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COVID-19 pandemic

Gotabaya Rajapaksa

An Air India Express aircraft overruns the runway at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, India, killing 18 people on board.
The incumbent Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party, led by Gotabaya Rajapaksa (pictured), claims a landslide victory in the parliamentary election.
In India, construction of the Ram Temple on disputed land officially begins, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying the foundation stone.
Explosions in Beirut, Lebanon, kill at least 220 people and injure more than 5,000 others.

August 10, 2020 (Monday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

2020 Chaman blast
- A motorcycle bomb kills five people and injures 20 others in Chaman, Killa Abdullah, Balochistan, Pakistan. (Dawn)
2020 Democratic Republic of the Congo massacres
- Nineteen people are killed in three villages in Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Al Jazeera English)

Business and economy

McDonald's files a US$40 million lawsuit against former CEO Steve Easterbrook, equal to the worth of his severance package, for allegedly lying to investigators about the extent of his sexual relationships with three employees. (CNN)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Kerala flood and landslide
- A landslide during floods at a tea plantation in Kerala, India, leaves at least 49 people dead. It is feared that many more people are buried under debris. (Sky News)
MV Wakashio oil spill
- Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth warns that the tanker may "break in two" as the country awaits help from other nations that have pledged aid amid a state of emergency. Jugnauth adds the nation lacks the skills and resources needed to relocate the wrecked vessel, and that the nation will likely never recover from the ecological damage done by the spill. (BBC) (CBS)
A gas explosion in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, leaves at least one dead and four injured. Homes were damaged or destroyed. (BBC)

International relations

Afghan peace process
- A day after the loya jirga approved of the release of "hardcore" Taliban prisoners, President Ashraf Ghani signs the order to release them. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen says the Taliban "is ready" for talks. U.S. Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad welcomed the agreement. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Hong Kong national security law
- Hong Kong entrepreneur and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai and his son are arrested under the national security law for allegedly conspiring with foreign powers. He is so far the most high-profile figure to be charged under the law. The police also search the offices of his newspaper Apple Daily shortly after his arrest. (The Guardian)
- Hong Kong activist Agnes Chow is arrested in late afternoon, according to Nathan Law. (Reuters)
Rioting and looting occurs in Chicago after a police shooting. Thirteen police officers are injured, two people are shot, and more than 100 are arrested. (Chicago Tribune)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian presidential election, 2020 Belarusian protests
- A state television exit poll shows President Alexander Lukashenko winning 79.7% of the vote. (BBC)
- Lukashenko, in power since 1994, declares a landslide victory against the opposition, as riot police clash with protesters in the capital Minsk. Protests in reaction to the disputed results have been reported in at least 20 other Belarusian cities. Fifty civilians and thirty-nine police officers were injured, while at least 3,000 protesters are arrested across the country, one-third of them in Minsk. (BBC) (The Guardian)
- A police van in Minsk rams a group of protesters, hitting one of them. The condition of the victim is unknown, with reports of his death not confirmed. (Mandiner.hu)
- Main opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya rejects the results of the election, claiming she had won a majority and describes the election as "massively rigged". (The Guardian)
- NetBlocks reports that the internet has been "significantly disrupted" in Belarus, with a near total blackout in Minsk. (NetBlocks)
2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election
- Citizens of Trinidad and Tobago cast their votes in the country's latest general election. (Foreign Brief)
2019–2020 Lebanese protests, aftermath of the 2020 Beirut explosions
- Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab announces the resignation of the entire government as protests grow over their handling of the Beirut explosions a couple of days ago. (Reuters)

