World 2020 Timeline

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Showing 75 events on this page. Use search or category filters to narrow the year.
Feb
28
Immigration / Law / Policy

Syrian civil war, Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020), European migrant crisis Nearly 300 migrants including Syrians arrived in Edirne provi

Syrian civil war, Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020), European migrant crisis Nearly 300 migrants including Syrians arrived in Edirne province, Turkey, on the border with Greece in a bid to go to Europe. Another group of migrants arrived on the coast of Ayvacik in Çanakkale, western Turkey, and wanted to go to the Greek island of Lesbos by boats. Turkish officials announced that the security forces will not intervene to prevent the crossing of any migrants, including those from Syria and other countries like Afghanistan and Iran. (France 24) (Daily Sabah)

Feb
28
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in Italy 464 more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number to 888.

COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in Italy 464 more coronavirus cases are confirmed in Italy, bringing the number to 888. Four more virus-related deaths are confirmed, bringing the death toll in the country to 21. (Il Sole 24 Ore) Belarus, Monaco, Iceland, Azerbaijan, New Zealand, Lithuania, Mexico and Nigeria confirm their first cases of coronavirus. (BNO News) Cyprus closes four of its checkpoints along the border with Northern Cyprus for the first time since 2003 due to coronavirus concerns. The checkpoints are expected to be reopened within a week. (Reuters)

Mar
01
Immigration / Law / Policy

European migrant crisis, Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–present) Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu says 76,358 migrants have left Turkey fro

European migrant crisis, Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–present) Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu says 76,358 migrants have left Turkey from Edirne Province as of this morning towards Europe. (Akşam) Greece deploys its military on the border with Turkey to prevent thousands of migrants from entering the European Union, and suspends all asylum applications for a month while also vowing to deport any migrants who enter Greek territory illegally. (The New York Times)

Mar
01
Immigration / Law / Policy

Greece deploys its military on the border with Turkey to prevent thousands of migrants from entering the European Union, and suspends all asylum applications fo

Greece deploys its military on the border with Turkey to prevent thousands of migrants from entering the European Union, and suspends all asylum applications for a month while also vowing to deport any migrants who enter Greek territory illegally. (The New York Times)

Mar
02
Immigration / Law / Policy

European migrant crisis Hellenic Police border guards open fire on migrants attempting to illegally enter Greece by crossing the border from Turkey, killing a S

European migrant crisis Hellenic Police border guards open fire on migrants attempting to illegally enter Greece by crossing the border from Turkey, killing a Syrian man. (France 24) (Middle East Monitor) The Hellenic Army's IV Army Corps announces a 24-hour snap military drill on the border with Turkey, and warns civilians to stay away from the area. (Anadolu Angency)

Mar
03
Immigration / Law / Policy

A court in Kazakhstan orders the early release of Mukhtar Dzhakishev, the former CEO of state nuclear firm Kazatomprom, who had been sentenced to 14 years in pr

A court in Kazakhstan orders the early release of Mukhtar Dzhakishev, the former CEO of state nuclear firm Kazatomprom, who had been sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption in 2010. Upon his release he will have served more than 11 years in prison. (Reuters)

Mar
05
Immigration / Law / Policy

Russian military intervention in Ukraine (2014–present) A court in Russian-controlled Crimea sentences a Jehovah's Witness to six-years imprisonment for activit

Russian military intervention in Ukraine (2014–present) A court in Russian-controlled Crimea sentences a Jehovah's Witness to six-years imprisonment for activities of a banned extremist organization, part of a crackdown that activists say violates religious freedom. (Reuters)

Mar
12
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.

COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C. After 10 cases of COVID-19 are confirmed in Washington, D.C., the U.S. government closes the White House, the Capitol building, and the U.S. Supreme Court Building to visitors until the end of the month. (U.S. News and World Report) United States Senators Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz announce that they will temporarily close their offices. (The Hill)

Mar
13
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic The Czech Republic declares a state of emergency and announces the closure of its borders to all foreigners starting fro

COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic The Czech Republic declares a state of emergency and announces the closure of its borders to all foreigners starting from midnight on March 16, while Czech citizens will no longer be allowed to leave the country for at least 30 days. (Prague Morning)

Mar
15
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina President Alberto Fernández reinforces security at the borders and bans all travelers from hard-hit countries that spent at least

COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina President Alberto Fernández reinforces security at the borders and bans all travelers from hard-hit countries that spent at least 14 days there. In addition, he says he is considering a national quarantine and suspension of school classes. (Buenos Aires Times)

Mar
16
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, 2020 Spain coronavirus lockdown Regional presidents of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and Catalonia, Quim Torra, test p

COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, 2020 Spain coronavirus lockdown Regional presidents of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and Catalonia, Quim Torra, test positive for COVID-19, as both regions are the most affected by the pandemic in the country. (RTVE) The Spanish government takes control of all private hospitals to help the country's healthcare system cope with the virus pandemic. (Business Insider) Basque and Galician elections, both scheduled for 5 April are postponed until the crisis is overcome. (El País) The Ministry of the Interior closes all borders. (El País)

Mar
16
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Armenia Armenia declares a state of emergency lasting until April 14 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

COVID-19 pandemic in Armenia Armenia declares a state of emergency lasting until April 14 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The emergency measures include the closure of all educational institutions, closing the borders with Georgia and Iran, banning gatherings with over 20 people, and postponing the 2020 Armenian constitutional referendum. (Reuters)

Mar
16
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces that Canada will close its borders to all foreign travelers due to the pandemic, effective o

