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COVID-19 pandemic: Disease; Virus; By location; Impact; Portal

Roger Penrose

Roger Penrose (pictured), Andrea Ghez and Reinhard Genzel are awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work on black holes.
Harvey Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles Rice are awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their discovery of the virus that causes hepatitis C.
New Caledonia votes to remain a French overseas territory.

October 7, 2020 (Wednesday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- October 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - A bomb kills at least 3 people in Tagab District, Kapisa Province. (TOLOnews)

Law and crime

A Greek court rules that far-right political party Golden Dawn operated as a criminal organization in connection with the murder of an anti-fascist rapper in 2013 and other crimes. (CBS News)

Science and technology

Nobel Prize in Chemistry
- The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna "for the development of a method for genome editing." (ABC)

October 6, 2020 (Tuesday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian civil war
- History of the Syrian Civil War (2020–present)
  - Al-Bab truck bombing
    - A truck bombing kills at least 18 people and injures another 75 in al-Bab, Aleppo Governorate, Syria. (Al Jazeera English)
2020 Kyrgyzstan protests
- Protesters in Kyrgyzstan break into parliament in the capital Bishkek, throwing paper from windows and setting the building on fire. A person is killed and 686 others are injured. (Reuters)
- The electoral authorities in Kyrgyzstan annul the results of the parliamentary elections following the protests. (BBC)
- Opposition groups claim to be in power after seizing government buildings in the capital. President Sooronbay Jeenbekov says he is facing a coup d'état. Several provincial governors reportedly resign. (Reuters)
- Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov, who is a close ally of the ruling President, resigns. He is replaced by Sadyr Japarov. (DW)
Mali War
- Jihadist group Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin releases Malian opposition leader Soumaïla Cissé, who had been held captive since March, and French aid worker Sophie Pétronin, who had been held captive since 2016. (The Guardian)
Papua conflict
- Members of the Free Papua Movement fire five bullets at the Indonesian Army security post in Pasar Baru Kenyam, Nduga district, Papua. A civilian is injured. (Antara)

Disasters and accidents

Hurricane Delta
- Hurricane Delta strengthens into a powerful Category 4 hurricane, with additional strengthening anticipated until landfall in Quintana Roo, Mexico. (National Hurricane Center)
- Governor of Louisiana John Bel Edwards declares a state of emergency ahead of the storm. (WDSU-TV)
The death toll of the floods affecting France and Italy rise to 14 as the body of a worker is found in the Italian region of Liguria. The man went missing during the beginning of the floods three days ago. (TGCOM24)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
    - White House COVID-19 outbreak
      - White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller tests positive for COVID-19. (CNN)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    - The number of daily cases in Malaysia reaches 691, a record for two consecutive days. The Health Ministry's director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah says that of those new cases, 397 of them were from Kedah, with most of them being caused by an outbreak in a prison. (The Straits Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
    - The United Arab Emirates surpasses 100,000 COVID-19 cases. In addition, six people have died in the past 24 hours, the highest single day figure since May. (The National)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Finland
    - Finland reports its highest daily number of COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, with 227 new cases reported, surpassing the previous peak in April. They also exceed the rate that the country has set for other countries before their citizens are allowed to visit without being quarantined. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
    - Poland reports 58 new deaths, a record high for a single day since the beginning of the pandemic. (The Hill)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - The European Medicines Agency announces that they will launch a review for vaccines developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. (CNBC)

International relations

Indonesia–Philippines relations
- Indonesian Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Edhy Prabowo says that they have detained two Filipino fishing boats with 21 crew members on board, in Indonesia's Exclusive Economic Zone. (Antara)

Law and crime

The European Court of Justice rules that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's higher education reforms violate the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, saying they placed undue burdens on foreign universities operating in the country. Philanthropist George Soros, whose Central European University was targeted by Orbán's laws, laments that "the decision [came] too late" and that the university will not return back after being forced out because "[Hungary's] prevailing laws don’t meet the requirements of academic freedom". (ABC News)

Science and technology

Nobel Prize in Physics
- The Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded to Roger Penrose "for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity," and to Reinhard Genzel and Andrea M. Ghez "for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy." (CBC)
Mars makes its closest approach to Earth since 2018. Mars will not be closer to Earth again until 2035. (Space.com)

