Portal:Current events/August 2020

August 2020 was the eighth month of that leap year. The month, which began on a Saturday, ended on a Monday after 31 days.

Portal:Current events

This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from August 2020.

August 1, 2020 (Saturday)

Business and economy

China–United States trade war
- Chinese IT company ByteDance agrees to divest from the U.S. branch of TikTok, in light of U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to ban the app within the country. If the deal is approved, Microsoft will handle the app's personal data rather than ByteDance, averting a main source of contention with U.S. officials. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Isaias
  - Category One Isaias makes landfall on northern Andros Island heading toward Grand Bahama. The storm, strength slightly reduced to 75 mph (120 km/h) with heavy rains and coastal flooding, will move over the Straits of Florida tonight and approach the southeast coast of Florida early Sunday. North Carolina orders the evacuation of Ocracoke Island. (USA Today) (National Hurricane Center)
2020 Punjab alcohol poisoning
- Officials say at least 86 people have died in recent days due to consuming toxic illegally-made alcohol in Punjab, India. Police are carrying out raids in the state, confiscating supplies of the suspected alcohol and have made 25 arrests. (BBC News)
Flash floods in Nangarhar, Afghanistan, kill 16 people, injure four others and damage several houses. (TOLONews)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Okinawa declares a state of emergency for two weeks until August 15 and asks people to stay home after the popular tourist destination sees an "explosive spread" of COVID-19 cases. (The Straits Times)
    - Tokyo reports 472 new cases, its highest toll to date for the city. (The Japan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait
    - The Kuwaiti Directorate General of Civil Aviation bans flights to 31 countries as Kuwait International Airport resumes operations at reduced capacity. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports a record more than 57,000 new cases, as well as 764 deaths in the last 24 hours. (NDTV)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Philippines report 4,963 new cases, its highest toll to date. The cases rise to 98,232 and the deaths jump by 17 to reach a total of 2,039. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Queensland closes its border with Greater Sydney at 1 a.m. (AEST) after its premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declared all of Sydney a COVID-19 hotspot on July 29. (9 News)
  - Australian COVID-19 death toll reaches 200. (The Sydney Morning Herald)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
  - South Africa surpasses 500,000 cases after adding a total of 10,107 new cases Saturday night. (AP)

Law and crime

COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, Religion in South Korea, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on religion
- Lee Man-hee, a Shincheonji Church of Jesus pastor, is arrested for allegedly hiding contact information from virus trackers and embezzling 5.6 billion won. (The Guardian)
12 people, including Booker Prize-nominated author Tsitsi Dangarembga, are released from detention by Zimbabwean authorities for participating in anti-government protests in the capital of Harare yesterday. They are to return for trials on September 18. (Al Jazeera)
The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence announces the detainment of Jamshid Sharmahd, the leader of the pro-Pahlavi group Kingdom Assembly of Iran, for coordinating the 2008 attack on worshippers in Shiraz. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 Khabarovsk Krai protests
- Protests in the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk, Russia continue for the fourth consecutive weekend. Protesters demand the release of regional governor Sergei Furgal, who was arrested on charges of murder, which he denies. Thousands of people reportedly join the protest. (Reuters)
Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
- A demonstration against coronavirus restrictions attended by thousands of people in Berlin, Germany, is terminated by police over "non-respect of hygiene rules". Police say they launched legal action against the organisers. (Al Jazeera)

Science and technology

The Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates becomes operational following delays since 2017. It is the first commercial nuclear power station in the Arab world. (BBC News)

August 2, 2020 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Boko Haram insurgency
- Nguetchewe attack
  - Suspected Boko Haram militants attack an IDP camp with a grenade in Far North, Cameroon, killing 16 people and wounding six others. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Syrian civil war
- The Syrian government condemns a deal signed between Delta Crescent Energy, a U.S. oil firm and Kurdish rebels of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to manage the Kurdish-controlled northeastern oil fields. The statement says the deal is "stealing" Syrian crude. On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. is supportive of the deal. (Reuters) (Oil Price)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Isaias
  - A tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h), Isaias is less than a mile off the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Florida's Atlantic Coast, moving north-northwest at about 8 mph (13 km/h). Tropical storm warnings have been issued as far north as Surf City, North Carolina. (Orlando Sentinel) (National Hurricane Center)
  - Earlier this week, one man was killed in the Dominican Republic, when a power line fell on his horse, killing both the rider and the animal, and a woman was killed in Puerto Rican flooding while crossing a bridge. The storm has resulted in uprooted trees, destroyed crops and homes, and widespread flooding and small landslides. (The Weather Channel)
Apple Fire
- Nearly 8,000 people are evacuated from the town of Cherry Valley, California, United States, due to a growing wildfire. The Apple Fire has burned over 20,500 acres and is five percent contained. (USA Today)
The United States Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard halt a massive search and rescue operation for seven Marines and Navy sailors who went missing on Thursday off the coast of San Clemente Island in California. All the missing are now presumed dead. (USA Today)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India's Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, tests positive for COVID-19 and is admitted to hospital. (Al Arabiya)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - President Rodrigo Duterte reimposes modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), one of the strictest lockdown measures on Metro Manila and the surrounding provinces of the Philippine capital for 15 days. (Rappler)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand, COVID-19 pandemic in Hawaii
    - A military spokesman says that plans to undertake joint military exercises with the U.S. military have been suspended after nine Thai soldiers who returned from Hawaii tested positive for COVID-19. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns
  - Victorian premier Daniel Andrews declares a state of disaster across the state and imposed stage 4 lockdown in Metropolitan Melbourne. The new measures include nighttime curfew, which will be implemented across Melbourne from 20:00 to 05:00 (AEST). The restrictions comes into effect at 18:00 (6 p.m.) and last until September 13. (BBC News)
  - The rest of Victoria places under stage three restrictions and will take effect on August 6. (ABC News Australia)
- COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships
  - At least 40 passengers and crew from the MS Roald Amundsen cruise ship test positive for COVID-19 after two recent Arctic voyages. Health authorities are trying to trace other passengers that may be infected. (Reuters)

International relations

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international relations, Iran–United Arab Emirates relations
- In rare talks, Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held a video call to discuss various regional issues, including combating COVID-19 in their respective countries. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

Mexican Drug War
- Guanajuato state officials announce that Mexican security forces captured former Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel leader José Antonio Yépez Ortiz alongside five other people. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

George Floyd protests
- George Floyd protests in Portland, Oregon
  - Hundreds of people gather and protest in Portland, Oregon, marking the 66th night of protests in the city. (CNN)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accuses the media of instigating anti-corruption protests against him and downplaying incidents of violence by the protesters. Earlier in the day, the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court ordered his son Yair to take down a Tweet doxing the leaders of the protests. (Times of Israel) (Al Jazeera)

Science and technology

Crew Dragon Endeavour makes its first splashdown after successfully completing the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission. (Space.com)

August 3, 2020 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- August 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - Jalalabad prison attack
    - The military retake a prison in Jalalabad, Nangarhar that came under attack yesterday by ISIL, resulting in a mass jailbreak and shootout between Afghan forces and jihadists that ended today. At least 29 people are killed and 50 injured, among them civilians, prisoners, guards and Afghan security forces. (AP)
Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents during the Syrian Civil War, Israeli involvement in the Syrian Civil War
- Israeli Air Force helicopters strike Syrian military observation posts, intelligence collection systems, anti-aircraft batteries and command-and-control bases in Quneitra Governorate, in response to yesterday's incident along the Purple Line border fence in the Golan Heights, in which four militants were killed after attempting to plant an IED where Israeli soldiers patrol. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

Pope Benedict's official biographer, Peter Seewald, reports former pope is "very frail" since his return from visiting his older brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger, in Bavaria. His personal secretary, Archbishop George Ganswein, states "the health conditions are not of particular concern, except for those of a 93 year old who is going through a painful, but not serious, disease." (CNA/EWTN News)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Isaias
  - Isaias regains hurricane strength with maximum winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) after leaving 2-4 inches of precipitation and causing minor power outages along the Florida coast. The storm is moving north-northeast at 16 mph (26 km/h), and is expected to make landfall in eastern North Carolina early Tuesday and then continue along the Mid-Atlantic coast heading toward the northeastern states. The storm surge will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded with rising waters before moving inland. (NPR) (National Hurricane Center)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Victorian premier Daniel Andrews orders the temporary closure of many businesses and retail stores in Melbourne under stage four lockdown restrictions for six weeks to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Victoria. Only essential services such as supermarkets, food stores, liquor shops, petrol stations, pharmacies, convenience stores, and other essentials can remain open. (9 News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
  - BBC News reports that the number of deaths and confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Iran are about three times higher than what was reported by the government, according to a data leak. (BBC News) (Business Insider)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
  - Catalonia exceeds 100,000 COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic. (La Vanguardia)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
  - Brazil's Chief of Staff of the Presidency Walter Souza Braga Netto tests positive for COVID-19. (Reuters)

International relations

North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
- A leaked UN Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea report says several states believe North Korea has "probably developed miniaturized nuclear devices to fit into the warheads of its ballistic missiles". (Reuters)

Law and crime

Internet censorship in Thailand
- Thailand's digital minister threatens action against Facebook for not complying with the government request to restrict content that is illegal in the country, including insults of King Vajiralongkorn. Facebook responded by disabling English-to-Thai automatic translations. (Reuters)
Monarchy of Spain, Corruption in Spain
- The Spanish Royal Household announces that Emeritus King Juan Carlos I has informed King Felipe VI that he is leaving the country motivated by "the public repercussion that certain past events are generating". His finances are being judicially investigated by a Swiss judge and the Spanish Prosecutor's Office for alleged financial dealings from Haramain high-speed railway construction and his accounts in tax havens. (El Mundo) (The Washington Post) (BBC News)
Killing of George Floyd
- Newly leaked bodycam footage shows George Floyd pleading with police officers not to lock him up in a police vehicle, as well as saying that he is claustrophobic. (NBC News)
Authorities announce the arrest of a 48-year-old man two days earlier in San Antonio, Texas, US, for threatening to commit a mass shooting at Fort Hood in retaliation for the killing of Vanessa Guillén there in April. He is being charged with making terroristic threats. (San Antonio Express-News)

Politics and elections

2020 United States presidential election
- Postal voting in the United States
  - President Donald Trump vows to sue Nevada over legislation signed by Governor Steve Sisolak that, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, requires election officials to send all active, registered voters a mail-in ballot ahead of the November election. This also would apply to any others that happen in the wake of a statewide emergency or disaster directive. (Reuters) (AP via ABC News)
  - Donald Trump says he has the right to issue an executive order on mail-in voting but has not done so yet. (Reuters)
Lebanese Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti resigns over the government's slow pace at reforms, warning the country is at risk of becoming a failed state. Diplomatic affairs advisor Charbel Wehbe takes his place. (Al Jazeera)

Science and technology

Two anonymous sources confirm to Reuters that the classified United Kingdom–United States trade documents leaked ahead of the UK parliamentary election last year was caused by Russian hacking of the email account of former UK International Trade Secretary Liam Fox. They declined to name which Russian group or organisation they believed was responsible, but said the attack bore the hallmarks of a government-backed operation. (Reuters)

August 4, 2020 (Tuesday)

Business and economy

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on airlines
- UK-based airline Virgin Atlantic declares itself bankrupt and files for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection in New York amid a decline in international flights during the COVID-19 pandemic. (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Beirut explosions
- Several explosions in the port of Beirut, Lebanon, kill more than 70 people, injure more than 4,000 others and send shock waves that damage homes as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) away. Prime Minister Hassan Diab, whose wife and daughter are among the injured, declares Wednesday a national day of mourning. The shockwave was felt in a few nearby countries. (BBC News)
- Finnish diplomats confirm that Finland's Embassy in Beirut, located 2km from the port, has been "destroyed". No Finnish casualties are known at this time, according to Deputy Ambassador Aki Kauppinen. Prime Minister Sanna Marin confirmed the embassy premises have been "badly damaged". (Newsnow Finland)
Heavy rains cause floods and landslides in Gapyeong, South Korea, killing at least 14 people and forcing the evacuation of more than 1,000. The rains have also battered China, Thailand, India and Myanmar. Neighboring North Korea warns of possible floods, while the New Zealand government reports the deaths of three of its citizens in the South Korean floods. (Reuters)
Searchers have located the United States Marine Corps Assault Amphibious Vehicle that sank near San Clemente Island, off the coast of Southern California, on 30 July 2020. Eight Marines and one sailor of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, San Diego County died in the "ship-to-shore" training exercise. Recovery efforts will begin by the end of the week. (NBC San Diego)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
  - The Philippines posts a single-day Southeast Asian record, with 6,352 new COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, as well as 11 deaths. More than 66,000 people have recovered. (The Straits Times) (Manila Bulletin)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
  - Poland reports a single-day record of 680 new cases in the last 24 hours, as well as six deaths. More than a third are in the southern Silesia region, largely amongst coal miners. (Voice of America)

Law and crime

The Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia, in a unanimous decision, orders former President Álvaro Uribe to be placed under house arrest, claiming he may obstruct justice for his fraud and witness tampering case. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 Thai protests
- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha asks people "not to create chaos at this time" as protests grow amid demands to rewrite the constitution, dissolve parliament, hold new elections and reform the monarchy. (Reuters)
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa calls his opponents "terrorists" and vows to continue a crackdown on them. In recent days, several opposition members and activists have been arrested and human rights groups allege that security forces are conducting illegal abductions. Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf posted a tweet in favor of the opposition. (Al Jazeera)
The Congress of the Republic of Peru votes 54–37 no confidence against Prime Minister Pedro Cateriano, forcing all 19 government ministers to resign. President Martín Vizcarra has 48 hours to form a new cabinet. (Reuters)

August 5, 2020 (Wednesday)

Arts and culture

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins the groundwork of the Lord Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, which was the former location of the demolished Babri Masjid. (Al Jazeera)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
  - The Indonesian economy contracts 5.32% in second quarter of 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the worst economic contraction in the country since the first quarter of 1999. (Kompas)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Beirut explosions
- The death toll from the explosions in the Port of Beirut rises to 135 people, with more than 5,000 injured and dozens still missing. (Al Jazeera)
- In response to the explosions, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon delays the pronouncement of the verdict in the criminal case concerning the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri from August 7 to August 18. (Reuters)
- Several Beirut port officials are placed under house arrest as an investigation starts into how 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate was left unsecured at a warehouse at the port for six years. (ITV)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
    - Ukraine reports a record high of 1,271 new COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to statement from National Security and Defense Council. (The New York Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spain reports 1,772 new cases of COVID-19 infection in the last 24 hours, which is the highest number since nationwide state of emergency was lifted in June. (The New York Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports 1,695 new cases in the last 24 hours, which is the highest number since the end of May. The seven-day moving average stood above the 1,300 threshold for the first time since the end of April. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Queensland declares all of New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory to be COVID-19 hotspots and will close its border with both regions on Saturday August 8 at 1 a.m. (AEST). (9 News)
  - Victoria reports 725 new COVID-19 cases and 15 deaths in the last 24 hours. It is the highest number of reported cases and the deadliest day since the pandemic started in the state itself and Australia in general. (The Age)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
  - Aichi Prefecture declares its own state of emergency after the number of COVID-19 cases tops 100 after nine consecutive days. The state of emergency will be enforced for 19 days until August 24. (The Asahi Shimbun)
- COVID-19 pandemic in United States
  - Twitter restricts President Donald Trump's campaign from tweeting after its account shared a video of Trump's interview with Fox News in which he said children are "almost immune" to COVID-19. (CNN)

