Portal:Current events/April 2020

April 2020 was the fourth month of that leap year. The month, which began on a Wednesday, ended on a Thursday after 30 days.

Portal:Current events[edit]

This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from April 2020.

April 1, 2020 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Second Libyan Civil War
- Turkish military intervention in the Second Libyan Civil War
  - A Turkish Naval Forces warship launches missiles at LNA positions near the city of Ajaylat in western Libya. (Middle East Monitor)
  - GNA forces say they shot down a Wing Loong drone used by the LNA over Ajaylat as clashes continue. (Libya Observer)

Business and economy

Whiting Petroleum Corporation declares bankruptcy. Whiting was once the largest oil producer in the Bakken shale region. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- Hobby Lobby is expected to reopen in states with stay-at-home orders. (CBS News)

Disasters and accidents

COVID-19 pandemic in California
- Federal authorities charge 44-year-old Eduardo Moreno, a railroad engineer, with train-wrecking after he allegedly derailed a train near USNS Mercy to bring attention to the U.S. government's response to the pandemic. (NBC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
    - China reports 130 asymptomatic cases of COVID-19. This is its first time reporting asymptomatic cases. (Bloomberg)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
    - Israeli Health Minister Yaakov Litzman tests positive for COVID-19 and will go into quarantine, as total number of cases in Israel rises to 6,092. (The Jerusalem Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Yemen, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prisons
    - Yemen's internationally recognised government releases more than 470 prisoners from detention facilities in areas under its control amid growing concerns the virus could spread in Yemen's overcrowded jails. The United Nations Human Rights Council has called for the release of all political prisoners. (The National)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba
    - The government announces that all flights to and from the island nation are suspended, as of midnight on April 1. (WSVN)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Florida
      - Governor Ron DeSantis issues a stay-at-home order. (NBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Italy extends its lockdown to April 13. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 563 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, bringing the country's death toll to 2,352 and 29,474 cases. (BBC News)
    - Chief Minister Howard Quayle confirms the Isle of Man's first death from COVID-19, a patient with underlying health conditions at Noble’s Hospital. (BBC News)
    - Former Prime Minister of Somalia Nur Hassan Hussein dies from COVID-19 in London. (Voice of America)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports 509 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the country's death toll to 4,032 and 56,989 cases, with 6,017 of those patients reported in a serious condition requiring life support. (Reuters)

International relations

Russia–United States relations, COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- Russia is expected to send a plane with masks and medical supplies to the United States to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. (Politico)
United States–Venezuela relations
- United States President Donald Trump announces that United States Navy ships will be deployed to Venezuela on an anti-drug mission. (ABC News)

Law and crime

COVID-19 pandemic in the Dominican Republic
- 19,517 people are arrested in the Dominican Republic for breaking curfew. (Dominican Today)

Politics and elections

Politics of San Marino
- Grazia Zafferani and Alessandro Mancini are sworn in as Captains Regents of San Marino. (San Marino News)

April 2, 2020 (Thursday)

Business and economy

The United States Food and Drug Administration asks companies to stop selling all forms of the heartburn drug Ranitidine (Zantac). The agency says some medications contain a nitrosamine impurity called N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a probable human carcinogen. (The Independent)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 reaches more than one million worldwide. (Sky News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon
    - The Philippines ambassador to Lebanon, Bernardita Catalla, dies from COVID-19 in Beirut, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs. (The New Arab)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan
    - Taiwan donates 10 million masks to countries hardest hit by COVID-19. (ABC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji
    - Fiji announces a lockdown of the capital Suva, beginning tomorrow, as two more cases are confirmed. (RNZ)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spain records its deadliest day with 950 deaths, exceeding 10,000, as employment falls by 834,000 jobs in 15 days. (El Periódico) (La Vanguardia)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports 1,355 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, bringing the country's death toll to 5,387, the new figures include deaths in retirement homes for the first time. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 4,244 new cases and 569 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, bringing the United Kingdom's death toll to 2,921 and 33,718 confirmed cases. (The Guardian)
    - Scottish comedian and member of comedy double act Little and Large, Eddie Large, dies due to complications from COVID-19 at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. (BBC News)
    - The National Health Service announces that two more Nightingale field hospitals will be built at Harrogate Convention Centre in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, and the University of the West of England in Bristol. (BBC News)
- 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)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador
    - The Mayor of Guayaquil, Cynthia Viteri, herself infected with COVID-19, condemns the federal government's response to the pandemic as the virus rapidly spreads inside the city. A joint military and police task force has collected at least 150 bodies off the streets. The government's spokesman Jorge Wated apologizes in a message broadcast on state television. (France 24) (CBS News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Guam
    - United States Navy Captain Brett Crozier is dismissed as the commander of the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier after he publicly raised concerns about a COVID-19 outbreak on the ship. U.S. Navy Secretary Thomas Modly says the commander "exercised extremely poor judgement". At least 100 people aboard the vessel have been reportedly infected. (BBC News)

Law and crime

American rapper 6ix9ine is released early from prison due to coronavirus concerns. (Complex)
A court in Pakistan overturns the convictions of four men for the murder of Daniel Pearl. The men have been jailed for 18 years. (CNN)

Politics and elections

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics
- 2020 Democratic National Convention
  - The Democratic National Convention is postponed from July 13 to August 17 due to COVID-19 concerns. (Vox)
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- United States President Donald Trump invokes the Defense Production Act to clear up supply-chain issues encountered in the manufacturing of ventilator machines. (CNN)

April 3, 2020 (Friday)

Arts and culture

Prague removes the controversial monument of Soviet General Ivan Konev, prompting anger from the Russian Embassy and Czech President Milos Zeman. Prague 6's local assembly voted to remove the Soviet-era monument in 2019. (RFERL)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - Ford Motor Company extends the suspension of vehicle and engine production at most of its manufacturing sites in Europe to May 4 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Dominican Republic
  - The World Bank releases US$150 million to support the Dominican Republic's efforts to contain COVID-19. (Dominican Today)

Disasters and accidents

Cyclone Harold
- Twenty-seven people died in Solomon Islands after their boat capsized during the Cyclone Harold. (BBC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Philippines records its single largest daily increase in casualties with 29 deaths, bringing the total deaths in the country to 136. (CNA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Dominican Republic
    - The Governor of the Duarte Province, Luis Núñez, tests positive for COVID-19 just after his wife dies from the virus. (Dominican Today)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 684 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, bringing the country's death toll to 3,605 and 38,168 confirmed cases. (Sky News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prisons
    - Police surround the Champ-Dollon prison in Geneva, Switzerland, after dozens of prisoners refuse to return to their cells because of new coronavirus measures. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spain's Ministry of Health reports 7,500 new cases and 932 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the country's death toll to 10,935 and 117,710 confirmed cases. (The Independent)
    - The country overtakes Italy in the number of positives and becomes the second country in the world with more coronavirus cases. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Falkland Islands
    - The United Kingdom's Falkland Islands reports their first confirmed case of COVID-19. The patient is reported to be in stable condition at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in Stanley. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Suriname
    - Suriname reports the country's first death from COVID-19 as confirmed cases rise to 10. (TASS)

Law and crime

Pakistan-United States relations
- Following criticism by the US government, the government of Sindh prevents the release of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and three other men. Yesterday, the Sindh High Court overturned their convictions for the murder of Daniel Pearl. The Pakistani Foreign Minister says the "[release] order shall be challenged at a higher forum". (Outlook India)