COVID-19 pandemic in Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces that Canada will close its borders to all foreign travelers due to the pandemic, effective on Wednesday. Exceptions will be made for air crews, diplomats, immediate family members and U.S. citizens. Only four airports will continue to receive international flights: Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, Montréal–Trudeau, and Calgary. Domestic flights and flights from the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean, as well as foreign commerce and trade, will not be affected. (Global News)

Mar
16
Immigration / Law / Policy

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces that Canada will close its borders to all foreign travelers due to the pandemic, effective on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces that Canada will close its borders to all foreign travelers due to the pandemic, effective on Wednesday. Exceptions will be made for air crews, diplomats, immediate family members and U.S. citizens. Only four airports will continue to receive international flights: Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, Montréal–Trudeau, and Calgary. Domestic flights and flights from the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean, as well as foreign commerce and trade, will not be affected. (Global News)

Mar
19
Immigration / Law / Policy

While educational facilities close across the United States due to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S.

While educational facilities close across the United States due to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education tells educators that online learning must comply with civil rights laws, including making sure learning tools are available to students. However, as not every student has access to the internet, many students will be unable to participate, prompting some public school systems to implement "enrichment" policies. Under these policies, coursework completed under online learning will not officially count towards advancing to the next academic term. (The Wall Street Journal)

Mar
19
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania COVID-19 pandemic in Australia Australia closes its borders to all non-Australian residents.

COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania COVID-19 pandemic in Australia Australia closes its borders to all non-Australian residents. (Reuters) Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says about A$100 billion will be injected into the Australian economy to support it during the coronavirus pandemic. (MSN) COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji Fiji reports its first confirmed case of COVID-19, a male patient in Lautoka. (The New Zealand Herald)

Mar
20
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal In a special TV address, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announces the suspension of all international flights until 31 March and intern

COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal In a special TV address, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announces the suspension of all international flights until 31 March and internal long-distance public bus routes, while orders the closure of all non-essential public and private office until 3 April. (Reuters) The Supreme Court stops all non-urgent legal proceedings at all levels across the country. The National Assembly also suspends its activity indefinitely. (The Himalayan Times) (My Republica)

Mar
21
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Albania Albania's government deploys troops to enforce a 40-hour nationwide curfew.

COVID-19 pandemic in Albania Albania's government deploys troops to enforce a 40-hour nationwide curfew. Prime Minister Edi Rama says Albanians "will stay inside after 13:00", and that police and the armed forces "will use force against whoever breaks the law, including pensioners, and will use water canons and tear gas if need be." (Reuters)

Mar
22
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in the Palestinian territories The Palestinian National Authority confirms the first cases of COVID-19 in the Gaza Strip.

COVID-19 pandemic in the Palestinian territories The Palestinian National Authority confirms the first cases of COVID-19 in the Gaza Strip. Both patients are Palestinian men in their 30s who recently returned from Egypt. They are being held in quarantine in the border town of Rafah. (Haaretz)

Mar
24
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand New Zealand reports 40 new cases of coronavirus.

COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand New Zealand reports 40 new cases of coronavirus. (Stuff NZ) COVID-19 pandemic in Australia Australia announces a nationwide lockdown, outlawing all travel interstate and overseas, and closing the nation's borders. Schools remain open in some locations. (News.com.au)

Mar
28
Immigration / Law / Policy

2020 Hubei lockdowns Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic first started, starts lifting its two-month lockdown by restarting some metro services and reopening

2020 Hubei lockdowns Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic first started, starts lifting its two-month lockdown by restarting some metro services and reopening borders to returning residents, though outbound traffic is still restricted until April 8. (Reuters)

Mar
28
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China 2020 Hubei lockdowns Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic first started, starts lifting its two-month lockdown by restartin

COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China 2020 Hubei lockdowns Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic first started, starts lifting its two-month lockdown by restarting some metro services and reopening borders to returning residents, though outbound traffic is still restricted until April 8. (Reuters)

Mar
28
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Russia Russia announces that all borders will be closed effective March 30 to counter the spread of COVID-19.

COVID-19 pandemic in Russia Russia announces that all borders will be closed effective March 30 to counter the spread of COVID-19. The new measure will not apply to Russian diplomats or drivers of freight trucks, among others. (Reuters) In Kabardino-Balkaria, registry offices ask newlyweds to confine the number of guests at the wedding ceremony to 10 people or to postpone the wedding since four cases of coronavirus infection have been reported in the republic. (Vestnik Kavkaza)

Apr
02
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Zambia Zambia reports the country's first death from COVID-19 as confirmed cases rise to 39; the patient had un

COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Zambia Zambia reports the country's first death from COVID-19 as confirmed cases rise to 39; the patient had underlying health conditions, according to Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya. (CGTN) COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi In an address to the nation, President Peter Mutharika reports Malawi's first confirmed cases of COVID-19. (CGTN)

Apr
05
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi President Peter Mutharika announces a stimulus package to alleviate the economic stres

COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi President Peter Mutharika announces a stimulus package to alleviate the economic stress resulting from the disease. To help finance this program, he and all government ministers are taking a ten percent wage cut for three months. (BBC News)

Apr
05
Immigration / Law / Policy

COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi President Peter Mutharika announces a stimulus package to alleviate the economic stress resulting from t

COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi President Peter Mutharika announces a stimulus package to alleviate the economic stress resulting from the disease. To help finance this program, he and all government ministers are taking a ten percent wage cut for three months. (BBC News)

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