Law and crime

Capital punishment in Iran
- Iran executes a man for killing a member of the Revolutionary Guards during anti-government unrest in 2017. His execution was carried out as a retribution sentence demanded by the victim's family. (Reuters)
Former Guatemalan Economic Minister Acisclo Valladares Urruela is charged by American prosecutors for laundering US$10 million on behalf of drug traffickers, and using the profits to bribe officials back home. (Reuters)
Zhang Yuhuan is acquitted of murdering two boys in October 1993 and freed after serving 27 years in prison in Jiangxi as China's longest-serving wrongfully convicted inmate. The killer of the boys remains unknown. (BBC)

Politics and elections

2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election
- Sri Lanka holds parliamentary elections after the parliament was dissolved by president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in March. Originally scheduled to be held in April, the election was postponed twice due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (The Guardian)
Croatia–Serbia relations
- Croatia marks the 25th anniversary of Operation Storm, a military victory against the proto-state of Serbian Krajina that ended the Croatian War of Independence. The ceremony in the town of Knin, former capital of Serbian Krajina, was for the first time ever attended by an ethnic Serb political representative, Deputy Prime Minister Boris Milošević. (Al Jazeera)
Taiwan–United States relations, China–United States relations
- United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar travels to Taiwan for a multi-day official visit. He is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the country in 40 years after the U.S. stopped recognising Taiwan in 1979 and has had unofficial ties since then. The PRC, which claims Taiwan as a breakaway province, condemns the visit. (Reuters)
Vanuatu's former prime minister, Charlot Salwai, is referred to the Supreme Court to stand trial for alleged corruption. His lawyer says he is confident they will win the case. (RNZ)

Science and technology

Artemis program
- SpaceX Starship prototype SN5 successfully carries out a 150-meter (490 ft) flight test at the SpaceX South Texas Launch Site. (BBC News)
Google shuts down 2,500 channels on its video sharing platform YouTube that were linked to Chinese disinformation. The channels generally posted "spammy, non-political content", but a small subset touched on politics, the company said. (Reuters)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season
  - The University of Connecticut cancels its 2020 football season, becoming the first NCAA Division I FBS school to scrap its 2020 season. (UConn Huskies) (ESPN)

August 6, 2020 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, Saudi Arabian–Yemeni border conflict
- Saudi state news agency SPA says Saudi Armed Forces shot down an explosive-laden drone launched against Saudi territory from Al Hudaydah Governorate, on Yemen's Red Sea coast. The Houthis report a Saudi air strike on Saada Governorate. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- The Philippine economy falls into recession for the first time in 29 years after the economy shrank by 16.5% in the April to June quarter from the same period last year, which is the biggest slump in the government's quarterly GDP data dating back to 1981. (CNA)
China–United States trade war
- Invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, U.S. President Donald Trump issues several executive orders barring firms and American citizens from trading and doing financial transactions with Chinese technology companies ByteDance and Tencent, effectively banning their respective apps TikTok and WeChat within the United States. The orders are set to go into effect in 45 days. (Reuters)
Trump tariffs
- Trump implements a tariff of 10% on aluminum imports from Canada, pursuant to Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act. The United States previously imposed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum in 2018 citing national security concerns, before removing them last year as part of the USCMA Free Trade Agreement. Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau vows "dollar-for-dollar" countermeasures. (CBC)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Beirut explosions, 2019–2020 Lebanese protests
- Security forces fired tear gas to disperse dozens of anti-government protesters in Beirut calling for the Lebanese government's resignation near the parliament building. Several people were wounded in the clashes. (Al Jazeera)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - The Robert Koch Institute reports 1,045 new cases in Germany during the last 24 hours. It is the first time since May 7 that the number of new COVID-19 cases in the country has surpassed 1,000. (The New Indian Express)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
    - Poland reports a record 726 new cases during the last 24 hours, and the government will impose limits on restaurants, sporting events, public transport and weddings in 19 of its 380 counties as of Saturday, August 8. (Bloomberg)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
    - Ukraine reports 1,318 new COVID-19 cases during the last 24 hours, a record high for a second consecutive day. (UNIAN)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports 904 new COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, which is the largest number of fatalities in a single-day as new cases reach 56,000. (Jagran English)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Philippines reports 3,561 new COVID-19 cases on which inching the total tally closer to 120,000 and causing the country to overtake Indonesia as the Southeast Asian nation with the most number of infections. (Rappler)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Melbourne enters Stage 4 lockdown, which is Australia's toughest lockdown yet, following a spike of COVID-19 cases within the city and surrounding Victoria. (France24)

International relations

Belarus–United States relations, 2020 Belarusian presidential election
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says security forces have arrested "a number of" U.S. citizens, just days before the country goes to the polls for a presidential election. In the speech, Lukashenko claims Belarus is the victim of a "hybrid war", and that "we should expect dirty tricks from any side". (Reuters)
Egypt–Greece relations
- Egypt and Greece sign a bilateral agreement which establishes a new exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Eastern Mediterranean between the two countries. The agreement prompts anger from Turkey, with the Turkish Foreign Ministry describing the deal as "null and void". (Ekathimerini) (Anadolu Agency)

Law and crime

Canada–China relations
- A court in China sentences a Canadian man to death on drug charges. His alleged accomplice receives life imprisonment. Police had confiscated 120 kilograms (266 pounds) of ketamine from the defendant's home. He is the third Canadian citizen to receive the death sentence for drug smuggling since Canadian authorities arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in late 2018 on an extradition request from the United States. (AP)
Two security alerts are triggered in Belfast aimed at the newly formed East Belfast GAA team. The bomb threats are later deemed as hoaxes aiming to destabilize the team which is aiming to bring together both sides of the political divide. (BBC News)
Former Saudi Ministry of the Interior official Saad bin Khalid Al Jabry accuses Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of attempting to assassinate him in Canada, where he currently lives in exile, two weeks after the assassination of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The would-be assassins, believed to be the Tiger Squad, were stopped at Toronto Pearson International Airport after Canadian border officials became suspicious of them following interviews. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani appoints public administrator Mohamed Ould Bilal as Prime Minister after the government of previous Prime Minister Ismail Ould Bedde Ould Cheikh Sidiya resigned hours earlier. (Al Jazeera)
Minister of Defense of Peru Walter Martos is named the new Prime Minister after the approval of the motion of no-confidence against Pedro Cateriano. (Expreso)

Science and technology

Twitter says it will label state media, official government accounts and their staff. State-funded media outlets with "editorial independence", such as the National Public Radio in the U.S., or BBC in the UK, will not be among those labelled, according to a spokesman for the social media site. (Reuters)

August 7, 2020 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Maghreb insurgency
- 2020 Fada N'gourma shooting
  - About 20 people are killed when unidentified gunmen attack a cattle market in Fada N'gourma, Est, Burkina Faso. (Al Jazeera)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- A 23-year-old woman is killed in clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian citizens in Jenin, West Bank. Palestinian officials say the woman was shot by Israeli forces, but an Israeli army spokesman said that the Palestinians opened fire and threw explosives and that Israeli troops did not open fire. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Greece–Turkey relations
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announces his country will resume energy exploration activities in the eastern Mediterranean, saying Greece had repeatedly violated their agreement on the matter. (Al Jazeera)
Canada–United States relations
- Canada is set to impose $3.6B in tariffs on aluminum products in response to American tariffs on Canadian aluminum. Most affected manufacturers are in three politically sensitive swing states critical to the presidential election. (CBC)

Disasters and accidents

Air India Express Flight 1344
- Eighteen people are dead and dozens of others are injured, including fifteen seriously, after an Air India Express plane carrying 191 people overruns the runway in Calicut International Airport, Kerala, India. (BBC News)
2020 Kerala floods
- At least 22 people are dead and dozens of others injured due to flood and landslides in Kerala, India. (BBC News)
A 40 ha (99 acres) grass fire breaks out at Chobham Common in Surrey, England, as the southeast experiences soaring temperatures. (BBC News)
Searchers have recovered the United States Marine Corps Assault Amphibious Vehicle that sank near San Clemente Island, off the coast of Southern California, last Thursday. The remains of eight Marines and one sailor of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, San Diego County, who died in the "ship-to-shore" training exercise have been recovered as well. (ABC 11 News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports the highest single-day record of more than 62,000 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country's total to 2,025,409. This total makes India the third country to pass two million cases, after the United States and Brazil. (BBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq
    - Iraq reports its highest single-day record of 3,461 new COVID-19 cases and 75 more deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide total to 144,064 cases and 5,236 deaths respectively. (Anadolu Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Japan reports a record of 1,601 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. (CNN)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spain reports 4,507 new cases, of which 1,895 were diagnosed in the last 24 hours, mainly in the regions of the Basque Country, Catalonia, and Aragon. This number is the highest increase since the lockdown was lifted in June. (El Pais) (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France, COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - France reports 2,288 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. It is the biggest daily spike since the end of May and the first time in months that the number of cases has surpassed 2,000, prompting fears that the United Kingdom will add the country onto its quarantine list. (Sky News) (The New York Times)
Two people die of bubonic plague in the region of Inner Mongolia, China. Authorities have sealed off a village. (CNN)

International relations

China–United States relations, Hong Kong–United States relations
- The U.S. Treasury Department imposes sanctions on 11 current and former Chinese officials, including current Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam and Chinese envoy to Hong Kong Luo Huining, citing her role last year in attempting to pass an extradition law and, more recently, her involvement in "developing, adopting or implementing" the Hong Kong national security law. (South China Morning Post)
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international relations
- The European Union provides Fiji with a US$23.4 million budget to help the Pacific country fight the COVID-19 pandemic. This move comes after Fiji closed its embassy in Brussels amid a closure of several Fijian embassies around the world. (RNZ)
Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- The United Kingdom imposes a two-week quarantine for people who arrive from Belgium, The Bahamas and Andorra. The changes are effective from 04:00 BST tomorrow except in Wales, where the changes take effect from midnight on August 13. (BBC News)
France and Germany end talks with the United States to reform the World Health Organization, after the former two's respective health ministries expressed opposition to the attempt from the US at leading the talks, despite the US having decided to leave the organization. (Reuters)

Law and crime

2020 Thai protests, Lèse majesté in Thailand
- Anon Nampha, a leading lawyer who gave a speech on monarchy reforms, is arrested for "creating chaos" and "spreading untrue matters". (Khaosod) (Bangkok Post)
Operation Gideon
- A Venezuelan court sentences two former United States Army Special Forces soldiers to 20 years in prison for their role in the failed coup d'état against President Nicolás Maduro. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 Bulgarian protests
- Bulgarian security forces clamp down on demonstrators and dismantle anti-government barricades across the country in a major police sweep. The police operation comes a day after the Bulgarian government declared that it had no plans to step down from power. (Balkan Insight)
2020 United States presidential election
- The National Counterintelligence and Security Center reports that China, Russia, and Iran are working to interfere with the upcoming American presidential election. They specifically claim that Russia is working to undermine former Vice President and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden's presidential campaign and boost Trump's, while China and Iran are working to undermine Trump's and boost Biden's. Iran is also trying to "undermine US democratic institutions". (BBC News)
Politics of Taiwan
- After a Legislative Yuan vote in July to emphasize "Taiwan" instead of "Republic of China" on the passport of the Republic of China, voting officially begins on the New Power Party's website for various new passport designs. The winner will be awarded in September. (Taiwan News)

Science and technology

Reddit reports it was hit by a major hack, in which hackers took control of at least 70 of the most-popular subreddits and their respective moderator accounts to spam pro-Trump messages. A site spokesperson said an investigation is underway. (Wired) (CNet)

August 8, 2020 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Somali Civil War
- 2020 Mogadishu army base bombing
  - A suicide bombing at a military base in Mogadishu kills at least eight people and injures fourteen others. Jihadist group al-Shabaab claims responsibility. (Reuters)
2019–2020 Lebanese protests, aftermath of the 2020 Beirut explosions
- Riot police fire tear gas at protesters trying to make their way into parliament, amid increasing anger at the government's handling of this week's explosions in Beirut and deteriorating economic situation in the country. More than 728 people were wounded in the clashes, sixty-three of whom were taken to hospitals, while a policeman was killed. (Al Jazeera)
- Protesters storm the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants building in Achrafieh, Beirut. The building was badly damaged in the August 4 explosion. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

MV Wakashio oil spill
- Mauritius declares a state of environmental emergency after the Japanese-owned ship MV Wakashio ran aground offshore days ago and began spilling tons of fuel. (The New York Times)
Bohumín arson attack
- A fire at a 13-story apartment complex in Bohumín, Czech Republic, kills eleven people and injures ten others. Rescue workers say all of those who died resided on the 11th and 12th floors of the building, with five of them jumping from the windows "in a panic". (ABC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - Paris issues a mask mandate for busy areas to curb the rise of COVID-19 infections. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - Ireland reports 174 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. This is the highest number of reported cases since early May. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
  - The total number of COVID-19 deaths in Brazil surpasses 100,000. (G1) (The Wall Street Journal)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - The United States surpasses five million cases of COVID-19. (Reuters)

Law and crime

LGBT rights in Poland
- The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Dunja Mijatović urges Polish authorities to "immediately release" an LGBT rights activist detained on Friday. The activist was arrested on charges of hooliganism and vandalism. Yesterday, 48 pro-LGBT protesters were also arrested when they tried to stop police from detaining the activist. (The First News)
- Thousands of protesters march in front of the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, demanding the release of the activist. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian protests
- On the eve of a presidential election, Belarusian security forces arrest Maria Moroz, the campaign manager of leading opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and three Open Russia activists who traveled to Belarus to "observe Sunday's presidential election". (DW)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- The Mid-American Conference announces that its 12 members will not play this fall season, including in football. While many other NCAA Division I leagues have already called off fall sports, the MAC becomes the first Division I FBS league to scrap the 2020 football season. (Mid-American Conference) (ESPN)

August 9, 2020 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- August 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - At least seven policemen are killed and 15 others injured after a car bomb explodes outside a police station in Ghazni, Afghanistan. As yet nobody has claimed responsibility. (TOLONews)
- Afghan peace process
  - Afghanistan's Loya Jirga approves to release 400 "hard-core" Taliban prisoners after deliberation. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says he will sign the order and that doing this, the Afghan government complies with the Taliban demand of freeing prisoners to start intra-Afghan peace talks. (Reuters)
Maghreb insurgency
- Kouré shooting
  - Six French aid workers, their driver, and a local guide are shot dead by gunmen in an attack on a group of aid workers in Kouré, Tillabéri, Niger. (BBC News)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia
- State-run oil company Saudi Aramco reports that profits in the first half of 2020 plunged by 50% compared to the same period last year, with decreased demand in oil caused by COVID-19 cited as the main reason by CEO Amin H. Nasser. The company plans to uphold its promise of paying out US$75 billion in annual dividends in spite of this. (AP)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Sparta earthquake
- An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 hits near the small town of Sparta, North Carolina. Shaking was felt throughout the U.S. East Coast, though no damage and injuries are reported. The earthquake is the largest in the state since 1916. (ABC News)
2020 Vijayawada fire
- At least 11 people are dead and 22 others injured in a fire at a COVID-19 facility centre in India's Andhra Pradesh. (Al Jazeera)
Eight people are dead after floods caused by thunderstorms and torrential rains affected Evia, Greece. Dozens of people have been evacuated from the area. (BBC News)(Canberra Times)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    - Victoria reports Australia's deadliest day since the pandemic began in the country, with 17 deaths reported aside from 394 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. (The Guardian)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
    - New Zealand marks 100 days without community transmission of COVID-19. (The New Zealand Herald)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - National Public Health Organization reports 203 new COVID-19 cases in Greece in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single day for the country since the pandemic began. (Greek Reporter)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom reports 1,062 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. It is the first time that the country has recorded more than 1,000 new cases since late June. (ITV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
  - India reports its highest single day record of 64,399 new cases in the last 24 hours. (Times of India)

