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Topics in the news

COVID-19 pandemic

Kingsley Coman

In association football, the UEFA Champions League concludes, with Bayern Munich (man of the match Kingsley Coman pictured) defeating Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is airlifted from Omsk to Germany in a coma after a suspected poisoning.
Keith Rowley is sworn in for a second term as prime minister after the People's National Movement wins the Trinidad and Tobago general election.

August 25, 2020 (Tuesday)

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August 24, 2020 (Monday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Moro conflict
- 2020 Jolo bombings
  - Militants believed to be Abu Sayyaf jihadists detonate two bombs in Jolo, Sulu, Philippines, killing 14 people and wounding 75 others. The first occurred as army personnel were assisting in carrying out COVID-19 humanitarian efforts. The second, a suicide bombing, was carried out near the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, which was bombed in 2019. (The New York Times)
Syrian civil war
- A major blackout is reported in Syria after an explosion hits the Arab Gas Pipeline in the Rif Dimashq Governorate. Syrian Oil Minister Ali Ghanem says the explosion was a "terrorist attack", but does not elaborate on who was behind it. (Al Jazeera)
An armed assault erupts on Sunday and continues into today in Bugarama, Rumonge, Burundi between militants and security forces, leaving at least 15 people dead. A group named Red Tabara, based in Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, claims responsibility and says that the election of past May won by Évariste Ndayishimiye were a "farce" and calls for new elections. The Burundian army did not comment on the attack. (Reuters)

Business and economy

TikTok sues U.S. President Donald Trump over his executive orders, signed earlier this month, that would effectively ban the app within the United States, calling it part of a "broader campaign of anti-China rhetoric" in the lead up to the presidential election. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

More than 200 people are missing after a five-story apartment block in Mahad, Maharashtra, India, collapses. Residents and rescue workers dispatched by the National Disaster Response Force have rescued at least 28 people. (The Independent)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports its highest single-day record of more than 3,500 patients having recovered from COVID-19, pushing the recovery rate to 71.5%. Of those recovered, 1,896 are from Jakarta, which has reported the highest single day of any province in the country. (Okezone)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - Seoul orders face masks to be worn in both indoor and outdoor public places for the first time as it battles a surge in cases centred in the densely populated metropolitan area. (Liputan6)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    - Victorian premier Daniel Andrews proposes to extend the state of emergency to at least September 2021. (9News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
    - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces that Auckland will remain in Alert level 3 until 11:59 pm local time on August 30. (Newshub)

International relations

Arab–American relations, Arab–Israeli conflict, Israel–United States relations
- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visits Israel, 11 days after the country agreed to normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates. Pompeo embarks on a tour of the Middle East and Sudan to persuade the other Arab states to normalize relations with Israel as well. (Al Jazeera) (DW)
Austria-Russia relations
- Austria expels a Russian diplomat following a report accusing the envoy of being involved in economic espionage after an Austrian who works in a technology company confessed that he carried out espionage for years on behalf of the Russian, who was his intelligence handler. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

Impeachment inquiry against Mike DeWine
- Ohio Rep. John Becker draws up 10 articles of impeachment on Ohio Governor Mike DeWine over his COVID-19 orders. Rep. Nino Vitale and Rep. Paul Zeltwanger are co-sponsors for the impeachment inquiries. (Cleveland News) (WLWT)
Shooting of Jacob Blake, George Floyd protests
- Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin has deployed the National Guard to maintain "public safety" after police shot Jacob Blake on Sunday. Hundreds of people marched on police headquarters that night to demonstrate against the shooting. Up to 200 members of the National Guard will be deployed. (BBC)
A prison riot in Farafangana, Madagascar, leaves at least 20 inmates dead, while dozens of prisoners escape after overpowering the guards. The Justice Ministry says 31 prisoners remain on the loose, while 37 have been captured alive. (ABC News)
Northern Ireland police charge nine members of the New IRA arrested last week for terrorism, conspiracy, and possession of explosives, among others. A tenth member remains in custody. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 United States presidential election
- The 2020 Republican National Convention begins, running until Thursday. Incumbents President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are expected to be officially nominated to run for re-election, facing off against former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris in November. (CNN)
2020 Belarusian protests
- The Coordinating Council of the Belarusian opposition report that two of its members, Sergei Dylevsky and Olga Kovalkova, have been detained by police in Minsk. (AP via ABC News)
2020 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election
- Durham MP and former Minister of Veterans Affairs Erin O'Toole is elected as the new leader of the Conservative Party and new Leader of the Official Opposition in the House of Commons. (CTV News)
The Cyprus Papers, consisting of more than 1,400 confidential approved applications relating to the Cyprus Investment Programme run by the Republic of Cyprus, are published by the international broadcaster Al Jazeera, which says they have been sold to criminals and fugitives who, by purchasing a Cypriot passport, become European Union citizens. The European Commission, as well as a leading anti-corruption NGO, want this program phased out. (Al Jazeera)
The Charité hospital in Berlin, Germany, where Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is admitted, reveals that doctors have found cholinesterase inhibitors in his body that suggest he may have been poisoned. Doctors in Omsk, Russia, where Navalny was initially admitted, earlier claimed that there was no evidence of poison in his body. (CBS News)
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune sets the date for a referendum on a new constitution for November 1. (Reuters)

