Portal:Current events/September 2020

This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from September 2020.

September 1, 2020 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- September 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - At least three Afghan security forces members are killed and five more injured when gunmen storm their compound in the city of Gardez in Paktia Province. The Taliban claims responsibility for the attack. (TOLOnews)

Arts and culture

French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo announces it will republish caricatures depicting Muhammad that sparked violent protests, ahead of a trial of suspected perpetrators of the mass shooting in January 2015 scheduled the following day. (The Brussels Times)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 recession
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
  - The Brazilian economy officially enters a recession after the country's statistics institute reported a 9.7% decline of its gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter, which is the second consecutive quarter of a decline in its GDP. It is Brazil's largest quarterly drop since 1996. (AP via Taiwan News) (Financial Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - German economic minister Peter Altmaier reports that the country's economy is facing an "unexpected" V-shaped recovery with its GDP currently forecasted to decline by 5.8% in 2020, in contrast to an earlier projection of a 6.3% decline. (AFP via Malay Mail)
  - The Eurostat reports that consumer prices in the Eurozone have deflated from 0.4% in July to -0.2% in August, the bloc's first deflation since May 2016. (AFP via Rappler)
McDonald's litigation
- American fast food company McDonald's is sued by 50 black owners for racial discrimination. According to the lawsuit, McDonald's steered black franchisees to stores which had lower revenue and higher security expenses than stores in more affluent areas. (AP)
Zimbabwe says it will return land that was seized from foreigners between 2000 and 2001, saying foreign citizens who had their land seized, mostly Dutch, British and German nationals, could now apply to get it back. The government says black farmers who received land under the controversial land reform programme would now be moved to allow the former owners "to regain possession". (BBC News)
American social media service Facebook announces it may block Australian users from sharing both local and international news stories on its platform, should the Australian government enact legislation that would require technology companies in the country to pay local news organisations. (The Japan Today)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa
      - The city council of Ames, Iowa passes a mask mandate with a vote of 5-1. The decision came after the New York Times named the city as a COVID-19 hotspot. (The Ames Tribune)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Belize
    - The number of cases in Belize reaches past 1,000. (The Jamaica Observer)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
    - The number of cases in Mexico reaches past 600,000. The death toll in the country reaches to 65,241. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - Due to some recent spikes in cases, authorities delay the schools' reopening to September 14 in order to allow time for vacationers to return to big cities to limit the movement of asymptomatic people. Students and teachers are told to wear face masks, which will be handed out for free to both public and private schools. (Anadolu Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
    - The total number of confirmed cases in Russia passes one million, after 4,729 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours. (AP via CTV News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
  - The United Arab Emirates reports 574 cases, marking a second consecutive day in which the country recorded over 500 new cases. (Reuters)

International relations

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Costa Rica, COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - Costa Rica reopens their borders to Americans from 11 states and Washington, D.C.. On September 15, Americans traveling from Colorado, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania will be allowed to enter the country. However, American travelers will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter. (The Hill)
2020 China–India skirmishes
- The Embassy of China in India accuses the Indian Armed Forces of "conducting flagrant provocations" along the Line of Actual Control near the disputed Pangong Lake in Ladakh. The statement comes a day after the Indian defence ministry accuses China's People's Liberation Army of militarising along the same area, to which the Chinese foreign ministry denied. (CNN)

Law and crime

COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Eviction in the United States
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues an order temporarily halting residential evictions on public health grounds, with the goal of slowing the spread of the COVID-19. The order lasts through December 31 and applies to individual renters earning no more than $99,000 in annual income. (Newsmax)
Shooting of Dijon Kizzee
- Protests in Los Angeles continued for a second night following the police shooting of Dijon Kizzee, 29, who Los Angeles Police Department officers say was riding a bike in "violation of vehicle codes". (Forbes)
Pakistan's telecommunication authority blocks the usage of online dating applications Grindr, SayHi, Skout, Tagged and Tinder within the country, citing "the negative effects of immoral/indecent content streaming" to Pakistani users. (CNN)

Politics and elections

2020 Bougainvillean general election
- The general election of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville concludes. It began August 12 and lasted three weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results are expected to be announced mid-September. (RNZ) (RNZ₂)
Proposed second Scottish independence referendum
- Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announces that her party will draft legislation for a new referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom before Scotland's parliament election next year. (Reuters)
Politics of the Solomon Islands, One-China policy
- Malaita Province Premier Daniel Suidani announces an independence referendum to potentially secede from the Solomon Islands due to growing tensions over the central government's diplomatic switch to China and a recent incident where Taiwanese medical supplies were seized by the government. (RNZ) (Reuters)

Science and technology

Russian interference in the 2020 United States elections
- Facebook says it has discovered a Russian influence campaign based in Saint Petersburg called Peace Data on the site which targeted left-wing voters in the United States and United Kingdom, by recruiting freelance journalists to write English-language articles concerning domestic politics, racial and political tensions, and criticism of President Donald Trump and his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden. Twitter says it has suspended five accounts related to the Russian campaign. (Reuters)
Norwegian parliament director Marianne Andreassen reveals in a press conference that several members of the Storting, and some employees, had their email accounts hacked last week. She did not name who was responsible. (Forbes)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- 2020 NFL season
  - The National Football League will require all coaches and staff in bench areas to wear masks. (USA Today)

September 2, 2020 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Boko Haram insurgency
- Seven people are dead and 14 others injured after a Boko Haram suicide bomber blew himself up at a village hosting internally displaced people in Far North, Cameroon. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

Changes made due to the George Floyd protests
- The BBC reverses its controversial decision to ban the songs "Rule, Britannia!" and "Land of Hope and Glory" from the 2020 Last Night of the Proms over concerns over their links to colonialism and slavery. Critics of the songs, including Chi-chi Nwanoku and Gareth Malone, say the songs are "outdated" and glorify racism. (BBC News)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 recession
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - The economy officially enters a recession for the first time since 1991 after the Bureau of Statistics reports a 7% decline in GDP over the second quarter, the largest fall since records began in 1959. (9 News)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Tropical Storm Nana is expected to strengthen into a strong tropical storm before it makes landfall in Belize tomorrow. (The Sun-Sentinel)
- Hurricane warnings are issued on Belize's coast in case hurricane-force winds are present. (The Weather Channel)
MV Wakashio oil spill
- Mauritius asks Japan to pay $34 million in reparations for the disaster and demands the money to "support local fishermen whose livelihoods were adversely impacted by an oil leak last month", according to a Mauritian government document. (DW)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota
    - Bloomington-based HealthPartners announces that they are seeking 1,500 patients for the phase 3 trials for AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine. (The Star-Tribune)
    - Minnesota reports the first death tied to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, which drew hundreds of thousands of bikers despite COVID-19 concerns. The patient was a male biker in his 60s. At least 50 cases in Minnesota have been linked to Sturgis. (CBS News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa
    - Cedar Rapids mayor Brad Hart issues a mask mandate for the city as Iowa becomes one of the leading states in rising COVID-19 cases. (The Cedar Rapids Gazette)
  - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requests state governments for their assistance to dispatch an unspecified, potential COVID-19 vaccine to local wholesalers by November 1. (AFP via The Philippine Star)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - Greece reports the first case in its largest refugee camp, located on the island of Lesbos. (AFP via Manila Bulletin)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi tests positive for COVID-19. He is expected to self-isolate at his home near Milan. (Sky News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia
    - Slovenia registers its highest number of new cases since April 1, with 55 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. (RTVSLO)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom reports 1,508 cases, an increase from 1,295 yesterday. Some lockdowns are re-imposed in Greater Manchester. (The Guardian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - The government considers providing free COVID-19 vaccines for all citizens. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Kyrgyzstan
    - The number of cases in Kyrgyzstan reaches past 44,000. (Xinhuanet)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
    - Thailand marks 100 days without new COVID-19 cases. (The Hill)

International relations

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives
  - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs tightens the country's visa policy for tourists, requiring all tourists to present a negative test result, after it was reported that at least 45 people at several of the country's resorts have contracted the virus. (CNA)
- The Taiwanese foreign ministry unveils a new design to the country's passport cover after claiming that the current design has led foreign governments into mistakenly imposing COVID-19 pandemic-related travel restrictions intended for mainland Chinese citizens on Taiwanese citizens. (DW)
2020 China–India skirmishes, Internet censorship in India
- India bans 118 apps linked to Chinese companies including popular Tencent-backed video game PUBG Mobile, stating they are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India". (Bloomberg)
China–United States relations
- United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces new restrictions on senior Chinese diplomats visiting the U.S., requiring them to secure an approval from U.S. authorities to meet with local government officials or to visit universities and colleges in the country. Pompeo describes the restrictions as a "reciprocal move" after the Chinese government had imposed similar restrictions on U.S. officials. (Kyodo News via The Mainichi)
Saudi Arabia–United Arab Emirates relations
- Saudi Arabia opens its airspace to all flights between the United Arab Emirates and "all countries", upon the request of the Emirati government. The move comes days after Israel and the United Arab Emirates restored diplomatic ties and Israeli flag carrier El Al commenced commercial flights to the UAE. Saudi Arabia still maintains a policy of neither maintaining diplomatic ties nor recognising Israel, and does not allow Israeli aircraft to fly in Saudi Arabian airspace under any other circumstances. (AFP via CNA)
The United States places sanctions on several senior officials in the International Criminal Court, including Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, for launching an investigation into allegations of American war crimes in the current Afghanistan war. (BBC News)

Law and crime

Capital punishment in Saudi Arabia, aftermath of the 2014 al-Dalwah attack
- Saudi Arabia sentences seven ISIL militants to death over a 2014 mass shooting that killed eight Shiite Muslims near the city of al-Ahsa. Three other convicts were given 25-year jail sentences. (Reuters)
Aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo shooting
- Fourteen people are on trial in France for their involvement in the 2015 attack on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Three are being tried in absentia. (BBC News)
Global surveillance disclosures (2013–present)
- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rules that the global surveillance programs of the National Security Agency disclosed by former Central Intelligence Agency employee Edward Snowden in 2013 are unconstitutional, having violated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. (AAP via The Canberra Times) (DW)
Eight people are killed and 14 others injured after gunmen open fire on a group of people gathered to mourn the death of a youth who was killed in a motorcycle accident in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. (BBC News)
Kang Kek Iew (better known as Comrade Duch), former Khmer Rouge leader and convicted war criminal, dies in a Phnom Penh hospital at age 77. (The New York Times)
Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin'ono is granted bail after being arrested for more than a month on charges of inciting public violence over tweeting in support of anti-government protests. (The Telegraph)

Politics and elections

Poisoning of Alexei Navalny
- The German government reports it has "unequivocal evidence" to confirm the poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny by a Novichok agent, according to tests conducted by a Bundeswehr-run laboratory. Chancellor Angela Merkel calls Navalny "a victim of attempted murder". (CNBC) (NPR)
The Royal Thai Government Gazette reports that Thai King Vajiralongkorn restored the rank and titles of former royal consort Sineenat Bilaskalayani. Her titles were stripped last October after the court accused her of disobedience and trying to raise herself to "the same state as the queen". (BBC News)

September 3, 2020 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- September 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - A mine explosion killed at least three people and left another injured in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. (TOLOnews)
Sudanese conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile
- Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdelaziz al-Hilu, the leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM–N), sign an agreement to transition the country into a secular state. The agreement comes three days after the signing of a peace deal between Sudan's transitional government and the Sudan Revolutionary Front, to which the SPLM–N opted out of. (Anadolu Agency)
Boko Haram insurgency
- Twenty Nigerian soldiers are killed after Boko Haram militants attacks two military positions in Borno, Nigeria. (Sahara Reports)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Nana
  - Tropical Storm Nana strengthens into a hurricane as it is expected to make landfall overnight in Belize. (ABC News)
  - Hurricane Nana makes landfall and downgrades to a tropical storm. (WINK-TV)
- Hurricane Laura
  - The death toll from Hurricane Laura in Louisiana increases to 17. Eight of the deaths were linked to carbon monoxide poisoning. (brproud.com) (People)
2020 Pacific typhoon season
- Typhoon Maysak, the strongest typhoon of the season, makes landfall along the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula, southwest of Busan, South Korea. (UPI)
- Panamanian-flagged cargo ship Gulf Livestock 1 with 43 crew members and thousands of cattle onboard is reported missing in the East China Sea. The Japan Coast Guard says it has found one person drifting in rough waters in a lifejacket. A distress signal was sent from the ship shortly before disappearing. (BBC News)
A second fire breaks out on board the oil ship MT New Diamond off the coast of Sri Lanka. The ship departed a port in Ahmadi Governorate, Kuwait, and was headed to the port of Paradeep in India. Authorities fear the 2 million barrels of oil could cause an "environmental disaster". Russian ships depart to assist and one out of the 23 crew was missing following the incident. (Reuters via Al Arabiya)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports a record daily jump of 83,883 cases. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports a record daily jump of 3,622 new cases in the last 24 hours. Of those new cases, 1,359 are from Jakarta, which also reports the highest single day increase in new cases. (detikHealth)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
    - Thailand reports their first case after a streak of 100 days without new cases. (Bloomberg.com)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla says that the vaccine trials for Pfizer might have results by October. (CNBC)
  - GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi announces that they will start vaccine trials. (BBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - The United States Department of Defense says that the United States military will choose five treatment facilities to carry advanced testing phases for AstraZeneca and other vaccine trials. (UrduPoint)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
  - The number of cases in Brazil passes 4 million. (Reuters)
2020 wildfire season, Climate change in the Arctic
- The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service reports that the Arctic Circle has experienced its worst wildfire season on record after the service released data indicating that a series of wildfires occurring in the first half of 2020, mostly in the Russian republic of Sakha, have emitted more than 244 million tons of carbon dioxide. The emissions within that period have increased by more than a third of carbon emissions in the whole of 2019. (Bloomberg) (CNN)
Public Health England reports that the country last year had the most cases of gonorrhea since records began more than 100 years ago, at 70,936 reported cases. Those aged 20–25 had the largest increase, at 28% between 2018 and 2019. (BBC News)

