Timeline 2020 October - December Return to home
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, US President Donald
Trump signed a stopgap funding bill that would keep the federal
government open through December 11.
   (Reuters, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, US President Donald
Trump said he was beginning a quarantine process after Hope Hicks, a
top adviser and trusted aide, tested positive for the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, The Trump
administration said it is dropping the cap on the number of refugees
it will let into the United States in the next fiscal year to
15,000, the lowest since the 1980 Refugee Act was enacted.
   (The Week, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, The US
Environmental Protection Agency reversed a Clinton
administration-era policy that required major US sources of
hazardous air pollution like arsenic and lead to maintain pollution
control technology throughout the lifetime of their operation,
enabling them to meet less stringent standards.
   (Reuters, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, A US federal judge
ordered the Census Bureau to text every 2020 census worker by the
next day, letting them know the head count of every US resident is
continuing through the end of the month and not ending next week, as
the agency previously had announced in violation of her court order.
   (AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, A US court ordered
Iran to pay $1.45 billion to the family of a former FBI agent who is
believed to have been detained by the Iranian government while on a
secret CIA mission to an Iranian island. Robert Levinson, who
disappeared aged 58 on Kish island in March 2007, is believed by his
family and the US government to have died in Iranian custody.
   (The Telegraph, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Former US National
Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said President Trump is "aiding and
abetting" efforts by Russian President Vladimir Putin to interfere
in the US presidential election.
   (The Week, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, The “Newsroom for
American and European Based Citizens" (NAEBC) was exposed as a
Russian front reportedly linked to the Internet Research Agency—the
Kremlin-backed troll farm behind much of the interference in the
2016 US election. Reuters news agency reported the FBI has been
investigating the pretend pro-Trump media outlet. It’s only been a
month since the FBI exposed the fake left-wing news organization,
Peacedata, as another project run by Putin’s internet troll army.
   (The Daily Beast, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, More than 50
Republican former national security officials endorsed Democratic
presidential candidate Joe Biden, joining one of several Republican
organizations opposing the re-election of President Donald Trump.
The group, called Former Republican National Security Officials for
Biden, launched in August with 70 members.
   (Reuters, 10/1/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, California to date
had 820,614 cases of coronavirus and 15,936 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 103,811 cases and 1,535 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 7,276,938 with the death toll at 206,869.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Former Chicago
police Sgt. Eddie Hicks (71) was sentenced to 13 years in federal
prison for running a rogue crew of cops who robbed drug dealers and
stash houses and resold stolen narcotics on the street. A warrant
for his arrest was issued on June 9, 2003, the day he failed to
appear for his trial. Hicks was arrested in 2017 living in Detroit
under a stolen identity.
   (Chicago Tribune, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, In Michigan Tukoyo
Moore, his son (6), and his father’s girlfriend, Isis Rimson (28),
were found shot to death in the basement of their house in Warren, a
Detroit suburb. A falling-out over drug deals allegedly led to the
slayings. On Oct. 13 Nicholas Raad Bahri (37) was arraigned on three
homicide charges.
   (TheGrio, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, The Diocese of
Rockville Centre, a Roman Catholic diocese in New York City's
suburbs, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to protect
itself from a wave of lawsuits filed over past sexual abuse by
clergy members.
   (AP, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, The Pennsylvania
House of Representatives canceled its floor session on the news that
a second Republican member had tested positive.
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Texas Gov. Greg
Abbott limited each county to one drop-off location for completed
mail ballots. The move would force Harris County, which is larger
than Rhode Island, to abandon 11 locations. Abbott cited election
security; Democrats said he was trying to reduce voter turnout.
   (NY Times, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Kim Richardson
(63), a Dallas resident, pleaded guilty in December and was ordered
today to serve 54 months in federal prison for selling shoplifted
merchandise on eBay for 19 years. She was also ordered to pay $3.8
million in damages.
   (Business Insider, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Wisconsin
registered a record increase in new COVID-19 cases. Governor Tony
Evers issued an emergency order easing licensing rules in a bid to
bolster the number of healthcare workers able to deal with the
mounting crisis.
   (Reuters, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Amazon reported
that 19,816 of its workers, 1.4 percent of its workforce, were
infected with the coronavirus between March 1 and Sept. 19. The
employees who tested positive were among the nearly 1.4 million
front-line Amazon and Whole Foods Market workers the company has in
the United States.
   (The Week, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Solid Biosciences
Inc said the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has lifted the
clinical halt placed on a trial of its experimental gene therapy for
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a muscle-wasting disorder.
   (Reuters, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, The ozone hole over
Antarctica swelled to its largest size and deepest level in 15
years.
   (SFC, 10/7/20, p.A2)(SSFC, 10/18/20, p.B10)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Argentina's
coronavirus death toll leapt above 20,000 as a large number of
previously untallied fatalities were added to the total, emphasizing
how the country has gone from regional role model to one of the
worst-hit in the world.
   (Reuters, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Armenia and
Azerbaijan rejected calls for a ceasefire and accused each other of
targeting civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh, as Russia and France
repeated calls for peace talks amid the worst fighting in the
breakaway region since the 1990s. Azerbaijan said 16 people killed
following Armenian shelling of densely populated areas. Armenia has
reported the deaths of 104 soldiers, alongside seven civilians
killed and 31 wounded.
   (The Telegraph, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Belarus started
giving shots to volunteers in human trials of Russia's coronavirus
vaccine Sputnik V, which received Russian government approval in
August but drew considerable criticism from experts, as it had only
been tested on several dozen people. Belarus has reported 78,631
confirmed coronavirus cases and 833 deaths. It is one of the few
countries in the world that didn't impose a lockdown and continued
to hold mass public events during the pandemic.
   (AP, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Belgium's new
government under PM Alexander De Croo (44) promised to do "whatever
it takes" to overcome the coronavirus crisis. The government
formation took close to 500 days since the May 26, 2019, elections.
   (SFC, 10/2/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Britain, France,
Germany, Estonia and Belgium wrote in a letter to the United Nations
Security Council that the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny
"constitutes a threat to international peace and security."
   (Reuters, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, In China a fire at
the Taitaishan theme park on the outskirts of Taijuan city, Shanxi
province, killed 13 people.
   (SFC, 10/3/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, The Czech Republic
recorded 3,493 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily count since
the global pandemic reached the country in March. The overall number
of confirmed cases grew to 74,255, where 678 people have died in
connection with the illness.
   (Reuters, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Human Rights Watch
accused Egyptian police of arbitrarily arresting and torturing
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, and urged authorities
to end prosecutions for adult consensual sexual relations.
   (SFC, 10/2/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, The EU launched
legal proceedings in response to the British government's attempt to
overturn parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement.
   (AFP, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, In Germany two more
cases of African swine fever (ASF) have been confirmed in wild boars
in the eastern state of Brandenburg. The new discoveries bring the
total number of confirmed cases to 40 since the first one on Sept.
10.
   (Reuters, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, About 2,000
Honduran migrants hoping to reach the United States entered
Guatemala on foot this morning, testing the newly reopened frontier
that had been shut by the coronavirus pandemic. Guatemala’s Pres.
Alejandro Giammattei quickly vowed to detain them and return them to
Honduras.     Â
   (AP, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Israel and Lebanon
said they have reached an agreement on a framework of indirect,
US-mediated talks over a longstanding disputed maritime border
between the two countries.
   (AP, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Lebanon reported
1,248 new coronavirus cases over 24 hours as well as seven deaths.
   (AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, In Mexico gunmen
ambushed a security convoy in El Mezquital, Durango state. Six
police officers were killed along with at least two other people.
   (SFC, 10/5/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Statistics
Netherlands (CBS) said at least 10,000 people in the country of 17
million are likely to have died of COVID-19 during the first wave of
infections between March and June. Health authorities had reported a
total of 6,406 deaths as a result of confirmed coronavirus
infections.
   (Reuters, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Pakistan’s ailing
former PM Nawaz Sharif (70) accused the country's powerful military
of political interference, saying in a televised speech from exile
in London that the military had rigged the 2018 vote that brought
the country's current prime minister to power.
   (AP, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Kremlin critic
Alexei Navalny accused President Vladimir Putin of being behind his
poisoning, as he vowed to return to Russia to press on with his
opposition campaign. The Kremlin accused opposition leader Alexei
Navalny of working with the CIA and making "groundless and
unacceptable statements."
   (AP, 10/1/20)(AFP, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, South Africa
reopened to international flights, ending a more than six-month ban
on international travel that was part of its restrictions to combat
the spread of COVID-19.
   (AP, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, In South Africa
Brendin Horner (21) was reportedly killed by suspected stock thieves
in the rural town of Senekal in Free State province. His body was
found the next day tied to a pole on the farm he managed. On Oct. 6
white farmers stormed a court building and burned a police vehicle
demanding that suspects Sekwetje Mahlamba and Sekola Matlaletsa be
handed over to them.
   (BBC, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, In Sweden prominent
Belarus opposition figure Ales Bialiatski (58) and imprisoned
Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh (57) were awarded the
Right Livelihood Award, sometimes referred to as the “Alternative
Nobel,” together with US activist Bryan Stevenson (60) and
Nicaraguan activist Lottie Cunningham Wren (61).
   (AP, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, Lee Chung Chak
(65), a Hong Kong citizen and senior leader of the Sam Gor group,
was arrested by Thai narcotics police based on an arrest warrant
issued by a Thai court, which followed an extradition request by the
Australian authorities. In Jan. 2021, Tse Chi Lop, a China-born
Canadian national suspected as the top leader of the syndicate, also
called "The Company," was arrested in the Netherlands.
   (Reuters, 2/5/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 1, UN shipping agency
the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said its website and
intranet had been disabled by a sophisticated cyber attack and its
IT specialists had shut down key systems to prevent further damage.
   (Reuters, 10/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, President Donald
Trump (74) and his wife, Melania (50), said they have tested
positive for the coronavirus. The White House said that Trump was
suffering “mild symptoms” of COVID-19. White House officials said
President Donald Trump has been treated with an intravenous dose of
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc's dual antibody, an experimental
cocktail for COVID-19, and is moving to a military hospital as a
precautionary measure.
   (NY Times, 10/2/20)(AP, 10/2/20)(AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, The United States
and Morocco signed an accord that aims to strengthen military
cooperation and the North African kingdom's military readiness over
the next decade.
   (AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, A US federal
appeals court reinstated a 2017 jury verdict ordering Teva
Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd to pay GlaxoSmithKline Plc $235.5
million for selling a generic version of Glaxo's heart drug Coreg.
   (Reuters, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Los Angeles
prosecutors filed new charges against disgraced movie producer and
convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein, accusing him of sexually
assaulting two more women.
   (NBC News, 10/2/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, California to date
had 822,779 cases of coronavirus and 15,993 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 104,296 cases and 1,545 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 7,325,715 with the death toll at 208,600.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, In Kentucky hours
of grand jury proceedings were made public in the case of Breonna
Taylor’s fatal shooting by police, a rare release of such material.
Attorney General Daniel Cameron, whose office led the investigation
into police actions in the Taylor shooting, has acknowledged that he
did not recommend homicide charges for the officers involved.
   (AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, North Carolina Sen.
Thom Tillis and Utah Sen. Mike Lee, both Republican members of the
Senate Judiciary Committee, said that they had tested positive for
the coronavirus.
   (AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Republicans who
control the Louisiana House of Representatives supported a package
of measures aimed at unraveling the state’s coronavirus restrictions
imposed by Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat.
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Michigan's state
Supreme Court, which has a Republican majority, struck down months
of orders by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, including a mask mandate, that
were aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus. It said she
illegally drew authority from a 1945 law that doesn’t apply.
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Rochester, NY,
Mayor Lovely Warren was indicted on charges she broke campaign
finance rules and committed fraud during her reelection campaign
three years ago, adding another layer of crisis in a city that has
been reeling over its handling of a police killing.
   (AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Northrup Grumman
launched a cargo capsule to the Int'l. Space station from Wallops
Island, Va.
   (SSFC, 10/4/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Wisconsin
Republicans, who control the Legislature, filed a court motion in
support of a lawsuit seeking to repeal a mask mandate under Gov.
Tony Evers, a Democrat.
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, A US federal
appeals court reinstated a 2017 jury verdict ordering Israel-based
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd to pay GlaxoSmithKline Plc $235.5
million for selling a generic version of Glaxo's heart drug Coreg.
   (Reuters, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Officials in
Armenia said the country is ready to discuss a cease-fire in the
separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where heavy fighting between
Armenian and Azerbaijani forces has continued for six straight days,
killing dozens and leaving scores wounded.
   (AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Mainland China
reported 10 new COVID-19 cases, the same as a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, EU leaders finally
agreed to hit Belarus with sanctions early today before warning
Turkey it faced the same punishment if it continued oil and gas
drilling in disputed areas of the Mediterranean. Cyprus had vetoed
agreement on the sanctions, which do not hit President Alexander
Lukashenko personally, until it was satisfied the EU's condemnation
of Turkey was strong enough.
   (The Telegraph, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, It was reported
that unlisted biotech firm IDT Biologika has won approval from
Germany's vaccine regulator to become the third German company after
BioNTech and CureVac to launch human trials of an experimental
coronavirus vaccine in the country.
   (AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, In India hundreds
of protesters demanded the dismissal of the government of northern
Uttar Pradesh state where a woman (19) was raped and died last
month.
   (SFC, 10/3/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Asaf Zamir,
Israel's tourism minister, resigned from the fractious government,
saying he doesn't have an “ounce of trust” in PM Benjamin Netanyahu
and accusing him of putting his personal and legal issues ahead of
the response to the coronavirus crisis.
   (AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Authorities in
Lebanon ordered the lockdown of more than 100 towns and villages
across the country after hundreds of people tested positive for the
coronavirus in recent days and amid a shortage of hospital beds. The
country has registered more than 40,000 cases since February and 374
deaths so far.
   (AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Northern Ireland
reported 934 new cases of COVID-19, more than double the previous
record daily total rate registered two days ago in the British-run
region.
   (Reuters, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Qatar Airways
examined a number of female passengers bound for Sydney and nine
other unnamed destinations after a newborn baby was found abandoned.
The forced vaginal examination triggered outrage in Australia.
   (AP, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Russian journalist
Irina Slavina, editor-in-chief of the Koza Press news website in the
city of Nizhny Novgorod, set herself on fire and died outside police
headquarters in an apparent protest against months of official
harassment. A day earlier, police raided her home in connection with
an investigation into a man linked to an organization bankrolled by
exiled Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky. “They took away
everything they could find. They left me with no means to work.”
   (The Telegraph, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, The global chemical
weapons watchdog (OPCW) said that two investigations into alleged
attacks in Syria in 2016 and 2018 couldn't establish that chemicals
were used as weapons in attacks in Saraqib in the Idlib region on
Aug. 1, 2016, and in Aleppo on Nov. 24, 2018.
   (AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, Amnesty
International said at least three people have died in detention
centers housing thousands of Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia.
some 2,000 Ethiopians remain stranded on the Yemeni side of the
border, without food, water or healthcare.
   (BBC, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, The Turkish Defense
Ministry announced that the United Nations has registered a maritime
delineation deal reached between Turkey and Libya’s UN-backed
government (GNA).
   (AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 2, The UN Security
Council unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing member nations
to inspect vessels on the high seas off the coast of Libya suspected
of smuggling migrants or engaging in human trafficking from the
north African nation for another year.
   (AP, 10/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, US Senator Mitch
McConnell, the majority leader, said that the Senate would not meet
as planned next week after three senators tested positive for the
coronavirus, even as he pledged to press ahead to confirm Judge Amy
Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
   (NY Times, 10/3/20
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, California to date
had 826,725 cases of coronavirus and 16,073 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 104,905 cases and 1,554 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 7,351,767 with the death toll at 208,940.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3 Thomas Jefferson
Byrd (70), a Tony-nominated actor known for roles in various Spike
Lee films, was found shot to death in Atlanta. On Oct. 16 suspect
Antonio Demetrice Rhynes was arrested in an early-morning raid.
   (NY Times, 10/5/20)(NBC News, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, In Augusta,
Georgia, Felycya Harris (33) was shot and killed in Meadowbrook
Park. She became at least the 31st transgender or
gender-nonconforming person to die by violence in the US this year.
   (NBC News, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Baseball pitcher
Pack Robert Gibson (84), St. Louis Cardinals’ Hall of Fame
right-hander known as Bob, died in Omaha.
   (NY Times, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, A federal judge
halted new North Carolina absentee voting rules that gave voters
more leeway to fix witness problems and extended the period when
election boards could accept mailed-in ballots.
   (SSFC, 10/4/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, In Texas Jonathan
Price (31) was fatally shot when he intervened to break up a
domestic violence situation. Wolfe City Police officer Shaun David
Lucas was later arrested and charged with murder.
   (NBC News, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Heavy fighting
between Armenia and Azerbaijan continued in their conflict over the
separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan’s President
Ilham Aliyev criticized the international mediators who have tried
for decades to resolve the dispute.
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, China had 16 new
coronavirus cases in the mainland, compared with 10 cases a day
earlier. China's death toll from the COVID-19 remained at 4,634.
   (Reuters, 10/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Egypt’s tourism and
antiquities minster said archaeologists have unearthed at least
ancient coffins in a vast necropolis south of Cairo. Initial studies
showed that the decorated coffins were made for priests, top
officials and elites from the Pharaonic Late Period (664-525 BC).
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Egyptian
authorities detained local journalist Basma Mostafa after she
traveled to the southern city of Luxor to cover the alleged killing
of a man during a police raid last week. Mostafa was freed on Oct 6,
a day after prosecutors ordered her release pending an investigation
into accusations that she disseminated false news through social
media.
   (AP, 10/4/20)(AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Ethiopia’s largest
ethnic group, the Oromo, celebrated the annual Thanksgiving festival
of Irreecha amid tight security and a significantly smaller crowd
due to political tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds of
people were arrested ahead of the festival, some accused by
authorities of plotting terror attacks and a new wave of unrest.
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Flooding from
record rains in the mountainous region that spans France and Italy
killed two people in Italy and left at least 24 people in the two
countries missing.
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Thousands of
demonstrators in southern Germany protested against coronavirus
restrictions, although organizers failed to mobilize enough people
for a planned human chain around Lake Constance.
   (Reuters, 10/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Hundreds of
US-bound Honduran migrants, who had entered Guatemala this week
without registering, were bused back to their country's border by
authorities who met them with a large roadblock.
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, India's coronavirus
death toll passed 100,000, only the third country in the world to
reach that milestone, after the US and Brazil, and its epidemic
shows no sign of abating.
   (Reuters, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Tens of thousands
of Israelis demonstrated in hundreds of locations across Israel
against PM Benjamin Netanyahu, pressing ahead with their campaign
against the Israeli leader late today after the government banned
large, centralized demonstrations as part of a new coronavirus
lockdown.
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, The Philippines'
health ministry reported 2,674 new coronavirus infections, the
highest daily increase in five days, and 62 additional deaths. Total
confirmed cases increased to 319,330, the highest in Southeast Asia,
while deaths have reached 5,678.
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Russia reported
9,859 new coronavirus cases, the highest number of daily infections
since May 15, when the outbreak was at its peak.
   (Reuters, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Sudan’s
transitional authorities and a rebel alliance signed a peace deal
initialed in August that aims to put an end to the country's
decades-long civil wars, in a televised ceremony marking the
agreement.
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, The head of
Thailand's state zoological agency was shot dead amid an
investigation into the disappearance of rare animals from a zoo in
Khao Rup Chang. The suspect, one of four officials being
investigated, fled the scene and later killed himself.
   (SSFC, 10/4/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 3, Yemeni officials
and tribal leaders said fighting between government forces and
Houthi rebels has killed at least two dozen people in the past three
days in Marib province and the key port city of Hodeida.
   (AP, 10/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Dr. Sean P. Conley,
the White House physician, acknowledged that Mr. Trump had a high
fever and saw his oxygen drop on Oct 2. Conley acknowledged that he
had provided a rosy version of events to please his notoriously
sensitive patient. Mr. Trump made an unannounced exit from Walter
Reed National Military Medical Center in the early evening, climbing
into his armored Chevrolet Suburban to ride past supporters holding
Trump flags gathered outside the building.
   (NY Times, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Democrat Joe Biden
opened his widest lead in a month in the US presidential race after
President Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus, and a
majority of Americans think Trump could have avoided infection if he
had taken the virus more seriously.
   (Reuters, 10/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Americans Harvey J.
Alter and Charles M. Rice and British-born scientist Michael
Houghton won this year’s Nobel Prize in Medicine for their discovery
of the hepatitis C virus.
   (AP, 10/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, California set a
grim new record when officials announced that the wildfires of 2020
have now scorched a record 4 million acres — in a fire season that
is far from over. There have been 31 deaths and more than 8,400
buildings have been destroyed.
   (AP, 10/5/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, California to date
had 829,561 cases of coronavirus and 16,121 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 105,310 cases and 1,566 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 7,416,126 with the death toll at 209,787.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, The Great
Barrington Declaration, a statement written by three public health
experts from Harvard, Stanford, and Oxford, encouraged governments
to lift lockdown restrictions on young and healthy people while
focusing protection measures on the elderly. It was signed in Great
Barringtron, Mass.
   (https://gbdeclaration.org/)(Econ., 10/24/20,
p.70)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, It was reported
that Cineworld, the world's second-biggest cinema operator, will
close all its screens in the United States, Britain and Ireland this
week after studios pulled major releases such as the latest James
Bond film.
   (Reuters, 10/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, In Belarus more
than 100,000 marched in Minsk calling for the resignation of Pres.
Lukashenko. 317 people were reported detained in Minsk and other
cities. More than 10,000 people have been detained since the last
election with at least 244 implicated in criminal cases related to
the protests.
   (SFC, 10/5/20, p.A2)(SFC, 10/6/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Mainland China
reported 20 new COVID-19 cases, up from 16 reported a day earlier.
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Mainland China now
stands at 85,470, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,634.
   (Reuters, 10/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, In northeastern
China a highway crash killed at least 18 people in Fuyu, Jilin
province.
   (SFC, 10/5/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, It was reported
that at least eight migrants have drowned and 12 are missing after
smugglers forced them off a boat near the Horn of Africa nation of
Djibouti. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said
some 2,000 migrants have arrived in Djibouti from Yemen in the past
three weeks alone.
   (AP, 10/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, French authorities
deployed about 1,000 firefighters, four military helicopters and
troops to search for at least eight people who were missing after
devastating floods hit a mountainous border region with Italy, where
at least four people were killed.
   (AP, 10/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, France reported
12,565 new confirmed coronavirus infections over the last 24 hours,
falling from the previous daily toll that had a set a new record.
   (Reuters, 10/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, The two visitors
from western Germany were attacked and wounded in downtown Dresden.
One of them died later at a hospital. On Oct. 20 a young Syrian (20)
was arrested over the attack.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Japanese fashion
designer Kenzo Takada (81), better known as Kenzo, who created his
label in Paris in the 1970s, died of complications linked to
COVID-19 at the American Hospital of Paris.
   (Reuters, 10/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, New Caledonia
islanders rejected an initiative (53.3% v 46.7%) to sever ties with
France. The South Pacific archipelago numbered about 270,000
inhabitants.
   (SFC, 10/5/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Nigeria's inspector
general of police banned a notorious unit from carrying out stop and
search duties and setting up roadblocks amid growing anger at
routine harassment and atrocities allegedly committed by its
officers. The ban was triggered by the alleged killing of a young
man by officers from the unit in the city of Lagos a day earlier.
   (BBC, 10/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Oman became the
first Gulf Arab state to reinstate its ambassador to Syria since the
eruption of the country's ruinous civil war. Syria was expelled from
the 22-member Arab League in 2011, and Arab countries have
sanctioned Damascus and condemned its use of military force against
the opposition.
   (AP, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Pakistan's military
killed two militants in a shootout in the North Waziristan district.
   (SFC, 10/5/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, The Saudi
government started allowing a maximum of 6,000 pilgrims a day to
enter the sprawling Grand Mosque in Mecca. Only Saudi citizens and
residents will be permitted to enter the mosque during this first
phase of reopening, and each person has up to three hours to
complete the pilgrimage.
   (AP, 10/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 4, Lee Hyo-jae (95),
South Korean champion of women’s rights, died in Changwon.
   (NY Times, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Pres. Donald Trump
returned to the White House after three days at Walter Reed
Hospital. “Don’t be afraid of Covid,” Trump tweeted, on the same day
that the White House outbreak spread further and another several
hundred Americans died from virus complications.
   (NY Times, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, The White House
confirmed that it has blocked new Food and Drug Administration
guidelines on bringing potential vaccines for COVID-19 to market
that would almost certainly have prevented their introduction before
the Nov. 3 election.
   (AP, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, The US Justice
Department said John McAfee (75), an antivirus software pioneer, has
been arrested in Spain on tax evasion charges. In 2012, he
disappeared from his home in Belize after the local police sought
him for questioning over the death of his neighbor.
   (NY Times, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, The US Space
Development Agency (SDA) said Elon Musk's SpaceX won a $149 million
contract to build missile-tracking satellites for the Pentagon, in
the company's first government contract to build satellites.
   (Reuters, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, A US federal judge
ruled that a sprawling collage of salt ponds in Redwood City, Ca.,
is subject to protection under the 1972 Clean Water Act.. A previous
EPA decision would have eased development along the SF Bay. The
1,365 acres at the western foot of the Dunbarton Bridge, owned by
Cargill Inc., has been considered for development.
   (SFC, 10/6/20, p.B1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, In California the
August Complex in the Coast Range between San Francisco and the
Oregon border surpassed 1 million acres.
   (AP, 10/5/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, California to date
had 835,811 cases of coronavirus and 16,179 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 105,752 cases and 1,569 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 7,454,943 with the death toll at 210,155.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Firefighters at the
Mullen Fire (14% contained) on the Wyoming-Colorado line and the
Cameron Peak Fire (42% contained) in northern Colorado struggled as
winds picked up in the afternoon as expected.
   (AP, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, In Minnesota three
people died early today when a stolen vehicle in which they were
riding crashed while being chased by police in Minneapolis.
   (SFC, 10/6/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Missouri Gov. Mike
Parson was cleared to return to work after battling the coronavirus.
He and his wife tested positive on Sept. 23.
   (SFC, 10/6/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, In Texas three
workers were killed when a stairwell collapsed inside a high-rise
building under construction in Houston.
   (SFC, 10/6/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, It was reported
that Johnson & Johnson will pay more than $100 million to settle
over 1,000 lawsuits that allege the company's Baby Powder caused
cancer.
   (Reuters, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Armenia accused
Azerbaijan of firing missiles into the capital of the separatist
territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, while Azerbaijan said several of its
towns and its second-largest city were attacked. Armenia and
Azerbaijan fired large-caliber rockets, bombarding Stepanakert, the
capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave. At least
250 people have died in the recent fighting, including dozens of
civilians on both sides.
   (AP, 10/5/20)(NY Times, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, China and 25 other
nations called for the immediate lifting of sanctions by the US and
Western countries to ensure an effective response to the COVID-19
pandemic.
   (AP, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, The Czech Republic
instituted new restrictive measures under a new state of emergency
to curb a spike in coronavirus infections.
   (SFC, 10/5/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Finland reported
its highest daily number of infections since the pandemic began,
exceeding the rate Helsinki sets for citizens of other countries to
visit without quarantine.
   (Reuters, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, France's
anti-terrorism prosecutor's office said eight people have been
charged for their alleged involvement in a complex scheme financing
Islamic extremists in Syria through the use of cryptocurrencies.
   (SFC, 10/6/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Germany's federal
agriculture ministry confirmed three more cases of African swine
fever (ASF) in wild boars in the eastern state of Brandenburg.
   (Reuters, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, The UN envoy for
Haiti warned that Latin America’s poorest country has seen
increasing violence in recent months, with gangs challenging the
authority of the state and political divisions blocking movement
toward legislative elections.
   (AP, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, In India
authorities in New Delhi began an anti-pollution campaign in an
attempt to curb air pollution levels ahead of winter, when the
capital is regularly covered in toxic haze.
   (SFC, 10/6/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Iran registered a
record high 3,902 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours.
   (Reuters, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, In Israel thousands
of people showed up for the funeral of a revered ultra-Orthodox
rabbi who died of COVID-19, ignoring social distancing rules and
clashing with police who tried to disperse the mass gathering.
   (AP, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, An Israeli aircraft
struck what the army said was a Hamas military target in the
southern Gaza Strip late today, shortly after Gaza militants fired a
rocket into Israel.
   (AP, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Lithuania and
Poland recalled their ambassadors from neighboring Belarus, where
hundreds of people have been detained during massive protests
against the authoritarian president who won a sixth term in office
in an election widely seen as rigged.
   (AP, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Mali released
scores of suspected Islamist insurgents in a prisoner exchange for
opposition leader Soumaila Cisse and French aid worker Sophie
Petronin.
   (Reuters, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, In Mexico 13 bodies
were found stuffed into two SUVs in the northern state of San Luis
Potosi. A shooting attack on a funeral in Guanajuato state killed
five people.
   (AP, 10/6/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Mexico reported a
record jump of 2,789 deaths and 28,115 cases due to what the
government said was a change in methodology. Total confirmed cases
reached 789,780, with a reported death toll of 81,877.
   (Reuters, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Tropical Strom
Gamma weakened to a tropical depression after leaving six people
dead in southeastern Mexico.
   (SFC, 10/6/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Students in the
Philippines began taking classes at home after the pandemic forced
its struggling school system to turn to remote learning.
   (SFC, 10/6/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Russia reported
nearly 11,000 new infections, the most since mid-May. Only around a
third were in Moscow.
   (Bloomberg, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, In South Africa car
and villa seizures were accompanied by seven arrests, of businessmen
and provincial government officials and bureaucrats, charged with
multiple counts of wrongdoing in relation to a huge asbestos-removal
contract - counts that all boil down to the fundamental, and
seemingly ubiquitous, crime of insider trading on state procurement
deals.
   (BBC, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, The Kurdish-led
authority in northeast Syria said it will allow Syrian citizens to
leave a sprawling camp that houses tens of thousands of women and
children, many of them linked to the Islamic State group.
   (AP, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 5, Ukraine reported
3,774 new coronavirus cases. A total of 226,462 cases had been
registered in Ukraine with 4,397 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Pres. Donald Trump
abruptly ended talks with Democrats on an economic stimulus bill. If
he sticks to that position, it would extinguish hope for another
pandemic aid bill before the election. The announcement sent markets
falling, and airline stocks fared particularly poorly.
   (NY Times, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The White House
reversed course and allowed the release of new safety guidelines
that make it unlikely a vaccine will be authorized by Election Day.
   (NY Times, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, It was reported
that another two US White House staffers have tested positive for
COVID-19. Stephen Miller, President Donald Trump’s senior adviser
and speechwriter, tested positive for the coronavirus. Miller is an
architect of the president’s “America First” foreign policy and
restrictive immigration measures.
   (Reuters, 10/6/20)(AP, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The Department of
Homeland Security warned that violent white supremacy was the “most
persistent and lethal threat in the homeland” in an annual
assessment that a former intelligence chief had accused the agency
of withholding in deference to President Donald Trump.
   (NY Times, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Top US military
leaders, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, went
into quarantine after a senior Coast Guard official tested positive
for the virus. The official, Adm. Charles Ray, had attended a White
House reception with Trump 10 days ago, where people sat close
together and without masks.
   (NY Times, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The US, many
European countries, Japan and others called on China to allow
“unfettered access” to Xinjiang for independent observers including
UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, and to urgently refrain
from detaining Uighurs and members of other minorities. The 39
countries also urged China, in a joint statement read at a meeting
of the General Assembly’s human rights committee, to uphold
autonomy, rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.
   (AP, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, It was reported
that a ruling late last month from US District Judge Phyllis J.
Hamilton gives the IRS until Oct. 24 to reconsider the payments for
those who were denied or had their money intercepted solely because
of their incarceration.
