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

Sébastien Ogier

In motorsport, Sébastien Ogier (pictured) and Julien Ingrassia win the World Rally Championship, while Hyundai win the manufacturers' title.
Hayabusa2 successfully returns samples collected from asteroid 162173 Ryugu to Earth.
Zdravko Krivokapić takes office as Prime Minister of Montenegro, becoming the first independent to hold the post.
In India, a nationwide general strike occurs and 100,000 people continue with the farmers' protests surrounding New Delhi.

December 10, 2020 (Thursday)

edithistorywatch

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
  - South Korea surpasses 40,000 total cases of COVID-19. (KBS World)

December 9, 2020 (Wednesday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraq War, Operation Telic
- International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda announces that an inquiry into British war crimes in Iraq has been formally abandoned. In a final report, Bensouda says her office "found a reasonable basis to believe" that British troops committed war crimes in 2003, unlawfully murdering at least seven Iraqi detainees, however she accepted the UK has taken "genuine action" to investigate itself. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
      - Officials from The Pentagon say that they will receive 44,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. However, it will not be mandatory for soldiers to receive the vaccine. (CBS News) (U.S. News & World Report)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Maryland
      - On his first full day in office, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announces that the city will close all indoor and outdoor dining at restaurants to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (The Baltimore Sun)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Alabama
      - Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announces that the statewide mask mandate and stay-at-home order will be extended until January 22. (Montgomery Advertiser)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania
      - Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf tests positive for COVID-19 and begins quarantining at his home. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - Canada approves Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine and expects to receive 249,000 doses by the end of the year. (CBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Belarus
    - The first Prime Minister of Belarus, Vyacheslav Kebich, dies from COVID-19 in Minsk at the age of 84. (Belrynok)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Cyprus
    - The government announces that malls and food and beverage establishments will be closed from December 11 at 06:00 p.m. local time until the end of the year. Restaurants will only be allowed to offer takeaway service. (Phile News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Germany reports 568 new deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the most since the start of the pandemic and bringing the nationwide death toll to 20,002. (Bloomberg)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Moldova
    - Prime Minister Ion Chicu tests positive for COVID-19. (Antara News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia
    - Slovakian Prime Minister Igor Matovič announces that non-essential shops and schools will be closed for at least three weeks beginning December 21. He also said that the outdoor terraces of restaurants, cafés and similar facilities will be closed beginning December 11 and only takeaway services will be allowed. (The Slovak Spectator)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
    - Turkey reports a new single-day record of 217 deaths, bringing the nationwide death toll to 15,531. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports a record 171 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 18,171. (CNN Indonesia)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Japan reports a record 2,812 new cases in the past 24 hours. (The Japan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships
    - A Royal Caribbean ship, Quantum of the Seas, that had 1,680 guests and 1,448 crew on board, returned to Singapore on the third day of a four-day "cruise to nowhere" after a passenger tested positive for COVID-19. (BBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - The number of new confirmed cases in South Korea reaches a nine-month high of 686 cases in the last 24 hours. The country now has 39,432 total confirmed cases, according to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. (Yonhap News Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in United Arab Emirates, COVID-19 vaccine
    - The Ministry of Health and Prevention announces the registration of Sinopharm's inactivated virus vaccine BBICP-CorV, after an interim analysis of the Phase III trials showed BBIBP-CorV to have a 86% efficacy against COVID-19 infection. (Reuters)

International relations

European Union–United Kingdom relations, Trade negotiation between the UK and the EU
- UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen agree to set a deadline for a trade agreement between the UK and EU by 13 December. If no agreement is reached by then, the United Kingdom will leave the European Single Market and European Union Customs Union without a deal on 1 January, 2021. (The Guardian)

Law and crime

The European Medicines Agency announces that it has been cyberattacked and that an investigation is ongoing. (The Guardian)