August 23, 2020 (Sunday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- August 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - Seven civilians are killed by a roadside bomb in Jaghatū, Ghazni. The Governor of Paktia, Mohammad Halim Fidai, survives an assassination attempt. No group claimed responsibility for either incident. (Al Jazeera)
Second Libyan Civil War
- A spokesman for Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) rejects a ceasefire proposed by the Government of National Accord (GNA) and says it is a "marketing stunt". He says GNA forces are mobilising in different fronts in the country and the LNA will defend from any attack on its positions around Sirte and Jufra. Yesterday, the High Council of State, which advises the GNA, rejected dialogue with Haftar. (Al Jazeera)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane warnings are issued for the state of Louisiana and parts of Mississippi as it is expected that Tropical Storm Marco will become a hurricane later today. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Laura is also advancing toward the United States after leaving torrential rain in parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards requests a federal emergency declaration; Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves declares a state of emergency. (The Guardian) (ABC News)
- Marco becomes a hurricane and is expected to make landfall in Louisiana on Monday or early Tuesday. Laura is expected to become a hurricane as well by Wednesday. (USA Today)
Flash flooding in Turkey's northern Giresun Province kills at least five people and leaves 11 others missing. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India's number of confirmed cases tops 3 million, making it the third country to surpass that number after the United States and Brazil as the country leads the world in daily new cases. (Al Jazeera)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - South Korea reports 397 new cases, which is the highest number of reported cases since early March as the virus is reported in all cities and provinces across the country. From that number 387 were locally transmitted. (Reuters) (Yonhap News Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports a post-lockdown record of 4,897 new cases in the last 24 hours, as the French health minister Olivier Véran warns that the situation is risky and that infections are essentially happening amongst people ages 20 to 40 at parties. (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
    - Former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko is reportedly in serious condition, according to one of her party's spokespeople, after testing positive for COVID-19. (Bloomberg)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - The number of deaths in Australia surpasses 500. The majority of the deaths are in Victoria. (The Guardian)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - President Donald Trump and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announce the emergency use authorization of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 patients after days of White House officials suggesting there were politically motivated delays by the FDA in approving a vaccine and therapeutics for the disease that President Trump claims has harmed his re-election chances. The FDA said more than 70,000 patients have been treated with convalescent plasma, but they have not yet obtained enough randomized clinical trial data on convalescent plasma for COVID-19. Some of those trials are underway. (BBC) (CNN)

International relations

Iraq–United States relations, Withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq (2020)
- The United States military withdraw from Camp Taji and hand it over to the Iraqi military; the base has been the target of many rocket attacks recently. The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump redoubled his promise to withdraw troops from the country. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Shooting of Jacob Blake, George Floyd protests
- Protests have erupted in the Kenosha, Wisconsin after police shot a black man, Jacob Blake, many times while responding to what they claimed was a domestic incident. An online video shows Blake being shot in the back in broad daylight as he tries to get into a car. Authorities declared an emergency overnight curfew after unrest broke out following the shooting. Vehicles were set on fire and protesters shouted "We won't back down". (BBC)
Rioting erupts in Paris following the defeat of Paris Saint-Germain F.C. in the Champions League final. Riot police fire tear gas at groups of PSG fans, who responded by throwing fireworks and flares. Several arrests are made. (The Mirror)