   (AP, 10/6/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, California to date
had 837,102 cases of coronavirus and 16,199 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 106,094 cases and 1,583 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 7,495,674 with the death toll at 210,155.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Georgia's Gov.
Brian Kemp approved a plan to put up a tall metal fence around the
state capitol part as of a $5 million package that includes other
security improvements at the building. Democrats swiftly condemned
the plan, saying it shows a Republican leadership afraid of its own
people.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The director of
Michigan's state health department issued more orders reinstating
coronavirus restrictions negated by a state Supreme Court ruling,
saying he has "broad" legal authority to deal with the pandemic.
   (SFC, 10/7/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, A New York City
neighborhood erupted in protests after Gov. Andrew Cuomo moved to
reinstate restrictions on houses of worship, schools and businesses
in areas where coronavirus cases are spiking. Hundreds of Orthodox
Jewish men gathered in the streets of Borough Park, a neighborhood
in Brooklyn, in some cases setting bonfires by burning masks.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Guitar player Eddie
Van Halen (65) died of cancer. In 2012, Guitar World Magazine ranked
him No. 1 on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”
   (NY Times, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, American singer
Johnny Nash died at his home in Houston. His song "I Can See Clearly
Now" topped the 1972 Billboard charts.
   (SFC, 10/8/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Three scientists
were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics today for their work
on understanding black holes, which the committee called “one of the
most exotic phenomena in the universe.” The prize was awarded half
to Roger Penrose of Britain for showing how black holes could form
and half to Reinhard Genzel of Germany and Andrea Ghez of UCLA for
discovering a supermassive object at the Milky Way’s center.
   (NY Times, 10/6/20)(SFC, 10/7/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, It was reported
that Tasmanian devils, the carnivorous marsupials whose feisty,
frenzied eating habits won the animals cartoon fame, have returned
to mainland Australia for the first time in some 3,000 years. The 11
most recently released devils began exploring their new home at the
nearly 1,000-acre Barrington Tops wildlife refuge in New South Wales
state.
   (AP, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Britain's Financial
Conduct Authority (FCA) said it would ban the sale to retail
investors of products tracking the price of crypto assets like
Bitcoin, arguing that most people lost money on them. The ban, which
prompted surprise and anger in the sector, will come into force on
Jan. 6, 2021.
   (Reuters, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Cyprus and Lebanon
reaffirmed an agreement for Lebanese authorities to take back
migrants aboard boats trying to reach Cypriot shores.
   (AP, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, French rescuers
continued searching for 21 people missing flood victims in Alpine
villages and on nearby French and Italian coasts. Authorities said
corpses from cemeteries have been found around the Mediterranean
shore, apparently swept down by violent rains.
   (AP, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Germany's
government released a report saying its security services recorded
mote than 1,400 cases of suspected far-right extremism among
soldiers, police officers and intelligence agents in the three years
ending in March.
   (SFC, 10/7/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, A neo-fascist party
in Greece, Golden Dawn, was found guilty of running a criminal
organization. A criminal court tied the party to multiple attacks,
including the fatal stabbing of a left-wing rapper in 2013.
   (NY Times, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, It was reported
that about 200 workers have been infected with coronavirus at
Hungarian energy group MOL's polyol plant being built in the eastern
town of Tiszaujvaros.
   (AP, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Iran registered a
record 4,151 new cases over the past 24 hours, a period in which 227
patients died. Iran has now reported 479,825 COVID-19 cases and
27,419 deaths.
   (The Telegraph, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, In southern Iraq
dozens of people were wounded in clashes between security forces and
anti-government protesters during the annual Shiite Muslim
pilgrimage of Arbaeen.
   (AP, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The Central
Election Commission of Kyrgyzstan declared the results of the Oct. 4
parliamentary election invalid a day after having awarded the
majority of seats to two political parties with ties to the
president, Sooronbai Jeenbekov sparking mass protests in Bishkek,
and other cities. Opposition groups seized physical control of
Parliament in protest of parliamentary elections they called rigged.
   (AP, 10/6/20)(NY Times, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, In Libya a migrant
worker from Nigeria was burned to death in Tripoli, the latest in
abuses that migrants and refuges face in the conflict-stricken
country. The alleged perpetrators, all in their 30s, were arrested
and referred to prosecutors for investigation.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, In Malaysia
coronavirus cases spiked to a new daily record with 691 cases an d
four new deaths.
   (SFC, 10/7/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, West Africa's
regional bloc ECOWAS lifted sanctions against Mali after PM Moctar
Ouane announced the rest of the transitional government positions
nearly two months after a military coup.
   (AP, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The Russian
military launched a successful test of the new Zircon hypersonic
cruise missile, giving Russian President Vladimir Putin something to
smile about on his 68th birthday.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, It was reported
that tens of thousands of Muslims are descending upon Senegal's holy
city this week for the annual Grand Magal pilgrimage, a tradition in
West Africa that some fear could become a super-spreader event for
COVID-19. The country has had more than 15,000 confirmed cases and
312 confirmed deaths from the coronavirus.
   (AP, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Sri Lanka said 321
cases of coronavirus have been identified among garment workers in
the suburbs of Colombo. The country has reported 3,471 infections
and 13 deaths.
   (SFC, 10/7/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, In northern Syria
an explosives-laden truck ignited on a busy street in the town of
al-Bab controlled by Turkey-backed opposition fighters, killing at
least 14 people and wounding dozens.
   (AP, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, Taiwan’s Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP) and the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) passed a
resolution calling for the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to
reestablish formal diplomatic relations with the United States.
   (The Daily Beast, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, The UN Economic
Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) said the
countries of Latin America and the Caribbean must continue to
ratchet up stimulus to beat back the devastating economic impacts of
the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 6, UN figures showed
that the number of people hit by seasonal flooding in East Africa
has increased more than five fold in four years. Nearly every state
in Sudan has experienced heavy flooding and in neighboring South
Sudan, 800,000 people have been affected with 368,000 people forced
from their homes.
   (BBC, 10/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, The White House
tried to salvage its favorite items lost in the rubble of COVID-19
relief talks that President Donald Trump blew up, with his
administration pressing for $1,200 stimulus checks and a new wave of
aid for airlines and other businesses hard hit by the pandemic.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Vice President Mike
Pence and Democratic challenger Kamala debated in Salt Lake City.
Pence and Harris traded barbs through plexiglass shields in a debate
dominated by the coronavirus pandemic. Pence echoed many of
President Donald Trump’s falsehoods in the one and only debate with
Democratic rival Kamala Harris.
   (AP, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, The US Justice
Department said it had taken control of 92 domains used by Iran's
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to pose as independent media
outlets targeting audiences in the United States, Europe, Middle
East and South East Asia.
   (AP, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, El Shafee Elsheikh
and Alexanda Kotey, Islamic State militants from Britain, were
brought to the US to face charges in a gruesome campaign of torture,
beheadings and other acts of violence against four Americans and
others captured and held hostage in Syria.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, A federal appeals
court said Manhattan's district attorney can enforce a subpoena
seeking Donald Trump's tax returns and other financial records for a
criminal probe into the US president and his businesses. The
president planned an appeal to the US Supreme Court, and seek a stay
against enforcing the subpoena.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, California's Gov.
Gavin Newsom signed an executive order setting a target to conserve
30% of the state's land and coastal waters by 2030 in an effort to
preserve biodiversity and prevent species loss.
   (SFC, 10/8/20, p.C1)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, California to date
had 839,546 cases of coronavirus and 16,305 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 106,489 cases and 1,617 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 7,544,612 with the death toll at 211,694.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, It was reported
that parents who sued a school district after their children died in
a mass shooting at a Florida high school are being asked to turn
over their psychiatric records to prove they have suffered mental
anguish.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Florida's death
toll from the coronavirus surpassed 15,000 people as the state
detected more than 2,500 new cases and 139 new deaths.
   (SFC, 10/8/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Oklahoma reported
738 people hospitalized for confirmed or suspected COVID-19, a new
record one-day high.
   (SFC, 10/8/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, The Texas Supreme
Court ruled that 2 million Houston voters cannot receive unsolicited
mail ballot applications from local elections officials who are
dramatically expanding ways to vote in November in the nation's
third-largest county, a key battleground in Texas.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, In Utah tech worker
Ayoola A. Ajayi (32) pleaded guilty to strangling college student
Mackenzie Lueck (23), whose disappearance over a year ago sparked a
search that ended with the discovery of her charred remains in his
backyard.
   (NBC News, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Emmanuelle
Charpentier of France and Jennifer A. Doudna of the USA were awarded
the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. They developed the Crispr tool, which
can alter the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with high
precision.
   (NY Times, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Abbott Laboratories
released early data from a study on the accuracy of its ID NOW
COVID-19 test, which is used in the White House, that could help
alleviate concerns the diagnostic frequently fails to detect the
virus. Interim data showed that its test correctly identified
positive COVID-19 cases 95% of the time when used within seven days
of symptom onset.
   (Reuters, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Armenian Defense
Ministry spokesman Artsrun Ovannisian said that Stepanakert was
being targeted once again by Azerbaijan along with other
settlements. Nagorno-Karabakh officials said that non-military
facilities in Stepanakert have been hit with missiles and drones.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Brazil surpassed 5
million confirmed coronavirus cases late today and verged on 150,000
dead, the second-most in the world.
   (AP, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Denmark summoned
the Iranian ambassador over reports the diplomatic mission had
allegedly pressured Iranian women living in the Scandinavian country
to accept divorce terms drawn up by local imams.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, French Pres.
Emmanuel Macron said it will take months for an area in the Alps to
get back to normal following devastating floods that left at least
13 dead and others missing.
   (SFC, 10/8/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, France recorded
18,700 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours along with 80
new deaths. Total deaths linked to the coronavirus now numbered
32,445.
   (SFC, 10/8/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Germany's coalition
government agreed a package of reforms to financial and accounting
rules aimed at avoiding another Wirecard scandal, but opposition
lawmakers said it lacked detail on scope and timing.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Iranian hit its
highest number of daily deaths from the coronavirus, with 239 new
fatalities over the last 24 hours. This brought the total number of
fatalities to 27,658. The total number of confirmed cases rose to
483,844.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Iran freed human
rights activist Narges Mohammadi late today after serving 8 1/2
years in prison. She was sentenced to 10 years in 2016 while already
incarcerated.
   (AP, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, The Israeli
government extended an emergency provision that bars public
gatherings, including widespread protests against PM Benjamin
Netanyahu, for an additional week.
   (AP, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Israeli police
clashed with hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews overnight as they
sought to enforce restrictions on public gatherings during a
nationwide coronavirus lockdown. Police said 17 people were
arrested.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Italy recorded
3,678 new coronavirus infections and 31 deaths, its highest increase
in new cases since April. A nationwide outdoor mask mandate went
into effect with fines up to $1,163 for violators.
   (SFC, 10/8/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, In Kenya a court
found Mohammed Ahmed Abdi and Hussein Hassan Mustafa guilty of
helping Islamist militants to attack an upmarket shopping mall in
Sept. 2013. At least 67 people died in the assault by al-Shabab on
the Westgate shopping complex in Nairobi. A third man, Liban
Abdullahi Omar, was found not guilty. A day later he was abducted by
unknown gunmen.
   (BBC, 10/7/20)(BBC, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Kuwait’s deputy
chief of the National Guard, Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Saba
(80), was nominated as crown prince. He has spent years in the
oil-rich country’s security services.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Hurricane Delta
made landfall as a Category 2 storm just south of the Mexican resort
of Cancun, downing trees and knocking out power along the
northeastern coast of Yucatan Peninsula, but without immediate
reports of deaths or injuries.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, In Mexico Mario
Molina (77), winner of the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1995 and the
only Mexican scientist to be honored with a Nobel, died in Mexico
City.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, Romania reported a
record 2,985 coronavirus infections. Hospital workers in Bucharest
protested accusing the governmentof failing to protect their
industry from the pandemic's economic fallout.
   (SFC, 10/8/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, A South Korean MP
confirmed that North Korea's former acting ambassador to Italy
defected to the South after disappearing from the mission in Rome
two years ago. Senior diplomat Jo Song-gil vanished with his wife in
November 2018 and reportedly sought asylum, while his daughter was
said to have been repatriated to the authoritarian state.
   (AP, 10/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 7, In Yemen fighting
between government forces and Houthi rebels in Hodeida continued for
a 5th day. Officials said the death toll in Hodeida had reached 52
and that around 70 people were wounded, including two dozen
civilians.
   (AP, 10/8/20)(SFC, 10/8/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, President Donald
Trump said he would skip next week's debate with Democratic nominee
Joe Biden after organizers said it would be held virtually because
of health concerns, further disrupting the president's efforts to
shift focus away from a virus that has killed more than 210,000
Americans this year. Vice President Joe Biden said he will follow
the recommendations of the debate commission on how to proceed.
   (AP, 10/8/20)(Reuters, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, President Donald
Trump's administration imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran's banking
sector, taking a major new step to cripple the arch-rival's already
struggling economy weeks ahead of US elections. The move could
largely cut off the nation of 80 million people from the world's
financial system just as it tries to cope with the Middle East's
worst Covid-19 outbreak.
   (AP, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, The US
Congressional Budget Office reported a $3.1 trillion deficit that
equaled 15% of the US economy. It said the government spent $6.6
trillion last year and borrowed 48 cents of every dollar it spent.
   (SFC, 10/9/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, The US Department
of Treasury said the government will greatly simplify the process by
which borrowers of a $525-billion-pandemic-relief fund do not have
to repay some of the smallest loans.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, US federal
prosecutors charged Elliott Broidy, a top fund-raiser for Donald
Trump, with violating foreign lobbying laws to benefit Chinese and
Malaysian interests.
   (NY Times, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Suspended officials
at the agency that runs the Voice of America news outlet filed suit
against it, accusing its CEO and his top aides of trying to turn it
into a vehicle to promote President Donald Trump's agenda.
   (AP, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, American poet
Louise Gluck (77) won the Nobel Prize in Literature for her 12
collections of poetry characterized as candid and uncompromising.
   (SFC, 10/9/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, The US Midwest
reported the most new case of COVID-19 in a single day since the
pandemic started, straining hospitals.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, California to date
had 843,251 cases of coronavirus and 16,395 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 106,913 cases and 1,627 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 7,598,280 with the death toll at 212,632.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, In Michigan 13 men
were arrested on federal and state charges in connection with an
alleged foiled plot to kidnap the state's Democratic governor,
Gretchen Whitmer. The arrests grew out of an FBI-led inquiry that
began in March and focused on militia groups' discussing the
"violent overthrow" of certain government and law enforcement
officials. Among those arrested were members of the Wolverine
Watchmen, a Michigan militia.
   (NBC News, 10/8/20)(Econ., 10/17/20, p.25)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, In Michigan a judge
set bond at $100,000 for two conservative political activists who
are accused of using false robocalls to dissuade Black residents in
Detroit and other Democratic-leaning US cities from voting by mail.
The magistrate entered not-guilty pleas on behalf of Jack Burkman
(54) of Arlington, Virginia, and Jacob Wohl (22) of Los Angeles.
   (AP, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Missouri reported
an increase of more than 1,500 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Total cases
now numbered 137, 156 and 2,259 deaths since March.
   (SFC, 10/9/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, A US federal
appeals court blocked a decision in Wisconsin to extend the deadline
for counting as many as 2 million absentee ballots by six days.
   (SFC, 10/9/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Gilead Sciences Inc
said its antiviral drug remdesivir showed the treatment cut COVID-19
recovery time by five days compared with patients who got a placebo,
one day faster than indicated in preliminary data.
   (Reuters, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Facebook said it
had closed accounts in multiple countries, from government or
military-linked networks it said were spreading disinformation. This
included 17 pages, 50 accounts and six Instagram accounts from
Myanmar.
   (AFP, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Morgan Stanley
announced that it was buying Eaton Vance, an asset manager, for $7
billion. This came days after it completed its purchase of E*Trade,
an online trading platform.
   (Econ., 10/17/20, p.60)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Twitter said it has
closed an Iran-based network of accounts fanning the flames around
racial justice protests in the US sparked by the death of George
Floyd. Twitter also said it had closed more than 900 accounts linked
to the Thai army for attacking prominent opposition figures and
diffusing pro-government and military propaganda.
   (AFP, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, The Afghan Taliban
welcomed a tweet from Pres. Donald Trump in which he promised to
have the last US troops out of Afghanistan by the end of the year.
   (SFC, 10/9/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, It was reported
that protests have been held in several cities in Algeria to demand
action to stop violence against women following the rape and murder
of a teenager. The charred body of Chaïma (19) was found in a
deserted petrol station in Thenia, 80 km (50 miles) east of the
capital Algiers, this month. Her killer reportedly confessed to the
crime and is under arrest.
   (BBC, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Armenia accused
Azerbaijan of shelling a historic cathedral in the separatist
territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, where nearly two weeks of heavy
fighting has killed hundreds of people. According to the
Nagorno-Karabakh military, 350 of its servicemen have been killed
since Sept. 27. Azerbaijan hasn't provided details on its military
losses.
   (AP, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Austria recorded
1,209 new cases in the past 24 hours, clearly surpassing the
previous record set in March during the first wave of infections.
   (Reuters, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Britain's
Chancellor Rishi Sunak warned that some businesses will be "legally
shut" again as he set out his new support for jobs ahead of Boris
Johnson's next address to the country on Oct. 12. Sunak confirmed
that businesses forced to close under the new traffic light system
will have two thirds of their workers’ wages paid for by the
Government.
   (The Telegraph, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, A study showed that
people who were asymptomatic accounted for 86% of the people who
tested positive for COVID-19 in a UK sample population during
lockdown, meaning the current policy of testing people with symptoms
might miss many cases.
   (Reuters, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, China's Shanghai
Fosun Pharmaceutical Group said an experimental antibody treatment
for COVID-19 being developed by its unit had been approved for human
testing in the United States and the trial was expected to start
soon.
   (Reuters, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, It was announced
that the European Union has sealed a deal with Johnson & Johnson
to supply up to 400 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine,
as the bloc builds up stocks amid a global scramble to secure shots.
   (Reuters, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Europe surpassed
100,000 daily reported COVID-19 cases for the first time.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Finland's public
health authority THL said the country likely had up to five times
more COVID-19 cases than its official numbers showed during the
first wave of the pandemic between March and May.
   (AP, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, French police said
they have arrested 61 people suspected of involvement in a vast
child pornography network in 30 regions of the country over the last
four days.
   (SFC, 10/9/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Germany reported
three more cases of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar the
eastern state of Brandenburg. The new discoveries bring the total
number of confirmed cases to 53 since the first one on Sept. 10.
   (Reuters, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Germany reported
4,058 new coronavirus infection and 16 deaths over the last 24
hours. Total confirmed cases rose to 310,1544 with 9,578 deaths.
   (SFC, 10/9/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, India's total
coronavirus cases rose by 78,524 in the last 24 hours to 6.84
million. Deaths from COVID-19 infections rose by 971 to 105,526.
   (Reuters, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, In Indonesia
protests in many cities turned violent as thousands of enraged
workers and students criticized a new law they say will cripple
labor rights and harm the environment.
   (SFC, 10/9/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Indonesia reported
a record high 4,850 new coronavirus cases, bringing its total to
320,564.
   (Reuters, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Mohammad Reza
Shajarian (80), Iran's most celebrated musician and a critic of the
government, died after a long battle with cancer.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)(Econ., 10/17/20, p.78)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Israeli drugmaker
Redhill Biopharma Ltd said it has signed a manufacturing deal with
two companies in Europe and Canada to ramp up production of its
coronavirus treatment candidate. Opaganib is being currently tested
in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 pneumonia in two
mid-stage trials.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Malaysia reported
375 new cases, the second straight day of falling infections as the
Southeast Asian country moved to impose targeted lockdowns to rein
in a fresh surge in infections.
   (Reuters, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Malian authorities
announced the release of a dozen political and military figures
arrested during the coup. Mali also released opposition leader
Soumaila Cisse (70), French aid worker Sophie Petronin and Italian
hostages Pierluigi Maccalli, a missionary priest who was kidnapped
in 2018, and Nicola Chiacchio, who was believed to have been
captured while travelling in the region as a tourist. Those released
included members of Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), a group
linked to al-Qaida.
   (BBC, 10/9/20)(Econ., 10/17/20, p.40)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, In the Netherlands
appeals judges at the International Criminal Court upheld the
detention of Ali Mohammed Ali Abdul Rahman Ali (aka Ali Kushayb), an
alleged Sudanese militia leader charged with more than 50 crimes
against humanity and war crimes in the Darfur conflict.
   (AP, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, A Dutch court
convicted six men of plotting a large-scale jihadi attack on a
public event and sentenced them to prison terms ranging from 10 to
17 years. The suspects were arrested by heavily armed police in
September 2018.
   (AP, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Pakistan's
terrorism police arrested two suspected militants on charges of
collecting funds for outlawed charities of radical cleric Hafiz
Saeed, founder and chief of the outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba.
   (SFC, 10/9/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Russian President
Vladimir Putin issued a statement calling for a break in the
fighting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani forces that have raged
for nearly two weeks over the region. Putin invited their foreign
ministers to visit Moscow for peace talks.
   (AFP, 10/8/20)(AP, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, The Kremlin said
that a rise in new cases in Russia was a cause for serious concern
and warned that numbers could rise even quicker unless people took
heed of the situation and protected themselves.
   (Reuters, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Switzerland
reported nearly 1,200 new cases over the last 24 hours.
   (Reuters, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, In Tunisia
governors of four provinces that make up greater Tunis called for
action to halt a surge in coronavirus infections.
   (AP, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 8, Ukraine registered
a record 5,397 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, up from the
previous record of 4,753 new cases reported a day earlier. The
country's health minister warned that Ukraine's medical system could
break down because of a surge in new coronavirus cases and the
number of hospitalized people.
   (Reuters, 10/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, It was reported
that US and Russian negotiators have agreed in principle to continue
freezing their nuclear warhead stockpiles in a bid to salvage their
last remaining arms control pact before it expires next year.
   (AP, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, A US federal
appelate court ruled that Pres. Donald Trump could not use his
emergency powers to divert $3.6 billion in military construction
funding to build a wall on the southern US border.
   (SSFC, 10/11/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, The US government
signed an agreement with AstraZeneca Plc worth $486 million to
develop and secure supplies of up to 100,000 doses of COVID-19
antibody treatment, a similar class of drugs that was used to treat
President Donald Trump.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, California to date
had 845,816 cases of coronavirus and 16,435 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 107,325 cases and 1,638 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 7,650,825 with the death toll at 213,430.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, A US federal judge
has denied a motion to extend voter registration in Florida even
though a computer meltdown on the final day of registration might
have prevented thousands of potential voters from taking part in
November’s presidential election.
   (AP, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Kansas' top pulbic
health official warned that the state is losing the battle with the
coronavirus. Total cases rose to 65,807 with 763 deaths.
   (SFC, 10/10/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Hurricane Delta hit
Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane with top winds of 100 mph (155
kph) before rapidly weakening over land.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Ohio elections
officials said nearly 50,000 voters received incorrect absentee
ballots in Franklin county, home to the state capital and largest
city, as they promised corrected ballots would be mailed within 72
hours.
   (AP, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Oklahoma reported a
record high of 749 new coronavirus cases. The state total rose to
97,088 with 1,091 deaths.
   (SFC, 10/10/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, A US federal judge
blocked an order from Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott limiting
the number of drop-off sites allowed for absentee ballots statewide
to just one per county, a constraint Democrats denounced as blatant
voter suppression.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, A federal judge
handed a nearly six-year prison term to Nathan Brasfield, of
Edmonds, Wa., who had amassed an arsenal of homemade “ghost guns”
despite being on federal supervision for an earlier firearms
conviction.
   (AP, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Pfizer Inc said its
cancer drug Ibrance did not meet the main goal in a late-stage trial
in patients with a type of breast cancer, the latest setback in the
company's attempt to expand the use of the drug to treat early
stages of the disease.
   (AP, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, In Australia a
surfer vanished in a suspected shark attack at Kelp Beds Beach near
the town of Esperance.
   (SFC, 10/10/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, It was reported
that Tara Hanlon (30) was traveling through London's Heathrow
Airport on her way to Dubai when authorities discovered about 2
million pounds, or about $2.6 million, in her suitcases. Hanlon was
charged with money laundering and could spend up to 14 years behind
bars if she's convicted.
   (Insider, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, The largest study
on prevalence of the coronavirus in the population said there are as
many as 45,000 new COVID infections in England each day, adding that
a resurgence in the north of the country could be replicated
elsewhere in weeks.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, China said it has
joined a global scheme for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine
backed by the World Health Organization (WHO), giving a major boost
to an initiative shunned by US President Donald Trump.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, China's agriculture
ministry confirmed African Swine Fever in piglets illegally
transported to the southwestern city of Chongqing, the first
reported outbreak since July 25.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, The Czech
Republic's daily count of new coronavirus cases rose to 8,618, the
fourth record tally in a row.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, An Ethiopian
security official said an attack this week killed 14 civilians and
that security forces killed 14 militia members in the Western
Benishangul-Gumuz region.
   (SFC, 10/10/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, France's health and
environment agency announced restrictions on weedkiller glyphosate
in farming, but stopped short of a full ban in the European Union's
top agricultural producer due to a lack of non-chemical alternatives
in some areas.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, German Chancellor
Angela Merkel announced that the federal government will offer
German cities the help of soldiers and public health experts to
battle a sharp rise in coronavirus cases.
   (AP, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, It was reported
that Angela Merkel’s government has warned Thailand's King Maha
Vajiralongkorn not to try to rule his country remotely from Germany.
   (The Telegraph, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, In Germany police
in heavy riot gear began clearing out a notorious Berlin leftist
Liebig 34 squat in the capital's Friedrichshain neighborhood,
encountering only passive resistance from residents as they carried
them individually down a firetruck ladder.
   (AP, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, India's Glenmark
Pharmaceuticals Ltd said its clinical trial testing a combination of
the antiviral drugs umifenovir and favipiravir in moderate
hospitalized COVID-19 patients did not show any significant benefit.
Total coronavirus cases in India rose to 6.91 million.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, In Iraq Park
Chul-Ho, director for the South Korean Daewoo E&C Iraq office
implementing the construction of the lucrative Fao port, was found
dead this morning. His hanging corpse was discovered by a worker in
the company compound in the oil-rich province of Basra several km
away from the port site. Iraqi lawmakers soon cast doubt over
initial reports deeming the incident a suicide.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Israeli PM Benjamin
Netanyahu told his Ethiopian counterpart that his country has the
intention to “immediately” bring over some 2,000 Ethiopian Jews.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Italy registered
5,372 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the first
time the country has exceeded 5,000 cases in a single day since
March. There were also 28 COVID-related deaths on Friday against 22
the day before.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Japan's Takeda
Pharmaceutical Co said an alliance of drug makers it spearheads has
enrolled its first patient in a global clinical trial of a blood
plasma treatment for COVID-19 after months of regulatory delays.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Kyrgyzstan
President Sooronbai Jeenbekov ordered a nearly two-week state of
emergency in Bishkek in a bid to end turmoil sparked by a disputed
parliamentary election as clashes between rival factions escalated
and gunshots were fired at several political leaders. But just hours
after the presidential decree, the Interior Ministry said the state
of emergency in the capital would only be introduced the following
day.
   (AP, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, In Lebanon a diesel
tank exploded inside a Beirut building late today, killing four
people and injuring several others.
   (AP, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Lithuania said it
had decided to recall five diplomats from Minsk, the capital of
Belarus, with a government spokeswoman saying Belarus had demanded
that 11 diplomats be sent home.
   (AP, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Malaysia reported
354 new coronavirus cases, the third consecutive fall in daily
infections, as the country expands targeted lockdowns to curb the
outbreak. This raised the cumulative tally to 14,722 cases. 6 new
deaths raising that toll to 152.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Nepal’s total
coronavirus infections passed 100,000. Infections were rising at a
faster rate than both Pakistan and Bangladesh which have far larger
populations. Nepal reported 2,059 new daily cases and ten deaths
after performing 13,279 tests. Nepal has 100,676 total cases of
coronavirus and 600 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, In Nigeria police
fired tear gas at a protest against police brutality in Abuja. This
followed the alleged killing of a young man by officers from the
Sars unit on Oct. 9.
   (BBC, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Russia reported a
record 12,126 new coronavirus infections, pushing the overall total
to 1,272,238. Officials said 201 people had died of COVID-19 in the
last 24 hours, pushing the official death toll to 22,257.
   (Reuters, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, It was reported
that Saudi Arabia served the Palestinian leadership with a writ of
divorce this week and a stinging bill of particulars that explained
the break-up. This was delivered by Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the
country’s leading elder statesman.
   (Bloomberg, 10/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, Spain declared a
state of emergency in Madrid to control the spread of the
coronavirus.
   (SFC, 10/10/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 9, The World Food
Program, a United Nations agency, won the Nobel Peace Prize for its
efforts to combat hunger amid the coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 10/9/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, California to
date had 849,527 cases of coronavirus and 16,504 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 107,668 cases and 1,643 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 7,696,917 with the death toll at
214,120.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, In Colorado Lee
Keltner (49) was fatally shot during dueling protests by left-wing
and right-wing groups in Denver. Security guard Matthew Dolloff (30)
was booked into jail for investigation of first-degree murder
following the clash near the city's Civic Center Park.
   (Reuters, 10/10/20)(AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Missouri reported
5,066 new coronavirus cases and 27 more deaths. Total confirmed
cases reached 144,230 with 2,422 deaths.
   (SFC, 10/12/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Former New Jersey
Gov. Chris Christie said he has been discharged from a New Jersey
hospital where he spent a week, following his announcement that he
had contracted the coronavirus.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, New Mexico
reported a record 488 new cases of the coronavirus and three deaths.
Total fatalities passed 900.
   (SSFC, 10/11/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, A federal judge in
Pennsylvania emphatically rejected the Trump campaign’s attempt to
limit the availability of drop boxes, saying that Republicans had
failed to make the case that their use could lead to fraud.
   (AP, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, A US federal
appeals court issued a temporary stay that allows the Republican
governor of Texas to continue limiting counties to a single drop-off
site for absentee ballots in the Nov. 3 presidential election.
   (Reuters, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, In Washington
state human remains were found this morning in a secluded wooded
area near Snohomish during a search for Kenna Harris (25) of Monroe,
missing since March 31.
   (NBC News, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Armenia and
Azerbaijan agreed to a Russia-brokered cease-fire in
Nagorno-Karabakh starting at noon, after two weeks of heavy fighting
that marked the worst outbreak of hostilities in the separatist
region in more than a quarter-century. Shortly after the truce took
force, the Armenian military accused Azerbaijan of shelling the area
near the town of Kapan in southeastern Armenia, killing one
civilian.
   (AP, 10/10/20)(SFC, 10/10/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Belarus'
authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko visited a prison to
talk to opposition activists, who have been jailed for challenging
his re-election that was widely seen as manipulated and triggered
two months of protests.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Brazil registered
559 additional coronavirus deaths over the last 24 hours and 26,749
new cases. It has now registered 5,082,637 confirmed cases and
150,198 total deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, The Red Cross said
more than 1,000 migrants from Senegal and The Gambia have arrived in
the Spanish Canary Islands over the last 48 hours. Between January
and the end of July this year, 3,269 migrants made the crossing from
West Africa to the Canary Islands.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, It was reported
that the Tuber app launched this week in China allows access to some
content on Western social media sites long banned domestically such
as YouTube, marking the first product by a major Chinese tech firm
that helps internet users bypass the Great Firewall.
   (Reuters, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, In Colombia a
judge ruled that former Pres. Alvaro Uribe be freed from house
arrest while he is investigated for possible witness tampering.
   (SSFC, 10/11/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Coronavirus cases
in Colombia topped 900,000, as deaths from COVID-19 closed in on
27,700.