Politics and elections

2020 Indonesian local elections
- 105 million people in Indonesia go to the polls to choose governors in nine of 34 provinces as well as 37 mayors and 224 district leaders in regencies and cities in 270 regions across the country. The elections were originally scheduled in September but were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (ABC News)
- The eldest son of President Joko Widodo, Gibran Rakabuming Raka is elected as Mayor of Surakarta with landslide victory based on some quick count results. (Bloomberg)

Science and technology

Starship development history
- SpaceX Starship (prototype SN8) is destroyed in a crash landing at the Boca Chica launch site in Texas, following a high-altitude test flight. (The Independent)

December 8, 2020 (Tuesday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Tigray conflict
- Ethiopian National Defense Force troops open fire on United Nations staffers who were trying to reach areas where "they were not supposed to go" near Sheraro in the Tigray Region, according to senior Ethiopian government official Redwan Hussein. There are no reported casualties. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric says the reports are "alarming". (AP)

Disasters and accidents

A helicopter crashes in the French Alps, leaving five people people dead and another injured. The helicopter was carrying an air rescue crew on a training mission. (Reuters)
In Belle, West Virginia, United States, an explosion at the Chemours Chemical Plant prompts a now-cancelled shelter-in-place to be issued for Belle and in surrounding areas; the explosion leaves four people injured. Along with the shelter-in-place, schools in Kanawha County, the county Belle resides in, were closed for Wednesday. (USA Today)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco
    - Morocco says that its Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine will be free for all citizens and will be rolled out in the following weeks. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India
    - India reports 26,567 new cases, the lowest in the country since July 10. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Japan reports 47 new deaths in the past 24 hours, a new single-day record since the beginning of the pandemic. (The Japan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
    - Turkey reports a new single-day record of 211 new deaths, bringing the nationwide death toll to 15,304. (Daily Sabah)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - The U.S. surpasses 15 million cases of COVID-19, with about one out of every 22 Americans having tested positive since the pandemic began. (USA Today)
    - COVID-19 vaccine
      - American regulators from the Food and Drug Administration confirm that Pfizer's vaccine candidate is 95% effective. (The Washington Post)
      - President Donald Trump hosts an Operation Warp Speed vaccine summit. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, and Lousiana Governor John Bel Edwards attend the event. (Business Insider)
      - President Trump says that he will invoke the Defense Production Act of 1950 to provide vaccine doses if necessary. (Bloomberg.com)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
      - President-elect Joe Biden says that he will issue an executive order that would require face masks in federal buildings on the first day of his presidency. The order will last for the first 100 days that he holds office. (Newsweek)
      - Jenna Ellis, lawyer to President Trump, tests positive for COVID-19. This comes just two days after Rudy Giuliani, another of Trump's lawyers, also tested positive. (New York Times)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan
      - Michigan surpasses 10,000 confirmed deaths from COVID-19. In response, Governor Gretchen Whitmer orders flags to fly at half staff for the next 10 days. (WDIV-TV) (WEYI-TV)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts
      - Massachussets Governor Charlie Baker announces that the state will tighten restrictions and move back to phase 3 of the reopening plan. (The Hill)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Colorado
      - Colorado Governor Jared Polis announces that the state will extend its statewide mask mandate for 30 more days amid a rise of cases in the state. (KDVR)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Manitoba
      - Manitoba extends its COVID-19 restrictions into January. However, drive-in church services will be exempted, thrift stores will be allowed to reopen, and sales of Christmas and holiday items will be permitted. (CBC)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta
      - Alberta imposes tough new restrictions in a bid to curb soaring COVID-19 infections including the closure of all casinos and gyms, banning dine-in service at restaurants and bars, imposing a mandatory provincewide mask requirement, banning all outdoor and indoor social gatherings, and imposing mandatory work-from-home measures. (CBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, COVID-19 vaccine
    - The United Kingdom's National Health Service begins a mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19 using the BNT162b2 vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer. Seniors over the age of 80 and certain healthcare workers will be among the first to receive the vaccine. (BBC)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Belarus
    - Belarus exceeds 150,000 cases of COVID-19. (TASS)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Four lions at the Barcelona Zoo tests positive for COVID-19. (NBC News)
2020 H5N8 outbreak
- France's Ministry of Agriculture confirms an outbreak of the highly pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N8 (bird flu) at a duck farm in Bénesse-Maremne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine. (France 24)