October 5, 2020 (Monday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- October 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - A suicide bomber targeting the convoy of Rahmatullah Yarmal, the governor of Laghman Province, kills eight people and wounds 38 others. Yarmal survives the attack. (TOLO News)
2020 Kyrgyzstan protests
- Violent protests occur in Kyrgyzstan in response to the results of yesterday's parliamentary election. Kyrgyz police use tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters. (BBC)
- Anti-government protesters seize the presidential White House and Supreme Council buildings in the capital Bishkek. (The Straits Times)
- Former President Almazbek Atambayev is freed from prison by demonstrators. (Sputnik)
2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
- Timeline of military engagements in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
  - Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defence says the Armenian Armed Forces are bombarding the Azerbaijani cities of Beylagan, Barda, Tartar, and Ganja. Azeri artillery pounds Stepanakert for a fourth consecutive day, killing 5 civilians, according to an Al Jazeera journalist in the city. (Al Jazeera) (APA)

Business and economy

Animal welfare and rights in Israel
- The government announces it will ban the animal fur trade, becoming the first country to do so. Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel says "Utilising the skin and fur of wildlife for the fashion industry is immoral". Anyone found selling or buying fur after the ban, with the exemption of ultra-Orthodox Jews, will face a fine of up to €18,500 or a year in prison. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Tropical Storm Gamma (2020)
- Six people are killed as Tropical Storm Gamma approaches the coast of Mexico. (Accu Weather)
Two more people who went missing in France during floods are found dead on the coasts of Liguria, Italy. Two workers in Bajardo, Liguria, are dead after their vehicle crashes while cleaning floods-related debris. The total death toll for the violent storms rise to 13. (TGCOM24) (Ansa)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
    - White House COVID-19 outbreak
      - White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany announces that she, along with two of her deputies Chad Gilmartin and Karoline Leavitt, have tested positive for COVID-19 and will undergo quarantine. (CNBC)
      - US president Donald Trump returns to the White House to continue his treatment there after a three-night stay in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. (BBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state)
    - New York governor Andrew Cuomo orders schools to close starting tomorrow in several "hot spots" around the state, including parts of the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. This comes after COVID-19 test positivity rates rose above 3% in those areas for seven days in a row. Cuomo declined to close non-essential businesses and religious institutions. (CNN)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    - Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announces that he will undergo a two-week home quarantine, after Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, who attended a National Security meeting he chaired on Saturday, tested positive for COVID-19. (CNA)
    - Malaysia reports 432 new cases in the last 24 hours, a new record of daily infections since the beginning of the outbreak. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
    - Iran reports a record 3,902 new cases, taking the nationwide total of cumulative cases to 475,674. At the same time, the country announces a record 235 new deaths in 24 hours, which takes the death toll to 27,192. (Anadolu Agency)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - The government places Paris and its Île-de-France region to maximum alert following a surge of infection rates, prompting Île-de-France to shut down all bars, gymnasiums, and swimming pools completely and all festive gatherings in establishments are banned from being open to the public effective tomorrow. The restrictions will last two weeks, but restaurants will remain open with strict health protocols. (BBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iceland
    - Iceland orders all bars, gyms and entertainment venues to close, and cuts the number of people allowed to gather in public from 200 to 20 amid a rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - The regional government of Castilla y León announce to confine the cities of León and Palencia given the rising number of infections detected there over the last 14 days. The measure, which will take effect tomorrow, will include closing times for establishments at 11:00 pm local time with the last customer permitted to enter an hour earlier, and capacity in bars and restaurants limited to 50% indoors and 60% outdoor in a similar move that was implemented in Madrid. (El Pais in English)
Nobel Prize
- The 2020 Nobel Prize in Medicine is awarded to Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton, and Charles M. Rice for their discovery of the Hepatitis C virus. (CNN)

International relations

United Kingdom–Venezuela relations, Venezuelan presidential crisis
- The Court of Appeals for England and Wales overturns a ruling earlier this year by the High Court of Justice that stated the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro did not have the right to access the Central Bank of Venezuela's gold, worth more than US$1.8 billion, currently stored by the Bank of England due to the UK government's recognition of oppositional leader Juan Guaidó as the actual president. (The Guardian)

Law and crime

The Indonesian parliament passes a controversial job creation omnibus bill into law amid mounting criticism over its provisions on labour rights, indigenous community rights, and environmental protection. Labour unions and civil rights groups plan to hold large-scale protests. (Antara)
The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority bans all flights over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. (Al Jazeera)
Former Vice President of the Maldives Ahmed Adeeb is sentenced to 20 years prison and fined US$129,892 for corruption relating to the leasing of islands for hotel development. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