   (Reuters, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, It was reported
that Egypt’s Pres. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has ratified a maritime
deal setting its Mediterranean Sea boundary with Greece and
demarcating an exclusive economic zone for oil and gas drilling
rights, in a move that has angered Turkey.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, The French health
ministry reported 26,896 new infections, taking the cumulative total
to 718,873 since the start of the year. The number of deaths from
the virus increased by 54 to 32,684.
   (Reuters, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Hong Kong police
said they have arrested nine people on suspicion of providing funds
and other assistance to a group of 12 who sought to flee the
territory by boat in August, but were intercepted by Chinese
authorities.
   (SSFC, 10/11/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Iran's President
Hassan Rouhani announced fines for breaches of health regulations in
Tehran after daily coronavirus infections hit a record high this
week. The virus in Iran has now killed more than 28,000 people and
infected more than 496,000.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Ireland reported
1,012 new cases of COVID-19, the highest number in a day since the
start of the pandemic and almost double the average for the past
week.
   (Reuters, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Tens of thousands
of Israelis calling on PM Benjamin Netanyahu to resign demonstrated
across the country this evening, saying he is unfit to rule while on
trial for corruption charges and accusing him of mismanaging the
nation’s coronavirus crisis.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Authorities in
Kyrgyzstan arrested former president Almazbek Atambayev, banned
rallies and imposed a curfew in Bishkek, seeking to end a week of
turmoil sparked by a disputed parliamentary election. Atambayev was
arrested on charges of organizing riots.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, In Myanmar new
coronavirus exceeded 2,000 for the first time. the 2,158 cases
raised that total to 26,064 since March with 598 total deaths.
   (SSFC, 10/11/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, North Korea showed
off a gigantic new intercontinental ballistic missile that analysts
described as the biggest of its kind in the world, as the
nuclear-armed country defied the coronavirus threat with thousands
of maskless troops taking part in a military parade.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Poland announced
new measures to curb the coronavirus pandemic after reporting record
infections for a fifth straight day, but it stopped short of
introducing mandatory distance learning for schools.
   (Reuters, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Portugal reported
1,646 new cases of coronavirus, the highest daily figure since the
start of the pandemic. The country has seen a total of 85,574
coronavirus cases and 2,067 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, In Russia police
in a far eastern city of Khabarovsk detained several dozen
protesters, the first such crackdown since rallies against the
arrest of the provincial governor started three months ago. Police
didn't intervene while thousands of protesters marched across the
city, but later detained about 30 demonstrators when they set up
tents on the central square.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, It was reported
that Singapore ride hailing app Grab has grown into the country's
most popular mobile wallet with over 60 bank tie-ups.
   (Econ., 10/10/20, p.62)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, It was reported
that fires in war-torn Syria have killed two people and left dozens
suffering from breathing problems over the past two days. Wildfires
around the Middle East triggered by a heatwave hitting forced
thousands of people to leave their homes and detonated landmines
along the Lebanon-Israel border.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Ukraine's national
security council said a total of 256,266 coronavirus cases had been
registered in Ukraine as of today, with 4,887 deaths. Daily virus
deaths exceeded 100 for the first time since the epidemic began,
jumping to 108.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 10, Pope Francis
issued an urgent call to action to defend the planet and help the
poor in his second TED talk.
   (AP, 10/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, President Donald
Trump declared he was ready to return to the campaign trail despite
unanswered questions about his health on the eve of a Florida rally
meant to kick off the stretch run before Election Day. Trump
insisted he was now “immune” from the virus. Twitter flagged the
tweet by Donald Trump in which he claimed he was immune to the
coronavirus, saying it violated the social media platform's rules
about misleading information related to COVID-19.
   (AP, 10/11/20)(Reuters, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Today is the
International Day of the Girl Child. In 2011 the UN declared Oct. 11
as the International Day of the Girl Child to promote girls’ rights
and address the challenges girls face around the world.
   (AP, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, The latest NY
Times investigation into the president’s tax data and other records
found that more than 200 companies, special-interest groups and
foreign governments had patronized Mr. Trump’s properties, funneling
in millions of dollars, while reaping benefits from him and his
administration.
   (NY Times, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, The Los Angeles
Lakers won the NBA championship. The Lakers, led by LeBron James,
beat the Miami Heat to cap off an unusual but exhilarating
postseason inside the Disney World “bubble.” It was James’s fourth
title.
   (NY Times, 10/12/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, California to
date had 853,061 cases of coronavirus and 16,574 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 108,357 cases and 1,638 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 7,756,846 with the death toll at
214,742.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Joe Morgan (77),
one of the best second basemen in Major League Baseball history,
died at his home in Danville, Ca.
   (NY Times, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In Louisiana
Hurricane Delta left some 600,000 in the state were without power,
with thousands more reported in Texas and Mississippi. Many homes
were inundated, drainage systems were overwhelmed. Two people died
as a result of the storm.
   (NY Times, 10/11/20)(SFC, 10/12/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Minnesota reported
1,450 new coronavirus infections and 10 deaths. Statewide totals
reached 112,268 cases and 2,141 deaths.
   (SFC, 10/12/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, A federal judge
ruled that Minnesota balots postmarked by Nov. 3 can be counted even
if they are received up to a week after election day.
   (SFC, 10/13/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Protesters in
Portland, Ore., swept through the city late today, toppling statues
of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt and damaging the entrance
to the Oregon Historical Society in a demonstration against
colonization and the treatment of Native Americans.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In Afghanistan the
Taliban opened an offensive in Lashkar Gah, overunning some of the
surrounding security checkpoints and largely cutting it off.
   (https://tinyurl.com/yxblyfk4)(SFC, 10/13/20,
p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Azerbaijan accused
Armenia of attacking large cities overnight in violation of the
cease-fire deal brokered by Russia that seeks to end the worst
outbreak of hostilities in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Nine civilians were reported killed and over 30 wounded after
Armenian forces fired missiles overnight on Ganja.
   (AP, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Belarus detained
713 people in rallies across the country. An estimated 100,000
people took part in the Minsk rally. By the next day 570 of them
remained in custody awaiting a court hearing.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, It was reported
that the widely used BCG tuberculosis vaccine will be tested on
frontline care workers in Britain for its effectiveness against
COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In the French Open
Iga Swiatek (19) of Poland won her first tour title — and her
country’s first Grand Slam singles title — with a 6-4, 6-1 defeat of
Sofia Kenin, the reigning Australian Open champion and No. 4 seed at
Roland Garros.
   (NY Times, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Police in Greece
found 102 kilograms (225 pounds) of heroin in a vacation-rental
apartment in central Athens.
   (AP, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, India’s confirmed
coronavirus toll crossed 7 million with a number of new cases
dipping in recent weeks, even as health experts warn of mask and
distancing fatigue setting in. The Health Ministry registered
another 74,383 infections in the past 24 hours and 918 additional
deaths, taking total fatalities to 108,334.
   (AP, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Iraqi militias
backed by Iran agreed to temporarily halt attacks targeting the
American presence in Iraq on the condition that US-led coalition
troops withdraw from the country in line with a parliamentary
resolution.
   (AP, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, The Israeli
military opened a new coronavirus unit in a converted parking garage
at a hospital in northern Israel, in a first-of-its-kind effort by
the army to assist the country’s overloaded health care system.
   (AP, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Kyrgyzstan’s
parliament installed Sadyr Japarov, a convicted kidnapper, as the
country’s new prime minister less than a week after protesters broke
him out of prison. Immediately after Mr Japarov called for President
Sooronbai Jeenbekov to resign. This would allow him to consolidate
power and complete Kyrgyzstan’s third revolution in 15 years.
   (AP, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Lebanon said it
will close bars and nightclubs to help contain the COVID-19 outbreak
which has killed more than 450 people in a country also reeling from
financial crisis and an explosion in Beirut two months ago.
   (Reuters, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In Libya an armed
group released seven Indian workers after their Sept. 14 abduction
at Al-Shwerif.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In Lithuania polls
opened for the first round of parliamentary elections. voters will
choose 141 national lawmakers and the ruling four-party Farmers and
Greens Union coalition is facing a stiff challenge from the
opposition conservative Homeland Union-Christian Democrats, the
Social Democrats, the populist Labor party and the center-right
Liberal Movement. Lithuania's center-right opposition conservative
Homeland Union party won 23 seats in 141-seat parliament and
appeared on track to win the vote, defeating the ruling four-party
coalition. 68 lawmakers will be elected in a proportional vote on
Oct. 25.
   (AP, 10/11/20)(AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, It was reported
that Nigeria has dissolved the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars),
the police force at the center of protests against police brutality.
The officers from the controversial unit will be redeployed. It was
unclear where to.
   (BBC, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, Russia recorded a
fresh record increase in daily coronavirus cases, pushing the
world's fourth highest infection tally towards 1.3 million.
   (Reuters, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, It was reported
that single men who became fathers via surrogacy are fleeing Russia
as conservative politicians seek to entrench big heterosexual
families with two parents as the only socially approved form of
household.
   (The Telegraph, 10/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In Tanzania a fire
started in the Whona area of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Days later the fire
had burned 28 square km (11 square miles) of vegetation and is very
active in an area known as Kifunika Hill.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 11, In central
Thailand a bus-train collision killed 17 people in Chacheongsao.
   (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54497497)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Paul Milgrom and
Robert Wilson, both of Stanford University, were awarded the Nobel
in economic science today for improvements to auction theory and
inventions of new auction formats.
   (NY Times, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, California's chief
elections official ordered Republicans to remove unofficial ballot
drop boxes from churches, gun shops and other locations and Attorney
General Xavier Becerra warned those behind the “vote tampering"
could face prosecution..
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, California to
date had 855,622 cases of coronavirus and 16,585 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 108,712 cases and 1,641 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 7,802,822 with the death toll at
214,045.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Long lines of
people eager to cast ballots formed as early in-person voting began
in Georgia. Problems soon developed in the state's most populous
county. By mid-morning, the problem appeared to have been resolved
and the lines had cleared at the arena, which is the largest early
voting site in the state with 300 voting machines.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, It was reported
that Nicholas Beauchene (26), a US postal worker in New Jersey, has
been arrested after he threw almost 2,000 pieces of mail, including
election ballots, in dumpsters. Some 1,875 pieces of mail were
recovered, including 600 first-class items and 99 ballots for
November's election.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The 5th US Circuit
Court of Appeals late today put on hold a lower court ruling that
had blocked the Texas governor's order on ballot drop-off sites from
taking effect, saying the decision would not hinder Texans from
exercising their right to vote.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Bernard S. Cohen
(b,1934), a co-counsel in Loving v. Virginia (1967), died in
Virginia. The US Supreme Court ruling struck down bans on
interracial marriage.
   (NY Times, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Mark Zuckerberg
said that Facebook would ban content that “denies or distorts the
Holocaust.” Two years ago, Zuckerberg cited Holocaust denial as an
example of permissible free speech.
   (AP, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Johnson &
Johnson said a late-stage study of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate
has been paused due to the unexplained illness of a study
participant.
   (SFC, 10/13/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Microsoft
announced legal action seeking to disrupt a major cybercrime digital
network that uses more than a 1 million zombie computers to loot
bank accounts and spread ransomware. The Trickbot malware, created
in 2016 by a loose consortium of Russian-speaking cybercriminals, is
a digital superstructure for sowing malware. Cybersecurity firm
Intel 471 reported no significant hit on Trickbot operations.
   (SFC, 10/13/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, In Slovakia Marian
Kotleba, the leader of the far-right People's Party Our Slovakia,
was convicted of illegal use of neo-Nazi symbols and sentenced to
four years and four months in prison. The verdict was not final.
   (SFC, 10/13/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Mallinckrodt filed
for bankruptcy protection, saddled with lawsuits alleging it helped
fuel the US opioid epidemic. Mallinckrodt said it had agreed to pay
$1.6 billion over several years to settle opioid-related litigation.
   (Reuters, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Argentina
surpassed 900,000 cases of coronavirus, with strong growth of
infections in large, populated centers in the interior of the
country after months of the virus being concentrated in Buenos Aires
and its suburbs.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Armenia and
Azerbaijan accused each other of attacks over the separatist
territory of Nagorno-Karabakh despite a cease-fire deal brokered by
Russia in an effort to end the worst outbreak of hostilities in the
region in decades.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Australian
researchers said the virus that causes COVID-19 can survive on
banknotes, glass and stainless steel for up to 28 days.
   (Reuters, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Bangladesh's
government approved the use of the death penalty in rape cases. Led
by PM Sheikh Hasina, the cabinet met online and approved changes to
a law that will enable courts to sentence any convicted rapist to
execution.
   (CBS News, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The British
government announced new restrictions on business and socializing in
major northern England cities with high infection rates. But pubs,
restaurants and other businesses pushed back, arguing that they are
not to blame for a resurgent outbreak.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, It was reported
that recent flooding in several provinces of Cambodia has killed at
least 11 people dead.
   (SFC, 10/12/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The Chinese city
of Qingdao said it will test its entire population of more than 9
million people for coronavirus, after discovering 12 new infections
that appeared to be linked to a hospital treating imported
infections. Total confirmed COVID-19 cases in mainland China stood
at 85,578. The death toll remained at 4,634.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Cuba relaxed
coronavirus restrictions in hopes of boosting its economy.
   (SFC, 10/13/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, EU foreign
ministers agreed to impose sanctions on Russian officials and
organizations blamed for the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei
Navalny with a Soviet-era nerve agent.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The RV Polarstern
icebreaker, carrying scientists on a year-long international effort
to study the high Arctic, returned to its home port in Germany
carrying a wealth of data that will help researchers better predict
climate change in the decades to come.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Iran shattered its
single-day record for new deaths and infections from the
coronavirus, with 272 people confirmed dead among more than 4,200
new cases.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The Israeli
government unanimously approved the country's recently signed
normalization agreement with the UAE ahead of a ratification vote by
parliament.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Japan vowed to
bolster its missile deterrence capability to respond to threats by
North Korean weapons that are becoming “more diverse and complex,”
as displayed during a military parade held by the North over the
weekend.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, It was reported
that Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical Co-led group, that is developing
a blood plasma treatment for COVID-19, has started manufacturing
while the late-stage trial to determine whether it works is ongoing.
   (Reuters, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Jordan's King
Abdullah II swore in a new prime minister and Cabinet, tasking the
new government to manage the country through an economic and health
crisis as it faces a growing wave of coronavirus infections. The
king appointed Bisher al-Khasawneh as the new prime minister after
his predecessor, Omar Razzaz, resigned last week.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Lebanon announced
the names of its delegation that will hold indirect talks later this
week with Israel over the disputed maritime border between the two
countries.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, In Mexico at least
14 suspected gunmen were killed and three police officers wounded in
a massive shootout near Calera, Zacatecas state.
   (SFC, 10/14/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The New Zealand
government signed a deal to buy 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccines from
Pfizer Inc and Germany's BioNTech, with delivery as early as the
first quarter of 2021.
   (Reuters, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, In Nigeria two
people were killed in Lagos as protests continued against police
brutality for a sixth day.
   (BBC, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Russia said human
trials of its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine have begun in the United
Arab Emirates. Russia reported 13,592 new coronavirus cases, almost
the most recorded in a single day since the pandemic began, pushing
the national tally to 1,312,310. Officials said 125 people had died
in the previous 24 hours, pushing the official death toll to 22,722.
   (AP, 10/12/20)(Reuters, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, In central Russia
a gunman opened fired at a bus and a bus stop in a village in the
Nizhny Novgorod region, killing three people and wounding three
more.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, In Slovakia Marian
Kotleba, the leader of the far-right People's Party Our Slovakia,
was convicted of illegal use of neo-Nazi symbols and sentenced to
four years and four months in prison. The verdict was not final.
   (SFC, 10/13/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, South Korean
drugmaker Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co Ltd said that it had received
regulatory approval for Phase 1 clinical trials of its
anti-parasitic niclosamide drug to treat COVID-19 patients.
   (Reuters, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, South Korean
drugmaker Celltrion Inc said it has received regulatory approval for
Phase 3 clinical trials of CT-P59, an experimental COVID-19
treatment. The drug is directed against the surface of the virus and
designed to block it from locking on to human cells.
   (Reuters, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Swiss drugmaker
Roche said it plans to start selling a higher-volume COVID-19
antigen test for laboratories by the end of the year as it expands
diagnostics for the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, Amnesty
International said Tanzanian authorities have intensified repression
to muzzle the opposition, civil society and the news media ahead of
elections on October 28, where the incumbent President John Magufuli
is seeking a second term.
   (AP, 10/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, The Vatican said
four Swiss Guards have tested positive for the coronavirus. Three
other Vatican residents have tested positive in recent weeks.
   (SFC, 10/13/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 12, In Yemen a man
killed at least a dozen people, including his wife and three
children, in a family dispute in the country's central province of
Bayda.
   (AP, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, It was reported
that federal payments to American farmers was projected to hit a
record $46 billion as the White House funnels money to Trump's rural
based in the South and Midwest before election day.
   (SFC, 10/13/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Financial leaders
of the world's seven biggest economies vowed to fight rising
ransomware attacks amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and said no stable
coin operation should start until it is properly regulated.
   (AP, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The US Supreme
Court refused to hear an appeal by 215 Senate and House of
Representatives Democrats of a lower court ruling that found that
the lawmakers lacked the necessary legal standing to bring the case
that focused on the Republican president's ownership of the Trump
International Hotel in Washington.
   (AP, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The US Supreme
Court turned away South Carolina's bid to cut off public funding to
Planned Parenthood.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The US Supreme
Court allowed the Trump administration to halt the 2020 census count
ahead of schedule, effectively shutting down what has been the most
contentious and litigated census in memory and setting the stage for
a bitter fight over how to use its numbers for the apportionment of
the next Congress.
   (NY Times, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The US Justice
Department sued Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a onetime close friend
and aide to first lady Melania Trump, to try to recoup the profits
from a tell-all book that disclosed embarrassing details about her,
the third lawsuit in recent months where the department has taken on
a White House antagonist.
   (NY Times, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, It was reported
that a group of prominent Christians from both sides of the aisle,
including a past faith adviser to former President Barack Obama, is
forming a political action committee designed to chip away at
Christian support for President Donald Trump in the final weeks of
the 2020 campaign.
   (AP, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, The US National
Institutes of Health (NIH) said it has started a study to evaluate
two antibody treatments in COVID-19 patients. The trial will test
AbbVie Inc's psoriasis drug risankizumab along with Gilead Sciences'
antiviral remdesivir, compared to a placebo and remdesivir to help
tackle the new coronavirus.. The study will also test Humanigen's
experimental drug lenzilumab with remdesivir.
   (AP, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Int'l. arbitrators
said the EU can impose tariffs and other penalties on up to $4
billion of US goods and services over illegal American support for
plane maker Boeing.
   (SFC, 10/14/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Arizona health
officials reported more than 680 new coronavirus and eight death.
Statewide totals rose to more than 226,000 cases and 5,767 deaths.
   (SFC, 10/14/20, p.A6)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, California to
date had 860,111 cases of coronavirus and 16,600 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 109,267 cases and 1,643 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 7,850,829 with the death toll at
215,775.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, North Dakota
officials recorded a sixth straight day of record COVID-19 cases.
517 positive tests And 12 deaths in the last 24 hours put the
state's total cases at 4,600 and 357 deaths.
   (SFC, 10/15/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Ohio State Univ.
said it will pay $5.8 million to settle lawsuits by about two dozen
more survivors over decades-old sexual abuse by now-deceased team
doctor Richard Strauss, bringing total settlement so far to $46.7
million.
   (SFC, 10/14/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Jeff Bezos’ Blue
Origin space company launched a New Shepard rocket for a seventh
time from a remote corner of Texas, testing new lunar-landing
technology for NASA that could help put astronauts back on the moon.
   (AP, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, In Virginia Varita
V. Quincy, an American military contractor, pleaded guilty to
conspiracy to defraud the US and commit property theft. She also
pleaded guilty to making false statements. In 20201 she was
sentenced to 51 months in prison, and ordered to pay restitution
totaling $179,708. Co-conspirator Larry Green pleaded guilty to
similar charges and was sentenced on Nov. 19, 2020 to 41 months in
prison and ordered to pay the same as Quincy in restitution for his
role in the theft ring on a military installation in Afghanistan.
   (AP, 4/28/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, In Virginia an
accidentally severed fiber optic cable shut down the state's online
voter registration system for several hours, the last day to
register before the November general election. This prompted a
lawsuit from a civil rights organization.
   (AP, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Texas began
in-person voting.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Apple introduced
the iPhone 12, but the faster internet speeds it promises may take
years to develop.
   (NY Times, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Facebook Inc Chief
Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, said
that they will donate an additional $100 million to support election
officials and fund infrastructure for the US election in November.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Ford Motor Co said
it was moving production of its plug-in Escape sport utility vehicle
to next year as it reviews its vehicles with the same engine and
battery parts that were recalled in Europe. The automaker said it
recalled 20,500 Kuga PHEV vehicles in Europe last month and
suspended their sale as it looks into potential concern with the
high voltage battery, which in certain cases could result in a fire.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, It was reported
that Johnson & Johnson has paused the late-stage clinical trial
of its vaccine because of an “unexplained illness” in one of the
volunteers.
   (NY Times, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Novavax Inc said
it has set up a team of company veterans as it seeks US. regulatory
approval for its seasonal influenza vaccine and to help develop a
combined influenza/COVID-19 vaccine for use after the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Vaxart Inc said it
had begun an early-stage study testing its oral tablet COVID-19
vaccine candidate, which the drug developer hopes would be a viable
alternative to injectable vaccines.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Two Afghan
helicopters collided while transporting wounded soldiers in Helmand
province. Nine service members were killed.
   (SFC, 10/15/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Fighting between
Armenian and Azerbaijani forces raged for a third week over the
separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, and the United States
urged both sides to adhere to a cease-fire reached over the weekend.
Nagorno-Karabakh military officials said 16 servicemen were killed,
bringing the total number of dead among troops to 532 since Sept.
27, when the fighting flared up. Azerbaijani authorities said 42
civilians have been killed on their side since the start of the
fighting.
   (AP, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, New South Wales,
Australia's most populous state, said it will ease restrictions
despite reporting the biggest one-day jump in new COVID-19 cases in
six weeks.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Bangladesh said it
will not co-fund a late-stage domestic trial of a potential
coronavirus vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech. The
country reported 22 deaths and 1,537 new COVID-19 infections, taking
the total number of reported cases in the country to 381,275, and
the death toll to 5,577.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)  Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Britain reported
17,234 new confirmed cases and 143 new deaths from COVID-19, the
highest daily figure since June, as parts of the country were facing
tougher social distancing restrictions under a new three-tiered
alert system. Total deaths reached 43,018.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, It was reported
that police in China have used a drone to capture footage of an
alleged drug deal taking place.
   (BBC, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, China was
reelected to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), alongside Russia,
Cuba, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Nepal. Saudi Arabia was the only
country up for election that failed to be elected, mustering only 90
votes. Fifteen positions were up for grabs on the 47-seat body.
   (AFP, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, French researchers
say they have had encouraging initial results from trials of a
COVID-19 testing system that, they say, can deliver results in 40
minutes with no swab and no need to send off samples to a lab. The
French system showed 87.5 percent accuracy for detecting positive
results when tested on a sample of 220 people.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Indonesia reported
3,906 new coronavirus infections and 92 new deaths. The new
infections brought the total number of confirmed cases in the
country to 340,622, while the death tally rose to 12,027.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Italian PM
Giuseppe Conte imposed new restrictions on gatherings, restaurants,
sports and school activities in an attempt to slow a recent surge in
coronavirus infections.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Japan launched its
latest three-yearly energy policy review, with the country grappling
with a need to cut greenhouse gas emissions even as the public
remains wary over nuclear power following the Fukushima disaster.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, In central Mali
suspected Islamic extremists have carried out a series of attacks
killing at least 22 people. Ten civilians died when a car near a
military convoy was ambushed between Bandiagara and Bankass. At
least 12 soldiers died in two separate attacks elsewhere.
   (AP, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Nigeria's police
chief ordered the unconditional release of all demonstrators
arrested during protests against police brutality.
   (BBC, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Norway's
government said it will provide a vaccine against COVID-19 free of
charge to its inhabitants when one becomes available.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, In Poland angry
farmers protested in Warsaw against draft legislation that would ban
fur farms, religious slaughter for export and the use of animals for
entertainment and in circuses. The government has proposed to ease
restrictions, offer copmpensation for closed farms and to delay the
bill.
   (SFC, 10/14/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Poland's Health
Ministry reported 5,068 new coronavirus cases, only the second time
the figure has passed 5,000 in a 24-hour period since the pandemic
began. The country of 38 million has now reported a total of 135,278
cases of the novel coronavirus and 3,101 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Romania's centrist
minority government introduced new progressive restrictions to stem
a rise in new coronavirus infections and will extend a state of
alert until mid-November. The total number of confirmed cases has
risen to 160,461 since the pandemic reached the country in late
February. 5,535 people have died.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, Russia reported
record high daily coronavirus cases and deaths, pushing total
infections to 1,326,178, but authorities said they do not plan to
impose lockdowns across the vast country.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, South Korea
reported 102 new cases of the coronavirus brining its total cases to
24,805 and 434 deaths.
   (SFC, 10/14/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, In Spain hundreds
of primary care doctors went on strike in the region of Catalonia
calling for better working conditions as coronavirus cases rise.
With close to 900,000 registered cases and more than 33,000 deaths,
Spain has become the pandemic's hotspot in Western Europe with the
capital Madrid and nearby suburbs on lockdown since last week.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, A judge in Spain
allowed an alleged leading member of the ’Ndrangheta mafia
organization to walk free after failing to realize that the arrested
man was a most-wanted suspect in his native Italy. Vittorio Raso was
arrested in Barcelona earlier this month after a two-year police
operation to track him down following a tip from the Italian
authorities.
   (The Telegraph, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, It was reported
that more than 4,500 people in Sudan's South Darfur province have
been displaced in the past week by ongoing clashes between factions
of a rebel group boycotting a recent peace deal between the
transitional government and a rebel alliance.
   (AP, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 13, In Tunisia
hundreds of stone-throwing protesters clashed with police in a
provincial town after authorities bulldozed an unlicensed cigarette
kiosk, killing its owner sleeping inside.
   (Reuters, 10/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, The US State
Department appointed Robert Destro to oversee US policy on Tibet,
the latest sign of the Trump administration's growing outspokenness
on Chinese human rights issues as relations between Washington and
Beijing continue to deteriorate.
   (South China Morning Post, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, The US Postal
Service agreed to reverse changes that slowed mail service
nationwide, settling a lawsuit filed by Montana Gov. Steve Bullock
during a pandemic that is expected to force many more people to vote
by mail.
   (AP, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, It was reported
that researchers have discovered fossils of a tiny burrowing reptile
among a vast expanse of petrified wood in eastern Arizona. The new
species was named Skybalonyx skapter, a part of a group known as
drepanosaurs from the Triassic Period, about 220 million years ago.
They found the fossils in the summers of 2018 and 2019 using a
screen-washing technique.
   (AP, 10/14/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, California to
date had 863,469 cases of coronavirus and 16,727 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 109,558 cases and 1,656 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 7,904,168 with the death toll at
216,597.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, A US federal judge
ordered North Carolina to ensure that absentee ballots have a
witness signature in a mixed ruling that allows voters to fix other
minor problems without casting a new ballot from scratch.
   (SFC, 10/15/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Ohio executed
Robert Van Hook (58), a man convicted of a brutal 1985 murder, in
the state's third execution since it lifted a temporary halt last
year on carrying out death sentences. Van Hook was sentenced to
death three decades ago for the murder of David Self, who he picked
up at downtown Cincinnati's Subway Bar on Feb. 18, 1985.
   (Reuters, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Twitter and
Facebook restricted sharing of a New York Post article alleging that
Hunter Biden had abandoned a Mac laptop at a Delaware repair shop,
and it had damning emails on its hard drive. Facebook said it would
fact-check the story and Twitter blocked it because it violated the
company's policy on hacked material.
   (Reuters, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, G20 nations agreed
to extend the suspension of debt payments by an additional six
months to support 73 of the most vulnerable countries in their fight
against the coronavirus.
   (SFC, 10/15/20, p.A8)(Econ., 10/17/20, p.61)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, In Afghanistan at
least six security forces and eight civilians were killed in
Tqaliban attacks in different parts of Helmand province.
   (SFC, 10/15/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Researchers said
half the coral that makes up Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has died
since 1995 and that the decline would continue if no drastic action
is taken on climate change.
   (NY Times, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Bosnia saw a daily
record 482 new cases and 11 deaths, bringing the total number of
registered cases in the country of about 3.3 million to 31,655, with
958 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, A British royal
navy vessel seized 450 kg (990 pounds) of methamphetamine in the
northern Arabian Sea in the largest-ever bust by a joint maritime
operation in the region.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Herbert Kretzmer
(95), a lyricist and a song writer from South Africa, died at his
home in London. In 1985 he was asked to reimagine an obscure French
musical, “Les Misérables.” He wrote the English lyrics and turned it
into one of the most successful and longest-running theater
productions.
   (NY Times, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, It was reported
that Roma communities in Bulgaria were sprayed with disinfectant
from crop dusters this spring as coronavirus cases surged in the
country. In Slovakia, their villages were the only ones where the
army conducted testing. And across Central and Eastern Europe,
reports of police using excessive force against Roma spiked as
officers were deployed to enforce lockdowns in their towns.
   (AP, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, The UN envoy for
Colombia called for improved protection for former combatants who
continue to be killed “in alarming numbers.” He complained of rising
violence and massacres by other groups that have cropped up since
the 2016 peace accord and said the latest killings bring the total
number of former combatants killed so far this year to 50, including
two women.
   (AP, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Croatia's health
authorities reported 748 new COVID-19 infections, a daily record,
with the capital Zagreb also registering a record of 211 new cases.
   (Reuters, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, The Czech Republic
opted to close schools to lower an accumulated rate of 521 virus
cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 14 days, the highest national
level in Europe. The Czech Republic has overtaken Spain as Europe’s
biggest hot spot during the COVID-19 resurgence.
   (AP, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, French president,
Emmanuel Macron said “the virus is everywhere in France,” said,
while imposing a nighttime curfew in major cities.
   (NY Times, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, In France a Paris
court jailed Farid Ikken (43) of Algeria for 28 years after
convicting him of attempted terrorist murder for attacking police
guarding Notre Dame Cathedral with a hammer in 2017.
   (SFC, 10/15/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, It was reported
that Germany has agreed to provide more than a half billion euros to
aid Holocaust survivors struggling under the burdens of the
coronavirus pandemic. The payments will be going to approximately
240,000 survivors around the world over the next two years.
   (AP, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Germany confirmed
four more cases of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar in the
eastern state of Brandenburg. The new discoveries bring the total
number of confirmed cases to 69 since the first on Sept. 10.
   (AP, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, A Greek court
sentenced Nikos Michaloliakos and five other former lawmakers of the
extreme-right Golden Dawn party to 13 years in prison, imposing the
near-maximum penalty for running a criminal organization blamed for
numerous violent hate crimes. A seventh leading party member
received 10 years.
   (AP, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Hungary reported
40,782 total coronavirus infections and 1,023 total deaths.
Scientists warned insufficient testing meant steeper increases and a
possible lockdown loomed.
   (Reuters, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Iran's health
ministry reported 279 deaths from the coronavirus in the previous 24
hours, the highest daily tally recorded since February, bringing
total fatalities to 29,349 in the hardest-hit Middle Eastern
country. 4,830 new cases, also a record high, were identified in the
past 24 hours, pushing the total number of cases to 513,219.
   (Reuters, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Israel and Lebanon
held productive talks on their disputed maritime border.
   (Reuters, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Italy posted its
highest ever daily total of new infections at 7,332 — surpassing the
previous high of 6,557, recorded during the virus's most deadly
phase in March. In northern Italy Coronavirus infections were
surging anew in the Lombardy region where the pandemic first took
hold in Europe, putting pressure again on hospitals and health care
workers.
