Portal:Current events

Edit instructions

Topics in the news

COVID-19 pandemic

Aleksandar Vučić

A coalition led by President Aleksandar Vučić (pictured) and his Serbian Progressive Party wins a majority in parliamentary elections boycotted by the main opposition parties.
In horse racing, Tiz the Law wins the Belmont Stakes, which serves as the initial leg of the Triple Crown for the first time.
Kenya, India, Mexico, Ireland, and Norway are elected to the United Nations Security Council as non-permanent members from 2021.

June 25, 2020 (Thursday)

edithistorywatch

Politics and elections

Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti cancels his trip to the United States where talks between Kosovo and Serbia were to be held, after his country's President Hashim Thaci is indicted on war crimes charges. Thaci also canceled his trip to mediate with Serbia after learning of the indictment the day prior. (AP News)

June 24, 2020 (Wednesday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Libyan Civil War (2014–present), Central Libya offensive (2020)
- The speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh Issa, asks Egypt to intervene in Libya if the armed forces of the Government of National Accord attempt to capture the city of Sirte. (Al Jazeera)

Business and economy

Segway Inc. announces that production of its personal transporter will end on July 15. Production began in 2001. (BBC)
Bayer AG announces it has agreed to pay US$10 billion to resolve thousands of lawsuits regarding claims that the Monsanto herbicide Roundup causes cancer. Court-appointed mediator Kenneth Feinberg says the deal is a "constructive and reasonable" resolution. (NBC News)
Japanese manufacturing company Olympus announces it is exiting the camera business after 84 years, stating its financial losses caused by their inability to compete with smartphone cameras was a major factor in the decision. (BBC)

International relations

North Korea–South Korea relations
- The North Korean state news agency KCNA reports that the country will suspend military action plans against the South after a meeting of the Central Military Commission presided by Kim Jong-un. North Korea had protested against defectors sending leaflets to the border, and Kim's sister Kim Yo-jong had threatened a military response. (Al Jazeera)
COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- Ambassadors for EU member states meet today to develop criteria for reopening external borders to travelers on July 1. European Commission guidance is that non-EU countries whose COVID-19 status, e.g., the number of new infections, the trend in new infections, and testing and tracing, are comparable or better than the EU average will make the safe list. Other factors, such as reciprocity and links to the EU, will also be considered. Travelers from countries such as Brazil, Russia, and the United States may be barred based on these rules. (BBC) (The New York Times)
Iran–United States relations; United States–Venezuela relations
- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces sanctions on five Iranian ship captains who delivered fuel to Venezuela and reaffirms support for disputed President Juan Guaidó over Nicolás Maduro. (Reuters)

Law and crime

War crimes in the Kosovo War
- The Specialist Prosecutor's Office announces that it has submitted for court approval an indictment against President Hashim Thaci and nine other former Kosovo Liberation Army fighters alleging that they committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Kosovo War. Following the announcement, President Thaci cancels his upcoming trip to the United States. (Sydney Morning Herald)
George Floyd protests
- The U.S. Senate fails to invoke cloture on a 55–45 vote effectively tabling a police misconduct bill introduced by the Republicans, after the Democrats complained that it did not do enough to incentivize change. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 Mongolian legislative election
- Mongolian voters head to the polls to elect the members of the State Great Khural. A record number of more than 600 candidates are competing for the 76 seats in the parliament. (Bloomberg)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- 2020 Major League Baseball season
  - Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred unilaterally implements a 60-game season. Players will report to training camps on July 1 in order to resume spring training and prepare for a July 23 or 24 Opening Day. (ESPN)
English football club Leeds United F.C. issue an apology after a cardboard cutout of former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was displayed in the stands at their Elland Road stadium. (The New Zealand Herald) (BBC)