August 9, 2020 (Sunday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- August 2020 Afghanistan attacks
  - At least seven policemen are killed and 15 others injured after a car bomb explodes outside a police station in Ghazni, Afghanistan. As yet nobody has claimed responsibility. (TOLONews)
- Afghan peace process
  - Afghanistan's Loya Jirga approves to release 400 "hard-core" Taliban prisoners after deliberation. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says he will sign the order and that doing this, the Afghan government complies with the Taliban demand of freeing prisoners to start intra-Afghan peace talks. (Reuters)
Maghreb insurgency
- Kouré shooting
  - Six French aid workers, their driver, and a local guide are shot dead by gunmen in an attack on a group of aid workers in Kouré, Tillabéri, Niger. (BBC)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia
- State-run oil company Saudi Aramco reports that profits in the first half of 2020 plunged by 50% compared to the same period last year, with decreased demand in oil caused by COVID-19 cited as the main reason by CEO Amin H. Nasser. The company plans to uphold its promise of paying out US$75 billion in annual dividends in spite of this. (AP)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Sparta earthquake
- An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 hits near the small town of Sparta, North Carolina. Shaking was felt throughout the U.S. East Coast, though no damage and injuries are reported. The earthquake is the largest in the state since 1916. (ABC News)
2020 Vijayawada fire
- At least 11 people are dead and 22 others injured in a fire at a COVID-19 facility centre in India's Andhra Pradesh. (Al Jazeera)
Five people are dead after floods caused by thunderstorms and torrential rains affected Evia, Greece. Dozens of people have been evacuated from the area. (BBC)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    - Victoria reports Australia's deadliest day since the pandemic began in the country, with 17 deaths reported aside from 394 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. (The Guardian)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
    - New Zealand marks 100 days without community transmission of COVID-19. (The New Zealand Herald)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Greece
    - National Public Health Organization reports 203 new COVID-19 cases in Greece in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single day for the country since the pandemic began. (Greek Reporter)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The United Kingdom reports 1,062 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. It is the first time that country has recorded more than 1,000 new cases since late June. (ITV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in India
  - India reports its highest single day record of 64,399 new cases in the last 24 hours. (Times of India)

Law and crime

List of mass shootings in the United States in 2020
- A teenager is killed and 20 others are shot, including an off-duty police officer, in a mass shooting at a large gathering in Southeast Washington, D.C. Police are searching for at least three shooters. (CNN)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian presidential election
- Citizens of Belarus head to the polls to elect the country's president. Long-ruling Alexander Lukashenko is challenged by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya after her husband and pro-democracy activist Siarhei Tsikhanouski was jailed and banned from the vote like other prominent opposition figures. Protesters and journalists were also detained in the weeks leading to the election. (DW)

August 8, 2020 (Saturday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Somali Civil War
- August 2020 Mogadishu bombing
  - A suicide bombing at a military base in Mogadishu kills at least eight people and injures fourteen others. Jihadist group al-Shabaab claims responsibility. (Reuters)
2019–2020 Lebanese protests, aftermath of the 2020 Beirut explosions
- Riot police fire tear gas at protesters trying to make their way into parliament, amid increasing anger at the government's handling of this week's explosions in Beirut and deteriorating economic situation in the country. More than 728 people were wounded in the clashes, sixty-three of whom were taken to hospitals, while a policeman was killed. (Al Jazeera)
- Protesters storm the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants building in Achrafieh, Beirut. The building was badly damaged in the August 4 explosion. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

MV Wakashio oil spill
- Mauritius declares a state of environmental emergency after the Japanese-owned ship MV Wakashio ran aground offshore days ago and began spilling tons of fuel. (The New York Times)
2020 Bohumín apartment fire
- A fire at a 13-story apartment complex in Bohumín, Czech Republic, leaves at least eleven people dead and ten others injured. Rescue workers say all of those who died resided on the 11th and 12th floors of the building, with five of them jumping from the windows "in a panic". (ABC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - Paris issues a mask mandate for busy areas to curb the rise of COVID-19 infections. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - Ireland reports 174 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, which is the highest number of reported cases since early May. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
  - The total number of COVID-19 deaths in Brazil surpasses 100,000. (G1) (The Wall Street Journal)
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
  - The total number of COVID-19 cases in the United States surpasses five million. (Reuters)

Law and crime

LGBT rights in Poland
- The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Dunja Mijatović urges Polish authorities to "immediately release" an LGBT rights activist detained on Friday. The activist was arrested on charges of hooliganism and vandalism. Yesterday, 48 pro-LGBT protesters were also arrested when they tried to stop police from detaining the activist. (The First News)
- Thousands of protesters march in front of the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, demanding the release of the activist. (Reuters).