Law and crime

Hong Kong national security law
- Police in Hong Kong arrest eight pro-democracy activists including Leung Kwok-hung (better known as Long Hair), Eddie Chu, Figo Chan and Wu Chi-wai. (South China Morning Post)
Capital punishment in Iran
- A spokesman for the Supreme Court of Iran says it upheld a death sentence against dissident journalist Ruhollah Zam "more than one month ago". Zam was found guilty of "corruption on earth" on charges of spying for France and Israel and trying to destabilise Iran by inciting unrest in 2017 on social media. In court, Zam denied most of the allegations against him and said he was only engaged in "media work". (Al-Jazeera)

Politics and elections

Internal Market Bill, Brexit
- United Kingdom Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove announces that the UK government will withdraw all controversial clauses from the Internal Market Bill. Gove and Vice-President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič announce "an agreement in principle" on all issues of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, including the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, border checks, food and medicine supplies and "clarification" on state subsidy rules. (The National)

Science and technology

Nepal and China agree that the height of Earth's highest mountain, Mount Everest, is 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 ft). (Reuters)

Sports

2020–21 UEFA Champions League, Racism in association football
- UEFA suspends the group stage match between Paris Saint-Germain and İstanbul Başakşehir inside the opening 15 minutes, after players from both teams abruptly left the pitch in protest of an alleged racist incident by a match official towards İstanbul Başakşehir assistant manager Pierre Webó. (CNN)

December 7, 2020 (Monday)

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Business and economy

China–United States trade war, Censorship of TikTok
- Carl J. Nichols, a federal judge for the District Court for the District of Columbia, blocks the Commerce Department from imposing restrictions on China-based app TikTok. (Reuters)
Swedish furniture giant IKEA says it will stop printing its famed annual catalogue, ending a seven-decade tradition as customers move to digital alternatives. (Retail Gazette)
Israel–United Arab Emirates relations
- Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family, purchases a 50% stake in Israeli Premier League club Beitar Jerusalem F.C., following the establishment of relations between the two countries this year. (BBC)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
      - Ontario reports 1,925 cases, a new single-day record. (Global News)
    - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that the country will receive 240,000 doses of Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine candidate by the end of the year. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
      - Mayor Muriel Bowser announces restrictions on high-contact sports amid a rise of cases in the area. However, the restrictions will not apply to professional or university sports. (NPR)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan
      - After the state surpasses 400,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, Governor Gretchen Whitmer extends the statewide partial shutdown on businesses, indoor dining in restaurants, and in-person instruction at high schools and colleges through December 20. (The Detroit News) (WDIV)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Wyoming
      - Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon issues a statewide mask mandate for indoor public spaces, tighter restrictions on gathering sizes, and a reduction in hours for certain businesses. The mask mandate will go into effect on December 9 and will last until January 8. (Wyoming Tribune Eagle)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark
    - Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announces a tightening of a partial lockdown in 38 municipalities across Denmark, including Copenhagen, from December 9 to January 3. (The Local Denmark)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese tests positive for COVID-19. (La Repubblica)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary
    - Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announces that the country will maintain its COVID-19 restrictions until January 11. (News.trust.org)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Lithuania
    - The Lithuanian government announces that it will tighten and extend the nationwide lockdown until the end of the year. People are advised to leave their homes only for essential reasons, and the education of senior students will be conducted remotely. (DELFI EN)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
    - Turkey reports a record 203 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 15,103. (Daily Sabah)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Former vice-governor of Jakarta and former vice-presidential candidate Sandiaga Uno tests positive for COVID-19. (detikNews)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India, COVID-19 vaccine
    - The Indian government announces that the country will speed up their reviews of vaccines developed by Pfizer and AstraZeneca. (Hindustan Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
  - Victoria eases restrictions, allowing larger private and public gatherings, relaxing patron quotas for businesses (including allowing nightclubs to reopen for the first time since the pandemic began), and relaxing mask-wearing rules. The state has not reported a COVID-19 case in 37 days. (The Guardian)
Eluru outbreak
- The number of people infected by a mysterious illness in the city of Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, India, increases to more than 400. The majority of those infected are children and young people. (CNN)