2019–20 Algerian protests
- Between 400 and 500 Algerians defy the ban on protests and march on the capital of Algiers to both commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the 1988 pro-democracy protests and riots and renew calls for the resignation of the ruling military junta. (Al Jazeera)

Science and technology

2020 in paleontology
- According to a study from the Scientific Reports, the Otodus megalodon was the largest shark to swim in Earth's oceans. Its body size was 15 meters (50 feet). (Phys.org) (Forbes)
Discoveries of exoplanets
- According to a research published in the Astrobiology journal by Washington State University professor Dirk Schulze-Makuch, there are 24 possible exoplanets that are superhabitable outside the Solar System. (CNET) (SciTechDaily)
Tasmanian devils are introduced to the Australian mainland for the first time in 3,000 years. (CBS News)

October 4, 2020 (Sunday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
- Azerbaijan's second-largest city Ganja is shelled by Artsakh forces, destroying several buildings and killing at least one civilian. Ganja International Airport is also bombed. Azerbaijani Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov says it is a "clearly provocative" move that was "expanding the conflict". (BBC)
- The Artsakh capital Stepanakert is struck with MLRS missiles resulting in heavy casualties and leaving the city without power. Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan warns major cities in Azerbaijan are now "legitimate targets of the defence army" following the strikes on Stepanakert. (Eurasianet) (BBC)
- Azerbaijani troops reportedly seize control of the city of Cəbrayil (Jabrayil) from Artsakh forces. Armenia denies the city has fallen. (Ahval News)
- Azerbaijan says medium-range missiles have hit its Khizi and Absheron districts, as well as the city of Mingachevir. (APA)
Terrorism in Germany, Antisemitism in 21st century Germany
- Amid the celebration of Sukkot, a 26-year-old Jewish student suffers a traumatic brain injury after being attacked with a shovel by a 29-year-old German Kazakh man as he entered a synagogue in Hamburg. Police later discover a piece of paper with a swastika on it in one of the attacker's trouser pockets. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas denounces the attack as "repugnant antisemitism". (AFP via The Times of Israel)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cinema
- Cineworld announces it is temporarily shutting down all its cinemas in the United Kingdom and United States, putting more than 5,500 jobs at risk, after reporting £1.3bn in losses since the COVID-19 lockdown. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

Five people who went missing during heavy floods in France two days ago are found dead in river banks in the Italian region of Liguria, while a man is found dead at the border between the two countries. Italy is also affected by floods. A man has died in his car during the floods in the French region of Saint-Martin-Vésubie. (Il Fatto Quotidiano) (L'Union)
A multiple-vehicle collision on a main road in Fuyu, Jilin, China, kills 18 people. Police say an inquiry is under way into the cause of the accident. (Sky News)
Eight migrants are dead, while 12 more are missing, after three unidentified smugglers hijacked their boat off the coast of Djibouti, according to eyewitnesses and the International Organization for Migration. The agency reports that the migrants had attempted to reach Saudi Arabia via Yemen, but were forced to return to the Horn of Africa due to COVID-19 pandemic-related travel restrictions. (AFP via Macau Business)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
    - Poland surpass 100,000 cases of COVID-19. (Reuters via National Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
    - Russia reports 10,499 new cases in the past 24 hours, setting a record for the highest number of daily new cases since May 15, when the outbreak was at its peak and lockdowns were in place in parts of the country. This is also the first time that daily new infections surpassed 10,000 since May. (Daily Sabah)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom surpasses 500,000 cases of COVID-19 after a backlog of infections left out of Public Health England's daily figures between September 25 and October 2 led to a record 22,961 cases reported in 24 hours. The glitch led to 15,841 cases not being passed on to data dashboards used for contact tracing. (The Guardian)

International relations

The Presidents of Palau, Nauru, Kiribati, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands issue a statement threatening to leave the Pacific Islands Forum if their nominee is not chosen as Secretary-General. Micronesian President David W. Panuelo says the issue is "non-negotiable". (RNZ)

Law and crime

Nigerian Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu bans the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other tactical units from engaging in stop-and-search operations at traffic stops and from setting up roadblocks, as well as mandating that all police officers wear uniforms while on-duty, in response to mounting allegations of agents unlawfully arresting and torturing suspects. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

