World 2020 Timeline

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Showing 75 events on this page. Use search or category filters to narrow the year.
Dec
08
Politics / Government

2020 Liberian Senate election, 2020 Liberian constitutional referendum Voters in Liberia head to the polls for mid-term senatorial elections.

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)

Dec
08
Politics / Government

Ethiopian National Defense Force troops open fire on United Nations staffers who were trying to reach areas where "they were not supposed to go" near Sheraro in

Ethiopian National Defense Force troops open fire on United Nations staffers who were trying to reach areas where "they were not supposed to go" near Sheraro in the Tigray Region, according to senior Ethiopian government official Redwan Hussein. There are no reported casualties. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric says the reports are "alarming". (AP)

Dec
08
Politics / Government

Tigray conflict Ethiopian National Defense Force troops open fire on United Nations staffers who were trying to reach areas where "they were not supposed to go"

Tigray conflict Ethiopian National Defense Force troops open fire on United Nations staffers who were trying to reach areas where "they were not supposed to go" near Sheraro in the Tigray Region, according to senior Ethiopian government official Redwan Hussein. There are no reported casualties. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric says the reports are "alarming". (AP)

Dec
08
Politics / Government

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 begi

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)

Dec
08
Politics / Government

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 campai

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)

Dec
09
Politics / Government

2020 Indonesian local elections 105 million people in Indonesia go to the polls to choose governors in nine of 34 provinces as well as 37 mayors and 224 distric

2020 Indonesian local elections 105 million people in Indonesia go to the polls to choose governors in nine of 34 provinces as well as 37 mayors and 224 district leaders in regencies and cities in 270 regions across the country. The elections were originally scheduled in September but were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (ABC News) The eldest son of President Joko Widodo, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is elected as Mayor of Surakarta with a landslide victory based on some quick count results. (Bloomberg)

Dec
09
Politics / Government

105 million people in Indonesia go to the polls to choose governors in nine of 34 provinces as well as 37 mayors and 224 district leaders in regencies and citie

105 million people in Indonesia go to the polls to choose governors in nine of 34 provinces as well as 37 mayors and 224 district leaders in regencies and cities in 270 regions across the country. The elections were originally scheduled in September but were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (ABC News)

Dec
09
Politics / Government

European Union–United Kingdom relations, Trade negotiation between the UK and the EU UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President of the European Commission Ur

European Union–United Kingdom relations, Trade negotiation between the UK and the EU UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen agree to set a deadline for a trade agreement between the UK and EU by 13 December. If no agreement is reached by then, the United Kingdom will leave the European Single Market and European Union Customs Union without a deal on 1 January 2021. (The Guardian)

Dec
09
Politics / Government

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen agree to set a deadline for a trade agreement between the UK and E

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen agree to set a deadline for a trade agreement between the UK and EU by 13 December. If no agreement is reached by then, the United Kingdom will leave the European Single Market and European Union Customs Union without a deal on 1 January 2021. (The Guardian)

Dec
09
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia Prime Minister Igor Matovič announces that non-essential shops and schools will be closed for at least three weeks beginning Decem

COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia Prime Minister Igor Matovič announces that non-essential shops and schools will be closed for at least three weeks beginning December 21. He also said that the outdoor terraces of restaurants, cafés and similar facilities will be closed beginning December 11 and only takeaway services will be allowed. (The Slovak Spectator)

Dec
09
Politics / Government

Prime Minister Igor Matovič announces that non-essential shops and schools will be closed for at least three weeks beginning December 21.

Prime Minister Igor Matovič announces that non-essential shops and schools will be closed for at least three weeks beginning December 21. He also said that the outdoor terraces of restaurants, cafés and similar facilities will be closed beginning December 11 and only takeaway services will be allowed. (The Slovak Spectator)

Dec
10
Politics / Government

2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war A large military parade is held in Baku to celebrate Azerbaijan's victory over Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh.