   (AP, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, In Kazakhstan a
trio of space travelers blasted off to the International Space
Station, using for the first time a fast-track maneuver that allowed
them to reach the orbiting outpost in just a little over three
hours. NASA’s Kate Rubins along with Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey
Kud-Sverchkov of the Russian space agency Roscosmos lifted off as
scheduled from the Russia-leased Baikonur space launch facility for
a six-month stint on the station.
   (AP, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Kyrgyzstan's Pres.
Sooronbai Jeenbekov endorsed the appointment of Sadyr Zhaparov as
prime minister. The former lawmaker was freed from jail by
demonstrators last week. Jeenbekov also approved Zhaparov's new
Cabinet.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Libya's
internationally-recognized government announced the detention of Abd
al-Rahman al-Milad, known as Bija. In 2018, the UN Security Council
imposed sanctions against Mr Milad and five other men over people
smuggling in the North African country.
   (BBC, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Mexico's health
ministry reported 4,056 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection
and 478 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to
829,396 cases and 84,898 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, In Myanmar three
elections candidates from the ruling national league for Democracy
were abducted by an unknown armed group in Rakhine state.
   (SFC, 10/15/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Nigeria announced
that the new Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) team will fill the
gaps left from the dissolution of the Special Anti Robbery Squad
(Sars).
   (BBC, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Norway's foreign
minister said Russia is behind a break-in into the Norwegian
Parliament’s email system in August, calling the intrusion “a
serious incident that affects our most important democratic
institution.”
   (AP, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Poland reported a
record 6,526 new coronavirus infections and 116 deaths and doctors
warned the healthcare system was becoming overloaded. The country of
38 million has now recorded 141,804 confirmed coronavirus cases and
3,217 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Slovenia, with
around 2 million people, reported a record-high number of new
infections, reaching 707 daily cases.
   (Reuters, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, It was reported
that heavily armed Ugandan police have “besieged” the campaign
headquarters of Bobi Wine, a pop star and politician who is seeking
Uganda's presidency in elections set for 2021.
   (AP, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Wales announced
that it intended to ban people living in areas with high rates of
COVID-19 infections in the rest of the United Kingdom from entering
the country, in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease.
   (Reuters, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 14, Houthi fighters in
Yemen released American hostages Sandra Loli and Mikael Gidada after
the US brokered a deal to return scores of Houthi fighters being
held in Oman. The Iran-backed rebels also released the remains of
Bilal Fateen who had died in captivity.
   (NY Times, 10/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, US President
Donald Trump said he is willing to raise his offer of $1.8 trillion
for a COVID-19 relief package to get a deal with House of
Representatives Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a move likely to
raise concern among his fellow Republicans in the Senate.
   (Reuters, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Pres. Donald Trump
and Joe Biden held competing televised events, with Biden’s on ABC
and Trump’s on NBC. Democrats and media analysts criticized NBC for
scheduling the Trump event at the same time as Biden’s, making it
impossible for Americans to watch both candidates live. It happened
because Trump, who rejects so many of the traditions of American
politics, had pulled out of a scheduled debate. Each candidate
instead spoke to an audience that was probably dominated by his own
supporters.
   (NY Times, 10/15/20)(NY Times, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Nearly half of the
continental US is in a drought. It’s the most severe US drought
since 2013, and could lead to more wildfires.
   (NY Times, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, As coronavirus
cases across the United States climbed toward a third peak, the
country surpassed a total of eight million total known cases.
Reports of new cases trended upward in 41 states over the last two
weeks. Nine states held case numbers roughly steady.
   (NY Times, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In southern
California former Mexican defense secretary Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos
(72), who led the country’s army for six years under ex-President
Enrique Peña Nieto, was arrested on drug trafficking and money
laundering charges at the LA International Airport.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, California to
date had 866,431 cases of coronavirus and 16,799 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 109,931 cases and 1,655 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 7,972,886 with the death toll at
217,721.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In Colorado the
Cameron Peak Fire, became the largest in state history as it burned
256 square miles north of Grand Junction.
   (SFC, 10/16/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Hawaii launched a
pre-travel testing program to reignite the state's tourism decimated
economy. The island of Kauai went from having no infections to at
least 84 new cases in the next seven weeks. From March through
September Kauai had only 61 known coronavirus cases.
   (SFC, 12/21/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In Minnesota Seyed
Sajjad Shahidian (33), the founder and CEO of an Iranian financial
services firm accused of conspiring to violate US sanctions against
Iran, was sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison. He was
arrested in London in November 2018 but wasn't extradited to the US
until this past May.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Federal
prosecutors charged Houston software executive Robert Brockman with
multiple counts of tax evasion, money laundering, and wire fraud for
allegedly hiding $2 billion in income over 20 years.
   (The Week, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Prosecutors said
Robert Smith (57), the Texas billionaire who last year promised to
pay off the debt of the graduating class of Morehouse College, has
admitted to tax evasion through an illegal scheme that used offshore
banks for 15 years.
   (The Independent, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, YouTube said it
will prohibit videos promoting conspiracy theories that “justify
real-world violence.” In effect, it is banning QAnon, the sprawling
pro-Trump conspiracy that found much of its audience through the
site.
   (NY Times, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Afghan officials
said more than 5,600 families have been froced to flee their homes
in southern Helmand province due to renewed fighting between
government forces and the Taliban.
   (SFC, 10/16/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Austria ordered
the first local quarantine of its second wave of coronavirus
infections, in a town near Salzburg, as cases nationally hit a new
high.
   (Reuters, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, London and seven
other areas will face further restrictions after the British
government raised their coronavirus risk levels in an effort to slow
the exponential rise in infection rates across the country.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, The cabless
trailer of an articulated lorry, known as the Pod, ran the Dunsfold
test track in Surrey at over 80 mph. The vehicle was made by
Einride, a Swedish firm founded in 2016 by Robert Falck.
   (Econ., 10/24/20, p.72)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Scientists from
Britain's University of Oxford said they have developed a rapid
COVID-19 test able to identify the coronavirus in less than five
minutes.
   (Reuters, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, China's eastern
city of Jiaxing's center for disease control and prevention (CDC)
said in a statement on WeChat that two doses of Sinovac Biotech's
vaccine candidate, called CoronaVac, will cost 200 yuan ($29.75) per
dose and that vaccinations for key groups including medical
professionals have begun.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Croatia reported
793 new cases of COVID-19, a daily record. Croatia, with some 4
million people, has reported 22,534 cases with 344 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, European Union
leaders agreed to keep on talking to Britain to get a new trade
agreement "in the coming weeks" but also decided to step up their
contingency preparations should the troubled negotiations fail.
   (Reuters, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, The European Union
slapped sanctions on Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon, who has
close ties to President Vladimir Putin and is accused of interfering
in a US election, for helping undermine the security of Libya and
breaking the UN arms embargo on the conflict-torn north African
country. The EU and Britain imposed sanction on six Russians, some
among the highest-ranked officials in the nation.
   (AP, 10/15/20)(SFC, 10/16/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, The
European-Japanese probe BepiColombo took a black-and-white snapshot
of Venus from a distance of 17,000 km (10,560 miles), as it used
Earth's neighbor to adjust its course on the way to Mercury, the
solar system’s smallest and innermost planet.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Hong Kong police
raided the private offices of media tycoon and pro-democracy
activist Jimmy Lai (71).
   (SFC, 10/16/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Movie theatres in
some parts of India opened for the first time in eight months, but
with no major Bollywood releases likely any time soon.
   (Reuters, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Iran's
cybersecurity authority acknowledged cyberattacks on two
governmental departments. The cyberattacks occurred on Oct. 13-14
and were under investigation.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Israel decided to
relax some of the restrictions imposed during a monthlong nationwide
lockdown that was meant to drive down a raging coronavirus outbreak.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Israel pressed
forward on plans for more than 3,000 West Bank settlement homes,
making 2020 one of the most prolific years for settlement building.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In Italy Cecilia
Marogna (39) was arrested in Milan. She was accused of taking more
than $500,000 from Pope Francis' charity fund and spending it on
luxurious goods.
   (Insider, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Italy registered
8,804 new coronavirus infections and 83 COVID-19-related deaths over
the past 24 hours, the highest daily tally since the start of the
country's outbreak. Italy has recorded 36,372 fatalities since the
outbreak flared in February.
   (Reuters, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In Japan sexual
minority groups and human rights activists started a petition
calling for an LGBT equality law in hopes that it can be enacted
next year.
   (SFC, 10/16/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Kyrgyzstan’s
embattled Pres. Sooronbai Jeenbekov (Jeyenbekov) said he was
resigning following protests over a disputed parliamentary election,
the third time in 15 years that a leader of the Central Asian
country has been ousted by a popular uprising.
   (AP, 10/15/20)(Econ., 1/16/21, p.28)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In northern Mali a
UN peacekeeper was killed in the Kidal region and others injured in
Timbuktu in attacks by suspected Islamic extremists.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, The Netherlands
hit a new record in daily coronavirus cases with 7791 infections in
24 hours. Local hospitals said they would ask their German
counterparts to take patients after the number of those hospitalized
with coronavirus doubled in the past week, to 1,526.
   (Reuters, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Nigeria's
government announced a ban on all protest in Abuja, saying the
demonstrators were violating public safety measures introduced to
tackle Covid-19. The military has issued a warning to "subversive
elements and trouble makers" to desist after a week of protests
about police brutality. Amnesty International said at least 10
people have been killed and hundreds injured.
   (BBC, 10/15/20)(AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In North Macedonia
ten men were arrested for running a smuggling ring that brought in
migrants from neighboring Greece. They had allegedly brought at
least 100 migrants from the Middle East and elsewhere into the
country over a 10-month period.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In Pakistan
militants attacked a convoy of the country's biggest oil and gas
exploration company in Baluchistan province. Seven soldiers and
seven private security guards were killed. The Baluchistan
Liberation Army claimed responsibility.
   (SFC, 10/17/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Poland announced
new restrictions to curb the coronavirus pandemic, including limits
on opening hours for bars and restaurants, sports events and schools
in some areas as it faced another daily record spike in infections.
   (Reuters, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Slovenia, a
country of some 2 million people, reported a new record of 745 daily
infections in the last 24 hours, up from 707 a day before.
   (Reuters, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Human Rights Watch
released a 167-page report titled “Targeting Life in Idlib,” in
which the group names 10 senior Syrian and Russian civilian and
military officials — including Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin, Syrian
Pres. Bashar Assad as well as defense ministers and top generals —
who may be implicated in war crimes as a matter of command
responsibility.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Somalia's military
said extremist rebels have killed at least eight soldiers in an
ambush in the country's south. Al-Qaida linked al-Shabab claimed
responsibility for the attack. The extremist group said it killed at
least 25 soldiers, a claim dismissed by the Somali military.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Shares of Big Hit
Entertainment, the company that manages the boy band BTS, began
trading in South Korea. Last year the company reported a profit of
$86 million.
   (SFC, 10/15/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, In northern Syria
Kurdish-led authorities released hundreds of militants from the
Islamic State group, as part of a general amnesty in the region
controlled by the US-backed fighters.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Thailand's
government declared a strict new state of emergency for Bangkok, a
day after a student-led protest against the country’s traditional
establishment saw an extraordinary moment in which demonstrators
heckled a royal motorcade. Several top leaders of the protest
movement were taken into custody.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Turkey identified
1,693 new symptomatic cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours. The
total number of patients increased to 324,143, while the death toll
increased by 66 to 9,080.
   (Reuters, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, United Nations
humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock told the UN Security Council that
aid agencies had just 42 percent of their programs funded in Yemen,
meaning key services were being axed.
   (The Telegraph, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 15, Yemen's warring
sides kicked off a long-awaited prisoner exchange.
   (AP, 10/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, US President
Donald Trump approved California's request for additional wildfire
recovery relief, reversing his administration's earlier denial after
intervention from the state's governor and a key Republican
lawmaker.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, The US National
Institutes of Health (NIH) said it has started a late-stage trial to
evaluate if immune-modulating therapies from three drug makers can
help reduce the need for ventilators for COVID-19 patients and
shorten their hospital stay. The NIH said it has selected three
agents for the study: Johnson & Johnson unit Janssen Research's
Remicade, Bristol Myers Squibb's Orencia and Abbvie Inc's
experimental drug cenicriviroc.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In California
rapper Fontrell Antonio Baines (31), aka known as Nuke Bizzle, was
arrested for an alleged unemployment benefits fraud scheme — after
he had boasted about that type of fraud in a YouTube music video.
Bizzle allegedly applied for $1.2 million in jobless benefits and
used stolen identities.
   (NBC News, 10/18/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, California to
date had 869,722 cases of coronavirus and 16,856 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 110,320 cases and 1,667 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,039,642 with the death toll at
218,448.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In Florida three
men died and one was injured in an early morning shooting sparked by
a confrontation at a warehouse in Orlando used by a motorcycle club.
   (SFC, 10/17/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Michigan said it
will prohibit the open carrying of firearms at polling stations,
clerk's offices and other places where absentee ballots are
tabulated to prevent voter intimidation.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, The Michigan Court
of Appeals said that absentee ballots must arrive by Election Day to
be counted, blocking a 14-day extension that had been ordered by a
lower court.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, North Dakota
confirmed 877 new cases of the coronavirus and 18 more deaths. In
total the state has confirmed 30,000 cases and 388 deaths.
   (SSFC, 10/18/20, p.A9)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, A Texas state
judge in Travis County issued an injunction blocking enforcement of
Gov. Greg Abbott's Oct. 1 order limiting counties to one mail-in
ballot drop-off location.
   (SFC, 10/17/20, p.A4)Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, It was reported
that federal authorities in Utah have charged 21 white supremacist
gang members and associates with distributing drugs and firearms
around the state.
   (NY Daily News, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In Texas arson
investigator Lemuel Bruce (44) and an arson suspect were killed
during a shootout early today in Houston after the investigator
pursued the suspect.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, The Taliban said
they have agreed to suspend attacks in southern Afghanistan that
have displaced thousands this week — but only after the Americans
promised to halt all strikes and night raids in keeping with the
peace agreement the US signed with the insurgents in February.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Azerbaijani
authorities accused Armenia of expanding the conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh by shelling a different region in Azerbaijan, a
claim rejected by Armenian officials. Armenia, in turn, charged that
the Azerbaijani troops executed two Armenian war prisoners.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Bosnia's new
COVID-19 infections hit a record high for the third day in a row
with 621 cases. Authorities warned that the healthcare system could
collapse if the trend continued. The country of around 3.3 million
people has so far recorded 32,845 cases of the coronavirus with 980
deaths.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, British PM Boris
Johnson's spokesman said talks to agree a Brexit trade deal with the
European Union are over, saying there was no point carrying on
unless the bloc fundamentally changed its stance.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, UK data showed
that a further 136 people died within 28 days of testing positive
for coronavirus, bringing the total official toll to 43,429.
   (AP, 10/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, GlaxoSmithKline
Plc said an injection of its cabotegravir drug given every two
months, in combination with Johnson & Johnson's rilpivirine, was
recommended for approval to treat HIV infections by a panel of the
European health regulator.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, The government of
Burkina Faso said at least 20 people were killed, injured or remain
missing after attacks this week by extremist rebels on three
villages in the country's Sahel region.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, China defended its
Confucius Institutes as apolitical facilitators of cultural and
language exchange following scathing political attacks from the
Trump administration.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Croatia reported
1,131 COVID-19 cases, the first time the Adriatic country of four
million people has exceeded 1,000 infections a day. Croatia has
recorded 23,665 cases so far with 345 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Denmark convicted
two suspected neo-Nazis, members of the Nordic Resistance Movement,
of desecrating Jewish graves last year, as well as other acts of
vandalism and racism.
   (SSFC, 10/18/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, The European Union
imposed sanctions on seven ministers recently appointed to the
Syrian government, blaming them for playing a role in the continued
crackdown on civilians in the war-ravaged country.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In France history
teacher Samuel Paty (47) was beheaded in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine. A
Chechen refugee (18), unknown to intelligence services, posted a
grisly claim of responsibility on social media minutes after the
attack. The suspect was shot dead about 600 meters (yards) from
where Paty died. Police arrested nine suspects.
   (AP, 10/17/20)(Econ., 10/24/20, p.82)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Germany said one
more case of African swine fever (ASF) has been found in the wild
boar population in Brandenburg. That brings the number of confirmed
cases to 70 since the first on Sept. 10.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Greece recorded
508 new confirmed coronavirus infections, topping the 500 daily mark
for the first time, as health authorities urged compliance with mask
wearing and social distancing.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In Guinea the
minister of defence issued a statement saying that a group of
soldiers had entered a military camp in Kindia, a city 130km (80
miles) east of the capital Conakry, and killed its commander, Col
Mamady Condé.
   (BBC, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In Hungary the
number of deaths caused by the coronavirus hit a record 33. Total
cases reached 41,732 with 1,085 deaths.
   (SFC, 10/17/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In Iran Mehran
Raoof (64), a British-Iranian campaigner for workers’ rights, was
arrested at his home in Tehran by Iranian Revolutionary Guards and
taken to Evin prison. He was helping to translate English-language
news articles into Farsi around the time of his arrest, as trade
unions are banned in Iran. 15 others were also arrested.
   (https://www.facebook.com/IASWI/)(The Telegraph,
3/19/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Japan-based
Fujifilm Holdings Corp said it was seeking approval for its flu drug
Avigan as a treatment for COVID-19 in Japan, a move that comes after
a late-stage study showed reduced recovery time for patients with
non-severe symptoms.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Kyrgyzstan's PM
Sadyr Zhaparov (Japarov) became the acting head of state in the wake
of Pres. Sooronbai Jeenbekov's resignation.
   (SFC, 10/17/20, p.A2)(Econ., 10/17/20, p.33)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, It was reported
that experts in Mexico this week have detected more than 2,000
pre-Hispanic ruins or clusters of artifacts along the proposed route
of the controversial "Maya Train" project on the Yucatan peninsula.
   (SFC, 10/16/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Nicaragua's
National Assembly approved a law that would give the government of
Pres. Daniel Ortega more power to monitor people, businesses and
organizations that receive funding from abroad.
   (SFC, 10/17/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Nigerian protests
against police brutality continued for the ninth day, with
demonstrators fending off attacks from gangs suspected to be backed
by the police, warnings from the Nigerian military, and a government
order to stop because of COVID-19.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Poland reported a
new daily record of 132 coronavirus-related deaths and counted 7,705
new confirmed cases, amid fears the pandemic is testing the
country's supply of hospital beds and ventilators.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Russian President
Vladimir Putin made a strong call to save the last existing nuclear
arms control pact between his country and the United States,
proposing to extend it at least for one year. The United States
called President Vladimir Putin's proposal for an unconditional
one-year extension a non-starter.
   (AP, 10/16/20)(AFP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Russia reported a
record high of 15,150 new cases in the previous 24 hours, including
5,049 in the capital Moscow. The Kremlin said it was worried by a
record surge in COVID-19 cases but that the situation was still
under control. Russia has the world's fourth highest infection
tally.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Serbia ordered
mandatory wearing of masks at all times outside the home and
introduced other measures to deal with the spread of coronavirus.
Serbia has so far reported 35,454 cases and 770 fatalities, with 203
new cases reported a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Slovakia reported
2,075 new daily cases of the novel coronavirus, meaning the country
now has one of the fastest infection rates in Europe. This brought
the total in the country of 5.5 million to 26,300 since March. 71
people have died.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Slovenia reported
a record number of daily coronavirus infections, reaching 834 cases
in the last 24 hours.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Spanish
pharmaceutical company PharmaMar said a clinical trial of its cancer
drug Aplidin to treat adult patients with COVID-19 was successful
and it now aims to start phase III trials.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, In Spain some
1,000 hospitality workers rallied in Barcelona's Old City to protest
against a 15-day shutdown of bars and restaurants ordered by the
Catalan regional government to contain a surge in COVID-19
infections.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Swiss drugmaker
Novartis grabbed a key European panel's recommendation for its
prospective cholesterol drug Leqvio, clearing the way for its
approval in the next couple of months.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Switzerland
reported another daily record of 3,105 new coronavirus cases as a
second wave of infection gripped the country. The public health
agency reported a total of 74,422 confirmed cases in Switzerland and
neighboring principality Liechtenstein. The death toll rose by five
people to 1,823.
   (Reuters, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Riot police in
Thailand cracked down on thousands of student-led protesters who
rallied in Bangkok in defiance of a strict state of emergency, while
PM Prayuth Chan-ocha rejected calls for his resignation.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, A senior Turkish
government official said a man has been arrested suspected of spying
on Arab dissidents in Turkey on behalf of the United Arab Emirates.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Turkey's military
test-fired its Russian made S-4000 air defense system.
   (SSFC, 10/18/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, It was reported
that rescuers in Vietnam have recovered the bodies of 11 army
personnel and two other people who were buried in a landslide while
trying to reach victims of a separate landslide in Thua Thien-Hue
province. Flooding in central Vietnam has killed at least 36 people
since last week.
   (SFC, 10/17/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, A large study led
by the World Health Organization suggested that the antiviral drug
remdesivir did not help hospitalized COVID-19 patients, in contrast
to an earlier study that made the medicine a standard of care in the
United States and many other countries.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 16, Yemen’s warring
sides completed a major, UN-brokered prisoner swap, a development
that could revive the country’s stalled peace process after more
than five years of grinding conflict.
   (AP, 10/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Women’s March
protesters took to the streets in Washington DC, galvanized by their
opposition to Mr. Trump and his nomination of Judge Amy Coney
Barrett to the Supreme Court. The march was met with a
counterprotest in support of Judge Barrett.
   (NY Times, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Early US voting
continued to break records, with more than 26 million people having
cast their ballots in the presidential election as of today.
   (The Week, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, A free speech
demonstration staged by conservative activists quickly fell apart in
downtown San Francisco after several hundred counter protesters
surged the area, outnumbering and attacking those gathered,
including knocking one in the mouth.
   (AP, 10/17/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, California to
date had 871,656 cases of coronavirus and 16,908 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 110,703 cases and 1,680 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,069,856 with the death toll at
218,812.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, San Francisco
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone performed a short exorcism ceremony
outside a Catholic church where protesters had earlier toppled a
statue of Father Junipero Serra, saying the ceremony was intended to
drive out evil and defend the image of Serra.
   (AP, 10/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Bob Biggs (74)
founder of Slash Records (1979), one of the most successful
independent record labels of its era, died of Lewy body dementia at
his ranch in Tehachapi, Ca.
   (NY Times, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, In Colorado the
CalWood Fire began burning about 50 miles southeast of the Cameron
Peak Fire, the largest in state history.
   (The Week, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Michigan Gov.
Gretchen Whitmer (D) slammed President Trump for his "rhetoric"
after he took aim at her during his rally in the state.
   (The Week, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Ashley Louise
Ricks (33) was driving on Interstate 40 in the wrong direction near
El Reno, Oklahoma, just after midnight, when she crashed head-on
into another car. She was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at
the time of the crash. The crash led to the deaths of four members
of a California family. In 2022 She was sentenced to four
30-years-to-life sentences that she will serve concurrently.
   (Fox News, 1/9/22)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Austria reported
1,747 coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, a new record.
   (Reuters, 10/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Azerbaijan accused
Armenia of striking its second-largest city with a ballistic missile
that killed at least 13 civilians and wounded 50 others in a new
escalation of their conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijani
officials said the Soviet-made Scud missile destroyed or damaged
about 20 residential buildings in Ganja overnight. Pres. Ilham
Aliyev announced that Azerbaijani forces have taken the town of
Fizuli and seven villages around it.
   (AP, 10/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, A new cease-fire
agreement was announced between Armenia and Azerbaijan, effective at
midnight, following Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s calls
with his counterparts, in which he strongly urged them to abide by
the Moscow deal.
   (AP, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, The Standing
Committee of China's congress passed amendments to a law that will
criminalize the intentional insulting of the national flag and
emblem. The law will take effect on January 1.
   (SSFC, 10/18/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Egyptian
authorities released comedian Shady Abu Zaid, who was working for a
popular satirical television program, after more than two years in
prison without trial. He must still report to a police station twice
a week as part of his terms of release.
   (AP, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Chancellor Angela
Merkel urged Germans to come together like they did in the spring to
slow the spread of the coronavirus. The country's disease control
center, the Robert Koch Institute, reported 7,830 cases overnight, a
new record.
   (AP, 10/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Iran announced
that its death toll from the coronavirus has passed the milestone of
30,000, in what has been the Mideast region's worst outbreak. More
than 526,000 confirmed cases to date. The death toll reached at
least 30,123.
   (AP, 10/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Thousands of
Israelis demonstrated outside the official residence of PM Benjamin
Netanyahu late today, resuming the weekly protest against the
Israeli leader after emergency restrictions imposed as part of a
coronavirus lockdown were lifted.
   (AP, 10/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Italy registered a
record 10,925 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours.
There were also 47 COVID-related deaths. Total fatalities reached
36,427.
   (AP, 10/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, The house of
former Ivory Coast PM Pascal Affi Nguessan was burned down in his
stronghold of Bongouanou during clashes less than two weeks before
bitterly contested elections.
   (BBC, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, New Zealand held
elections. PM Jacinda Ardern (40) won a second term in office in an
election landslide of historic proportions. With most votes counted,
Ardern's liberal Labour Party was winning 49% of the vote compared
to 27% for its main challenger, the conservative National Party. New
Zealanders voted to legalize euthanasia in a binding referendum, but
preliminary results released on Oct. 30 showed they likely would not
legalize recreational marijuana use.
   (AP, 10/17/20)(AP, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, It was reported
that the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Dr Reddy's
Laboratories Ltd have received renewed approval to conduct
late-stage clinical trials in India of Sputnik V, the Russian
COVID-19 vaccine.
   (Reuters, 10/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Pro-democracy
activists in Thailand staged a fourth straight day of high-profile
protests in Bangkok, thwarting efforts by the authorities to stop
them, including a shutdown of the city's mass transit systems.
   (AP, 10/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Ukraine registered
a record 6,410 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, up from a
previous record of 5,992 reported a day earlier. 109 patients had
died in the past 24 hours, the highest daily toll since the start of
the pandemic. A total of 293,641 cases had been registered in
Ukraine as of today, with 5,517 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 17, Pope Francis
permanently removed Polish bishop Edward Janiak (68) following a
probe into allegations he covered up cases of sexual abus by his
priests in Kalisz.  Â
   (SSFC, 10/18/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, A US federal judge
blocked the Trump administration's effort to end food stamp benefits
for nearly 700,000 unemployed people.
   (The Week, 10/19/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, California to
date had 873,637 cases of coronavirus and 16,941 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 111,296 cases and 1,671 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,123,273 with the death toll at
219,466.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Father Bill Moore
(71), a Catholic priest and prominent abstract expressionist who
spent decades spreading spiritualism through his paintings, died at
a Southern California hospice.
   (AP, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Missouri and
Vermont were alone in recording a more than 10 percent improvement
in the average number of cases reported over the last week. Cases
rose between 10 and 50 percent in 27 other states, and increased by
more than 50 percent in Connecticut and Florida.
   (The Week, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Twitter blocked a
post by President Trump's science adviser, Scott Atlas, that said
masks don't work to curb coronavirus infections.
   (The Week, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Armenia and
Azerbaijan traded accusations of violating the new truce in their
destructive conflict over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
   (AP, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Bahrain and Israel
agreed to establish formal diplomatic relations in a US-brokered
agreement , making the small Gulf country the fourth Arab state to
normalize ties with Israel.
   (AP, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Bolivians voted in
a high-stakes presidential election meant to end a year of political
turmoil. Council President Salvador Romero promised a safe and
transparent official count, which could take five days.
   (AP, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, In Chile
protesters burned two churches and looted stores in Santiago, as
tensions rise ahead of a referendum on scrapping a dictatorship-era
constitution. About 25,000 people gathered in Plaza Italia with
banners calling for a new constitution.
   (The Week, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, China's
experimental $1.5 million (1.16 million pounds) giveaway of digital
yuan to Shenzhen citizens ended today with acclaim from currency
analysts - and skepticism from some users saying they preferred
existing shopping tools like the ubiquitous Alipay app.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Guinea held
elections as President Alpha Condé (82) sought a third term. Police
trucks surrounded the house of opposition candidate Cellou Dalein
Diallo and kept him trapped for over a week.
   (BBC, 10/18/20)(Econ., 10/31/20, p.43)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, India's health
minister said Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech are
expected to pursue late stage clinical trials of intranasal COVID-19
vaccines in the coming months once they receive regulatory approval.
   (Reuters, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Iran said a 2007
UN embargo on arms sales to and from the Islamic republic expired
today in line with a 2015 landmark nuclear deal with world powers
from which Washington has withdrawn. Washington argued that arms
sales to Iran would still violate UN resolutions and threatened
sanctions on anyone making such sales. Restrictions on the
development of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles will remain in
place until 2023.
   (AP, 10/18/20)(Econ., 10/17/20, p.41)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Italy registered a
record 11,705 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours. The
country has recorded 36,543 fatalities since the outbreak flared in
February. Italian PM Giuseppe Conte gave mayors the power to shut
public squares from 9 p.m. to halt gatherings as he announced a
further package of measures to try to halt a sharp rise in COVID-19
cases.
   (Reuters, 10/18/20)(Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Mauritian PM
Pravind Jugnauth labelled the British and Americans "hypocrites" and
"champions of double talk" for the way they have behaved over the
Chagos Islands.
   (BBC, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, Thailand reported
three additional locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus, a day
after reporting its first local infections in more than a month.
   (Reuters, 10/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 18, In central Vietnam
a landslide buried at least 22 army personnel in Quang Tre province
as heavy rains continued to pound the region.
   (SFC, 10/19/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Pres. Donald Trump
announced that Sudan has agreed to pay $335 million to US terror
victims and families. Trump has said Sudan will come off a list of
state sponsors of terror if it pays compensation of $335m (£259m).
   (AP, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, The US Justice
Department unsealed charges accusing six Russian military
intelligence officers of an aggressive worldwide hacking campaign
that caused mass disruption and cost billions of dollars by
attacking targets like a French presidential election, the
electricity grid in Ukraine and the opening ceremony of the 2018
Winter Olympics.
   (NY Times, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, It was reported
that President Donald Trump is assuring a bumper year for farmers as
the Nov. 3 election approaches, with record government subsidies
projected to make up more than a third of farm income in 2020.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, In Alabama Ruthie
Brown (36), a mother of four boys from Jasper, died after being
mauled by a pack of five dogs.
   (Miami Herald, 10/20/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, California to
date had 876,260 cases of coronavirus and 16,975 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 111,900 cases and 1,678 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,208,831 with the death toll at
220,088.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Spencer Davis
(81), the leader of a rock group under his name that had some of the
most propulsive and enduring hits of the 1960s, including “Gimme
Some Lovin’,” “I’m a Man” and “Keep On Running” — all sung not by
him but by a teenage Steve Winwood — died in Los Angeles.
   (NY Times, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, An oil spill was
detected at Broadkill Beech in Delaware. Over the next weeks crews
removed an estimated 75 tons of oily sand and debris. The source of
the spill was under investigation.
   (SFC, 11/10/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Florida started
in-person voting and broke records. The number of ballots cast —
including by mail — already exceeds 30 percent of the state’s final
2016 tally.
   (NY Times, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, The US Supreme
Court in a 4-4 vote allowed Pennsylvania to count mailed-in ballots
received up to three days after the Nov. 3 election, rejecting a
Republican plea in the presidential battleground state.
   (AP, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, A Wisconsin judge
reimposed an order from Gov. Tony Evers’ administration limiting the
number of people who can gather in bars, restaurants and other
indoor venues to 25% of capacity.
   (AP, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, US pharmacy chain
CVS Health Corp said it will hire 15,000 employees in the fourth
quarter of this year as the onset of winter could fuel a resurgence
in the spread of COVID-19 and flu cases.