April 4, 2020 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- Afghan intelligence agency National Directorate of Security announces that security forces have arrested 20 ISIL–KP fighters, including leader Aslam Farooqi. (Al Jazeera)
2020 Romans-sur-Isère knife attack
- Two people are killed and five others are injured in a mass stabbing in Romans-sur-Isère, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France. A man from Sudan was arrested at the scene. The attack is treated and investigated as a terrorist incident. (BBC News)
Mexican Drug War
- A shootout between rival cartel gangs in Chihuahua, Mexico, kills at least 19 people. (Global News)
Second Libyan Civil War
- Turkish military intervention in the Second Libyan Civil War
  - Turkish-backed GNA forces say they have shot down three Sukhoi Su-22 jets belonging to forces loyal to Field marshal Khalifa Haftar. (Middle East Monitor)
Withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq
- The United States-led CJTF–OIR hands over Al-Taqaddum Air Base to Iraqi security forces. It is the fourth military base to be returned to Iraq in recent weeks. (Military Times)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia
    - Georgia reports its first death from COVID-19; that of a 79-year-old woman who had other illnesses and underlying health conditions. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 708 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, bringing the UK's death toll to 4,313 and 41,903 confirmed cases. (Sky News)
    - A 5-year-old boy dies from COVID-19, becoming Europe's youngest victim of the virus to date. He had underlying health conditions. (Metro)
    - Misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic
      - At the British government's daily press briefing on the coronavirus pandemic, Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove condemns conspiracy theories being spread on social media about 5G spreading COVID-19. Several 5G telecommunications masts have been set on fire in recent days in Birmingham and Merseyside. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports 1,053 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the country's death toll to 7,560 and 89,953 cases. The new figures include previously unreported deaths in retirement homes. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait
    - Kuwait reports its first death from COVID-19 as cases reach 479. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prisons
    - Turkey deploys the Gendarmerie General Command to the eastern city of Batman after a riot erupts inside the city's Type-M prison. The riot comes after the Turkish parliament approved the release of 100,000 inmates due to COVID-19, but excluded journalists and political prisoners, many of whom are Kurds. (Ahval News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
  - The President of New Caledonia Thierry Santa self-quarantines after a member of his crisis management team tested positive for COVID-19. (RNZ)

Politics and elections

2020 Labour Party leadership election
- Sir Keir Starmer wins the 2020 Labour Party leadership election in the United Kingdom and becomes Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition. (The Guardian)
2019–20 Chilean protests
- Chilean president Sebastián Piñera takes pictures in an empty Plaza Baquedano, symbol of mass protests calling for his resignation. The image provokes outrage after the protests were halted due to the coronavirus pandemic and a quarantine was declared. (The New York Times)

April 5, 2020 (Sunday)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Sudan
    - South Sudan Vice President Riek Machar confirms the country's first case of COVID-19. The patient is a 29-year-old woman who had arrived from Ethiopia in February and is now in isolation. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt
    - Former Libyan Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril dies in Egypt from COVID-19 at the age of 67. (Bloomberg)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia
    - The government confirms its first death from COVID-19. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco
    - King Mohammed VI pardons 5,654 prisoners and orders new measures to protect inmates from COVID-19. The prisoners were selected on the basis of their age, frail health, time spent in prison and good conduct. (Middle East Monitor)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic on USS Theodore Roosevelt
      - United States Navy Captain Brett Crozier, recently relieved of his command of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt after his letter pleading for aid for the coronavirus outbreak aboard his ship was leaked to the press, tests positive for COVID-19. (The New York Times)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state)
      - New York reports 8,327 new confirmed cases and 594 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the state's death toll to 4,159 and 122,000 cases, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Haiti
    - Haiti reports the country's first death from COVID-19, a 55-year-old man with underlying health conditions. (France 24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - Prime Minister Boris Johnson is admitted to hospital 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19. (BBC News)
    - Queen Elizabeth II gives an address to the nation, just the fifth such event in the monarch's 68-year reign, where she compares social isolation to the world war evacuations, thanks the public for their resilience and the world for unifying. (BBC News)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
      - Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood resigns after breaking her own rules on COVID-19 restrictions by visiting her second home in Elie and Earlsferry. She had been warned by police about her conduct. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Five people are killed in a mass shooting in Yelatma, Ryazan Oblast, Russia. The suspect has been arrested and said he shot dead four men and one woman for "talking too loudly". (BBC News)

Politics and elections

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)

Science and technology

Misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- YouTube says it will remove videos promoting a conspiracy theory linking 5G to COVID-19, while "borderline content" will be removed from search results. The decision comes after four more mobile phone masts are set on fire, and broadband engineers have received threats, in several UK cities. (The Guardian)

April 6, 2020 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Mali War
- Gunmen on motorbikes attack a military base in Bamba, Gao, Mali, killing at least 25 soldiers. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. (Xinhuanet) (Al Jazeera)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
- British department store retailer Debenhams files for administration due to "unprecedented" circumstances caused by the United Kingdom's coronavirus lockdown. (BBC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - Prime Minister Boris Johnson is admitted to intensive care at St Thomas' Hospital in London as his COVID-19 symptoms worsen. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, as First Secretary of State, will assume Johnson's duties while he remains in the ICU. (ITV)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports 833 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest number of deaths recorded in a single day, bringing the country's death toll to 8,911 and the number of cases to 98,010. Health Minister Olivier Véran says, "We have not reached the end of the ascent of this epidemic." (BBC News)
    - President Emmanuel Macron eases some lockdown restrictions for people on the autism spectrum following the requests of disability groups. (Metro)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Barbados
    - Barbados reports its first death from COVID-19, an 81-year-old man with diabetes who recently travelled to the United Kingdom. (Voice Online)

Law and crime

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Ivory Coast
- Police and protesters clash in Ivory Coast, after the latter dismantled a half-built COVID-19 testing center over fears that people using the facility would spread the virus through their district. (Reuters)
Right-wing terrorism in Russia, Russia–United States relations
- In an unprecedented move, the Trump administration designates a white supremacist group, based in Russia, as a terrorist organization, and imposes individual sanctions on its leaders. The organization, Russian Imperial Movement, is believed to have trained the perpetrators of a series of terrorist attacks in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2016. (Associated Press)

Politics and elections

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics
- 2020 Wisconsin Democratic primary, 2020 Wisconsin Republican primary, COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin
  - The Wisconsin Supreme Court overturns Governor Tony Evers's order to postpone tomorrow's primary elections. Furthermore, the Supreme Court of the United States rules 5–4 in favor of the Republican National Committee to overturn a lower court decision extending absentee ballot eligibility in the Wisconsin primary election to those ballots postmarked by April 13, ruling that ballots postmarked after April 7 will be invalidated. (Politico) (CNBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Poland, 2020 Polish presidential election
  - Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Gowin tenders resignation over disagreement with the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party as to the upcoming presidential election. He stated at a press conference that the election scheduled for May 10, should be postponed, while the government pushes for the election amid the coronavirus pandemic. Gowin also resigns as Minister of Science and Higher Education. (Radio Poland)
  - Polish MPs, with 230–226 votes and two abstained, pass a bill under which the presidential election in May will be held by postal vote only. The bill now goes to the upper house, the Senate, for debate. (Radio Poland)

April 7, 2020 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan; Afghan peace process
- A Taliban spokesman says that the group has recalled its negotiators with the government in response to the latter's refusal to release Taliban prisoners. The Taliban also announces it could increase violence against government forces. In response, the government asks the Taliban not to "sabotage the process". (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

A major blackout is reported in western and southern Libya, according to the General Electricity Company of Libya, which says its control teams are trying to figure out the reason behind the power outage. (Libya Observer)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declares a state of emergency to combat COVID-19. (Associated Press)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - 2020 Luzon enhanced community quarantine
      - President Rodrigo Duterte extends the lockdown and home quarantine measures on Luzon until April 30. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prisons
    - A riot breaks out at Qubbah prison in Tripoli, Lebanon, with reports of a "number of injuries". In a separate incident, Lebanese security forces thwart a mass escape attempt at a prison in Beqaa Governorate, which relatives of inmates say is linked to fears of COVID-19. (Al Jazeera)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 854 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, bringing the UK's death toll to 6,159 and 55,242 confirmed cases. (The Guardian)
  - Officials in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh report its first confirmed case of COVID-19, a patient who had recently returned from Armenia. (National Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports 1,417 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, raising the country's death toll to 10,238. (Sky News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in New York
      - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reports 731 more deaths in the state from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the state to date, bringing the state's death toll to 5,489 and 138,836 infections. (BBC News)