2020 New Caledonian independence referendum
- New Caledonians reject independence from France with 53.26% of votes, according to final results. Turnout is reportedly high. President Emmanuel Macron welcomes the result as a "sign of confidence in the republic". (BBC)
2020 Kyrgyz parliamentary election
- Parliamentary elections are being held in Kyrgyzstan amidst an economic crisis. (Reuters)
The Malian interim government releases 110 jihadists from their Bamako prison after releasing 70 yesterday. It is believed that their release is part of a prisoner exchange to secure the release of opposition politician Soumaïla Cissé, who was kidnapped earlier this year. (AP)

October 3, 2020 (Saturday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- October 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - A car bombing near the district governor’s compound in Shinwar District, Nangarhar Province, kills at least 15 people and wounds another 30. Gunmen tried to enter the district governor’s compound but were killed by security forces. (TOLOnews)
2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev criticizes international mediators calling for a ceasefire, saying the war won't end until Armenian forces withdraw from the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh. (Daily Sabah)
- Azerbaijan says its troops have captured Suqovuşan (Madaghis), Talış, Mehdili, Aşağı Maralyan, Şəybəy, Quycaq and Aşağı Əbdürrəhmanlı following clashes with Armenian and Artsakh forces. President Ilham Aliyev tweets "Madagiz is ours. Karabakh is Azerbaijan!". (APA)
- Iran says ten shells have fallen inside Iranian territory as fighting rages between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh. More than 35 stray mortar shells have hit Iran since the recent fighting began, causing damage to housing units and the injury of a child. (Almasdar News)
War in Darfur
- The transitional government of Sudan signs a peace deal with the main rebel groups fighting in the conflict. The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North, which had refused to engage in previous talks, joined this time. The U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, Donald Booth, hails the deal as a "historic achievement". (Reuters)
Terrorism in Norway
- A member of the anti-Islamic group Stop Islamisation of Norway was found dead in Suldalen outside of Kristiansand. The police are treating it as a criminal act, but keep their options open.^[1]

Arts and culture

2020 in archaeology
- Egypt unveils 59 coffins of priests and clerks from the 26th dynasty nearly 2,500 years ago. (Reuters)
Irreecha
- The Oromo people celebrate the Irreecha thanksgiving festival amid political tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic. (The Washington Post)

Disasters and accidents

One person is killed and another missing after heavy floods affect the Piedmont region in Italy, while a firefighter is killed by a tree in Aosta Valley. Twenty-one other people go missing but are rescued alive. (Il Fatto Quotidiano)
Flash flooding in Cianjur, West Java, Indonesia, causes hundreds of people to evacuate, with waters reaching as high as two meters. (Antara)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports 16,972 new cases in the past 24 hours, setting a new record for the country since the beginning of the pandemic. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Italy reports 2,844 new cases in the last 24 hours as swab tests conducted by the country remain steady at over 100,000. It is the highest number of reported cases since April, when the country was still in lockdown. (Anadolu Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
    - Portugal reports 963 new daily cases, bringing the cumulative total to 78,247 confirmed cases and 1,995 deaths. Ever since the end of national lockdown in May, this has been the seventh time that the country has registered some record increases in new cases, with all other six records occurring during the month of September. (DGS)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom reports 12,872 new cases, a record number of reported cases since the start of the pandemic; however, the Department of Health and Social Care says that there has been a delay in publishing a number of cases due to a technical glitch, which has now been resolved, meaning the total reported over the coming days will include some additional cases in the period between September 24 and October 1. (ITV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
    - White House COVID-19 outbreak
      - U.S. Senator Ron Johnson from Wisconsin tests positive for COVID-19, joining U.S. Senators Thom Tillis from North Carolina and Mike Lee from Utah as high-profile politicians infected with COVID-19 who attended recent events with President Donald Trump. (CNN)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, COVID-19 vaccine
  - São Paulo State governor João Doria asks health regulator Anvisa for approval to use COVID-19 vaccine CoronaVac, a major step in what could be one of the first vaccination programs in the Americas. In late July, São Paulo was one of the first sites of Phase III clinical trials for Sinovac. Doria plans to begin inoculating the population of São Paulo by mid-December, which is one of the world’s most ambitious schedules. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
  - India surpasses 100,000 COVID-19 deaths, becoming the third country to reach that milestone behind the United States and Brazil. (France 24)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Solomon Islands
  - Solomon Islands records its first case, a student who arrived from the Philippines. (The Straits Times)