International relations

Bahrain–United Arab Emirates relations
- Bahrain's Civil Aviation Affairs grants first freedom rights to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), allowing flights between the UAE and any country to enter Bahraini airspace. Bahrain follows Saudi Arabia in granting such rights to the UAE, which the latter did two days prior following the establishment of diplomatic ties between Israel and the UAE. Like Saudi Arabia and most Arab states, Bahrain currently does not maintain any official relations with Israel nor recognises it. (Arab News) (Reuters)
United Nations Secretary General António Guterres urges Japan and other wealthy nations to give up on their reliance on fossil fuels and invest in green energy. Guterres noted that many countries are using green energy to keep global warming at 1.5 °C (2.7 °F). (AP)

Law and crime

Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal
- Protesters and riot police clash in the city of Lalitpur over the ban of outdoors public events amid a religious festival. The government had previously banned public gatherings as the country records a total of 42,877 cases. (AP)
Murder of Ján Kuciak
- A Bratislava court acquits Slovak businessman Marián Kočner for ordering the murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová in February 2018. The court rules the lack of evidence to convict Kočner. (DW)
Vitoria massacre
- Former Deputy Prime Minister of Spain Rodolfo Martín Villa declares before the Argentine courts accused of genocide and crimes against humanity for the role of the police during his tenure as Minister of the Interior between 1976 and 1979, especially for the Vitoria massacre in 1976. (20 minutos)
2020 Solingen killings
- Five children who were siblings are found dead in their apartment in Solingen, NRW, Germany. Their elder brother survived. Their mother, who is injured after throwing herself in front of a train in Düsseldorf, is suspected of the killings. (BBC News)
2020–2021 United States racial unrest
- Killings of Aaron Danielson and Michael Reinoehl
  - Michael Reinoehl, who was accused of killing Patriot Prayer activist Aaron Danielson, is shot dead by police during arrest. ( The New York Times)
- Killing of Daniel Prude
  - Rochester police made another round of arrests during protests that at times, turned violent. Protesters gathered and chanted near the Public Safety Building, and tensions began rising around 10:30 p.m. with police deploying pepper spray and pepper balls multiple times in a 10-minute span. (spectrum local news)
A Hong Kong court acquits pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai of criminal intimidation on a 2017 charge. This verdict comes after his high-profile arrest last month under the new national security law. (Reuters)
Kuwait swears in eight female judges, being the first Gulf country to do so. The women were among 54 judges sworn into the Supreme Court. (AFP via AL Arabiya)

Politics and elections

2020 Jamaican general election
- Jamaicans head to the polls the elect a new parliament amid a surge of COVID-19 infections. Prime Minister Andrew Holness of the Labour Party is among the candidates. (BBC News)
- The Jamaica Labour Party wins 49 of 63 seats in a landslide victory, marking the first time that the party has won consecutive general elections since 1967. (VOA)
2020 Bulgarian protests
- Protests in Bulgaria turn violent for the first time, as protesting crowds attempt to storm the nation's parliament, leading to a night of fighting between demonstrators and security forces. (DW)

Science and technology

The skeletons of 200 mammoths, 25 camels, and five horses are unearthed at a construction site for the Mexico City Santa Lucía Airport. It surpasses Mammoth Site, Hot Springs, South Dakota, United States as the largest find of mammoth bones, which had 61 skeletons. (Los Angeles Times)

September 4, 2020 (Friday)

Business and economy

The La Línea highway tunnel is opened in Colombia after 14 years of construction and several delays. It is the longest road tunnel in South America at 8.65 kilometres (5.37 miles). (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Two people in Vernon Parish, Louisiana and five in Texas die during Hurricane Laura, bringing the national death toll to 27. The two people in Louisiana died due to heat-related illness while removing debris. (KLFY) (NBC News)
2020 Pacific typhoon season
- Typhoon Maysak
  - Rescuers find a second survivor from the presumed wreck of the Panamanian-flagged cargo ship Gulf Livestock 1. A body was also pulled from the East China Sea. (News.com.au)
2020 California wildfires
- The Big Basin Redwoods State Park is expected to close for a year due to damage caused by the CZU Lightning Complex fires. (USA Today)
The MT New Diamond is towed out of sea off the coast of Sri Lanka amid major fears of a massive oil spill after the ship caught fire yesterday, killing one Filipino crewman. The Panamanian-registered ship carries about 270,000 tonnes of crude oil. The government of the Maldives has expressed worry, with a presidential minister saying that the country needs to take all precautions to prevent oil from reaching its shores. (BBC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France, COVID-19 pandemic in Réunion, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education
    - Education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer announces that 22 schools across metropolitan France and the overseas department of Réunion are closed again, only two days after the reopening of schools across the country, in response to rising cases and protests from parents and teachers' unions. (Sky News)
    - The health ministry reports 8,975 new cases in the last 24 hours, setting a new all-time record for France since the beginning of pandemic. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia, COVID-19 vaccine
    - A study shows that the Gam-COVID-Vac, Russia's COVID-19 vaccine, has produced an antibody response with no serious side effects in a small trial. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
    - The Czech Republic records 798 cases, marking the first time the country reported over 700 cases. (devdiscourse.com)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
  - The death toll in Iran exceeds 22,000. (Al Arabiya)
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
  - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern extends the Alert Level 2.5 restrictions on Auckland until at least September 14, while the rest of the country remains under Alert Level 2, after the health ministry reported the first COVID-19 death in New Zealand since May. (Reuters via The Straits Times)
  - Former Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Joe Williams, aged 85, becomes the second COVID-19 death in 24 hours. (NZ Herald)
A person is dead and sixteen others tested positive during a legionella outbreak in Busto Arsizio, Italy. (Il Fatto Quotidiano)

International relations

2020 Kosovo–Serbia agreement, Kosovo–Serbia relations
- Kosovo and Serbia announce that they will normalize economic relations. (Daily Sabah)
Israel–Kosovo relations, Israel–Serbia relations
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces that Kosovo and Serbia will open their embassies in disputed Jerusalem, recognizing the city as Israel's capital. Netanyahu says Kosovo is the first Muslim-majority country to do so. Until this day, only the United States and Guatemala have moved their embassies to Jerusalem, a move that Palestinians reject. (Reuters)
Nuclear program of Iran
- The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that Iran has stockpiled 2,105 kilograms (4,641 lb) of enriched uranium, violating the 300 kilograms (660 lb) limit under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. (DW)
China–Malaysia relations
- Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof announces that Uyghur refugees in the country will not be extradited back to China, but permitted to use Malaysia as a safe passage to a third country. (Reuters)
Palau–United States relations
- It is revealed that Palau urged the United States to build joint-use military facilities in the country, a move seen as a push back against Chinese influence in the Pacific. Palauan President Tommy Remengesau Jr. made the request in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, who visited the island country last week. (CNA) (RNZ)
2020 Belarusian protests, Foreign relations of Belarus
- Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya calls for the United Nations Security Council to stop human rights abuse in her country. (VOANews)

Law and crime

Football Leaks
- Rui Pinto begins his trial at the Central Criminal Procedure Court in Lisbon, Portugal, on charges of attempted qualified extortion, violation of secrecy, and illegally accessing information for leaking financial transactions within European association football. (Al Jazeera)
United States v. Guzmán
- Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit against his life imprisonment sentence handed down by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in July 2019. Guzmán's lawyer claims that his maximum-security isolation at the Metropolitan Correctional Center following his extradition to the United States in January 2017 made him heavily unaware about his case and limited his ability to participate in his defense. (AFP via NDTV)
Killing of Daniel Prude
- Protests over a fatal police encounter in Rochester, New York began peacefully but ended with authorities using tear gas and pepper balls following incidents of vandalism and violence. It was the third straight night of protests after video was released earlier in the week showing Rochester Police Department officers holding Daniel Prude on the ground with a spit sock on his head in March. Prude stopped breathing and was declared brain dead at a hospital. (CNN)

Politics and elections

George Floyd protests in Portland, Oregon
- American social media service Facebook deletes pages associated with the Portland, Oregon-based far-right group Patriot Prayer and its founder, Joey Gibson, citing efforts to remove "violent social militias" from its platform. (The Guardian)
Former Prime Minister of Australia Tony Abbott is appointed as an adviser to the United Kingdom's Board of Trade. (Reuters)

Sports

2020 Diamond League
- British long-distance runner Mo Farah and Dutch long-distance runner Sifan Hassan break the world record for most distance covered in one hour for men and women respectively, by running 21.330 kilometres (13.254 miles) and 18.930 kilometres (11.763 miles) during the Brussels meet. (BBC Sport)

September 5, 2020 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Mali War
- Operation Barkhane
  - Ten Malian soldiers are killed during an ambush in Nara, Koulikoro, Mali. The attackers placed mines, which caused explosions after the army's vehicle passed, and then opened fire against the soldiers. (Koaci)
  - Two French soldiers are killed when their armoured vehicle hits an IED in Kidal Region. (France 24)
Somali Civil War
- Clashes between armed civilians and Al-Shabaab militants leaves 14 civilians and 16 militants dead in Galmudug, central Somalia. They began when the Islamist militants demanded villagers surrender their weapons and livestock. (Al Jazeera)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Pacific typhoon season
- Typhoon Haishen approaches Japan, threatening the coasts of Okinawa and the island of Kyushu. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says the government is setting up a crisis response team and urges people to take precautions. Officials compare the typhoon to Typhoon Vera, which in 1959 killed more than 5,000 people. (ABC News)
- The Rodong Sinmun reports that the North Korean government has "punished" local officials for failing to evacuate residents amid the landfall of Typhoon Maysak, resulting in a "serious incident" involving numerous casualties. (Kyodo News)
2020 California wildfires
- The El Dorado Fire grows to 800 acres (320 ha), prompting emergency evacuations in Oak Glen, Mountain Home Village, Yucaipa, and Forest Falls. (Fox News) (The Desert-Sun)
- The Pacific Gas and Electric Company warns customers that power could be shut off in some areas of California due to extreme weather and high winds. (The Mercury News)
2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Two more people in Louisiana die from Hurricane Laura, bringing the statewide death toll to 25. A 52-year old man in Grant Parish died from heat-related illness while removing storm debris, and a 25-year old man in Natchitoches Parish died from electrocution. (Time)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education
    - COVID-19 pandemic in New York
      - More than 20 students at New York University are suspended for violating their COVID-19 policies. (NBC News)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts
      - Northeastern University dismisses 11 students for violating COVID-19 guidelines. (CBS News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hawaii
    - Hawaii County closes their beaches and shoreline parks through September 19 in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. (The Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi
      - Delhi records 2,973 cases, the city's highest since June 26. (The Times of India)
    - India surpasses four million cases after reporting 86,432 new infections in the past 24 hours. The health ministry also reports 1,089 deaths for a total of 69,561. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
    - Schools, including Islamic seminaries, reopen to some 15 million students after a seven-month closure. (AAP via The Canberra Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - 510 cases in South Korea are linked to anti-government protests. (CNN)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
  - South Africa is expected to begin a trial of the NVX-CoV2373, a vaccine candidate produced by Novavax. Around 2,904 volunteers are expected to be selected, who are aged from 18 to 64 years. (MyJoyOnline)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
  - Portugal reports 486 cases, their biggest increase since their lockdown was lifted in May. (Reuters)
Climate movement
- Environmental activists of the Extinction Rebellion movement in England gather around several printing presses used by the Rupert Murdoch-owned publishing company News Corp in the towns of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and Knowsley, Merseyside, criticising the coverage of global warming by News Corp-owned newspapers. At least 34 protesters are arrested, while the protests lead to delays in the dissemination of the newspapers. (DW) (Reuters via The Sydney Morning Herald)

Law and crime

Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Twenty unmasked protesters are arrested during anti-lockdown protests at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. (SBS)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
  - Israelis protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his response to the outbreak as cases increase in the country, as well as calling for his resignation. (ABC News)
2020 Belarusian protests
- Opposition activist Olga Kovalkova flees to Poland after her release from prison. Kovalkova reported that authorities warned her of further arrests if she did not leave the country. Kovalkova had been sentenced to 10 days in prison on August 25. (Reuters)
Killing of Daniel Prude
- The fourth night of protests in Rochester, New York, over the death of Daniel Prude, becomes the largest so far, and again it ends with pepper balls, tear gas, and fireworks. Rochester Police Department arrests nine people, including two on felony charges. Three officers are also treated at the hospital for injuries. A U-Haul truck is set on fire in a parking lot before firefighters arrive to put it out. (The Democrat & Chronicle)

Sports

2020 Kentucky Derby
- The 146th Kentucky Derby is held after being delayed for four months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In an upset, racehorse Authentic wins the Derby over the favored Tiz the Law, precluding the latter's chances of winning this year's Triple Crown. (The Washington Post) (WLKY-TV)

September 6, 2020 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- September 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - Ten Taliban militants are killed during an attack against security forces in Kandahar. No casualties in the security forces side are reported. (Tolo News)
Insurgency in the Maghreb
- A policeman is killed and another injured during a ramming-stabbing attack in Sousse, Tunisia. The three attackers are later killed in a gunfight with other officers. (Reuters)
Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
- Saudi state news agency SPA reports that they downed an explosives-laden drone launched against the southern territory by the Houthis. A Houthi military spokesman says that they targeted Abha International Airport and other sites which were "accurately hit". (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2020 California wildfires
- Over 200 people are airlifted to safety after wildfires break out at the Sierra National Forest. (The Chicago Tribune)
- Evacuations are issued in San Diego County, California, after the Valley Fire, which was ignited southeast of Alpine, reaches 4,000 acres and consumes 10 structures. (East Bay Times)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports 90,632 cases, setting a record for a one-day tally of new cases. (Portland Press Herald)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
    - The United Arab Emirates reports their highest recoveries of COVID-19 cases with 2,443 cases. (Gulf News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - The government designates 28 mainland and overseas departments as "red zones" as the nation's test positivity rate increased to 4.7 per cent. (CNA)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Isle of Man
    - The Isle of Man reports a new case after 108 days of no new cases. This comes after a resident returning to the island tested positive. (ITV)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
      - 208 new cases are confirmed in Scotland in the past 24 hours, the highest level since May. (BBC News)
    - The United Kingdom reports 2,988 new confirmed cases in 24 hours, their highest since May 23. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns
  - Victorian premier Daniel Andrews extends stage four restrictions in Melbourne, including a nighttime curfew for two weeks until September 28. The curfew, travel limits, and some other elements of stage four will then remain in place until October 26. (The Guardian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in New York
    - The number of hospitalizations in New York drops to 410, their lowest since March 16. (Times Union)

