World 2020 Timeline

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Showing 75 events on this page. Use search or category filters to narrow the year.
Aug
29
Politics / Government

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

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)

Aug
29
Politics / Government

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

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)

Aug
29
Politics / Government

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.

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)

Aug
29
Politics / Government

George Floyd protests in Canada Black Lives Matter protesters topple the historic 125-year-old Macdonald Monument of Sir John A.

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)

Aug
29
Politics / Government

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 A

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)

Aug
30
Politics / Government

2020 Montenegrin parliamentary election Montenegrins head to the polls to elect a new session to parliament.

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)

Aug
30
Politics / Government

Belarus–Germany relations, 2020 Belarusian protests The German foreign ministry announces it will summon the Belarusian ambassador in Berlin, after the Belarusi

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)

Aug
30
Politics / Government

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 b

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)

Aug
30
Politics / Government

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 indicte

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)

Aug
30
Politics / Government

Greek–Turkish relations, Aegean dispute Turkey demands that Greece withdraws its troops from the Aegean island of Kastellorizo, saying Greece had violated the 1

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)

Aug
30
Politics / Government

The German foreign ministry announces it will summon the Belarusian ambassador in Berlin, after the Belarusian Association of Journalists revoked the accreditat

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)

Aug
30
Politics / Government

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 f

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)

Aug
30
Politics / Government

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

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

Aftermath of the 2020 Belarusian presidential election, Belarus–Estonia relations, Belarus–Latvia relations, Belarus–Lithuania relations The governments of the

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

The governments of the Baltic states declare Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and 29 other government officials persona non grata for suspected elector

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

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 e

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

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 nea

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

Australian Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge announces that the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security wil

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

Incumbent President Alpha Condé accepts the nomination of his party, the Rally of the Guinean People, to run in the October 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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

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 Fron

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte extends the general community quarantine on Metro Manila until the end of September, while placin

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

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 recessio

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

France–Lebanon relations, 2019–20 Lebanese protests, aftermath of the 2020 Beirut explosion French President Emmanuel Macron visits Beirut, Lebanon, for the sec

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

France–Turkey relations, European Union–Turkey relations, Aegean dispute French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian calls for a "coordinated European response"

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian calls for a "coordinated European response" to recent Turkish aggression towards Greece and Cyprus in the Eastern Med

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

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 1

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

Politics of Lebanon Mustapha Adib, the current Lebanese ambassador to Germany, is designated by President Michel Aoun as the country's prime minister following

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

Rwandan humanitarian and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Paul Rusesabagina is shown off in handcuffs at the Rwanda Investigation Bureau headquarters in

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

Australian foreign minister Marise Payne confirms that Chinese-born Australian journalist Cheng Lei, an anchor for the China Global Television Network, a state-

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

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

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)

Aug
31
Politics / Government

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.

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)

Sep
01
Politics / Government

Proposed second Scottish independence referendum Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announces that her party will draft legislation for a new referendum on

Proposed second Scottish independence referendum Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announces that her party will draft legislation for a new referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom before Scotland's parliament election next year. (Reuters)

Sep
01
Politics / Government

American social media service Facebook announces it may block Australian users from sharing both local and international news stories on its platform, should th

American social media service Facebook announces it may block Australian users from sharing both local and international news stories on its platform, should the Australian government enact legislation that would require technology companies in the country to pay local news organisations. (The Japan Today)

Sep
01
Politics / Government

Malaita Province Premier Daniel Suidani announces an independence referendum to potentially secede from the Solomon Islands due to growing tensions over the cen

Malaita Province Premier Daniel Suidani announces an independence referendum to potentially secede from the Solomon Islands due to growing tensions over the central government's diplomatic switch to China and a recent incident where Taiwanese medical supplies were seized by the government. (RNZ) (Reuters)

Sep
01
Politics / Government

Zimbabwe says it will return land that was seized from foreigners between 2000 and 2001, saying foreign citizens who had their land seized, mostly Dutch, Britis

Zimbabwe says it will return land that was seized from foreigners between 2000 and 2001, saying foreign citizens who had their land seized, mostly Dutch, British and German nationals, could now apply to get it back. The government says black farmers who received land under the controversial land reform programme would now be moved to allow the former owners "to regain possession". (BBC News)

Sep
01
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Europe COVID-19 pandemic in Germany German economic minister Peter Altmaier reports that the country's economy is facing an "unexpected" V-

COVID-19 pandemic in Europe COVID-19 pandemic in Germany German economic minister Peter Altmaier reports that the country's economy is facing an "unexpected" V-shaped recovery with its GDP currently forecasted to decline by 5.8% in 2020, in contrast to an earlier projection of a 6.3% decline. (AFP via Malay Mail) The Eurostat reports that consumer prices in the Eurozone have deflated from 0.4% in July to -0.2% in August, the bloc's first deflation since May 2016. (AFP via Rappler)