Law and crime

2019–2020 Chilean protests
- Protests spark in Santiago after footage of a police officer throwing a 16-year-old boy from a bridge over the Mapocho River is released. The incident occurred on Friday while Carabineros were repressing a protest near Plaza Baquedano in downtown Santiago. (The Guardian)
- Opposition politicians call for the resignation of Carabineros General Director Mario Rozas and announce an impeachment to the Ministry of Interior due to several incidents against protesters. Also, they announce they will reject the annual budget for Carabineros unless changes are implemented. (La Tercera)
- The officer is under arrest and charged with attempted murder by the National Public Prosecutor. (La Tercera)
List of foreign nationals detained in Iran
- French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah is temporarily released from prison in Tehran but with an electronic tag. Adelkhah had been detained since June 2019 and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in May 2020 for "conspiring against national security". (AFP via RFI)

Politics and elections

2020 Green Party of Canada leadership election
- The former 2019 federal Green Party candidate for Toronto Centre and older sister of Canadian actress Ngozi Paul, Annamie Paul, is elected as the new leader of the federal Green Party. (CBC)
Jordan's Prime Minister Omar Al-Razzaz resigns. King Abdullah asks him to stay on as a caretaker premier until the king appoints a successor. (US News & World Report)

October 2, 2020 (Friday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
- Azerbaijani forces shell the Artsakh capital of Stepanakert, wounding ten civilians and partially destroying several buildings, including the Artsakh Rescue Service headquarters, according to Armenian officials. (Arab News) (Sputnik)

Business and economy

A consortium between Mohsin and Zuber Issa, owners of the British-based retailer Euro Garages, and the private equity firm TDR Capital acquire a majority stake in the supermarket chain Asda worth £6.8 billion (US$8.7 billion) from American retailer Walmart. Walmart will maintain a minority shareholding. (AFP via Mint)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - COVID-19 pandemic in the Community of Madrid
      - The perimeter confinement of Europe's worst hot spot, in Madrid, ordered by the Ministry of Health, begins for two weeks. President of the Community of Madrid Isabel Díaz Ayuso takes legal action against the resolution. (ABC Australia) (El País)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia
    - Slovenia reports 238 new cases, an all-time daily high. (RTVSLO)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
    - White House COVID-19 outbreak
      - President Donald Trump announces that he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19 and are in quarantine. (BBC)
      - On the advice of his physician and "out of an abundance of caution", Trump is flown to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. (BBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
  - Malaysia reported 287 new cases on Friday, all of which were found in the country and not among travellers from overseas. It is the highest number of reported cases in the country since the beginning of the outbreak. (Bloomberg)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia
  - Tunisia reports 1,308 new confirmed cases on Wednesday, the health ministry says. This is a new record high since the beginning of the pandemic, prompting the government to impose a nightly curfew in Sousse and Monastir governorates. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - AstraZeneca announces that they would resume vaccine trials in Japan. (Japan Today)

International relations

Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, Australia–New Zealand relations
  - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern finalise plans for a trans-Tasman "travel bubble". Australia will permit the entry of travellers from New Zealand into New South Wales and the Northern Territory if they have stayed in New Zealand for at least two weeks effective October 16. New Zealand, however, has not reciprocated any lifting of travel restrictions for Australian travellers. (The Guardian)
Belarus–European Union relations, European Union–Turkey relations, International reactions to the 2020 Belarusian presidential election and protests
- The European Council agrees on sanctions against Belarus. Opposition by Cyprus is lifted by also agreeing on a warning to Turkey. (Reuters) (The Washington Post)
Cambodia–United States relations
- The Pentagon says it is "concerned" about reports that Cambodia has demolished a U.S.-funded facility at the Ream Naval Base, which could be linked to Chinese military and economic pressure on the country. The Center for Strategic and International Studies says the Cambodian government appears to have razed the building last month. (Reuters)
Russia–Venezuela relations, COVID-19 vaccine
- Venezuela Vice President Delcy Rodríguez announces that the country will receive shipments of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Islam in France
- President Emmanuel Macron announces a crackdown on "Islamist separatism" in Muslim communities in France, saying a bill tackling Islamist separatism would be sent to parliament early next year. Among the measures, will include a ban on foreign imams, restrictions on home schooling, and the creation of an "Institute of Islamology" to tackle Islamic fundamentalism. (Reuters)