Politics and elections

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
  - Taoiseach Micheál Martin recalls the Dáil Éireann following reports that several members and other officials have breached COVID-19 regulations. (AFP via The Straits Times)
2020 Belarusian protests
- Tens of thousands rally in Independence Square, Minsk, calling for President Alexander Lukashenko to step down, despite a police ban on protests in the capital. (BBC)
- The Ministry of Defence describes anti-Lukashenko protesters as "fascists", and says the army will take over the protection of war memorials from local police forces. (Reuters)
- Footage shows Alexander Lukashenko departing a military helicopter outside the Independence Palace in Minsk, brandishing an assault rifle and wearing a bullet-proof vest. He then greeted a cordon of security forces guarding the palace. He was accompanied by his son Nikolai Lukashenko. In another video, Lukashenko can be heard saying "They’ve run away like rats", while observing a protest in his helicopter. (The Guardian)
Trump administration dismissals and resignations
- Counselor to the U.S. President Kellyanne Conway announces her resignation, effective at the end of the month. (AP via Global News)
The Mail on Sunday reports that British Chancellor Rishi Sunak plans to abolish an Internet tax expected to raise £500 million ($654M) a year. The tax was introduced in April 2020 and could reportedly be an impediment to a post-Brexit trade deal with the United States. (Reuters via The Jakarta Post)

Sports

COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- More than 2,000 athletes representing 46 nations participate in the 32nd annual Bosphorus Cross Continental Swim to empty audiences. It was scheduled for last month but was pushed back due to the ongoing pandemic. (Al Jazeera)
2020 IndyCar Series
- Takuma Sato of Japan wins the 104th Indianapolis 500. It is Sato's second career Indy 500 victory. (US News & World Report) (CBS Sports)
2019–20 UEFA Champions League, 2020 UEFA Champions League Final
- In association football, FC Bayern Munich defeat French opponents Paris Saint-Germain F.C. 1–0 at the Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, to win their sixth Champions League title and second continental treble. Bayern Munich become the first team to win any European competition with a 100% winning record. (BBC)

August 22, 2020 (Saturday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- Afghan peace process, August 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - At least 14 security forces are killed across Afghanistan in attacks in Takhar, Badakhshan, and Kabul. The Taliban claims responsibility for the first two attacks but denies involvement in Kabul's. The group reiterated that it will not enter peace talks with the government until all prisoners are released. (Al Jazeera)
2020 Democratic Republic of the Congo massacres
- Suspected Islamist militants kill 13 people during raids on two villages in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the army and a village chief report. It is the latest of such attacks that the United Nations says may be war crimes. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) have killed more than 1,000 people since 2019, according to UN figures. (Reuters)
Colombian conflict
- Three massacres kill 28 people, in Arauca, Cauca, and Nariño. These complete a week with five massacres, adding up to more than 33 this year. Gangs are believed to be responsible for nearly 80 percent of massacres in Colombia this year, the vast majority of them occurring in departments with illegal coca-producing enclaves. (Colombia Reports) (Buenos Aires Times)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Two simultaneous tropical storms, Laura and Marco, threaten Gulf Coast residents in the coming days. Laura is currently over Puerto Rico, while Marco is making its way through the Yucatan Channel. This would mark the first time in over 60 years in which two tropical storms were active simultaneously in the Gulf of Mexico. (CNN) (CNN²)
COVID-19 pandemic in Peru
- At least 13 people are killed after police raid a nightclub in Lima for breaching restrictions that were imposed in response to the pandemic. Police report that a stampede occurred as patrons tried to escape, resulting in casualties, while others were killed due to asphyxiation. (Reuters via Hindustan Times)
A cargo aircraft crashes upon takeoff from Juba International Airport in Juba, South Sudan, en route to the cities of Aweil and Wau, killing at least 17 people. (Xinhua)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - South Korea announces a ban of large gatherings, shutting down high-risk facilities, banning in-person churches, and removing fans from professional sports nationwide tomorrow, as the country reports a new five-month high of 332 new cases in the last 24 hours, citing "a very dangerous situation that could trigger a massive nationwide spread of COVID-19". (AFP via detikNews) (The Telegraph)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports a record jump in infections, recording 69,878 new cases and nearing three million. It also reported 945 new deaths, bringing the tally to 55,794. 62,282 patients recovered from the disease, which is also the highest in a single day. (DW)
    - India reaches milestone of 10 lakh (1 million) tests per day. (Hindustan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia signs a deal with Chinese company Sinovac Biotech to purchase 50 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. (Bloomberg)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Robert Koch Institute reports more than 2,000 new cases in Germany in the last 24 hours, which is the highest number of reported cases since late April. (Euronews)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - The number of daily new cases in Italy surpasses 1,000 for the first time since May. (Daily Sabah)