Sep
01
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Germany German economic minister Peter Altmaier reports that the country's economy is facing an "unexpected" V-shaped recovery with its GDP

COVID-19 pandemic in Germany German economic minister Peter Altmaier reports that the country's economy is facing an "unexpected" V-shaped recovery with its GDP currently forecasted to decline by 5.8% in 2020, in contrast to an earlier projection of a 6.3% decline. (AFP via Malay Mail)

Sep
01
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in North America COVID-19 pandemic in the United States COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa The city council of Ames, Iowa passes a mask mandate with a

COVID-19 pandemic in North America COVID-19 pandemic in the United States COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa The city council of Ames, Iowa passes a mask mandate with a vote of 5-1. The decision came after the New York Times named the city as a COVID-19 hotspot. (The Ames Tribune) COVID-19 pandemic in Belize The number of cases in Belize reaches past 1,000. (The Jamaica Observer) COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico The number of cases in Mexico reaches past 600,000. The death toll in the country reaches to 65,241. (Reuters)

Sep
02
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Asia COVID-19 pandemic in Japan The government considers providing free COVID-19 vaccines for all citizens.

COVID-19 pandemic in Asia COVID-19 pandemic in Japan The government considers providing free COVID-19 vaccines for all citizens. (Reuters) COVID-19 pandemic in Kyrgyzstan The number of cases in Kyrgyzstan reaches past 44,000. (Xinhuanet) COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand Thailand marks 100 days without new COVID-19 cases. (The Hill)

Sep
02
Politics / Government

MV Wakashio oil spill Mauritius asks Japan to pay $34 million in reparations for the disaster and demands the money to "support local fishermen whose livelihood

MV Wakashio oil spill Mauritius asks Japan to pay $34 million in reparations for the disaster and demands the money to "support local fishermen whose livelihoods were adversely impacted by an oil leak last month", according to a Mauritian government document. (DW)

Sep
02
Politics / Government

Poisoning of Alexei Navalny The German government reports it has "unequivocal evidence" to confirm the poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny by

Poisoning of Alexei Navalny The German government reports it has "unequivocal evidence" to confirm the poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny by a Novichok agent, according to tests conducted by a Bundeswehr-run laboratory. Chancellor Angela Merkel calls Navalny "a victim of attempted murder". (CNBC) (NPR)

Sep
02
Politics / Government

The German government reports it has "unequivocal evidence" to confirm the poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny by a Novichok agent, according

The German government reports it has "unequivocal evidence" to confirm the poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny by a Novichok agent, according to tests conducted by a Bundeswehr-run laboratory. Chancellor Angela Merkel calls Navalny "a victim of attempted murder". (CNBC) (NPR)

Sep
02
Politics / Government

The Taiwanese foreign ministry unveils a new design to the country's passport cover after claiming that the current design has led foreign governments into mist

The Taiwanese foreign ministry unveils a new design to the country's passport cover after claiming that the current design has led foreign governments into mistakenly imposing COVID-19 pandemic-related travel restrictions intended for mainland Chinese citizens on Taiwanese citizens. (DW)

Sep
03
Politics / Government

2020 Jamaican general election Jamaicans head to the polls the elect a new parliament amid a surge of COVID-19 infections.

2020 Jamaican general election Jamaicans head to the polls the elect a new parliament amid a surge of COVID-19 infections. Prime Minister Andrew Holness of the Labour Party is among the candidates. (BBC News) The Jamaica Labour Party wins 49 of 63 seats in a landslide victory, marking the first time that the party has won consecutive general elections since 1967. (VOA)

Sep
03
Politics / Government

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdelaziz al-Hilu, the leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM–N), sign an agreement to transition the co

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdelaziz al-Hilu, the leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM–N), sign an agreement to transition the country into a secular state. The agreement comes three days after the signing of a peace deal between Sudan's transitional government and the Sudan Revolutionary Front, to which the SPLM–N opted out of. (Anadolu Agency)

Sep
03
Politics / Government

Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal Protesters and riot police clash in the city of Lalitpur over the ban of outdoors p

Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal Protesters and riot police clash in the city of Lalitpur over the ban of outdoors public events amid a religious festival. The government had previously banned public gatherings as the country records a total of 42,877 cases. (AP)

Sep
03
Politics / Government

Sudanese conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdelaziz al-Hilu, the leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-Nort

Sudanese conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdelaziz al-Hilu, the leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM–N), sign an agreement to transition the country into a secular state. The agreement comes three days after the signing of a peace deal between Sudan's transitional government and the Sudan Revolutionary Front, to which the SPLM–N opted out of. (Anadolu Agency)

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