International relations

Post-Brexit United Kingdom relations with the European Union
- Trade negotiation between the UK and the EU
  - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces October 15, 2020, as the deadline for a post-Brexit trade agreement with the European Union. (CGTN)
Aegean dispute, Cyprus dispute
- The Turkish Armed Forces launches joint military exercises with the Security Forces Command of Northern Cyprus amid ongoing territorial disputes in the eastern Mediterranean. (CGTN)

Law and crime

2020–2021 United States racial unrest, George Floyd protests in Portland, Oregon
- Hundreds of people protested against police violence and racial injustice in Portland, Oregon in demonstrations that have now lasted over 100 days since George Floyd was killed. Molotov cocktails were thrown in the street sparking a large fire and prompting police to declare a riot. Tear gas was again deployed to clear protesters. (CP24)
2019–20 Hong Kong protests
- At least 90 people are arrested in protests against the postponement of the 2020 Hong Kong legislative election. Among the arrested are vice-convener of the Civil Human Rights Front Figo Chan as well as League of Social Democrats (LSD) Leung Kwok-hung and Raphael Wong. Three other members of the LSD are fined for breaching a social gathering cap: Tsang Kin-shing, Jimmy Sham and Chan Po-ying. (The Standard) (Reuters)
One person is killed and seven others injured during a series of stabbings in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The attacks are carried out by a single perpetrator, who is hunted by police. The motive is currently unknown. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian protests
- Over 100,000 people protest in Minsk calling for President Alexander Lukashenko to resign. (ABC News)

September 7, 2020 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- September 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - An explosion occurs in Zhari District, Kandahar, when a motorcycle hits a mine. One person is killed and another injured. (Tolo News)
  - During clashes between the Taliban and security forces in Faryab, 22 militants are killed and 24 others are injured. (Tolo News)
Somali Civil War
- Three Somali special forces officers are killed and one U.S. officer seriously wounded when a car bomb explodes outside a special force base in an attack in the country's south, in a village some 60 km (around 40 miles) from the port city of Kismayo. Jihadist group al-Shabaab claims responsibility, saying it "killed U.S. personnel". (Reuters)

Arts and culture

A shipwreck discovered in the Norwegian trench in April 2017 is confirmed to be that of the German cruiser Karlsruhe, according to Norwegian power grid operator Statnett and a maritime archaeologist. The cruiser was sunk by a British Royal Navy submarine on April 9, 1940, during the opening stages of Operation Weserübung. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Argentine debt restructuring
- S&P Global Ratings upgrades Argentina's long term sovereign-credit rating to "CCC+" from "SD" citing the end of prolonged foreign and local law foreign currency debt restructurings, effectively pulling the country out of default territory after the country successfully restructured over $100 billion in sovereign debt. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Sudan floods
- Sudan declares a state of emergency after unprecedented flooding kills at least 99 people and leaves over 100,000 people homeless. The floods are the worst on record in Sudan since 1988, while the Nile has risen to its highest levels in a century. (The Guardian)
2020 California wildfires
- The United States Forest Service announces that forests in California will close after wildfires reach two million acres. (ABC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois
    - The number of cases in Illinois exceeds 250,000. (The Chicago Sun-Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Florida
    - The Florida Department of Health reports 1,838 cases in 24 hours, the state's lowest since June 15. (The Miami Herald)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces a deal with CSL Limited to secure access to the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and receive the first batches of the potential vaccine in January. (HuffPost) (The Straits Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
  - India surpasses Brazil as the country with the second-most cases in the world, behind the United States. India reported 90,802 cases in the past 24 hours and 1,016 deaths, recording the single largest increase of cases in the world in almost a month. (AP)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
  - Spain becomes the first Western European and European Union country to surpass 500,000 cases. (ABC.es) (The Guardian)

International relations

India–Russia relations, COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
- Russia says that they will begin phase 3 clinical trials of their Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine in India later this month. (India.com)
Aftermath of the 2020 Malian coup d'état
- At a summit in Niamey, Niger, regional bloc ECOWAS gives the Malian military rulers a deadline of September 15 to appoint a new civilian President and Prime Minister. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

2020 Belarusian protests
- Prominent opposition figure and activist Maria Kalesnikava is taken away by masked men in Minsk and bundled into a van. Police say that they did not detain her. (DW)
Killing of Jennifer Laude
- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte pardon United States Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton for the killing of a transgender woman in 2015. Human rights activists condemn the decision while Duterte defends his move saying Pemberton was treated "unfairly". (Reuters)
Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi
- Saudi Arabia issues final convictions for eight people for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. (NBC News)
Istanbul nightclub shooting
- A Turkish court sentences ISIL militant Abdulkadir Masharipov to life imprisonment, plus an additional 1,368 years in prison, for killing 39 people and injuring 79 more at an Istanbul nightclub in 2017. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

One-China policy, Politics of Solomon Islands
- The government of Solomon Islands says that a proposed independence referendum in Malaita Province is illegal. Daniel Suidani, the provincial premier of Malaita, proposed the referendum in protest to the decision by the central government to switch recognition from Taiwan to China last year. (RNZ)

September 8, 2020 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraqi insurgency
- 2020 Iraq attacks
  - A bomb killed 3 police on the Diwaniyah-Babylon highway, Iraq. (National Iraqi News Agency)
Kivu conflict; 2020 Democratic Republic of the Congo massacres
- Allied Democratic Forces militants stormed a village in Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing 23 people. (Al Jazeera)
War on terror
- According to a report from Brown University's "Costs of War" project, over 37 million people have been displaced by the wars fought by the United States since the September 11 attacks. (The New York Times)

Art and culture

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on religion, Eastern Orthodoxy in Ukraine
- Patriarch Filaret, former honorary Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, founder and current Patriarch of once again the second non-canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kiev Patriarchate, was confirmed to be a positive case of COVID-19. He becomes the first independent and non-canonical autocephalous leader or patriarch in the Eastern Orthodox faith to contract the disease. Months earlier, he had stated that the pandemic was God's punishment for same-sex marriage, which is currently not legally-recognized in Ukraine. Activists say homophobia is still widespread in the national culture. (Metro) (NBC news)

Disasters and accidents

2020 wildfire season
- 2020 California wildfires
  - The Pacific Gas and Electric Company shuts down power for an estimated 172,000 California customers in 22 counties. (SFGate)
- 2020 Washington wildfires
  - A wildfire destroys up to 80% of the town of Malden, Washington, including the town's fire station, post office, city hall, and library. The entire town's population was evacuated as the raging fire approached. (Reuters)
2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- The death toll from Hurricane Laura in Louisiana reaches to 26. (U.S. News & World Report)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Arizona
    - Arizona reports 81 cases, the lowest in the state since late March. This also marks the first time the state reported fewer than 100 cases since April 10. (The Arizona Republic) (KTAR)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa
    - The number of cases in Iowa exceeds 70,000. (The Hill)
  - The total number of children infected with COVID-19 in the United States since the pandemic began there in mid-March surpasses 500,000. (MSN)
  - The United States reports less than 30,000 cases for the first time since late June. (The Hill)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
  - COVID-19 pandemic in England
    - The British government bans gatherings of more than six people in England starting September 14, with some exceptions, amid a rise in cases, which hit nearly 3,000 on Sunday. (ABC Australia)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - American company Pfizer and German company BioNTech announce that their vaccine could be ready for approval mid-October or early November. (The Hill)
  - Nine vaccine companies sign a pledge that they won't submit vaccine candidates for review by the Food and Drug Administration until their safety and efficacy is shown in large clinical trials. (NPR)
  - Phase III clinical trials for AstraZeneca and Oxford University's vaccine are paused after a participant suffers an illness requiring investigation in the United Kingdom. (BBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
  - India reports 1,133 deaths from COVID-19, the highest single-day total. The death toll in the country reaches 72,775. (ABC News)

International relations

2020 China–India skirmishes
- China says that Indian troops crossed the Line of Actual Control into the Shenpao mountain region near Pangong Tso Lake and then fired warning shots to intimidate Chinese border troops. A few hours later, India said that Chinese troops had fired into the air to intimidate Indian border troops, and that at no stage had the Indian Army crossed the LAC. (Global Times) (Times of India)
Aftermath of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, Germany–Russia relations
- Russia summons the German ambassador to Moscow over statements by the German government concerning Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny. Foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Germany of "bluffing". (Reuters)

Law and crime

Blasphemy in Pakistan; Capital punishment in Pakistan
- A court in Lahore, Pakistan, sentences a Christian man to death for sending a "blasphemous" message to his former supervisor at work in 2013. The defendant said that his supervisor had tried to convert him to Islam, which he refused to do. The court rejected his testimony. (Al Jazeera)
Hong Kong national security law
- Prominent democracy campaigner and DJ Tam Tak-chi is charged with sedition under the colonial-era sedition law and is the first person charged with that crime since the 1997 handover of sovereignty from the United Kingdom to China. (Al Jazeera)
List of mass shootings in the United States in 2020
- Seven people are killed in an overnight shooting at a residence in Aguanga, California. The residence was reportedly being used to grow illegal marijuana. Police believe the shooting was an isolated incident, but no suspects are in custody. (NBC News) (The Press-Enterprise)
Chinese foreign ministry says Australian-Chinese journalist Cheng Lei is detained in China on grounds of breaching the national security law and "suspected of carrying out illegal activities endangering China’s national security". (The Guardian)

Politics and elections

2020 Egyptian Senate election
- Run-off voting begins in Egypt as 26 candidates for the country's newly formed senate failed to get an absolute majority during the first election round in August. (Foreign Brief)

September 9, 2020 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- September 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - Ten people are killed and 15 others injured in a roadside bomb attack in Kabul that targeted the first vice president, Amrullah Saleh, who is wounded by the attack. The Taliban denied responsibility for the bombing. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Oregon wildfires
- Governor Kate Brown orders mass evacuations across the state after reporting that a series of wildfires have "substantially destroyed" the cities and towns of Blue River, Detroit, Phoenix, Talent, and Vida. Brown also enacts an emergency fire act to grant "immediate powers" to the state's fire officials. (AFP via Deccan Herald)
- Smoke impacts a wide swath of California and Oregon. San Francisco is particularly affected by the smoke floating south from the Oregon fires. (SF Chronicle)
Multiple fires erupt in the Mória Reception & Identification Centre, Greece's largest migrant camp, causing widespread destruction. The fires happen shortly after the entire camp was put under quarantine due to the detection of positive COVID-19 cases. (DW)
Orange Skies Day
- Wildfire smoke from the 2020 Oregon wildfires creates an orange skyline in the San Francisco Bay Area. (BBC)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports 646 new cases and three new deaths. It is the biggest daily increase in new cases since the national lockdown was lifted in May, bringing the cumulative totals to 61,541 confirmed cases and 1,849 deaths in 191 days since the first infections were identified. (RTP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia
    - Slovenia reports 79 cases, an all-time high. (RTVSLO)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
    - The number of new cases registered in the Netherlands surges to 1,140 in the last 24 hours, the highest daily total since April. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom reports 2,659 cases, up from 2,460 a day earlier. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
  - Jakarta tightens its large-scale social restrictions in the province, which will take effect on September 14, due to the rise in new cases. All non-essential activities are ordered to be suspended and most workers, with the exception of 11 essential activities, are ordered to work from home. (Kompas)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - AstraZeneca says that they might resume vaccine trials next week. This comes after the vaccine trial was put on hold due to a suspected adverse reaction the day before. (Financial Times)
The latest publication of the Living Planet Index reports that the world's wildlife populations have decreased by an average of 68 percent between 1970 and 2016. The World Wide Fund for Nature cites the increasing deforestation and agricultural expansion for the population decline. (AFP via Manila Bulletin)

International relations

Iraq–United States relations, Withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq (2020)
- United States Marine Corps general Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. announces that the United States will reduce their troop presence in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,000. (NBC News)

Law and crime

2020–2021 United States racial unrest, George Floyd protests
- George Floyd protests in Portland, Oregon
  - Protesters and police clash near the Portland City Hall in Oregon. Portland Police Bureau announce that 11 arrests have been made. (The Star-Tribune)
Extradition of Yamil Abreu Navarro
- Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader signs the extradition to the United States of Yamil Abreu Navarro on crimes of Illegal drug trade. Yamil Abreu Navarro is currently the leader of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party. (Dominican Today)
Sri Lanka announces legal action against the owner and manager of the MT New Diamond ship which caught fire last Thursday off the coast of the country. Sri Lankan authorities say the lawsuit will be issued under the nation's law. Neither the owner nor manager of the ship commented on the statement. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Russian interference in the 2020 United States elections
- Former Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis Brian Murphy claims in a whistleblower reprisal complaint that Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf had instructed officials at the department to fabricate intelligence assessments regarding the threat of Russian interference in the U.S. elections, which he claims is an effort by the Trump administration to understate the threat. (The Guardian)
Citizens in Tigray Region, Ethiopia begin casting their votes for a local election, defying the central government and increasing political tensions. Tigray's authorities object the postponement of the August general election and the time of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in office, and say that any intervention by the government would amount to a "declaration of war". (AP)

