World 2020 Timeline

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Jan
01
Immigration / Law / Policy

2019 Guinea-Bissau presidential election Former Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embaló is declared the winner of the country's presidential electi

2019 Guinea-Bissau presidential election Former Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embaló is declared the winner of the country's presidential elections. However, his direct rival Domingos Simões Pereira says he will challenge the results in court. (Reuters)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Jan 1, 2020
Jan
06
Immigration / Law / Policy

A court in the United Kingdom sentences 36-year-old Indonesian national Reynhard Sinaga to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting at least 48 young men in Ma

A court in the United Kingdom sentences 36-year-old Indonesian national Reynhard Sinaga to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting at least 48 young men in Manchester. Sinaga was convicted of a total of 159 sex offences, and is said to be Britain's most prolific serial rapist. (BBC News) (Reuters)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Jan 6, 2020
Jan
08
Immigration / Law / Policy

Aftermath of the Sagamihara stabbings The trial of Satoshi Uematsu, a young Japanese man who admitted to stabbing 19 disabled people to death at a care center i

Aftermath of the Sagamihara stabbings The trial of Satoshi Uematsu, a young Japanese man who admitted to stabbing 19 disabled people to death at a care center in 2016, begins. The rampage ranks among the country's worst mass killings. His lawyer is expected to enter a plea of not guilty on grounds of diminished capacity. Uematsu will be handed a sentence on March 16 and could receive the death penalty. (CNA)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Jan 8, 2020
Jan
08
Immigration / Law / Policy

Norway agrees to take in 600 refugees from Rwanda who were previously evacuated from Libyan detention camps.

Norway agrees to take in 600 refugees from Rwanda who were previously evacuated from Libyan detention camps. Rwanda last September signed an agreement with the United Nations to take in asylum seekers from Libya while their status was being processed, to cut down on human trafficking in the Mediterranean. (Reuters)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Jan 8, 2020
Jan
08
Immigration / Law / Policy

The trial of Satoshi Uematsu, a young Japanese man who admitted to stabbing 19 disabled people to death at a care center in 2016, begins.

The trial of Satoshi Uematsu, a young Japanese man who admitted to stabbing 19 disabled people to death at a care center in 2016, begins. The rampage ranks among the country's worst mass killings. His lawyer is expected to enter a plea of not guilty on grounds of diminished capacity. Uematsu will be handed a sentence on March 16 and could receive the death penalty. (CNA)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Jan 8, 2020
Jan
11
Immigration / Law / Policy

Thousands of protestors march in Warsaw against a controversial law proposed by the Sejm that would allow the Polish government to discipline judges that questi

Thousands of protestors march in Warsaw against a controversial law proposed by the Sejm that would allow the Polish government to discipline judges that question their reform policies. Critics say the law would undermine the independence of the judiciary, and risks Poland's membership in the European Union. (Reuters)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Jan 11, 2020
Jan
11
Immigration / Law / Policy

The British ambassador to Iran, Robert Macaire, is arrested during anti-government protests, after attending a vigil and then, according to BBC, getting his hai

The British ambassador to Iran, Robert Macaire, is arrested during anti-government protests, after attending a vigil and then, according to BBC, getting his hair cut. According to Tasnim News Agency he was arrested "on suspicion of organising, provoking and directing radical actions". U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab states the arrest is in "flagrant violation" of international law. More than an hour later, Macaire is released from custody. (The Guardian)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Jan 11, 2020
Jan
20
Immigration / Law / Policy

The draft law on making amendments to 14 articles of the Constitution of Russia was presented by the working group in only five days.

The draft law on making amendments to 14 articles of the Constitution of Russia was presented by the working group in only five days. The same day Russian President Vladimir Putin formally submitted a bill on amendments to the lower house of parliament. (Meduza) (Yahoo! News) (TASS)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Jan 20, 2020
Jan
21
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, COVID-19 pandemic in Washington (state) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announces the f

COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, COVID-19 pandemic in Washington (state) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announces the first U.S. case of novel coronavirus in Snohomish County, Washington. (The Washington Post) COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan The Centers for Disease Control for Taiwan announces that the first case of novel coronavirus was identified at Taoyuan International Airport. (The Wall Street Journal) North Korea reportedly bans foreign tourists and closes the China–North Korea border to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. (Al Jazeera)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Jan 21, 2020
Jan
22
Immigration / Law / Policy

Algeria announces it will host a meeting with foreign ministers from six North and sub-Saharan African nations, all of whom share a border with Libya, following