June 23, 2020 (Tuesday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
- The Houthis launch ballistic missiles and drones against Saudi Arabia, including its capital Riyadh. Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki says that Saudi forces "managed to intercept and destroy" the missiles and drones. The military says that they destroyed "eight booby-trapped unmanned aircraft [used by the Houthis] to target civilian objects and civilians in the kingdom". (Al Jazeera)
Somali Civil War (2009–present)
- Two civilians are killed after a suicide bombing occurs at a Turkish military installation in Mogadishu, Turkey's largest overseas military base. Al-Shabaab claims responsibility. (The New York Times)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Oaxaca earthquake
- A major earthquake strikes southern Mexico, with its epicenter 15 miles (24.1km) northeast of Santa María Xadani, Oaxaca, resulting in the death of five people. It was measured at 7.4 magnitude and a tsunami warning was issued. (CNN)

International relations

North Korea–South Korea relations
- Amid increasing tensions and in spite of warnings from the South Korean government, hundreds of thousands of anti-Kim leaflets are floated across the border by a group of North Korean defectors. (Associated Press)

Law and crime

Killing of Rayshard Brooks
- Fulton County authorities charge a woman with arson in relation to an Atlanta Wendy's restaurant being burnt down the day after police killed Rayshard Brooks there after he fled when they tried to arrest him for DUI. The woman's lawyer said she was Brooks' girlfriend. (The New York Post), The New York Post 2)
A court in Kyrgyzstan sentences former President Almazbek Atambayev to 11 years in prison on corruption charges, which he denies. (Reuters)
A court in Turkey sentences a former mayor of a Kurdish city and opposition member to 16 years in prison for "being a member of a terrorist group, abusing power and inciting to violence and hatred". The head of a local human rights organization says "all the charges against her are fabricated". (Al Arabiya)
American porn star Ron Jeremy is charged with the rape of three women and sexual assault of another. (The Guardian)

Politics and elections

2020 Kiribati presidential election
- Incumbent Taneti Maamau is re-elected as President of Kiribati with 26,053 votes to 17,866 votes by Banuera Berina, in a blow for Taiwan and its efforts to regain recognition from the Pacific country. (RNZ)
2020 Malawian presidential election
- After the results of the last general election in Malawi were annulled by the country's Constitutional Court in February, new elections are held. (BBC)
2020 Singaporean general election
- President Halimah Yacob dissolves Parliament and polling day is set on 10 July. (CNA)
2020 Kentucky Democratic presidential primary, 2020 United States Senate election in Kentucky
- Voters in Kentucky head to the polls to nominate a Democrat to face Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell. Former Vice President Joe Biden also won the state primary. (CNN) (The Hill)

Sports

2020 NASCAR Cup Series
- George Floyd protests § Sports industry
  - NASCAR and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conclude their investigation of the noose found in the garage area of Bubba Wallace, the lone African-American driver in the series, at Talladega Superspeedway. The investigation concluded the "noose" was in fact the garage door pull, and had not been touched or moved since early last fall. (ABC News)

June 22, 2020 (Monday)

edithistorywatch

Business and economy

Coronavirus recession, Immigration to the United States
- U.S. President Donald Trump suspends the entry of some skilled and seasonal workers entering the United States, claiming it will open jobs to citizens. Business groups criticize this move as stifling economic recovery. (Reuters)

International relations

India–Nepal relations
- Nepalese authorities stop officials of the Water Resources Department of the Bihar government from carrying out infrastructural maintenance work in Indian territory along the India–Nepal border, claiming the area as part of its territory. The incident comes four days after the lower house of the Nepalese parliament approved a new map of the country that included Indian territory in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. (Times of India)
China–United States relations
- The U.S. State Department add four Chinese media organizations, including the public broadcasting service China Central Television, to its list of organizations participating in "foreign missions" due to their connections with the ruling Communist Party. They will be required to report all their employees and any real estate holdings to the American government. (Al Jazeera)
China announces its decision to join the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. (AFP via The Jakarta Post)
Thousands of Palestinians and dozens of foreign diplomats attend a rally in Jericho to oppose Israel's plan to unilaterally annex the Jordan Valley and the settlements in the occupied West Bank. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

A police officer of the New York City Police Department is suspended without pay after he is captured on camera using a chokehold against a 35-year-old man in Queens. The use of chokeholds by police was recently banned, both in New York City and the state of New York. (The Independent)