September 10, 2020 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Kivu conflict
- 2020 Democratic Republic of the Congo massacres
  - Allied Democratic Forces militants attack a village in Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing 35 people. It is the second attack in the town in two days. The terrorists assaulted civilians with knives and firearms and destroyed the village. (France24)
Somali Civil War
- Three people are killed and seven others injured after an al-Shabaab suicide bomber blew himself up at a restaurant in Mogadishu, Somalia. (Al Jazeera)
Mali War
- Four Malian soldiers are killed in an attack in Alatona, by suspected Islamist militants. (Manila Times)
Second Saudi–Yemeni War
- The Houthis say that they attacked an "important target" in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, using a ballistic missile and drones. A spokesman for the movement confirmed the attack without explaining, while there was no comment from the Saudi side. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- A $300 billion stimulus bill proposed by the Republican Party is blocked in a 52–47 vote in the U.S. Senate. (ABC News)
The pound sterling weakens after the European Union says the ongoing trade negotiation between the UK and the EU would be "put at risk" if the United Kingdom failed to "withdraw or amend" its Internal Market Bill before the end of this month. The UK replies that it has "the right to overrule parts" of the Brexit withdrawal agreement. (Yahoo!)
Rio Tinto CEO Jean-Sébastien Jacques and two other senior executives resign amid an enquiry into the destruction of the 46,000 year old Juukan Gorge caves in Western Australia, which is considered an Aboriginal sacred site. Rio Tinto destroyed the ancient rock shelters while expanding the Brockman 4 mine. (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

2020 California wildfires
- The death toll in the North Complex Fire in Northern California rises to ten, while 16 people are missing, according to the Butte County Sheriff's Department. (Reno Gazette Journal)
- The town of Berry Creek in Butte County is reported as being "mostly destroyed". (CBS News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports its single largest increase in a day, recording 95,735 new infections. The Health Ministry also reported 1,172 deaths in the past 24 hours. The ministry says the increase is due to a surge in testing as experts warn that the virus is spreading to towns and villages. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports 3,861 new cases in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide total to 207,203. This is a single-day record high since the pandemic began in the country. (detikNews)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - French health authorities report 9,843 new cases in France over the past 24 hours, setting a new record high for the country since the beginning of the pandemic. (BBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - Greece reports 372 new cases in the last 24 hours, its highest daily tally since the start of the pandemic in the country. From those new cases, 114 were due to an outbreak at a food processing plant in northern Greece, with 133 recorded in the greater Athens area. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Guatemala
  - Guatemala is expected to reopen their borders after closing them for six months in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. (ABC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Kiribati
  - Kiribati announces it will keep its borders closed until the end of the year to keep the country free of COVID-19. The presidential office announces some exceptions, including repatriation flights, with 20 I-Kiribati arriving soon from the Marshall Islands. (RNZ)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot says that the vaccine results could be ready by the end of the year if trials resume. Clinical trials were temporarily suspended after a participant in the trials began to develop symptoms associated with transverse myelitis. (Reuters)
  - Sinopharm began Phase III trials in Peru starting with two dozen people, with the goal to vaccinate 6,000 people between the ages of 18 and 75. So far, Sinopharm has given 30,000 doses to volunteers and another 10,000 participants have received double doses in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, with additional trials planned for Morocco and Argentina. (VOA)

International relations

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agree to accept into their respective borders around 400 unaccompanied minors from the Mória Reception & Identification Centre on the Greek island of Lesbos. It was Europe's largest refugee camp, destroyed by fire the previous day. (Bloomberg)

Law and crime

Dominican Republic tar scandal
- The Dominican Republic Attorney General receives the first case on the former Minister of Public Works and presidential candidate of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Gonzalo Castillo, in the purchase of hot tar for RD$11.5 billion (US$194.9 million). (Dominican Today)
2019–2020 Colombian protests
- Seven people are killed and 248 others injured during protests against police brutality in Colombia, which are sparked after the death of a man who was pinned to the ground and repeatedly tasered by police in Bogotá. (BBC News)
Former Prime Minister of Vanuatu Charlot Salwai is set to stand trial from November 23, charged with ten counts of bribery and corruption. (RNZ)

September 11, 2020 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Somali Civil War
- Six people are killed and twenty others injured after an al-Shabaab suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque in Kismayo, Somalia. The target of the attack is suspected to be a local politician. (Al Jazeera)
War in Afghanistan
- September 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - Two civilians and two soldiers are killed and 13 other people are injured during a bombing attack at a wedding in Khost, Afghanistan. (TOLONews)
Iraqi insurgency (2017–present)
- Security forces kill at least four leaders from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Samarra District, Iraq. (National Iraqi News Agency)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - President Rodrigo Duterte signs into law the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, a ₱165.5 billion (US$3.4 billion) stimulus package to extend the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. (Reuters via U.S. News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
    - The interior ministry announces plans to convert Border Patrol Police camps into quarantine facilities in order to accommodate additional migrant workers as part of an effort to address the country's labour shortage caused by the pandemic. (Xinhua)
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the restaurant industry in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Florida
    - It is announced that bars in South Florida counties such as Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County will remain closed. However, bars in the rest of the state will be allowed to reopen at a 50% capacity. (The Sun-Sentinel) (New York Daily News)

Disasters and accidents

A cave-in at a gold mine near Kamituga in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, kills at least 50 miners. (The Guardian)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in California
      - It is announced that schools in Los Angeles County will remain closed until the winter. (Patch.com)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Colorado
      - Governor Jared Polis says that the state might extend its mask mandate in indoor public spaces for another 30 days. (The Denver Post)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan
      - Michigan records 1,313 new cases, its highest single-day total since April 24. (MLive.com)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - For the second time in the same week, Portugal reports the biggest daily increase in new cases since the national lockdown was lifted in May, with 687 new cases and three deaths, bringing the cumulative totals to 62,813 confirmed cases and 1,855 deaths in 193 days since the first infections were detected in the country. (DGS)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia
    - Slovenia reports 108 new cases, an all-time high. (RTVSLO)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom reports 3,539 cases of COVID-19, up from 2,919 a day earlier. Six deaths are also reported. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Vatican City
    - Vatican-based Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, tests positive for COVID-19. (Reuters via WTVB)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Kyrgyzstan
  - The number of recoveries in Kyrgyzstan reaches past 40,000. (Xinhua)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Namibia
  - The Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek, the country's main international airport, reopens to international flights after a six-month closure. (Xinhua)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, COVID-19 vaccine
  - The Brazilian state of Bahia is expected to conduct phase III trails of Russia's Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine and buy 50 million doses. (Reuters)

International relations

Japan–United Kingdom relations, Impact of Brexit
- Japan and the United Kingdom reach a tentative free trade agreement, which British trade secretary Liz Truss hails as the UK's "first major post-Brexit trade deal". (CNBC)
Bahrain–Israel normalization agreement
- Israel and Bahrain agree to establish relations. (Jerusalem Post)
China–United States relations
- The Chinese foreign ministry announces it would reciprocate the sanctions that the U.S. State Department imposed earlier this month onto its senior diplomats visiting the U.S., by also imposing similar countermeasures to U.S. diplomats in China. (AFP via CNA)

Law and crime

1989 murders of Jesuits in El Salvador
- A court in Madrid sentences former Salvadoran deputy minister for public security Inocente Orlando Montano Morales to 133 years in prison for the murders of six Jesuits and two others in San Salvador during the country's civil war in 1989. (AFP via Vanguard)
A court in Turkey sentences opposition parliamentarian Remziye Tosun of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) to ten years in prison for "membership in a terrorist organization" and "treating wounded Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) members" during clashes in 2016. Her lawyer rejects the verdict. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 Iranian legislative election
- Run-off parliamentary elections are being held in Iran. The first round of the election was held in February and provoked criticism as more than 7000 applicants got barred from participating. (Foreign Brief)
Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa Fiame Naomi Mata'afa resigns over three proposed constitutional amendments, which would alter the power of the land and titles court. She also leaves the Human Rights Protection Party. Other MPs have already left the party over the issue and formed a new opposition party. (RNZ)

September 12, 2020 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraqi insurgency
- 2020 Iraq attacks
  - Two bombs are detonated, killing a civilian, in Mosul. (National Iraqi News Agency)
Second Libyan Civil War
- The United States embassy in Libya reports that the Libyan National Army (LNA), commanded by Khalifa Haftar, has committed itself to end months-long blockade of oil facilities, saying that "the LNA had conveyed personal commitment from General Haftar to allow the full reopening of the energy sector no later than September 12". (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

A fire kills at least four people and injures another eight in Karachi, Pakistan. (Dawn)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in France
  - French health authorities report 10,561 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, a new daily record for France as the number tops 10,000 for the first time. (France 24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
  - India's total COVID-19 cases surged to 4,65 million after the country reports world's record daily jump of 97,570 new cases and 1,201 deaths in the last 24 hours. (Hindustan Times)

International relations

Afghan peace process
- The first peace talks between the government and the Taliban start in Doha, Qatar. The Taliban had confirmed it would attend after the final release of six of their prisoners. Abdullah Abdullah, representing the government, says they are seeking a "dignified peace" while U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calls the meeting "historic". (BBC News)
Aegean dispute, France–Greece relations
- Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announces an arms deal with France for the purchase of Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft and FREMM multipurpose frigates, as well as the recruitment of 15,000 additional troops, amid ongoing tension in the eastern Mediterranean. (AFP via The Straits Times)

Law and crime

2019–2020 Colombian protests
- Protests against police brutality in Colombia rage for third day in Bogotá. The death toll from the protests rise to 13 people killed. (Al Jazeera)
Capital punishment in Iran
- Iran executes Navid Afkari, a wrestler who was convicted of killing a security guard during anti-government protests in 2018. According to media, which quoted the judiciary in Fars, the execution was carried out after insistence from the victim's family. Activists and Afkari's family claim he made a forced confession to the crime. (DW) (CNN)

Politics and elections

Aftermath of the 2020 Malian coup d'état
- Weeks after ousting President of Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, the military announced the formation of a transitional government with the goal to enable elections in 18 months. The move is criticised by civilian protest groups. (DW)

September 13, 2020 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Boko Haram insurgency
- A Boko Haram suicide bomber detonated herself at a village in Zeleved, Far North, Cameroon, killing five civilians. Another female suicide bomber made a failed attempt, resulting only in injuries to herself. (RFI)
Islamic terrorism in Europe
- A Portuguese man is stabbed to death during a suspected jihadist attack in Morges, Switzerland. The victim was chosen at random, as the attacker entered a shop and stabbed him. The suspect had been known to the Federal Intelligence Service since 2017 for dissemination of jihadist propaganda and had been arrested in April 2019 following an arson attack. (Swissinfo)
Second Libyan Civil War
- Protesters, some armed with guns, set ablaze a House of Representatives building in Benghazi, Libya. Protests against deteriorating living conditions and corruption continue in eastern Libya for a third consecutive day. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Nvidia announce that they are acquiring Arm Holdings, the market-dominant designer of smartphone processors, for US$40 billion in the semi-conductor industry's largest-ever deal. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

Hurricane Sally
- Hurricane warnings are issued to multiple locations in Louisiana and Mississippi as Hurricane Sally approaches from the Gulf of Mexico with sustained winds of 50 mph (80 km/h). Flood watches are still in effect in Florida's west coast, including Tampa. (CNN)
2020 Nepal floods
- Torrential rains cause landslides in Bahrabise and Baglung, in Nepal, killing a total of 12 people and leaving 21 others missing. (Reuters)
2020 Western United States wildfire season
- The death toll from the wildfires reaches 33 in California, Oregon, and Washington after nearly a dozen people reported missing in southern Oregon are accounted for, authorities say. (The Columbian)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, 2020 Indonesia large-scale social restrictions
    - Jakarta releases a new set of rules in the second round of stricter social restrictions, which will take effect on September 14. Different from the first round of restrictions, aside from 11 essential services that can continue to be operated, markets, shopping malls and worship with only local residents are allowed to be attended and continue to operate with 50% capacity. Non-essential government and private office operations must have 25% capacity and isolation must occur in government-appointed facilities if anyone tested positive without symptoms or mild symptoms. (Jakarta Globe)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - South Korea eases its tough social distancing measures for the next two weeks until September 28 in the Seoul Capital Area. The government lifts a ban on on-site dining after 9 p.m. local time, though it still requires restaurants and cafes to restrict seating and record patrons' names and contact details. Effective tomorrow, franchise coffee shops will resume normal operations, after restricting service to takeouts. (CNA)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon
    - Ninety United Nations peacekeeping forces of UNIFIL test positive for COVID-19. A spokesman for UNIFIL says the personnel were transferred to a special facility with equipment to treat the disease. (AFP via Al Arabiya)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns
    - It is announced that Israel will enter a three-week nationwide lockdown starting on September 18 to contain the spread of COVID-19 after a second-wave surge of new cases. During the lockdown, Israelis will have to stay within 500 metres of their houses, but can travel to workplaces that will be allowed to operate on a limited basis. Schools and shopping malls will be closed but supermarkets and pharmacies will remain open. (Reuters)
  - Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia
    - It is announced that Saudi Arabia will lift all travel restrictions for citizens on January 1, the state news agency SPA said. The kingdom will also partially lift its suspension of international flights on September 15 to allow "exceptional categories" of citizens and residents to travel. (Arab News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
  - After twice in a single week reporting the biggest daily increases in new cases since the national lockdown was lifted in May, with 646 on Wednesday and then 687 on Friday, Portugal reports another high increase of 673 new cases and seven deaths, bringing the cumulative totals to 63,983 confirmed cases and 1,867 deaths since the first infections were detected in the country on March 2. The 2020/2021 school year is set to start in-person classes between September 14 and September 17 nationwide. (DGS) (DGEstE)

International relations

Internal conflict in Myanmar
- A joint statement made by eight of the 15 members of the United Nations Security Council urges Myanmar and the separatist Arakan Army to halt hostilities in northern Rakhine State and southern Chin State due to the "heavy toll" the fighting is having on the civilian population. (The Star Malaysia)