International relations

A 90-minute meeting held between delegates representing the Economic Community of West African States and leaders of the recent coup d'état in Mali over a return to civilian rule is cut short to 20 minutes for unknown reasons. (Reuters)

Law and crime

George Floyd Protests
- George Floyd protests in Portland, Oregon
  - Department of Homeland Security officers force demonstrators out of a plaza near Multnomah County Justice Center as dueling demonstrations in Portland, Oregon by right-wing and left-wing protesters turn violent. Images show hundreds of people involved, many of them wearing helmets and carrying makeshift shields. Some demonstrators appeared to use pepper spray and at least one person appeared to pull a gun, but no arrests have been made so far. (NBC News)
- George Floyd protests in Michigan
  - Forty people are arrested while protesting Operation Legend in Detroit. Police also used tear gas and pepper spray on the crowd of about 100 people. (WDIV)
Sudanese prime minister Abdalla Hamdok says that Sudan is ready to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to facilitate the international body access to alleged war criminals over the Darfur War, including former ruler Omar al-Bashir. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, 2020 United States Postal Service crisis
  - In a 257–150 vote, the House of Representatives approves a bill that would reverse changes to the operations of the Postal Service implemented by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, amid a series of backlogs and delays in the delivery of mail following his appointment in June. The bill also aims to provide the agency financial support worth $25 billion in preparation for an expected surge in postal voting in the upcoming election due to the pandemic. (AP via Philippine Daily Inquirer)
2020 Ivorian presidential election
- Incumbent President Alassane Ouattara is formally chosen by his party, the Rally of the Republicans, to run for a third term in the October election. However, opposition and civil society groups claim the move is unconstitutional, as the Constitution limits a president to only two terms. (France 24)
2020 Northern Territory general election
- Australia's Northern Territory re-elects the incumbent Labor Party government. (ABC)
Alexei Navalny is admitted to the Charité hospital in Berlin, Germany, following a medical evacuation flight from Omsk, Russia. The chairman of the Cinema for Peace Foundation, which organized the evacuation, says the comatose Russian opposition leader is in a "stable condition". (CNN)

August 21, 2020 (Friday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Second Libyan Civil War
- Chief of the Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez al-Sarraj orders a ceasefire in all the territory of Libya. The statement ordered "to all military forces to immediately ceasefire and all combat operations in all Libyan territories". (Reuters)
- GNA's rival leader of the eastern-based front Aguila Saleh Issa appeals to a halt of hostilities from both sides and supports the ceasefire to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Libya. There has been no comment from Libyan National Army (LNA) leader Khalifa Haftar. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 recession
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Vice Chancellor and Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz announces a plan to loan around €218 billion ($258bn) for a bailout to mitigate the impact of the country's recession caused by the pandemic, thereby suspending the debt brake. (CGTN)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The UK's national debt exceeds £2 trillion ($2.61tn) for the first time, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. (AFP via New Straits Times)
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, COVID-19 pandemic in Brunei
    - The Singaporean Ministry of Health announces that it would permit the entry of travelers from Brunei and New Zealand, effective September 1, citing the countries' effective responses to pandemic. (Reuters via CNBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon, Lebanese liquidity crisis
  - The S&P Global Ratings downgrades Lebanon's credit rating for its external debt to "selective default" (SD), following defaults due to the resignation of the government in the aftermath of the August 4 explosion in Beirut and the implementation of a two-week lockdown from August 18 following a surge in infections. (AFP via France 24)
- State-run oil company Saudi Aramco suspends plans to build a US$10 billion oil refinery in Liaoning, China, due to decreased global demand for oil. Its Chinese partners said they will press ahead with the project. (Al Jazeera)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that the drilling ship Fatih has found 320 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves in the Black Sea, Turkey's biggest natural gas find to date. If Turkey can extract the gas commercially, it will be able to reduce its reliance on imported energy. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