Politics and elections

2020 Kiribati presidential election
- Citizens in Kiribati head to the polls to elect their President. The main issue of the election is whether to maintain relations with China or Taiwan. Incumbent Taneti Maamau, who switched recognition from Taiwan to China last year, is facing candidate Banuera Berina who favors re-establishing relations with Taiwan. (RNZ)

Science and technology

Apple's transition to ARM processors
- Apple Inc. announces a transition of its personal computer products from using Intel processors to using ARM-based processors designed by Apple. Since 2006, the company has used Intel processors in its computer offerings. (The Verge)

Sports

2020 NASCAR Cup Series
- George Floyd protests § Sports industry
  - NASCAR launches an investigation after a noose was found in the garage area of Bubba Wallace, the lone African-American driver in the series, at Talladega Superspeedway, in Talladega, Alabama, vowing to "eliminate [those responsible] from the sport". Wallace had recently successfully pushed NASCAR to enforce a five-year-old ban on the Confederate flag being displayed at its race tracks and properties. A plane pulling a banner with a Confederate flag and the phrase "Defund NASCAR" flew over the race track on June 21. (CTV News) (BBC)
  - The United States Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation launch their own investigations in order to determine whether criminal charges can be brought. (USA Today)

June 21, 2020 (Sunday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

2020 Forbury Gardens stabbings
- The fatal mass stabbing yesterday at Forbury Gardens in Reading, United Kingdom, is declared by the police to have been a terrorist attack. (BBC)
Yemeni Civil War
- Forces of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) seize control of the island of Socotra. President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi condemns it as a "full-fledged" coup, while the governor of the island condemns the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia for "turning a blind eye". (Reuters)
Afghan peace process
- The Afghan government accuses the Taliban of kidnapping about 60 civilians in the last week in the province of Daykundi. The Taliban deny the accusation and blames the government for civilian casualties during the past week. At least 26 women and children have been freed and elder tribal leaders are mediating for the release of the rest of abductees. (Reuters)
Somali Civil War
- Two bombs explode in front of a military official's house in Wanlaweyn, killing four people. In another attack, in Galmudug, three men drove a car packed with bombs against a checkpoint after ignoring orders to stop, killing three soldiers. (Al Jazeera)
Second Libyan Civil War, Egypt–Libya relations
- The Government of National Accord's Presidential Council says Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's threats to take military action in Libya constitutes "a declaration of war" on the country. (The Libya Observer)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
- The state of emergency in Spain officially finishes after more than 100 days. (The Guardian)
COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
- Brazil's Ministry of Health reports 641 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the death toll in the country to over 50,000. (BBC)

Law and crime

List of mass shootings in the United States in 2020
- One person is killed while eleven others are injured during a mass shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The incident involved people shooting at one another. (The New York Times)

Politics and elections

2020 Serbian parliamentary election
- Parliamentary elections are held in Serbia roughly one month after the measures to fight the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted. (Reuters)

June 20, 2020 (Saturday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

2020 Forbury Gardens stabbings
- Three people are killed and three others injured in a mass stabbing at Forbury Gardens in Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom. A suspect was arrested by Thames Valley Police. (The Daily Telegraph)

Arts and culture

A statue of former Soviet Union leader Vladimir Lenin is officially unveiled in the German city of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is first ever statue of a Soviet figure in the former West Germany. Despite strong opposition from local officials, the state court in Münster has blocked attempts to remove it. (Euronews)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Arizona
    - The City of Phoenix and Maricopa County officials pass a mandate requiring all residents to wear masks in "places of public accommodation". The mandate makes exemptions for children under two years old and people with certain health conditions. (AZCentral)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Following a new spike in coronavirus infections, Victoria delays its easing of restrictions and imposes new limits on the size of gatherings. (News.com.au)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
  - India reports its highest toll of cases to date, recording 14,516 cases, reaching a total of 395,047 and 12,948 deaths. The government in the capital New Delhi orders hospitals to cancel any leave and have workers return to duty immediately. (Reuters)

International relations

North Korea–South Korea relations
- The North Korean state news agency KCNA reports that "enraged" North Koreans are preparing to launch propaganda leaflets across the Military Demarcation Line, in response to propaganda leaflets sent by North Korean defectors. (Reuters)