Law and crime

Killing of Jennifer Laude
- After being pardoned by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Joseph Scott Pemberton is deported to the United States. The former US Marine apologizes to the victim's family and thanks Duterte for the pardon. (CNN Philippines)
2020–2021 United States racial unrest
- Two Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies are shot while parked at a metro station in Compton. A small crowd, including demonstrators, gathers near the hospital in Lynwood where the deputies were transported. Witnesses say members in the group were chanting anti-law enforcement slogans and at one point tried to get inside the hospital. (KABC-TV)
- Protests erupt in Lancaster, Pennsylvania after a police officer shot and killed a man who charged the officer with a knife following a domestic disturbance. Police arrest 13 people after members of the crowd allegedly damaged police vehicles and threw bricks at the police station, the post office, and nearby businesses. (Lancaster Online)
2020 republication of Muhammad caricatures
- Around 200 people in Istanbul, Turkey demonstrate against French magazine Charlie Hebdo's decision to republish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed (France24)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian protests
- Belarusian security forces close off Independence Square and October Square in Minsk, as 100,000 people gather in the capital calling for President Alexander Lukashenko to resign. At least 250 protesters are detained by police. (Reuters) (Al Jazeera)
COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
- Housing Minister Yaakov Litzman resigns in protest of holiday lockdown, he also accuses the government of failing to act earlier and deliberately picking Rosh Hashanah as the start date of closure. (Times of Israel)

September 14, 2020 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Four soldiers are killed during a raid at a house in north Lebanon in pursuit of a militant wanted in connection with a fatal shooting last month. The militant is killed during the raid, and is identified as Khaled al-Talawi, a former Islamic State member who formed a splinter terrorist cell. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Sally rapidly intensifies into a strong Category 1 hurricane, and is expected to make landfall near the Louisiana-Mississippi border as a strong Category 2 hurricane. (National Hurricane Center)
- Governor of Louisiana John Bel Edwards declares a state of emergency for New Orleans and other parts of the state as it is expected that Hurricane Sally will make landfall as a strong hurricane on Tuesday. (CNN)
- Hurricane Paulette makes landfall on Bermuda as a high-end Category 1 hurricane. (Fox News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - The United Arab Emirates approves Sinopharm's vaccine for frontline workers following successful Phase III clinical trials in Abu Dhabi. The WHO-recognized trial began on July 16 and involved 31,000 volunteers. (The National)

International relations

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics, COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
- President of Palau Tommy Remengesau Jr. announces he will be hosting an in-person meeting with the leaders of Kiribati, Nauru, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands. Nauru's President Lionel Aingimea says the leaders agreed to attend Palau's Independence Day on October 1 as the five Pacific countries remain free of COVID-19. (RNZ)
China–United States relations
- The Embassy of the United States, Beijing says Terry Branstad is expected to leave his post as U.S. Ambassador to China in early October. No reason is given for the move and no replacement has been announced. China says it was not notified. (SCMP)

Law and crime

Connecticut v. ExxonMobil Corp.
- Connecticut Attorney General William Tong files a lawsuit against ExxonMobil for their products contributing to the emissions that cause global warming and climate change. (CTMirror)
Aftermath of the Duma arson attack
- Amiram Ben-Uliel, an Israeli terrorist who killed a Palestinian couple and their 18-month-old son during a racially-motivated arson attack in Duma, Nablus, West Bank in 2015, is sentenced to life imprisonment by an Israeli court. (Reuters)
A man is in a coma after he was hit by a police car and kicked in the head by an officer during an arrest in Melbourne, Australia. Prior to the incident, the victim was being treated at a hospital for mental health issues. (BBC)
A court in Rwanda charges Paul Rusesabagina, who inspired the film Hotel Rwanda, with 12 counts, including "terrorism, complicity in murder and forming or joining an armed group", among other charges. Rusesabagina, a strong critic of President Paul Kagame, did not respond to an offer of a plea. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

2020 Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election
- Yoshihide Suga wins a ruling Liberal Democratic Party leadership election, paving the way for him to become Prime Minister in a parliamentary vote this week. (Reuters)
Second Libyan Civil War
- The Tobruk-based House of Representatives resigns amid violent protests in eastern Libya over deteriorating living conditions and corruption. A spokesman for Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, who is the de facto leader of eastern Libya, says the administration supports peaceful protests but would not allow "terrorists and the Muslim Brotherhood" to hijack them. (BBC)

Science and technology

Climate change in the Arctic
- Satellite imagery shows that a big chunk of ice shattered into many small pieces from the last remaining ice shelf in Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden, Greenland. (BBC)
- The discovery of the perfectly preserved remains of a cave bear, believed to be 22,000 to 39,500 years old (Late Pleistocene), is made in Lyakhovsky Islands, Siberia in the thawing permafrost. (AP)
Life on Venus
- The Jane Greaves-led international scientific team announce that they have detected a gas called phosphine in the atmosphere of Venus that indicates microorganisms may inhabit Earth's inhospitable neighbor. If confirmed, it would be the first known extraterrestrial life. (Reuters)

September 15, 2020 (Tuesday)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Mongolia
  - The government announces the re-opening of retail stores, cultural and public events, production, and entertainment centers tomorrow, as well as schools, universities, and kindergartens on September 21. However, the country's borders will remain closed. (News.mn)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
  - Brazil reports 1,113 deaths, the country's highest in two weeks, thus bringing the death toll to 133,119. (Reuters)

International relations

Canada–United States relations
- Canada–United States trade relations, Trump tariffs
  - The United States announces the suspension of the 10 percent tariff imposed on Canadian aluminum imports since August with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative citing a "sharp" decline in imports for the decision. (AFP via RFI)
European migrant crisis, Germany–Greece relations
- Germany agrees to take 1,500 migrants from Greece following a devastating fire at the Moria Refugee Camp on the island of Lesbos. (Euronews)
Turkish Volkan Bozkır becomes the new President of the United Nations General Assembly. (UN News)

Law and crime

Immigration detention in the United States
- A whistleblower working at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Georgia details a high rate of hysterectomies and other alleged medical neglect in a complaint to the Department of Homeland Security. Rep. Bennie Thompson, the House Homeland Security Committee chairman, says the allegations of hysterectomies being performed on women without consent are "incredibly disturbing". (CNN) (BBC News)
Poisoning of Alexei Navalny
- Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny issues his first public statement since his poisoning via Instagram, having been taken off the ventilator the previous day. (AFP via RTL Today)
Insurgency in Cabo Delgado
- A woman is killed in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, by soldiers accusing her of being an Islamic State-linked group militant. A soldier beat her with a stick several times before the rest of the group was ordered to "kill her on the side of the road" and shoot her. The murder is condemned by human rights groups, while authorities promise an investigation. (BBC News)
Shooting of Breonna Taylor
- The city of Louisville, Kentucky, settles a wrongful death lawsuit with the family of Breonna Taylor, who was killed in a raid on her apartment by police in March. Her family will receive $12 million and several police reforms will also be enacted in the city as part of the agreement. (CNN)
Lebanon Ohio Fifth Third Bank Robbery
- A bank robbery occurs at a Fifth Third Bank in Warren County, Ohio. (Dayton Daily News)

September 16, 2020 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- September 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - A bomb kills two people and injures 12 others in Kalafgan District, Takhar Province. (TOLOnews)
  - A member of the Afghan National Directorate of Security is shot dead and his driver injured in Kabul. (TOLOnews)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- Two men are injured during a rocket attack in Ashdod, Israel. In response, the Israel Defense Forces strike Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip. (BBC News)

Arts and culture

List of monuments and memorials removed during the George Floyd protests
- In Popayán, Colombia, members of the Misak indigenous community topple and decapitate a monument dedicated to Spanish conquistador Sebastián de Belalcázar. (BBC News)
The United Kingdom returns three antique bronze sculptures to India more than 40 years after they were stolen from a Hindu temple in Tamil Nadu. They were found in London after one was offered for sale in 2019. A total of four bronzes from the Vijayanagara period, which lasted from the 14th to the 17th century, were stolen in 1978 from a temple dedicated to the god Vishnu in Nagapattinam. (Reuters)
Pope Francis appoints Bishop Mario Grech, the former Bishop of Gozo, Malta, as secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops. Bishop Grech replaces Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, just prior to his 80th birthday. (Vatican Press Office)
Nintendo officially ends support for the 3ds family

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Sally
  - Hurricane Sally strengthens into a Category 2 hurricane. The storm has forced evacuations and left more than 150,000 people without electricity. It is now expected to make landfall near southeastern Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle. (CNN)
  - Hurricane Sally makes landfall in Gulf Shores, Alabama, at 5:45 a.m. ET as a Category 2 hurricane. (USA Today)
  - Part of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Pensacola, Florida, collapses due to a crane falling on it. (USA Today)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - COVID-19 pandemic in the Community of Madrid
      - Madrid announces plans to introduce targeted lockdowns and other restrictions on movement on September 18, in areas with high cases, local authorities said as the region accounts for around one-third of active cases in Spain. (El Pais in English)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia
    - Slovenia reports 123 new cases, an all-time high. (RTVSLO)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
    - Czech Republic reports 1,677 new cases, its highest daily count since the beginning of the pandemic, as the government plans to ban indoor events in an attempt to stabilize the situation. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia
    - Georgia reports 196 new cases, its highest single-day increase. (Xinhua)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India's cases top five million to become the second country in the world after the United States to record that many cases. (Al Jazeera)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports 3,963 new cases in the past 24 hours, which takes the nationwide total at 228,993, a new all-time high since the pandemic began in the country. (detikNews)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - The Trump administration and federal officials from Operation Warp Speed unveil plans for distributing doses of a COVID-19 vaccine once the FDA approves their use. (CBS News)

International relations

Venezuelan protests, Crisis in Venezuela
- A United Nations Human Rights Council fact-finding mission formally accuses the Venezuelan government of crimes against humanity, including cases of killings, torture, violence against political opposition and disappearances since 2014. President Nicolás Maduro and other senior Venezuelan officials are among those implicated in the charges. (BBC News)
International reactions to the 2020 Belarusian presidential election and protests
- The head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Sergey Naryshkin, accuses the United States of "working behind the scenes" in Belarus towards another "colour revolution", funding bloggers and training activists through NGO's against the interests of Belarusian citizens. Minister of Defence Sergey Shoygu flies to Minsk after disputed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for weapons during a meeting in Moscow on Monday. Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov says Russia will, before the end of the year, disburse the first $1-billion tranche of a loan that was agreed also on Monday, to help Belarus' financial stability. (Reuters)
Cross-Strait relations, Taiwan–United States relations
- Sources around President Donald Trump say that the United States plans to sell as many as seven major weapons systems, including mines, cruise missiles and drones to Taiwan. (Reuters)
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announces plans to repeal the Dublin Regulation and reform the migration policy of the European Union, which von der Leyen says will be presented on September 23. (AFP via France 24)

Law and crime

Rwandan humanitarian and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Paul Rusesabagina, the subject of the film Hotel Rwanda, faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the crimes with which he is charged, according to the prosecution. Rusesabagina had called for armed resistance against the government of Paul Kagame on YouTube. Rusesabagina, however, declined to respond to the charges. (Reuters)
Hundreds of inmates escape from a jail in Moroto District, Uganda, after killing a soldier and looting weapons. A Uganda People's Defence Force spokesperson says two inmates have been captured and two others killed by security forces. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

Republicanism in Barbados
- Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley announces that the Caribbean island will become a republic next year before its 55th anniversary of independence from the United Kingdom in November 2021, replacing Elizabeth II as head of state with a Barbadian. Governor-General Sandra Mason says "the time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind." (Sky News)
Yoshihide Suga is elected Prime Minister of Japan, following the resignation of his predecessor Shinzo Abe over health concerns. (BBC News)
Prime Minister of Libya Fayez al-Sarraj announces his wish to step down at the end of October amidst the ongoing civil war and protests over corruption. (DW)

Science and technology

Boeing 737 MAX groundings
- A United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure report blames a "horrific culmination of a series of faulty technical assumptions by Boeing's engineers, a lack of transparency on the part of Boeing's management, and grossly insufficient oversight" by the Federal Aviation Administration for two deadly Boeing 737 MAX crashes, resulting in the airliner being grounded worldwide. (Reuters)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- 2020–21 NCAA Division I FBS football season
  - The Big Ten Conference announces its 2020 football season will begin on October 24 with an eight-game schedule, reversing its previous decision to cancel the season. (AP via WJRT-TV)

September 17, 2020 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Insurgency in the Maghreb
- Kouré shooting
  - The Islamic State's West Africa Province claims responsibility for last month's attack in Kouré, Niger, which resulted in the death of six French aid workers and two Nigerian citizens. (Reuters)
Iraqi insurgency
- 2020 Iraq attacks
  - A bomb hits a convoy, killing four members of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Kirkuk. (National Iraqi News Agency)
War in Afghanistan
- September 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - The Taliban kills 32 members of the security forces and two civilians, and injures another 17 security forces, in four attacks across Afghanistan. At least 84 Taliban militants also died in the attacks. (TOLOnews)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
  - The economy enters recession for the first time since 1987 after the country's GDP declined by 12.2% between April and June, amid a nationwide lockdown and travel bans due to COVID-19. (BBC News)
- Shortages related to the COVID-19 pandemic
  - An additional 150 million children live in multidimensional poverty since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year. The analysis by UNICEF and Save the Children is based on shortcomings in education, health, housing, nutrition, sanitation, and water. (PTI via The Week)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Teddy strengthens into a Category 3 hurricane over the Atlantic Ocean and heads to Bermuda, which is recovering from Hurricane Paulette. (The Washington Post) (The Weather Channel)
2020 California wildfires
- A firefighter dies in the El Dorado Fire while battling blazes in the San Bernardino National Forest. (The Guardian)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - COVID-19 pandemic in England
      - Health Secretary Matt Hancock announces that temporary restrictions will be in place in Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, Northumberland, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, and the Durham County Council area effective at midnight tonight due to "concerning rates of infection." Almost two million people in North-east England will be banned from meeting with other households. (BBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports a record increase of 770 new cases and ten deaths since the end of national lockdown in May, thus bringing the cumulative totals to 66,396 confirmed cases and 1,888 deaths. Today also marks the official start of the 2020/2021 public school year, which began with in-person classes nationwide. (DGS)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan
    - A two-month-old baby dies of COVID-19 in Michigan, the youngest known fatality in the state thus far. (MLive.com)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Texas
    - Texas Governor Greg Abbott eases restrictions on retail stores, gyms, and restaurants. Bars, however, remain closed. (CNBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
  - India reports another record jump in daily infections, with 97,894 cases reported in the last 24 hours, as shown by data from the health ministry. (CNA)