Law and crime

Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in Australia
- George Pell wins his appeal in the High Court of Australia against child sexual abuse convictions. (CNN)
Corruption in Ecuador
- Former President of Ecuador Rafael Correa is found guilty on corruption charges and sentenced to eight years in prison. Correa is also banned from participating in politics until 2045. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2020 Republican Party presidential primaries
- 2020 Wisconsin Democratic primary, 2020 Wisconsin Republican primary
  - Voters in Wisconsin go to the polls in their primary elections. (CNN)
COVID-19 pandemic on USS Theodore Roosevelt
- Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly resigns amid controversy surrounding his comments regarding Captain Brett Crozier, former commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. Modly had referred to Crozier, whom he relieved of command on 3 April, as "too naïve or too stupid" to be in command following the leak of a letter the captain had sent pleading for help with the COVID-19 outbreak on his ship. (CNN)
Former CNN contributor and press secretary for Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign Kayleigh McEnany is appointed as the new White House Press Secretary. (New York Times)

Science and technology

Astronomers report, via The Astronomer's Telegram, that comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS) appears to have disintegrated. (The Independent)
Donald Trump signs an executive order encouraging Americans to resist international restrictions on mining celestial objects, should the situation arise. (The Guardian)

April 8, 2020 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni Civil War, Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
- The Saudi Arabian-led coalition declares a unilateral ceasefire in its military action against Houthi forces in Yemen. The ceasefire, which supports UN efforts to end the five-year-old war, will be effective Thursday. (BBC News)
Syrian civil war, Use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Civil War
- The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons finds there are "reasonable grounds to believe" that the Syrian Air Force was responsible for three chemical weapon attacks in March 2017 that affected 106 people in the opposition-held village of Al-Lataminah. (BBC News)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Following a collapse in print sales amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, The Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News newspapers enter voluntary liquidation and are to close. (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

Cyclone Harold
- Cyclone Harold hits Fiji. (UPI)
Caprigliola bridge collapse
- A bridge between the towns of Caprigliola and Albiano Magra in Tuscany, Italy, collapses. It results in only minor injuries of two truck drivers. (BBC News) (The Guardian) (The New York Times)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
    - China ends the lockdown in Wuhan, as controls on outbound travel in Wuhan are officially lifted just after Tuesday midnight. (The New York Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia
    - Prince and governor of Riyadh Region Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud is admitted to an intensive care unit after testing positive for COVID-19. It's reported that at least 150 members of the royal family have been infected. (Al Jazeera)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 936 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, bringing the UK's death toll to 7,095. (Metro)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malta
    - Malta reports its first death from COVID-19, a 92-year-old woman with underlying health problems, as total cases rise to 299. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Somalia
    - Somalia reports its first death from COVID-19 as the cases reach 12. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan
      - Michigan becomes the third state to surpass 20,000 cases of COVID-19, after New York and New Jersey. As of this date, Michigan has 20,346 confirmed cases with 959 deaths. (MLive.com)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in New York
      - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reports 779 more deaths from COVID-19 in the state, the highest daily death toll in the state to date, bringing its death toll to 6,268, with 149,316 total cases. (NHK)

Law and crime

The Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq, pardons 599 prisoners, including 336 foreigners. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
- Senator Bernie Sanders suspends his presidential campaign, leaving former Vice President Joe Biden as the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party for President in the general election. (BBC News)

April 9, 2020 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- Five rockets hit Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, with no casualties reported. The Taliban denies responsibility and ISIL claims responsibility. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 Russia–Saudi Arabia oil price war
- OPEC+ holds an emergency meeting to try to agree on output cuts due to decreased demand for oil due to the coronavirus pandemic. Russia says it has "no plans to discuss oil markets with the leadership of Saudi Arabia or the U.S. on Thursday". (CNBC)

Disasters and accidents

2019–20 South Pacific cyclone season
- Cyclone Harold
  - Cyclone Harold hits Tonga. (The Washington Post)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - The Robert Koch Institute reports 4,974 new confirmed cases and 246 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing Germany's death toll to 2,107 and 108,202 cases. This marks the largest daily increase of deaths for Germany. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 881 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the UK's death toll to 7,978 with 65,077 total confirmed cases. (Metro)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spanish Congress of Deputies approves an extension of the State of Alarm to 26 April. With more than 140.000 reported cases, the country becomes the second in the world with number of cases, overtaking Italy. (EFE)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan
      - Michigan's death toll from COVID-19 surpasses 1,000. The state has 1,076 deaths and 21,504 cases as of this date. Governor Gretchen Whitmer also extends the state's stay-at-home order, which was set to expire on April 13, until April 30, and adds several new social distancing restrictions. (MLive.com) (MLive.com 2)

International relations

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics
- Taiwan strongly rejects accusations from the World Health Organization's Director-General Tedros Adhanom that it "condoned racist attacks" on him, and demands an apology. He has accused Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs of "waging a months-long campaign against him, including death threats and racist abuse." (ABC News) (Reuters)

Law and crime

Prisoners riot in Russia's high-security Penal Colony No 15 in the Siberian city of Angarsk over complaints of mistreatment by the guards. Fire on the grounds spread to three buildings including a woodwork factory. (Reuters) (BBC News)

April 10, 2020 (Friday)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- EU finance ministers agree on a €540 billion loan package to alleviate the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. (The New York Times)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- The first United Nations Security Council meeting on the pandemic is held in a closed video-conference session. (AIR)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Yemen
    - Yemen reports its first confirmed case of COVID-19, a patient in the Hadhramaut Governorate. (Gulf News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
    - Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education reports 1,972 new confirmed cases and 122 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the country's death toll to 4,232 and 68,192 total cases, while 3,969 people remain in critical condition with the virus. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - The Robert Koch Institute reports 5,323 new confirmed cases and 266 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing Germany's death toll to 2,373 with 113,525 total cases. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 980 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, bringing the UK's death toll to 8,958. (The Guardian)
    - NHS England announces two more temporary NHS Nightingale Hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients in Washington, and Exeter. (NHS England)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium
    - Belgium reports 1,684 new confirmed cases and 494 more deaths from COVID-19, its highest daily death toll to date, bringing the country's death toll to 3,019 and 26,667 total cases. (Anadolu Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - The Republic of Ireland's Taoiseach Leo Varadkar extends stay-at-home coronavirus restrictions until May 5. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - Johns Hopkins University records 2,108 more deaths from COVID-19 in the United States, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, bringing the U.S. death toll to 18,693 and 500,399 confirmed cases. The U.S. becomes the first country to report over 2,000 COVID-19 deaths in a single day. (BBC News)
  - Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education
    - Students of Outside Creek Elementary School in California attend classes despite Governor Gavin Newsom's order to close all schools in the state. (Boston)
Kivu Ebola epidemic
- In a major setback for efforts to declare the end of the outbreak on Sunday, the Democratic Republic of the Congo reports the first case of Ebola since February. The outbreak has killed more than 2,200 people since August 2018. (Reuters)

Law and crime

A prison riot breaks out at a high-security prison in Angarsk, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, allegedly in response to an officer beating an inmate. Large sections of the prison are set on fire, and casualties are reported. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

2020 Kiribati parliamentary election
- Kiribati postpones its parliamentary elections for a week. (RNZ)

Science and technology

The European Space Agency/JAXA space probe BepiColombo makes its final gravity assist around Earth, and is now on course for Venus, where it will make several gravity assist manoeuvres before finally arriving at Mercury in 2025. (BBC News)

April 11, 2020 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Second Libyan Civil War
- The United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Libya condemns the cut-off of water supply to the capital Tripoli, after an armed group seized a Great Man-Made River control station. The armed group is reportedly using the water cut-off, affecting two million people, to secure the release of detained family members. (Al Jazeera)
Boko Haram insurgency
- Chad reportedly ends its military participation with the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) countering Boko Haram, saying Chadian ground forces will no longer operate outside its borders. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

Paul McCartney's handwritten copy of The Beatles' "Hey Jude" is sold in a virtual auction for US$910,000, almost six times its estimated value. (CNN)

Disasters and accidents

Anak Krakatoa, part of the Krakatoa complex in Indonesia's Sunda Strait, erupts. (Channel 9)
2020 Chernobyl Exclusion Zone wildfires
- A village near the mostly abandoned town of Poliske is evacuated, as forest fires continue to spread inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine. (Euronews)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in South America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
    - Brazil becomes the first country in the Southern Hemisphere to surpass 1,000 deaths from COVID-19, as the death toll rises to 1,068 and 19,789 total cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. (BBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 917 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the UK's death toll to 9,875. Victims in the latest figures were aged between 11 and 102, while 33 people had no known underlying health conditions. (Sky News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - With 20,071 deaths, the United States' death toll from COVID-19 passes that of Italy and becomes the country with the highest number of known COVID-19 deaths in the world. (CNBC)