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian protests
- On the eve of a presidential election, Belarusian security forces arrest Maria Moroz, the campaign manager of leading opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and three Open Russia activists who traveled to Belarus to "observe Sunday's presidential election". (DW)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- The Mid-American Conference announces that its 12 members will not play this fall season, including in football. While many other NCAA Division I leagues have already called off fall sports, the MAC becomes the first Division I FBS league to scrap the 2020 football season. (Mid-American Conference) (ESPN)

August 7, 2020 (Friday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Maghreb insurgency
- 2020 Fada N'gourma shooting
  - About 20 people are killed when unidentified gunmen attack a cattle market in Fada N'gourma, Est, Burkina Faso. (Al Jazeera)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- A 23-year-old woman is killed in clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian citizens in Jenin, West Bank. Palestinian officials say the woman was shot by Israeli forces, but an army spokesman said that the Palestinians opened fire and threw explosives and that Israeli troops did not open fire. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Greece–Turkey relations
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announces his country will resume energy exploration activities in the eastern Mediterranean, saying Greece had repeatedly violated their agreement on the matter. (Al Jazeera)
Canada–United States relations
- Canada is set to impose $3.6B in tariffs on aluminum products in response to American tariffs on Canadian aluminum. Most affected manufacturers are in three politically sensitive swing states critical to the presidential election. (CBC)

Disasters and accidents

Air India Express Flight 1344
- Eighteen people are dead and dozens of others are injured, including fifteen seriously, after an Air India Express plane carrying 191 people overruns the runway in Calicut International Airport, Kerala, India. (BBC)
2020 Kerala floods
- At least 22 people are dead and dozens of others injured due to flood and landslides in Kerala, India. (BBC)
A 40 ha (99 acres) grass fire breaks out at Chobham Common in Surrey, England, as the southeast experiences soaring temperatures. (BBC)
Searchers have recovered the United States Marine Corps Assault Amphibious Vehicle that sank near San Clemente Island, off the coast of Southern California, last Thursday. The remains of eight Marines and one sailor of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, San Diego County, who died in the "ship-to-shore" training exercise have been recovered as well. (ABC 11 News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports the highest single-day record of more than 62,000 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country's total to 2,025,409. This total makes India the third country to pass two million cases, after the United States and Brazil. (BBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq
    - Iraq reports its highest single-day record of 3,461 new COVID-19 cases and 75 more deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide total to 144,064 cases and 5,236 deaths respectively. (Anadolu Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Japan reports a record of 1,601 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. (CNN)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spain reports 4,507 new cases, of which 1,895 were diagnosed in the last 24 hours, mainly in the regions of the Basque Country, Catalonia, and Aragon. This number is the highest increase since the lockdown was lifted in June. (El Pais in English) (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France, COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - France reports 2,288 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. It is the biggest daily spike since the end of May and the first time in months that the number of cases surpass 2,000, prompting fears that the United Kingdom will add the country onto its quarantine list. (Sky News) (The New York Times)
Two people die of bubonic plague in the region of Inner Mongolia, China. Authorities have sealed off a village. (CNN)

International relations

China–United States relations, Hong Kong–United States relations
- The U.S. Treasury Department imposes sanctions on 11 current and former Chinese officials, including current Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam and Chinese envoy to Hong Kong Luo Huining, citing her role last year in attempting to pass an extradition law and, more recently, her involvement in "developing, adopting or implementing" the Hong Kong national security law. (South China Morning Post)
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international relations
- The European Union provides Fiji with a US$23.4 million budget to help the Pacific country fight the COVID-19 pandemic. This move comes after Fiji closed its embassy in Brussels amid a closure of several Fijian embassies around the world. (RNZ)
Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- The United Kingdom imposes a two-week quarantine for people who arrive from Belgium, The Bahamas and Andorra. The changes are effective from 04:00 BST tomorrow except in Wales, where the changes take effect from midnight on August 13. (BBC)
France and Germany end talks with the United States to reform the World Health Organization, after the former two's respective health ministries expressed opposition to the attempt from the US at leading the talks, despite the US having decided to leave the organization. (Reuters)