Law and crime

- A teenager is killed and 20 others are shot, including an off-duty police officer, in a mass shooting at a large gathering in Southeast Washington, D.C. Police are searching for at least three shooters. (CNN)
A 17-year-old Chili's hostess is hospitalized after being attacked at a Chili's restaurant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after telling a large group of women that they may not share a table due to safety regulations regarding the coronavirus. The hostess has no plans to return to the Chili's restaurant where she was attacked. (MSN)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian presidential election, 2020 Belarusian protests
- Citizens of Belarus head to the polls to elect the country's president. Long-ruling Alexander Lukashenko is challenged by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya after her husband and pro-democracy activist Siarhei Tsikhanouski was jailed and banned from the vote like other prominent opposition figures. Protesters and journalists were also detained in the weeks leading to the election. (DW)
- A state television exit poll shows President Alexander Lukashenko winning 79.7% of the vote. These results have been dismissed by the main opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who criticized them has "massively rigged". (BBC News) (The Guardian)
- Lukashenko, in power since 1994, declares a landslide victory against the opposition, as riot police clash with protesters in the capital Minsk. Protests in reaction to the disputed results have been reported in at least 20 other Belarusian cities. Fifty civilians and thirty-nine police officers were injured, while at least 3,000 protesters are arrested across the country, one-third of them in Minsk. (BBC News) (The Guardian)
- A police van in Minsk rams a group of protesters, hitting one of them. The condition of the victim is unknown, with reports of his death not confirmed. (Mandiner.hu)
- NetBlocks reports that the internet has been "significantly disrupted" in Belarus, with a near total blackout in Minsk. (NetBlocks)

August 10, 2020 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Terrorism in Pakistan
- 2020 Chaman bombing
  - A motorcycle bomb kills five people and injures 20 others in Chaman, Killa Abdullah, Balochistan, Pakistan. (Dawn)
2020 Democratic Republic of the Congo massacres
- Nineteen people are killed in massacres in three villages in Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Al Jazeera English)

Business and economy

McDonald's files a US$40 million lawsuit against former CEO Steve Easterbrook, equal to the worth of his severance package, for allegedly lying to investigators about the extent of his sexual relationships with three employees. (CNN)
Toshiba exits the personal computer (PC) market after 35 years, by selling its final stake in PC manufacturer Dynabook Inc. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Kerala floods
- A landslide during floods at a tea plantation in Kerala, India, leaves at least 49 people dead. It is feared that many more people are buried under debris. (Sky News)
MV Wakashio oil spill
- Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth warns that the tanker may "break in two" as the country awaits help from other nations that have pledged aid amid a state of emergency. Jugnauth adds the nation lacks the skills and resources needed to relocate the wrecked vessel, and that the nation will likely never recover from the ecological damage done by the spill. (BBC News) (CBS)
2020 Volgograd explosion
- An explosion at a gas station in Volgograd, Volgograd Oblast, Russia, injures at least 13 people and creates a 1,000 m² (11,000 sq ft)-sized blaze. It is believed that it was caused by an electrical fire. (The Independent)
A gas explosion in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, leaves at least one dead and four injured. Homes were damaged or destroyed. (BBC News)
August 2020 Midwest derecho
- A powerful derecho with winds over 100 mph sweeps across the Midwestern United States and leaves four dead and causes $11 billion USD in damage.

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Guam
  - Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero tests positive for COVID-19. (Pacific Island Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
  - Spanish actor Antonio Banderas announces via Twitter that he has tested positive for COVID-19. (CNN)

International relations

Afghan peace process
- A day after the loya jirga approved of the release of "hardcore" Taliban prisoners, President Ashraf Ghani signs the order to release them. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen says the Taliban "is ready" for talks. U.S. Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad welcomed the agreement. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Hong Kong national security law
- Hong Kong entrepreneur and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai and his son are arrested under the national security law for allegedly conspiring with foreign powers. He is so far the most high-profile figure to be charged under the law. The police also search the offices of his company Next Digital shortly after his arrest. Activist Agnes Chow was also arrested. (The Guardian) (South China Morning Post)
Rioting and looting occurs in Chicago, U.S., after a police shooting. Thirteen police officers are injured, two people are shot, and more than 100 are arrested. (Chicago Tribune)
A shooting involving the Secret Service occurs on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House, Washington, D.C., U.S. A civilian, identified only as a 51-year-old man, has been transported to a local hospital. (ABC News)
A US Air Force UH-1N is shot at near Manassas, Virginia, injuring one of two pilots while flying ten miles northwest of Manassas on a training mission at an altitude of 1,000 feet. It lands safely at Manassas Regional Airport west of Washington, DC, and the pilot is taken to hospital where they are treated and released. (CNN)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian presidential election, 2020 Belarusian protests
- During the second day of protests across Belarus, police fire rubber bullets to disperse protesters in the capital Minsk, wounding a journalist. About 30 people are arrested in the city; some protestors were beaten by police. (BBC News)
- A protester in Minsk is killed after being shot by police officers. It is the first death during the protests. (Euronews)
2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election
- Citizens of Trinidad and Tobago cast their votes in the country's general election. (Foreign Brief)
2019–2020 Lebanese protests, aftermath of the 2020 Beirut explosions
- Prime Minister Hassan Diab announces the resignation of the entire government as protests grow over their handling of the Beirut explosions on 4 August. (Reuters)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- The Mountain West Conference becomes the second NCAA Division I FBS league to call off its football season, as well as all other fall sports. This follows the lead of the Mid-American Conference, which announced an identical plan two days earlier. (Mountain West Conference) (ESPN)

August 11, 2020 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Somali Civil War
- At least ten people have been killed in a shootout between jailed Al-Shabaab militants and security officers at a prison in Mogadishu, Somalia. An investigation is under way into how the militants obtained weapons, with some reports suggested that an inmate disarmed a warden and then a group of them raided the armoury. (BBC News)
Afghan peace process
- Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen warns that attacks on newly freed prisoners will drive them back to the battlefield despite orders from their leaders. The government denies attacking, or re-arresting them without cause. (The Hour)
Gaza–Israel clashes in 2020
- Israel launches multiple airstrikes in the Gaza Strip after incendiary balloons launch from Gaza into Israel. (Haaretz)
Benoît Maria, a French human rights activist who helped indigenous people in Guatemala, is shot dead while driving near San Antonio Ilotenango in Quiché. (BBC News)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 recession
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
  - The Office for National Statistics reports the worst quarterly job losses in the United Kingdom since the financial crisis in 2009. (BBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
  - Singapore enters technical recession for the first time in a decade after its economy contracts by 13.2% in the second quarter, which translates to a record 42.9% plunge in its annualised GDP. (The Straits Times)
Facebook introduces new regulations blocking American publishers with political ties from running ads masquerading as news articles in its news section. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - Greece imposes a curfew on bars, restaurants, and cafes in several regions following an increase in COVID-19 cases. The curfew lasts from midnight until 7 a.m. local time. (ITV)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia, COVID-19 vaccine
    - Russian President Vladimir Putin announces the approval of a vaccine against COVID‑19, named Gam-COVID-Vac, claiming it as a "world-first", amid continued concern and unanswered questions over its safety and effectiveness. (CNN)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom records 1,148 cases, their highest since June 21. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji
    - Fiji suspends its seasonal ban on the harvest, sale, and consumption of coral trout and grouper to fight economic hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic. (RNZ)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
    - New Zealand reports its first cases of community transmission in 102 days, four cases in a single family. Auckland will move to Alert Level 3 from August 12 at 12 noon until midnight on August 14. The rest of the country will move to Alert Level 2. (New Zealand Herald)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Bhutan
  - Bhutan imposes a nationwide lockdown after a locally transmitted COVID-19 case was reported in Gelephu town and the female patient had come in close contact with many people in Paro, Thimphu and several other places. (Business Standard)
- The total number of worldwide confirmed cases of COVID-19 surpasses 20 million. The United States remains the global leader of case numbers, accounting for more than 25 percent cumulative. (CNN)
Natick, Massachusetts, issues town-wide water restrictions, limiting water use by Natick residents, in response to an ongoing drought affecting most parts of New England. (Patch)

Law and crime

Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea
- Three men are fined by a court in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, for hijacking the oil tanker MV Elobey VI off the coast of Equatorial Guinea and holding the crew hostage for US$200,000 in March. They are the first people to be convicted under Nigeria's new anti-piracy law. (Reuters)
2020 Bangalore riots
- The violent clashes took place in eastern Bangalore, Karnataka, India. The violence cause the death of at least 3 people in police firing while injuring 60 police personnel during the clashes. (The Indian Express)

Politics and elections

COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - Marion County, Florida, Sheriff Billy Woods forbids his employees and those visiting his offices from wearing face masks in most circumstances. The Ocala City Council passed an emergency ordinance last week requiring people to wear masks inside businesses. Ocala’s mayor, Kent Guinn, vetoed the county rule on Monday. (The Ocala Star-Banner) (The New York Times)
2020 Belarusian presidential election, 2020 Belarusian protests
- Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya flees Belarus to her family in Lithuania, according to Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Antanas Linkevičius. Tsikhanouskaya had gone into hiding after the disputed election, which she accuses President Alexander Lukashenko of rigging. (Reuters)
2020 Egyptian Senate election
- Citizens of Egypt head to the polls to elect 200 members of the newly created senate. The new upper house of the parliament will be an advisory body only and is expected to be dominated by supporters of president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. (Reuters)
2020 Malian protests
- Anti-government protests resume in the Malian capital of Bamako, as thousands take to the street demanding the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta after talks between the government and the protesters stalled. (Al Jazeera)
2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election
- Preliminary results see the ruling People’s National Movement winning a plurality of 22 seats in Trinidad and Tobago's latest election. The United National Congress is assumed to come in second with 19 seats. (Reuters)
2020 United States presidential election, 2020 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection
- Former Vice President Joe Biden chooses Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate, making her the presumptive 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee. She is the first black woman and first Asian-American vice presidential nominee for a major party. (CNN)

Science and technology

French privacy watchdog group CNIL launches a preliminary investigation into TikTok, as part of a European Union-wide taskforce monitoring the app's operations. (Reuters)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- Two of the "Power Five" conferences of NCAA Division I FBS, the Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences, postpone their fall 2020 sports seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pac-12 also announces that winter sports whose seasons were scheduled to begin in calendar year 2020, most notably basketball, will not start play until at least January 1, 2021. (NPR) (ESPN)

August 12, 2020 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Operations Claw-Eagle and Tiger, Iraq–Turkey relations
- Iraq cancels a ministerial meeting and summons the Turkish ambassador as Iraq blames Turkey for a drone strike that killed two high-ranking Iraqi military officers. Officials called it a "blatant Turkish drone attack" in the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq. (Al Jazeera)
Insurgency in Cabo Delgado
- Islamist insurgents linked to ISIL seize control of the port city of Mocímboa da Praia in northern Mozambique, after days of heavy fighting with government forces. Soldiers reportedly abandoned their positions and fled the city on boats after becoming outnumbered, as several fellow soldiers were killed by the militants. (BBC News)
Clashes between armed civilians and soldiers in Tonj, Warrap, South Sudan, during a disarmament exercise leave 127 dead since Saturday, an army spokesman says. A total of 45 of those killed were part of the security forces while the rest were youths from the area. (AFP via Al Arabiya)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 recession
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
  - The United Kingdom's economy officially enters recession for the first time since 2009, according to Chancellor Rishi Sunak. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

Stonehaven derailment
- A ScotRail train derails near Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, following torrential rain and thunderstorms, killing three people, including the driver. (BBC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports the largest rise of COVID-19 cases since the lockdown was lifted in May, with 2,524 new cases being reported in the last 24 hours. (BBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - The number of COVID-19 cases in Germany rises by 1,226, which is the biggest daily rise since May, according to the Robert Koch Institute, as the health minister warns of outbreaks in nearly all parts of the country due to vacation returnees and partygoers. (Swiss Info) (The New York Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Peru
    - President Martín Vizcarra bans family gatherings and extends a lockdown to five more regions, following a 75% surge in COVID-19 cases among children and adolescents. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Venezuela
    - Jorge Rodríguez, incumbent Minister of Popular Power for Communication and Information announces he tested positive for COVID-19. (The New York Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in New Hampshire
    - New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu issues a mask mandate for gatherings with more than 100 people. Masks will be required at the Laconia Motorcycle Week, which is expected to be held on August 22 and 23. The move comes after few attendees of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota appeared to wear masks. (CBS News)
  - The United States reports more than 1,500 new deaths caused by COVID-19, making today the deadliest day for the country since the end of May. (CNBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Australia suffers the deadliest day of the pandemic when Victoria reports 21 deaths in the last 24 hours. (9 News)

International relations

Belarus–Lithuania relations, 2020 Belarusian protests
- Lithuania allows "unrestricted entry" to all Belarusians "for humanitarian purposes" amid anti-government protests and political repression in neighbouring Belarus. Existing COVID-19 restrictions will not apply to Belarusians. (The Baltic Times)
Jordan–Syria relations, COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan, COVID-19 pandemic in Syria
- Jordan announces it will close its only trade land border crossing with Syria for a week beginning on Thursday morning after a sharp spike in COVID-19 cases coming from its northern neighbour. (TRT World)

Law and crime

COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - The Ocala, Florida, City Council overrides Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn’s veto of the Council's earlier emergency ordinance that requires people to wear masks inside businesses. (WCJB-TV)
George Floyd protests
- George Floyd protests in Indiana
  - Two Indianapolis police officers are expected to face charges for using excessive force during protests over the death of George Floyd. (ABC News)
Hong Kong pro-democracy activists Jimmy Lai and Agnes Chow are released on bail. Lai makes no comment while Chow says that her arrest amounts to "political persecution and political suppression". (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

2020 Bougainvillean general election
- Elections for the House of Representatives and the president of Bougainville start taking place. The outcome of the election might have a major impact on the region's future as it follows last year's non-binding independence referendum which saw 98% of the voters approving independence from Papua New Guinea. The election is held a week after the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the region and is scheduled to run until the first of September. (RNZ)
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics, COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern delays dissolution of Parliament until 17 August, due to resurgence of COVID-19. (ABC News Australia)