   (AP, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Worldwide
coronavirus cases crossed 40 million.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Argentina passed 1
million coronavirus cases.
   (AP, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Governments began
a two-week meeting in Buenos Aires of the Commission for the
Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Chancellor
Sebastian Kurz said Austria will limit private gatherings to a
maximum of six people indoors and 12 outside starting later this
week to help curb a steady resurgence of coronavirus infections.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, In Bolivia two
independent surveys of selected polling places showed Evo Morales’
handpicked successor, Luis Arce, with a lead of roughly 20
percentage points over his closest rival — far more than needed to
avoid a runoff. Luis Arce, the winner, has said he would carry on
the vision of his predecessor, Evo Morales.
   (AP, 10/19/20)(NY Times, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Prosecutors in
Brazil leveled charges against Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of
Pres. Jair Bolsonaro, with commanding a criminal organization and
laundering money when he was a state lawmaker between 2007 and 2018.
16 others were also charged.
   (SFC, 11/5/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, British drugmaker
AstraZeneca Plc said the European medicines watchdog has recommended
approving its Forxiga and Trixeo Aerosphere treatments for a form of
heart failure and a lung disorder.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, China's industry
ministry said it welcomes US companies to actively participate in
its market and will strive to create a fair and just environment,
citing a meeting it held with firms such as Qualcomm Inc and General
Motors.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, China reported 19
new coronavirus cases in the mainland, up from 13 cases a day
earlier. Mainland China had 85,704 confirmed coronavirus cases. The
COVID-19 death toll remained unchanged at 4,634.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Egypt's Tourism
and Antiquities Ministry said in a statement that archaeologists
found the collection of colorful, sealed sarcophagi buried more than
2,500 years ago at the Saqqara necropolis.
   (AP, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, It was reported
that a new book by an investigative journalist has drawn fresh
attention to police brutality and racism in France, after protests
against the deaths of Black people at the hands of American law
enforcement swept across the world. Valentin Gendrot’s book “Flic,”
meaning cop, chronicles the author’s training and the six months he
spent as a police officer in one of Paris’ poorest districts.
   (NBC News, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, German biotech
company Evotec said it had received a grant from the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation to help identify and develop potential
monoclonal antibody drugs for the prevention of severe COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Greece’s
government said it has finalized plans to extend a wall along its
northeast border with Turkey, over concerns that migrants may try to
stage mass crossings into the European Union country.
   (AP, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Guinea's
opposition candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo declared himself the
winner of the West African country's presidential election before
the official results have been announced.
   (AP, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Iran’s single-day
death toll from the coronavirus smashed a record set less than a
week ago, with 337 dead confirmed as a resurgence of infections is
overwhelming hospitals.
   (AP, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Israeli
biopharmaceutical firm Kamada Ltd said it will supply Israel's
Health Ministry with its experimental plasma-derived immunoglobulin
COVID-19 treatment for 500 patients in Israel.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Military leaders
from Libya’s warring sides met in Geneva in hopes of a UN-brokered
breakthrough that could pave the way for a “complete and permanent
cease-fire” in the conflict-ridden North African country.
   (AP, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Mexico's health
ministry reported 3,699 additional cases of the novel coronavirus
and 171 more deaths in the country, bringing the official number of
cases to 854,926 and the death toll to 86,338.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Human Rights Watch
said torture, humiliation and coerced confessions are rampant in
North Korea's pretrial detention system which treats people as worth
"less than an animal," in a report on the country's opaque legal
processes.
   (AFP, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, It was reported
that archaeologists discovered a giant, 2,000-year-old image of a
cat etched onto a hillside at a UNESCO heritage site known as the
Nazca Lines in Peru. Experts said the catlike geoglyph dates to 200
BC to 100 BC.
   (NY Times, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte said he accepts responsibility for the
thousands of killings committed during police operations in his
crackdown on drugs, adding that he was even ready to go to jail.
   (The Telegraph, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Portugal's
coronavirus cases passed 100,000, with nearly 2,000 new infections
in the past 24 hours, days after tough new measures to contain the
disease came into force. Portugal has recorded a comparatively low
101,860 confirmed coronavirus cases and 2,198 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Romania said its
number of new daily coronavirus infections has risen by about 4,000
over the past week, taking the cumulative total to 182,854.
Bucharest closed schools, restaurants and theatres from Oct. 20 and
widened the compulsory use of face masks to all outdoor spaces
across the city as infection rates soared. Since the outbreak began
in February, 5,931 people have died in the country of 20 million.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Russia's daily
tally of coronavirus cases surged to a record high of 15,982,
including 5,376 in the capital Moscow, pushing the national case
total to 1,415,316 since the pandemic began. Authorities reported
179 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to
24,366.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Slovenia's
government declared a 30-day state of emergency after cases of
COVID-19 more than doubled in the past week from the previous week.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Thai authorities
worked to stem a growing tide of protests calling for PM Prayuth
Chan-ocha to resign by threatening to censor news coverage, raiding
a publishing house and attempting to block the Telegram messaging
app used by demonstrators.
   (AP, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Ukraine said its
total number of coronavirus cases has reached 303,638, while the
death toll is at 5,673. Ukraine registered 4,766 new cases in the
past 24 hours.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, Wales said it
would impose a 2-week sharp "firebreak" lockdown from Oct. 23 in
which everybody apart from essential workers would have to stay at
home.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 19, WHO
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that Kim Sledge of
the band Sister Sledge will donate proceeds from a cover of the
band's classic song "We Are Family" to the World Health Organization
Foundation.
   (Reuters, 10/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The US Treasury
Department said that Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc has
agreed to pay $4.14 million to settle allegations that a Turkish
subsidiary may have violated US sanctions against Iran.
   (AP, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The US Justice
Dept. alleged that Google ties up phone-makers, networks and
browsers in deals that make it the default search engine.
   (Econ., 10/24/20, p.11)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Elliott Broidy
(63), a former top fund-raiser for Trump, admitted to accepting
millions of dollars from a fugitive Malaysian businessman to lobby
the White House in his favor. Broidy agreed to forfeit $6.6 million
to the federal government and to cooperate with prosecutors on a
range of potential investigations related to his fellow conspirators
and others.
   (NY Times, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Arizona reported
1,040 coronavirus cases and seven more deaths increasing statewide
totals to 232,937 cases and 5,837 deaths.
   (SFC, 10/21/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, A California state
appeals court ordered at least half of the 2,900 prisoners at San
Quentin to be transferred or released. 75% of the prisoners have
tested positive for the coronavirus and 28 have died.
   (SFC, 10/21/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, California said
major theme parks including Disneyland would not be opening anytime
soon.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The San Francisco
Board of Supervisors unanimously approved hate crime legislation
giving the targets of those calls the ability to sue the caller.
They approved the Caution Against Racial and Exploitative
Non-Emergencies Act, also known as the CAREN legislation.
   (NBC News, 10/21/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, California to
date had 881,677 cases of coronavirus and 17,012 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 112,407 cases and 1,686 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,266,357 with the death toll at
220,921.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, James Randi (92),
Canadian-American magician and professional sceptic, died in
Florida. His work included ten books on psychics, faith healers,
extrasensory perception nd the mask of Nostradamus.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Randi)(Econ., 11/14/20, p.82)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, In Illinois
Marcellis Stinnette (19), a Black teen, was killed and a young Black
woman injured in a police shooting late today in Waukegan that
authorities said is under investigation and which has left families
of the pair seeking answers. On Oct. 23 the Waukegan Police Chief
said the officer who shot the Black couple has been fired.
   (NBC News, 10/22/20)(CBS News, 10/23/20)(AP,
10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Jalajhia Finklea
(18) was last seen getting into the car of a man identified as Luis
Zaragoza (37) in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Mr Zaragoza was killed
in a shootout with US Marshals in Crestview, Florida, on 5 November
when officers attempted to apprehend him. On Nov. 25 police found
Finklea's body in a field off the side of Route 95 in Fellsmere.
   (The Independent, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The Missouri
Department of Health and Senior Service’s coronavirus dashboard
posted a message that the total number of patients hospitalized for
COVID-19 has been underreported since Oct. 17. The note blamed
“challenges entering data” to the portal used by the US Department
of Health and Human Services for collecting daily hospitalizations
around the country.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, New York, New
Jersey and Connecticut urged their residents to not travel between
the three states as the US Northeast sees a rise in COVID-19 cases.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, A US federal
appeals court left in place North Carolina's plan for counting
absentee ballots that arrive after Election Day, dealing a setback
to President Donald Trump's re-election campaign.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, NASA's Osiris-Rex
spacecraft descended to the Bennu asteroid and, dodging boulders the
size of buildings, momentarily touched the surface to collect a
handful of cosmic rubble for return to Earth. On Oct. 23 scientists
said the spacecraft was stuffed with so much asteroid rubble from
this week’s grab that it’s lid was jammed open and precious
particles were drifting away in space.
   (AP, 10/20/20)(AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Armenia and
Azerbaijan reported more fighting over the separatist territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh, where clashes have continued for over three weeks
despite two attempts at establishing a cease-fire.
   (AP, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Australian
officials evacuated workers from a Kuwaiti-flagged livestock ship
docked off the country's west coast after at least half the 52 crew
tested positive for COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Australian
scientists found a detached coral reef on the Great Barrier Reef
that exceeds the height of the Empire State Building and the Eiffel
Tower.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, In Bosnia deaths
from the novel coronavirus passed a fresh threshold above 1,000 with
20 new fatalities. The daily number of cases hit a new record of
728. The country has so far recorded 35,389 cases of the coronavirus
with 1,017 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Imperial College
London and a group of researchers said they are preparing to infect
90 healthy young volunteers with the coronavirus in an effort to
potentially speed up development of a vaccine that could help end
the pandemic.
   (SFC, 10/21/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Bulgaria said it
will make wearing protective masks obligatory in all outdoor spaces
from Oct. 22, as coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours hit a new
record. Bulgaria reported 1,024 new infections, the highest since
the first cases were reported in March. The Balkan country of 7
million people now has 30,527 confirmed cases including 1,008
deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, It was reported
that China is minting new billionaires at a record pace despite an
economy bruised by the coronavirus pandemic, thanks to booming share
prices and a spate of new stock listings.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, It was reported
that more than 1,300 prisoners have escaped from Kangbayi prison in
eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's Beni city after suspected
Islamist rebels attacked the facility. Two inmates were shot dead
during the raid. The Allied Defence Forces (ADF) was thought to have
launched the assault to free its members.
   (AP, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The Czech Republic
reported 11,984 new cases of coronavirus, the highest daily tally on
record, as the country is struggling with a surge in recent weeks.
The number of people who died of the COVID-19 disease rose to 1,619
from 1,513 over the past 24 hours.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Denmark in
partnership with Germany, the European Union and the UN hosted a
conference on the Sahel in a bid to instill a more acute sense of
urgency. International donors agreed to give $1.7 billion in
humanitarian aid to the central Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali and
Niger), after the United Nations said the northern African region
plagued by violence and climate change was at "breaking point".
   (AFP, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Germany’s federal
agriculture ministry said one more case of African swine fever (ASF)
has been confirmed in a wild boar in the eastern region of
Brandenburg. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 71
since the first one on Sept. 10.
   (AP, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Berlin's municipal
government made it compulsory to wear masks at markets, in queues
and on 10 busy shopping streets, but stopped short of imposing
another lockdown to curb a new wave of coronavirus infections in the
German capital.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Greece recorded a
new daily record of coronavirus cases, topping the 600 mark for the
first time, with younger people accounting for a majority of the new
infections. There were 667 new confirmed infections and eight new
deaths. Greece's total tally of COVID-19 cases since the start of
the pandemic has reached 26,469, with 528 deaths.
   (AP, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The UN human
rights chief urged India’s government to do more to protect human
rights defenders, who have come under mounting pressure in recent
months in the world’s largest democracy.
   (AP, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Iran reported its
highest single-day toll of new coronavirus cases since the start of
the pandemic with more than 5,000 new infections. The health
ministry also reported that 322 people had died from the virus,
pushing the death toll over 31,000.
   (AP, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, The Israeli
military said that militants in the Gaza Strip dug a tunnel dozens
of meters (yards) deep that crossed under the security fence around
the territory before it was detected by underground sensors. Later
in the day Israeli fighter jets and attack helicopters “struck an
underground infrastructure” for the militant Hamas group. There were
no reports of casualties in either attack.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Pfizer Inc and
BioNTech SE announced the start in Japan of combined Phase I and
Phase II clinical trials of their mRNA vaccine candidate against the
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, At least 15
migrants trying to reach Europe drowned in the Mediterranean Sea
when their boat capsized off the coast of Libya.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Mexico's health
ministry reported 5,788 additional cases of the novel coronavirus
and 555 more deaths in the country, bringing the official number of
cases to 860,714 and the death toll to 86,893.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Montenegro has
become the country recording one of the highest numbers of cases
relative to its population, with over 4,232 active cases among its
620,000 people. 240 people in Montenegro have died from the disease,
while 15,760 have fallen ill.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, New Zealand
reported two new cases of COVID-19 in the community linked to a port
worker who tested positive over the weekend, and 23 imported cases.
This took New Zealand's total confirmed cases to 1,556.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Nigeria's police
chief ordered the nationwide deployment of anti-riot officers to
quell violence following protests against police brutality. The
announcement came as an indefinite 24-hour curfew was imposed in the
commercial hub of Lagos. Some 1,000 protesters gathered at the Lekki
toll gate to prevent cars using a major motorway. Soldiers were
reportedly seen barricading the protest site moments before shooting
started. Amnesty International later said 12 people were killed. The
Nigerian army rejected the claim.
   (BBC, 10/20/20)(NY Times, 10/21/20)(BBC,
10/22/20)(BBC, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Poland reported
9,291 new coronavirus infections, its second steepest daily rise in
the number of cases since the start of the pandemic. The country has
now recorded 192,539 confirmed coronavirus cases and 3,721 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Russia said it’s
ready to accept a US proposal to freeze the number of nuclear
warheads and extend the two nations’ last arms control pact for one
year and Washington responded that it's prepared to make a quick
deal.
   (AP, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Sweden said it
would impose a ban on Hauwei's 5G technology. The Chinese firm's
products were considered to much of a security risk to be used in
the new 5G mobile networks.
   (Econ., 11/7/20, p.16)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, It was reported
that Turkish troops in northwestern Syria have been evacuating one
of their largest military bases in the area, which was surrounded by
Syrian government troops for months.
   (AP, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, In Ukraine the
number of daily coronavirus deaths jumped to 113 from the previous
record of 109 deaths registered last week. A total of 309,107 cases
had been registered in Ukraine as of today, with 5,786 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, Ibrahim al-Abed
(78), the founder of the United Arab Emirates' state-run WAM news
agency and a pioneering media figure as the oil-rich nation grew
into a regional power, died. Al-Abed created the WAM news agency in
1977.
   (AP, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 20, President Nicolas
Maduro said Venezuela plans to vaccinate citizens with Russian and
Chinese coronavirus vaccines, which could arrive in the South
American nation in December or January.
   (Reuters, 10/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, US officials said
Iran and Russia have both obtained American voter registration data,
and Iran used the information to send threatening, faked emails to
voters.
   (NY Times, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, It was reported
that the parents of 545 migrant children have not been located after
the Trump administration separated them at the US-Mexico border. The
government deported most of the parents, while many of the children
are still in the US.
   (NY Times, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, It was reported
that 18 Yemeni and one Russian Guantanamo detainees were promised
they were being sent to a Muslim country for rehabilitation that
would help integrate them into society. Instead, the detainees,
swept up from Afghanistan and Pakistan after the Sept. 11 attacks,
have languished in custody in the United Arab Emirates for as long
as five years. Now there are plans to send them to Yemen.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, The five US
Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices blocked curbside voting
in Alabama; the three Democratic-appointed justices dissented.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, It was reported
that nearly 300,000 more Americans have died this year than in a
typical year. The official coronavirus death count is 220,000.
   (NY Times, 10/21/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, California to
date had 886,607 cases of coronavirus and 17,174 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 112,917 cases and 1,704 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,327,531 with the death toll at
221,930.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Albert Jonsen
(89), bioethicist and ex-president of the Univ. of San Francisco,
died at his home in SF. The doctor of religious studies was widely
acclaimed for his 1982 work "Clinical Ethics," which became a
standard for physicians in all fields.
   (SFC, 10/30/20, p.B3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, A federal judge
sentenced Kentucky bank teller Rebecca Teegarden to three years in
prison for targeting seniors in a scheme to steal nearly $80,000.
She must serve at least 85% of the sentence and remain on probation
for five years after her release.
   (Miami Herald, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Boston's public
school system announced that students will shift to remote learning
beginning tomorrow due to the rising COVID-19 infection rate in the
city.
   (Reuters, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, A Minnesota judge
dismissed a third-degree murder charge filed against Derek Chauvin,
the former Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee against
George Floyd's neck, but the more serious second-degree murder
charge remains.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In Mississippi the
body of Jackson County Justice Court Judge Sheila Jackson Osgood was
found in her home. Gregory Jackson Jr. (45), her son and a possible
suspect in her death, was shot dead by police as he reportedly
charged toward them with a knife.
   (TheGrio, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Purdue Pharma, the
drugmaker blamed for helping to unleash America's staggering opioid
crisis, agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges over its
marketing of OxyContin in a massive deal with the Justice
Department.
   (NBC News, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Quibi, the
beleaguered short-form content company started by Jeffrey Katzenberg
and Meg Whitman, announced that it was shutting down just six months
after the app became available.
   (NY Times, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In Afghanistan at
least 11 women were trampled to death when a stampede broke out
among thousands of Afghans waiting in a soccer stadium to get visas
to leave the country.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, The head of NATO
said that the military alliance will not leave Afghanistan until
security conditions allow, even as some US troops might be hoping to
be back home in time for Christmas.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Armenia's PM Nikol
Pashinian said that Azerbaijan's aggressive stance in the 25-day
fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh leaves no room for diplomacy, and
urged citizens to sign up as military volunteers to protect their
country. According to Nagorno-Karabakh officials, 834 of their
troops have been killed, and more than 30 civilians. Azerbaijan
hasn’t disclosed its military losses, but says 63 civilians have
died and 292 have been wounded.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, It was reported
that fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan has diverted the scarce
resources in the Nagorno-Karabakh region from containing the virus,
which spread unchecked amid artillery fire and drone attacks that
have people spending many hours in overcrowded bunkers, whether they
are sick or healthy. Contact tracing has ground to a halt.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Britain’s Court of
Appeal ruled that a government policy that gave migrants as little
as 72 hours’ notice before they are deported is unlawful.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, A British
scientist on the government's advisory committee for the pandemic
said the coronavirus will be around for "evermore" as it is unlikely
it will be eradicated.
   (Reuters, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Croatia posted a
record high of 1,424 new coronavirus infections. Croatia so far has
had 28,287 cases and 393 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, During a
trilateral regional summit in Nicosia, Cypriot President Nicos
Anastasiades, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and Greek PM
Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged Ankara to end its “aggressive" actions
related to Turkish energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Paris hospitals
group AP-HP said a drug that fights inflammation made by
Switzerland's Roche limits the need for a transfer to intensive care
units for patients suffering from moderate to severe COVID-19
related pneumonia. Roche's Actemra, also called RoActemra, is a
rheumatoid arthritis medicine that fights inflammation.
   (Reuters, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In Georgia an
armed assailant took several people hostage at a bank in the town of
Zugdidi in the ex-Soviet nation. The hostage-taker was armed with a
hand grenade and was demanding $500,000 in cash.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Germany’s
agriculture ministry said nine more cases of African swine fever
(ASF) have been confirmed in wild boars in the eastern region of
Brandenburg.
   (Reuters, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In Indonesia
intense rains caused a landslide at a coal mine on Sumatra island
that killed 11 miners at Tanjung Lalang village.
   (SFC, 10/23/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Iran's health
ministry reported 5,616 new coronavirus cases for the previous 24
hours, the highest daily number since February, bringing the
national tally to 545,286 in the Middle East's hardest-hit country.
312 people died from the disease in the past 24 hours, bringing
total fatalities to 31,346.
   (Reuters, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Officials said
Ireland's system for tracing contacts of COVID-19 cases has been
overwhelmed by a surge in cases forcing the health service in recent
days to advise infected individuals to identify their own close
contacts and tell them to get tested.
   (Reuters, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Jordan reported
2,648 new COVID-19 cases, its highest daily number since the start
of the pandemic as the country faces a major outbreak with a
tripling of deaths in just the last two weeks.
   (Reuters, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, It was reported
that a new law in Mexico requires property owners to allow access
through their land for the public to reach beaches. The
Environmental Dept. said land owners would be compensated for
access.
   (AP, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In Nigeria unrest
saw buildings torched and looted, and police shooting into the air
to enforce a curfew in Lagos.
   (BBC, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, A group of nurses
from the Gaza Strip staged a protest in a public square, saying an
Israeli travel ban has led the Jerusalem hospital where they worked
for many years to fire them.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Polish activists
dressed as security guards hung a banner over the Education Ministry
building early today to protest the appointment of a new minister
whom they consider to be a religious fundamentalist and a danger to
the nation's youth and universities. Przemyslaw Czarnek, a member of
the ruling conservative party, has said that LGBT people aren't
equal to “normal people,” women were created to produce children and
has voiced support for corporal punishment.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Slovenia reported
a record 1,503 daily cases of COVID-19. Slovenia has altogether had
15,982 cases of COVID-19 and 200 fatalities.
   (Reuters, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Spain’s National
Court acquitted the heads of Catalonia’s regional police of charges
of sedition and disobedience for what state prosecutors had argued
was their alleged role in the northeast region’s 2017 secession
attempt.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Sudanese
protesters took to the streets in the capital and across the country
over dire living conditions and a deadly crackdown on demonstrators
in the east earlier this month.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Swiss drugmaker
Novartis said it is seeking to repurpose its investigational oral
spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) drug branaplam to treat Huntington's
disease, as it plans a clinical trial after winning US orphan drug
designation.
   (Reuters, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Syria's president
decreed a new income tax exemption intended to provide relief to
low-income earners at a time of deepening economic hardship in the
war-ravaged country.
   (AP, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In Tunisia
coronavirus infections reached 45,000 cases and 740 deaths. Beds in
intensive care units (ICU) in its public hospitals were about 80%
full as COVID-19 cases surged. PM Hichem Mechichi said he will not
impose another lockdown.
   (Reuters, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, In Ukraine the
number of daily coronavirus deaths jumped to 141 from the previous
record of 113 deaths registered a day earlier. A record 6,719 new
coronavirus cases were registered in the past 24 hours, bringing the
total number to 315,826 cases with 5,927 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 21, Pope Francis
voiced support for civil unions for same-sex couples, breaking with
the Roman Catholic Church’s longtime position.
   (NY Times, 10/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, In their final
debate Pres. Donald Trump and Joe Biden squared off on the pandemic,
the economy, climate change and race — and the nature of
presidential leadership itself.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Pres. Donald Trump
posted his full, unedited interview with "60 Minutes" on Facebook
before the show's scheduled Oct. 25 broadcast and criticized CBS
anchor Lesley Stahl after she pressed him on a host of topics.
   (SFC, 10/23/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Washington
announced it was placing sanctions on the Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s elite Quds force, the Bayan Rasaneh
Gostar Institute and three news outlets.
   (The Telegraph, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, A second federal
court blocked the Trump administration's attempt to change census
numbers used to divvy up congressional seats by excluding
undocumented immigrants.
   (The Week, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, US cybersecurity
officials said that Russian hackers have tried to steal data from
dozens of U.S. state and local governments in recent days, stoking
fears of foreign interference in the looming November election.
   (The Week, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, The US Food and
Drug Administration said that it had formally approved remdesivir as
the first drug to treat Covid-19, a move that indicated the
government’s confidence in its safe and effective use for
hospitalized patients.
   (NY Times, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Goldman Sachs
agreed to pay nearly $3bn (£2.3bn) in the US to end a probe of its
role in Malaysia's 1MDB corruption scandal.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, An appeals court
in California ruled that Uber and Lyft must treat their drivers as
employees, not independent contractors. But Californians are about
to vote on a ballot initiative, sponsored by the companies, that
would exempt them from the same law.
   (NY Times, 10/23/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, California to
date had 887,614 cases of coronavirus and 17,192 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 113,337 cases and 1,704 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,404,528 with the death toll at
221,930.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Scenes of panic
and destruction played out across Northern Colorado as a late-season
wildfire exploded through the parched woods and valleys around Rocky
Mountain National Park. The East Troublesome Fire had burned about
170,000 acres.
   (NY Times, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Utah reported a
new record number of COVID-19 cases. Gov. Gary Hart again pleaded
with people to adhere to mask mandates in place in 21 of the state's
29 counties.
   (https://tinyurl.com/yypqx3hx)(SFC, 10/26/20,
p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, The University of
Utah acknowledged for the first time that the 2018 on-campus murder
of track star Lauren McCluskey was “preventable” and agreed to pay
her family $13.5 million to settle a lawsuit in the case.
   (NY Daily News, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Hackers reportedly
stole $2.3 million from the Wisconsin Republican Party's account
that was being used to help reelect President Donald Trump in the
key battleground state. The attack began as a phishing attempt and
no data appeared to have been stolen.
   (AP, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, A trio of space
travelers safely returned to Earth after a six-month mission on the
International Space Station. The Soyuz MS-16 capsule carrying NASA
astronaut Chris Cassidy, and Roscosmos’ Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan
Vagner landed on the steppes of Kazakhstan southeast of the town of
Dzhezkazgan.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, The Albanian
Parliament passed a resolution joining global efforts to combat
anti-Semitism.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Heavy fighting
over Nagorno-Karabakh continued with Armenia and Azerbaijan trading
blame for new attacks, hostilities that raised the threat of Turkey
and Russia being drawn into the conflict.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Austria's daily
tally of coronavirus cases jumped past 2,000 to a new high of 2,435.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Bosnia reported a
record 999 new infections, bringing the total number of cases in the
country of about 3.3 million to 37,314, with 1,051 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Croatia reported
its biggest rise in daily new COVID-19 infections with 1,563 new
cases, nearly half of which were in its capital Zagreb, where they
more than doubled.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, The Czech Republic
adopted exactly the same massive restrictions it slapped on citizens
in the spring. The measures include limits on free movement and the
closure of many stores, shopping malls and hotels. They will remain
in place until at least Nov 3.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Human Rights Watch
condemned Egypt's execution of 49 people so far this month and urged
authorities in Cairo to grant fair retrials to those on the death
row.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, European Union
negotiators headed to London to resume Brexit trade talks after
Britain called off a boycott, with both sides vowing to work round
the clock to seal a deal in the slender time left.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, The European Union
awarded its top human rights prize to the Belarus opposition
movement and its leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, for their
challenge to President Alexander Lukashenko’s long, hard-line reign.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, French PM Jean
Castex announced a vast extension of the nightly curfew that is
intended to curb the spiraling spread of the coronavirus, saying
“the second wave is here”.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, In Germany the
number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by more than 10,000 in a
single day for the first time. The reported death toll rose by 30 to
9,905.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Indian PM Narendra
Modi's party promised free doses of any future COVID-19 vaccine for
the residents of eastern Bihar state if it wins local elections
there, drawing accusations of playing politics with the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Indian drugmaker
Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd said it had isolated all its data center
services as a preventive measure following a cyberattack.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Iran and Russia
strongly denied US allegations of having taken actions to influence
public opinion ahead of the November 3 US presidential election.
   (AFP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Lebanon’s Pres.
Michel Aoun tasked former PM Saad Hariri (50) with forming a new
government.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Mexico's health
ministry reported 6,612 additional cases of the novel coronavirus
and 479 more deaths in the country, bringing the official number of
cases to 874,171 and the death toll to 87,894.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Health authorities
in North Macedonia reported 6,552 active cases. So far 874 people
have died and 25,473 have fallen ill with the infection.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, In Nigeria plumes
of smoke rose from a prison in Lagos and gunfire could be heard as
people ran through streets in the area, signs of continued unrest in
the West African nation that has been gripped by protests against
police brutality.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Poland's
Constitutional Court ruled that a law allowing the abortion of
fetuses with congenital defects is unconstitutional.
   (SFC, 10/23/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Poland's health
ministry reported a record 12,107 new coronavirus infections and 168
deaths in the space of 24 hours.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Moscow's deputy
mayor said Russia has started opening temporary clinics and
repurposing hospitals in the capital to cope with the rising numbers
of coronavirus patients, as the nationwide death toll from the virus
passed 25,000. Authorities reporting 15,971 coronavirus cases,
taking the nationwide total to 1,463,306, the fourth highest in the
world.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Russian President
Vladimir Putin said that weeks of fighting over the mountainous
Nagorno-Karabakh province had left close to 5,000 people dead as
world leaders scrambled to broker a truce.
   (AFP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Former US security
contractor Edward Snowden was granted permanent residency in Russia.
The former contractor with the US National Security Agency has been
living in Russia since 2013 to escape prosecution in the US after
leaking classified documents detailing government surveillance
programs.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Russia's
agriculture safety watchdog said it had found traces of African
swine fever in pork products in several regions earlier this year,
urging producers to step up controls and make sure they don't use
ill or infected pigs for production.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Serbia reported an
increase of 416 cases, bringing total infections to 37,536. So far
783 people have died.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Slovakia recorded
2,581 new coronavirus cases . It also reported a record number of
COVID-19 related deaths for a second successive day, with 19.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Slovenia, with two
million people, reported a record-high number of daily cases,
reaching 1,663 infections.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, It was reported
that Spain this week became the first country in western Europe to
record more than 1 million confirmed infections, as it struggles to
contain a resurgence of the new coronavirus. Spain has recorded more
than 34,000 deaths attributed to the disease.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Sweden's
government said its senior citizens no longer need to isolate
themselves, pointing to lower COVID infection rates than in spring
and a growing toll on the mental health of its elderly as behind the
new recommendation.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, In Syria a
roadside bombing killed Damascus Mufti Mohammed Adnan Afiouni, who
played a key role in government deals with rebel fighters.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Tanzania’s
government acknowledged an attack last week inside the country by
Islamic extremists based in neighboring Mozambique. Some 300
attackers were involved in the assault on Kitaya, a riverside border
village in the Mtwara region.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Thailand’s
government canceled a state of emergency it had declared last week
for Bangkok in a gesture offered by the embattled prime minister to
cool student-led protests seeking democracy reforms.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Turkey’s Foreign
Ministry slammed a joint statement by Greece, Cyprus and Egypt that
condemns Turkish energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean and
numerous “provocations” that they maintain are threatening regional
peace.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, Ukraine registered
a daily record of 7,053 COVID-19 cases, up from a previous record of
6,719 a day earlier. The total number of cases climbed to 322,879.
116 new coronavirus-related deaths were registered in the past day.
   (Reuters, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 22, The Vatican and
China jointly announced a two-year extension to the 2018 agreement,
which expired today. This came despite strong opposition from the
White House and conservative Catholics given Beijing's crackdown on
religious believers.
   (AP, 10/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, President Donald
Trump announced that Sudan will start to normalize ties with Israel,
making it the third Arab state to do so as part of US-brokered deals
in the run-up to Election Day.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, The US State
Department suspended all training programs for employees related to
diversity and inclusion, after President Donald Trump directed
federal agencies last month to end programs deemed divisive by the
White House.
   (Reuters, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, The US Postal
Service (USPS) told a US judge it has returned 137 mail processing
machines to service since August and approved thousands of daily
extra delivery trips this month as it works to deliver millions of
ballots.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Heavy fighting
raged over Nagorno-Karabakh even as top diplomats from Armenia and
Azerbaijan visited Washington for negotiations on settling the
neighboring countries' decades-long conflict.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, The US Treasury
sanctioned two high-ranking Hezbollah officials in Lebanon,
including a former military commander in the country's south.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, A study by
researchers at the University of Washington's Institute for Health
Metrics and Evaluation said more than a half million people in the
United States could die from COVID-19 by the end of February next
year, but around 130,000 of those lives could be saved if everybody
were to wear masks.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, More than 85,000
new coronavirus cases were reported across the US, breaking the
single-day record set on July 16 by about 10,000 cases.