International relations

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Sudan's Health Minister Akram Ali Altom says that his country urgently needs US$120 million to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. While the country has registered relatively few cases and two deaths, Altom says that if it spreads, the country is not prepared to face it. (Reuters)

April 12, 2020 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan; Afghan peace process
- A Taliban spokesman announces the release of 20 government prisoners in response to the latter's release of 300 Taliban prisoners since Wednesday. (Reuters)
Yemeni Civil War
- Yemeni troops recapture a strategic military base on the island of Socotra from the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC). STC forces, which seized control of the base on February 18, fled before the operation began. (Middle East Monitor)
Kashmir conflict
- An exchange of artillery fire between India and Pakistan across the Line of Control (LoC), kills three civilians, including a child, in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, according to Kashmir Police Chief K. Vijay Kumar. Pakistan Army general Babar Iftikhar says two Pakistani civilians are injured. (U.S. News & World Report)

Arts and culture

Today Pope Francis livestreames the Urbi et Orbi blessing for the second time in just a month. Usually given on Christmas and Easter, this year the pope also gave the blessing on March 27, during a special prayer service for the end of the coronavirus. (CRUX)

Business and economy

2020 Russia–Saudi Arabia oil price war
- OPEC and allies strike a deal to cut oil production by 9.7 million barrels per day, the largest such cut agreed upon, starting May 1. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Easter tornado outbreak
- A tornado outbreak occurs in the Southeastern United States. Mississippi declares a tornado emergency. (Weather)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Philippines reports 220 new confirmed cases and 50 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, bringing the country's death toll to 297 with 4,648 total cases. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
    - Former Chief Rabbi of Israel Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron dies from COVID-19 at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. (U.S. News & World Report)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Saba
    - The first confirmed case of COVID-19 is reported on the Dutch Caribbean island of Saba. (Mas Noticia)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - The death toll from coronavirus in Italy has reached 19,889 people. Italy has the second highest number of deaths in the world, after the United States. (Corriere della Sera)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - Prime Minister Boris Johnson is released from hospital after days in intensive care. (Orlando Sentinel)
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 737 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the UK's death toll to 10,612. The UK becomes the fourth country in Europe, after Italy, Spain and France, to surpass 10,000 deaths from COVID-19. (The Independent)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Somalia
    - Justice Minister of Hirshabelle State, Khalif Mumin Tohow, becomes the second person to die from COVID-19 in Somalia. The state minister recently travelled back from the United Kingdom. (Middle East Monitor)

Law and crime

Former Bangladesh Army officer Abdul Majed is executed for his involvement in the 1975 assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's first president. (BBC News)

April 13, 2020 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Second Libyan Civil War
- 2019–20 Western Libya offensive
  - GNA forces recapture the city of Sabratha, and the nearby town of Sorman in the Zawiya District, while seizing armored vehicles and weapons belonging to the Libyan National Army. (Anadolu Agency)
  - The Libyan National Army confirms one of its Mi-35 helicopters has been shot down near Misrata, killing three crew members onboard. (Al Masdar News)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- The Walt Disney Company reports it is entering a US$5 billion unsecured credit agreement, possibly to make up for shortfalls in its theme park division. Citibank, N.A. is the main broker of the deal. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Easter tornado outbreak
- The tornado outbreak continues from Easter Sunday across the Southeastern United States. At least 30 people are confirmed dead. (USA Today)
Fiji declares a 30-day state of natural disaster in areas affected by Cyclone Harold. (RNZ)
2020 Chernobyl Exclusion Zone wildfires
- Wildfires in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine, reach the abandoned city of Pripyat, 2 km (1.2 mi) away from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. (The Guardian)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 4,342 new confirmed cases and 717 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the UK's death toll to 11,329 and 88,621 total cases. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Guam
    - COVID-19 pandemic on USS Theodore Roosevelt
      - The United States Navy confirms the first death of a sailor serving aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. Over 500 sailors on the ship have tested positive for the virus. (BBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Wyoming
    - Wyoming's Governor Mark Gordon reports the state's first death from COVID-19 in Johnson County, meaning all 50 U.S. states have now recorded a fatality from the virus. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign
- Less than a week after dropping out of the race, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders officially endorses former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive nominee in the general election. (The New York Times)
Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign
- U.S. President Donald Trump's re-election campaign files a defamation lawsuit against Wisconsin TV station WJFW-TV for airing an advertisement by Priorities USA Action which criticizes Trump's response to COVID-19. (International Business Times)

April 14, 2020 (Tuesday)

Business and economy

The U.S. Department of Justice returns US$300 million recovered from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal to Malaysia. The repatriation was due for February, but was delayed due to technical issues and Malaysia's ongoing political crisis. (Reuters)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism
- Airbnb secures a US$1 billion loan to stay afloat as the pandemic causes worldwide demand for its services to drop. This follows a separate bond deal, also worth US$1 billion, it negotiated last week for similar reasons. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Chernobyl Exclusion Zone wildfires
- Officials of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine announce the successful extinguishment of all open fires in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. (Deutsche Welle)
- The ghost city of Pripyat was left unscathed by the fire while several abandoned villages burnt to the ground. (Forbes)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India, 2020 coronavirus lockdown in India
    - Prime Minister Narendra Modi extends India's nationwide lockdown until May 3. (Al Jazeera)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Philippine Department of Health initiates a nationwide "mass" testing program, but prioritizes the critically ill and vulnerable. (Arab News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - The death toll from COVID-19 in the United States rises by 2,228 in a single day, the highest number of COVID-19 linked deaths reported in any country in a single day, as total cases rise to over 600,000. (Reuters)

International relations

United States and the United Nations, World Health Organization's response to the 2019-20 coronavirus pandemic
- U.S. President Donald Trump announces the United States is suspending funding of the World Health Organization (WHO) pending an investigation of its handling of the coronavirus pandemic and its relationship with China. (CNN)
China–Kazakhstan relations
- The Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs summons the Chinese ambassador after an article claiming that Kazakhs are "eager to return to China" and "do not have too many complaints" about China's historical invasions of Kazakhstan is published on the private Chinese website Sohu. (Reuters)

Law and crime

COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
- COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
  - Turkey will free one-third of its prisoners to curb the spread of COVID-19. At least 45,000 prisoners will be freed until the end of May, with the exception of those accused of terrorist offenses, as well as journalists and politicians accused of plotting the 2016 coup attempt. (Al Jazeera)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on religion
  - Jordan bans public worship at mosques during Ramadan, and will not allow evening prayers, as a precaution to fight the virus. (Reuters)
A 30-year-old man is arrested and charged with making terroristic threats after he allegedly threatened to kill his father and his ex-girlfriends, as well as blow up the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park. Explosive devices are discovered in his Upper West Side apartment. (The New York Post) (Yahoo! News)

Politics and elections

China appoints Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps general secretary Sun Jinlong as the new Communist Party Secretary of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. (Reuters)
Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign
- Former U.S. President Barack Obama officially endorses his former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive nominee in the Democratic Party primaries. (The New York Times)
2020 Kiribati parliamentary election
- Citizens of Kiribati cast their votes in the first round of the country's latest parliamentary election. (Radio New Zealand)