Law and crime

2020 Thai protests, Lèse majesté in Thailand
- Anon Nampha, a leading lawyer who gave a speech on monarchy reforms, is arrested for "creating chaos" and "spreading untrue matters". (Khaosod) (Bangkok Post)
Operation Gideon
- A Venezuelan court sentences two former United States Army Special Forces soldiers to 20 years in prison for their role in the failed coup d'état against President Nicolás Maduro. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 Bulgarian protests
- Bulgarian security forces clamp down on demonstrators and dismantle anti-government barricades across the country in a major police sweep. The police operation comes a day after the Bulgarian government declared that it had no plans to step down from power. (Balkan Insight)
2020 United States presidential election
- The National Counterintelligence and Security Center reports that China, Russia, and Iran are working to interfere with the upcoming American presidential election. They specifically claim that Russia is working to undermine former Vice President and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden's presidential campaign and boost Trump's, while China and Iran are working to undermine Trump's and boost Biden's. Iran is also trying to "undermine US democratic institutions". (BBC)
Politics of Taiwan
- After a Legislative Yuan vote in July to emphasize "Taiwan" instead of "Republic of China" on the passport of the Republic of China, voting officially begins on the New Power Party's website for various new passport designs. The winner will be awarded in September. (Taiwan News)

Science and technology

Reddit reports it was hit by a major hack, in which hackers took control of at least 70 of the most-popular subreddits and their respective moderator accounts to spam pro-Trump messages. A site spokesperson said an investigation is underway. (Wired) (CNet)

August 6, 2020 (Thursday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, Saudi Arabian–Yemeni border conflict
- Saudi state news agency SPA says Saudi Armed Forces shot down an explosive-laden drone launched against Saudi territory from Al Hudaydah Governorate, on Yemen's Red Sea coast. The Houthis report a Saudi air strike on Saada Governorate. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
  - The economy falls into recession for the first time in 29 years after the economy shrank by 16.5% in the April to June quarter from the same period last year, which is the biggest slump in the government's quarterly GDP data dating back to 1981. (CNA)
China–United States trade war
- Invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, U.S. President Donald Trump issues several executive orders barring firms and American citizens from trading and doing financial transactions with Chinese technology companies ByteDance and Tencent, effectively banning their respective apps TikTok and WeChat within the United States. The orders are set to go into effect in 45 days. (Reuters)
Trump tariffs
- Trump implements a tariff of 10% on aluminum imports from Canada, pursuant to Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act. The United States previously imposed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum in 2018 citing national security concerns, before removing them last year as part of the USCMA Free Trade Agreement. Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau vows "dollar-for-dollar" countermeasures. (CBC)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Beirut explosions, 2019–2020 Lebanese protests
- Security forces fired tear gas to disperse dozens of anti-government protesters in Beirut calling for the Lebanese government's resignation near the parliament building. Several people were wounded in the clashes. (Al Jazeera)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - The Robert Koch Institute reports 1,045 new cases in Germany during the last 24 hours. It is the first time since May 7 that new COVID-19 cases in the country surpass 1,000. (The New Indian Express)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
    - Poland reports a record 726 new cases during the last 24 hours, and the government will impose limits on restaurants, sporting events, public transport and weddings in 19 of its 380 counties as of Saturday, August 8. (Bloomberg)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
    - Ukraine reports 1,318 new COVID-19 cases during the last 24 hours, a record high for a second consecutive day. (UNIAN)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports 904 new COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, which is the largest number of fatalities in a single-day as new cases reach 56,000. (Jagran English)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
    - The Philippines reports 3,561 new COVID-19 cases on which inching the total tally closer to 120,000 and causing the country to overtake Indonesia as the Southeast Asian nation with the most number of infections. (Rappler)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Melbourne enters Stage 4 lockdown, which is Australia's toughest lockdown yet, following a spike of COVID-19 cases within the city and surrounding Victoria. (France 24)

International relations

Belarus–United States relations, 2020 Belarusian presidential election
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says security forces have arrested "a number of" U.S. citizens, just days before the country goes to the polls for a presidential election. In the speech, Lukashenko claims Belarus is the victim of a "hybrid war", and that "we should expect dirty tricks from any side". (Reuters)
Egypt–Greece relations
- Egypt and Greece sign a bilateral agreement which establishes a new exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Eastern Mediterranean between the two countries. The agreement prompts anger from Turkey, with the Turkish Foreign Ministry describing the deal as "null and void". (Ekathimerini) (Andolu Agency)