2020 California wildfires
- August 2020 California lightning wildfires
  - Structures at the Big Basin Redwoods State Park are damaged or destroyed by the CZU Lightning Complex Fire in Santa Cruz County. (CNN)
  - Six people die in the wildfires in Northern California. (ABC News)
  - The LNU Lightning Complex Fire grows to 220,000 acres, with 7% of the fire contained. (SFGate)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong
    - Chief Executive Carrie Lam announces mass COVID-19 testing for residents starting on September 1, with the assistance of a 60-person team from the mainland, which is the first time Chinese health officials have assisted the special administrative region in its battle to control the epidemic. (CNA)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
    - Israel surpasses 100,000 cases as the government struggles with a resurgence of infections. The death tally stands at 809. (Al Arabiya)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar
    - The state government of Rakhine imposes a night-time curfew in the state's capital of Sittwe, after the Ministry of Health and Sports reported a surge in local cases. (Anadolu Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - South Korea reports 324 new cases in the previous 24 hours. This is the highest number of new cases since March 8, as the authorities warn of a cluster of infections in Seoul threatening to spread nationwide. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Syria
    - The opposition-controlled region of the northwest of Syria reports its first death from COVID-19, that of an 80-year-old woman who suffered from severe renal insufficiency and high blood pressure. (AFP via Al Arabiya)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - At least 41 schools in Berlin have reported students or teachers are infected with COVID-19 less than two weeks after they reopened. Hundreds of students and teachers are in quarantine and Elementary schools, high schools and trade schools are affected. (AP via CBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary
    - Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announces on state radio that he will tighten border crossing rules in Hungary on September 1 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as the number of new infections rises in neighbouring countries. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Italy reports 947 new cases, touching the same levels recorded in mid-May, when the government started easing its stringent lockdown measures. (Anadolu Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in New Hampshire
    - New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu announces that restaurants in the state can now open at 100% dine-in capacity. (Newsweek)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - American company Pfizer and German company BioNTech say that they are on track to being submitted for regulatory review as early as October. (Financial Express)

International relations

Mali–United States relations
- The U.S. announces through its Sahel Region representative J. Peter Pham that it is halting military cooperation with Mali over the recent coup until the recent situation is "clarified". (Reuters)
Iran–United States relations
- A U.S. attempt to extend United Nations sanctions against Iran under a JCPoA "snapback" provision is opposed by 13 Security Council members, who argue that the U.S. left the agreement with Iran in 2018. (The Guardian)
Afghanistan–Pakistan relations
- The Pakistani Foreign Ministry reveals that it on August 18 placed financial sanctions on dozens of Taliban members, including chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, and deputy head and Haqqani network leader Sirajuddin Haqqani. The sanctions were placed to avoid placing the country on the Financial Action Task Force blacklist. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