Law and crime

Islamic Defenders Front, Islam in Indonesia
- Six suspected supporters of controversial Indonesian Islamic cleric Muhammad Rizieq Shihab are killed in a clash with police on a highway near Jakarta. The incident occurred when a police car was attacked while following a car believed to be carrying supporters of the cleric, resulting in a shootout. The police have been investigating the cleric for violations of health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic after large gatherings occurred to celebrate his return to the country from self-exile in Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)
The National Football League announces an investigation into the Washington Football Team for allegations of workplace sexual harassment. (The Washington Post)
Hong Kong Autonomy Act
- The US Department of the Treasury imposes sanctions on all 14 Vice Chairpersons of the National People's Congress of China, for "undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression or assembly." (US Department of the Treasury)

Politics and elections

2020 Ghanaian general election
- Voters in Ghana head to the polls to elect their president as well as the members of parliament. Current president Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party is expected to have a tight race with his most promising challenger, John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress. (Reuters)
2020 Venezuelan parliamentary election
- President Nicolás Maduro's United Socialist Party of Venezuela has reportedly won almost 68% in Venezuela's latest parliamentary election. The vote was overshadowed by a boycott of the political opposition led by Juan Guaidó and a low voter turnout of only 31%. (DW)
- The United States refuses to recognize the results, describing the election as a "charade". The European Union also rejects the legitimacy of the election. (Reuters) (VOA)

Sports

Belarus at the Olympics
- The International Olympic Committee announces that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and his son Viktor will be banned from all Olympic Games, including the upcoming Tokyo Games. (ABC News)
The International Olympic Committee, after an unanimous vote, decides to make competitive breakdancing a sport, and would appear in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. (Deadline.com)

December 6, 2020 (Sunday)

edithistorywatch

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
      - Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor and personal lawyer to President Donald Trump, tests positive for COVID-19 and is admitted to a hospital in Washington, D.C. (CNN)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
      - Ontario reports 1,924 cases, a new single-day record. (CBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Bavaria formally declares a “disaster situation” in the state and announces to tighten its lockdown restrictions starting from December 9, banning people from leaving their homes with some exception and a nightly curfew from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. local time in communities that have more than 200 infections per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days. (Bloomberg)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
    - Russia reports a new single-day record of 29,039 cases, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2.46 million. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Italy surpasses 60,000 deaths from COVID-19. (The Irish Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden
    - Sweden imposes new restrictions on large gatherings and issues alcohol sale curfews and school closures amid a rise of cases. (Wall Street Journal)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - The number of new confirmed cases in South Korea reaches a nine-month high of 631 cases in the last 24 hours, the majority being from the Seoul Capital Area. The country now has 37,546 total confirmed cases, according to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. (Yonhap News Agency)
    - The government decides to raise social distancing level to level 2.5 in the Seoul Capital Area for the next three weeks. (The Korea Herald)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, COVID-19 vaccine
    - Indonesia receives its first shipment of 1.2 million doses of the CoronaVac vaccine. (CNA)
Havana syndrome
- An expert committee of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine releases a report, concluding that "directed" microwave radiation was the likely cause of illnesses among American diplomats in Cuba and China. (BBC)
Eluru outbreak
- At least one person has died and 227 have been hospitalised by an unidentified illness in Eluru, India. The patients had a wide range of symptoms from nausea to fits and falling unconscious, and all had tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. (BBC)

Law and crime

Corruption in Indonesia, Corruption Eradication Commission
- Indonesian social affairs minister Juliari Batubara turns himself in to the national anti-corruption agency for COVID-19 pandemic aid graft. (ABC News)