International relations

International response to the 2020 Belarusian protests, Belarus–European Union relations
- Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki proposes a €1 billion (US$1.2 billion) stabilization fund by the European Central Bank to revitalize the Belarusian economy amid the protests. (AFP via France 24)
Territorial disputes in the South China Sea
- France, Germany, and the United Kingdom issue a joint note verbale to the United Nations rejecting China's claims to the South China Sea, and supporting the ruling in Philippines v. China that said the historic rights per the nine-dash line ran counter to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. However the statement says that on "territorial sovereignty" they "take no position". (CNN Philippines)

Law and crime

Women in Afghanistan
- President Ashraf Ghani signs an amendment allowing mother's names to appear on their child's birth certificate, after discussion on the law was delayed by the National Assembly last week. The move is seen as a "significant milestone" for women's rights, following Afghan tradition stating that using a woman's name in public brings shame on their family. (ABC Australia)
A court in Hong Kong convicts an 81-year-old man for stabbing pro-democracy activist Leung Kwok-hung, also known as "Long Hair". Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong adjourned sentencing to October 13 and praised the perpetrator for "loving society", while also commenting that Leung was not hurt seriously. (The Standard)
2020–2021 United States racial unrest
- U.S. Attorney General William Barr tells prosecutors to aggressively charge people arrested at recent demonstrations across the country, even suggesting including a sedition charge, which is usually reserved for those who have plotted a threat that posed imminent danger to the government. (The Guardian)

Politics and elections

2020 Bolivian general election
- Interim president Jeanine Áñez withdraws from the presidential race, saying the opposition needs to consolidate to beat frontrunner Luis Arce, who is representing deposed President Evo Morales' party Movement for Socialism. (Reuters)

Sports

Armand Duplantis sets the outdoor pole vault world record at 6.15 metres at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, eclipsing the previous record held for 26 years by Sergey Bubka. (ABC)

September 18, 2020 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Kurdish–Turkish conflict
- 2020 Iraq attacks
  - Kurdish insurgents kill at least two Turkish soldiers when attacking a military base with rockets in Iraq. (Reuters)

Business and economy

The Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority announces it will launch an investigation into major lending bank Swedbank for suspected market abuses between September 2018 and February 2019, as part of a larger international investigation into allegations of money laundering. (Bloomberg)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Sally
  - Nearly 400,000 homes in the U.S. are left without power after Hurricane Sally made landfall. (The Hill)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - COVID-19 pandemic in the Community of Madrid
      - The Madrid regional government announces new restrictions aimed at curbing the rising number of cases in the region. The order will go into effect on September 21 and last for at least two weeks, affecting more than 855,000 people, or 17% of the region's population. (El Pais in English)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports 13,215 new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, a new record since the start of the pandemic, while the daily death toll jumps to 154, a four-month high according to data from the health ministry. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - Due to concerns over the spread, the government announces that it will move Dublin to "risk level three" restrictions in its response plan effective at midnight tonight, which means that indoor restaurant dining is banned again in the capital and residents are being advised against all non-essential travel. Meanwhile, indoor visitations are only allowed between one other household, most sporting events will be cancelled, and attendance at weddings and funerals is going to be capped at 25 guests effective September 21. (Sky News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports 780 new daily cases, bringing the cumulative totals to 67,176 confirmed cases and 1,894 deaths. Ever since the end of national lockdown in May, this has been the fourth time that the country has registered some record increases in new cases, with all four records occurring during a ten-day window. (DGS)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom reports 4,322 new cases in the last 24 hours which taking the nationwide total at 385,936, the highest daily total since May 8. (ITV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - The number of recoveries in Indonesia reaches 170,000 after 4,088 patients recover in the last 24 hours, surpassing the previous record of 3,560 set on August 24. (detikHealth)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns
    - Israel enters a three-week second nationwide lockdown in an attempt to curb surging cases as people begin to mark the start of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year). Under these rules, Israelis must stay within one kilometer of their homes, with exceptions, and the number of people allowed in synagogues has been greatly reduced. (BBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar
    - Myanmar reports 424 new infections in the last 24 hours, the biggest daily rise so far amid a recent resurgence of the virus after weeks without confirmed domestic transmission. (CNA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Guatemala
  - President Alejandro Giammattei tests positive for COVID-19. (NPR)

Law and crime

LGBT rights in Hong Kong
- On two different rulings, the Hong Kong High Court rules in favor of a gay homeowner seeking inheritance equality from his partner but refuses to recognize the foreign-registered same-sex marriage of pro-democracy activist and convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front Jimmy Sham. Group Hong Kong Marriage Equality (HKME) welcomes the first ruling while Sham condemns his case outcome. (South China Morning Post)
Vanuatu's opposition leader Ralph Regenvanu warns about the sale of honorary Vanuatuan citizenship to potential international criminals and people stripped of other nationalities for nefarious activities. The government says it has stopped selling Vanuatuan citizenship but promises further investigation into the matter. (RNZ)
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, dies at the age of 87. (NPR)
London's Metropolitan Police reports that around 200 books worth £2.5 million were recovered from a house in Neamț County, Romania. The books, believed to have been stolen by Romanian gangs from a London warehouse in January 2017, include first editions by Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei and English scientist Isaac Newton, and sketches by Spanish painter Francisco Goya. (DW)

Politics and elections

Impeachment process against Martín Vizcarra
- The Congress of Peru votes 78–32 against removing President Martín Vizcarra at his impeachment trial. (Reuters)

Science and technology

Internet censorship in the United States, China–United States relations
- The United States Department of Commerce says it will ban U.S. citizens from downloading the Chinese apps TikTok and WeChat effective September 20, unless a partnership between Oracle Corporation and TikTok owner ByteDance is agreed to and approved by President Donald Trump. (BBC News)

September 19, 2020 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Papua conflict
- A priest is shot dead, allegedly by Indonesian army in Intan Jaya Regency, Papua. The military denies the allegations and blames the Free Papua Movement for the shooting. (MBS)

Arts and culture

A 1634 edition of The Two Noble Kinsmen, the last play written by English playwright William Shakespeare, is discovered at the Royal Scots College's library in Salamanca, Spain. It is believed to be the oldest copy of any of his works in the country. (BBC News)

Business and economy

Internet censorship in the United States, China–United States trade war
- Chinese technology company ByteDance announces a proposed joint deal with American corporations Oracle and Walmart to continue the operation of its video-sharing social networking service TikTok in the United States under the name Tiktok Global. U.S. President Donald Trump recognizes the proposal, having threatened to ban the service in suspicion of Chinese espionage should ByteDance have failed to reach a deal with an American firm. (AFP via The Hindu) (NPR)

Disasters and accidents

Cyclone Ianos
- A rare Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone (medicane), with winds up to 120 km/h (75 mph), kills three people as it passes over Greece heading toward the island of Crete. About 5,000 homes in Karditsa, Greece, were affected by flooding and heavy winds. One person is still reported missing. (BBC) (Greek City Times)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Robert Koch Institute reports 2,297 new cases in Germany in the last 24 hours, the highest single daily increase since April, taking the nationwide total to more than 270,000. (Daily Sabah)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
    - Poland reports a record daily jump of 1,002 new cases, according to the Health Ministry's Twitter account, the highest daily increase since the pandemic began. The new record comes days after the authorities tightened conditions under which doctors are obliged to send patients for testing. (Reuters via National Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports 847 new daily cases, bringing the cumulative totals to 68,025 confirmed cases and 1,899 deaths. Ever since the end of national lockdown in May, this has been the fifth time that the country has registered some record increases in new cases, with all five records occurring during an 11-day window. (DGS)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
  - Indonesia reports a daily jump of 4,168 new cases, bringing the country's total cases to 240,687. This sets a new record high for the country since the beginning of the pandemic. (detikNews)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda
  - Uganda reports 423 new cases, its highest daily increase, thus bringing the country's total cases to 6,017. (Xinhua)

International relations

United States sanctions against Iran
- The United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declares the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran as no longer in force. He also warns that the United States "is prepared to use our domestic authorities to impose consequences" for other countries that do not enforce the sanctions. Britain, France, Germany, China, and Russia oppose the snapback sanctions. (The New York Times) (Al Jazeera)
Canada–China relations
- Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne announces that Canada has ceased discussing any free trade agreements with China. Canada has walked away from free-trade talks with China amid soured relations over arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou and the detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. He states that "the China of 2020 is not the China of 2016". (South China Morning Post)
Bangladesh–India relations, Deaths along the Bangladesh–India border
- The border guards of Bangladesh and India agree to launch joint patrols along the two countries' border following a spate of deaths linked to illegal entries. (Anadolu)

Law and crime

Immigration detention in the United States
- Police arrest 86 people at a protest against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Times Square. The rally called for the abolition of ICE in the wake of allegations of a high rate of hysterectomies and alleged medical neglect. (CNN)
Terrorism in the United States
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) releases a statement that a screening facility for White House mail intercepted a package containing ricin poison that was addressed to Donald Trump earlier this week. The FBI and the Secret Service are investigating where the package came from and whether others have been sent through the postal service. (BBC News)
Central African Republic Civil War
- A Paris court indicts Eric Bagale, a former presidential guard of former Central African Republic President François Bozizé and head of an anti-balaka militia, for "complicity in crimes against humanity" and "criminal association for the preparation of a war crime" on acts his militia committed between 2007 and 2014. (AFP via The Guardian)
Aftermath of the Hachalu Hundessa riots
- The attorney general of Ethiopia files terrorism charges against opposition activist Jawar Mohammed for the unrest that erupted following the assassination of musician Hachalu Hundessa last June. Jawar is due to appear in court on Monday to respond to the charges. (Reuters)
Rochester shooting
- Two people are killed and 14 others injured in a mass shooting at a home in Rochester, New York. It is the largest mass shooting in the city's history. (USA Today) (The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)
Former UK spy Fraser Cameron is reportedly placed under investigation by Belgian authorities for allegedly selling sensitive information to Chinese spies posing as journalists. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Romania
- Hundreds of Romanian families protest at the University Square in Bucharest against the government's new mandate on social distancing and the wearing of face masks in schools. Many compare the measures to the country's communist regime. (AP via ABC News)
2020 Thai protests
- More than 15,000 pro-democracy protesters led by students of the Thammasat University gather near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his government as well as a reform of the Thai monarchy. (AFP via ABS-CBN News)

September 20, 2020 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Kivu conflict
- 2020 Democratic Republic of the Congo massacres
  - Allied Democratic Forces militants kill 10 civilians in the town of Mbau, Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Anadolu)

Business and economy

FinCEN Files
- BuzzFeed News and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists release the FinCEN files, a collection of 2,657 documents relating to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. (BuzzFeed News) (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

Two Norwegian People's Aid employees are killed in an explosion in a residential area of Honiara, Solomon Islands, while clearing unexploded ordnance left over from the Pacific War of World War II. (BBC News)

International relations

Honduras–Israel relations, Status of Jerusalem
- Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández informs Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over telephone of his plans to move the embassy of Honduras in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv by the end of the year. (Anadolu)

Law and crime

2020–2021 United States racial unrest, Shooting of James Scurlock
- Jacob Gardner, an Omaha, Nebraska bar owner who was charged for fatally shooting James Scurlock during a George Floyd protest in the state, dies from suicide. (The New York Times)
A Canadian woman is arrested for sending ricin poison to U.S. President Donald Trump last week. (The New York Times)

Science and technology

Internet censorship in the United States, China–United States relations
- A federal judge blocks the Commerce Department from requiring U.S. app stores to remove WeChat downloads. (NBC News)

Sports

2020 24 Hours of Le Mans
- Toyota Gazoo Racing wins the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the third straight year. (Autoblog)

September 21, 2020 (Monday)

Business and economy

Microsoft agrees to buy video game holding company ZeniMax Media, including Bethesda Softworks and their following subsidiaries for $7.5 billion, in what is the biggest and most expensive takeover in the history of the video game industry. (Bloomberg)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports a daily jump of 4,176 new cases, bringing the country's total cases to 248,852. This sets a new record high for the country since the beginning of the pandemic. (detikNews)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
    - The number of cases in Iran rises by 3,341 in the past 24 hours, the highest daily tally since early June. The number of total cases in the country reaches to 425,481. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
  - The government raises its alert level from 3 to 4, meaning transmission is "high or rising exponentially." It comes after the government's scientific adviser warned that there could be 50,000 new cases a day by mid-October without further action. (BBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
  - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern lifts all remaining lockdown restrictions in the country except for Auckland, which maintains its lockdown until at least October 7. (AP)
Arctic sea ice decline
- The National Snow and Ice Data Center of the United States reports that the Arctic sea ice in 2020 has melted to an area of 3.74 million square kilometers, its second smallest area since records began in 1979. (AFP via Bangkok Post)
The Australian government reports that over 200 pilot whales are stranded off the Macquarie Harbour in West Coast, Tasmania, at least 25 of which have died. A rescue mission for the surviving whales is scheduled for tomorrow. (AAP via The Guardian)