Science and technology

Palaeontologists at the University of Southampton report the discovery of a new species of theropod dinosaur called Vectaerovenator inopinatus on the Isle of Wight, England. The species belongs to the same group as the Tyrannosaurus and modern-day birds. It lived roughly 115 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. (BBC News)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, COVID-19 pandemic in France
- France cancels the rescheduled 2020 Paris Marathon, which would have taken place on November 15, due to COVID-19. (BBC Sport)

August 13, 2020 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- August 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - At least four people are killed and another six injured by a roadside bomb exploding in Panjwayi District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. (TOLOnews)

Business and economy

Apple Inc. litigation, Google litigation
- Epic Games sues both Apple Inc. and Google in an antitrust case after the removal of Fortnite from the Apple App Store and Google Play earlier in the day, alleging that the two companies hold an unfair monopoly over development for their respective ecosystems. The game was removed for implementing a feature allowing Epic to directly sell microtransactions while bypassing the 30% cut imposed on developers per transaction by both Apple and Google. (The Verge)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - The number of new COVID-19 cases in India rises by nearly 67,000, a record high since the pandemic began. (Hindustan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq
    - Iraq reports the highest single-day increase of over 3,800 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. (Arab News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
  - Spain reports 2,935 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, which is the highest number of new cases since the lockdown was lifted in June. (Reuters)
  - Galicia bans smoking in public places over concerns that it increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission. (BBC News)
  - The Canary Islands also intend to ban outdoor smoking when social distancing cannot be guaranteed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The smoking ban will take effect tomorrow, and wearing face masks will be mandatory in all public spaces. (RTÉ)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Venezuela
  - With 12 deaths, Venezuela reports its deadliest day since the beginning of the pandemic. (EFE)
  - Governor of Capital District Darío Vivas dies from COVID-19. (El Confidencial)

International relations

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom imposes a two-week quarantine for travellers or people coming from France and the Netherlands, as well as Monaco, Malta, Turks and Caicos, and Aruba. The measure will take effect on 04:00 BST on Saturday, August 15. (BBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza signs an order requiring anyone arriving from Croatia, Greece, Spain, and Malta to be tested for COVID-19 in an attempt to avoid a spike of new cases in the country. The country is also banning travellers from Colombia over concerns of new infections. (Swiss Info) (Euronews)
Iran–Saudi Arabia relations
- The Saudi ambassador to the United Nations, Abdul Aziz al-Wasel, calls for an extension of the arms embargo on Iran saying that Iran "smuggles weapons to militias to disturb the peace in the Middle East". (Al Arabiya)
Hezbollah foreign relations
- Lithuania labels Hezbollah a terrorist organization and bans its members from entering the country, according to a statement by the office of the foreign minister. (Al Arabiya)
Greek–Turkish relations
- France deploys two Dassault Rafale fighter jets and the frigate La Fayette to the eastern Mediterranean because of tensions between Greece and Turkey over oil and gas exploration in disputed waters. French President Emmanuel Macron says the French military will monitor the situation. (BBC News)
Foreign relations of Israel, Arab–Israeli peace projects
- The United States, Israel and the United Arab Emirates announce in a joint statement that Israel and the UAE will establish normalized diplomatic relations, in exchange for Israeli suspension of plans to annex occupied West Bank territory. (BBC News)

Law and crime

Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia
  - Georgia Governor Brian Kemp drops his lawsuit against Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms over the city's mask mandate. (ABC News)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian protests
- A 25-year-old man from the city of Gomel becomes the second protester killed since protests in Belarus against the government began. He died while in police custody, according to his family. (The Guardian)
- The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet condemns the use of violence by Belarusian authorities against protesters, and calls for the release of all political prisoners in the country. (BBC News)
- Belarusian women form human chains to condemn a crackdown on protests over the disputed election. (BBC News)
- Factory workers from state-run factories joined the protest. Tens of thousands of people protested for the fifth day in a row against the election results. The protesters marched through Minsk and formed human chains. (Reuters)
2019–2020 Lebanese protests, aftermath of the 2020 Beirut explosions
- Parliament approves a state of emergency in Beirut and grants the military sweeping powers, such as declaring curfews, preventing public gatherings and censoring the media, as well as referring civilians to military courts over alleged security breaches. Human rights groups criticize the decision. (AP)
2020 Bolivian general election
- The interim government of Bolivia confirms that the elections will be held on October 18. Anyone who tries to change the date may face penalties. Opposition parties called to have the elections sooner after the elections earlier this year were postponed because of COVID-19. Protesters have blocked streets and protested calling for the elections to take place sooner, after it was announced in July. The European Union and United Nations support the new election date. (Reuters)
Politics of North Korea
- Kim Tok-hun is named the new Premier, succeeding Kim Jae-ryong. (Shine)

August 14, 2020 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir
- Islamist insurgents kill at least two police officers and injured another in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. The attack comes days after the first anniversary of the revocation of Kashmir’s constitutional autonomy. (Reuters)
Moro conflict
- Moro National Liberation Front chairman Nur Misuari surrenders Abduljihad Susukan, a sub-commander of the ISIL-affiliated Abu Sayyaf militant group, to the Philippine National Police in Davao City, following the latter's involvement in the 2015 Roseller Lim and Samal Island kidnappings and beheadings. Susukan surrendered to Misuari in April 2020. (AP via CBC News)

Arts and culture

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the arts and cultural heritage
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, COVID-19 pandemic in New York City
  - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says that museums and cultural institutions in New York City will be allowed to reopen on August 24 at a 25% capacity. (The New York Times)

Disasters and accidents

2020 wildfire season
- 2020 California wildfires
  - The Lake Fire in Santa Clarita and Palmdale grows to over 10,000 acres, prompting evacuations in the Lake Hughes area. (CBS News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports 2,846 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, as well as more than 12,300 new cases this week, making it the highest number of cases since the lockdown was eased in May. (The New York Times) (The Telegraph)
    - The government declares Paris and Marseilles as "active zones", or high-risk zones. The move allows local authorities in those designated areas to impose restrictions. (DW)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Amid an alarming increase in COVID-19 cases, the government of Spain closes all nightclubs and bans smoking in public sites in the event that the social distancing is not assured. (CBS News) (Politico)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - Greece announces that they would limit public gatherings to 50 people and impose a midnight curfew on bars and restaurants in Athens and other areas. This measure is to last until August 24 in parts of the country where infection numbers have risen. (Greek Reporter)
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
  - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces that the current Alert Level settings will be extended for another 12 days. (Newshub)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
  - Education Secretary Leonor Briones suspends the commencement of the 2020–21 academic year for primary and secondary schools until October 5 due to the continuous rise of cases in the country. (Kyodo News via The Mainichi)

International relations

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Germany declares all of Spain except for the Canary Islands a high risk region following a spike of COVID-19 cases in the country. Designations as risk regions are typically followed by the German Foreign Ministry warning against touristic travel to those areas and mean people returning from those areas face a test or two weeks' compulsory quarantine. (France 24)
Belarus–Lithuania relations, 2020 Belarusian presidential election, 2020 Belarusian protests
- Lithuania becomes the first EU state to openly reject the legitimacy of Alexander Lukashenko as President of Belarus. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda says "We can not call Mister Lukashenko legitimate because there were no free democratic elections in Belarus". (Urdu Point)
Sanctions on Iran
- The United Nations Security Council has resoundingly rejected a United States bid to extend a global arms embargo on Iran. In a Security Council vote, United States only got support from the Dominican Republic for its resolution to indefinitely extend the arms embargo on Iran, leaving it far short of the minimum nine "yes" votes required for adoption. Eleven members on the 15-member body, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, abstained while Russia and China opposed extending the ban but did not need to use their vetoes. (Al Jazeera) (The Guardian)

Law and crime

2020 Belarusian protests
- Amnesty International says "widespread torture" is taking place inside detention centres in Belarus, with more than 6,700 people detained since protests against Lukashenko broke out following the disputed presidential election result. Amnesty International says detainees described being stripped naked, beaten and threatened with rape. The BBC also reports evidence of torture, including at the Okrestina detention centre in Minsk. (CNN) (BBC News)
2020 Thai protests
- Thai police arrest a student leader over an anti-government protest last month. The student was arrested in the outskirts of Bangkok while traveling to a protest. Human Rights Watch reports that he will be charged with breaching multiple laws. Police declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. (Reuters)
The United States Department of Justice says Yale University is illegally discriminating against White Americans and Asian Americans in its undergraduate admissions process, following a two-year investigation into the university. A Yale spokeswoman "categorically" denies the federal accusations. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

2020 Bulgarian protests
- Prime Minister Boyko Borisov pledges to resign if the nation's National Assembly passes his motion to call for a constituent assembly to change the nation's constitution. (The New York Times)
Politics of Equatorial Guinea
- Prime Minister Francisco Pascual Obama Asue presents his resignation and that of his entire government without making public the reason. President Teodoro Obiang claims that "he has not met the programmatic objectives, which has undoubtedly caused this crisis situation that today requires us to take urgent measures". (La Vanguardia)

Sports

2019–20 UEFA Champions League, FC Barcelona 2–8 FC Bayern Munich
- In association football, FC Bayern Munich become the first team to score eight goals in a UEFA Champions League knockout match after doing so against FC Barcelona in a quarter-finals match that ended 8–2. FC Barcelona suffer one of their worst defeats in history, having conceded eight goals for the first time since 1946. (AP via Philippine Daily Inquirer)

August 15, 2020 (Saturday)

Business and economy

Argentine debt restructuring
- The government approves a proposed deal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to restructure around $65 billion in foreign government bonds, following President Alberto Fernández's successful negotiations with creditors and the International Monetary Fund the previous week after the country defaulted in May. The government plans to submit the proposal to the SEC on August 17. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- The MSC Grandiosa disembarks from Genoa, Italy, on a seven-day cruise in the Mediterranean Sea, the first major cruise ship to sail in the Sea in almost five months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

MV Wakashio oil spill
- The Japanese bulk carrier Wakashio, which stranded on a reef in Mauritius last month, breaks in half. Approximately 1,000 tonnes of oil spilled into the ocean. Most of the oil had been pumped out before the ship broke in half in the afternoon. Around 166 tonnes of oil remained after the break, and authorities are working to remove it. Scientists call it the biggest environmental disaster ever in Mauritius. France says it will help with the cleanup. Japan's ministry of environment announced that it will send officials and other specialists to look at the damage. (Reuters)
Two lighter vessels capsize in the Bay of Bengal, near the island of Bhasan Char in Bangladesh. The country's Inland Water Transport Authority report that 13 crew members from one vessel en route to the Narayanganj District from Chittagong are missing, while all 12 crew members from the other vessel were rescued. (Anadolu Agency)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark
    - Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen mandates the wearing of face masks on all public transport in the country, effective August 22, in an effort to control the spread of the virus. (AFP via Daily Sabah)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - The daily number of new COVID-19 cases in France tops 3,000 for the first time since lockdown eased. (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malta
    - Malta reports 72 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. It is the highest single increase in new cases in the country since the pandemic began. (Times of Malta)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - Ireland reports 200 new cases but no deaths in the last 24 hours. This is the highest number of daily cases since May. (The Irish Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia, COVID-19 vaccine
    - Russia announces the production of the first batch of its Sputnik V vaccine. (Hindustan Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - South Korea reports 166 new cases of COVID-19. From that number, 139 were traced to Seoul and Gyeonggi Province and a significant portion of them were linked to cluster infections involving churchgoers. It is the highest number of reported new cases since March 11. (Kyodo News)
    - After a spike in new cases, the government decides to tighten social distancing measures in Seoul and surrounding areas. Many measures that are to be implemented include restricting numbers of gatherings and sports events played behind closed doors. (Tempo)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Minister of State Owned Enterprises and chief of the COVID-19 recovery team, Erick Thohir, announces that the government would bar foreign visitors until the completion of a vaccine. Indonesian scientists are testing a COVID-19 vaccine with Sinovac Biotech, which Thohir says is likely to be completed next year. (Kyodo News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Algeria
    - Algeria begins to reopen their mosques, beaches, cafes, and parks five months after their lockdown. (ABC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
    - President Cyril Ramaphosa announces a plan to ease nearly all restrictions on the economy from August 17, including lifting a controversial ban on the sale of alcohol and tobacco that had been imposed in July, as infections peak. (BBC News)

International relations

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
  - The government of the Netherlands issues a travel warning advising the public not to travel to some places, including Paris, the region surrounding Marseilles, Brussels, Ibiza and Mallorca. The warnings come as a response to an increase in new cases in Spain, France and Belgium. (NL Times)
Aftermath of the 2020 Belarusian presidential election
- The leaders of the Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, issue a joint statement calling on Belarus to hold a new "free and fair" election with international observers. (RFE/RL)
Poland–United States relations
- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak sign an agreement in Warsaw to redeploy about 1,000 U.S. troops from Germany to Poland so as to bring the total to 5,500. The agreement also includes a potential increase to 20,000 U.S. troops if Poland is under threat. (BBC News)
Israel and the United Nations
- Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi condemns the UN Security Council's decision not to extend an arms embargo on Iran. Ashkenazi argues that Iran "will lead to further Middle East instability". (Reuters)
Afghanistan–France relations, Afghan peace process
- Amidst the release of "hardcore" Taliban prisoners, the French government asks the Afghan government not to release those involved in the killing of French citizens. (Reuters)

Law and crime

George Floyd protests
- George Floyd protests in Georgia
  - Antifa militants, far-right groups, and pro-Confederacy groups clash at Stone Mountain, near the city of Stone Mountain, Georgia. (The Daily Beast)
- George Floyd protests in Michigan
  - Members of the right-wing group Proud Boys clash with counter-protesters in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with police carrying out nine arrests, including a local newspaper reporter. (AP)
2020 Thai protests
- Student activist Parit Chiwarak is released on bail after being arrested on Friday for co-organising a rally in July. He was charged with violating the COVID-19 measures and breaching internal security. Protests have been taking place in Thailand since July against the government. Parit Chiwarak has said he will continue to protest against the government and for reforms in the Thai monarchy. (Reuters)
Thai King Vajiralongkorn commutes the death sentence of two Burmese nationals convicted of the rape and murder of two British backpackers in 2014 in Ko Tao. The royal decree was issued to commemorate the birthday of the King, on July 28, to "illustrate the king's clemency". The pair now serve life in prison. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian protests
- President Alexander Lukashenko issues an appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin as he considers the protests "not a threat to just Belarus anymore". Statements by both sides contained a pointed reference to the Union State between the two countries. Meanwhile, opposition candidate leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who is exiled in Lithuania, calls for more protests. (Reuters)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, 2019–20 Chinese Basketball Association season
- In basketball, the Guangdong Southern Tigers win their 10th CBA championship, bringing an end to the 2019–20 CBA season, which was paused due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (South China Morning Post)

August 16, 2020 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Somali Civil War
- At least 12 people are killed when five al-Shabaab gunmen storm a beachfront hotel in Mogadishu after detonating a car bomb in front of the building. The attackers were later killed by security forces. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

