Voters in Ghana head to the polls to elect their president as well as the members of parliament. Current president Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party is expected to have a tight race with his most promising challenger, John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress. (Reuters)
The United States refuses to recognize the results, describing the election as a "charade". The European Union also rejects the legitimacy of the election. (Reuters) (VOA)
Hong Kong Autonomy Act The US Department of the Treasury imposes sanctions on all 14 Vice Chairpersons of the National People's Congress of China, for "undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression or assembly." (US Department of the Treasury)
The US Department of the Treasury imposes sanctions on all 14 Vice Chairpersons of the National People's Congress of China, for "undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression or assembly." (US Department of the Treasury)
COVID-19 vaccination in the United States American regulators from the Food and Drug Administration confirm that Pfizer's vaccine candidate is 95% effective. (The Washington Post) President Donald Trump hosts an Operation Warp Speed vaccine summit. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, and Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards attend the event. (Business Insider) President Trump says that he will invoke the Defense Production Act of 1950 to provide vaccine doses if necessary. (Bloomberg.com)
President Donald Trump hosts an Operation Warp Speed vaccine summit. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, and Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards attend the event. (Business Insider)
2020 Liberian Senate election, 2020 Liberian constitutional referendum Voters in Liberia head to the polls for mid-term senatorial elections. A constitutional referendum is also held, with questions about dual citizenship and a limitation of term limits for politicians being decided by the electorate. (Liberian Observer) (Al Jazeera)
President Trump says that he will invoke the Defense Production Act of 1950 to provide vaccine doses if necessary. (Bloomberg.com)
President-elect Joe Biden says that he will issue an executive order that would require face masks in federal buildings on the first day of his presidency. The order will last for the first 100 days that he holds office. (Newsweek)
COVID-19 pandemic in Europe COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom COVID-19 vaccination in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom's National Health Service begins a mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using the BNT162b2 vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer. Seniors over the age of 80 and certain healthcare workers will be among the first to receive the vaccine. (BBC News) COVID-19 pandemic in Belarus Belarus exceeds 150,000 cases of COVID-19. (TASS) COVID-19 pandemic in Spain Four lions at the Barcelona Zoo tests positive for COVID-19. (NBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom COVID-19 vaccination in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom's National Health Service begins a mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using the BNT162b2 vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer. Seniors over the age of 80 and certain healthcare workers will be among the first to receive the vaccine. (BBC News)
COVID-19 vaccination in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom's National Health Service begins a mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using the BNT162b2 vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer. Seniors over the age of 80 and certain healthcare workers will be among the first to receive the vaccine. (BBC News)
The United Kingdom's National Health Service begins a mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using the BNT162b2 vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer. Seniors over the age of 80 and certain healthcare workers will be among the first to receive the vaccine. (BBC News)
The United States says that Morocco will normalize diplomatic relations with Israel, becoming the fourth Arab country to do so in recent months, in an agreement mediated by the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump also says that he recognizes "Moroccan sovereignty over the entire Western Sahara territory". Morocco says that the United States "will open a consulate in Western Sahara as part of Morocco’s deal with Israel". (The Jerusalem Post) (Reuters)
2020 Armenian protests Anti-government protesters block streets in the Armenian capital Yerevan, continuing calls for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign over the Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement with Azerbaijan. Riot police detain more than 40 protesters. (RFERL)
Anti-government protesters block streets in the Armenian capital Yerevan, continuing calls for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign over the Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement with Azerbaijan. Riot police detain more than 40 protesters. (RFERL)
The United States Senate approves the $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA) by 84 votes to 13, which would be sufficient to override a possible presidential veto. President Donald Trump objects to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act that currently provides legal immunity to social media companies, and also to a provision in the NDAA that will prohibit military bases to be named for Confederate generals. (Reuters)
2020 United States election protests Pro-Donald Trump protests over the 2020 United States presidential election results are held in Washington, D.C. Participants included members of the far-right group Proud Boys. During the demonstrations, four people are stabbed, one is shot, and 33 others are arrested, six for assaulting police officers. (CNN) (Slate)
Pro-Donald Trump protests over the 2020 United States presidential election results are held in Washington, D.C. Participants included members of the far-right group Proud Boys. During the demonstrations, four people are stabbed, one is shot, and 33 others are arrested, six for assaulting police officers. (CNN) (Slate)
COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C., COVID-19 vaccine President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and other federal government officials are expected to be among the first people to receive the vaccine. (USA Today)
COVID-19 vaccination in the United States COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C., COVID-19 vaccine President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and other federal government officials are expected to be among the first people to receive the vaccine. (USA Today) Pfizer and BioNTech announce that they have started shipping their vaccine from a Michigan facility to all 50 states. (The Wall Street Journal)
President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and other federal government officials are expected to be among the first people to receive the vaccine. (USA Today)
2020 United States federal government data breach CISA, a federal agency of the United States, was breached by suspected Russian hackers, but Russia denies the allegation. The perpetrator(s) are still unknown, along with the cause and what was breached. (NPR)