International relations

Bahrain–Israel normalization agreement, Bahrain–United States relations
- The United States embassy in Manama warns American citizens in Bahrain of the "need for caution", days after the gulf kingdom signed a U.S.-backed deal with Israel. (AFP via Barron's)
United States sanctions against Iran, International sanctions during the Venezuelan crisis, United States–Venezuela relations
- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces the imposition of an arms embargo on the Iranian Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics and other entities involved in Iran's nuclear program, including the government of disputed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro for providing weapons to Iran. (AFP via CNA) (CNBC)
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international relations, COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
- President Rodrigo Duterte lifts a moratorium on Filipino health professionals to work overseas during the pandemic. (Anadolu)

Law and crime

Aftermath of the 2012 Burgas bus bombing
- A court in Bulgaria sentences two men, a Lebanese Australian and a Lebanese Canadian, to life in prison in absentia, for their roles in the suicide bombing of a bus in Burgas in 2012 that killed five Israeli tourists, the Bulgarian driver and the bomber. The whereabouts of the men is unknown and they are the subject of an Interpol red notice. (AP)

Politics and elections

2020 Malian coup d'état
- Bah Ndaw is named as Mali's interim President by the National Committee for the Salvation of the People military junta. Coup leader Assimi Goïta is appointed as Vice President. (Al Jazeera)

September 22, 2020 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- September 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - Insurgents kills at least 14 security forces in Gizab District, Uruzgan Province. (TOLOnews)

Business and economy

Abu Dhabi ends its alcohol licence system, meaning residents will no longer need a licence to buy and consume alcohol. Customers must be at least 21 and the purchase should be for personal use only, according to the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism. (The National)

Disasters and accidents

An arms depot belonging to Hezbollah explodes in Ain Qana, Nabatieh, Lebanon, injuring several people. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
  - The Netherlands posts a record weekly number of new confirmed cases. In the week ending today, cases hit 13,471, an increase of 60% on the 8,265 cases reported the week prior. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - The death toll from COVID-19 in the United States exceeds 200,000. (BBC News)

International relations

Israel–United Arab Emirates agreement, Bahrain–Israel normalization agreement
- The Palestinian National Authority resigns the chairmanship of the Council of the Arab League in protest of the bloc's failure to condemn Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates's normalization of ties with Israel. (DW)

Law and crime

Religion in Russia
- Russian special forces, including Federal Security Service agents, arrest cult leader Vissarion, who claims to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ, after storming several remote hamlets occupied by his followers in Krasnoyarsk Krai. Russian authorities say he will be charged with organizing an "illegal religious organisation", as well as subjecting his followers to extortion and emotional abuse. (The Guardian)
American journalist and filmmaker Andre Vltchek is found dead inside his car in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkish police are treating the death as "suspicious", and have launched an investigation. (Daily Sabah)

Science and technology

Astronomers find glowing auroras around 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. This is the first comet discovered to have them. (CBS News)

September 23, 2020 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Second Libyan Civil War
- Eastern-based forces of Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) say they have killed Abu Moaz al-Iraqi, leader of ISIL in Libya, in the desert city of Sebha. (Reuters)
Terrorism in Egypt
- Three Egyptian police officers and four convicted terrorists on death row are killed during a failed attempt to escape from Tora Prison in Cairo. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

List of explosions
- A fuel tanker explodes on a highway in Kogi State, Nigeria, destroying several nearby vehicles and killing at least 25 people. The victims include a number of Kogi State Polytechnic students whose school bus was destroyed in the blast. (BBC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - The number of deaths in India exceeds 90,000. In the past 24 hours, the country reported 83,347 new cases and 1,085 more deaths. (The Nation PK) (Deccan Herald)
    - Railway Minister Suresh Angadi dies from the disease at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. (Khaleej Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
    - Israel reports a record jump of 6,923 new cases in the past 24 hours, as the country imposes a second nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus. Further restrictions are being considered. (Al Jazeera)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
  - The number of cases in the Netherlands surpasses 100,000, after a record of 2,357 new cases is reported in the last 24 hours. (Dutch News)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - Johnson & Johnson enters a Phase III clinical trial for its potential vaccine, becoming the fourth vaccine company backed by Operation Warp Speed to do so. The trial is expected to enroll up to 60,000 volunteers across 215 locations in the United States and other countries. (CNBC)

International relations

North Korea–South Korea relations
- List of border incidents involving North and South Korea
  - The South Korean defense ministry alleges that North Korean officials killed and cremated an official from the South Korean fisheries ministry who disappeared from a ship conducting maritime patrol activities along the Northern Limit Line on September 21 and entered North Korean territory by the following afternoon. (AP via NY1)
Iran–Saudi Arabia relations, Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
- King Salman of Saudi Arabia calls for a "comprehensive and firm" response to Iran's nuclear program and condemns what he describes as "its expansionist activities, create its terrorist networks, and use terrorism", adding that it produces nothing but "chaos, extremism, and sectarianism". An Iranian official rebuffs the accusations as "baseless". (Al Jazeera)
Mexico–United States relations, Immigration detention in the United States
- Mexico is investigating claims that six Mexican women were sterilised while in a migrant detention center, says Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard. A whistleblower the previous week alleged hysterectomies were being performed on immigrants in the United States without their proper consent. Mexico called such operations "unacceptable". (BBC News)
Foreign relations of Argentina
- President Alberto Fernández demands Iran extradite the Iranian citizens accused of responsibility for the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires and states that the demand is of "vital importance". (Argentine Official News Agency Télam)
Belarus–United States relations, International reactions to the 2020 Belarusian presidential election and protests
- The United States formally no longer recognizes Alexander Lukashenko as President of Belarus, according to a U.S. Department of State statement. A State Department spokesperson calls for a new "free and fair election" in Belarus under independent observation. (Axios)

Law and crime

Shooting of Breonna Taylor
- A grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, indicts former police officer Brett Hankison on felony charges of wanton endangerment for firing into a neighboring apartment, but no officers are charged directly with Breonna Taylor's death. A large police presence is seen in Louisville as protests continue. (USA Today) (CNN)
- Two Louisville Metro Police officers are shot and wounded during protests over the Breonna Taylor indictment. One suspect is reportedly in custody. (AP)
- After the city declared a state of emergency, Governor Andy Beshear sends the Kentucky Army National Guard to Louisville in response to the protests. (The Hill)
LGBT rights in the Cook Islands
- Human rights campaigners urge Cook Islands' MPs to abolish Article 64 of the Crimes Act, which criminalises gay men with up to 14 years' imprisonment. The activists call on the lawmakers to abide by the Constitution. The Cook Islands is a sovereign territory belonging to New Zealand. (RNZ)
Hong Kong pro-democracy camp activist Joshua Wong loses a court case against his disqualification from running in last year's November election. The returning officer had disqualified him because she did not believe Wong had changed his stance on Hong Kong independence and his "subversive intentions". (South China Morning Post)

Politics and elections

Aftermath of the 2020 Belarusian presidential election, 2020 Belarusian protests
- President Alexander Lukashenko is sworn in for a sixth term in office at an unannounced inauguration at the Independence Palace in Minsk. The opposition and some foreign governments do not recognize the legitimacy of the inauguration, and call for continued civil resistance. (BBC News)
Death and funeral of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- Deceased Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose in the United States Supreme Court Building. She is both the first woman and the first Jewish American to receive such an honor. (BBC News)
2020 United States presidential election, Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign
- U.S. President Donald Trump refuses to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the November 3 presidential election, saying "We're going to have to see what happens". (AP)
Ishmael Toroama is declared President-elect of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville following an election process that began six weeks ago. Toroama secured 48,766 votes cast and promised to solve the issue of independence. (RNZ)

Science and technology

Astronomers announce the crescent shadow of Messier 87's supermassive black hole is wobbling. Back in April 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope captured the crescent shadow of the black hole, making it the first image ever taken of a black hole. (Sci News)
Archaeologists discover some chromium crucible steel (stainless steel) that was first made in Persia as early as the 11th century. (Sci News)

September 24, 2020 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- September 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - Five people of the same family, including two children, are killed during an ambush by suspected Taliban members in Patawak village, Darayim District, Badakshan Province. (TOLOnews)

Business and economics

German vehicle company BMW is fined $18 million by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to resolve allegations that it inflated sales figures between 2015 and 2019. The fine amounts to less than 0.3% of the company's yearly income. (AP)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - French health authorities report a new record of 16,096 daily cases in the last 24 hours, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic. The new record comes a day after the government announced new restrictions on bars and restaurants in major cities, including Marseille and Paris, provoking an outcry from local politicians and business owners. (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - The government announces a plan to elevate Donegal to Level 3 out of a five-alert level alongside Dublin effective midnight tomorrow, which means that authorities will tighten restrictions due to an increase in cases; restrictions include a ban on indoor restaurant dining and an advisory for people not to travel outside the county. The measure will remain in place for three weeks until October 16. (The Irish Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom sees new cases rise by 6,634 in the last 24 hours, the highest figure ever reported by the Department for Health and Social Care since the beginning of the outbreak. The new record tally brings the total number of cases reported in the country to 416,363. (The Independent)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
  - Indonesia reports a record jump of 4,634 new cases in the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide total at 262,022, while the death toll from the virus surpasses 10,000. The number of daily cases is the highest since the beginning of the pandemic. (detikHealth)

Law and crime

Claremont serial killings
- Bradley Robert Edwards is found guilty of the murders of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon in Perth, Western Australia, in 1996 and 1997, respectively. He is found not guilty of the murder of Sarah Spiers in 1996, and her body has never been found. Edwards is slated to be sentenced on December 23. (9NEWS)
Internet censorship in Thailand
- The Thai Ministry of Digital Economy and Society files legal complaints against Facebook and Twitter for ignoring requests to take down content, such as those that criticize the royal family. (Reuters)
Hong Kong police arrest veteran activist of the League of Social Democrats Koo Sze-yiu and Joshua Wong of the defunct Demosisto for violating the anti-mask policy in place under previous year's protests. Other pro-democracy activists condemn the arrests. (The New York Times)

September 25, 2020 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2020 Paris stabbing attack
- A knife attack outside the former headquarters of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris, France, leaves two people wounded. The building is now used by a television production company, and the two wounded victims are workers of the company. The suspected perpetrator and six other people are taken into custody. The interior minister Gérald Darmanin says that the stabbing is an Islamic extremist terror attack. (BBC News)
Boko Haram insurgency
- Fifteen security personnel are killed when Boko Haram ambush a convoy of vehicles in which government officials were driven in Borno State, Nigeria. (Xinhua)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Chuhuiv An-26 crash
- A military plane carrying cadets from Kharkiv Air Force University during a training flight crashes in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine, killing 26 people and wounding another person. (BBC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
      - The Government of Ontario is implementing a number of new province-wide restrictions and public health measures aimed at curbing a surge in new cases. Under these rules, bars and restaurants, including nightclubs, are ordered to close at 11:00 p.m. local time and all strip clubs will be closed until further notice. The orders take effect at 12:01 a.m. local time tomorrow. (CBC)
    - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces that the country has signed a deal with AstraZeneca to buy up to 20 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine. (Business Recorder)
    - The number of cases in Canada exceeds 150,000. (Sify.com)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - The United States surpasses seven million cases of COVID-19. (CNN)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France surpasses 500,000 cases of COVID-19. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports 899 new daily cases, bringing the cumulative total to 72,055 confirmed cases and 1,936 deaths. Ever since the end of national lockdown in May, this has been the sixth time that the country has registered some record increases in new cases, with all six records occurring during the month of September. (DGS)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
    - Russia reports 7,212 cases, their highest since June 23. (Deccan Herald)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - The number of new cases in Indonesia surges by 4,823 in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide total to 266,845, a new record for the third consecutive day, while at the same time, the number of recovered patients also rises by a record 4,343, exceeding 196,000. (detikNews)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
    - Israel tightens restrictions one week after a second lockdown came into effect. Effective this afternoon, all businesses not officially considered essential are ordered closed for the next two weeks, with the possibility of being extended, and travel is restricted to 1 kilometer from people's homes. Other planned rules which would affect protesters and synagogue-goers are not yet approved by parliament. (France 24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
  - The number of deaths in Brazil exceeds 140,000. (The Rio Times)

International relations

North Korea–South Korea relations
- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un issues an apology to South Korea over the "unfortunate" shooting death of a South Korean official in disputed border waters on Tuesday. (AP)

Law and crime

Juneteenth
- At a campaign rally, United States President Donald Trump is set to make a speech in Atlanta, Georgia, advocating to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. (Fox News)
Inter-American Convention Against Terrorism
- The Dominican Republic assumes the presidency of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE). (Dominican Today)
2019–20 Hong Kong protests
- Police in Hong Kong ban a rally planned by the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF) to protest the arrest of 12 Hong Kong citizens on grounds of COVID-19 prevention and "violent acts". The organization said they would appeal the decision. (Hong Kong Free Press)
Thousands of protesters, predominantly farmers, block roads and railways in India to protest legislation that would remove government-guaranteed grain prices which are paid to farmers who sell their produce to the government. (Reuters)
Turkey orders the arrest of 82 individuals, including members of the Peoples' Democratic Party, over the violent protests against the inaction of the Turkish Armed Forces in the Siege of Kobanî in 2014. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 United States presidential election
- Google and YouTube announce that after the polls close on November 3 for the Presidential election, they will stop allowing political ads even if there is confusion or civil unrest while votes are counted. (NBC News)
Death and funeral of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in state in the United States Capitol Building. She is both the first woman and the first Jewish American to receive such an honor. (CNN)

Sports

2020 Major League Baseball season
- The Miami Marlins advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2003 after their 4-3 win against the New York Yankees. (CBS Sports) (ESPN)