Politics and elections

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on politics, COVID-19 pandemic in Arizona
- The Arizona State Legislature announces that the House and Senate will close for a week starting tomorrow due to COVID-19 concerns. (KSAZ-TV)
2020 Romanian legislative election
- Voters in Romania head out to elect the members of their country's Chamber of Deputies and Senate. Widespread lack of interest in politics and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have raised fears of a low voter turnout. (France 24)
2020 Venezuelan parliamentary election
- Parliamentary elections are underway in Venezuela amidst multiple ongoing crises. The election is boycotted by the political opposition to President Nicolás Maduro and has been called unfair by international observers. (DW)
Anglophone Crisis
- Cameroon holds its first regional elections amidst criticism of President Paul Biya and a growing separatist insurgency in the English-speaking areas of the country. The election will elect representatives to local councils and is supported by the government, whereas separatists have vowed to disrupt the election, arresting anyone participating in it. Gunfire is also reported in some areas. (Reuters)
Supporters of President-elect Maia Sandu gather in Moldova to call for the resignation of the Russia-backed government and a new parliamentary election. (San Francisco Chronicle)

Science and technology

Uncrewed spaceflights to the International Space Station
- A SpaceX Falcon 9 launches a cargo ship into orbit to re-supply the International Space Station. (CBS News)

Sports

2020 NFL season
- In American football, the Cleveland Browns defeat the Tennessee Titans 41-35 to secure their first winning season since 2007. (USA Today)
2020 Formula One World Championship
- Racing Point's Sergio Pérez wins the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit, claiming his first Formula One win, and becoming the first Mexican Formula One driver to win a race since Pedro Rodríguez won the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix. (The Guardian)

December 5, 2020 (Saturday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan, Participants in Operation Enduring Freedom
- Belgium announces that all troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan in 2021, bringing an end to Belgian involvement in the war. Belgium currently has around 70 military personnel deployed in Afghanistan, as part of a train, advise and assist role for pro-government forces. (The Brussels Times)

Disasters and accidents

A carbon monoxide leak kills at least 18 miners at a coal mine in Yongchuan District, Chongqing, China. A search and rescue effort is underway to find six other missing miners. (The Guardian)
A fire partially destroys the Middle Collegiate Church in New York City, United States. (ABC News)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta
      - Alberta reports 1,879 new cases in the past 24 hours, a new single-day record since the pandemic began. (Edmonton Journal)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
      - Ontario reports a new single-day record of 1,859 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 125,385. (CBC)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec
      - Quebec reports a new single-day record of 2,031 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 149,908. It is also the first time that a Canadian province has reported more than 2,000 cases in a single day. (CFCF-DT)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in California
      - The California Department of Public Health issues a stay-at-home order for the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California as part of an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The order will take effect tomorrow at 11:59 p.m. (The Washington Post) (ABC News)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa
      - Iowa reports 960 hospitalized cases, making it the first time the state reported fewer than 1,000 hospitalized cases since November 18. (The Gazette)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania
      - Pennsylvania reports 12,884 new cases in the past 24 hours, a new single-day record since the pandemic began. (WPVI-TV)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
    - The number of new confirmed cases in Russia increases by a record 28,782 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,431,731. (France 24)
    - Moscow begins to vaccinate high-risk workers with the Sputnik V vaccine at 70 newly opened clinics across the city, marking Russia’s first mass COVID-19 vaccination. (Al Jazeera)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary
    - Hungary reports a record 193 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 5,706. (Hungary Today)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
    - Turkey reports a record 196 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 14,705 as a weekend lockdown takes effect. (Arab News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer self-isolates after one of his staff members tested positive for COVID-19. (BBC)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
    - Iran surpasses 50,000 total deaths from COVID-19. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Tokyo reports a new single-day record of 584 cases, according to data from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the city to 43,377. (The Japan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia
    - Saudi Arabia reports less than 200 new cases for the first time since April 4. (Arab News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in India, COVID-19 vaccine
    - Pfizer announces that it has submitted their vaccine for approval in India. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 Kuwaiti general election
- Kuwaitis turn out to vote for the 50 electable National Assembly members in the general election. (Kuwait Times)
Stonehenge closes to the public after protesters gathered at the site to protest the British government's plan to build a road tunnel near the monument. (AP)