A court in Zimbabwe denies, for the third time, bail to opposition politician and activist Jacob Ngarivhume after ruling he "could be a danger to the public if released", over protests he organized last month. His lawyer says he is "stunned" by the court's decision. (Reuters)
King Salman of Saudi Arabia dismisses Awwad Eid Al-Aradi Al-Balawi, the directorate general of the Border Guards, and several other officials over structural encroachment in the Red Sea Project. (Xinhua)
American actress Lori Loughlin is sentenced to two months in prison and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, is sentenced to five months in prison for their role in the college admissions scandal. (Los Angeles Times)
Former California police officer Joseph James DeAngelo, also known as the Golden State Killer, receives multiple consecutive life sentences without parole in the county superior court in Sacramento. DeAngelo pleaded guilty in June to 13 counts of first-degree murder in exchange for taking the death penalty off the table. (ABC News)
The press office of deposed Bolivian President Evo Morales rejects a criminal complaint filed this week by the Ministry of Justice accusing him of trafficking and raping a 16-year-old girl, claiming it was part of a "dirty war" waged by the interim government. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
  - Irish Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary resigns after attending a golf dinner with more than 80 people, which came a day after Dublin announced a tightening of lockdown restrictions. Gardaí are now investigating possible breaches of COVID-19 regulations on the event. (BBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya, protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
  - Police arrest anti-corruption protesters in Nairobi for allegedly disobeying social distancing measures. Protesters, however, claim the arrests were an attempt by authorities to silence dissent and report that police have used tear gas to disperse the crowds. (AP via The Washington Post)
2019–2020 Iraqi protests
- Protesters in the southern city of Basra set fire to a local parliament office after gathering to demand the resignation of governor Asaad Al Eidani for the killing of two activists last week. (Reuters)
Doctors treating Russian anti-corruption activist and opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Omsk refute claims that Navalny was poisoned before his flight from Tomsk to Moscow the previous day, citing that tests had shown no trace of any poison in his body. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has offered to transfer Navalny to Berlin for further treatment by sending an air ambulance to Omsk, but doctors have refused to discharge him, saying Navalny is in an "unstable" condition. Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh claim the refusal is a ploy to hide the poisoning and "put his life at risk". (AFP via NDTV)

Sports

2019–20 UEFA Europa League
- In association football, Sevilla FC defeat Inter Milan 3–2 in the final to win the UEFA Europa League for a record sixth time. (AP via Lincoln Journal Star)

August 20, 2020 (Thursday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Piracy off the coast of Somalia
- A regional official in Somalia says that they are working to free a Panama-flagged ship's crew that was hijacked yesterday by pirates in the first successful incident since 2017. The number of crew and their nationalities remain unclear. The ship was traveling from the United Arab Emirates to the port of Mogadishu. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism
  - Airbnb bans house parties and limits almost all listed venues to 16 people as it tries to comply with gathering restrictions. (BBC)
  - Australian youth travel agency STA Travel files for insolvency. (BBC)
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation
  - American Airlines announces it will end service at 15 airports starting October 7. (CNN)

Disasters and accidents

2020 California wildfires
- A Vacaville-based Pacific Gas and Electric Company worker dies while assisting first responders of the LNU Lightning Complex fire. (SFGate)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland
      - Northern Ireland reduces the number of people allowed in outdoor gatherings to 15 people and limits indoor gatherings in private dwellings to six individuals from two households amid a rise in cases. (Sky News)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
      - Scotland reports its highest number of daily new cases since May, with 77 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. (BBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports a sharp spike of new cases in the last 24 hours when more than 4,700 cases reported. It is first time that more than 4,000 new cases reported since May and the highest number of new cases since April, when the country was still in lockdown. (LCI) (BBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - The number of new cases rises by 1,707 in the last 24 hours, while ten people die from the disease. This is the highest number of new cases since late April. (Euronews)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Italy reports 845 new cases in the last 24 hours, majority of them are holidaymakers returning from other countries. This number marking the highest daily increase since May 16. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia
    - Slovenia registers its highest number of new cases since April 3, with 43 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. (RTVSLO)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports its highest single-day record of 69,672 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, with 977 new deaths. 2,096,664 people from the total 2.8 million people have recovered. (The Tribune)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
    - The total number of infections in Vietnam surpasses 1,000 with 25 deaths. More than half of them are linked to a new outbreak that began in late July in Da Nang. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
    - The state government of Victoria rescinds a driving restriction on Melbourne residents, in response to public criticism that the mandate limits their freedom of movement. The state has seen an emergence of cases that has led to the government declaring a state of disaster in early August. (Fox News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts
    - Students in Massachusetts will be required to take a flu vaccine in order to attend schools. (CBS News)

