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COVID-19 pandemic: Disease; Virus; By location; Impact; Portal

Cyclone Ianos

Azerbaijani and Armenian armed forces clash in Nagorno-Karabakh, prompting the introduction of martial law in both countries and total mobilization in Armenia.
Bah Ndaw takes office as Mali's interim president following a coup d'état the previous month.
Cyclone Ianos (satellite image shown) stalls over Greece, killing four people and flooding several cities.
At the Primetime Emmy Awards, Schitt's Creek wins in seven comedy categories and Succession wins in four drama categories.

September 27, 2020 (Sunday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
- 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
  - Armenia and Azerbaijan's respective armed forces clash along the border of the unrecognized Republic of Artsakh, formerly known as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Artsakh's capital city of Stepanakert is under attack. At least 23 people are killed during the battle, of whom sixteen are Nagorno-Karabakh servicemen, five Azerbaijani civilians and two Armenian civilians. (BBC)
  - 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)
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)

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 pm to 5:00 am (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)

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)
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)

September 26, 2020 (Saturday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

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 has admitted his actions and stated that he acted in vengeance for the Muhammad caricature republications, and also reported that "he didn't know that the headquarters had moved to another location". (LCI) (BBC)
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)
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)
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)
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, making a new record for the second consecutive day. The previous record was reported yesterday with 273 cases. (The Belfast Telegraph)

Law and crime

2020 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 25, 2020 (Friday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Islamic terrorism in Europe
- 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)
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)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
      - The Ontario government 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 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 24, 2020 (Thursday)

edithistorywatch

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 tommorow, 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 [zh] and Joshua Wong of the defunct Demosisto for violating the anti-mask policy in place under last year's protests. Other pro-democracy activists condemn the arrests. (The New York Times)

September 23, 2020 (Wednesday)

edithistorywatch

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)

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)
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)
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 22, 2020 (Tuesday)

edithistorywatch

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)

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 21, 2020 (Monday)

edithistorywatch

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)
- 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)