MV Wakashio oil spill
- Mauritius says it will seek "compensation from the owner and the insurer" of MV Wakashio, which broke apart the previous day after leaking hundreds of tonnes of fuel oil. The Japanese company in charge of the ship pledged to compensate for the damage. (BBC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - The number of deaths from COVID-19 in India surpasses 50,000. (Hindustan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - The number of daily new COVID-19 cases in South Korea tops 200 for the first time in five months, with 279 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. The cases are traced to several conservative churches in the Seoul Capital Area. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Department of Health announces a new single-day record-high increase of 40,397 recoveries in the Philippines, bringing the total number of patients discharged to 112,586. (Inquirer)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Florida
    - The Florida Department of Health reports 3,779 cases, the state's lowest since June 23. (The Miami Herald)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia
    - Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signs an executive order that permits local officials to issue mask mandates in their cities. (Newsweek)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
  - The government orders the closure of nightclubs and makes masks mandatory for 12 hours between 6:00 p.m. local time and 6:00 a.m. local time. (Euronews)
The temperature reaches 130 °F (54.4 °C) in Death Valley, California amidst a historic heat wave in the western United States. If verified, it is the hottest temperature recorded on Earth in the month of August, and the hottest in any month since 1931. (The Washington Post)

International relations

Belarus–Russia relations, 2020 Belarusian protests
- Russia says it is "ready to assist Belarus in accordance with a collective military pact if necessary" as opposition leader in-exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya calls for a massive march. (Reuters)
Israel–United Arab Emirates peace agreement
- The United Arab Emirates unblocks telephone lines between the country and Israel, as well as allowing people in the country to access Israeli websites. Israeli Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel congratulates the Emirati government for the move. (AP)
Iran–United Arab Emirates relations
- The Emirati government summons the Iranian chargé d'affaires in Abu Dhabi to protest a speech by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani which called the UAE's peace agreement with Israel "a treacherous act." The Emirati government labeled these remarks as "unacceptable, inflammatory and carrying serious repercussions for the security and stability of the Arabian Gulf region." (Al Arabiya)

Politics and elections

COVID-19 pandemic
- Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      - Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education
        Hundreds of GCE Advanced Level students protest outside the Department for Education headquarters in London demanding for a reassessment of their final-year performance by the Ofqual, which has used an algorithm to assess students' performances in lieu of the exams that were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Critics claim the Ofqual's algorithm to be "flawed" as the grades issued differ significantly from those predicted by teachers. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson had issued a statement clarifying that students may use their teacher's predicted grades or results from any trial exam, although the Ofqual issued a separate statement favouring teacher evaluations over trial exams. Students are requesting for an intervention from Prime Minister Boris Johnson. (AP via SCMP)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
      - Hundreds of protesters at the Plaza de Colón in Madrid demand the government rescinds the compulsory wearing of face masks in public, which had been imposed following the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in July. Protesters claim that such restrictions are an attempt by the government to curtail people's freedoms. (AFP via The Straits Times)
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics
  - COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, 2020 New Zealand general election
    - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern postpones the upcoming general election from 19 September to 17 October due to a recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases. (Stuff) (CNN)
2020 Belarusian protests
- Tens of thousands protest in the Belarusian capital Minsk calling for President Alexander Lukashenko to step down. It is believed to be the largest protest in Belarusian history. (The Guardian)
- In a defiant speech, Alexander Lukashenko addresses supporters in Independence Square, Minsk, where he claims Belarus would "die as a state" if new elections were held, and accuses NATO of "massing on the border". Opposition critics say most of those at the rally were coerced into attending and had been bussed in from other parts of the country. (Sky News)
- The Belarusian Ambassador to Slovakia, Igor Leshchenya, defects to the opposition after posting a video declaring his support for the protests. (The Independent)
2020 Thai protests
- More than 10,000 people march against the government, demanding their resignation and a curb to its monarchy's power. The protesters also demand a change in the constitution. Meanwhile, dozens held pro-monarchy counter-protests. (Al Jazeera)
Politics of the Dominican Republic
- Luis Abinader is sworn in as President after winning the 2020 general elections. He succeeds Danilo Medina. (The New York Times)

August 17, 2020 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir
- Militants kill a policeman and two paramilitary officers in Srinagar. A spokesman for the police says they thwarted another attack when they recovered improvised explosive devices placed under a bridge. This has been seen as an increase in attacks on security forces in recent months. (Reuters)
Yemeni civil war
- A Houthi missile attack kills 11 Yemeni government troops, including a senior officer, in Al Jawf. (Al Jazeera)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 recession
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Japan suffers its biggest economic slump on record as its economy's GDP fell 7.8% in April-June quarter. (BBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
    - Thailand's economy suffers its biggest annual contraction since the 1997 Asian financial crisis, with its GDP down 12.2% in the second quarter from a year earlier. It fell a record 9.7% on the quarter, on a seasonally adjusted basis. (Reuters)
China–United States trade war, Chinese espionage in the United States, Concerns over Chinese involvement in 5G wireless networks
- The United States Department of Commerce expands its sanctions on Chinese technological vendor Huawei by adding 38 of the company's affiliates to its "entity list", limiting Huawei's access into U.S. integrated circuits and other technology. The Trump administration has viewed Huawei as "an arm of the Chinese Communist Party's surveillance state." (AFP via The Independent)
The bankrupt NPC International announces it will close 300 Pizza Hut locations. (Fox Business)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Sri Lankan blackouts
- Electrical blackouts in Sri Lanka began nationwide due to a transmission technical failure at the Kerawalapitiya Grid-Sub station. (Daily News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - The Basque Country declares a sanitary emergency for the second time since the start of the pandemic, but doesn't foresee a general confinement of the Basque population. (La Vanguardia)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Andorra
    - With 16 new daily confirmed cases, Andorra exceeds 1,000 cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. (Diari d'Andorra)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria
  - The Federal Ministry of Aviation announces that international flights from Lagos and Abuja will resume on August 29, after a four-month hiatus. (Anadolu Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Australia reports 25 new COVID-19 deaths (all of them in Victoria), the deadliest day since the pandemic began. (ABC News Australia)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns
  - President Rodrigo Duterte downgrades the lockdown restrictions on the Greater Manila Area to the level of general community quarantine, effective August 19, following a two-week reimposition of a modified enhanced community quarantine to prevent a "collapse" of the country's health care system. (Reuters)
The Trump administration is pushing ahead with plans to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The first leases to drill for oil and gas could be sold by the end of 2020, and is backed by the Republicans and opposed by environmental groups and some members of Alaska's Indigenous communities. (CNN)

International relations

Aftermath of the 2020 Belarusian presidential election
- Belarus–United Kingdom relations
  - British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab issues a statement that the United Kingdom does not recognize the results of the Belarusian presidential election, which saw President Alexander Lukashenko re-elected. Raab calls the election "fraudulent" and demands an independent investigation into the results. (AFP via The Straits Times)
- Belarus–Ukraine relations
  - Ukraine recalls its Ambassador to Belarus to assess "the new reality" and prospects of further bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries. (Reuters)
Netherlands–Russia relations
- The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summons the Dutch ambassador in Moscow after surveillance equipment was discovered in the vehicle of a Russian military attaché in The Hague. (CGTN)
Malaysia–Vietnam relations, Territorial disputes in the South China Sea
- Vietnam presses Malaysia for answers after a Vietnamese fisherman was shot dead when Malaysia's coast guard attempted to inspect two Vietnamese fishing boats in waters east of Kelantan deemed to be engaged in illegal fishing. Malaysia alleged the 19 crew members aboard the boats "acted aggressively" and threw "diesel bombs" when ordered to surrender. (SCMP)

Law and crime

George Floyd protests
- George Floyd protests in Washington
  - George Floyd protests in Seattle
    - 18 protesters are arrested in Seattle after a protest in the SODO neighborhood is declared a riot. (CNN)
Hong Kong national security law
- Pro-democracy activist Sunny Cheung reportedly flees to the United Kingdom after reporting fears of imprisonment. (HK Free Press)
Aftermath of the 2020 Beirut explosions
- Badri Daher, the director general of the Lebanese Customs Administration, is arrested amid the investigation on the storage of ammonium nitrate at the Port of Beirut for six years. (AP via CTV News)
A court in Malaysia jails a teenager until the King's decision for starting a fire that killed 23 people in 2017. He was not eligible for the death penalty due to being a minor at the time of the arson, the court explained. (Reuters)
Two men are charged with the death of Run-DMC member Jam Master Jay in Queens, New York, United States. The killing had remained unsolved as a cold case for 18 years. (NBC News)
The government of Colombia offers a reward of 200M pesos ($53,000; €44,000; £40,000) for information about the four gunmen who burst into a house party and killed eight people in Samaniego in Nariño Department Saturday. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
  - Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education
    - Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announces that the Ofqual has discarded the use of an algorithm to award the final grades of GCE Advanced Level and General Certificate of Secondary Education candidates in lieu of the exams that were cancelled due to the pandemic, instead basing the qualifications on teacher-assessed grades. The decision comes after hundreds of students in England protested following the release of the Advanced Level results on August 13, which saw around 40% of teacher-predicted grades downgraded under the algorithm. (The Guardian) (Reuters via The Straits Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, WE Charity controversy
  - Bill Morneau resigns as Canada's finance minister following his involvement in the WE Charity scandal. (AAP via The Canberra Times)
2020 Belarusian protests
- President Alexander Lukashenko says he is "ready to share power in Belarus, although not under pressure from the streets". Meanwhile, opposition leader in-exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya urges security forces to defect to her side and says she is prepared to lead the country. (Reuters)
- Addressing workers at a truck factory, Lukashenko states that there will be no fresh elections "until you kill me", he warns. He urges people to let people who want to work to work amid a general strike. He is booed and jeered by the crowd. (Sky News) (Politico)
- The Belarusian state media National State Television and Radio Company of Belarus headquarters in Minsk is reportedly emptied after staff members walked out and joined the general strike. State television is still on air but only showing an empty studio with music playing in the background. (DW)
2020 United States presidential election
- The 2020 Democratic National Convention begins, running until Thursday. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris are expected to be officially nominated for their party's choice for President and Vice President, respectively, in the upcoming election. (NPR)
- In a show of bipartisan support for the Democrats national ticket, four longtime Republicans gave speeches: former Ohio governor John Kasich, former New Jersey governor Christine Whitman, former New York congresswoman Susan Molinari, and Quibi CEO Meg Whitman. (USA Today)
2020 United States Postal Service crisis
- Congressional Democrats have announced investigations and hearings into allegations of widespread mail delays ahead of the coming 2020 United States presidential election, which many expect will see a surge in mail-in voting due to the ongoing pandemic. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling the House of Representatives back from recess several weeks early in order to consider legislation to address the crisis. (The Hill) (Axios)

August 18, 2020 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2020 Malian protests, 2020 Malian coup d'état
- Gunfire and a mutiny take place at a military base in Kati, Koulikoro, Mali. Soldiers arrest senior military officers as the government deploys troops to the area. (AP)
- The Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision du Mali (ORTM) headquarters in the capital Bamako are evacuated amid reports of a coup attempt. The French and Norwegian embassies urge their citizens to remain indoors after being notified of mutiny in the Armed Forces. (DW)
- Two security forces later confirm to Reuters that President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and Prime Minister Boubou Cissé have been detained by the mutinying forces. The two men are believed to have been transported to Kati. (France 24) (Andolu Agency) (Al Jazeera)
- Bamako and the Presidential Palace is reportedly under the control of coup forces with tanks and other military vehicles on the streets. Anti-government protesters set fire to a Ministry of Justice building, while hundreds of opposition supporters gather on the streets to celebrate the coup. (BBC News)
- The European Union's High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell condemns the attempted coup, rejecting any anticonstitutional change and calls for dialogue. He also announces that contacts are being made to decide the international community's response. (European Union)
Islamic terrorism in Europe; Terrorism in Germany
- Three motorcyclists are rammed and left seriously wounded on a motorway in Berlin, Germany during a vehicle-ramming attack. The perpetrator is arrested and identified as an Islamic extremist. (BBC News)
War in Afghanistan
- August 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - 14 rockets strike Kabul, wounding ten people. The rockets mostly struck the diplomatic "Green Zone", which is home to several embassies and the NATO Resolute Support headquarters. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the attack, which the Taliban has denied responsibility for. (Reuters)
Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War
- A Russian major general is killed and two others are injured by a roadside bomb in Syria while en route to Hmeimim Air Base from Deir ez-Zor. (Andolu Agency)

Disasters and accidents

2020 California wildfires
- California Governor Gavin Newsom declares a state of emergency to ensure the state receives vital resources as at least 27 wildfires are raging across the state, exacerbating a stifling heat wave. (NBC News via msn.com)
2020 Masbate earthquake
- A 6.6-magnitude earthquake hits Cataingan, Masbate, Philippines, with at least one person reported to have been killed. (The Independent)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France is slated to make face masks mandatory for all shared spaces in offices and factories where there is more than one employee present. The measure is set to begin on September 1. (BBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Chancellor Angela Merkel rules out easing further COVID-19-related public health restrictions amidst a rise in new cases. (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - Ireland "significantly" tightens restrictions after a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks. All businesses are told to let employees work from home, new limits are placed on outdoor gatherings, and the government warns people to avoid public transport. The new rules will be in place until at least September 13. (Sky News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
    - Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announces that Energy Minister Alexander Novak has tested positive for COVID-19. (Anadolu Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, COVID-19 vaccine
  - Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces that his country has signed a deal with the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to manufacture a vaccine against COVID-19 that the company is developing with the Oxford Vaccine Group. The vaccine is currently in Phase III efficacy trials and AstraZeneca says it is targeting a formulation of results by the end of the year. Morrison states that the deal also allows citizens to receive immediate and free access to the vaccines, if successful. (AFP via SCMP)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon
  - The acting government reimposes a curfew for two weeks amid a spike in COVID-19 infections. (Al Arabiya)

International relations

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the military
- South Korea–United States relations, Korean conflict
  - The United States Armed Forces resume joint military exercises with the Republic of Korea Armed Forces after several COVID-19 cases were confirmed at United States Forces Korea bases since February. (AFP via The Manila Times)
Belarus–Lithuania relations, 2020 Belarusian protests
- Lithuanian MPs approve economic sanctions against Belarus over the contested presidential elections. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius says Lithuania is "sending a strong message to the world" and refuses to recognize Alexander Lukashenko as President. (AP)

Law and crime

Assassination of Rafic Hariri
- The Special Tribunal for Lebanon finds Salim Ayyash, a senior member of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, guilty of assassinating former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in Beirut in 2005, following a five-year trial. (The Guardian)
2010 G20 Toronto summit protests
- The Toronto Police Service agrees to pay compensation of C$16.5 million (US$12.5M) to about 1,100 protesters who were wrongfully arrested in the city during the 2010 G20 summit. (The Guardian)
MV Wakashio oil spill
- Police in Mauritius arrest the Captain of the ship which spilled huge amounts of petrol off the coast of the country, causing a major environmental disaster. (Reuters)
Papua New Guinea police officers shoot and kill 11 prisoners after a mass jailbreak on Friday. At least 34 prisoners remain at large. (RNZ)

Politics and elections

2020 United States Postal Service crisis
- U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, in response to politicians' criticism that proposed changes to U.S. mail services could slow the handling of mail-in ballots, suspends all mail service changes until after the November election. He also said there will be no changes to retail hours at post offices, mail collection boxes will remain where they are, and no mail processing facilities will be closed. A number of states, including Washington and New York, said they are planning legal moves to block the Postal Service changes. (Reuters)
Politics of Equatorial Guinea
- President Teodoro Obiang appoints Obama Asue as Prime Minister again, four days after he resigned generating criticism from the opposition. (La Vanguardia)