   (NY Times, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, A US Border Patrol
agent investigating suspected human smuggling with other agents in
Texas fatally shot a person driving a vehicle carrying people
believed to be in the country illegally.
   (AP, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, In Alabama a
115-year-old Confederate monument that was the subject of protests
this year was removed from outside a county courthouse in Huntsville
early today. The monument was first erected in 1905 by the United
Daughters of the Confederacy. It is expected to be moved to a
cemetery.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, A US Navy training
plane that took off from Florida crashed in an Alabama residential
neighborhood near the Gulf Coast, killing both people in the plane.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, California to
date had 894,938 cases of coronavirus and 17,281 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 113,938 cases and 1,735 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,472,847 with the death toll at
223,752.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Enrique Marquez
Jr. (28), the man who bought two rifles that husband-and-wife
assailants used to kill 14 people in a Southern California terror
attack on Dec. 2, 2015, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Pennsylvania's
Supreme Court ruled that mail-in ballots cannot be refused because a
voter's signature does not appear to match the one on file, a
decision that could help Democratic presidential candidate Joe
Biden.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Two Bartonsville,
Pennsylvania, men and a company that ran hotels in Stroudsburg and
Bartonsville were convicted of sex and drug trafficking offenses by
a jury in federal court in Scranton in a case the US Attorney’s
Office said is precedent setting.
   (USA Today, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, In South Dakota
the Oglala Sioux Tribe ordered a one-week lockdown of the Pine Ridge
Indian Reservation in response to a surging number of COVID-19 cases
in the state.
   (AP, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, A Texas appeals
court ruled the Republican governor cannot limit drop-off sites for
mail ballots to one per county, a setback for US President Donald
Trump.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Ivan Harrison
Hunter (26), a Texas member of the Boogaloo Bois," was charged with
spraying 13 rounds from a kalashnikov rifle toward the Minneapolis
Police Dept.'s Third Precinct building on May 28.
   (SFC, 10/24/20, p.B1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Officials in
Washington state said scientists have discovered the first nest of
so-called murder hornets in the United States. Scientists removed 98
of the hornets a day later in an effort to protect native honeybees.
   (AP, 10/23/20)(SFC, 10/27/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Johnson &
Johnson said it was preparing to resume a large clinical trial of
its experimental COVID-19 vaccine in the United States after an
independent safety panel recommended enrollments for the study.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, The Austrian Post
said it has united two aspects of the coronavirus pandemic in a
stamp printed on toilet paper that people can also, at a push, use
for social distancing. The 2.75 euro "corona stamp" comes in sheets
10 cm wide.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Lufthansa's
Austrian Airlines said it is offering rapid pre-boarding coronavirus
tests free to passengers on one of its routes as part of a
group-wide plan to make such tests standard.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Belgium, one of
the European countries worst hit by the new coronavirus, tightened
restrictions on social contacts by banning fans from sports matches,
limiting the number of people in cultural spaces and closing theme
parks.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Brazilian
pharmaceutical company União Quimica said it has signed an agreement
with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to produce Russia's
Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 starting in the second half of
November. This is the second agreement to produce the Russian
vaccine in Brazil, where four other vaccines are already being
tested.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Brazilian
regulator Anvisa authorized a biomedical center to import 6 million
doses of the Sinovac coronavirus vaccine, one day after President
Jair Bolsonaro said Brazil would not buy the Chinese vaccine.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Bolivia's Supreme
Electoral Tribunal said leftist Luis Arce won 55% of the votes
against six rivals on the ballot, a vindication for the Movement
Toward Socialism party. The runner-up was centrist former President
Carlos Mesa with just under 29%.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Bosnia reported a
record high of 1,169 infections in the past 24 hours, and 14 deaths,
bringing its total cases to 38,493.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Chinese leader Xi
Jinping condemned “unilateralism, protectionism and extreme egoism”
in a jab at the United States made during a rally to mark the 70th
anniversary of China’s entry into the 1950-53 Korean War.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Mainland China
reported 28 new coronavirus cases up from 18 cases a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, In Croatia
coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours hit a record high of
1,867, while seven people died. Croatia has recorded 31,717 total
cases with 413 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Danish aid workers
stationed in the Balkans said dozens of migrants have alleged they
were brutalized by Croatian law-enforcement officers when they tried
to cross into the European Union nation, before being summarily
expelled back to Bosnia.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Cuba's foreign
minister said political hostility has reached "feverish levels" as
the country lost $5.6 billion between April 2019 and March 2020 due
to economic sanctions imposed by the Pres. Donald Trump.
   (SFC, 10/24/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, It was reported
that the Dubai is building a $3.4 billion coal-fired power plant in
an effort to diversify its energy resources.
   (SFC, 10/23/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Germany’s federal
agriculture ministry said five more cases of African swine fever
have been confirmed in wild boars in the eastern region of
Brandenburg. The new discoveries bring the total number of confirmed
cases to 91 since the first one on Sept. 10.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, German biotech
company CureVac said its potential vaccine against the coronavirus
triggered an immune response in pre-clinical animal studies. CureVac
is using the so-called messenger RNA approach, the same as rivals
BioNTech and its partner Pfizer as well as Moderna, which have
started testing on humans.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, In Guinea three
police officers died in clashes in Conakry, where the army has been
called in to support the police in maintaining order. At least 30
people have died since the Oct. 18 presidential vote.
   (BBC, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Italy's Campania
region, based on the southern city of Naples, said it would impose a
lockdown to tame the coronavirus and urged the whole country to
follow suit as new infections hit a record high.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Libya's two
warring factions signed a "permanent" ceasefire agreement in Geneva
after five days of talks at the UN, which hailed the deal as a
historic moment following years of turmoil and bloodshed. The UN
said all mercenaries and foreign fighters are supposed to depart
from Libya within three months of the signing of the nationwide
ceasefire.
   (AFP, 10/23/20)(Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, In Liechtenstein
coronavirus cases rose by 6,634 to 103,653. The death toll rose by
10 to 1,877.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, The mayor of
Mexico City called on residents to avoid gatherings of more than 10
people as the capital grapples with a surge of coronavirus
hospitalizations. The pandemic has led to more than 874,000
infections and killed nearly 87,900 people in Mexico.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Dutch poultry
farmers were keeping their birds indoors to comply with a government
order after a highly contagious form of the H5N8 bird flu was found
in two dead swans this week.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Nigerian President
Muhammadu Buhari said 69 people have been killed in protests against
police brutality that have rocked the country. A group that has been
key in organizing the demonstrations has now urged people to stay at
home.
   (BBC, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte said his government will pay the 931
million pesos ($19.25 million) it owes the Red Cross after the
humanitarian agency stopped conducting COVID-19 tests. With 365,799
confirmed infections and 6,915 deaths, the Philippines has the
second-highest number of COVID-19 cases and fatalities in Southeast
Asia behind Indonesia.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Poland's PM
Mateusz Morawiecki said restaurants and bars will close for two
weeks and public gatherings will be limited to five people, after
new coronavirus infections hit a daily record of more than 13,600.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Portugal's
parliament decided that face masks will have to be worn in crowded
outdoor areas across the country, in a scramble to contain the surge
in coronavirus cases.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Romania's number
of new coronavirus infections rose by a daily record of 5,028 in the
past 24 hours. The total number of confirmed cases rose to 201,032
and 6,245 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Slovenian PM Janez
Jansa endorsed US President Donald Trump’s reelection on Friday,
saying Joe Biden would be a weak leader. Slovenia is the birthplace
of US first lady Melania Trump.
   (AP, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Sweden registered
1,870 new coronavirus cases, its highest since the start of the
pandemic.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Switzerland set a
record for new COVID-19 infections with cases passing the 100,000
mark as a second coronavirus wave engulfs the country.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 23, Ukraine registered
a daily record of 7,517 COVID-19 cases. The total number of cases
climbed to 330,396.
   (Reuters, 10/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, The United States
reported 79,852 new coronavirus infections, close to the previous
day's record of 84,244 new cases.
   (Reuters, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, It was reported
that illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing accounts for a
staggering 20-50% of the global catch.
   (Econ., 10/24/20, p.14)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, California to
date had 901,234 cases of coronavirus and 17,327 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 114,437 cases and 1,739 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,567,396 with the death toll at
223,752.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, In Colorado
residents remaining in Estes Park, in the Rocky Mountain National
Park, were told to evacuate their homes as wind gusts fanned the
second largest wildfire in state history and the blaze claimed the
lives of an elderly couple. The East Troublesome Fire was 4%
contained.
   (Reuters, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, In Indiana, a
vehicle struck three Univ. of Notre Dame students in South Bend,
killing two of them.
   (SSFC, 10/25/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, The Texas Supreme
Court temporarily reinstated the governor's ban on multiple drop-off
sites for mail ballots, in a short-term victory for President Donald
Trump. The ban will remain in effect while the state supreme court
fully reviews an appeals court ruling that overturned the order by
Governor Greg Abbott.
   (Reuters, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, In Afghanistan a
suicide bomber, who was stopped by guards from entering an education
center near Kabul, killed 24 and wounded 57 — many of them young
students.
   (AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, Rocket and
artillery barrage hit residential areas in Nagorno-Karabakh on hours
after the United States hosted top diplomats from Armenia and
Azerbaijan for talks on settling their decades-long conflict over
the region.
   (AP, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, A police force in
England says it will try to stop people from leaving Wales, which
has started a 17-day lockdown to slow a surging rate of coronavirus
infections.
   (AP, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, In Bulgaria Mayor
Yordanka Fandakova said Sofia will close nightclubs and discos for
two weeks as of tomorrow as it grapples to contain a surge in
coronavirus infections straining its health system.
   (Reuters, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, In southwestern
Cameroon attackers armed with guns and machetes killed at least
eight children in a raid on a bilingual school in Kumba.
   (AFP, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, Chile said it
identified 500,542 cases of the new coronavirus since the outbreak
began in March. 1,631 cases were added in the past day and 48
deaths, taking fatalities to a total of 13,892.
   (Reuters, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, Egyptians began
voting in the first stage of parliamentary elections, a vote that is
highly likely to produce a toothless lower chamber packed with
supporters of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.
   (AP, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, France reported
45,422 new confirmed coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, a new
record. 138 people died from coronavirus infection in the past 24
hours, taking the total to 34,645. The total number of confirmed
cases rose to 1,086,497.
   (Reuters, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, Guinea's electoral
commission said President Alpha Condé (82), an ethnic Fulani, had
taken 59.5% of the Oct. 18 vote. The victory still required
confirmation by the Constitutional Court. Opposition candidate
Cellou Dalein Diallo, an ethnic Mandinka, was reported to have
garnered just over 33 per cent of the vote. Diallo urged his
followers to take to the streets after he proclaimed the vote rigged
and himself the rightful winner.
   (BBC, 10/24/20)(TT, 10/26/20)(Econ., 10/31/20,
p.43)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, Iran’s supreme
leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged authorities to prioritize public
health above any economic or security concerns, amid the Mideast's
worst outbreak of the coronavirus. The Iranian health ministry put
the official death toll from COVD-19 at 32,320, adding 335
casualties from the past twenty-four hours.
   (AP, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, Thousands of
Israelis demonstrated late today outside the official residence of
PM Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding the Israeli leader’s resignation.
   (AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, Nigeria's chief of
police ordered the immediate mobilization of all police resources to
put an end to days of street violence and looting.
   (BBC, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, It was reported
that Poland's President Andrzej Duda (48) has tested positive for
coronavirus but is feeling well.
   (AP, 10/24/20)  Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, At least 140
migrants trying to reach Europe drowned off the coast of Senegal
when their boat caught fire and capsized.
   (CBS News, 10/29/20)(BBC, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, The 3-day
Seychelles elections ended. The opposition took power for the first
time since 1977, following its victory in the presidential election.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Seychellois_general_election)(BBC,
10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, The UN turned 75.
It officially came into existence on October 24, 1945, when the UN
Charter, agreed four months earlier, came into force.
   (AFP, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 24, The United Nations
announced that 50 countries have ratified a UN treaty to ban nuclear
weapons triggering its entry into force in 90 days, a move hailed by
anti-nuclear activists but strongly opposed by the United States and
the other major nuclear powers.
   (AP, 10/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, President Trump's
campaign appealed to the US Supreme Court seeking to block North
Carolina's plan to extend the counting of absentee ballots.
   (The Week, 10/26/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, California to
date had 904,820 cases of coronavirus and 17,347 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 114,871 cases and 1,741 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,633,174 with the death toll at
225,215.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, In Chicago Jessica
Hill (21) and her sister, Jayla (18), initially got into a verbal
altercation with a guard (32) at a shoe store in Chicago after they
refused to wear a mask. they allegedly stabbed the security guard 27
times after he asked the women to wear a mask and use the
store-provided hand sanitizer. On Oct. 27 the women were charged
with first-degree attempted murder and ordered to be held without
bond.
   (NBC News, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, A fire was set in
a Boston ballot drop box holding more than 120 ballots in what
Massachusetts election officials said appears to have been a
“deliberate attack,” now under investigation by the FBI. 87 of them
were still legible and able to be processed.
   (AP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, New York, the
former epicenter of the U.S. COVID-19 pandemic, became on the fourth
US state to surpass half a million coronavirus cases amid a
nationwide surge in infections. New York has reported over 33,000
deaths, the most in the country.
   (Reuters, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, US coal baron
Robert Murray (80), an ally of President Donald Trump and a leading
industry voice who called global warming a hoax, died in Ohio.
   (Reuters, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Afghanistan
claimed it killed a top al-Qaida propagandist on an FBI most-wanted
list during an operation in the country's east, showing the militant
group's continued presence there as US forces work to withdraw from
America's longest-running war amid continued bloodshed. Husam Abd
al-Rauf, also known by the nom de guerre Abu Muhsin al-Masri, was
reportedly killed a week earlier during a raid in Kunsaf, Ghazni
province.
   (AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Belarusian police
used stun grenades against protesters as tens of thousands of people
headed towards Independence Palace in Minsk demanding that President
Alexander Lukashenko resign. Tens of thousands of protesters swarmed
the streets of Minsk, pressing for the resignation of the country's
authoritarian leader in what human rights activists described as the
largest anti-government rally since late August.
   (Reuters, 10/25/20)(AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, The UK military
seized control of an oil tanker that dropped anchor in the English
Channel after reporting it had seven stowaways on board who had
become violent.
   (AP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Bulgarian PM Boyko
Borissov (61) tested positive for the virus.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Chileans voted to
scrap the dictatorship-era Constitution and write a new one — a
process that could transform the politics of a country that has long
been regarded as one of the most stable and prosperous in Latin
America.
   (NY Times, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Egyptians trickled
into polling stations on the second day of voting for the country’s
parliamentary election amid a slight uptick in daily recorded
coronavirus cases.
   (AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Egyptian security
and medical officials said more than a dozen civilians, including
women and children, were killed in the restive northern Sinai
Peninsula over the past two weeks from explosive devices laid down
in their homes by militants.
   (AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, In Egypt a young
Ukrainian tourist lost an arm and an Egyptian tour guide a leg in a
rare shark attack over the weekend off Egypt's Red Sea resort of
Sharm El-Sheikh.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Guinean soldiers
fired on protesters with automatic rifles after the controversial
re-election of the country's president last week.
   (The Telegraph, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, In Iraq thousands
of protesters took to the streets to mark one year since mass
anti-government demonstrations swept Baghdad and Iraq's south,
sparking calls to end to rampant corruption.
   (AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Italy announced
new restrictions to fight the spread of the coronavirus, becoming
the latest European government to respond to surging new infections
across the continent.
   (The Week, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, At least 11
migrants trying to reach Europe, including a pregnant woman, drowned
when their boat capsized off the coast of Libya.
   (AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Lithuanians voted
in a parliamentary runoff where the winner will have to tackle a
growing health crisis and high unemployment due to the coronavirus
pandemic. 68 of the 141 seats in the legislative assembly, the
Seimas, are up for grabs. The other seats were allotted after the
first round.
   (AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Malaysia's Sultan
Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah rejected a proposal by embattled PM
Muhyiddin Yassin to declare a state of emergency to fight a new
outbreak of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, In Nigeria there
were reports of government warehouses being ransacked in the central
city of Jos, as well as in Adamawa and Taraba states, with people
taking away food and agricultural supplies.
   (BBC, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, A Palestinian (18)
died early today after being chased by Israeli troops in the West
Bank, but the circumstances of his death remain in dispute.
Relatives of Amer Snobar said that Israeli troops had beaten him to
death, while the Israeli army said the man fell and hit his head
while troops were chasing him.
   (AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, It was reported
that Qatar has signed an agreement with drugmaker Moderna Inc to buy
its potential COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is approved and
released for global use.
   (Reuters, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, In South Korea Lee
Kun-hee (78), head of Samsung, died. He had turned the maker of
knock-off electronics into a technology powerhouse.
   (Econ., 10/31/20, p.57)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Spain declared a
state of emergency and ordered a nationwide curfew to begin after PM
Pedro Sánchez warned that the country was facing an increasingly
dire situation. Mr. Sánchez has said the number of coronavirus cases
may be as high as three million people. As of today, 34,752 people
had died.
   (NY Times, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, In Thailand
thousands of pro-democracy protesters gathered in Bangkok again,
seeking to keep up pressure on the government a day before a special
session of Parliament that was called to try to ease political
tensions.
   (AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Ukrainians voting
in local elections that are considered a test for President
Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
   (AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 25, Pope Francis named
13 new cardinals, including Washington D.C. Archbishop Wilton
Gregory, who would become the first Black US prelate to earn the
coveted red hat. Francis said the churchmen would be elevated to a
cardinal’s rank in a ceremony on Nov. 28.
   (AP, 10/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Judge Amy Coney
Barrett was confirmed as the latest US Supreme Court Justice. The
Republican-appointed justices now hold a 6-to-3 majority and will
probably control the court for years to come.
   (NY Times, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, The US Department
of Justice announced that DeShawn Bojgere (30), a former US Postal
Service worker in Kentucky, has been charged "with the delay or
destruction of mail." He was accused of throwing away
"approximately" 111 absentee ballots along with other mail in a
construction dumpster in early to mid-October.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, The US Supreme
Court refused to revive a trial court ruling that would have
extended Wisconsin’s deadline for receiving absentee ballots to six
days after the election. The vote was 5 to 3, with the court’s more
conservative justices in the majority.
   (NY Times, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Large swaths of
California had no electricity as utilities tried to prevent the
chance of their equipment sparking wildfires while the fire-weary
state was buffeted by powerful winds and dangerously dry weather
conditions. New wildfires in Southern California burned thousands of
acres over a matter of hours, forcing more than 90,000 people to
evacuate.
   (AP, 10/26/20)(NY Times, 10/27/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, California to
date had 907,514 cases of coronavirus and 17,368 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 115,515 cases and 1,746 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,698,699 with the death toll at
225,677.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, The Philadelphia
police fatally shot Walter Wallace Jr., a 27-year-old Black man, who
they said was armed with a knife, touching off protests and violent
clashes hours later. More than a dozen people were arrested and more
than 30 officers injured in the protests.
   (NY Times, 10/27/20)(AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Gen. J.H. Binford
Peay III, the superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute,
resigned after Gov. Ralph Northam ordered an independent
investigation of systemic racism at the state-supported military
college.
   (SFC, 10/27/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Scientists said
that lunar water is more widespread than previously known, with
water molecules trapped within mineral grains on the surface and
more water perhaps hidden in ice patches residing in permanent
shadows.
   (Reuters, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Armenia and
Azerbaijan accused each other of violating a third cease-fire
announced the day before in a bid to halt the fighting over the
separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh that has killed hundreds, and
possibly thousands, in just four weeks.
   (AP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, In Belarus factory
workers, students and business owners in Belarus began a strike to
demand that authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko resign
after more than two months of continuing mass protests following a
disputed election.
   (AP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, In Belgium new
figures showed almost 12,500 new coronavirus cases were being
reported daily as the death toll rose to 10,810.
   (SFC, 10/27/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, In Bosnia masks
became obligatory outdoors at all times in Bosnia's autonomous
Bosniak-Croat Federation, where all non-urgent medical treatments
will be suspended for the next two weeks and all health institutions
obliged to allocate 30% of their capacity for COVID-19 patients. In
Bosnia's Serb Republic primary and secondary schools were ordered to
switch to online classes for a week.
   (AP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, British
high-street pharmacy chain Boots said it was launching in-store
COVID-19 testing at 120 pounds ($156) per test for asymptomatic
people, and that a 12-minute test would be launched within weeks.
   (Reuters, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, China's Communist
leadership began talks on the country's economic strategy for the
next five years to take effect from 2021.
   (AFP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Croatia, a nation
of about 4 million people, reported 828 new coronavirus infections.
From this week Croats will have to wear face masks outdoors whenever
it is not possible to maintain the required physical distance.
   (Reuters, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, A French doctor
warned that his country has “lost control of the epidemic,” a day
after health authorities reported more than 52,000 new coronavirus
cases.
   (AP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, In Germany, the
rising coronavirus numbers prompted Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party
to delay for the second time a decision on who will become its new
leader.
   (AP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Japan said it will
not sign a UN treaty that bans nuclear weapons and does not welcome
its entry into force next year, rejecting the wishes of atomic bomb
survivors in Japan who are urging the government to join and work
for a nuclear-free world. PM Suga Yoshihide promised to reduce
Japan's net emissions of greenhouse gases to zero by 2050.
   (AP, 10/26/20)(Econ., 10/31/20, p.36)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Malaysia extended
a partial lockdown on its capital Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding
state of Selangor for another two weeks, as the country recorded the
biggest jump in coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.
The health ministry reported 1,240 new coronavirus cases, the
highest daily rise on record. Malaysia has reported a total of
27,805 infections, including 236 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Hurricane Zeta hit
the Yucatán’s northeastern coast as a Category 1 hurricane, the 27th
named storm of a season that is far from over.
   (NY Times, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Gunmen in Niger
kidnapped American citizen Philipe Nathan Walton early today and
demanded a ransom from his relatives. This kidnapping brings to
seven the number of foreign hostages believed to be held by
extremist groups in Niger.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Gaza's Hamas
authorities released three Palestinian peace campaigners who were
jailed last April for holding an online video conference with
Israeli participants.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Paraguayan
officials said the remains of seven people were found in a shipment
of fertilizer from Serbia.
   (SFC, 10/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Fast-moving
Typhoon Molave blew away from the Philippines after leaving at least
13 people missing, forcing thousands of villagers to flee to safety
and flooding rural villages.
   (AP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, In Poland women's
rights activists and thousands of supporters held a fifth day of
protests across the country to express their anger at a top court
ruling that tightens the nation's already strict abortion law.
   (SFC, 10/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Russian President
Vladimir Putin proposed that NATO and Russia should conduct mutual
inspections of each other's military bases to secure a moratorium on
the deployment of new missiles in Europe following last year’s
demise of a US-Russian nuclear arms pact.
   (AP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, In the Seychelles
Wavel Ramkalawan (58), an Anglican cleric, was sworn in as president
ending decades in opposition.
   (BBC, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, South Korea's
Celltrion Inc said it has received emergency use authorisation (EUA)
from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for its rapid
COVID-19 testing kit Sampinute, which boosted shares of the company
and its affiliates.
   (Reuters, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, An airstrike on a
rebel training camp in northwestern Syria killed more than 50
Turkish-backed fighters and wounded nearly as many. The opposition
vowed to retaliate for the attack on Faylaq al-Sham, blaming Russia
for the daytime airstrike.
   (AP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Tanzania's police
arrested 42 people in connection with violence on Pemba island, part
of Tanzania's Zanzibar Archipelago. Police reportedly shot dead at
least nine citizens amid unrest over alleged fraud ahead of the
country’s presidential election.
   (BBC, 10/27/20)(AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Thailand's
Parliament began a special two-day session to address political
tensions resulting from the near-daily pro-democracy protests
demanding the prime minister’s resignation, constitutional changes
and reforms to the monarchy. Pro-democracy demonstrators in Thailand
expanded their protests internationally, marching to the German
Embassy to appeal to Angela Merkel’s government to investigate
whether Thailand’s king has exercised political power during his
extended stays in Bavaria.
   (AP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, Turkey’s Pres.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ersin Tatar, the newly-elected Turkish
Cypriot leader, voiced their support for the resumption of peace
talks for Cyprus based on a solution envisioning two separate states
— departing from a formula followed for decades.
   (AP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 26, In Turkey a
suspected Kurdish militant killed himself by detonating explosives
following a police chase near the Syrian border. A second suspect
was slain by security forces.
   (AP, 10/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Amy Coney Barrett
was formally sworn in as the Supreme Court's ninth justice, her oath
administered in private by Chief Justice John Roberts. The
Democratic minority in the Senate represented about 15 million more
Americans than the Republican majority that confirmed Judge Barrett.
   (AP, 10/27/20)(Econ., 9/26/20, p.17)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, A US federal judge
denied President Donald Trump's request that the United States
replace him as the defendant in a defamation lawsuit filed by the
columnist E. Jean Carroll, alleging he raped her woman in a
Manhattan department store in the 1990s.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, A revised lawsuit
was filed by the National Urban League; the city of San Jose,
California; and others claimed that census takers were pressured to
falsify data as the statistical agency cut corners and slashed
standards.
   (AP, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, In Texas the Los
Angeles Dodgers, after years of near misses, beat the Tampa Bay
Rays, 3-1, to win their first World Series title since 1988. The
2020 series, capping a coronavirus-shortened season, was the first
played entirely at a neutral field.
   (NY Times, 10/28/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, California to
date had 913,237 cases of coronavirus and 17,430 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 116,019 cases and 1,751 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,766,984 with the death toll at
226,524.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Illinois Gov. J.B.
Pritzker banned indoor dining and bar services and limited to 25 the
number of people gathering indoors in one place following a surge in
COVID-19 cases.
   (SFC, 10/28/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, In Michigan a
conservative judge yesterday overturned an order by Secretary of
State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, and ruled that people could carry
unconcealed guns at polling places on Election Day.
   (NY Times, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Former police
captain Philip Cooke (55), who went on to work for eBay Inc, pleaded
guilty to participating in a cyberstalking campaign against a
Massachusetts couple whose online newsletter was viewed as critical
of the e-commerce company. He was the third former eBay employee to
plead guilty in the case.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, In New York state
nearly 40% of inmates housed at the Elmira Correctional Facility, a
state prison in Elmira, were COVID-19 positive as of today — 588 out
of a population of 1,515.
   (CBS News, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, A judge in
Brooklyn sentenced Keith Raniere, the leader of the cultlike group
Nxivm, to life in prison for sex trafficking, racketeering and other
crimes.
   (NY Times, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, The Texas Supreme
Court upheld a policy announced by Greg Abbott, the Republican
governor, which limits each county to a single drop-off box for
mailed ballots. The state’s largest county — Harris, which includes
Houston — is home to 4.7 million people.
   (NY Times, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, In Utah the
170-year-old Deseret News said it will stop daily publishing
starting next year. A day earlier the Salt Lake Tribune made a
similar announcement.
   (SFC, 10/28/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Advance Micro
Devices, which makes blueprints for graphics and general-purpose
chips, announced an all stock $35 billion deal to acquire chipmaker
Xilinx.
   (SFC, 10/28/20, p.C1)(Econ., 1/23/21, p.49)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, AMC Entertainment
Holdings Inc said it plans to reopen eight theaters in California,
one of its key markets, providing some much needed hope to an
industry that has been hammered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Eli Lilly and Co
aimed to ease investor concerns about its COVID-19 antibody
treatment after a trial of the therapy failed to show a benefit in
hospitalized patients.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Four children and
a woman related to Albanian nationals killed fighting with Islamic
extremist groups in Syria were repatriated to Albania. Relatives who
remained in Albania say 52 children are still in Syria.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Armenia and
Azerbaijan exchanged more accusations of shelling, with fighting
over the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in its fifth week
and largely unhindered by a US-brokered cease-fire that was
announced over the weekend.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, In Bangladesh
around 10,000 people rallied in Dhaka to protest France's president
and his staunch support of secular laws that deem caricatures
depicting the Prophet Muhammad as protected under freedom of speech.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Belarus President
Alexander Lukashenko urged authorities to take action against plant
workers and students who participate in a strike called by the
opposition as the authoritarian leader made another attempt to halt
protests of his reelection.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, London's
Metropolitan Police said thousands of prints by popular London
street artist STIK that he wanted to give to his local community as
a gesture of solidarity during the COVID crisis have been stolen.
STIK, known internationally for his distinctive stick figures, had
arranged for 100,000 prints of a work entitled "Holding Hands" to be
distributed to residents of Hackney, the east London neighborhood
where he lives and works.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, A study found that
antibodies against the novel coronavirus declined rapidly in the
British population during the summer, suggesting protection after
infection may not be long lasting and raising the prospect of waning
immunity in the community.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Britain recorded a
further 22,885 new COVID-19 cases.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, At least four
people, including two young children, died when a boat carrying at
least 19 migrants capsized off France while trying to cross the
English Channel to Britain.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Mainland China
reported 42 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily toll in more than
two months due to a rise in infections in the northwestern Xinjiang
region.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Greece recorded a
new daily peak of 1,259 confirmed coronavirus infections. Greece's
total tally of COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic was
now 32,752, with 593 deaths.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Hong Kong’s new
national security unit arrested three pro-democracy activists,
including Tony Chung Hon-lam (19), a leading figure of a now-defunct
political group that had called for independence. Mr Chung was near
the US consulate where he reportedly intended to seek asylum when he
was apprehended by police officers.
   (The Telegraph, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, India's government
announced a set of new measures for Jammu and Kashmir, unilaterally
revoking a dozen local laws and modifying another 26.
   (Econ., 10/31/20, p.35)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Indonesia reported
3,520 new coronavirus infections, taking the total to 396,454. The
data added 101 new deaths, taking the total to 13,512.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Italy's main
medicines regulator gave the go-ahead for human clinical trials on
raloxifene, a generic osteoporosis drug that researchers hope may
also help reduce COVID-19 symptoms and make patients less
infectious.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Italy registered
21,994 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the
highest daily tally since the start of the country's outbreak. A
total 37,700 people have now died in Italy because of coronavirus.
564,778 cases of the disease have been registered to date.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Japan's cabinet
approved a plan to use public funds to provide novel coronavirus
vaccines to the public for free.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, It was reported
that soldier and police in Mexico seized an industrial scale
methamphetamine and fentanyl lab last week on the outskirts of
Mexico City that could process 11,000 pounds of raw material at a
time.
   (SFC, 10/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Mexico's health
ministry reported 5,942 additional cases of the novel coronavirus
and 643 more deaths in the country, bringing the official number of
cases to 901,268 and the death toll to 89,814.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, In Pakistan a
powerful bomb blast ripped through an Islamic seminary on the
outskirts of Peshawar, killing at least eight students and wounding
136 others.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Peru reported its
first case of diphtheria after 20 years following warnings by
international health organizations that the coronavirus pandemic
would hamper routine vaccination programs, particularly for
children.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Russian
authorities ordered people across the country to wear facemasks in
some public places and asked regional authorities to consider
shutting bars and restaurants overnight after a surge in coronavirus
cases. Health authorities registered 16,550 new cases and 320
deaths, the country's highest daily toll since the beginning of the
pandemic.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)(SFC, 10/28/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, The Hiraal
Institute reported that Somalia-based Islamist militant group
al-Shabab raises as much revenue as the country's authorities. The
militants collect at least $15m (£11m) a month, with more than half
the amount coming from the capital, Mogadishu. Businesspeople in
government-controlled areas complain they have to pay both the
militants and the government.
   (BBC, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Swedish security
firm Gunnebo said it was in contact with customers after hackers had
released sensitive information about their accounts after its system
was compromised two months ago.