Science and technology

Discoveries of exoplanets
- Scientists reveal the image of Beta Pictoris c (β Pic c), an exoplanet that is located 63 light years away. (ScienceAlert)
SpaceX announces that they aborted a launch of a GPS Block III satellite two seconds before taking off. (CNET)

October 1, 2020 (Thursday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
- Two French journalists working for the newspaper Le Monde are seriously injured by Azeri shelling, according to an Armenian government source. Two Armenian journalists are also injured in a separate incident. (Reuters) (Star Tribune)
- Former President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, expresses concern over the escalation of the situation. He also calls for Baku and Yerevan to launch negotiations. (News AM)
- Turkey issues a statement dismissing the demands for a ceasefire from the United States, France, and Russia. (BBC)
- The Armenian ambassador to the United States, Varuzhan Nersesyan, says, "Right now, what is necessary is an intervention of the highest levels, together with other mediators, Russia and France, to stop the violence." (Newsweek)

Business and economy

The Tokyo Stock Exchange halts all trading for the day after it suffered one of the worst technical glitches in its history. It is undecided if it will reopen on Friday. The Nikkei 225 and TOPIX were also impacted, as they rely on the same system. (DW)
The Supreme Court of Ireland rules that the bread used by American restaurant franchise Subway cannot be classified as bread, due to its high sugar content. The franchise henceforth will be required to pay a 13.5% value-added tax for their bread instead of being exempted as before. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Beirut explosion
- The state-run National News Agency says that Lebanon's state prosecution has asked Interpol to detain two Russian citizens, the captain and owner of the MV Rhosus, a ship that carried thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate to Beirut in 2013. (Reuters via U.S. News)
Eight people are killed and ten others are injured as a series of wildfires sweeps through part of eastern Ukraine. (Reuters)
British businessman and TV show host Zef Eisenberg is killed in a crash while attempting a new land speed record at RAF Elvington in Yorkshire, England. (CNN)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - COVID-19 pandemic in the Community of Madrid
      - The Spanish government orders a partial lockdown in Madrid and surrounding areas badly affected by COVID-19 after a rise in cases. Under the new restrictions, residents will not be allowed to leave the area unless they have to make an essential journey. However, Madrid's regional government says that the lockdown is not legally valid. (BBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Italy reports 2,548 new cases in the past 24 hours, partly due to higher swab tests that were conducted. It is the biggest daily jump of cases in five months and the first time the country has reported more than 2,000 cases since April. (Anadolu Agency)
    - The Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said he would ask parliament to extend the country's state of emergency to the end of January 2021, as the government tries to avoid the surge in cases seen in other European countries. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
  - Malaysia reports 260 new cases, the second biggest daily spike since the pandemic began. The sharp increase in infections comes after a surge in travel to and from Sabah for the state elections. The national tally now stands at 11,484 cases with a total of 136 deaths. (CNA)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Washington (state), 2020 Washington wildfires
    - A family of seven people who lost their homes during the Labor Day fires in the state tests positive for COVID-19. (Fox13news) (CNN)
  - President Donald Trump confirms that top aide Hope Hicks has tested positive for coronavirus and says he and first lady Melania Trump will begin their "quarantine process" while waiting for their own test results. (CNN)

International relations

Post-Brexit United Kingdom relations with the European Union
- After the United Kingdom ignored their demands made in early September to scrap the Internal Market Bill by the end of the month, the European Commission sends a letter to the government of the United Kingdom informing them of its intent to pursue international legal action over the bill, which the European Union claims violates international law by overriding article four of the Brexit withdrawal agreement. (AFP via Asia Times)

Law and crime

2017 Las Vegas shooting
- Amidst the third anniversary of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department backtracks on an earlier decision and has included, in the official death toll, two women who died from gunshot wound complications over the past year, thereby increasing it from 58 to 60. (AP) (The Las-Vegas Review Journal)
Belgium's court of appeal recognizes the genealogical DNA test result of Delphine Boël as the daughter of King Albert II, thereby instating her to the title of Princess of Belgium with the predicate "Her Royal Highness". Having been recognized as the illegitimate daughter of Albert, Boël was given the honorific Jonkvrouw, the lowest rank within the Belgian titled nobility, prior to the decision. (AFP via The Straits Times)