International relations

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia
    - The Robert Koch Institute declares the Sibenik-Knin and Split-Dalmatia regions in Croatia as COVID-19 high-risk regions, issuing a travel warning against the two regions, which are popular with tourists. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Costa Rica, COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - Costa Rica reopens for traveling for Americans in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont. (CNN)
Post-Brexit United Kingdom relations with the European Union, English Channel migrant crossings (2018–present)
- The European Union rejects a request from the British government to negotiate a migration deal replicating the Dublin Regulation that would grant the deportation of undocumented migrants in the UK to EU member states. (CNA) (The Guardian)
Sanctions against Iran
- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces his intention to invoke the "snap back" provision of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231, an endorsement of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) which would reimplement all of the United Nations' sanctions on Iran. The U.S., however, had withdrawn from JCPOA in 2018. (The Guardian)
China–Philippines relations, territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Scarborough Shoal standoff
- The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs files a diplomatic protest with the Chinese government over the "illegal confiscation by the China Coast Guard of fish aggregating devices (payaos) of Filipino fishermen in the Scarborough Shoal in May." (Anadolu Agency)

Law and crime

2020 Thai protests
- Thai Police say they have arrested a further eight activists, including two popular rappers, in an increased crackdown on protestors who demand a change to the country's monarchy. All eight were later released on bail, according to one of their lawyers. (Reuters)
Manchester Arena bombing
- Hashem Abedi is sentenced to a minimum of 55 years in prison by the High Court of Justice of England and Wales. He was found guilty in March on 22 charges of murder for assisting his older brother Salman in carrying out the suicide bombing by sourcing out the materials used in creating the bomb. (Reuters via The Straits Times)
Flint water crisis
- Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announces that the state will pay a $600 million settlement to Flint residents who were affected by lead contamination in the water, 80% of which will be distributed to families of children affected by the crisis. (The Washington Post)
Four defendants of the non-profit organization We Build The Wall, including former Trump advisor Steve Bannon and its founder Brian Kolfage, are arrested on charges of conspiring to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The charges were stated in an indictment announced by the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, which alleges that the four defendants defrauded the organization's donors, using the funds intended for the construction of the wall along the Mexico–U.S. border for personal expenses instead. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

2020 United States presidential election
- Former Vice President Joe Biden is officially nominated at the 2020 Democratic National Convention. (ABC News)
Russian anti-corruption activist and opposition leader Alexei Navalny falls ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow, and is rushed to a hospital in Omsk after an emergency landing. His spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, says it was suspected that he was poisoned by something mixed into his tea, with Navalny's team suspecting that it was in the airport café shortly before his flight. He is reported to be in a coma. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have offered Navalny medical assistance and unspecified protection in their countries. (BBC) (The Indian Express)
Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz resigns. He is the second high-profile minister to resign from the government this week, after Health Minister Łukasz Szumowski. (Reuters)
The South Korean National Intelligence Service reports that North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un has delegated some major responsibilities to his sister, Kim Yo-jong, that involves overseeing North Korea's relations with South Korea and the United States. South Korean lawmakers describe her new role as a "de facto second-in-command" of North Korea who "steers overall state affairs." (Fox News)

August 19, 2020 (Wednesday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

2020 Malian protests, 2020 Malian coup d'état
- President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta announces his resignation on state television. (AP)
- The soldiers who ousted Keïta promise fresh elections within a "reasonable" time. A spokesman for the mutineers says they acted "to prevent further chaos in Mali" while Colonel Ismaël Wagué invited civil society and political parties to join a peaceful transition. (Reuters)
- The new military rulers announce the closure of all border crossings and impose a night-time curfew until further notice. (BBC)
- The United Nations Security Council unanimously approves a resolution condemning the coup and calling on the soldiers to return to their barracks and release all detainees. (Reuters)
- The African Union suspends Mali's membership in response to the coup. The suspension will last until "constitutional order is restored". (France 24)
- In an evening transmission, Col. Assimi Goita declares himself the new leader of Mali and urges citizens to return to work. (AP)

Business and economy

The U.S. Treasury Department blacklists two Emirati companies for conducting business with Iranian airline Mahan Air, which itself is blacklisted for its close ties with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. (New Indian Express)