Law and crime

Canada–China relations
- A court in China sentences a Canadian man to death on drug charges. His alleged accomplice receives life imprisonment. Police had confiscated 120 kilograms (266 pounds) of ketamine from the defendant's home. He is the third Canadian citizen to receive the death sentence for drug smuggling since Canadian authorities arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in late 2018 on an extradition request from the United States. (AP)
Two security alerts are triggered in Belfast aimed at the newly formed East Belfast GAA team. The bomb threats are later deemed as hoaxes aiming to destabilize the team which is aiming to bring together both sides of the political divide. (BBC)
Former Saudi Ministry of the Interior official Saad bin Khalid Al Jabry accuses Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of attempting to assassinate him in Canada, where he currently lives in exile, two weeks after the assassination of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The would-be assassins, believed to be the Tiger Squad, were stopped at Toronto Pearson International Airport after Canadian border official became suspicious of them following interviews. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani appoints public administrator Mohamed Ould Bilal as Prime Minister after the government of previous Prime Minister Ismail Ould Bedde Ould Cheikh Sidiya resigned hours earlier. (Al Jazeera)
Minister of Defense of Peru Walter Martos is named the new Prime Minister after the approval of the motion of no-confidence against Pedro Cateriano. (Expreso)

Science and technology

Twitter says it will label state media, official government accounts and their staff. State-funded media outlets with "editorial independence", such as the National Public Radio in the U.S., or BBC in the UK, will not be among those labelled, according to a spokesman for the social media site. (Reuters)

August 5, 2020 (Wednesday)

edithistorywatch

Arts and culture

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins the groundwork of the Lord Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, which was the former location of the demolished Babri Masjid. (Al Jazeera)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
  - The Indonesian economy contracts 5.32% in second quarter of 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the worst economic contraction in the country since the first quarter of 1999. (Kompas)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Beirut explosions
- The death toll from the explosions in the Port of Beirut rises to 135 people, with more than 5,000 injured and dozens still missing. (Al Jazeera)
- In response to the explosions, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon delays the pronouncement of the verdict in the criminal case concerning the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri from August 7 to August 18. (Reuters)
- Several Beirut port officials are placed under house arrest as an investigation starts into how 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate was left unsecured at a warehouse at the port for six years. (ITV)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
    - Ukraine reports a record high of 1,271 new COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to statement from National Security and Defense Council. (The New York Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spain reports 1,772 new cases of COVID-19 infection in the last 24 hours, which is the highest number since nationwide state of emergency was lifted in June. (The New York Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports 1,695 new cases in the last 24 hours, which is the highest number since the end of May. The seven-day moving average stood above the 1,300 threshold for the first time since the end of April. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Queensland declares all of New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory to be COVID-19 hotspots and will close its border with both regions on Saturday August 8 at 1 am (AEST). (9 News)
  - Victoria reports 725 new COVID-19 cases and 15 deaths in the last 24 hours. It is the highest number of reported cases and the deadliest day since the pandemic started in the state itself and Australia in general. (The Age)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
  - Aichi Prefecture declares its own state of emergency after the number of COVID-19 cases tops 100 after nine consecutive days. The state of emergency will be enforced for 19 days until August 24. (The Asahi Shimbun)
- COVID-19 pandemic in United States
  - Twitter restricts President Donald Trump's campaign from tweeting after its account shared a video of Trump's interview with Fox News in which he said children are "almost immune" to COVID-19. (CNN)

Law and crime

Capital punishment in Iran
- Iran executes a man for killing a member of the Revolutionary Guards during anti-government unrest in 2017. His execution was carried out as a retribution sentence demanded by the victim's family. (Reuters)
Former Guatemalan Economic Minister Acisclo Valladares Urruela is charged by American prosecutors for laundering US$10 million on behalf of drug traffickers, and using the profits to bribe officials back home. (Reuters)
Zhang Yuhuan is acquitted of murdering two boys in October 1993 and freed after serving 27 years in prison in Jiangxi as China's longest-serving wrongfully convicted inmate. The killer of the boys remains unknown. (BBC)