2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war A large military parade is held in Baku to celebrate Azerbaijan's victory over Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is among the foreign attendees. The parade includes thousands of soldiers, flyovers from helicopters and fighter jets, and a Turkish special forces brigade. (Al Jazeera)

Dec
10
Politics / Government

A large military parade is held in Baku to celebrate Azerbaijan's victory over Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh.

A large military parade is held in Baku to celebrate Azerbaijan's victory over Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is among the foreign attendees. The parade includes thousands of soldiers, flyovers from helicopters and fighter jets, and a Turkish special forces brigade. (Al Jazeera)

Dec
10
Politics / Government

Argentine President Alberto Fernández announces the purchase of 10 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, and says that he will be the first person to

Argentine President Alberto Fernández announces the purchase of 10 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, and says that he will be the first person to receive the vaccine in order to prove that it is safe. An initial shipment of 600,000 doses will be received before the end of the year. (France 24)

Dec
10
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina Argentine President Alberto Fernández announces the purchase of 10 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, and says that

COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina Argentine President Alberto Fernández announces the purchase of 10 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, and says that he will be the first person to receive the vaccine in order to prove that it is safe. An initial shipment of 600,000 doses will be received before the end of the year. (France 24)

Dec
10
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Japan Tokyo reports a record 602 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the prefecture to 45,529.

COVID-19 pandemic in Japan Tokyo reports a record 602 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the prefecture to 45,529. (Nikkei Asia) Japan reports a record 2,973 new cases in the past 24 hours, according to official figures released by the government. (Kyodo News)

Dec
10
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships The Singapore government said that a suspected COVID-19 case aboard a "cruise-to-nowhere" was

COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships The Singapore government said that a suspected COVID-19 case aboard a "cruise-to-nowhere" was a false alarm after a passenger aboard Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas cruise ship who tested positive for COVID-19 has been found not to have contracted the virus. (AFP via CBS News)

Dec
10
Politics / Government

The Singapore government said that a suspected COVID-19 case aboard a "cruise-to-nowhere" was a false alarm after a passenger aboard Royal Caribbean's Quantum o

The Singapore government said that a suspected COVID-19 case aboard a "cruise-to-nowhere" was a false alarm after a passenger aboard Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas cruise ship who tested positive for COVID-19 has been found not to have contracted the virus. (AFP via CBS News)

Dec
10
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark Health Minister Magnus Heunicke announces the expansion of the country's partial lockdown measures to 31 other municipalities, begi

COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark Health Minister Magnus Heunicke announces the expansion of the country's partial lockdown measures to 31 other municipalities, beginning tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. local time. This comes after the country reports a record 3,132 new cases in the past 24 hours. (The Local Denmark)

Dec
10
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in France Prime Minister Jean Castex announces that the country will delay the reopening of cultural venues and introduce a night-time curfew

COVID-19 pandemic in France Prime Minister Jean Castex announces that the country will delay the reopening of cultural venues and introduce a night-time curfew from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. local time, where stay-at-home order will be lifted as planned on December 15 as it struggles to curb the spread of COVID-19. (BBC News)

Dec
10
Politics / Government

Foreign relations of Norway Norway's Storting votes to lower the country's financial assistance package to the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestinia

Foreign relations of Norway Norway's Storting votes to lower the country's financial assistance package to the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestinian territories by $3.4 million over concerns of anti-Semitic content and incitement to violence in Palestinian school curricula. (Ynet News) (European Jewish Press)

Dec
10
Politics / Government

Health Minister Magnus Heunicke announces the expansion of the country's partial lockdown measures to 31 other municipalities, beginning tomorrow at 4:00 p.m.