August 19, 2020 (Wednesday)

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 News)
- 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 News)
At least 45 migrants, including five children, die in a shipwreck off Libya. In addition, 37 other people are rescued by local fishermen. (BBC News)

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 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. 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 News)
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 News)
- 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)

Science and technology

Discoveries of exoplanets
- Astronomers discover 95 brown dwarfs near the Sun through the Backyard Worlds project. (Space.com)
Nuclear power in the United Arab Emirates
- The first unit of the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi, the first nuclear power station in the Arabian Peninsula, is connected to the country's electrical grid. According to the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, the completion of three more APR-1400 nuclear reactor units would result in the provision of 25% of the UAE's electricity and a reduction of carbon emissions by 21 million tons a year. (CNBC)

August 20, 2020 (Thursday)

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 News)
  - Australian youth travel agency STA Travel files for insolvency. (BBC News)
- 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 News)
  - 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 News)
  - 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 News) (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 21, 2020 (Friday)

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)
Three people, including two policemen and the mayor's son, are killed by Islamic State-linked militants attack a Christian village in Kaftoun, Lebanon. (Xinhua)

Arts and culture

The official music video for BTS' Dynamite breaks the all-time record on YouTube for the highest number of views on a single video in 24 hours, generating 101,100,000 views in its first 24 hours. (NY Daily News)

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 News)

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 News)
- 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 22, 2020 (Saturday)

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 23, 2020 (Sunday)

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 News) (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 News)
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 News)
- 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 Sport)

August 24, 2020 (Monday)

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 was carried out by a female suicide bomber 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

Chinese video-sharing service 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. The company says the executive orders are part of a "broader campaign of anti-China rhetoric" in the lead up to the upcoming presidential election. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

More than 200 people are missing after the five-storey Tariq Garden 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)
A massive fire engulfs the Juma Mosque in Durban, South Africa. No casualties are reported, and it is believed that it was caused by an electrical fire. (Al Jazeera)

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 p.m. local time on August 30. (Newshub)

International relations

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in France, COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
  - German Federal Foreign Office issue a travel warning for Île-de-France region, which includes Paris, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, which includes Marseille and Nice, as well as French Guiana and other overseas French territories against "unnecessary tourism" due to rising COVID-19 infections in these regions. (RFI)
Arab–American relations, Arab–Israeli conflict, Israel–United States relations, Israel–United Arab Emirates relations, United Arab Emirates–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 (UAE). 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)
- The UAE cancels a planned meeting with Pompeo and Israel for Friday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly denied that a proposed armed deal with the U.S. and the UAE will involve the sale of F-35 military jets. The UAE maintains that the jet's acquisition is tied to the normalization deal. (Al Jazeera)

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

Shooting of Jacob Blake, George Floyd protests
- Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers deploys 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 News)
- Police and demonstrators clash for a second night in Wisconsin in the aftermath of Blake's shooting. Blake is still in intensive care, said attorney Ben Crump who is representing him and his family. (CNN)
Impeachment inquiry against Mike DeWine
- Ohio Representative John Becker draws up 10 articles of impeachment on Governor Mike DeWine over his COVID-19 orders. Representatives Nino Vitale and Paul Zeltwanger are co-sponsors for the impeachment inquiries. (Cleveland.com) (WLWT-TV)
Christchurch mosque shootings
- Perpetrator Brenton Tarrant begins his sentencing before the High Court in Christchurch, New Zealand. He faces an unprecedented sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, having been convicted in March for murder involving multiple deaths. (AP via The Hindu) (UPI)
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 25, 2020 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- August 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - A truck bombing kills at least three people and injures another 41 in Balkh Province, Afghanistan. (Reuters)
  - Afghan actress and filmmaker Saba Sahar survives an assassination attempt in Kabul while on the way to work, she suffered four gunshot wounds and was taken to a private hospital. The Taliban's spokesman denies any involvement in the attack. (International Business Times)

Business and economy

Ant files for an initial public offering of at least 10% of its capital in new shares on the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges. (Bloomberg via Al Jazeera)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Laura heads toward the Gulf Coast of the United States. The storm is now over western Cuba after killing multiple people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The coasts of Texas and Louisiana prepare to receive Laura as a category 3 (or higher) hurricane. (CNN)
- More than 385,000 residents are told to flee the cities of Beaumont, Galveston and Port Arthur, in Texas saying as much as 13 feet (3.96 meters) of storm surge topped by waves could submerge entire communities. (AP)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports its highest single-day record of recovered patients after more than 66,000 are declared recovered in the last 24 hours, pushing the recovery rate to 75.92%. (Hindustan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - South Korea orders most schools in Seoul Capital Area to close and move classes back online as the country battles a resurgence in cases. All students, except for high school seniors, in the cities of Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province, will take classes online until September 11. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - Prime Minister Boris Johnson reverses an earlier advice against the wearing of face masks by secondary education students in local lockdown areas of England, following protests from head teachers and academic organisations against the earlier advice. Meanwhile, schools in areas of England not subject to tighter restrictions are given the discretion on whether to mandate the wearing of face masks for its students. (The Guardian)
Polio eradication
- The Africa Regional Certification Commission announces that they have declared Africa free of polio. (BBC News)

International relations

Foreign relations of Taiwan, Foreign relations of France
- Taiwan announces that it will open a representative office in Aix-en-Provence to serve southern France. This is the second Taiwanese representative office in France and the third office to open this year, coming after the establishment of an office in Hargeisa, Somaliland, and the re-opening of the office in Guam. (Taiwan News)
Ethiopia–Sudan relations
- Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed meets with the Sudanese leadership in Khartoum to discuss the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. (Reuters)
Iran–United States relations, Sanctions against Iran
- The United Nations formally rejects the United States's request to reimpose its sanctions against Iran via the "snapback" provision of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), citing the Security Council's opposition due to the country's withdrawal from the JCPoA in 2018. (AFP via The Straits Times)

Law and crime

2020 United States racial unrest
- Shooting of Breonna Taylor
  - At least 64 people were arrested in Louisville, Kentucky as crowds marched over the death of Breonna Taylor. The protests were peaceful until a group of demonstrators "crossed several intersections, creating dangerous situations as traffic continued to try to make its way in the area," claimed Robert Schroeder, interim chief of the Louisville Metro Police Department. (CNN)
- Shooting of Jacob Blake, Kenosha unrest, Kenosha unrest shooting
  - Two people are fatally shot and one wounded during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin over the shooting of Jacob Blake. Police are investigating whether the incident occurred during a confrontation between protesters and armed men. (CNN)
  - Wisconsin's Governor Tony Evers declared a state of emergency due to persistent unrest in Kenosha. (The Wall Street Journal)
The High Court of Hong Kong denies release for the first person arrested under the Hong Kong national security law. The 23-year-old man had driven a motorbike into several policemen knocking them down on a narrow street before falling over and getting arrested. (Reuters)
Manchester United captain and England international Harry Maguire is given a suspended sentence of 21 months and 10 days in prison by a Greek court for repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery of police, violence against public employees and insult, following his arrest on the island of Mykonos. (BBC Sport)

August 26, 2020 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Boko Haram insurgency
- Boko Haram insurgents carries out an overnight attack against a village in Gwoza, Nigeria, killing 75 elders. (Premium Times)
Somali Civil War
- The United States Africa Command announces that the U.S. carried out an airstrike on Monday that resulted in the deaths of six militants of the al-Shabaab jihadist group after they had attacked Somali forces during preceding days. It was carried out in Lower Shabelle, Somalia. Three other al-Shabaab militants were wounded. (AP via Al Arabiya)

Arts and culture

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on religion
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Catholic Church, COVID-19 pandemic in Vatican City
  - The Holy See announces that Pope Francis will resume public audiences in September for the first time in nearly six months. However, the events will be limited to 500 people, held in a closed courtyard of the Apostolic Palace. (AFP via The Korea Times)
Marieke Lucas Rijneveld of the Netherlands is awarded the 2020 International Booker Prize for their novel The Discomfort of Evening. (The Guardian)

Business and economy

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approves new rules that will allow companies that wish to raise capital, and be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, to use direct listings instead of IPOs. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Afghanistan flood
- Flash floods brought by torrential rains in northeastern Afghanistan kill at least 100 people in Charikar, Parwan Province, Afghanistan, with at least 300 houses in the area destroyed. The Ministry of Disaster Management has also reported some casualties and destruction of infrastructure in the provinces of Kapisa, Maidan Wardak, Nangarhar, Paktia, and Panjshir. (Al Jazeera)
2020 wildfire season
- 2020 California wildfires
  - Evacuations are lifted for 35,000 people in Napa and Sonoma counties. (SFGate.com)
2020 Pacific typhoon season
- North and South Korea prepare to receive Typhoon Bavi which is already lashing the South Korean island of Jeju flooding roads, toppling trees, ripping off signboards and knocking down lampposts as it passed over waters off the island’s western shores. No casualties are reported. (AP)
2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Laura is upgraded to a Category 4 as it nears the Gulf Coast of the United States. (CNBC)
Llangennech derailment
- A freight train is derailed and catches fire near Llangennech, Carmarthenshire, Wales. Local residents are evacuated. (BBC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Ohio
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Columbus, Ohio
      - Ohio State University suspends more than 200 students for breaking some COVID-19 guidelines even before the school year starts. (NPR)
  - COVID-19 pandemic testing in the United States
    - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week changed its COVID-19 testing guidelines to say that people who've been in close contact with someone known to have COVID-19 but are asymptomatic now "do not necessarily" need to get tested. Health experts are expressing alarm over this revision since, for example, up to 50 percent of all COVID-19 transmissions are due to people who do not exhibit symptoms of the disease. (Voice of America)
    - Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said he was in surgery for vocal cord polyp removal and was not part of the discussion during the August 20 task force meeting when updated guidelines were discussed. He also expressed concerns over how people would interpret the new recommendations. (CNN) (The Daily Beast)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in California
    - California Governor Gavin Newsom confirms that the state has signed a deal with Massachusetts-based PerkinElmer to provide faster testing results. (The Hill)
  - Moderna announces that their potential COVID-19 vaccine produced promising results in elderly patients during an early stage clinical trial. (CNBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - The city of Berlin bans any and all future protests against the city's quarantine measures after organizers of a rally earlier in the month failed to ensure its 20,000 marchers wore masks and practiced social distancing. (MSN)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - Greece confirmed 293 new cases in the last 24 hours which is the highest daily spike since the outbreak began in the country. According to National Public Health Organization, 22 of the new cases were reported at the country's entry points. (Anadolu Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia
    - Croatia reports its highest single day number of 358 new cases in the last 24 hours as a tricky summer tourism season brings a resurgence of COVID-19 to the Adriatic country. (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
    - Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin invites residents to join COVID-19 vaccine trials. (ABC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - The French Health Ministry reports 5,429 new cases in the last 24 hours, a new post-lockdown high and a level of new infections not seen since the height of the epidemic in early April. (France 24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar
    - Myanmar orders all public and private schools closed as authorities try to tackle a resurgence of the virus following weeks without confirmed domestic transmission. (Reuters)
    - Myanmar reports 106 new cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day surge since the first case was detected in the country in March. Of those new cases, 93 new virus cases were found in Rakhine State. (Anadolu Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the State of Palestine
    - Authorities in the Gaza Strip impose a strict lockdown after the first locally transmitted death from COVID-19. The death was that of a 61-year-old man who had previous illnesses and was on a respirator, the health ministry said. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
  - The number of daily new cases in Argentina tops 10,000 for the first time with 10,550 new cases in the past 24 hours as the country extends lockdown restrictions in and around capital city Buenos Aires until the end of August. (Reuters)

International relations

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in France, COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium
  - Belgium's foreign ministry banned travel to Paris amid concerns over a possible resurgence of cases in the French capital. Belgians are being advised to avoid visiting Paris unless travellers agree to take a COVID-19 test or undergo a period of self-isolation on their return. (Euronews)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, COVID-19 pandemic in Norway, COVID-19 pandemic in Liechtenstein
  - Norway will impose a 10-day quarantine on all people arriving from Germany and Liechtenstein from August 29 due to rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in those countries. (The New York Times)
China–United States relations, Territorial disputes in the South China Sea
- The United States Department of Commerce adds 24 Chinese state-owned enterprises to its "entity list", restricting the access of these enterprises to U.S. goods and content. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claims that these enterprises are involved in China's expansion and militarization efforts in the disputed regions of the South China Sea. (AFP via CNA)
Sudan–United States relations
- In a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the United States proposed removing Sudan from the U.S. state sponsors of terrorism list for $330 million compensation. The payment would allegedly go to American victims of Al-Qaida but ministers, opposition leaders, and other people in the country have expressed anger at the prospect of a multimillion-dollar payment to the United States. (The Guardian)
Turkey–United States relations, Aegean dispute
- The Turkish Ministry of National Defense reveals that a Barbaros-class frigate of the Turkish Navy and the TCG Burgazada have conducted joint military exercises with the USS Winston S. Churchill of the U.S. Navy in the Eastern Mediterranean, hours after Greece conducted similar exercises with France, Italy, and Cyprus in the disputed region. (AFP via WION)

Law and crime

Kenosha unrest shooting
- A 17-year-old is arrested for the killing of two people during riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The teenager, who is originally from Antioch, Illinois, was charged with first-degree intentional homicide. (AP)
Police in Hong Kong arrest pro-democracy Legislative Council members Lam Cheuk-ting and Ted Hui for their presence in an anti-government protest in Tuen Mun last year. Lam was also accused of rioting in connection with the protest during an attack on pro-democracy activists in Yuen Long. (The New York Times)

Politics and elections

EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan resigns for violating Ireland's COVID-19 restrictions by attending a golf dinner last week. (Reuters)

Science and technology

Osaka Nana Grave
- A mass grave with more than 1,500 bodies is discovered in Osaka, Japan, that dates from the 1600s to the mid-1800s. (News AU)

Sports

2020 NBA playoffs
- All three NBA Playoff games today involving the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, and Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers are postponed as teams sit in protest after the shooting of Jacob Blake. (NBA)
In conjunction with NBA, several teams from the MLB, WNBA, and MLS postpone their games to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake. (Bloomberg)