Politics and elections

2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election
- Sri Lanka holds parliamentary elections after the parliament was dissolved by president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in March. Originally scheduled to be held in April, the election was postponed twice due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (The Guardian)
Croatia–Serbia relations
- Croatia marks the 25th anniversary of Operation Storm, a military victory against the proto-state of Serbian Krajina that ended the Croatian War of Independence. The ceremony in the town of Knin, former capital of Serbian Krajina, was for the first time ever attended by an ethnic Serb political representative, Deputy Prime Minister Boris Milošević. (Al Jazeera)
Taiwan–United States relations, China–United States relations
- United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar travels to Taiwan for a multi-day official visit. He is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the country in 40 years after the U.S. stopped recognising Taiwan in 1979 and has had unofficial ties since then. The PRC, which claims Taiwan as a breakaway province, condemns the visit. (Reuters)
Vanuatu's former prime minister, Charlot Salwai, is referred to the Supreme Court to stand trial for alleged corruption. His lawyer says he is confident they will win the case. (RNZ)

Science and technology

Artemis program
- SpaceX Starship prototype SN5 successfully carries out a 150-meter (490 ft) flight test at the SpaceX South Texas Launch Site. (BBC)
Google shuts down 2,500 channels on its video sharing platform YouTube that were linked to Chinese disinformation. The channels generally posted "spammy, non-political content", but a small subset touched on politics, the company said. (Reuters)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season
  - The University of Connecticut cancels its 2020 football season, becoming the first NCAA Division I FBS school to scrap its 2020 season. (UConn Huskies) (ESPN)

August 4, 2020 (Tuesday)

edithistorywatch

Business and economy

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on airlines
- UK-based airline Virgin Atlantic declares itself bankrupt and files for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection in New York amid a decline in international flights during the COVID-19 pandemic. (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

2020 Beirut explosions
- Several explosions in the port of Beirut, Lebanon, kill more than 70 people, injure more than 4,000 others and send shock waves that damage homes as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) away. Prime Minister Hassan Diab, whose wife and daughter are among the injured, declares Wednesday a national day of mourning. The shockwave was felt in a few nearby countries. (BBC)
- Finnish diplomats confirm that Finland's Embassy in Beirut, located 2km from the port, has been "destroyed". No Finnish casualties are known at this time, according to Deputy Ambassador Aki Kauppinen. Prime Minister Sanna Marin confirmed the embassy premises have been "badly damaged". (Newsnow Finland)
Heavy rains cause floods and landslides in Gapyeong, South Korea, killing at least 14 people and forcing the evacuation of more than 1,000. The rains have also battered China, Thailand, India and Myanmar. Neighboring North Korea warns of possible floods, while the New Zealand government reports the deaths of three of its citizens in the South Korean floods. (Reuters)
Searchers have located the United States Marine Corps Assault Amphibious Vehicle that sank near San Clemente Island, off the coast of Southern California, on 30 July 2020. Eight Marines and one sailor of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, San Diego County died in the "ship-to-shore" training exercise. Recovery efforts will begin by the end of the week. (NBC San Diego)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
  - The Philippines posts a single-day Southeast Asian record, with 6,352 new COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, as well as 11 deaths. More than 66,000 people have recovered. (The Straits Times) (Manila Bulletin)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
  - Poland reports a single-day record of 680 new cases in the last 24 hours, as well as six deaths. More than a third are in the southern Silesia region, largely amongst coal miners. (Voice of America)

Law and crime

The Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia, in a unanimous decision, orders former President Álvaro Uribe to be placed under house arrest, claiming he may obstruct justice for his fraud and witness tampering case. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 Thai protests
- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha asks people "not to create chaos at this time" as protests grow amid demands to rewrite the constitution, dissolve parliament, hold new elections and reform the monarchy. (Reuters)
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa calls his opponents "terrorists" and vows to continue a crackdown on them. In recent days, several opposition members and activists have been arrested and human rights groups allege that security forces are conducting illegal abductions. Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf posted a tweet in favor of the opposition. (Al Jazeera)
The Congress of the Republic of Peru votes 54–37 no confidence against Prime Minister Pedro Cateriano, forcing all 19 government ministers to resign. President Martín Vizcarra has 48 hours to form a new cabinet. (Reuters)