April 15, 2020 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Mali War, COVID-19 pandemic in Mali
- Spain evacuates its troops from Mali after several soldiers become infected with COVID-19. The troops were part of the European Union's EUTM Mali training mission. (The Olive Press)
Terrorism in the United States
- A 36-year-old man is arrested for attempting to firebomb a Jewish assisted living facility in Longmeadow, Massachusetts on April 3. His arrest is part of a larger investigation into a white supremacist group suspected of plotting mass killings online. He is charged with two counts of attempted arson, but is released the next day. (HuffPost) (WWLP)
According to the United States Navy, a Russian SU-35 fighter jet intercepts a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon, anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare aircraft, flying over the Mediterranean Sea. (Business Insider)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Easter tornado outbreak
- The death toll in a tornado outbreak that devastated the Southeastern United States on April 12–13 rises to 35. (WHSV-TV)
Fourteen people are injured in a chain-reaction accident involving up to 60 vehicles, during the morning rush hour on Chicago's Kennedy Expressway, as unseasonable, wintry weather strikes the city. None of the injuries is considered life-threatening. At least 32 others are treated at the scene. (NBC News) (Accuweather)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - The death toll from COVID-19 in the United States rises by 2,371 in a single day to 30,800, the highest number of COVID-19 linked deaths reported in any country in a single day, as total cases rise to 635,000. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in France
  - France reports 1,438 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, bringing the country's death toll to 17,167 with 133,470 total cases. The latest figures include deaths from COVID-19 in care homes over the three-day Easter weekend. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic on naval ships
    - The French Ministry of Armed Forces reports 668 sailors, more than a third of the crew of its flagship aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, have tested positive for COVID-19. (France 24)

International relations

U.S. officials say China may have conducted low-yield nuclear weapon tests in its Lop Nur test site in violation of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. (Reuters)
According to United States Space Command, Russia conducts a direct-ascent anti-satellite missile test. (CNBC) (Air Force Magazine)

Politics and elections

2020 South Korean legislative election
- Elections for the 21st National Assembly of South Korea are held amidst the coronavirus pandemic. (BBC News)
- Turnout is at 66.2 percent, the highest in a legislative election since 1992. (United Press International)
- The ruling Democratic Party and its affiliate Together Citizens' Party are projected to win 180 seats, a record high for any political parties in South Korean history. (Yonhap News Agency)
- The leader of the main opposition United Future Party, Hwang Kyo-ahn resigns from his post after his party's defeat. (The Korea Times)
- Thae Yong-ho becomes the first ever North Korean defector to be elected to a constituency seat, representing Seoul's Gangnam District in the National Assembly. (The Korea Times)

Sports

The 2020 Tour de France is delayed until August due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (CNN)

April 16, 2020 (Thursday)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- The number of confirmed coronavirus cases passes two million worldwide. (Foreign Policy)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Eswatini
    - Eswatini reports the country's first death from COVID-19, as total cases rise to 17. (National Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria
    - At least 18 people in Nigeria have been killed by police during the enforcement of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. (De Telegraaf)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The government extends the country's lockdown for at least another three weeks. (BBC News)
    - The COVID-19 critical care NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham is opened inside the National Exhibition Centre in Solihull, England. It can treat up to 4,000 COVID-19 patients. (BBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - The Robert Koch Institute reports 2,866 new confirmed cases and 315 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, bringing Germany's death toll to 3,569 and 130,450 total cases. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Police discover the bodies of 17 people inside a morgue built for four at a nursing home in New Jersey, United States, following an anonymous tip-off. (BBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in India
- Tablighi Jamaat leader Muhammad Saad Kandhlawi is charged with manslaughter after a gathering the organization held in Delhi on March 3 was linked to 1,023 coronavirus cases across 17 Indian states. Police say he ignored two notices to end the religious event at a mosque in Delhi, though he denies any wrongdoing. (BBC News)
Saudi Arabia executes a 33-year-old Yemeni man convicted for an attack on a Spanish dance troupe last year, which resulted in two dancers injured. The attack was claimed by the affiliate of al-Qaeda in the region. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics
- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro fires Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta amid disagreements over the federal government's response to the coronavirus pandemic. He is replaced by Nelson Teich. (CNN)

April 17, 2020 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

The United Nations human rights office says that Myanmar has been carrying out daily airstrikes in Rakhine and Chin states and that at least 32 civilians (mostly women and children) have been killed since March 23. The Arakan Army unilaterally declared a month-long ceasefire to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, but the military rejected the ceasefire saying a previous ceasefire had not been respected by the insurgents. (Reuters)
Moro conflict
- Abu Sayyaf militants ambush and kill 11 Philippine Army troops and wound 14 others in the southern Sulu Province, according to general officer Cirilito Sobejana. (The Straits Times)

Business and economy

The China Securities Regulatory Commission has approved a transaction in which Switzerland's Credit Suisse will take a majority interest in a China securities firm. Credit Suisse will thus be the first foreign bank to own a majority of such a company since the easing of rules about foreign ownership in 2018. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - Former England international and Leeds United F.C. footballer Norman Hunter dies from COVID-19. (BBC News)
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 5,599 new confirmed cases and 847 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the UK's death toll to 14,576 and 108,692 total cases. (RTÉ)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Syria
    - The Kurdish-controlled area of Syria confirms the first death from COVID-19 in Qamishli; that of a 53-year-old man who tested positive postmortem. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
    - China revises the coronavirus death toll upward in Wuhan, where the virus originated, adding 1,290 more fatalities to bring the country's reported deaths from COVID-19 to 4,632. (BBC News) (CNBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
    - Dubai extends their 24-hour curfew by one week. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria
    - Nigerian Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari dies from COVID-19 in Lagos. Kyari is the highest profile person to die from the virus in Nigeria so far. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reports 493 total cases and 17 deaths from COVID-19. (Reuters)

International relations

Norway–Russia relations
- The Russian Foreign Ministry files a complaint to its Norwegian counterpart over a Russian fishing trawler's detainment by the Norwegian Coast Guard near Svalbard earlier this month. (Reuters)

April 18, 2020 (Saturday)

Arts and culture

COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
- Iran parades disinfection vehicles, mobile hospitals, and other medical equipment to mark Army Day as their death toll rose to 4,598. (Reuters)

Business and economy

COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Hundreds of garment workers march in Chittagong, Bangladesh, demanding factory owners pay them last month's wages following delays. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan
  - Taiwan quarantines 700 Navy sailors after three cases of COVID-19 were confirmed on board a vessel that recently returned from the island nation of Palau. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 5,526 new confirmed cases and 888 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the United Kingdom's death toll to 15,464 and 114,217 total cases. (RTÉ)

International relations

COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan–United Arab Emirates relations
- Pakistan begins repatriating some of its citizens from the United Arab Emirates, after the UAE threatened to review its labor ties with countries that refuse to take their nationals back during the pandemic. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Forty-four suspected Boko Haram members are found dead, apparently due to poisoning, inside a prison in N'Djamena, Chad. (The Guardian)
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prisons
- Bonanno crime family mobster Vincent Asaro is granted compassionate release and released from the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Missouri due to the coronavirus pandemic. (CNN)

Politics and elections

2019–20 Hong Kong protests
- Convener of the Civil Human Rights Front of Hong Kong, Jimmy Sham, warns police to expect "more resistance than ever" as veteran pro-democracy activists are arrested in a mass raid. Sham also says plans for a mass rally on July 1 are underway. (Radio Television Hong Kong)
- Vice-convener of Sham's organization, Figo Chan, is also arrested Saturday afternoon by Hong Kong police. (Hong Kong Free Press)

Science and technology

Several hospitals across the Czech Republic, and authorities at Prague Airport say they have thwarted numerous cyberattacks against them since yesterday. (Reuters)

April 19, 2020 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2020 Nova Scotia attacks
- A killing spree occurs in the small coastal town of Portapique, near Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada. At least 17 people are dead, including the perpetrator and a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer, making it the deadliest rampage in Canadian history. (CBC News) (Associated Press)
Second Libyan Civil War, 2019–20 Western Libya offensive, Turkish military intervention in the Second Libyan Civil War
- Turkish-backed GNA forces advance on the key town of Tarhuna in the Murqub District, capturing dozens of Khalifa Haftar loyalists and several vehicles after overrunning a Libyan National Army military camp. (Al Jazeera)
April 2020 Katsina attacks
- Gunmen raid multiple villages in Nigeria's Katsina State, killing at least 47 people, according to police. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
- Warsaw commemorates the heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, but memorial observances were moved to the internet due to the COVID-19 crisis. (SFGate)
On Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope Francis speaks at Santo Spirito in Sassia and warns about being struck by a worse virus of forgetting the poor and of “selfish indifference.” (Crux) (NC Register) (America)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in New York
      - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announces that the state will begin testing residents for COVID-19 antibodies as the state plans to reopen the economy. (Politico)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in California, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prisons
      - California reports the first prison inmate death from complications related to COVID-19. (Los Angeles Times)

