send medical aid to India as it deals with a surge in cases. (Politico)

Law and crime

Killing of Sarah Halimi
- Thousands of people march in protest in Paris and several other cities around the world after the French Court of Cassation announces that the accused murderer of Lucie Attal, also known as Sarah Halimi, would not be taken to trial, as they judged that the incident had occurred while the suspect was in the midst of a cannabis-induced "delusional fit", which therefore rendered them not culpable in the killing. (The Guardian)

Politics and elections

2021 Albanian parliamentary election
- Voters in Albania go to the polls to elect a new parliament. (Al Jazeera English)