   (Reuters, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Syrian opposition
groups lobbed hundreds of missiles and artillery rockets at
government posts in northwestern Syria, in retaliation for a deadly
attack that killed dozens of their fighters a day earlier.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, A Turkish court
convicted Mete Canturk, a local employee of the US Consulate in
Istanbul, of aiding a terrorist organization and sentenced him to
five years and two months in prison. Prosecutors accused him of
holding frequent contacts with police officers who were also accused
of links to US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen. Canturk will
remain free pending an appeal.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Ukraine's
constitutional court struck down the anti-corruption authorities'
power to punish anyone for lying to it. Four of the court's 18
justices were being investigated by those same authorities.
   (Econ., 11/14/20, p.48)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, The United Nations
canceled all in-person meetings for this week after a UN member
nation reported five cases of COVID-19 among its staff.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Inspectors from
the UN's atomic watchdog have confirmed Iran has started building an
underground centrifuge assembly plant after its previous one
exploded in what Tehran called a sabotage attack over the summer.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Vietnam scrambled
to evacuate more than a million people in its central lowlands as
Typhoon Molave approached.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, In Yemen armed men
shot dead Hassan Zaid (66), a rebel official, as he was heading to
his office in Sanaa, the most senior Houthi to be killed in more
than two years. The minister’s daughter, who was driving the car,
was also wounded.
   (AP, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 27, Zanzibar's main
opposition leader Maalim Seif Sharif was arrested a day before local
and national elections.
   (BBC, 10/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, It was reported
that President Trump will open up more than half of Alaska’s Tongass
National Forest to logging and other forms of development, stripping
protections that had safeguarded one of the world’s largest intact
temperate rainforests for nearly two decades.
   (NY Times, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, US President
Donald Trump greeted Britain's Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage at one
of his final reelection rallies in Arizona, bestowing on him the
title "king of Europe".
   (AFP, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, The United States
and Israel amended a series of scientific cooperation agreements to
include Israeli institutions in the West Bank, a step that further
blurs the status of settlements widely considered illegal under
international law.
   (AP, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, The US Supreme
Court allowed election officials in two battleground states,
Pennsylvania and North Carolina, to accept absentee ballots for
several days after Election Day.
   (NY Times, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Five people,
including three Chinese nationals, were arrested in the United
States for their alleged involvement in an illegal scheme to force a
US resident to return to China to face prosecution. DOJ officials
said that they believe those arrested were part of China's
"Operation Fox Hunt", ostensibly an anti-corruption effort to track
down fugitives overseas.
   (South China Morning Post, 10/29/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, California to
date had 917,346 cases of coronavirus and 17,496 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 116,550 cases and 1,766 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,848,875 with the death toll at
227,604.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Cecilia Chiang
(100), whose San Francisco restaurant, the Mandarin, introduced
American diners in the 1960s to the richness and variety of
authentic Chinese cuisine, died at her home in San Francisco.
   (NY Times, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Louisiana Gov.
John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Zeta
churned toward the Gulf Coast. Zeta made landfall in southeastern
Louisiana as a Category 2 storm with winds over 100 miles per hour,
causing widespread power outages.
   (NY Times, 10/28/20)(NY Times, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Former Roman
Catholic street priest Paul Shanley (89) died in Ware, Mass. He had
played a pivotal role in the sexual abuse scandal that rocked the
Archdiocese of Boston. In 2005, he was convicted of raping a boy at
a Newton church in the 1980s and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
   (AP, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Philadelphia
enforced a 9 p.m. curfew amid protests after the fatal police
shooting of Walter Wallace Jr., a 27-year-old Black man. In the days
since the shooting, people have set fire to cars, and the police
have arrested dozens of people.
   (NY Times, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Texas deputies
busted a massive theft ring that was run out of a five-bedroom home
that had been transformed into a makeshift warehouse in the Houston
suburb of Katy. Inside the house was floor-to-ceiling stolen Home
Depot merchandise estimated to be worth than more than $1 million.
   (Miami Herald, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, It was reported
that the US government has agreed to pay $375 million to Eli Lilly
and Co for 300,000 doses of its experimental COVID-19 antibody
treatment, a drug similar to a treatment that US President Donald
Trump received. The drug had a recent setback after it failed to
show benefits in hospitalized patients, but has shown success in
earlier use in patients.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Albania held an
online forum against anti-Semitism, the first time such a meeting
has been staged in the Balkans, with PM Edi Rama calling
anti-Semitism “a threat to our own civilization”.
   (AP, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Deadly fighting
between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the separatist region
of Nagorno-Karabakh showed no signs of abating. According to
Nagorno-Karabakh officials, 1,068 of their troops and 39 civilians
have been killed in the clashes so far, while 122 civilians have
been wounded. Azerbaijani authorities haven’t disclosed their
military losses, but say the fighting has killed 69 civilians and
wounded 322.
   (AP, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, In Australia
Melbourne’s pandemic lockdown was largely lifted after 111 days.
   (AP, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, It was reported
that Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini (56) has been crowned the
world's best pastry chef by a jury of independent reporters, helping
consolidate Belgium's reputation as a producer of top class
chocolate.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, It was reported
that China's Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products has begun a
mid-stage human trial of its experimental coronavirus vaccine.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Mainland China
reported 47 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Oct. 28, up from 42 a
day earlier and marking the highest daily increase in more than two
months.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, President Ivan
Duque said Colombia will extend a so-called selective quarantine
until the end of November.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, President Emmanuel
Macron announced that France is returning to a nationwide lockdown
amid rising coronavirus infections.
   (The Week, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, With coronavirus
infections on the rise, German officials announced new restrictions
and a partial lockdown for the month of November to try and bring
COVID-19's spread back under control. Germany reported a new daily
record of almost 15,000 new coronavirus infections. Cases rose by
14,964 to 464,239 in the last 24 hours. The number of infections was
currently doubling in seven days.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)(CBS News, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Customs agents in
Hong Kong seized 100,000 counterfeit face masks with a market value
of $400,000. One manager of a trading company was arrested.
   (SFC, 10/31/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, In Hungary the
number of coronavirus patients being treated in hospitals rose above
3,000 for the first time, as the country prepared to hold a UEFA
Champions League game in front of thousands of spectators later in
the day.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, In Iran the number
of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 6,824 in the past 24 hours to
558,648. Total fatalities from the disease have reached 33,714.
   (AP, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Italy registered a
new record high of 24,991 new coronavirus infections over the past
24 hours. A total 37,905 people have now died in Italy because of
coronavirus, while 589,766 cases of the disease have been registered
to date.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Lebanon and Israel
held a second round of US-mediated talks over their disputed
maritime border and agreed to continue discussions on the next day.
The talks were held in a tent at a UN post along the border known as
Ras Naqoura.
   (AP, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, A Mexican search
group said that the bodies of at least 59 individuals have been
found in mass graves within the town of Salvatierra in the central
Mexican state of Guanajuato. State and federal security institutions
excavations began a week ago.
   (SFC, 10/30/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Mexico's health
ministry reported 5,595 additional cases of the novel coronavirus
and 495 more deaths in the country, bringing the official number of
cases to 906,863 and the death toll to 90,309.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, In Poland tens of
thousands of people protested against a top court’s decision to ban
nearly all abortions. The leader of the country’s ruling party
accused demonstrators of seeking to destroy the nation and urged his
supporters to “defend Poland”.
   (AP, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Poland reported a
record 18,820 new coronavirus infections and 236 deaths, as
hospitals faced shortages, in some cases turning patients away,
while mass protests against an abortion ruling continued.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Moscow Mayor
Sergei Sobyanin said in a post on his website that remote working
period for businesses in Moscow will be extended until Nov. 29, and
online learning for secondary school students will continue until
Nov. 8. Russia's the defence ministry said it will send army medics
to a region in the Urals hit by a surge in COVID-19 cases.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Spanish officials
said that police have arrested 21 people with links to the Catalan
separatist movement on suspicion of corruption and promoting public
disorder.
   (AP, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Sweden, which has
shunned lockdowns throughout the pandemic, registered 2,820 new
coronavirus cases, the highest since the pandemic began and the
third record number in a matter of days.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Switzerland
tightened nationwide restrictions to contain the country's rising
wave of COVID-19 cases, ordering dance clubs to be closed from Oct.
29, halting in-person university classes starting early next month,
and placing new limits on sporting and leisure activities.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, It was reported
that Swiss drugmaker Novartis is buying US-based Vedere Bio, hoping
gene therapy technology that has helped blind mice to see will
produce similar results in people with inherited conditions that
cause them to lose their sight.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Tanzania held
elections. The main opposition leader said there has been
"shameless" widespread vote rigging in the elections. Results were
expected within a week.
   (AP, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Tunisia said that
the coronavirus pandemic had become "very dangerous" with 2,125 new
infections and 52 deaths recorded in the past 48 hours, and new
restrictions were expected to be announced within hours. The total
death toll now exceeds 1,150 with 55,000 cases.
   (Reuters, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Turkish officials
railed against French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo over its
cover-page cartoon mocking Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
and accused it of sowing “the seeds of hatred and animosity.” The
cartoon depicted Erdogan in his underwear holding a drink and
lifting the skirt of a woman wearing an Islamic dress.
   (AP, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 28, Typhoon Molave
slammed into Vietnam with destructive force, killing at least two
people and sinking two fishing boats with 26 crew members in what
was feared to be the most powerful storm to hit the country in 20
years.
   (AP, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, The United States
announced a new policy that will allow Americans born in disputed
Jerusalem to list Israel as their place of birth on passports and
other documents.
   (AP, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, The Trump
administration announced that the gray wolf will lose endangered
species protection.
   (SFC, 10/30/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, It was reported
that sixty people have been indicted in a nationwide telemarketing
scheme in which US federal prosecutors say people were tricked into
signing up for expensive magazine subscriptions they could not
afford, did not want and often did not receive, and in which more
than 150,000 people were defrauded of more than $300 million.
   (NY Times, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, The US recorded
more than 90,000 new coronavirus cases yesterday, a new daily high.
That’s more than one new case every second.
   (NY Times, 10/30/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, California to
date had 921,594 cases of coronavirus and 17,562 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 117,102 cases and 1,772 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 8,941,770 with the death toll at
228,627.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, A Miami-Dade
police officer was taken into custody by federal law enforcement
early today. Officer Rod Flowers, the son the of Bal Harbour Police
Chief Raleigh Flowers, was being investigated as part of a sting
conducted by agents from the US Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA).
   (Miami Herald, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, In Florida the
body of Lora Grace Duncan (18) was found at a Palm Beach County
hotel. Michael Troy Hutto (54), the founder of the Salt Life
clothing brand, was soon arrested in connection with her death.
Hutto and friends started Salt Life in 2003 and sold the company for
almost $40 million in 2013.
   (SFC, 11/2/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, A federal appeals
court ruled that election officials in Minnesota have to set aside
ballots that arrive after 8 p.m. on Election Day, reversing the
state’s seven-day grace period that had been in place for ballots
postmarked by Election Day.
   (NY Times, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Hurricane Zeta
sped across the southeastern US, leaving a trail of damage and more
than 2.5 million homes and businesses without power in Atlanta and
beyond after pounding New Orleans with winds and water that
splintered homes. Zeta left six people dead. A man was electrocuted
in New Orleans, and four people died in Alabama and Georgia when
trees fell on homes. In Biloxi, Mississippi, a man drowned when he
was trapped in rising seawater.
   (AP, 10/29/20)(AP, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Two Ohio political
operatives pleaded guilty to racketeering for their roles in a
scheme aimed at bailing out two aging state nuclear power plants.
Former Republican House Speaker Larry Householder and four others
were charged in the scheme.
   (SFC, 10/30/20, p.16)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, More looting was
reported across Philadelphia overnight despite a citywide curfew in
the wake of the deadly police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. More
than half the stores in a northeast Philadelphia strip mall were
vandalized.
   (CBS News, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, In Vancouver,
Washington, Kevin E. Peterson Jr. (21), a Black man and father of an
infant daughter, was shot and killed. A narcotics task force said it
had contacted a man suspected of selling illegal drugs in a motel
parking lot and that he fled on foot with officers following. The
man reportedly produced a handgun and the officers backed off. A
short time later, the man encountered three Clark County deputies,
all of whom fired their pistols at the man. Deputies fired a total
of 34 rounds at Patterson who died after being struck four times
following the attempted drug arrest.
   (AP, 10/31/20)(AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Fighting over the
separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh ground on for a fifth week
as top diplomats from Armenia and Azerbaijan prepared for more talks
on a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
   (AP, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, An Australian
judge ruled that a Adriana Rivas, a woman wanted in Chile on
kidnapping charges dating to Pinochet's military dictatorship in the
1970s, can be extradited. She was wanted for kidnapping seven people
in 1976 and 1977, including Communist party leader Victor Diaz. The
alleged victims have never been found.
   (SFC, 10/30/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Australia's
COVID-19 hotspot state Victoria reported only one new infection, a
day after it lifted a four month lockdown in the city of Melbourne.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Belarus shut its
borders with Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine for most
visitors. Lukashenko also reshuffled his top officials this week,
appointing Interior Minister Yuri Karayev and Security Council
Secretary Valery Vakulchik his envoys to the westernmost Grodno and
Brest regions bordering Poland and Lithuania.
   (AP, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, China’s leaders
vowed to become a “self-reliant” technology power and to continue
defence capabilities as Communist Party leader Xi Jinping closed a
four-day government meeting aimed at outlining policy plans for the
next five years.
   (The Telegraph, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, In Dubai Sindika
Dokolo (48), a Congolese art dealer who married Angolan billionaire
Isabel dos Santos in 2002, died while free diving near Umm al-Hatab
Island.
   (AP, 11/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, In El Salvador a
landslide on the San Salvador volcano left nine people dead
following torrential rains.
   (SSFC, 11/1/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Finland's
government said it would ease its restrictions on opening hours for
restaurants serving mainly food but kept stricter rules on bars and
nightclubs in place, as the COVID-19 pandemic showed signs of
slowing down in the Nordic country. The new rules will take effect
on November 1.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, In France an
attacker armed with a knife killed three people inside the Notre
Dame Basilica in Nice. Tunisian assailant Ibrahim Issaoui (b.1999)
was seriously wounded by police and hospitalized. Investigators soon
detained two more suspects.
   (AP, 10/29/20)(AP, 10/30/20)(CBS News, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, It was reported
that France's will pay slightly less to acquire US jeweler Tiffany
& Co after the two companies agreed to end a bitter dispute
triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and salvage the luxury sector's
biggest-ever deal. The new takeover price was set at $131.5 a share,
down from $135.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, India's confirmed
coronavirus caseload surpassed 8 million. The Health Ministry
reported another 49,881 coronavirus infections and 517 fatalities in
the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 120,527.
   (AP, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Japan's Takeda
Pharmaceutical Co said it would import and distribute 50 million
doses of Moderna Inc's novel coronavirus vaccine candidate.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, In Japan total
confirmed cases of COVID-19 exceeded the 100,000 mark, as the number
of daily infections has crept up in recent weeks.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, It was reported
that a court in Mali has sentenced two men to death over attacks
that targeted foreigners in the capital in 2015. At least 25 people
died when gunmen stormed a nightclub in Bamako in March 2015, and
the Radisson Blu hotel in November.
   (BBC, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, The Marshall
Islands reported its first cases of the coronavirus after two people
who flew from Hawaii to a US military base tested positive.
   (SFC, 10/30/20, p.A9)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Mexico's health
ministry reported 5,948 additional cases of the novel coronavirus
and 464 more deaths in the country, bringing the official number of
cases to 912,811 and the death toll to 90,773.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, The Dutch
government said animal health authorities will cull 35,700 broiler
chickens after a highly contagious strain of bird flu was found on a
farm in the central Netherlands. The discovery came just days after
a pair of wild swans tested positive for the H5N8 virus.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, North Macedonia
reported 862 new coronavirus cases with hospitals stretched to their
limits. NATO has sent 60 respirators to help its newest member cope
with the crisis, and the government has made wearing face masks
mandatory in public.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Poland reported
another daily record of coronavirus infections and deaths with new
20,156 cases and 301 deaths related to COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, President Vladimir
Putin said that Russia was facing challenges scaling up production
of its main COVID-19 vaccine due to problems with equipment
availability, but hoped to start mass vaccinations by the end of the
year.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, In Russia Vitaly
Antipov (16) threw a Molotov cocktail at the police station in the
town of Kukmor in the predominantly Muslim region of Tatarstan late
today and stabbed a police officer who tried to detain him. The
teenager reportedly shouted “Allahu akbar!” and threatened to kill
“enemies of Allah”.
   (The Telegraph, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, In Saudi Arabia a
Saudi man stabbed and slightly wounded a guard at the French
Consulate in the city of Jiddah.
   (AP, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Serbia reported
1,384 new coronavirus infections and 44 deaths. Officials, wary of
further economic damage from the crisis, said new restrictions would
not be introduced as yet.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, It was reported
that a company in Singapore has developed a breathalyser test for
the new coronavirus which it says will enable people to know whether
they are infected in under a minute. Breathonix, a startup firm from
the National University of Singapore, said its test achieved more
than 90% accuracy in a pilot clinical trial of 180 people.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, South Korea's top
court upheld a 17-year prison sentence for former President Lee
Myung-bak (78) in a final ruling for a range of corruption crimes
before and during his 2008-2013 presidency.
   (SFC, 10/30/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Taiwan hit 200
days without any domestically transmitted coronavirus cases. Taiwan
has recorded 553 infections and just seven deaths.
   (SFC, 10/30/20, p.A9)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Tundu Lissu,
Tanzania's main opposition presidential candidate, rejected the Oct.
28 presidential vote after alleging widespread irregularities.
   (AP, 10/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, Tunisia banned
travel between the country's regions, suspended schools and public
gatherings and extended a curfew, as it tried to contain a rapid
surge of COVID-19 cases with hospitals nearly full.
   (Reuters, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 29, In Vietnam state
media said at least 35 people were killed and more than 50 were
missing in the aftermath of Typhoon Molave.
   (AP, 10/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, A federal judge
found that tweets by President Donald Trump helped incite improper
conduct by federal officers responding to racial justice
demonstrations in Portland, Oregon, and directed both sides in a
lawsuit to determine “rules of engagement” for officers acting
outside a U.S. courthouse.
   (AP, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, A new study of US
plastic trash said more than a million tons a year of America's
plastic trash isn't ending up where it should. The equivalent of as
many as 1,300 plastic grocery bags per person is landing in places
such as oceans and roadways.
   (AP, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, The United States
set a new all-time high for coronavirus cases confirmed in a single
24-hour period, reporting just over 100,000 new infections to
surpass the record total of 91,000 posted a day earlier.
   (AP, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, It was reported
that the 1972 Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco has been sold to
New York investor Michael Shvo, Deutsche Finance America and other
investors for $650 million. The deal includes two nearby buildings
at 505 Sansome and 545 Sansome St.
   (SFC, 10/30/20, p.D1)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, California to
date had 927,673 cases of coronavirus and 17,615 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 117,767 cases and 1,778 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 9,034,957 with the death toll at
229,585.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Connecticut
reported seven more virus-related deaths bringing the state's total
to 4,616. More than 71,000 have tested positive.
   (SFC, 11/4/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In Florida former
Venezuelan treasurer Claudia Patricia Díaz Guillén, a former naval
officer, and her husband, Adrián Velásquez Figueroa, a former
presidential security guard, were charged with accepting tens of
millions of dollars from the billionaire, Raul Gorrín, in a foreign
corruption and money laundering case.
   (Miami Herald, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Sebastian Ahmed
(42), a former South Florida operator of “sober homes” for drug
addicts, was sentenced to 17 1/2 years in prison after being
convicted of bilking healthcare insurers while taking advantage of
patients at his chain of treatment facilities.
   (Miami Herald, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Kyle Rittenhouse,
the 17-year-old Illinois resident charged in the shooting death of
two protesters, was extradited in Wisconsin where the crimes took
place.
   (SFC, 10/31/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In Louisiana
Quawan ‘Bobby’ Charles (15) went missing after reportedly leaving
his home in Baldwin with a woman and her 17-year-old son. His body
was spotted Nov. 2 in a sugarcane field by an Iberia Parish
Sheriff’s Office drone near Loreauville, about 20 miles away.
   (The Grio, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Dunkin' Brands
agreed to be acquired by Inspire Brands, a private US holding
company, for $11.3 billion in one of the largest restaurant deals in
a decade.
   (SFC, 11/2/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Lufax, the
wealth-advisory arm of Ping An, a Chinese life and property insurer,
listed on the New York stock exchange (NYSE).
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lufax)(Econ.,
12/5/20, p.68)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Regeneron
Pharmaceuticals said it would stop enrolling patients receiving
advanced COVID-19 care in a trial testing its experimental antibody
treatment in hospitalized patients, based on the recommendation of
an independent safety board.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Austria recorded
5,627 new coronavirus infections, a jump by more than a quarter from
a day earlier, to a new record.
   (AP, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Azerbaijani forces
pushed deeper into Nagorno-Karabakh as top diplomats from Armenia
and Azerbaijan attended talks in Geneva intended to help broker an
end to more than a month of heavy fighting over the separatist
territory. Armenia and Azerbaijan pledged to avoid targeting
residential areas and to exchange the remains of soldiers left on
the battlefield.
   (AP, 10/30/20)(SFC, 10/31/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Bosnia reported
1,449 new cases and 30 deaths with officials warning hospital
capacities especially in the capital Sarajevo were almost full and
the system could face collapse.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Britain's data
watchdog said it has fined Marriott International 18.4 million
pounds ($23.98 million) in a six-year old cyber attack on its
Starwood hotels reservation system in one of the largest data
breaches in history.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, AstraZeneca Plc
said it would sell commercial rights for two of its drugs to a
German pharmaceutical company for $400 million as the British
drugmaker looks to focus on newer medicines in new therapy areas.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Authorities in
Croatia reported 2,776 infections and 20 deaths over the past 24
hours. Epidemiologists warned numbers could rise to up to 4,000 a
day in the coming weeks.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, France reported
49,215 new confirmed coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours. A new
national lockdown came into effect in an effort to put the brakes on
a COVID-19 epidemic that officials say risks spiraling out of
control.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, French military
forces fighting Islamic extremists in West Africa “put away” more
than 50 jihadists in an operation in Mali's Barkhane region.
   (AP, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Mexico received
the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate from Chinese
pharmaceutical company CanSino Biologics Inc. for a late stage-trial
on between 10,000 and 15,000 volunteers.
   (Reuters, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Mexico's health
ministry reported 6,000 additional cases of the novel coronavirus
and 516 more deaths in the country, bringing the official number of
cases to 918,811 and the death toll to 91,289.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In the Netherlands
the number of new coronavirus infections rose by 11,119 over the
past 24 hours, a new record.
   (AP, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In Pakistan
demonstrations in Islamabad turned violent as some 2,000 people who
tried to march toward the French Embassy were pushed back by police
firing tear gas and beating protesters with batons. Tens of
thousands of Muslims, from Pakistan to Lebanon to the Palestinian
territories, poured out of prayer services to join anti-France
protests, as the French president's vow to protect the right to
caricature the Prophet Muhammad continues to roil the Muslim world.
   (AP, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In Poland women's
rights activists staged a major protest in Warsaw against new
restrictions on abortion rights.
   (SFC, 10/31/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In Portugal a
five-day movement ban began contain the spread of the coronavirus as
the number of cases reached a record high. Portugal has recorded a
comparatively low 137,272 cases and 2,468 deaths but today it
reached 4,656 cases.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Russian
authorities reported 18,283 new infections, the highest tally
recorded since the pandemic began, and 355 deaths high amid a
shortage of doctors across the country. Authorities in Moscow were
preparing for mass vaccinations against COVID-19. Russia's COVID-19
death toll stood at 27,656. It has reported 1,599,976 infections.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Slovenia reported
1,798 new cases and a new record of 23 deaths in a day.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In Spain the
number of coronavirus infections rose by 25,595, the highest daily
increase since the start of the pandemic. The death toll went up by
239, bringing the total number of fatalities to 35,878. The official
cumulative number of infections now stands at 1,185,678, but PM
Pedro Sanchez has said the real total is likely above 3 million
based on prevalence studies and estimates.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Sudan signed an
agreement with the US that included compensation settlement for
victims of the deadly 2000 bombing of the USS Cole at Yemen’s
southern port of Aden which killed 17 Marines, and for the killing
of John Granville, an official with the US Agency for International
Development, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Khartoum in
2008. Sudan said the agreement could effectively stop any future
compensation claims being filed against the African country in US
courts, following Washington's decision to remove the country from
its list of state sponsors of terrorism. The deal would enter into
force after US Congress passes legislation needed to implement the
agreement.
   (AP, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In Switzerland
coronavirus infections rose by 9,207. Switzerland has one of the
highest infection rates in Europe, prompting Berne to introduce new
nation-wide measures aimed at slowing transmission.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, In Taiwan two
women became the first military officers to marry their same-sex
civilian partners at a mass military wedding, marking another
landmark for LGBTQ+ rights in Asia.
   (Reuters, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Tanzania's
electoral commission said populist President John Magufuli has 83%
of votes with 60% of ballots counted.
   (AP, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, A magnitude-7.0
earthquake struck in the Aegean Sea between the Turkish coast and
the Greek island of Samos, collapsing buildings in the city of Izmir
In western Turkey. At least 116 people were killed more than 900
others injured. The quake also killed at least two people in Greece.
   (AP, 10/31/20)(SFC, 10/31/20, p.A3)(AP,
11/1/20)(AP, 11/1/20)(Econ., 12/5/20, p.52)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 30, Mesut Yilmaz (72),
a former Turkish prime minister and veteran politician who served as
premier three times during a tumultuous political era in his
country, died. Yilmaz led the now-defunct center-right Motherland
Party or ANAP from 1991 to 2002 and served as prime minister three
times in the 1990s.
   (AP, 10/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Pres. Donald Trump
declared that 1 November will be marked nationwide as a “National
Day of Remembrance for Americans Killed by Illegal Aliens”.
   (The Independent, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Dr. Scott W.
Atlas, the White House coronavirus adviser, appeared on a Russian
state-sponsored news show that has been instrumental in an effort by
the Russian government to spread false health information during the
pandemic. Atlas apologized the next day for appearing on the show,
but not for the content of the interview, where he continued a
pattern as Mr. Trump’s adviser of downplaying the severity of the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 11/2/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, California to
date had 928,862 cases of coronavirus and 17,627 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 118,260 cases and 1,780 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 9,053,220 with the death toll at
229,768.  Â
   (sfist.com, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Armenia’s PM Nikol
Pashinian urged Russia to consider providing security assistance to
end the fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, the biggest escalation in
the decades-long conflict between his country and Azerbaijan. The
request came as Azerbaijani troops forged deeper into
Nagorno-Karabakh and both sides accused each of breaking a mutual
pledge not to target residential areas hours after it was made.
   (AP, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Austria announced
a nighttime curfew and the closure of cafes, bars and restaurants to
all but take-away service as a surge in coronavirus infections
threatened to overwhelm its hospitals.
   (Reuters, 11/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Sean Connery (90),
cinema’s first James Bond, died overnight in Nassau, the Bahamas,
where he had a home. Connery was the top box-office star in both
Britain and the United States in 1965 after the success of “From
Russia With Love” (1963), “Goldfinger” (1964) and “Thunderball”
(1965). But he grew tired of playing Bond after the fifth film in
the series, “You Only Live Twice” (1967), and was replaced by George
Lazenby. In 1967 he directed "The Bowler and the Bunnet." Connery
also starred in "The Man Who Would Be King" (1975) and "The
Untouchables" (1987), for which he won his only Oscar.
   (NY Times, 10/31/20)(Econ., 11/7/20, p.80)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Britain announced
expansive new restrictions that effectively establish a national
lockdown to try to keep their hospitals from being overwhelmed amid
vast second-wave surges in coronavirus infections.
   (NY Times, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, In Canada a man
dressed in medieval clothing and armed with a Japanese sword killed
two people and injuring five others on Halloween near the historic
Château Frontenac hotel in Quebec City. Suspect Carl Girouard (24)
was arrested on Nov. 1.
   (AP, 11/1/20)(SFC, 11/2/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, China suspended
imports from FIREXPA S.A., an Ecuadorian seafood product
manufacturer, after the novel coronavirus was found on the packaging
of a batch of imported frozen fish, according to a notice by the
General Administration of Customs.
   (Reuters, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Eritrea's
government declared that Ethiopia's Tigrayan People's Liberation
Front (TPLF) was "on its deathbed".
   (Econ., 11/7/20, p.41)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, In France a Greek
Orthodox priest was shot outside his church in the city of Lyon, and
police hunted for the assailant. The priest was taken to a local
hospital with life-threatening injuries after being hit in the
abdomen.
   (AP, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, In Germany a first
case of African swine fever (ASF) was reported found in a wild boar
in the eastern region of Saxony. This brought the total number of
confirmed cases to 117 since the first one on Sept. 10.
   (AP, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, In Germany the new
Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt opened, nine years late and
far above its original budget. Ground was broken for BER in 2006.
   (SSFC, 11/1/20, p.A6)(Econ., 10/17/20, p.45)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, In Iran total
COVID-19 deaths rose by 386 over the past 24 hours to reach 34,864.
Total cases rose by 7,820 to 612,772. Police said weddings, wakes
and conferences will be banned in Tehran until further notice as the
Middle East’s hardest-hit nation battles a third wave of COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Iraqi security
forces cleared out sit-in tents from Baghdad's central square that
has been the epicenter of the anti-government protest movement, a
year after the eruption of demonstrations against corruption led to
months of clashes with authorities across the country.
   (AP, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Thousands of
Israelis protested in Jerusalem in the latest weekly demonstration
against PM Benjamin Netanyahu, his handling of the coronavirus
crisis and the corruption charges he faces.
   (AP, 11/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Ivory Coast began
its controversial presidential election. At least two people were
killed during the vote. Several polling stations were ransacked in
opposition strongholds and election materials were burned. Riots had
broken out in August after President Alassane Ouattara said he would
run again following the sudden death of his preferred successor.
   (AP, 10/31/20)(AP, 11/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, The Dutch
government put on hold its plan to bail out KLM, the Dutch arm of
Air France, after pilots rejected a wage-freeze until 2025.
   (Reuters, 11/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, In Niger US
special forces rescued American citizen Philipe Nathan Walton, who
was abducted earlier this week.
   (AP, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Portugal's
government announced new lockdown restrictions from Nov. 4 for most
of the country, telling people to stay at home except for outings
for work, school or shopping, and ordering companies to switch to
remote working.
   (Reuters, 11/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Slovakia launched
a huge logistical operation to test most of its population over the
weekend to reverse a rise in the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct 31, Tanzania's two
main opposition parties demanded fresh elections, after denouncing
last week's presidential vote as fraudulent.
   (BBC, 10/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct, The US government
accused Yale Univ. of violating civil rights laws because of
discrimination in its undergraduate admission process. The lawsuit
was dropped in Feb. 2021 under the new Biden administration.
   (SFC, 2/4/21, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct, Production shipments
of the Solo, a single-seat, three-wheeled electric vehicle made by
Canadian designer ElectraMeccanica, arrived in the US. The $18,500
car, categorized as a motorcycle, is manufactured in China and has a
range of 100 miles.
   (SFC, 11/7/20, p.C2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct, In Bangladesh
brothers Sajjad Hossain and Imtiaz Hasan faced charges of money
laundering. They had headed the local branch of the ruling Awami
League and over the last 7 years had acquired more than 300 hectares
of land at rock-bottom prices. A recent criminal investigation had
found that some $340 million had passed through the brothers' 49
accounts.
   (Econ., 10/17/20, p.33)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct, A court in Lesotho
barred the prime minister from using the COVID-19 virus as an excuse
to close parliament.
   (Econ., 10/17/20, p.52)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct, In Nigeria 26 girls
were kidnapped in Katsina state. They were freed following a ransom
payment.