Algeria announces it will host a meeting with foreign ministers from six North and sub-Saharan African nations, all of whom share a border with Libya, following the Berlin peace summit to help strengthen support for a tentative peace deal to end the Second Libyan Civil War. (Al Jazeera)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Jan 22, 2020
Jan
22
Immigration / Law / Policy

Libyan peace process Algeria announces it will host a meeting with foreign ministers from six North and sub-Saharan African nations, all of whom share a border

Libyan peace process Algeria announces it will host a meeting with foreign ministers from six North and sub-Saharan African nations, all of whom share a border with Libya, following the Berlin peace summit to help strengthen support for a tentative peace deal to end the Second Libyan Civil War. (Al Jazeera)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Jan 22, 2020
Jan
24
Immigration / Law / Policy

Morocco–Spain relations The foreign ministries of Spain and Morocco announce they will hold talks to resolve a dispute over territorial water rights in the Nort

Morocco–Spain relations The foreign ministries of Spain and Morocco announce they will hold talks to resolve a dispute over territorial water rights in the North Atlantic, caused by the Moroccan parliament passing two laws that extended its claims to the coast of Western Sahara earlier this week. Spain expressed concerns that these laws would encroach on its claims near the Canary Islands. (Reuters)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Jan 24, 2020
Jan
24
Immigration / Law / Policy

The foreign ministries of Spain and Morocco announce they will hold talks to resolve a dispute over territorial water rights in the North Atlantic, caused by th

The foreign ministries of Spain and Morocco announce they will hold talks to resolve a dispute over territorial water rights in the North Atlantic, caused by the Moroccan parliament passing two laws that extended its claims to the coast of Western Sahara earlier this week. Spain expressed concerns that these laws would encroach on its claims near the Canary Islands. (Reuters)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Jan 24, 2020
Feb
01
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic Kiribati becomes the latest country in the Pacific to block Chinese travelers by placing all visa applications from China on hold and ordering

COVID-19 pandemic Kiribati becomes the latest country in the Pacific to block Chinese travelers by placing all visa applications from China on hold and ordering all those coming from countries with confirmed cases of the virus to self-quarantine. (Radio NZ International) Apple Inc. announces it will close all of its stores and offices in China until February 9 due to the pandemic. (Gizmodo)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 1, 2020
Feb
02
Immigration / Law / Policy

Syrian civil war, Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020), Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War More than 200 Turkish Armed Forces vehicl

Syrian civil war, Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020), Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War More than 200 Turkish Armed Forces vehicles cross the Syria–Turkey border into rebel-held Idlib Governorate in an effort to halt the Syrian Army advance on the city of Saraqib. (The Washington Post) (Al Masdar News)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 2, 2020
Feb
02
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines The first coronavirus death outside China is reported in the Philippines.

COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines The first coronavirus death outside China is reported in the Philippines. The victim was a Chinese tourist, also infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae and influenza B, who recently arrived in the country. (CNN Philippines) COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic New Zealand closes its borders to all foreign visitors from China and bolsters screenings at its airports in response to the pandemic. The travel ban will be in place for at least fourteen days. (The Guardian)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 2, 2020
Feb
05
Immigration / Law / Policy

A court in Nigeria grants 47 men another delay in their trial over homosexuality and public displays of affection with members of the same sex.

A court in Nigeria grants 47 men another delay in their trial over homosexuality and public displays of affection with members of the same sex. Judge Rilwan Aikawa says it is the last accepted delay at the Lagos court. The men face up to 10-year imprisonment if convicted in a closely watched trial. (Reuters)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 5, 2020
Feb
05
Immigration / Law / Policy

LGBT rights in Nigeria A court in Nigeria grants 47 men another delay in their trial over homosexuality and public displays of affection with members of the sam

LGBT rights in Nigeria A court in Nigeria grants 47 men another delay in their trial over homosexuality and public displays of affection with members of the same sex. Judge Rilwan Aikawa says it is the last accepted delay at the Lagos court. The men face up to 10-year imprisonment if convicted in a closely watched trial. (Reuters)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 5, 2020
Feb
11
Immigration / Law / Policy

Love v Commonwealth The High Court of Australia finds that Aboriginal Australian people are not "aliens" under the Australian Constitution, even if they were no

Love v Commonwealth The High Court of Australia finds that Aboriginal Australian people are not "aliens" under the Australian Constitution, even if they were not born in Australia and do not have Australian citizenship, and they cannot be deported. (ABC News) (SBS News)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 11, 2020
Feb
13
Immigration / Law / Policy

Around two dozen heavily armed men dressed in military fatigues storm a court building in El Progreso, north-western Honduras, freeing Alexander Mendoza, a seni

Around two dozen heavily armed men dressed in military fatigues storm a court building in El Progreso, north-western Honduras, freeing Alexander Mendoza, a senior leader of the MS-13 gang and killing four police officers. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández offers a $80,000 reward for information leading to Mendoza's recapture. (BBC News)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 13, 2020
Feb
14
Immigration / Law / Policy

Manchester City F.C.