August 27, 2020 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Mali War
- Mopti attacks
  - Four Malian troops are killed and 12 others wounded when their anti-poaching convoy is ambushed in Mopti. Islamist insurgents are suspected to be behind the attack and reinforcements are sent to the area from Konna. (Reuters)
War in Afghanistan
- Four civilians in flooded Parwan are killed in clashes between the Afghan military and the Taliban. The group did not comment on the killings ahead of peace talks to start soon between the group and the government. (ABC Australia)
Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
- The Saudi Arabian-led coalition says it has intercepted a ballistic missile fired at the Saudi city of Najran from Yemen. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, economy of South Korea
- The Bank of Korea cuts its growth forecast and expects the country's GDP to shrink 1.3% this year. It would be South Korea's worst performance since the height of the Asian financial crisis in 1998. (Marketwatch)
China–United States trade war
- American retailer Walmart announces its partnership with Microsoft for a bid to acquire the Chinese-based video sharing service TikTok, which faces a ban in the United States through President Donald Trump's executive order if its parent company ByteDance fails to sell the app's operations to an American corporation. (AFP via Bangkok Post)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Laura downgrades from a Category 4 to Category 2 hurricane but remains "extremely dangerous" after lashing the coasts of Texas and Louisiana early Thursday. It has killed 30 people thus far. (AP)
- A shelter-in-place is issued after a chemical fire breaks out in Lake Charles, Louisiana. (CBS News)
- The South's Defenders Monument, a Confederate monument located in Lake Charles, is damaged by Laura. (The Hill)
Ten teenagers in Arua, Uganda, are killed after being struck by lightning while playing football. (BBC News) (Soft Power News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - South Korea reports 441 new cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day increase of confirmed cases since early March, as sporadic cluster infections across the country, mainly in the Seoul Capital Area, continue to pile up, fueling calls for tougher antivirus restrictions. (AP via detikNews) (South China Morning Post)
    - The National Assembly temporarily closes and a group of more than ten Democratic Party officials, including the party chairman Lee Hae-chan and parliamentary leader Kim Tae-nyeon, undergo screening tests and are placed in self-quarantine after a photojournalist covering a meeting of the ruling party tested positive for COVID-19. (Euronews)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - The number of deaths in India surpasses 60,000 as the country reports its highest single day record of more than 75,000 new cases in the last 24 hours. (Hindustan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports 2,719 new cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total to 162,884. This is the highest single-day rise since the beginning of the outbreak. Additionally, the total death toll surpasses 7,000. (Jakarta Globe)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - Prime Minister Jean Castex announces the mandatory wearing of face masks throughout Paris after officials released statistics indicating a resurgence of cases throughout the country. (AFP via RTL Today)
    - France records its highest number of new daily infections since the end of the lockdown in early May, with an additional 6,111 cases reported over the past 24 hours, making it the second highest ever, after 7,578 new cases set on March 30. (BBC News) (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Italy records its highest number of new cases since early May, when the country was still in lockdown, with 1,411 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. (The Telegraph)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Alabama
    - Alabama Governor Kay Ivey extends the state's mask mandate and safer-at-home order to October 2. (Bizjournals.com) (Patch.com)
Fiji's opposition parties condemn the government over the handling of the dengue fever and leptospirosis outbreaks, saying that the government has not informed the public of the seriousness of the diseases. Vice-president of the National Federation Party (NFP) Lenora Qereqeretabua says that the government needs to urgently develop a plan and also condemns what she considers is a mishandling of COVID-19. (RNZ)

International relations

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, COVID-19 pandemic in Czech Republic, COVID-19 pandemic in Jamaica, COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland
  - The British government removes Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Jamaica from the travel corridor list due to rising COVID-19 infection rates. It means that arrivals from those countries will have to self-quarantine for two weeks, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed. The change will come into effect on Saturday at 4:00 a.m. BST. (The Guardian)
Colombia–United States relations
- Colombian Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo permits a U.S. Army unit to resume its advisory mission in the country after the Colombian Senate found that it did not constitute a deployment of foreign troops. A court had suspended the mission in early July after the opposition argued it did count as foreign troop movement, and thus needed Senate authorization. (Reuters)
Egypt–Greece relations
- The Hellenic Parliament formally ratifies a maritime agreement with Egypt, that defines maritime boundaries and an exclusive economic zone between the two countries in the Mediterranean Sea. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Poisoning of Alexei Navalny
- Russian police launch a preliminary investigation into the suspected poisoning of opposition figure Alexei Navalny on August 20 to determine whether to open a criminal investigation. (AFP via The Times of India)
Christchurch mosque shootings
- Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant is sentenced to life imprisonment without possibility of parole, a first in New Zealand history, for killing 51 people in last year's mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch. (The Guardian)
2020 Malian coup d'état
- Ousted Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta is freed by military authorities, a military junta spokesman informs. "He was freed this morning, [and] he has returned to his home", said the spokesman without elaborating. (Reuters)
2020 Belarusian protests
- Police in Belarus arrest 20 journalists who were planning to cover a protest in Minsk and confiscated their telephones and identity documents. The interior ministry later said that the journalists had been driven to the police station to check they had valid accreditation allowing them to work as journalists. (Al Jazeera)
Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Delta Air Lines has banned 240 passengers for refusing to wear masks since a policy requiring them went into effect in June. (CNN)
At least three people are killed when a feud between Hezbollah supporters and a local clan of Sunni Arabs ends with gunfight in south Beirut, Lebanon. The army arrives at the scene and arrests four people. (Al Arabiya English)
Dutch police report that Two Laughing Boys with a Mug of Beer, a painting by Dutch golden age painter Frans Hals, was stolen from the Hofje van Mevrouw van Aerden in Leerdam. This is the third time the painting had been stolen. (Reuters)
The FBI arrests Yaser Abdel Said, who had been on their Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list since 2014 for allegedly murdering his two daughters in an honor killing in 2008. His son and brother were also arrested for harboring a fugitive. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

Afghan peace process
- Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, says that peace talks between the Taliban and the government will start in September with the support of the Trump administration, which pushes both sides to set differences aside. (Al Arabiya)
Kurdish human rights lawyer Ebru Timtik dies in hospital after spending 238-days on hunger strike in protest of her imprisonment after being found guilty of being a member of the outlawed Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front. At the time of her death, she was reported to only weigh 65 pounds. (New York Post)

August 28, 2020 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- August 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - Thirteen people are killed and two others injured after two bombs explode in Spin Boldak, Kandahar. (TOLOnews)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador
  - The International Monetary Fund reaches an agreement with the government of Ecuador to lend $6.5 billion to help fund the country's economy amid the pandemic and the subsequent fall in oil prices and finalize a debt restructuring deal with its international investors. (Financial Times)

Disasters and accidents

MV Wakashio oil spill
- The death toll of dolphins in Mauritius rises to 38, according to a government official. The dolphins showed signs of wounds but no trace of hydrocarbons in their bodies. Greenpeace urged yesterday the government to launch an "urgent investigation to determine the cause of the deaths and any ties to the Wakashio oil spill". (Reuters)
Officials in Niger say that floods have killed 45 people and displaced more than 226,000 people since Monday, after torrential rains caused the Niger River to overflow. Prime Minister Brigi Rafini pledges aid. (AP)
A polar bear kills a 38-year-old Dutch man at campsite near Longyearbyen, on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. The bear was then shot dead near Svalbard Airport. It is the first fatal bear attack on Svalbard since a British student was attacked and killed in 2011. (BBC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan
      - Michigan surpasses 100,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19. (MLive.com)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
    - Canada extends emergency orders that place restrictions on international travel and make mandatory two-week quarantines for anyone entering the country until September 30. (Global News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports more than 77,000 new cases in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide total to more than 3.38 million, the highest single day spike for the country for the second consecutive day, and the highest single day caseload in the world apart from the United States. (The Washington Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports 3,003 new cases in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide total to 165,887. This is a new record high for the second consecutive day since the pandemic began in the country. (detikHealth)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun announces that the country's level 2 restrictions, set to expire on August 30, would be extended for at least another week until September 6 as the Ministry of Health and Welfare reports over 370 new infections over the past 24 hours. (Anadolu Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - The health ministry says that France is seeing an "exponential" rise in cases as the country records its second-highest record of reported cases since March, with 7,379 new cases in the last 24 hours, raising the possibility of another nationwide lockdown. (BBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - The Ministry of Citizen Protection announces changes to Greece's travel restrictions, effective August 31 until at least September 19, due to a rise in cases in recent weeks. Changes include requiring visitors from a list of countries to show a negative test result to enter and a suspension of flights to and from Catalonia, Spain, but lifting restrictions on the Netherlands. (Reuters via CNA)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary
    - Hungary announces that it will close its borders to foreigners on September 1 in an attempt to curb a rise in infections, and Hungarians returning from abroad will have to go into two-week quarantine. Hungarians can only leave if they have provided two negative tests. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi
  - The government announces that the Lilongwe International Airport and all public schools in the country will reopen on September 1 and 7, respectively, following a reported significant decrease in new cases and deaths. (Anadolu Agency)

International relations

Norway–Russia relations
- The Russian foreign ministry announces the expulsion of a senior diplomat at the Norwegian embassy in Moscow and declared him persona non grata as a "retaliatory measure" after the Norwegian foreign ministry had expelled the deputy trade representative of the Russian embassy in Oslo on August 19 for alleged espionage. (AFP via The Moscow Times)
European Union–Turkey relations, Greece–Turkey relations
- Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell threatens Turkey with sanctions unless it and Greece reconcile their differences over maritime borders and gas drilling rights near Cyprus. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

George Floyd protests
- 50,000 people gather in Washington, D.C. to commemorate the 1963 civil rights march and in protest against police violence. The event is called the "Commitment March: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks", a reference to George Floyd's killing. The relatives of Jacob Blake, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Eric Garner deliver speeches at the march alongside civil rights leaders Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III. (BBC News)
Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
- An administrative court in Berlin overturns the city government's ban on protests and demonstrations, citing "no indication" that the government's rationale for the ban of protesters breaching social distancing measures would occur. (AFP via Bangkok Post)
Essex lorry deaths
- A 40-year-old haulier from County Armagh, Northern Ireland, pleads guilty in the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales to the manslaughter of 39 Vietnamese people, as well as conspiring to assist unlawful immigration. (AAP via Wellington Times)
Egyptian authorities arrest Mahmoud Ezzat, the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood. He was serving a sentence in absentia and was detained in a hideout in Cairo. (Al Arabiya)
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet says that the life of top Congolese doctor Denis Mukwege, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, is "at serious risk" after receiving multiple death threats via phone calls and social media. His hospital is located in the middle of a conflict zone and the Congolese government pledged to protect him after he survived an assassination attempt years ago. (Reuters)
A Pakistani court sentences three leaders of Jamat-ud-Dawa to between one and 16 years in prison for helping coordinate the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The sentences come as the deadline for the country to avoid getting placed on the Financial Action Task Force blacklist approaches. (Reuters)
Rioting erupts in Malmö, Sweden, following a Quran book burning event by far-right Danish politician Rasmus Paludan in the city. Police say as many as 300 people gathered to protest the anti-Islam activities, which then became violent as protesters set fires and attacked police. (Reuters)
The Brazilian Ministry of Health announces expansions to the country's abortion laws regarding cases of pregnancy from rape, which include requiring the victim to provide "a detailed account" to doctors, a report to police, and the victim being "expressly warned" of the possibility of prosecution for fraud for false or unverified claims. Chamber of Deputies minority leader Jandira Feghali filed a bill in response to block the decree, claiming it "constitutes psychological violence against women". (AFP via The Straits Times)

Politics and elections

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe announces his intention to resign due to his deteriorating health. (CNN) (Kyodo News)
Prime Minister of Libya Fayez al-Sarraj, of the Government of National Accord in Tripoli, suspends Minister of Interior Fathi Bashagha from duties. Sarraj says Bashaga will be investigated over a violent crackdown on street protests. (Reuters)

Science and technology

American neurotechnology company Neuralink unveils a pig, named "Gertrude", that has been living with a brain-implanted chip for two months at an event in San Francisco. (Reuters)

August 29, 2020 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Moro conflict
- A soldier is killed and seven others injured after clashing with Abu Sayyaf militants in Patikul, Sulu, Philippines. Two militants also die in the fight. (Manila Bulletin)

Disasters and accidents

European migrant crisis
- The Italian coast guard responds to a distressed rescue ship funded by English street artist Banksy, which overcrowded and stalled off the coast of Lampedusa in the Mediterranean Sea after it attempted to rescue more than 200 migrants. At least one migrant had died by the time the coast guard arrived. (AFP via Macau Business)

Collapse of Juxian Restaurant
- A restaurant building in Linfen, Shanxi, China, collapses, killing at least 29 people. (U.S. News & World Report)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India will reopen underground train networks and allow sports and religious events in a limited manner from September as part of the government's efforts to revive the economy, even as COVID-19 infections soar in the country. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports 3,308 new cases in the last 24 hours, which is a new record high for the third consecutive day since the pandemic began in the country. (detikHealth)
    - Bogor imposes a nightly curfew and community social restrictions aimed for the residents to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Under those rules, restaurants, malls and cafés will restrict the operation until 6:00 p.m local time and any residents will stay at home at 9:00 p.m. local time. These restrictions are enforced until September 11. (iNews)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar
    - Myanmar's foreign ministry announces the extension of temporary entry restrictions to all visitors, including the suspension of all visas, until September 30. (Xinhua)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
  - Istanbul reimposes a ban on indoor ceremonies, with the exception of weddings, in the wake of some rising infections. (Daily Sabah)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
  - Samoa extends the state of emergency until September 27. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi says he fears the practice of congregating in large numbers would likely see the virus entering the (at this time) COVID-19-free country. (RNZ)

International relations

Israel–United Arab Emirates peace agreement, Israel–United Arab Emirates relations
- Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates issues a decree abolishing a law that mandated an economic boycott on Israel following the approval of the historic peace deal between the two countries. On the Israeli side, the first El Al commercial flight from Israel to the UAE is expected on Monday. (Al Arabiya English)
Azerbaijan–Russia relations
- A senior advisor to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accuses Russia of arming Armenia since the start of the recent border clashes. (Reuters)
Czech Republic–Taiwan relations, China–Czech Republic relations, One-China policy
- Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrčil travels to Taiwan on an official visit to promote business links between the two countries, despite the Czech Republic maintaining unofficial relations with Taiwan as it recognizes the One-China policy of the People's Republic of China (PRC). In response to the visit, the PRC's foreign ministry warns the Czech government of "possible consequences" for Czech companies with operations in mainland China. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
- Police in Berlin disperse around 18,000 anti-lockdown protesters massed in the Brandenburg Gate, despite a ruling from the city's administrative court the previous day that overturned the government's ban on public demonstrations. Police claim "most" of the protesters failed to observe "the minimum" social distancing measures implemented in the city. (AFP via Bangkok Post)
George Floyd protests in Portland, Oregon, killings of Aaron Danielson and Michael Reinoehl
- A person is shot and killed, and several others arrested, amidst a violent confrontation between Black Lives Matter protesters and a large caravan of supporters of President Donald Trump in Portland, Oregon. The shooting victim is later identified as a member of the far-right Patriot Prayer. (AP)
George Floyd protests in Canada
- Black Lives Matter protesters topple the historic 125-year-old Macdonald Monument of Sir John A. Macdonald, the first Prime Minister of Canada, in downtown Montreal. The incident draws condemnation from political leaders, including Quebec Premier François Legault. (Al Jazeera)
Sweden bans far-right Danish leader Rasmus Paludan from entering the country for two years in response to last night's unrest in the city of Malmö, in which hundreds of Muslim youths clashed with police following the burning of a Quran. Malmö police say his behaviour posed "a threat to the fundamental interests of society". (Euronews)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian protests, Censorship in Belarus
- The Belarusian Association of Journalists revokes the accreditation of several foreign journalists covering the anti-government protests, resulting in the detention or deportation of some of those journalists. (AP via East Bay Times)
MV Wakashio oil spill
- Protests erupt in Port Louis, Mauritius, over the government's handling of the disaster and after dozens of dolphins are found dead on the beaches. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth blames bad weather for the slow response to the disaster as task teams from France and the United Nations arrive. (AP)
2020 Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election
- The Liberal Democratic Party in Japan is set to pick the next Prime Minister around September 15 after the sudden resignation of current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Former defense minister Shigeru Ishiba and former foreign minister Fumio Kishida announce they intend to run but Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga and defense minister Taro Kono are considered the potential candidates. Environment minister Shinjiro Koizumi is also a candidate but deemed "too young" by party's veterans. (Reuters)