International relations

Iran–United States relations
- The Iranian Revolutionary Guards announces it has increased patrols of the Persian Gulf following a confrontation between its Navy and the U.S.'s on Wednesday, and warns that "any error in calculation on [a foreign vessel's] part will receive a decisive response". (Reuters)
China–Vietnam relations, Territorial disputes in the South China Sea
- The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns China's decision yesterday to establish administrative districts in the disputed Paracel and Spratly Islands, saying it violates Vietnam's sovereignty. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Censorship in Turkey
- Turkey blocks access to the websites of Saudi Press Agency and Emirates News Agency in response to Saudi Arabia blocking access to Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency a few days ago. (Al Jazeera)
Corruption in Israel, COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
- Over 2,000 Israelis protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of endangering democracy in the country and using the coronavirus crisis to escape prosecution on corruption charges. (ABC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- Unrest breaks out in Paris, Berlin, and in Vladikavkaz as people oppose lockdowns. (The Guardian) (Sky News)

Politics and elections

2020 Malian parliamentary election
- Malians head to the polls in a second round of voting to elect a new National Assembly. The election has been mired in controversy over fears of the coronavirus spreading at polling stations, threats of Islamist violence, and the kidnapping of opposition politician Soumaïla Cissé. (Voice of America)
2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
- Presumptive nominee Joe Biden wins the mail-in Wyoming caucuses. (CBS News)

April 20, 2020 (Monday)

Arts and culture

COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on religion
- Saudi Arabia announces the Great Mosque of Mecca and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, the two holiest mosques in Islam, will remain closed throughout Ramadan this year. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in New York City
- New York City mayor Bill de Blasio announces that major parades scheduled for June, such as NYC Pride March and Puerto Rican Day Parade, are cancelled this year. (NY Daily News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
- Israel is expected to commemorate its Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony without public gatherings. (Haaretz)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden
  - Swedish auto manufacturer Volvo Cars resumes full production at its plant in Torslanda, Sweden, which had been shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic since March 26, 2020. (Just Auto)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - World oil market chronology from 2003
    - U.S. oil prices for May contract settle at an all-time low, finishing down over 300% to −$37.63 per barrel. (Market Watch)
  - Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation
    - United Airlines reports a $2.1 billion loss in the first quarter of this year, blaming restrictions on the aviation industry due to the coronavirus pandemic. (CNBC)
The Industrial Bank of Korea agrees to pay US$86 million and will enter a two-year deferred prosecution agreement to settle lawsuits with the U.S. Department of Justice and the state of New York over a 2011 scheme to help transfer US$1 billion to Iran. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
  - COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
    - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says that the country will ease its lockdown on April 27 if progress is maintained. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Belarus
    - Schools in Belarus reopen, but authorities say that parents are allowed to keep their children at home despite lifting of restrictions. (ABC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Germany reopens shops, but Chancellor Angela Merkel warns of a second coronavirus wave in the country. (The Guardian)

Law and crime

Ramos v. Louisiana
- In a 6–3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that convictions for serious crimes requires a unanimous decision by the jury, overturning the conviction of the plaintiff, a Louisiana man, and the 1972 case Apodaca v. Oregon. The ruling paves the way for hundreds of defendants to receive new trials. (Reuters)
COVID-19 pandemic in Florida
- Miami Police disperses crowds who violated social distancing guidelines during David Guetta's coronavirus relief concert in the city. (ABC News)
Immigration policy of Donald Trump
- Citing jobs and the ongoing pandemic, U.S. President Donald Trump announces he will sign an executive order temporarily suspending immigration to the United States. (The Hill)

Politics and elections

Politics of Vanuatu, 2020 Vanuatuan general election
- Bob Loughman is elected Prime Minister of Vanuatu with 31 votes in Parliament. Loughman defeated former foreign minister Ralph Regenvanu, who received 21 votes. (RNZ)
Thirty-fifth government of Israel
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White Alliance leader Benny Gantz agree on a deal to form a unity government, thus ending more than a year of political deadlock. As part of the deal, Netanyahu will hold onto his position for 18 more months, with Gantz replacing him afterwards. (The Times of Israel)
In a deal brokered by South African mediators, Lesotho's government says that Prime Minister Tom Thabane "will immediately resign", in a "dignified and secure" exit from power. Thabane is accused of murdering his ex-wife Lipolelo Thabane in 2017. (BBC News)
Seoul-based Daily NK reports North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is recuperating from a heart procedure done earlier this month, after his disappearance from various events led to speculation about his health. (Reuters)

Science and technology

New data from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array and Hubble Space Telescope, published in the Nature Astronomy journal, suggests interstellar comet 2I/Borisov contains large amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide. The new findings suggest the object was formed in the cold outer region of its planetary system. (BBC News)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
  - The Spanish government reaches a deal with Spanish association football league La Liga for teams to return to practice. (Time)
- COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
  - The Wuhan Zall football team returns to Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, after their lockdown restrictions have been lifted. (ABC News)

April 21, 2020 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Insurgency in Mozambique (2017–present)
- Mozambique police say 52 male villagers were killed by Islamist militants earlier this month in the Muidumbe District, Cabo Delgado Province, after they refused to join their ranks. (Reuters)
Internal conflict in Myanmar
- A World Health Organization worker collecting coronavirus samples is killed after his United Nations–marked vehicle was hit by gunfire in Rakhine State, Myanmar. Both the Myanmar Army and Arakan Army rebels deny any involvement in the attack. (BBC News)

Arts and culture

COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
- The city council of Pamplona announces the suspension of the San Fermín festival scheduled for July, for the fifth time in its history. (The Guardian)

Business and economy

Cannabis in Lebanon
- The Lebanese Parliament legalizes cannabis farming for medicinal purposes, in hopes that it will bring revenue to the country. (Reuters)
Oil Prices
- Crude Oil prices fell to a 21 year low with seller's paying as much as 30 dollars a barrel to take it off their hands. (Washington Post

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
  - Russia reports 5,642 new confirmed cases and 51 more deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily death toll in the country to date, bringing Russia's death toll to 456 and 52,763 total cases. (TASS)
  - A 56-year-old urologist becomes the first Russian doctor to die from COVID-19 at a hospital in Moscow. (The Moscow Times)

International relations

China–United States relations, COVID-19 pandemic in Missouri
- Missouri becomes the first U.S. state to file a lawsuit against the Chinese government over the coronavirus pandemic, claiming the government is responsible for the virus's negative impact on the state's economy and that the nation is "hoarding" masks. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman says his country is "not under the jurisdiction of U.S. courts"; that "abuse of litigation" does not help the "epidemic response at home in the United States and also runs counter to international cooperation". (Reuters)

Law and crime

2020 Nova Scotia attacks
- The death toll in last Sunday's killing spree in Nova Scotia, Canada, rises to at least 23, including the perpetrator. (CBC News)
Pio Tikoduadua, a member of Fiji's National Federation Party, is arrested after he uploaded a video to Facebook denouncing police brutality. His party demands his immediate release. (RNZ)
Baakline attack
- A man kills his wife, brother and seven others in Baakline, Lebanon, in the country's worst mass shooting in years, before being arrested. It is suspected they were honor killings. (Reuters)
Spanish National Police Corps officers arrest former rapper and ISIL militant Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary and two other men, after raiding their apartment overnight in Almería. Abdel Bary is suspected of being a member of the The Beatles cell, who were responsible for beheading Western hostages in Syria. (AP)

Politics and elections

2020 Kiribati parliamentary election
- Kiribatians head to the polls to elect members of the House of Assembly in the second round of voting. (RNZ)
2019–2020 Chilean protests
- Protests against the Chilean government in commemoration of the International Workers' Day are suppressed by the police, citing social distancing laws established due to the coronavirus pandemic. (BBC News)

April 22, 2020 (Wednesday)