Manchester City F.C. is banned from European club competition, among which the UEFA Champions League, for two seasons, and is fined €30 million, for deliberately inflating the value of their sponsorship deals to get around the UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations. The club says it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. (BBC Sport)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 14, 2020
Feb
16
Immigration / Law / Policy

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri rules that chemical companies Bayer and BASF are accountable for the adverse effects of th

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri rules that chemical companies Bayer and BASF are accountable for the adverse effects of their Dicamba-based herbicides on American farmlands, and awards the plaintiff, a peach farmer, US$265 million in damages. Bayer announces it will appeal. (Reuters)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 16, 2020
Feb
19
Immigration / Law / Policy

Corruption in Mexico, Operation Car Wash Mexican law enforcement launches a corruption inquiry into former President Enrique Peña Nieto, as part of a larger inv

Corruption in Mexico, Operation Car Wash Mexican law enforcement launches a corruption inquiry into former President Enrique Peña Nieto, as part of a larger investigation into bribery and money laundering by former Pemex CEO Emilio Lozoya Austin involving Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht. (Reuters)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 19, 2020
Feb
19
Immigration / Law / Policy

Mexican law enforcement launches a corruption inquiry into former President Enrique Peña Nieto, as part of a larger investigation into bribery and money launder

Mexican law enforcement launches a corruption inquiry into former President Enrique Peña Nieto, as part of a larger investigation into bribery and money laundering by former Pemex CEO Emilio Lozoya Austin involving Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht. (Reuters)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 19, 2020
Feb
21
Immigration / Law / Policy

India and Pakistan have engaged in a military confrontation across the de facto border in Kashmir; Indian and Pakistani forces exchanged fire near the Line of C

India and Pakistan have engaged in a military confrontation across the de facto border in Kashmir; Indian and Pakistani forces exchanged fire near the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir. One Pakistani soldier died in the exchange of fire. (Hindustan Times)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 21, 2020
Feb
21
Immigration / Law / Policy

Kashmir conflict India and Pakistan have engaged in a military confrontation across the de facto border in Kashmir; Indian and Pakistani forces exchanged fire n

Kashmir conflict India and Pakistan have engaged in a military confrontation across the de facto border in Kashmir; Indian and Pakistani forces exchanged fire near the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir. One Pakistani soldier died in the exchange of fire. (Hindustan Times)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 21, 2020
Feb
21
Immigration / Law / Policy

Prime Minister of Lesotho Tom Thabane fails to appear in court for the murder of his former wife, and his son says he has traveled to South Africa to see a doct

Prime Minister of Lesotho Tom Thabane fails to appear in court for the murder of his former wife, and his son says he has traveled to South Africa to see a doctor. Police warn that if he does not return, they will issue an arrest warrant. (Reuters) (Independent Online)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 21, 2020
Feb
23
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Iran Pakistan closes its border from Taftan with Iran due to increasing cases of coronavirus in Iran.

COVID-19 pandemic in Iran Pakistan closes its border from Taftan with Iran due to increasing cases of coronavirus in Iran. (Geo News) Turkey closes its border with Iran and halted incoming flights due to more cases of coronavirus in Iran. (Reuters) Afghanistan suspends travel between it and Iran and reported three suspected virus cases in Herat. (TRT World)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 23, 2020
Feb
24
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Iran Armenia has closed its border from Meghri with Iran and suspended all flights from Armenia to Iran for the next two weeks due to incre

COVID-19 pandemic in Iran Armenia has closed its border from Meghri with Iran and suspended all flights from Armenia to Iran for the next two weeks due to increasing cases of coronavirus in Iran. (Prime Minister of Armenia's Facebook page) The General Authority of Oman's Civil Aviation announced the suspension of all flights between the sultanate and the Islamic Republic of Iran until further notice. (CNN)

Source: Wikipedia Current Events | Feb 24, 2020
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