Sudan–United States relations, Global war on terrorism Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces that the United States has removed Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Sudan had recently paid a $335 million settlement to the US government for US victims of terrorist attacks. (Reuters)
2020 United States presidential election in Michigan The Michigan State Capitol is closed to the public for the day and its legislative sessions are cancelled due to "credible threats of violence" in response to the election. (CNN)
Republican reactions to Donald Trump's claims of 2020 election fraud Outgoing U.S. Representative Paul Mitchell announces that he has left the Republican Party to become a independent over outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump's voter fraud claims and attempts to overturn the results. (ABC News)
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces that the United States has removed Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Sudan had recently paid a $335 million settlement to the US government for US victims of terrorist attacks. (Reuters)
List of Trump administration dismissals and resignations President Trump announces that William Barr will resign as United States Attorney General on December 23. (CNBC)
Outgoing U.S. Representative Paul Mitchell announces that he has left the Republican Party to become a independent over outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump's voter fraud claims and attempts to overturn the results. (ABC News)
President Trump announces that William Barr will resign as United States Attorney General on December 23. (CNBC)
COVID-19 vaccination in the United States The United States begins administering their first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Sandra Lindsay, a nurse at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York, becomes the first person in the country to receive the vaccine outside of a clinical trial. (ABC News) COVID-19 pandemic in West Virginia Governor Jim Justice becomes one of the first elected officials to receive the vaccine. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
The United States begins administering their first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Sandra Lindsay, a nurse at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York, becomes the first person in the country to receive the vaccine outside of a clinical trial. (ABC News)
Brazil–United States relations Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro congratulates President-elect Joe Biden for the first time. (WXXI)
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro congratulates President-elect Joe Biden for the first time. (WXXI)
LGBT rights in Hungary The National Assembly passes a number of changes to the Constitution of Hungary which bar same-sex couples from adopting children. The amendments also lowers the legal threshold for the government to declare a state of emergency, and further reduces the oversights the government is required to take with regard to the spending of public funds, which critics say will allow the government to use state money to benefit loyalists. (The New York Times)
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador congratulates President-elect Joe Biden for the first time. (The Washington Post)
Mexico–United States relations Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador congratulates President-elect Joe Biden for the first time. (The Washington Post)
Russia–United States relations Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulates President-elect Joe Biden for the first time. (CNBC) Mexico–United States relations Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador congratulates President-elect Joe Biden for the first time. (The Washington Post) Brazil–United States relations Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro congratulates President-elect Joe Biden for the first time. (WXXI)
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulates President-elect Joe Biden for the first time. (CNBC)
The National Assembly passes a number of changes to the Constitution of Hungary which bar same-sex couples from adopting children. The amendments also lowers the legal threshold for the government to declare a state of emergency, and further reduces the oversights the government is required to take with regard to the spending of public funds, which critics say will allow the government to use state money to benefit loyalists. (The New York Times)
The White House announces that Vice President Mike Pence, his wife Karen, and Surgeon General Jerome Adams will receive the vaccine on Friday. President-elect Joe Biden also announces that he will receive the vaccine next week. (MarketWatch)
2020 United States federal government data breach Microsoft confirms it has discovered malicious software in its operating systems related to a mass data breach targeting the federal government of the United States. (Reuters)
Microsoft confirms it has discovered malicious software in its operating systems related to a mass data breach targeting the federal government of the United States. (Reuters)
Cedric Richmond, advisor to President-elect Joe Biden, tests positive for COVID-19. (CBS News)
Adass Israel School sex abuse scandal Israeli Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn signs an extradition order to Australia for accused child sex abuser Malka Leifer, after she was convicted of faking mental illness to avoid extradition earlier this year. (The Guardian)
Israeli Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn signs an extradition order to Australia for accused child sex abuser Malka Leifer, after she was convicted of faking mental illness to avoid extradition earlier this year. (The Guardian)
Legality of euthanasia The Spanish Congress of Deputies approves the decriminalisation of euthanasia, becoming the sixth country to do so. (La Vanguardia) The Chilean Chamber of Deputies approves a bill to allow euthanasia. (La Tercera)
The Spanish Congress of Deputies approves the decriminalisation of euthanasia, becoming the sixth country to do so. (La Vanguardia)
2020 United States federal government data breach The Department of Energy confirms that it has been breached along with other federal government agencies, but says that the country's nuclear weapons arsenal has not been compromised. The mass data breach is now considered the worst ever cyberattack on the U.S. government. (BBC)
The Department of Energy confirms that it has been breached along with other federal government agencies, but says that the country's nuclear weapons arsenal has not been compromised. The mass data breach is now considered the worst ever cyberattack on the U.S. government. (BBC)
Somali Civil War Seven civilians and three soldiers are killed after a suicide bomber detonates his device outside a stadium in Galkayo, Mudug. Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble was due to address a gathering at the stadium. (Xinhua)
Vice President Mike Pence, Second Lady Karen Pence, Surgeon General Jerome Adams, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine today. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, who recovered from COVID-19 in October, say that they will receive their vaccines "at the appropriate time". (NBC News) (The State)