Disasters and accidents

Tornado outbreak of April 22–23, 2020
- Tornadoes touch down in the South Central United States, killing seven people and injuring dozens more. (The New York Times)
A semi-trailer crashes into two police cars along the Eastern Freeway near Kew, Victoria, Australia. Four police officers are killed, making it the deadliest incident for law enforcement in the history of Victoria. (News.com.au)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - The Indian Council of Medical Research advises all states to suspend using COVID-19 rapid test kits for two days, after some kits were found to be faulty. (CNN)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The Department of Health and Social Care reports 4,451 new confirmed cases and 759 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the United Kingdom's total cases to 133,495 and the death toll to 18,100. (ITV)

Science and technology

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps deploys the country's first military satellite, using a new satellite carrier called "Ghased" ("Messenger"). (Deutsche Welle)

April 23, 2020 (Thursday)

Business and economy

COVID-19 pandemic in the United States; Unemployment in the United States
- Over the last week, 4.4 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits. Since mid-March, 26.4 million have filed, which is more than 15 percent of the workforce. (BBC News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation
- Italian Minister of Economic Development Stefano Patuanelli announces the government will nationalize the country's main flag carrier Alitalia by June, claiming the airline will go bankrupt otherwise. This reverses earlier plans to have it fully privatized. (Reuters)
Facebook removes "pseudoscience" and "conspiracy theory" as options for targeted ads, as criticism mounts against social media for their role in spreading misinformation about the coronavirus. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Fifty crew members on the cruise ship Costa Atlantica test positive for COVID-19 after it docks in Nagasaki, Japan. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Two former high-ranking members of the Syrian Army go on trial in Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, for alleged war crimes committed during the Syrian Civil War. This is the first time that Syrian military officials are being prosecuted for their roles in the conflict. (Al Jazeera) (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 Kiribati parliamentary election
- Results show that four women win seats in the parliament and that most ministers of the current government keep their seats, including President Taneti Mamau. However, it is too early to say whether he would be his party's nomination for President again. (RNZ)
Lesotho Prime Minister Tom Thabane rejects a deal between South African mediators and his coalition government asking him to resign amid accusations that he was involved in the murder of his ex-wife. (Reuters)

Sports

2020 NFL season, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- In American football, the National Football League starts its draft for the 2020 season, with the Cincinnati Bengals selecting Joe Burrow with the first overall pick. The draft's public events in Las Vegas were canceled, with teams selecting players from private offices to comply with social distancing guidelines. (NFL)

April 24, 2020 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, COVID-19 pandemic in Yemen
- The Saudi-led coalition announces the extension of a unilateral ceasefire by one month to fight the pandemic. The Houthis did not accept the coalition's previous ceasefire that expired Thursday. Reportedly, the Houthis "want a lifting of air and sea blockades imposed by the coalition to the regions they control before agreeing to a ceasefire". (Reuters)
Internal conflict in Myanmar
- Unknown gunmen attack the headquarters of the government-backed Pan Say militia in Muse, Shan State. The attackers opened fire with small arms and artillery before fleeing in cars and motorbikes. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. (The Irrawaddy)
Kivu conflict
- An attack by members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda in Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo, leaves 17 people dead: 12 park rangers and five civilians. (Al Jazeera)

Business and economy

COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
- The government bans vehicles from entering or leaving the Jakarta metropolitan area to prevent Mudik, a local observance in which migrants and migrant workers return home for Ramadan. (The Jakarta Post)
Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- President Donald Trump signs a US$484 billion interim coronavirus relief bill that will add another $310 billion to the small-business Paycheck Protection Program, as well as provide billions in aid to hospitals and for testing. (Axios)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- More than 50,000 people have now died in the United States from COVID-19, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. (BBC News)

Law and crime

Saudi Arabia says it will end flogging as a form of punishment, according to a government document. (Reuters)
Six activists of the Free Papua Movement are sentenced by an Indonesian court to 8–9 months in prison for treason. The ruling is condemned by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch as a violation of their freedom of speech and assembly. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Brazilian Minister of Justice Sérgio Moro resigns, claiming President Jair Bolsonaro is criminally interfering with the country's law enforcement. (Reuters)

April 25, 2020 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
- The separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) announces the establishment of a self-rule administration in southern Yemen. The internationally-recognized government describes this move as "catastrophic." STC forces are deployed in the city of Aden as emergency rule is declared. (Reuters)

Health and environment

The Lost Apple Project, a non-profit conservationist society based in the Pacific Northwest, announces the rediscovery of ten cultivars of apples previously thought to be extinct. The decad almost doubles the total amount of species the society has rescued, bringing the total to 23. (CNN)
COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
  - The Department of Health and Social Care confirms the UK's death toll from COVID-19 has exceeded 20,000. It joins the United States, Italy, Spain and France as the fifth nation to reach this total. (BBC News)

International relations

Bangladesh–Myanmar relations
- Foreign Minister of Bangladesh AK Abdul Momen says that it is not the responsibility of his country to rescue more than 500 Rohingya refugees who have been at sea for weeks. Momen tells Al Jazeera they "should ask the Myanmar government first because they are their citizens". (Al Jazeera)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
- The 2019–20 Eredivisie season is declared void by the Royal Dutch Football Association. (Sky Sports)

April 26, 2020 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
- Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces say they are in full control of all sovereign state institutions in the port city of Aden, after capturing the Yemen Oil and Gas Corporation refinery, Aden International Airport, the central bank headquarters and the seaport. Yesterday, the STC declared self-rule in southern Yemen. (Xinhuanet)
- Governors in the southern Yemeni Governorates of Hadhramaut, Abyan, Shabwah, Al Mahrah, and the island of Socotra reject the STC's claim to self-rule and declare their loyalty to President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. (Al Jazeera)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia
- King Salman issues an order to partially lift the curfew in all regions of the country except Mecca, where a 24-hour curfew continues. Saudi authorities report 16,299 infections and 136 deaths nationwide. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

Capital punishment in Saudi Arabia
- King Salman issues a royal decree, declaring that people will no longer be executed for crimes they were convicted of when they were minors. (Reuters)
Aftermath of the 2019 El Paso shooting
- A survivor of the terrorist mass shooting that occurred at El Paso, Texas in August 2019 dies after nine months of hospitalization, raising the death toll to 23. (The New York Times)

April 27, 2020 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Second Libyan Civil War
- In a televised address, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar says his Libyan National Army is accepting a "popular mandate" to rule the country, seemingly declaring himself the ruler of Libya and dismissing the House of Representatives. An adviser to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord says Haftar has exposed himself as an authoritarian. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Coronavirus recession
- Offshore drilling contractor Diamond Offshore Drilling files for bankruptcy due to the oil price collapse, following the reduction in oil demand during the global coronavirus pandemic. (The Wall Street Journal)
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation
  - Delta Air Lines announces it is suspending flights to several small-hub airports after losing $534 million in the first quarter of this year due to aviation restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. (MLive.com)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- The number of worldwide cases of COVID-19 surpasses three million. The United States accounts for more than a third of the total cases. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
  - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reports no new community transmissions of COVID-19 for the first time since the pandemic began, effectively eliminating the spread of the virus. (BBC News)

Law and crime

Censorship in Vietnam
- A court in Vietnam sentences a man to one and a half years in jail for posting anti-government content on Facebook. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign
- Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi officially endorses former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive nominee in the Democratic Party primaries. (The New York Times)
The Ankara prosecutor's office launches an investigation into a lawyers' organization which condemned the head of the Directorate of Religious Affairs for implying that homosexuality causes human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The investigation is launched on the basis that the organization may have insulted Turks' religious values. (Reuters)

Science and technology

USS Nimitz UFO incident, USS Theodore Roosevelt UFO incidents
- The Pentagon formally releases three videos of "unidentified aerial phenomena" encountered by United States Navy pilots after determining the videos "do not reveal any sensitive capabilities or systems". The footage was previously leaked by Luis Elizondo in 2017. (CNN)

April 28, 2020 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2020 Afrin bombing
- A suicide bombing, using a fuel tanker, detonates at a busy market killing at least 53 civilians, including 11 children, in Turkish-occupied Afrin, Syria. The Turkish defense ministry accused the People's Protection Units (YPG) of "carrying out the attack." (Rudaw) (Al Jazeera)

