Portal:Current events/2020 October 15

October 15, 2020 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
- Azerbaijan says three people have been killed and three others injured after a funeral procession in Tartar District was shelled by Armenian forces, while the Armenian prosecutor-general's office says two soldiers were killed in a drone strike in Vardenis; the soldiers were not involved in military action. (Middle East Monitor)

Business and economy

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism, COVID-19 pandemic in Hawaii
- Hawaii is expected to reopen tourism to the public and lift the statewide mandatory quarantine for travellers who test negative. However, visitors will be required to wear masks and go through temperature screenings. (CNN) (TravelPulse.com)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - COVID-19 pandemic in England, COVID-19 tier regulations in England
      - Health Secretary Matt Hancock announces that London, Essex, York, and other areas will be put under tier 2 restrictions on October 17, which means that different households will be banned from mixing indoors, including inside homes, pubs, and restaurants, and people will also be told to avoid public transport and non-essential travel. (BBC News) (ABC Australia)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia
    - Croatia reports 793 new cases in the past 24 hours, a new record for the second day in a row. (Total Croatia News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Cyprus
    - Cyprus reports a record of 104 cases in the past 24 hours, surpassing 100 for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. (Cyprus-Mail)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
    - The Czech Republic reports a record 9,544 new cases in the last 24 hours, its highest single day tally since the pandemic began, according to data from the Health Ministry. (Arab News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports a record 30,621 new infections in a single day as the cumulative number of cases surpasses 800,000. (The Hill)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - The number of new cases in Germany surges by 6,638 in the last 24 hours, according to official data from the Robert Koch Institute, a new record not seen since the pandemic began, which previously reported 6,294 cases on March 28. (RFI)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - The Greek government places the northern regional unit of Kozani on lockdown, as the region is declared an "increased threat." The measure, applicable until October 29, implies the use of masks at all sites; the prohibition of meetings in public and private spaces; the ban to travel outside the region; and the closure of restaurants, gyms, museums, courts, and shops, and the suspension of festivals. (Ekathimerini)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Italy registers 8,804 new infections in the past 24 hours, according to the health ministry, a new record for the second consecutive day since the start of the outbreak in the country. (Daily Sabah)
    - Campania announces that it will shut down schools until the end of this month, in an effort to curb an increase of COVID-19 cases in the region. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
    - After new cases reaches a record 8,099 cases in a single day, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announces new restrictions in Warsaw and other major cities that considered a "red" zone from October 17. All secondary schools in those areas will be closed, restaurants will close at 9 p.m. local time, weddings will be banned and there will be stricter limits on the numbers of people allowed in shops and on public transport and at religious services. (Daily Sabah)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports 2,101 new daily cases, its highest daily increase yet, bringing the cumulative count to 93,294 confirmed cases. (DGS)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia
    - Slovenia reports an all-time high of 745 cases in the past day. Cumulative numbers pass 10,000 cases. (RTVSLO)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - Cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes, entertainment parks, educational institution and swimming pools outside containment zones reopened in several states across India as part of measures allowing more activities in the country. (Firstpost)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports a single day record of 5,810 new recoveries in the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide total of recoveries to 273,661. From that number, 2,223 new recoveries came from Central Java. (detikNews)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    - Malaysia reports 409 new recoveries in the last 24 hours. This is the highest number in a single day since the outbreak began, bringing the total number of recoveries to 12,014. according to Director-General of Health Noor Hisham Abdullah. (New Straits Times)

International relations

Netherlands–Russia relations
- The Dutch government urges Russia to return to negotiation tables after the country withdrew from talks on liability for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. (Reuters)

Law and crime

COVID-19 pandemic in France
- The French police have raided the homes of senior government and health officials such as Health Minister Olivier Véran and the director of the national health agency, Jérôme Salomon, as part of an investigation into their handling of the pandemic in the country. It comes after a court launched an inquiry earlier this year. Prime Minister Jean Castex is also under investigation, according to French media. (BBC News)
Hong Kong national security law
- Police raid the offices of prominent pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai ahead of his scheduled appearance in court where he has been charged with 'unlawful assembly'. Lai is the owner of the publishing company Next Digital and newspaper Apple Daily. (DW)
Capital punishment in Bangladesh
- A court in Bangladesh sentences five men to death for the gang rape of a girl in 2012. The verdict comes amidst public outcry regarding growing sexual violence. It was the first conviction since the government this week introduced the death penalty for rape. (Al Jazeera)
Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot
- Police announce the arrest of a fourteenth suspect in relation to a foiled kidnapping plot targeting Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. He has been charged at the state level with material support of an act of terrorism. (Detroit Free Press)
End SARS
- Over ten people are killed during a demonstration against the police force of Nigeria. (ABC News)
Mexican Drug War
- Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos, Mexico's minister of defence during the Peña Nieto administration, is arrested in the United States on drugs charges. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory, Conspiracy theories related to the Trump–Ukraine scandal
- Twitter locks President Donald Trump's presidential campaign Twitter account for sharing private information without that person's permission, relating to a controversial Hunter Biden video. His account has since been unlocked. (Fox News)
2020 United States presidential election
- C-SPAN indefinitely suspends its political editor Steve Scully after admitting he lied about his Twitter account being hacked earlier this month. Scully had been selected by the Commission on Presidential Debates to moderate the now cancelled second presidential debate of the election. On October 8, Scully tweeted "@Scaramucci should I respond to trump" after being publicly criticized by President Trump. (CNN)
2020 Kyrgyzstan protests
- President Sooronbay Jeenbekov resigns following ten days of unrest and protests in response to the parliamentary election. (Reuters)
2020 Thai protests
- The government issues an emergency decree following yesterday's generally peaceful protests and counter-protests, effective Thursday at 4:00 a.m. local time (Wednesday 21:00 UTC) that bans gatherings of five or more people and forbids the publication of news or online messages that "could harm national security." Two leaders of the anti-government protests, Anon Nampa and Panupong Jadnok, are arrested after the emergency decree became effective. (BBC News)
Immigrant investor programs
- President of the Parliament of Cyprus Demetris Syllouris resigns after being allegedly implicated in a case of sale of passports to investors with criminal records, who do not meet the necessary criteria to be able to move freely within the European Union. (Cyprus-Mail)

Science and technology

2020 in paleontology
- Researchers announce the fossil discoveries of Triassic drepanosaur Skybalonyx skapter at the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. (Los Angeles Times)
- A boy discovers a fossilized hadrosaur skeleton at the Horseshoe Canyon in Alberta, Canada, dating back 69 million years. (BBC News) (Global News)