Portal:Current events/2022 April 14

April 14, 2022 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Russo-Ukrainian War
- 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
  - April 2022 Belgorod and Bryansk attacks
    - Russian authorities say that they have temporarily evacuated the entire populations of two villages after Ukrainian forces allegedly shelled the Russian settlement of Spodaryushino in Belgorod Oblast. (Times of Israel)
    - Russia says that two Ukrainian helicopters "carried out at least six air strikes on residential buildings in the village of Klimovo" in Bryansk Oblast, injuring seven people. Ukraine denies the accusations, saying that Russians shot the villages themselves as part of a plan to "whip up anti-Ukrainian hysteria". (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) (Reuters)
  - 2022 Russia–Ukraine peace negotiations
    - Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu says that Turkey is still working on organizing a potential meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (APA.az)
  - The Russian defence ministry confirms that the Russian Navy flagship cruiser Moskva sank in the Black Sea after an explosion and fire onboard. Ukraine claims to have hit the warship with Neptune anti-ship missiles. (TASS) (RIA)
Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Seven Pakistani soldiers are killed in an ambush by alleged members of the TTP in a border area of North Waziristan District. (Al Jazeera)
At least 42 people are killed during attacks by Arab militiamen in the disputed area of Abyei between Sudan and South Sudan. (The Paradise)

Business and economy

Egypt–India relations
- Egypt's Minister of Agriculture El Sayed El Quseir announces that India has approved Egyptian imports of wheat due to the shortage caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Egypt Online)
Kazakhstan, at the same time, announced it would introduce quotas for wheat and flour exports. Russia will maintain its export ban on wheat, rye, barley and maize until 30 June in order to stabilise its domestic market. (RFE/RL)

Disasters and accidents

2022 Pacific typhoon season
- Storm Megi
  - The death toll from the floods and landslides caused by Tropical Storm Megi in the Philippines increases to 115. (Al Jazeera)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai
      - Shanghai reports a record 2,573 symptomatic cases and 25,146 new asymptomatic COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. (NBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic
    - Hong Kong authorities announce that they will ease some of their strict social distancing measures beginning on April 21, including lifting the ban on private gatherings of more than two households, extending dine-in service at restaurants to 10 p.m., and allowing the reopening of most premises, as the number of COVID-19 cases declines. (The Straits Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 testing in the United States
      - The U.S. FDA announces that they have approved the first test to detect COVID-19 through breathing. (The Hill)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 drug development
      - Health Canada authorizes the use of the AstraZeneca's antibody-based therapy Evushield for immunocompromised patients aged above 12 years. (CBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
  - COVID-19 vaccination in the United Kingdom
    - The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency grants the first European approval of the Valneva COVID-19 vaccine for people aged between 18 to 50 years. (BBC News)
    - The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency also approves the use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for people aged between 6 to 11 years. (Reuters)
- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide surpasses 500 million. (Al-Arabiya English)

International relations

Iran begins nuclear centrifuge production in Natanz, Isfahan province. (MSN)

Law and crime

2022 New York City Subway attack
- Frank James, the suspect of Tuesday's subway attack, is held without bail in a federal court. (MSN)
Abortion in the United States
- Abortion in Florida
  - Governor Ron DeSantis signs a bill banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy in most cases, a reduction from the current 24 weeks. Barring legal challenges, the bill is expected to enter into effect on July 1. (Politico)

Politics and elections

Politics in Singapore
- Finance Minister Lawrence Wong has been selected as leader of the fourth generation (4G) leadership of the People's Action Party (PAP), paving the way for him to become the next Prime Minister of Singapore. (TODAY)