Business and economy

American movie theater chain AMC Theatres states it will no longer host movies produced by Universal Studios, in response to The Wall Street Journal reporting that NBCUniversal plans to release its movies simultaneously in cinemas and streaming moving forward. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - The United States surpasses one million cases of COVID-19. (CNN)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina
    - A pug in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, becomes the first dog in the United States to test positive for COVID-19. Three of the humans it lives with have also tested positive for the disease. (WRAL-TV)

International relations

Bolivia–Chile relations
- Bolivia and Chile agree on a deal to return home hundreds of Bolivian migrants stranded at a makeshift camp in Santiago. The migrants will be transported to Iquique where they will spend 14 days in quarantine before finally returning to Bolivia. (Reuters)
Colombia formalizes its membership with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), becoming the 37th nation in the organization. (OECD)
Czech Republic–Russia relations
- Mayor of Prague's sixth municipal district Ondřej Kolář announces on Prima televize that he is under police protection after a Russian man made attempts on his life, possibly due to his removal of a statue of World War II-era Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev from the city's square. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš condemns this as foreign interference, while Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov dismisses allegations of Russian involvement as "another hoax". (Reuters)
India–United States relations
- The Indian Ministry of External Affairs condemns the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom after the Commission in its annual report recommends placing India on the "countries of particular concern" blacklist over the Citizenship Amendment Act, the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status, and controversial comments made by Home Minister Amit Shah, among others. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prisons
- A prison riot at the Lurigancho jail over demands for better sanitary measures and COVID-19 medical care in San Juan de Lurigancho, Peru, leaves nine inmates dead, according to the National Penitentiary Institute. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2019–2020 Lebanese protests
- Protests erupt in major cities across Lebanon for the second day over the country's continuing economic problems. Banks and vehicles are set on fire, and clashes between the protestors and the army in Tripoli leave around 40 soldiers injured. (Reuters)

Science and technology

A fast radio burst is detected from the Magnetar SGR 1935+2154, the first ever detected inside the Milky Way, and the first to be linked to a known source. (Astronomer's Telegram)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, COVID-19 pandemic in France
- France officially ends the 2019–20 Ligue 1 and 2019–20 Ligue 2 football seasons after banning all sporting events in the country until September. It is not yet known whether the governing body Ligue de Football Professionnel will void the seasons. (BBC News)

April 29, 2020 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- A suicide bombing in Char Asiab, Kabul Province, kills three civilians and injures 15. No group has claimed responsibility yet. (Reuters)
Internal conflict in Myanmar
- Northern Rakhine State clashes
  - Yanghee Lee, the United Nations special rapporteur, accuses the Myanmar Armed Forces of intensifying their attacks on civilians in Rakhine and Chin states. The Myanmar government blames Rohingya insurgents and the separatist Arakan Army for the violence. (Reuters)
Terrorism in Russia
- The Federal Security Service carries out an anti-terrorist raid near Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Oblast, to thwart planned attacks in the city. Three suspects, reportedly linked to ISIL, are killed in an exchange of gunfire. (Meduza)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Icheon fire
- A fire at a four-story warehouse under construction in Icheon, South Korea, kills 38 construction workers and injures 10 others. An additional 40 people remain unaccounted for. The fire is the most deadly in the country since 2003. (BBC News) (The Guardian)
A Canadian CH-148 Cyclone helicopter vanishes while flying over the Ionian Sea during a NATO mission. One body is recovered, while the five other persons on board remain missing. (BBC News) (The Straits Times)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic in Yemen
- Yemeni authorities in Aden report five cases of COVID-19, the highest total to date, amid fears that the disease could be spreading undetected in a country where millions face famine and lack medical care. (Reuters)

Law and crime

COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia, Venezuela–Colombia migrant crisis
- Over 500 Venezuelan migrants block a major toll road in northern Bogotá, Colombia, demanding they be allowed to return home after the coronavirus pandemic caused economic opportunities to dry up. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

U.S. Congressman Justin Amash joins the Libertarian Party and announces his bid for the presidency. This also makes him the first Libertarian in Congress in the party's 48-year history. (Reason)
Giacomo dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto, incumbent Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta dies from cancer at the age of 75. Ruy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas Boas succees him as Lieutenant ad interim of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. (ABC News)

Science and technology

(52768) 1998 OR2, a near-Earth asteroid that is 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) wide, makes a close approach of 0.042 AU (6.3 million km; 16 LD) to Earth. It will not approach closer than this until 2079. (Sky News)

April 30, 2020 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

A Texas man opens fire with an AK-47 style rifle at the Cuban Embassy in Washington, D.C., in a suspected hate crime. No one is injured, and the shooter is arrested and charged. (The Washington Post) (Associated Press)

Business and economy

Syrian businessman and Syriatel owner Rami Makhlouf makes an "unprecedented" public appeal to his cousin, President Bashar al-Assad, on Facebook, saying a "cadre of officials" are seeking to seize his assets. Makhlouf, who was a part of President al-Assad's inner circle, says he will pay the President himself but not the state. (The Washington Post)

Disasters and accidents

Tornadoes of 2020
- The 2020 tornado season in the United States is named the deadliest tornado season since 2011, particularly due to the outbreaks on March 2–3 and Easter Sunday. (Fox News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Yemen
    - Officials in Yemen report the country's first deaths from COVID-19 in the port city of Aden. (BBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan
    - Tajikistan reports its first confirmed cases of COVID-19. Five people have tested positive for the virus in the capital Dushanbe, and 10 others in the northern Sughd Region, according to the state-run news agency Khovar. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

2020 United States anti-lockdown protests
- COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan
  - Armed protesters storm the House chamber of the Michigan State Capitol to demand that Governor Gretchen Whitmer lifts the stay-at-home order. (Forbes) (New York Daily News)
COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
- Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin temporarily steps down after being diagnosed with COVID-19; he will be replaced by Andrey Belousov. (Reuters)
The government of Sudan criminalises female genital mutilation. (The New York Times)

Science and technology

Artemis program
- NASA officially selects SpaceX, Blue Origin and Dynetics to build its next-generation lunar lander to carry American astronauts to the Moon by 2024. (Reuters)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, COVID-19 pandemic in France
- The Ligue de Football Professionnel awards Paris Saint-Germain F.C. the 2019–20 Ligue 1 title after ending the season early. It is PSG's ninth Ligue 1 title. Amiens SC and Toulouse FC are subsequently relegated to Ligue 2. (BBC Sport)

Ongoing events

Business

Coronavirus recession

Disasters

Politics

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Elections and referendums

Recent

April
- 15: South Korea, National Assembly
- 19: Mali, National Assembly (2nd)
- 21: Kiribati, House of Assembly (2nd)

Upcoming

May
- 10: Poland, President

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Trials

Sport

More details – current sports events

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Recent deaths

April 2020

March 2020

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Ongoing conflicts

Africa

Algeria, Libya and Tunisia
- Maghreb insurgency
Cameroon
- Anglophone Crisis
Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
- Boko Haram insurgency
Central African Republic
- Civil War
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Libya
Mali
- Mali War
Mozambique
- Islamist insurgency in Mozambique
Nigeria
- Communal conflicts in Nigeria
Somalia
- Civil war
South Sudan
- Ethnic violence (South Sudanese Civil War)
Sudan

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Afghanistan
- Afghanistan War
China
- Xinjiang conflict
India
- Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
- Insurgency in Northeast India
India and Pakistan
- Kashmir conflict
  - Border skirmishes
Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines
- Moro conflict
  - Cross border attacks in Sabah
Indonesia
- Papua conflict
Myanmar
- Internal conflict in Myanmar
Pakistan
- War in North-West Pakistan
- Balochistan conflict
Philippines
- Communist rebellion in the Philippines
- Philippine Drug War
Thailand
- South Thailand insurgency

Europe

Armenia and Azerbaijan
- Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Georgia
- Abkhaz–Georgian conflict
- Georgian–Ossetian conflict
Russia
- Chechen–Russian conflict
Ukraine
- War in Donbass
  - Russian military intervention in Ukraine

Middle East

Egypt
- Sinai insurgency
Iran and the Persian Gulf
Iraq
- American-led intervention in Iraq
- Iranian intervention in Iraq
Iraq and Syria (map)
- Military intervention against ISIL
Israel and Gaza
Syria
- American-led intervention in Syria
- Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War
Turkey
- Kurdish–Turkish conflict
Yemen and Saudi Arabia

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