Disasters and accidents

2020 California wildfires
- Thousands in the San Francisco Bay Area flee their homes after several quick-moving wildfires, apparently sparked by lightning and the heatwave, sweep into the region. Around 50 structures have burned down with another 50 damaged in Vacaville. This group of fires, called the LNU Lightning Complex, has grown to 46,000 uncontained acres. (BBC)
At least 45 migrants, including five children, die in a shipwreck off Libya. In addition, 37 other people are rescued by local fishermen. (BBC)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - Toulouse becomes the first major city in France to make face masks compulsory in all outdoor areas. The new rules will take effect on Friday and apply from 7:00 am to 3:00 am local time for all people ages 12 and up, including those on bikes and kick-scooters. (The Telegraph)
    - France registers 3,776 new cases in the last 24 hours, marking a new post-lockdown peak and bringing the total to 225,043. (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Italy reports 642 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, which is the highest number of reported cases since May 23, when the lockdown was eased. (ANSA) (Yahoo News UK)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spain registers its highest number of new cases since the end of the lockdown in June, with 3,715 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. (The Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
    - Iran surpasses 20,000 deaths by COVID-19, the highest toll in the Middle East. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - South Korea reports its highest daily rise in COVID-19 cases since early March, with 297 new cases being reported in the last 24 hours. Nearly 90% of the new cases appeared in Seoul Capital Area, where 166 of them are linked to the Sarang Jeil Church. (Reuters)
- Fiji declares an outbreak of dengue fever and leptospirosis amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Health minister Ifereimi Waqainabete says that between January and July, 3,300 cases of dengue fever and 1,000 of leptospirosis were reported. (RNZ)
The California Department of Public Health reports the state's first case of plague in five years at South Lake Tahoe. The patient, believed to have been bitten by an infected flea, is under medical care recovering at home. The CDC says that America sees between one and 17 cases annually. (CBS News) (Yahoo!)

International relations

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Finland
  - Finland imposes "Europe's tightest" border restrictions on several countries which it had considered safe destinations to stop the spread of COVID-19. Travel from most EU member states, as well as Japan and Iceland, will be limited to essential trips starting August 24, with people returning from those countries required to self-quarantine for two weeks. (Yle) (Reuters)
Belarus–European Union relations
- The European Union formally rejects the result of the latest presidential election in Belarus, which saw Alexander Lukashenko re-elected with over 80% of the vote. The European Commission announces it will reroute €53 million away from the Belarusian government to civil society. (Sky News)
Norway–Russia relations
- The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms it has expelled a diplomat from the Russian embassy in Oslo for alleged espionage. The embassy claims the expelled individual was their deputy trade representative who was arrested by Norwegian police on August 20 during a meeting with a suspected spy. The embassy protested to the Norwegian foreign ministry, calling the arrest "a violation of the diplomat status." The ministry, however, has not disclosed the identity of the Russian diplomat nor that of the suspected spy. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

Christianity in Iran
- A court in Iran upholds the sentences of five Christian citizens who were charged with spreading Christianity and acting against national security by organizing and running house churches. (Al Arabiya)
U.S. Attorney General William Barr, in a letter to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel, declares that Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, members of "The Beatles" ISIL cell, will not be given the death penalty if found guilty. Prior attempts by the United States to get the UK Home Office to cooperate on the terrorists' prosecution had been stymied due to the latter's long-standing policy of refusing to extradite citizens or aid in their prosecution if the death penalty was sought. (BBC)
A 41-year-old Eritrean man from Switzerland faces trial in Germany for allegedly pushing an eight-year-old boy and his mother onto the tracks of an Intercity Express train at the Frankfurt central station in July; the boy was killed, but his mother survived. A psychiatric assessment showed that the man suffered from an episode of schizophrenia and had "at least a considerably reduced ability" to control his actions. The incident triggered reactions from across the German federal government, who have called for a review of the country's immigration policies. (AFP via France 24)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian protests
- President Alexander Lukashenko says he has ordered security forces to "end the unrest" in Minsk, saying "People are tired. People demand peace and quiet", while also warning that state workers who joined a general strike will not be given their jobs back, and will instead be "replaced by Russians". (BBC)
- The Ministry of Health confirms that a man has died in hospital after being shot in the head at a protest in the city of Brest on August 11. He becomes the third fatality of the protests so far. (TASS)
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry sacks spokesman Haidar Badawi after claiming in an interview with Sky News Arabia yesterday that Sudan and Israel were working towards a peace deal. Foreign Minister Omar Qamar al-Din stated his Ministry reacted "with astonishment" towards the comments and that the topic was not being discussed. (Al Jazeera)