September 26, 2020 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war
- History of the Syrian Civil War (2020–present)
  - A car bombing kills at least seven people and injures another ten in Ras al-Ayn, al-Hasakah Governorate. (Arab News)
Islamic terrorism in Europe, terrorism in France
- The suspect in the stabbing attack yesterday outside the former headquarters of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris is identified as Ali H., an 18-year-old Pakistan-born man. He confessed to his actions and said he acted in vengeance for the magazine's Muhammad caricature republications earlier this year. (LCI) (BBC News)
Boko Haram insurgency
- Eleven people are killed and 13 others injured after Boko Haram militants attack a security convoy taking people displaced by an insurgency back to their homes in Borno State, Nigeria. (Reuters)
Security forces kill at least nine insurgents in Lebanon during operations against Islamic State-linked militants that killed four security forces earlier this month and three civilians in August. Three security forces are also injured in this incident. (Arab News)
Militants open fire on an army checkpoint in Araman, Lebanon, killing two members of the security forces. A militant is also killed in the attack. It is the third of a spate of attacks by Islamic State-linked militants in the country since August. (Reuters)
Militants kill at least 15 people in Ethiopia's western Benishangul-Gumuz Region. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
      - Scotland reports 714 new cases, the biggest single-day jump on record since the pandemic began. It amounts to 11.5% of newly-tested individuals, the highest proportion of positivity rate tests. (STV)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland
      - Northern Ireland reports 319 new cases in the past 24 hours, setting a new record for the second consecutive day. The previous record was reported yesterday with 273 cases. (The Belfast Telegraph)

Politics

2020–2021 United States racial unrest, George Floyd protests in Portland
- Governor of Oregon Kate Brown declares a weekend state of emergency for Portland, saying white supremacist groups are travelling from out of state to attend an event the Proud Boys allege to be organized to "end domestic terrorism." Thousands of supporters are expected as police prepare for clashes in a city that has become the center of sometimes deadly political violence in the run-up to the November 3 election. (CBC)

September 27, 2020 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Mexican drug war
- A mass shooting in Jaral del Progreso, Guanajuato, leaves at least 11 people dead and one injured. (Reuters)
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
- Second Nagorno-Karabakh War
  - The Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces clash along the border of the unrecognized Republic of Artsakh, formerly known as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Several cities in Artsakh, including its capital city of Stepanakert, are under attack. At least 23 people are killed during the battle, of whom 16 are Nagorno-Karabakh servicemen, five Azerbaijani civilians and two Armenian civilians. (BBC News)
  - Armenia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh declare martial law and a full mobilization of its Artsakh Defence Army amid an Azerbaijani invasion. Azerbaijani Armed Forces say they have captured six Armenian villages. (The Guardian)
  - In a live televised address to the nation, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declares a general mobilization and orders citizens to "get ready to defend our sacred homeland", following the clashes with Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh. (The National)
  - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev declares martial law, and imposes curfews from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. in major cities, including the capital Baku, in response to the clashes between Azeri and Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. (Reuters) (ANI)
  - Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defence says advancing Azerbaijani troops have "liberated" the strategic Murovdag mountain peak, which was the scene of a previous battle in 1993, that ended in Armenian victory. (Trend)
Yemeni Civil War
- The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths announces that the Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government have agreed to a prisoner swap of 1,081 detainees. The release will include 400 government prisoners and 681 Houthi fighters. (Reuters)

Business and economy

China–United States trade war, Censorship of TikTok
- The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia temporarily blocks U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order banning TikTok from smartphone app stores hours before it was to go into effect, after lawyers representing the app's company ByteDance argued its ban would constitute a form of censorship. (NPR)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Victorian premier Daniel Andrews announces a plan to lift a nighttime curfew between 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. (AEST) local time in Melbourne and ease many restrictions across Victoria, including returning pupils to school and relaxing restrictions on outdoor gatherings effective tomorrow. However, the state introduces a fine of almost $5,000 for those violating any gathering rules. (The Guardian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
  - The number of daily new cases in the Netherlands hits a record 2,995 cases in the past 24 hours, according to data from health ministry. (Reuters)

Law and crime

2020 Belarusian protests
- Police carry out mass arrests as thousands of people gather for new protests; more than 50 protesters are arrested. (BBC News)
2020 Swiss referendums
- Swiss voters reject the proposal, from the right-wing Swiss People's Party, to end an accord with the European Union that allows free movement of people. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

Tax returns of Donald Trump
- The New York Times reports that it has obtained more than two decades of tax-return data for Donald Trump and his business enterprises, including The Trump Organization. The documents show that Trump paid no federal income tax in 11 of the last 15 years, and paid just $750 in income taxes in 2016, and $750 in 2017. (BBC News)

Sports

2020 NBA playoffs
- The Miami Heat advance to the NBA Finals with a 125–113 victory against the Boston Celtics in game 6. (Washington Post)

September 28, 2020 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Moro conflict
- During a shootout with soldiers in Sulu, Philippines, Abu Sayyaf militants kills an Indonesian fisherman who was abducted early this year. A militant of the group also died in the fight. (The Manila Times)
Iraqi insurgency
- 2020 Iraq attacks
  - A missile hits a house in Baghdad, close to the airport. The attack leaves at least five people dead, including three children; two children are injured. (National Iraqi News Agency)
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
- Second Nagorno-Karabakh War
  - Seventy-one more Artsakh servicemen are killed during the fight, bringing the death toll among the fighters to 87. Two more Azerbaijani civilians are also killed. A passenger bus in Armenia was hit by an Azerbaijani missile, but no casualties are reported. Authorities in Nagorno reports at least 400 Azerbaijani soldiers dead, but the country has not confirmed. (BBC News)

Business and economy

Kioxia, the Japanese computer memory manufacturer spun off from Toshiba, postpones its initial public offering on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, citing the volatility of the semiconductor industry caused by both the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing trade war between China and the United States. Its initial public offering, which would have launched on October 6, was projected to be Japan's largest for this year. (The Japan Times) (NikkeAsia)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
  - India surpasses six million cases of COVID-19, becoming the second country after the United States to reach that milestone. Meanwhile, 82.5% or more than five million people have recovered. (AP)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
  - The government introduces new nationwide restrictions aimed at tackling the swift spread sweeping across the country, including disallowing fans in professional sports matches and ordering bars and restaurants to close at 22:00 (10:00 p.m.) CEST for the next three weeks. Prime Minister Mark Rutte also advises people to wear face masks when shopping in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague, the three cities with the highest rates of infections. (CTV News)

International relations

Foreign relations of the Dominican Republic
- The Dominican Republic's Foreign Ministry fires 781 people in various embassies. (Dominican Today)
Papua conflict, Foreign relations of Indonesia, Foreign relations of Vanuatu
- Indonesia accuses Vanuatu of having an "excessive and unhealthy obsession" about West Papua. The remark comes after Vanuatuan Prime Minister Bob Loughman warned the international community about "human rights violations and abuses" in the region. (RNZ)
Belarus–Russia relations, COVID-19 vaccine
- Russia announces that they have supplied their first batch of their Sputnik V vaccine to Belarus for clinical trails. (Reuters)

Law and crime

2017–18 Spanish constitutional crisis, Trial of Catalonia independence leaders
- The Spanish Supreme Court ratifies a year-and-a-half disqualification sentence to President of the Government of Catalonia Quim Torra. He must abandon the presidency after being accused of disobeying the Central Electoral Bureau. Vice president Pere Aragonès will succeed him ad interim effective September 29. (El Mundo) (Reuters) (BBC News)
- Demonstrations take place throughout Catalonia, as well as protests in Barcelona. (El Confidencial) (La Vanguardia)
Corruption in Pakistan
- Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif is arrested amid a corruption scandal. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

Three ministers resign from Bolivia's interim government. One of them, Economic Minister Oscar Ortiz, stated his resignation was in protest of President Jeanine Áñez's decision to sell shares in the state-run electricity company ELFEC close to the upcoming general election. (DW)

Science and technology

Water on Mars
- Scientists in a paper published to Nature Astronomy confirm the existence of four underground saltwater lakes spread out over 75,000 square kilometres (29,000 sq mi) near Mars' south pole. Depending on their salt content, these lakes could be potential holders of life. (Nature)
Discoveries of exoplanets
- CHEOPS announces the observation of WASP-189b, an ultra-Hot Jupiter exoplanet that orbits the star HD 133112 (also known as WASP-189) 322-light years away from the Libra constellation. (CNN)

Sports

2020 Stanley Cup playoffs
- 2020 Stanley Cup Finals
  - The Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2004 following their game 6 victory against the Dallas Stars. (USA Today)
FIFA gives the president of the Club Olimpia of Paraguay Marco Trovato a lifetime ban from all football-related activity, following an investigation into match manipulation. He is also fined CHF100,000. Trovato said he would appeal the decision. (FIFA) (Reuters)

September 29, 2020 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
- Second Nagorno-Karabakh War
  - The Armenian Defense Ministry says that an Armenian Su-25 fighter jet was shot down by a Turkish F-16 fighter jet, killing its pilot. Turkey says it is untrue. (BBC News)
  - Five more Azerbaijani civilians are killed during Armenian fire in the country, bringing the death toll among Azeri civilians to 12. At least 35 others are wounded. (Reuters)
War in Afghanistan
- September 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - A roadside bomb targeting a civilian bus kills at least 14 people, including five children, in Kajran district, Daykundi Province. Daykundi is considered one of the safest places in the country; this is the second attack in Daykundi this year. (TOLOnews)

Business and economy

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on airlines, Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- The United States Department of the Treasury reaches a deal with seven of the major U.S. airlines to allocate around $25 billion in loans from the $2.2 trillion budget approved under the CARES Act to assist in their financial recovery amid the pandemic. (AFP via Bangkok Post)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
    - The Netherlands reports 3,011 new cases in the past 24 hours, a daily record since the beginning of the pandemic, as the country imposes new measures to combat a second wave of infections, according to data published by the National Institute for Health (RIVM). (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - 7,143 new cases are reported in the United Kingdom in the last 24 hours, the highest single day of reported cases ever since the beginning of the outbreak. Meanwhile, 71 COVID-19-related deaths are reported at the same time, the highest level since July 1. (Sky News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
  - Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu tests positive for COVID-19. He is asymptomatic and quarantined at home. (The Hindu)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - Results from Phase I trials find that the vaccine candidate from Moderna works well with older adults. (USA Today)
- The worldwide death toll from COVID-19 exceeds one million. The United States remains the largest contributor, accounting for 21% of the total deaths. (BBC News)
Animal welfare and rights in France
- French Minister of Ecology Barbara Pompili announces that mink farms and the use of wild animals in circuses will be phased out, and the breeding and importing of dolphins and killer whales at marine parks are banned effective immediately. (The Independent)

Law and crime

Hathras gang rape and murder
- A 19-year-old Dalit woman died in Delhi after she was allegedly gang raped in Uttar Pradesh by four upper-caste men, sparking outrage in India from opposition parties. The woman was admitted to a hospital in Delhi two weeks ago with several serious injuries. (CNN) (BBC News)
Sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- The World Health Organization announces it will launch an investigation into the allegations regarding its officials committing acts of sexual exploitation and abuse while on mission to control the Kivu Ebola outbreak in the Équateur Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (AFP via Manila Bulletin)
A court in China sentences a woman to death for poisoning 25 kindergarten children with nitrite in their porridge, killing one. The court said the motives of the woman were "despicable" and "vicious". (CNN)

Politics and elections

Politics of Togo
- Victoire Tomegah Dogbé becomes the first female Prime Minister of Togo. (CNN)
Amnesty International says it has been forced to halt its Indian operations due to "reprisal" from the government. Amnesty said its bank accounts were frozen and it was forced to lay off staff, and suspend all its campaign and research work. (BBC News)
Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Sabah dies at the age of 91. Crown Prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is named his successor. (BBC News) (Al Arabiya)

Science and technology

The United Arab Emirates announces the Emirates Lunar Mission to send a space exploration vehicle to the Moon in 2024. (The Hill) (Gulf Today)

September 30, 2020 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
- Second Nagorno-Karabakh War
  - The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan reject proposals of peace talks citing each other's attempts at obstructing negotiations. (AP)
  - Sali Berisha, former President of Albania, calls for the international community to engage the conflict with greater seriousness. (Trend AZ)
  - United States presidential nominee Joe Biden calls on the Trump Administration to demand Turkey "stay out of the conflict". (New Europe)
  - The Moscow International Film Festival cancels the screening of Gate to Heaven, a film about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. (Meduza)
War in Afghanistan
- September 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - A suicide bomber in a vehicle detonated explosives in Helmand Province at a police checkpoint, killing five security force members and four civilians passing the area. Four other people are wounded. (TOLO News)
  - Taliban insurgents kill a police officer and wound another two in Farang District, Baghlan Province. (TOLOnews)
  - At least three police officers are killed and another three injured when the Taliban attacks Kohistan District, Badakhshan Province. Four Taliban militants are also killed and five others injured in the attack. (TOLOnews)

Disasters and accidents

2020 California wildfires
- A fourth person is found dead in Northern California as a result of the Zogg Fire. (ABC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia
    - Slovakia reports 567 new cases in the past 24 hours, the largest single-day tally since the pandemic started in the country. (Reuters)
    - The government approves the declaration of the state of emergency due to rising cases in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Igor Matovič states that the state of emergency will be imposed for 45 days starting tomorrow. It is the second time that the state of emergency has been imposed by the country. (TASR)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
    - The government declares a state of emergency and imposes tighter measures, including limiting gatherings and banning musicals and opera, in an attempt to combat a surge of the disease before it overwhelms the health system. The measures start on October 5 and will be in effect for 30 days. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium
    - Belgium's death toll from COVID-19 surpass 10,000. (RTÉ)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Romania
    - Romania reports 2,158 new cases in the past 24 hours, a daily record since the beginning of the pandemic. (Romanian Journal)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - The number of recovered patients in Indonesia surges by 4,510 to reach 214,947. This is the largest single-day increase of recoveries since the beginning of the outbreak. (detikHealth)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
    - Israel's Knesset passes a law that bans mass protesting during the country's lockdown in a move the opponents claim to criminalize demonstrations calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign as prime minister. It allows the government to restrict people from traveling more than 1 kilometer from their homes to demonstrate, and outdoor gatherings of more than 20 people are banned. (The Guardian)