Seven civilians and three soldiers are killed after a suicide bomber detonates his device outside a stadium in Galkayo, Mudug. Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble was due to address a gathering at the stadium. (Xinhua)
2020 United States federal government data breach President Donald Trump speaks for the first time about the breach, saying it is "well in control". He also suggests China is to blame, contradicting earlier U.S. government claims that put forward Russia as a suspect. (NBC News)
President Donald Trump speaks for the first time about the breach, saying it is "well in control". He also suggests China is to blame, contradicting earlier U.S. government claims that put forward Russia as a suspect. (NBC News)
President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli dissolve the incumbent House of Representatives, the lower house of the Parliament. (The New York Times)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announces that Congress has reached a deal on a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package that includes a new round of direct payments and help for families, businesses and unemployed Americans. (The New York Times)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, CARES Act The United States House of Representatives passes a $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill with a vote of 359-53. (Business Insider) The United States Senate passes the $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill with a 92–6 vote. The bill will head to President Donald Trump for his signature. (The Washington Post) (The Guardian)
President-elect Joe Biden and incoming First Lady Dr. Jill Biden receive their first shot of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine on live television to reassure Americans of the safety of vaccines. Meanwhile, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and incoming Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff announce that they will receive their vaccines next week. (CNN)
Sudan–United States relations The United States Congress formally reinstates Sudan's sovereign immunity. Sudan had paid the U.S. a $335 million settlement to victims of al-Qaeda attacks. The U.S. will partially pay off Sudanese bilateral debt, and its debt to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), while making another US$700 million available until September 2022 for assistance to the country. (Reuters)
The United States Congress formally reinstates Sudan's sovereign immunity. Sudan had paid the U.S. a $335 million settlement to victims of al-Qaeda attacks. The U.S. will partially pay off Sudanese bilateral debt, and its debt to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), while making another US$700 million available until September 2022 for assistance to the country. (Reuters)
The United States Senate passes the $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill with a 92–6 vote. The bill will head to President Donald Trump for his signature. (The Washington Post) (The Guardian)
The United States House of Representatives passes a $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill with a vote of 359-53. (Business Insider)
California Governor Gavin Newsom appoints Secretary of State Alex Padilla to fill in the California U.S. Senate seat left vacant by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. As a result, Padilla is the state's first Hispanic Senator from California. (The New York Times)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States President Donald Trump says that he might not sign the $900 billion relief bill, which was passed by both the House and Senate. He also calls for Congress to amend the bill and increase stimulus checks to Americans earning under $75,000 per year from $600 to $2,000. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi agrees to work with Congress to increase the payout amount. (The Washington Post) (BBC News) (WFLA-TV)
El Al operates the first direct commercial flight between Israel and Morocco following the normalization agreement between the two countries on December 10. Senior Advisor to the U.S. President Jared Kushner and Israel's National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat are among the high-level officials on board the flight. (AFP via Barron's)
Israel–Morocco normalization agreement El Al operates the first direct commercial flight between Israel and Morocco following the normalization agreement between the two countries on December 10. Senior Advisor to the U.S. President Jared Kushner and Israel's National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat are among the high-level officials on board the flight. (AFP via Barron's)
Israel–Morocco relations Israel–Morocco normalization agreement El Al operates the first direct commercial flight between Israel and Morocco following the normalization agreement between the two countries on December 10. Senior Advisor to the U.S. President Jared Kushner and Israel's National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat are among the high-level officials on board the flight. (AFP via Barron's)
President Donald Trump says that he might not sign the $900 billion relief bill, which was passed by both the House and Senate. He also calls for Congress to amend the bill and increase stimulus checks to Americans earning under $75,000 per year from $600 to $2,000. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi agrees to work with Congress to increase the payout amount. (The Washington Post) (BBC News) (WFLA-TV)
White House Coronavirus Task Force director Deborah Birx says that she will retire after President-elect Joe Biden's transition is completed. (NPR)
The Trump administration imposes additional sanctions against Belarusian officials and four offices for human rights abuses that occurred during protests against President Alexander Lukashenko. (The Hill)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, CARES Act Republicans in the House block an attempt by Democrats, empowered by a veto threat from President Donald Trump if not amended, to pass a $2,000 relief bill for Americans. However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces that the House will still hold a vote on the bill on Monday. (CNBC) (NBC News)
Republicans in the House block an attempt by Democrats, empowered by a veto threat from President Donald Trump if not amended, to pass a $2,000 relief bill for Americans. However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces that the House will still hold a vote on the bill on Monday. (CNBC) (NBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in South America COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, COVID-19 vaccine Over 300,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine arrive in Argentina. (Livemint) COVID-19 pandemic in Chile, COVID-19 vaccine Chile begins its vaccination campaign against COVID-19 after the arrival of 10,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to the country. (Prensa Latina)
China lowers the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years old for "abominable" crimes such as murder or causing injury that leads to death or severe disabilities by extremely cruel means. The measure was passed by the National People's Congress Standing Committee. (Al Arabiya)