Law and crime

U.S. President Donald Trump fires the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman, whose office had been investigating the president's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. (Reuters)
A court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo sentences former president's chief of staff Vital Kamerhe to 20 years in prison for "diverting public funds worth 48.8M dollars". (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian presidential election
- Internet access is interrupted and hundreds are detained after mass protests break out in Belarus over the arrest of opposition candidate Viktar Babaryka, including reporters from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, 2020 AFL season
  - The 2020 AFL season is threatened with another postponement after an Essendon player tests positive for coronavirus, leading to all players in the club being quarantined. The Essendon v Melbourne match set for 21 June is subsequently cancelled. (News.com.au)

June 19, 2020 (Friday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Operations Claw-Eagle and Claw-Tiger
- Five Kurdish civilians near Dohuk in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq are killed by Turkish airstrikes. (AFP)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
  - Brazil's Ministry of Health reports 54,771 new cases and that there are now 1,032,913 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country, becoming the second country in the world, after the United States, to surpass one million cases. (BBC) (Bloomberg)

International relations

Nuclear program of Iran
- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passes a resolution, the first since 2012, calling on Iran to open two of its nuclear sites to international inspectors. Iran strongly opposes the IAEA resolution, which it says was "based on false allegations" from Israel. (Middle East Eye)
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) says "sorry is not enough" from British financial institutions that benefited from the Atlantic slave trade, and demands reparations from the United Kingdom. This comes after the Bank of England apologized for the "inexcusable connections" of some of its past governors and directors to slavery. (Reuters)

Law and crime

COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe
- Health Minister Obadiah Moyo is arrested and accused of corruption in government procurement of around $60 million worth of medical equipment. (Reuters)
Shooting of Breonna Taylor
- Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announces the immediate termination of LMPD Officer Brett Hankison over violating departmental policy on the use of force against Breonna Taylor. Hankison is one of three officers involved in the shooting, and prior to the incident had previously been investigated and disciplined for alleged misconduct. (The Courier-Journal)
Abortion in Tennessee, Heartbeat bill
- Lawmakers in the U.S. state of Tennessee pass the country's toughest anti-abortion laws, banning the procedure from the moment of fetal heartbeat at around six weeks of pregnancy. Governor Bill Lee hails the law while several organizations say they plan to go to the courts over the issue. (Reuters)
A police officer is killed and another seriously injured in a shooting in Massey, New Zealand. This is the first time a law enforcement officer in New Zealand has been killed in the line of duty since 2009. The shooter fled, injuring a civilian in the process, but he has since been arrested. (BBC)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian presidential election
- President Alexander Lukashenko announces the arrest of main opposition rival Viktar Babaryka for possible financial crimes. (Moscow Times)
2020 Hong Kong legislative election
- Activist Joshua Wong announces he is running for the legislature, setting up a new legal battle with authorities after he was barred from running in the previous election. (Reuters)
Tens of thousands of protesters descend on the Malian capital of Bamako, demanding President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta resign over his failure to solve the country's myriad of problems. (Reuters)

Science and technology

The world’s second-largest egg is discovered on Seymour Island, Antarctica. The egg, which is also the very first fossil egg from Antarctica and the largest soft-shelled egg ever discovered, may challenge the notion that mosasaurs and plesiosaurs were fully viviparous according to scientists. (CBC)

Sports

Numerous professional wrestlers and others in the professional wrestling industry, particularly in the United Kingdom, are accused of sexual abuse, sexual misconduct and other forms of physical and mental abuse on social media, using the hashtag #SpeakingOut. (Sports Illustrated)
- WWE releases a statement, indicating a "zero tolerance" policy on several types of abuse, and later in the day come to terms on the release of Gentleman Jack Gallagher after he is accused of sexual assault (Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online)
- All Elite Wrestling release a statement saying that Jimmy Havoc has entered a rehabilitation facility and will evaluate his status in the company after his treatment is completed, after he is accused of domestic abuse and rape, and of punching a fan. (Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online)
- The National Wrestling Alliance announces that Vice President Dave Lagana has resigned from the company after he is accused of sexual assault. (Pro Wrestling Sheet)