Science and technology

JAXA space probe Hayabusa2 delivers the first ever subsurface asteroid samples to Earth. The capsule, containing a small amount of material from Apollo asteroid 162173 Ryugu, landed in the Australian outback. (CBS News)

December 4, 2020 (Friday)

edithistorywatch

Armed conflicts and attacks

Somali Civil War
- American military intervention in Somalia
  - U.S. President Donald Trump orders the withdrawal of almost all U.S. troops and assets from Somalia by January 15, according to the Department of Defense. (BBC)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- A 13-year-old Palestinian teen is killed by Israeli troops during clashes in the West Bank. (The Washington Post)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - The number of new confirmed cases in South Korea reaches a nine-month high of 629 cases in the last 24 hours, the majority being from the Seoul Capital Area. The country now has 36,332 total confirmed cases, according to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. (Yonhap News Agency)
    - Acting Seoul Mayor Seo Jung-hyup announces that stores, theatres and other facilities must close at 9:00 p.m. local time for two weeks beginning tomorrow. This announcement comes after the city reported a record 295 new cases. (The Korea Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain
    - Bahrain grants emergency use authorization for the COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech, becoming the second country after the United Kingdom to approve the vaccine. (Arab News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Japan reports a record 45 new deaths in the past 24 hours as the number of severe cases also hitting a record 505 patients. (Nippon.com)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Austria
    - Vienna, Tyrol and Vorarlberg begin a nationwide mass testing of their populations in an effort to limit infections when families meet during Christmas. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary
    - Hungary reports a record 189 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 5,513. (Hungary Today)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia
    - Health Minister Tomaž Gantar announces that Slovenia plans to launch mass COVID-19 testing before the end of the year as current restrictions have failed to reduce the infection rate. Testing should start after December 11 or 12, when the first 100,000 test kits are expected to be delivered to the country. (The Slovenia Times) (Barrons)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - The United States records 227,885 new cases of COVID-19, breaking a record set the previous day. (The Associated Press via WEYI-TV)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - Canada exceeds 400,000 cases of COVID-19. (Global News)

International relations

Federated States of Micronesia–United States relations
- The Federated States of Micronesia declines to host the annual Operation Christmas Drop with the U.S. Air Force. The annual operation, which delivers food and other humanitarian aid to Pacific islanders, has been cancelled by Micronesian President David W. Panuelo, who cited the threat of COVID-19. (RNZ)
Rohingya refugee crisis, Ashrayan Project
- Despite international pressure to back down, Bangladesh begins transferring thousands of Rohingya refugees to the remote island of Bhasan Char in the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh says all the refugees being moved have given consent and that the relocation was voluntary. (BBC)

Law and crime

Decriminalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States
- The House of Representatives votes 228–164 to pass a bill, known as the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, that would decriminalize recreational cannabis at a federal level. (BBC)
2020 Nova Scotia attacks
- Three people have been arrested for illegally providing ammunition to the gunman who killed 22 people across Nova Scotia, Canada in April. One of the three arrested is the gunman's common-law spouse. (CBC)
The Mayor of Liverpool, England, Joe Anderson is arrested along with four others for conspiracy to commit bribery and witness intimidation. He is subsequently suspended from the Labour Party. (BBC)

Politics and elections

2020 Montenegrin parliamentary election
- The parliament of Montenegro approves a new coalition government of centre-right, pro-Serb minority and green parties, formally ending three decades of Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro (DPS) rule in the country. New Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić vows to dismantle a state apparatus built by the DPS, and root-out corruption and organised crime. (Reuters)

Science and technology

The Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search completes testing of all Mersenne numbers with exponents less than 100,000,000. Following the milestone, the server experienced an increase in traffic, prompting maintenance and the temporary removal of the top section of the "Milestones" page which normally shows the live real time progress report toward upcoming milestones. (Mersenne Forum) (YCombinator)

Sports