Health Minister Magnus Heunicke announces the expansion of the country's partial lockdown measures to 31 other municipalities, beginning tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. local time. This comes after the country reports a record 3,132 new cases in the past 24 hours. (The Local Denmark)

Dec
10
Politics / Government

Norway's Storting votes to lower the country's financial assistance package to the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestinian territories by $3.4 millio

Norway's Storting votes to lower the country's financial assistance package to the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestinian territories by $3.4 million over concerns of anti-Semitic content and incitement to violence in Palestinian school curricula. (Ynet News) (European Jewish Press)

Dec
10
Politics / Government

Prime Minister Jean Castex announces that the country will delay the reopening of cultural venues and introduce a night-time curfew from 7:00 p.m.

Prime Minister Jean Castex announces that the country will delay the reopening of cultural venues and introduce a night-time curfew from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. local time, where stay-at-home order will be lifted as planned on December 15 as it struggles to curb the spread of COVID-19. (BBC News)

Dec
11
Politics / Government

2020 Armenian protests Anti-government protesters block streets in the Armenian capital Yerevan, continuing calls for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign o

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)

Dec
12
Politics / Government

Foreign relations of Switzerland, International reactions to the 2020 Belarusian presidential election and protests Switzerland freezes Belarusian President Ale

Foreign relations of Switzerland, International reactions to the 2020 Belarusian presidential election and protests Switzerland freezes Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's assets in the country. Lukashenko, his son Viktor, and 13 other officials will be banned from entering Switzerland following violent protests that occurred following the election. (Reuters)

Dec
12
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Japan Tokyo reports a new single-day record of 621 cases, according to data from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, bringing the cumulative

COVID-19 pandemic in Japan Tokyo reports a new single-day record of 621 cases, according to data from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, bringing the cumulative number of cases in the prefecture to 46,745. (NHK World) Japan records a new single-day record of 3,041 cases. The Japan Self-Defense Forces are deployed to Asahikawa, Hokkaido, where hospitals are facing shortages of medical staff to treat COVID-19 patients. (Kyodo News)

Dec
13
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C., COVID-19 vaccine President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamal

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)

Dec
13
Politics / Government

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-e

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)

Dec
13
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Eswatini Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini dies at the age of 52 after weeks of hospitalization due to CO

COVID-19 pandemic in Africa COVID-19 pandemic in Eswatini Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini dies at the age of 52 after weeks of hospitalization due to COVID-19. He is the first sitting national head of government to die as a result of the virus. (Swaziland News) COVID-19 pandemic in Mauritania Mauritania's government reimposes a nighttime curfew in response to an increase in COVID-19 cases. (Barron's)

Dec
14
Politics / Government

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

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)

Dec
14
Politics / Government

Italian intellectuals Corrado Augias and Giovanna Melandri hand back their medals of the Legion of Honour, France's highest order of merit, to France.

Italian intellectuals Corrado Augias and Giovanna Melandri hand back their medals of the Legion of Honour, France's highest order of merit, to France. They protest the news that President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion at the same time that prosecutors in Rome indicted four top security officials of the Sisi regime over the 2016 abduction and torture to death of Giulio Regeni, an Italian doctoral student, in Cairo. (AP)

Dec
14
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa announces that public gatherings will be limited to no more than 100 people for indoor events and 25

COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa announces that public gatherings will be limited to no more than 100 people for indoor events and 250 people for outdoor events, and that the nationwide curfew will be extended from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. throughout the holiday season. He also said that alcohol will only be sold from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time, Monday to Thursday. (Independent Online)

Dec
14
Politics / Government

President Cyril Ramaphosa announces that public gatherings will be limited to no more than 100 people for indoor events and 250 people for outdoor events, and t

President Cyril Ramaphosa announces that public gatherings will be limited to no more than 100 people for indoor events and 250 people for outdoor events, and that the nationwide curfew will be extended from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. throughout the holiday season. He also said that alcohol will only be sold from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time, Monday to Thursday. (Independent Online)

Dec
14
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announces that the Go To Travel campaign will be suspended nationwide from December 28 to January 11.