Sports

The Indonesian Youth and Sports Ministry and the National Sports Committee of Indonesia officially recognize esports as a sport, following a week-long virtual conference held by the latter. This would allow esports to be included in official national multi-sport competitions along with traditional sports. (The Jakarta Post)

August 30, 2020 (Sunday)

Arts and culture

Following the death of American actor Chadwick Boseman two days prior, the tweet by his family announcing his death becomes the most-liked tweet in history with over 7.1 million likes. It surpasses a tweet made by former U.S. President Barack Obama in the aftermath of the Unite the Right rally in 2017, which has over 4.3 million likes. (CNN)

Disasters and accidents

European migrant crisis
- At least three migrants die when their boat catches fire off the coast of Crotone, Calabria, Italy. Another five migrants are injured as well as two police officers who tried to help them. (Reuters)
Floods across Italy kill two people, injure some others, and leave one more missing. Severe damage to homes and other buildings is reported, and evacuations are ongoing in areas of some cities. (3bmeteo)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports 78,761 new cases in the past 24 hours, thus marking the highest single-day rise in case numbers recorded anywhere in the world. The record was previously set by the United States, which reported 77,638 new cases on July 17. This puts India's overall case tally to 3.5 million. (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - South Korea begins to restrict operations of restaurants, bakeries, and franchise coffee chains in the Seoul Capital Area in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. Restaurants and bakeries can operate dine-in services until 9 p.m., and only takeaway and delivery will be permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.. For franchise coffee chains, only takeout or delivery will be permitted regardless of operating hours. These restrictions will exist until September 7. (Yonhap News Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - More than 1,700 people in the United Kingdom are reported to have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, the largest weekend number since the middle of May, and the highest number of reported cases since June 4. (The Guardian) (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - The number of cases in Greece reaches 10,000. (Madison.com)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia
  - The number of confirmed cases in Colombia reaches 600,000, ahead of the end of more than five months of lockdown. (National Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
  - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern mandates the wearing of face masks on public transport in Auckland once the city's alert level 3 restrictions are lifted at 11:59 p.m. local time, following a report of two new cases. (The Guardian)

International relations

Greek–Turkish relations, Aegean dispute
- Turkey demands that Greece withdraws its troops from the Aegean island of Kastellorizo, saying Greece had violated the 1947 peace treaty, which called for the formerly Italian-occupied Kastellorizo to be demilitarized, with a recent troop deployment. The Greek government says the event was a "routine troop rotation". (Bloomberg)
Belarus–Germany relations, 2020 Belarusian protests
- The German foreign ministry announces it will summon the Belarusian ambassador in Berlin, after the Belarusian Association of Journalists revoked the accreditation of several foreign journalists covering the anti-government protests the previous day, including members of the German media. (AFP via The Local)

Law and crime

France–Russia relations
- French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly reveals that a lieutenant-colonel of the army stationed at a NATO base in Italy has been arrested and indicted on charges of espionage on behalf of another government, after he was reported to have supplied "sensitive" documents to an officer of the GRU, a Russian military intelligence agency. (AFP via NDTV)

Politics and elections

2020 Montenegrin parliamentary election
- Montenegrins head to the polls to elect a new session to parliament. Neither the ruling pro-Western coalition, dominated by the Democratic Party of Socialists, nor the pro-Russian and Serbia opposition are projected to have a majority. (Reuters)
- Following exit polls, the Montenegrin opposition led by Zdravko Krivokapić claims victory in the election with Krivokapić saying "the regime has fallen". (AP)

August 31, 2020 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Darfur; Sudanese conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile
- A peace deal is signed between Sudan's transitional government and the Sudan Revolutionary Front in South Sudan's capital Juba, raising hopes of peace after nearly 18 years of civil wars in the country. According to the agreement, the states Blue Nile, South Kordofan, and West Kordofan will be granted self-rule. The deal does not, however, include two major belligerent groups, the SPLM–N and SLM/A. (DW)
Gaza–Israel conflict, Gaza–Israel clashes in 2020
- Palestinian militant group Hamas announces that a ceasefire agreement has been reached with the Israeli government to end a month-long series of cross-border firing involving the launch of incendiary balloons in the Gaza Strip. The agreement follows mediation talks with Egyptian and Qatari officials. (AFP via The Guardian)
Syrian civil war, Israeli involvement in the Syrian Civil War
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that 11 people, including one civilian, are killed by airstrikes allegedly carried out by the Israel Defense Forces near Damascus. (The Jerusalem Post)

Arts and culture

Korean Wave
- South Korean boy band BTS become the first all-South Korean act to top the United States record chart, after their single "Dynamite" debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. (The Guardian)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in India, COVID-19 recession
- India's economy contracts by 23.9% in the April–June quarter, the country's worst recession on record since the government started releasing quarterly data in 1996. The lockdown caused massive disruptions to economic activity during the quarter. (BBC News) (Bloomberg Quint)
Argentine debt restructuring
- Argentina announces a deal with its creditors, allowing a way out of its ninth sovereign default. (Irish Times)
Amazon Prime Air wins Federal Aviation Administration approval to operate a drone delivery service in the United States. Amazon becomes the third drone delivery service to win flight approval, after UPS and Wing. (AP)

Disasters and accidents

Two explosions in the United Arab Emirates kill three people and injure several others. One of the explosions occurred in Abu Dhabi and the other in Dubai. (Reuters)
2020 wildfire season
- Over 8,000 acres are burnt and one house destroyed after a scrub fire grows out of control near New Zealand's Lake Pukaki, requiring the evacuation of Mount Cook Village. (Stuff)
The death toll from the floods across Italy rise to seven people, as heavy rains affects more cities. Many more injuries and some missing are reported. (Il Messaggero) (Fanpage) (Teleclub Italia)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Mississippi
      - Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves extends the state's mask mandate to two weeks. (The Meridian Star)
    - The United States surpasses six million cases of COVID-19. (CNN)
    - AstraZeneca begins Phase III clinical trials of its potential COVID-19 vaccine, AZD1222, which it developed with the University of Oxford, to some 30,000 adults in the United States. (Bloomberg)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - Maryland-based vaccine development company Novavax signs a deal with Canada to supply up to 76 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine. (CBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Finland
    - The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health launches a digital contact tracing app in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19 in the country. (CNA)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
    - First Minister Nicola Sturgeon voices concerns after 160 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Scotland in the last 24 hours, a three-month high. She says the rise in cases was "partly the result of a greater number of people being tested", but it is "undoubtedly a concern" and that any connection between cases is being "carefully considered" by health protection teams. (BBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Victoria reports 41 new deaths, including eight people who died in the last 24 hours. The other 33 were reported before yesterday, which includes 22 people who died in the weeks leading up to August 27 and were reported to DHHS by aged care facilities on August 30. (9News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
  - President Rodrigo Duterte extends the general community quarantine on Metro Manila until the end of September, while placing the provinces of Batangas and Bulacan and the cities of Bacolod and Tacloban under the same level of the eased quarantine protocol; meanwhile, the city of Iligan is placed under modified enhanced community quarantine, the most stringent lockdown measure. (Reuters via U.S. News) (Xinhua) (CNN Philippines)

International relations

Israel–United Arab Emirates peace agreement, Israel–United Arab Emirates relations, Israel–Saudi Arabia relations
- Israeli flag carrier El Al launches the first direct commercial flight between Israel and the United Arab Emirates following the normalization of relations between the two countries. The inaugural flight, which transported high-level delegations from Israel and the United States from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi, flew over Saudi Arabian airspace for the first time by an Israeli commercial aircraft. High-level officials on the flight include Senior Advisor to the U.S. President Jared Kushner, U.S. National Security Advisor Robert C. O'Brien, and Israeli National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat. (Al Jazeera)
Aftermath of the 2020 Belarusian presidential election, Belarus–Estonia relations, Belarus–Latvia relations, Belarus–Lithuania relations
- The governments of the Baltic states declare Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and 29 other government officials persona non grata for suspected electoral fraud in the recent election and for attempting to suppress the protests responding to the election. (AP via Philippine Daily Inquirer)
France–Lebanon relations, 2019–20 Lebanese protests, aftermath of the 2020 Beirut explosion
- French President Emmanuel Macron visits Beirut, Lebanon, for the second time since the explosion to urge politicians to enact political and economic reforms. (Al Jazeera)
2020 China–India skirmishes
- The Indian defence ministry accuses China's People's Liberation Army of militarising along the Line of Actual Control near the disputed Pangong Lake in Ladakh. India claims China had violated the consensus arrived at previous high-level meetings, but the Chinese foreign ministry denied the claim with their spokesperson saying, "the Chinese border troops have always strictly abided by the Line of Actual Control and have never crossed the line." (CNN)
Australia–China relations
- Australian foreign minister Marise Payne confirms that Chinese-born Australian journalist Cheng Lei, an anchor for the China Global Television Network, a state-controlled media broadcaster, has been detained in Beijing under "residential surveillance" since August 14. The Chinese foreign ministry has not cited a rationale behind her detention. (CNN) (South China Morning Post)
- The Chinese commerce ministry probes the Australian wine industry on 40 allegations of violating countervailing duties, following a complaint by the China Wine Industry Association regarding recent wine imports from Australia. (CNN)
China–Czech Republic relations, One-China policy
- The Czech foreign ministry summons the Chinese ambassador in Prague over threats made by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi against Senate President Miloš Vystrčil, who is on an official visit to Taiwan. (CNA)
Russia–Slovakia relations
- The Russian foreign ministry expels three Slovak diplomats from Moscow in a reciprocal move after the Slovak foreign ministry expelled three Russian diplomats from Bratislava on August 11 for alleged espionage. (Anadolu Agency)
France–Turkey relations, European Union–Turkey relations, Aegean dispute
- French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian calls for a "coordinated European response" to recent Turkish aggression towards Greece and Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean, saying "Europe needs to leave the age of innocence behind and shape its own destiny". (Ekathimerini)
Foreign involvement in the Syrian Civil War
- The United States vetoes a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for "the prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration" of terrorists. Ambassador Kelly Craft attributes the veto to the resolution's exclusion of repatriating foreign fighters in the Syrian and Iraqi Civil Wars. (AP via Global News)

Law and crime

Rwandan humanitarian and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Paul Rusesabagina is shown off in handcuffs at the Rwanda Investigation Bureau headquarters in Kigali. The Bureau says he is detained on charges of terrorism, but does not say where or when he was arrested. (CBC)
Australian Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge announces that the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security will probe the alleged interference by foreign governments at the country's universities. (AFP via The Jakarta Post)
Lawyers representing the families of the victims of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 state their intention to seek unspecified damages from four suspects charged by the Dutch Public Prosecution Service in connection with the incident. The claims have yet to be filed, as a Dutch District Court shall determine whether Dutch or Ukrainian law would be applied. (CNA) (VOA)

Politics and elections

Venezuelan presidential crisis
- Disputed President Nicolás Maduro pardons 110 lawmakers and associates of disputed acting President Juan Guaidó. Communications Minister Jorge Rodríguez says the pardons were made "in the interests of promoting national reconciliation". (AFP via The Manila Times)
2020 Guinean presidential election
- Incumbent President Alpha Condé accepts the nomination of his party, the Rally of the Guinean People, to run in the October election. Condé is allowed to seek a third term under the new constitution passed following a referendum in March that reset the presidential term limits. (AFP via France 24)
Politics of Lebanon
- Mustapha Adib, the current Lebanese ambassador to Germany, is designated by President Michel Aoun as the country's prime minister following the resignation of Hassan Diab and his cabinet in the wake of the Beirut explosion earlier this month. (DW)
Politics of Monaco
- Pierre Dartout is sworn in as Minister of State, succeeding Serge Telle. (L'Observateur de Monaco)

Science and technology

Discoveries of exoplanets
- NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite discovers TOI-824b, a Hot Neptune exoplanet that orbits dwarf star TOI-824, which is located 210 light-years away in the constellation Circinus. (Sci-News)

Elections and referendums

Trials

Recently concluded

Congo DR: Vital Kamerhe
France: François Fillon
Kyrgyzstan: Almazbek Atambayev
Malaysia: Najib Razak
Philippines: Maria Ressa
Russia: Paul Whelan
Spain: Catalan police leadership

Ongoing

Armenia: Serzh Sargsyan
Cambodia: Kem Sokha
Colombia: Álvaro Uribe Velez
Guatemala: Otto Pérez Molina, Roxana Baldetti, Juan Carlos Monzón and others
Greece: Nikolaos Michaloliakos
Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu
Malta: Yorgen Fenech
Russia: Mikhail Yefremov
South Africa: Jacob Zuma
Spain: Bárcenas affair, Barcelona and Cambrils attacks
Sudan: Omar al-Bashir
United States: Fat Leonard scandal, Varsity Blues scandal, North Korean Embassy in Madrid raid, 6ix9ine
International: The Gambia v. Myanmar

Upcoming

Guatemala: Álvaro Colom, Manuel Baldizón, Juan Alberto Fuentes
Japan: Carlos Ghosn
Kosovo: Hashim Thaçi
Lesotho: Maesiah Thabane
Philippines: CIDG sedition cases
United States: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Elizabeth Holmes, Meng Wanzhou, R. Kelly, Ghislaine Maxwell
Zimbabwe: Ignatius Chombo

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Sport

More details – current sports events

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Recent deaths

August 2020

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Ongoing conflicts

Africa

Algeria, Libya and Tunisia
- Maghreb insurgency
Cameroon
- Anglophone Crisis
Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
- Boko Haram insurgency
Central African Republic
- Civil War
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Libya
Mali
- Mali War
Mozambique
- Insurgency in Cabo Delgado
Nigeria
- Communal conflicts in Nigeria
Somalia
- Civil war
South Sudan
- Ethnic violence (South Sudanese Civil War)
Sudan

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Afghanistan
- Afghanistan War
China
- Xinjiang conflict
India
- Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
- Insurgency in Northeast India
India and Pakistan
- Kashmir conflict
  - Border skirmishes
Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines
- Moro conflict
  - Cross border attacks in Sabah
Indonesia
- Papua conflict
Myanmar
- Internal conflict in Myanmar
Pakistan
- Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Insurgency in Balochistan
Philippines
- Communist rebellion in the Philippines
- Philippine Drug War
Thailand
- South Thailand insurgency

Europe

Armenia and Azerbaijan
- Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Georgia
- Abkhaz–Georgian conflict
- Georgian–Ossetian conflict
Russia
- Chechen–Russian conflict
Ukraine
- War in Donbass
  - Russo-Ukrainian War

Middle East

Egypt
- Sinai terror attacks
Iran and the Persian Gulf
- Iran–Israel proxy conflict
- Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
Iraq
- American-led intervention in Iraq
- Iranian intervention in Iraq
Iraq and Syria (map)
- International military intervention against ISIL
Israel and Gaza
Israel and Syria
- Israeli-Syrian border conflict
Syria
- American-led intervention in Syria
- Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War
Turkey
- Kurdish–Turkish conflict
Yemen and Saudi Arabia

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