USA 2020 Timeline

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Showing 75 events on this page. Use search or category filters to narrow the year.
Jul
30
Politics / Government

Malaysia–Philippines relations, North Borneo dispute Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein summons the Philippine ambassador after Philippine Foreign

Malaysia–Philippines relations, North Borneo dispute Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein summons the Philippine ambassador after Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. tweeted Monday to the U.S. embassy in Manila that Sabah does not belong to Malaysia. Locsin summons the Malaysian ambassador in tit-for-tat. (Al Jazeera)

Jul
30
Politics / Government

Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein summons the Philippine ambassador after Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein summons the Philippine ambassador after Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. tweeted Monday to the U.S. embassy in Manila that Sabah does not belong to Malaysia. Locsin summons the Malaysian ambassador in tit-for-tat. (Al Jazeera)

Jul
31
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in North America COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico The number of COVID-19 deaths in Mexico reaches 46,688, surpassing the United Kingdom.

COVID-19 pandemic in North America COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico The number of COVID-19 deaths in Mexico reaches 46,688, surpassing the United Kingdom. The death toll in the country is the third-highest in the world. (CNA) (Reuters) COVID-19 pandemic in the United States The United States government is expected to pay $2.1 billion to Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline to try to develop and deliver 100 million doses of their potential COVID-19 vaccine. (CNBC)

Aug
01
Politics / Government

China–United States trade war Chinese IT company ByteDance agrees to divest from the U.S.

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)

Aug
02
Politics / Government

Syrian civil war The Syrian government condemns a deal signed between Delta Crescent Energy, a U.S.

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)

Aug
02
Politics / Government

The Syrian government condemns a deal signed between Delta Crescent Energy, a U.S.

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)

Aug
03
Politics / Government

Two anonymous sources confirm to Reuters that the classified United Kingdom–United States trade documents leaked ahead of the UK parliamentary election last yea

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)

Aug
03
Politics / Government

2020 United States presidential election Postal voting in the United States President Donald Trump vows to sue Nevada over legislation signed by Governor Steve

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)

Aug
03
Politics / Government

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,

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)

Aug
03
Politics / Government

President Donald Trump vows to sue Nevada over legislation signed by Governor Steve Sisolak that, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, requires election officials to sen

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)

Aug
05
Politics / Government

2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election Sri Lanka holds parliamentary elections after the parliament was dissolved by president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in March.

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)

Aug
06
Politics / Government

Belarus–United States relations, 2020 Belarusian presidential election Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says security forces have arrested "a number of

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)

Aug
06
Politics / Government

China–United States trade war Invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, U.S.

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)

Aug
06
Politics / Government

Invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, U.S.

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)

Aug
06
Politics / Government

Trump implements a tariff of 10% on aluminum imports from Canada, pursuant to Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act.

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)

Aug
06
Politics / Government

Trump tariffs Trump implements a tariff of 10% on aluminum imports from Canada, pursuant to Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act.

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)

Aug
07
Politics / Government

2020 United States presidential election The National Counterintelligence and Security Center reports that China, Russia, and Iran are working to interfere with

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)

Aug
07
Politics / Government

The National Counterintelligence and Security Center reports that China, Russia, and Iran are working to interfere with the upcoming American presidential elect

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)

Aug
07
Politics / Government

2020 Bulgarian protests Bulgarian security forces clamp down on demonstrators and dismantle anti-government barricades across the country in a major police swee

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)

Aug
08
Politics / Government

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 i

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)

Aug
09
Politics / Government

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

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)

Aug
10
Politics / Government

2020 Belarusian presidential election, 2020 Belarusian protests During the second day of protests across Belarus, police fire rubber bullets to disperse protest

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)

Aug
10
Politics / Government

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.

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)

Aug
11
Politics / Government

2020 United States presidential election, 2020 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection Former Vice President Joe Biden chooses Senator Kamala Har

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)

Aug
11
Politics / Government

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

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)

Aug
12
Politics / Government

2020 Bougainvillean general election Elections for the House of Representatives and the president of Bougainville start taking place.

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)

Aug
12
Politics / Government

Elections for the House of Representatives and the president of Bougainville start taking place.

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)

Aug
12
Politics / Government

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 c

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)

Aug
12
Politics / Government

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 Ins

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)

Aug
12
Politics / Government

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, follo

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)

Aug
12
Politics / Government

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 ministe

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)

Aug
14
Politics / Government

Politics of Equatorial Guinea Prime Minister Francisco Pascual Obama Asue presents his resignation and that of his entire government without making public the r

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)

Aug
14
Politics / Government

Prime Minister Francisco Pascual Obama Asue presents his resignation and that of his entire government without making public the reason.

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)

Aug
14
Politics / Government

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

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)

Aug
14
Politics / Government

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

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)

Aug
14
Politics / Government

Sanctions on Iran The United Nations Security Council has resoundingly rejected a United States bid to extend a global arms embargo on Iran.

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)

Aug
14
Politics / Government

The United Nations Security Council has resoundingly rejected a United States bid to extend a global arms embargo 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)

Aug
15
Politics / Government

Argentine debt restructuring The government approves a proposed deal with the U.S.

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)

Aug
15
Politics / Government

The government approves a proposed deal with the U.S.

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)

Aug
15
Politics / Government

Poland–United States relations U.S.

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)

Aug
17
Politics / Government

2020 United States Postal Service crisis Congressional Democrats have announced investigations and hearings into allegations of widespread mail delays ahead of

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)

Aug
17
Politics / Government

2020 United States presidential election The 2020 Democratic National Convention begins, running until Thursday.

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)

Aug
17
Politics / Government

Congressional Democrats have announced investigations and hearings into allegations of widespread mail delays ahead of the coming 2020 United States presidentia

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)

Aug
17
Politics / Government

In a show of bipartisan support for the Democrats national ticket, four longtime Republicans gave speeches: former Ohio governor John Kasich, former New Jersey

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)

Aug
18
Politics / Government

Bamako and the Presidential Palace is reportedly under the control of coup forces with tanks and other military vehicles on the streets.

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)

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