COVID-19 pandemic in Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announces that the Go To Travel campaign will be suspended nationwide from December 28 to January 11. He also says that Tokyo and Nagoya will be removed as eligible destinations for the campaign. (The Japan Times)

Dec
14
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, COVID-19 vaccine Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says that Singapore has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, COVID-19 vaccine Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says that Singapore has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The country expects to receive shipments of the vaccine by the end of the year and to vaccinate 5.7 million people for free by the third quarter of 2021. (CNBC)

Dec
14
Politics / Government

COVID-19 vaccination in the United States The United States begins administering their first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

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)

Dec
15
Politics / Government

Kenya–Somalia relations, Foreign relations of Somaliland The Somali Minister of Information Osman Abubakar Dubbe announces that the Government of Somalia is rec

Kenya–Somalia relations, Foreign relations of Somaliland The Somali Minister of Information Osman Abubakar Dubbe announces that the Government of Somalia is recalling its diplomatic staff from Kenya and is giving Kenyan diplomats seven days to leave Somalia. This comes after Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi's visit to Nairobi where he was received by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. (DW)

Dec
15
Politics / Government

The Somali Minister of Information Osman Abubakar Dubbe announces that the Government of Somalia is recalling its diplomatic staff from Kenya and is giving Keny

The Somali Minister of Information Osman Abubakar Dubbe announces that the Government of Somalia is recalling its diplomatic staff from Kenya and is giving Kenyan diplomats seven days to leave Somalia. This comes after Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi's visit to Nairobi where he was received by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. (DW)

Dec
15
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Canada COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario Ontario reports 2,275 cases, a new single-day record.

COVID-19 pandemic in Canada COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario Ontario reports 2,275 cases, a new single-day record. (National Post) COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec Quebec Premier François Legault announces that all non-essential businesses in the province will be closed from December 25 until January 11 in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (The Globe and Mail) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces that the country has ordered 168,000 doses of Moderna's vaccine. (Reuters)

Dec
16
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia President Joko Widodo announces that the COVID-19 vaccine would be free of charge for all Indonesians, amending the government's

COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia President Joko Widodo announces that the COVID-19 vaccine would be free of charge for all Indonesians, amending the government's earlier decision to limit the free vaccination programme only for healthcare frontline workers and the poor. (Jakarta Globe)

Dec
16
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Alaska Two health care workers at Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau have a severe allergic reaction after being administered Tozinameran

COVID-19 pandemic in Alaska Two health care workers at Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau have a severe allergic reaction after being administered Tozinameran, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19. Both healthcare workers are expected to recover. (KTUU-TV)

Dec
16
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announces that the country will impose a full nationwide lockdown from December 25 to January 3 th

COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announces that the country will impose a full nationwide lockdown from December 25 to January 3 that will close malls, shops, and other non-essential activities during the holiday season. This comes after a record of nearly 3,700 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours. (France 24)

Dec
16
Politics / Government

COVID-19 pandemic in Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford announces that all non-essential retail, leisure and fitness centres, as well as all hospitality premis

COVID-19 pandemic in Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford announces that all non-essential retail, leisure and fitness centres, as well as all hospitality premises will be closed as of December 25. The country will also move to the highest "Level 4" restrictions beginning December 28, which means that people will be ordered to limit their Christmas gatherings to only two households. (Sky News)

Dec
16
Politics / Government

First Minister Mark Drakeford announces that all non-essential retail, leisure and fitness centres, as well as all hospitality premises will be closed as of Dec

First Minister Mark Drakeford announces that all non-essential retail, leisure and fitness centres, as well as all hospitality premises will be closed as of December 25. The country will also move to the highest "Level 4" restrictions beginning December 28, which means that people will be ordered to limit their Christmas gatherings to only two households. (Sky News)

Dec
16
Politics / Government

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announces that the country will impose a full nationwide lockdown from December 25 to January 3 that will close malls, shops, a

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announces that the country will impose a full nationwide lockdown from December 25 to January 3 that will close malls, shops, and other non-essential activities during the holiday season. This comes after a record of nearly 3,700 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours. (France 24)

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