   (Econ., 12/19/20, p.80)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct, In the Philippines
the government ombudsman decreed that it is not the public's
business to see the declared assets of officials.
   (Econ., 10/24/20, p.32)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct, In South Africa
Fikile Ntshangase (65), who was fighting a plan to start an opencast
mine on the site of her village, was shot dead. Tendele's Somkhele
mine in KwaZulu-Natal has been open since 2006. The company wants to
expand its operations by 22,000 hectares and this would mean about
200 families in the villages of Ophondweni and Emalahleni would need
to be relocated.
   (BBC , 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct, Ugandan authorities
shut down National Election Watch Uganda, a coalition of groups
planning to observe upcoming elections.
   (Econ., 1/2/21, p.33)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct, Thirty-nine UN
members signed a statement condemning the horrors in China Xinjiang
province. This was up from 23 who so a year earlier.
   (Econ., 12/19/20, p.76)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct, Khalid Batarfi, the
head of Al Qaeda’s branch in Yemen (AQAP), was arrested and his
deputy, Saad Atef al Awlaqi, died during an "operation in Ghayda
City, Al-Mahrah Governorate.
   (NBC News, 2/5/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Oct, Zambia's annualized
inflation reached 16% vs. 11% a year ago.
   (Econ., 11/14/20, p.44)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, California to date
had 932,841 cases of coronavirus and 17,667 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 118,699 cases and 1,781 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 9,189,785 with the death toll at 230,870.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, The Texas Supreme
Court denied a request by conservative activist Steven Hotze and
others for an order that drive-through voting violates Texas
election law. The court rejected a bid to toss out almost 127,000
votes cast in drive-through lanes. A similar challenge was still
pending.
   (Reuters, 11/1/20)(SFC, 11/2/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, In Texas actor
Eddie Hassell (30), best known for his roles on the TV show Surface
and the movie The Kids Are All Right, died in a hospital after being
shot in a Dallas suburb. On Nov. 4 police arrested D'Jon Antone (18)
on a capital murder charge.
   (BBC, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Algerians voted in
a referendum meant to cement changes made possible after long-time
President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was forced to resign last year.
Algerians approved amendments that reinstated presidential term
limits and granted new powers to the executive and to parliament.
   (BBC, 11/1/20)(Econ., 1/2/21, p.34)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Fighting over the
separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh entered sixth week, with
Armenian and Azerbaijani forces blaming each other for new attacks.
   (AP, 11/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, In Belarus
thousands of protesters swarmed the streets of Minsk to demand the
resignation of longtime President Alexander Lukashenko — the 13th
straight Sunday marked by demonstrations against his rule. Police
used stun grenades and fired warning shots in the air to break up
the crowds.
   (AP, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, In Brazil small
groups of protesters gathered in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo to
demonstrate against any mandate for the taking of a coronavirus
vaccine, supporting a rejection campaign encouraged by President
Jair Bolsonaro.
   (AP, 11/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, China began its
ten-yearly census. It was expected to conclude on Dec. 10.
   (Econ., 10/31/20, p.39)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, In western Ethiopia
gunmen killed 54 people and set fire to homes in a "horrendous"
attack in Oromia state. Survivors said ethnic Amharas were targeted.
Local authorities blamed the rebel Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).
   (AP, 11/2/20)(BBC, 11/3/20)(Econ., 11/7/20, p.14)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Veteran British
journalist Robert Fisk (74), one of the best-known Middle East
correspondents who spent his career reporting from the troubled
region and won accolades for challenging mainstream narratives, died
in Dublin after a short illness.
   (AP, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, India's Bharat
Biotech said it is planning to launch its COVID-19 vaccine candidate
in the second quarter of 2021 if it gets approval from Indian
regulatory authorities.
   (Reuters, 11/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Iran recorded
another single-day record with 434 coronavirus deaths. Total deaths
passed 35,000 with more than 620,000 confirmed cases.
   (SFC, 11/2/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, In Kashmir Indian
forces killed Saifullah Mir, a top commander of the Hizbul
Mujahideen, during a gunbattle in Srinagar.
   (SFC, 11/2/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, In Pakistan
hundreds of protesters burned effigies of France's leader and
chanted anti-French slogans, as President Emmanuel Macron tried to
send a message of understanding to Muslims around the world.
   (AP, 11/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 1, Typhoon Goni made
landfall in the Philippines. At least 20 people were killed as the
storm triggered volcanic mudflows that engulfed about 150 houses
before weakening as it blew away from the country.
   (AP, 11/1/20)(SFC, 11/3/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, US federal Judge
Gary Feinerman struck down a key immigration rule that would deny
green cards to immigrants who use food stamps of other public
benefits.
   (https://tinyurl.com/y3rlr2j5)(SFC, 11/4/20,
p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Georgia’s highest
court found that a lower court was wrong to grant immunity from
prosecution to three sheriff’s deputies facing murder charges in a
stun gun death dating to July 2017. They were charged with murder
and other crimes in the death of Eurie Lee Martin, a 58-year-old
Black man with a history of mental illness.
   (NBC News, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, In Louisiana Holden
Matthews was sentenced to 25 years in prison by a federal court in
Lafayette, Louisiana after he pleaded guilty to setting three
historically Black churches on fire in 2019. Matthews was given 18
months credit for the time he has already spent in jail.
   (Reuters, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Baron Wolman (83),
the first staff photographer for the Rolling Stone magazine, died at
his home in Santa Fe, NM.
   (SFC, 11/5/20, p.B5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, A small plane from
North Carolina crashed in western New York near the town of Ellicott
killing all three people aboard.
   (SFC, 11/3/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, A federal judge in
Texas ruled that 127,000 votes that were already cast at
drive-through voting sites in the Houston area would be counted
after Republicans tried to disqualify them.
   (NY Times, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, US mall operators
CBL and Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust filed for
bankruptcy. They said their malls will remain open as they go
through the bankruptcy process. CBL, which operates 107 malls, said
more than 30 of its tenants have filed for bankruptcy protection
this year and are shutting stores. PREIT, based in Philadelphia, has
more than 20 properties.
   (AP, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, In Afghanistan
gunmen stormed the Kabul University as it hosted a book fair
attended by the Iranian ambassador, sparking an hours-long gun
battle and leaving at least 19 dead and 22 wounded at the country's
largest school. Most of the casualties were students. Three
attackers were involved in the assault, all of whom were killed in
the ensuing gunbattle. The Islamic State group was suspected.
   (AP, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, In Austria a gunman
opened fire in Vienna, killing at least four people and injuring
more than a dozen. Suspect Kujtim Fejzulai (20) had previously been
sentenced to 22 months in prison for trying to join ISIS in Syria,
but was released early. He was killed by the police nine minutes
after the assault began.
   (NY Times, 11/3/20)(The Insider, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Western nations
decried arbitrary arrests and other forms of repression in Belarus
during a review of its record at the UN’s top human rights body.
   (AP, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Britain said it
confirmed H5N8 bird flu at a chicken farm near Frodsham in Cheshire,
England, but said the risk to public safety from the virus was "very
low."
   (Reuters, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Sterling fell to an
almost four-week low against the dollar after England announced a
new national lockdown, but analysts said hopes for a Brexit deal
prevented a bigger drop for the currency.
   (Reuters, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Johnny Depp lost
his court case against a British newspaper that called him a “wife
beater” and claimed there was “overwhelming evidence” that he had
assaulted the actress Amber Heard repeatedly during their marriage.
   (NY Times, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, China's central
bank and banking regulator published new draft rules for online
micro-lending, which looked almost perfectly tailored to undercut
Ant Group. Regulators told Ant Group Co Ltd's founder Jack Ma and
two top executives that the company's lucrative online lending
business faces tighter government scrutiny as Beijing published new
draft rules for online micro-lending.
   (Reuters, 11/3/20)(Econ., 11/7/20, p.64)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, German biotech firm
CureVac said its experimental COVID-19 vaccine triggered an immune
response in humans, putting it on track to start mass testing this
year as the race to end the pandemic heats up.
   (Reuters, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Israeli military
troops demolished the West Bank home of a Palestinian accused of
killing an Israeli in a stabbing attack earlier this year.
Palestinian Khalil Dweikat (46) was accused of stabbing to death an
Israeli man (39) in Petah Tikva in August.
   (AP, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, The Ivory Coast
opposition said it was creating a transitional government which
would organize a new election. Main opposition candidates Pascal
Affi N'Guessan and Henri Konan Bédié had urged their supporters not
to vote in the Oct. 31 poll.
   (BBC, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Japan's Sosei Group
Corp said t is allying with a US biotech run by former Novartis AG
executives to commercialize a neurological drug pipeline.
   (Reuters, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Military leaders
from Libya’s warring sides met in the oasis town of Ghadames for the
first face-to-face talks inside Libya since last year's months-long
attack on the capital by forces loyal to the country's east-based
military commander.
   (AP, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, It was reported
that Paul Gicheru, a Kenyan lawyer wanted by International Criminal
Court prosecutors for allegedly bribing witnesses, has surrendered
to authorities in the Netherlands. Prosecutors alleged that Gicheru
and another lawyer, Philip Kipkoech Bett, corruptly influenced six
witnesses in their investigations into deadly violence that erupted
after Kenya's 2007 elections. Bett was not in custody.
   (AP, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Russia's only major
independent pollster, the Levada Center, said a growing number of
Russians are unwilling to be inoculated against COVID-19 once a
vaccine becomes widely available.
   (Reuters, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Russian
investigators said Vladimir Marugov, an oligarch reportedly
nicknamed the "Sausage King," was killed with a crossbow in his
sauna after masked robbers broke into his home outside of Moscow.
One suspect was soon arrested.
   (AP, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, South African
pharmaceutical firm Aspen Pharmacare announced a deal with US firm
Johnson & Johnson to manufacture its COVID-19 vaccine candidate,
if it is approved in South Africa and internationally.
   (AP, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, Police in Tanzania
arrested Freeman Mbowe, the chairman of the main opposition party in
the wake of a disputed election. Mbowe was detained overnight, along
with two other Chadema leaders, for allegedly planning violent
protests.
   (BBC, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 2, At a UN plenary
meeting on the ICC 71 nations voiced strong opposition to what they
consider threats to the International Criminal Court and decried
sanctions on its top officials, issuing a statement that did not
name any country but was clearly aimed at the US.
   (AP, 11/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, The US held
presidential elections. The outcome was unclear in six swing states
— Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and
Wisconsin — and all were still counting votes. Democrats had a
disappointing election night as Republicans swatted down an
onslaught of challengers and fought to retain their majority.
   (NY Times, 11/4/20)(AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, A federal labor
authority ruled to strip the collective bargaining powers of a
national union representing more than 450 US immigration judges that
has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s policies.
   (AP, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, The number of
coronavirus patients in US hospitals breached 50,000, the highest
level in nearly three months, as a surge in infections threatens to
push the nation's health care system to the edge of capacity. Texas
reported the highest number of currently hospitalized patients with
5,936.
   (Reuters, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Alabama voters
reversed themselves from a few years ago and removed racist vestiges
of segregation from the state constitution that courts long ago
ruled unconstitutional.
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Democrat Mark Kelly
won the Arizona Senate seat once held by John McCain. The former
astronaut defeated Republican Sen. Martha McSally, who was appointed
to the seat after McCain’s death in 2018.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Arizona reported 38
more confirmed coronavirus deaths raising that total to 6,020 and
249,818 confirmed cases.
   (SFC, 11/4/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, California voted to
allow workers for companies like Uber or Lyft to be independent
contractors, instead of employees.
   (NY Times, 11/4/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, California to date
had 946,141 cases of coronavirus and 17,752 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 120,013 cases and 1,796 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 9,379,590 with the death toll at 232,553.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Florida voted to
raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026, getting support from
61 percent of voters.
   (NY Times, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Republican Marjorie
Taylor Greene, who expressed racist views and support for QAnon
conspiracy theories in a series of online videos, won a US House
seat representing northwest Georgia.
   (AP, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Maine's US Sen.
Susan Collins defeated Sara Gideon and was re-elected to a 4th term.
Spending on the race for this seat passed $100 million, the most
expensive in sate history.
   (Econ., 10/17/20, p.24)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Mississippi voted
to adopt a new state flag that does not feature the Confederate
Battle Flag.
   (NY Times, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, In Montana
Republican US Rep. Greg Gianforte defeated Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike
Cooney. The job was up for grabs as the incumbent, Democrat Steve
Bullock, reached his term limit.
   (AP, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Residents of
Nebraska and Utah decided to strip their constitutions of
unenforceable provisions that allowed slavery as a punishment for
criminal convictions.
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, New Jersey, South
Dakota and Arizona voted to legalize recreational marijuana.
   (NY Times, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Oklahoma Republican
state Sen. Stephanie Bice defeated Democratic congresswoman Kendra
Horn and taken back the only Democratic-held seat in the state’s
congressional delegation.
   (AP, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Oregon became the
first state to decriminalize possessing a small amount of any street
drug.
   (NY Times, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Oregon's Multnomah
County passed one of the most progressive universal preschool
policies in the nation, to be paid for by a large tax on high
earners. The measure will provide free preschool for all children
ages 3 and 4.
   (SFC, 11/7/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Rhode Island voters
approved a statewide referendum to strip the words “and Providence
Plantations” from the state's formal name.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, In Tennessee
Republican Eddie Mannis, who is gay, and Democrat Torrey Harris, who
identifies as bisexual, won seats in the state House to become the
first openly LGBTQ members of that legislature.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Texas voters backed
US President Donald Trump over Democrat Joe Biden and sent
Republican John Cornyn to his fourth US Senate term.
   (Reuters, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, In Texas Spc. Corey
Grafton (20), an active-duty soldier at Fort Hood, was arrested for
the July 2019 death of Chelsea Cheatham (32). DNA from the murder
scene led to the arrest.
   (CBS News, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, In Washington state
police arrested eight people in Seattle after late night
demonstrations and marches in the city on US Election Day.
   (Reuters, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Bristol Myers
Squibb Co said its experimental plaque psoriasis oral drug proved
more effective in clearing moderate to severe cases of the skin
condition than placebo or Amgen Inc's Otezla in a late-stage study.
   (Reuters, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Cruise Lines Int'l.
Association voluntarily opted to maintain the current suspension of
cruise operations in the US through the end of the year.
   (SFC, 11/4/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Bahrain announced
that it convicted 51 people, more than half of them abroad, on
charges of belonging to a militant group. It was the latest mass
trial conducted in this island kingdom amid a yearslong crackdown on
all dissent. The arrests took place last year. Bahrain described
those convicted as belonging to an unnamed militant group that
received orders from Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
   (AP, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Bahrain state news
said the government has granted emergency approval for the use of a
Chinese COVID-19 vaccine candidate currently in phase III trials on
frontline workers.
   (Reuters, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, It was reported
that Brazilian health regulator Anvisa has authorized resumption of
a clinical trial of Johnson & Johnson's experimental COVID-19
vaccine. J&J's trial in Brazil had been suspended since Oct. 12,
so a safety panel could evaluate an unexplained illness of a
participant in its planned 60,000-person Phase III study.
   (Reuters, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Britain reported
397 new deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily figure since May 27.
Government data showed 20,018 new confirmed case.
   (Reuters, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, China reported 128
new asymptomatic patients, more than doubling from 61 a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, France's daily
COVID-19 death toll spiked by 854, an increase unseen since April
15, while the number of people hospitalized for the disease went up
by more than a 1,000 for the fifth time in nine days.
   (Reuters, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Hong Kong police
arrested Choy Yuk-ling, a prize-winning journalist whose work had
exposed the authorities' delayed response to a mob attack on
anti-government protesters last year.
   (SFC, 11/4/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Israel demolished
most of the Bedouin village in the village of Khirbet Humsah in the
occupied West Bank, displacing 73 Palestinians - including 41
children - in the largest such demolition in years.
   (AP, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Italy reported 353
COVID-related deaths, the highest daily figure since May 6. Some
28,244 new coronavirus infections were recorded over the past 24
hours. A total 39,412 people have now died in Italy because of
coronavirus, while 759,829 cases of the disease have been registered
to date.
   (AP, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Ivory Coast riot
police surrounded the house of opposition candidate Henri Konan
Bédié (86) and used tear gas to disperse journalists before carting
away some 20 people, including a former minister of health.
   (Econ., 11/7/20, p.43)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Kenya and Britain
said they have agreed in principle the text of a new trade agreement
to safeguard annual trade, estimated at 200 billion shillings ($1.84
billion), after Brexit.
   (Reuters, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Libya’s rivals
wrapped up their military talks with a call to the UN Security
Council to adopt a binding resolution to implement a cease-fire deal
inked last month.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, In Nicaragua
Hurricane Eta came ashore south of Bilwi after stalling just off the
coast for hours.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, In Nigeria Ipob
activists were accused of burning down three police stations in
southern Rivers state. and killing three policemen, after one of
them was killed during a protest at a police station in Oyigbo.
   (BBC, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, The Norway-based
Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI) said it will
fund the development of the protein-based S-Trimer COVID-19 vaccine
candidate by China's Clover Biopharmaceuticals Inc.
   (Reuters, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, A Polish official
said the government is delaying the publication and implementation
of a high court ruling that tightens the abortion law. Unpublished,
the new law has no legal power.
   (SFC, 11/4/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, A slim majority of
Puerto Ricans voted that the island territory should become a state,
with 52 percent backing a nonbinding referendum. Puerto Rico elected
Pedro Pierluisi of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, as
governor. Pierluisi received nearly 33% of the vote compared with
nearly 32% for Carlos Delgado of the Popular Democratic Party, which
supports the current territorial status.
   (NY Times, 11/5/20)(SFC, 11/9/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Russia reported
18,648 confirmed coronavirus cases. Confirmed deaths since the start
of the pandemic neared 29,000.
   (SFC, 11/4/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Russia's top
diplomat said that about 2,000 fighters from the Middle East have
joined the fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh.
   (AP, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, PM Stefan Lofven
said COVID-19 cases are increasing fast in Sweden, as he announced
stricter recommendations for another three regions amid signs the
resurgence was beginning to lift deaths from the disease.
   (Reuters, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Police in Tanzania
arrested opposition leader Zitto Kabwe.
   (Econ., 11/7/20, p.42)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Rescuers in the
Turkish city of Izmir pulled a young girl out alive from the rubble
of a collapsed apartment building Tuesday, four days after a strong
earthquake hit Turkey and Greece as the death toll in the earthquake
climbed to 111.
   (AP, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, The Baba Selavi
tour boat, with 33 Russian tourists on board, capsized near the
Turkish Mediterranean coast of Alanya, killing one of the tourists.
   (AP, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Ugandan police
again arrested Bobi Wine, a popular singer and opposition
presidential hopeful, just after he was successfully certified as a
candidate in next year's election.
   (AP, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Ukraine's health
minister Maksym Stepanov said the situation with the coronavirus in
Ukraine is close to catastrophic and the nation must prepare for the
worst. Ukraine registered a record 8,899 new COVID-19 cases in the
past 24 hours. Total infections stood at 411,093 with 7,532 deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 3, Zimbabwe police
arrested investigative journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono on contempt of
court charges. He was charged with contempt of court for making a
post on Twitter that allegedly impaired the dignity of Zimbabwe’s
Chief Justice Luke Malaba.
   (AP, 11/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The United States
formally left the Paris Agreement, a global pact forged five years
ago to avert the threat of catastrophic climate change. 189
countries remained committed to the 2015 Paris accord.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Pres. Donald Trump
prematurely claimed he carried Georgia. He also said he planned to
contest the US presidential election before the Supreme Court.
Trump's reelection campaign said it had filed a lawsuit in Georgia
to require that Chatham County separate and secure late-arriving
ballots to ensure they are not counted.
   (AP, 11/4/20)(Reuters, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The US recorded
more than 100,000 new virus cases for the first time.
Hospitalizations have topped 50,000 for the first time since early
August.
   (NY Times, 11/5/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, California to date
had 951,561 cases of coronavirus and 17,817 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 120,891 cases and 1,803 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 9,499,459 with the death toll at 233,836.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, New Jersey released
more than 2,200 inmates to reduce the risks of infection in crowded
prisons.
   (NY Times, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, City officials in
Philadelphia released officer body camera footage and 911 calls in
the police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. The 27-year-old's shooting
last week led to demonstrations and unrest in the city. City
officials said the Philadelphia Police Department will take a number
of steps to train officers to respond better to situations involving
mental health crises after the death of Walter Wallace Jr.
   (Insider, 11/4/20)(CBS News, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, British PM Boris
Johnson said his government would roll out new types of COVID-19
testing "on a scale never seen before" to stem the growing pandemic
when a new lockdown in England expires on Dec. 2.
   (Reuters, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Denmark said it
will cull its entire herd of up to 17 million mink after a mutation
of the coronavirus found in the animals spread to humans, posing
risk to any possible future vaccine.
   (Reuters, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Egypt, Ethiopia and
Sudan said they have failed to agree on a new negotiating approach
to resolve their years-long dispute over the controversial dam that
Ethiopia is building on the Blue Nile.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Estonian health
officials said 208 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the past
24 hours, putting the cumulative total to 5,333 cases with 73
deaths.
   (SFC, 11/5/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Ethiopia's PM Abiy
Ahmed ordered a military offensive to subdue the authorities in
Tigray state, following an alleged attack on an army base. Internet
and phone networks in Tigray were cut off.
   (BBC, 11/4/20)(Econ., 11/7/20, p.40)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The French
government banned the Grey Wolves, the militant wing of Turkey’s
far-right Nationalist Movement Party, that it accused of leading
violent actions and inciting hatred speech in France.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The Israeli
military said that troops killed a Palestinian man who had shot at
soldiers near an army checkpoint in the occupied West Bank.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Italy registered
30,550 new coronavirus infections and 352 COVID-related deaths over
the past 24 hours. A total of 39,764 people have now died in Italy
because of COVID-19, while 790,377 cases of the disease have been
registered to date. Italy imposed a nationwide 10 p.m. curfew and
closed museums and high schools. In six hard-hit regions, including
Sicily and the city of Milan, the government will shutter
restaurants and limit travel.
   (Reuters, 11/4/20)(NY Times, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Government
officials said Japan's Kagawa prefecture will cull 330,000 chickens
at a farm after the country's first bird flu outbreak in poultry in
more than two years.
   (Reuters, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Latvian health
officials said 313 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the past
24 hours, putting the cumulative total to 6,572 cases with 85
deaths.
   (SFC, 11/5/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, It was reported
that at least 40 people fleeing extremist violence in northern
Mozambique drowned when their boat sank.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, In Nicaragua
floodwaters from Tropical Storm Eta, isolated already remote
communities and set off deadly landslides that killed at least three
people.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, North Korea
introduced smoking bans in some public places to provide citizens
with “hygienic living environments,” raising questions about whether
the nation’s chain-smoking supreme leader may kick the habit
himself.
   (The Telegraph, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Poland announced
further restrictions to halt the spread of the coronavirus and said
it would impose a full national lockdown if COVID-19 cases continue
to surge.
   (Reuters, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Spanish emergency
services said one migrant died on a boat carrying around 70 others
that was intercepted today off Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The Swiss
government authorized deploying up to 2,500 military personnel to
help the country's hard-pressed health care system handle a second
wave of coronavirus infections.
   (Reuters, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The Syrian
government shelled the last rebel last enclave in the country’s
northwest, killing at least seven people, including four children.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, The death toll in
last week’s Aegean Sea earthquake rose to 116 as rescuers in the
Turkish city of Izmir finished searching buildings that collapsed in
the quake.
   (AP, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Ukraine registered
a record 9,524 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, a day after
its minister described the situation in the country as verging on
catastrophic.
   (Reuters, 11/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 4, Pope Francis
tightened oversight on creating new religious orders. The new law
requires written Vatican approval before a bishop can approve a new
order.
   (SFC, 11/5/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, President Donald
Trump's campaign prepared to ramp up legal efforts to challenge vote
counts in closely-contested states in the US election, announcing a
lawsuit alleging voter fraud in Nevada as the state continued
counting ballots.
   (AP, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Twitter Inc flagged
a post by President Donald Trump that said votes received after
Election Day in the United States would not be counted.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, President Donald
Trump demoted Neil Chatterjee, the Republican head of a US energy
regulation panel, after Chatterjee had promoted the use of carbon
markets to curb climate change.
   (Reuters, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Steve Bannon,
Former White House Chief Strategist, said President Trump should
behead government employees he perceives as disloyal. "I'd put the
heads on pikes," he said on his podcast. "I'd put them at the two
corners of the White House as a warning to federal bureaucrats."
   (Business Insider, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, The US Justice
Department announced it has seized nearly 70,000 Bitcoins from a
person the agency would describe only as “Individual X." The haul
was worth around $1.05 billion based on today’s Bitcoin price of
$15,000. According to a Justice Department complaint, the digital
wallet holding the Bitcoins belonged to a hacker who stole them from
the operator of the Silk Road in 2012.
   (Fortune, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, The Washington Post
reported that more than 150,000 ballots were caught in US Postal
Service processing facilities and not delivered by Election Day. As
a result, some ballots could arrive after their states’ deadlines.
   (NY Times, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, The US recorded
more than 121,000 new virus cases, breaking the record of 100,000
from a day earlier.
   (NY Times, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, The US Postal
Service (USPS) said about 1,700 ballots had been identified in
Pennsylvania at processing facilities during two sweeps today and
were being delivered to election officials.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, A US federal judge
ruled that the government in 2015 illegally approved a breed of
genetically engineered salmon because it failed to assess the harm
the fish might cause if they escaped their confines and interbred
with other salmon species. The fish, engineered by AquaBounty
Technologies, grow twice as fast as others, but are not yet
available for sale.
   (SFC, 11/9/20, p.B4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Arizona state
officials said there are about 450,000 ballots still to be counted
in the Western battleground. Joe Biden holds a 2.35 percentage point
lead over Trump in Arizona, an advantage of about 68,000 votes.
   (AP, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, In New Jersey
former guard Dante McCluney and two others stole more than $1.7
million from an armored car parked outside Bally's casino in
Atlantic City.
   (SFC, 11/26/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Merck & Co Inc
said it has agreed to acquire privately held VelosBio for $2.75
billion in cash, in a move that will help it strengthen its cancer
drug portfolio.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Bangladesh signed a
deal with the Serum Institute of India to buy 30 million doses of a
potential coronavirus vaccine being developed by British drugmaker
AstraZeneca.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, PM Boris Johnson
ordered England back into lockdown. Britain has the highest death
toll in Europe and has passed the milestone of 1 million cases. A
second wave of infections threatened to overwhelm its national
health service.
   (NBC News, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Geoffrey Palmer
(93), British character actor, died at his home in Buckinghamshire.
His career had peeked during the long run of "As Time Goes By," the
romantic BBC sitcom in which he and Judy Dench played lovers
reunited after 38 years apart.
   (SSFC, 11/29/20, p.C14)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, In Cameroon retired
cleric Christian Tumi (90) was driving from the capital city,
Yaoundé, to Kumbo alongside ten others when they were abducted. Tumi
was soon released but the whereabouts of 10 other people were still
unknown.
   (BBC, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, China reported 36
new coronavirus cases in the mainland compared to 28 cases a day
earlier.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, It was reported
that more than 6,000 people in Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu
province in northwest China, have tested positive for a bacterial
disease called brucellosis, in an outbreak caused by a leak at a
vaccine plant over a year ago. A factory had used expired
disinfectants during July to August 2019 to manufacture brucellosis
vaccines, leaving the bacteria in its polluted waste gas. Humans get
brucellosis with flu-like symptoms through direct contact with
infected animals, by eating or drinking contaminated animal
products, or by inhaling airborne agents.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, The Czech Republic
reported 13,231 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total tally in
the country since the pandemic started to 391,945 after several days
of slowdowns in infections. The Health Ministry also reported 220
new deaths. Total deaths rose to 4,133.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)(AP, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, A Paris criminal
court sentenced Algerian Sidi Ahmed Ghlam (29) to life in prison for
killing a woman and trying to bomb a church near the French capital
in a failed April, 2015, attack that investigators said was plotted
by Islamic State group extremists in Syria. Seven other defendants
found to have helped him were sentenced to between three and 30
years in prison. Abdelnasser Benyoucef and Samir Nouad were
sentenced in absentia to life in prison. They are believed to have
died in suicide attacks in Syria.
   (AP, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Germany's daily new
coronavirus infections hit a record high as data showed shoppers had
stocked up on toilet paper, hand sanitizer and baking ingredients
ahead of new lockdown measures that took effect this week.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, It was reported
that bird flu of the type H5N8 has been found on a poultry farm in
Germany's northern state of Schleswig-Holstein, after it has already
spread among the wild bird population in the region.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, The rain-heavy
remains of Hurricane Eta flooded homes in Honduras as the death toll
across Central America rose to at least 13. Guatemalan President
Alejandro Giammattei said at least 50 people had been killed in
landslides in his own country adding to seven victims in Honduras
and two in Nicaragua. Guatemala’s national emergency agency later
said only that at least 50 people were missing in San Cristobal
Verapaz. .
   (AP, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, It was reported
that Hong Kong police have launched a hotline to report behavior
suspected to breach national security as Chinese authorities
continue to crack down on dissent in the territory.
   (The Telegraph, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, India's New Delhi,
the capital city with the worst air quality worldwide, suffered its
most toxic day in a year, recording the concentration of poisonous
PM2.5 particles at 14 times over the World Health Organization safe
limit.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Iraq's President
Barham Saleh ratified a new election law aimed at giving political
independents a better chance of winning seats in parliament, paving
the way for early elections next year.
   (AP, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Italy registered
34,505 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, its
highest ever daily tally.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Kosovo's President
Hashim Thaci (52), a guerrilla leader during Kosovo's war for
independence from Serbia in the late 1990s, resigned and will face
charges for war crimes and crimes against humanity at a special
court based in The Hague.
   (AP, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, The Dutch Ministry
of Agriculture ordered the culling of 200,000 chickens after highly
pathogenic bird flu was found at a farm in the eastern town of
Puiflijk.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, PM Erna Solberg
told Norwegians to avoid travelling domestically and instead stay at
home as much as possible, as part of a new round of recommendations
and restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Poland reported a
record 27,143 new coronavirus infections, approaching a threshold at
which the government has said it could be forced to impose a
nationwide lockdown. The country also reported 367 deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Russia reported
19,404 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, close to a record
high that included 5,255 infections in Moscow and took the national
tally to 1,712,858. The Kremlin said that the coronavirus situation
in Russia was alarming, but that it was nonetheless still under
control. A health official said Russia's coronavirus tests give
false negative results up to 40% of the time.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, Sweden reported a
record increase in new COVID-19 cases as health officials said it
was seeing a marked rise of patients in intensive care. Sweden
registered 5 new deaths, taking its death toll during the pandemic
to 6,002. Sweden's pandemic strategy of avoiding lockdowns has
gained international attention.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 5, In Switzerland
coronavirus infections rose by 10,128. Total confirmed COVID-19
cases in Switzerland and neighboring Liechtenstein increased to
202,504. The death toll rose by 62 to 2,337. The government
announced it was cutting the number of trains to neighboring Italy,
Germany and France amid partial lockdowns in each of the countries
and as travelers avoid cross-border public transportation.
   (Reuters, 11/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Joe Biden overtook
Donald Trump in the number of ballots counted in Pennsylvania, which
Trump must win to have a shot at reelection. Biden now holds a
nearly 6,000-vote advantage. Votes in the state were still being
counted.
   (AP, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Joe Biden overtook
Trump in the number of ballots counted in Georgia, a must-win state
for Trump that has long been a Republican stronghold.
   (AP, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, The US Treasury
slapped sanctions on Gebran Bassil, Lebanon’s ex-foreign minister
and a leading Christian political ally of the militant Hezbollah
group.
   (AP, 11/6/20)(Econ., 11/28/20, p.39)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Police Chief Lang
Holland of Marshall, Ark., advocated online that Democrats should be
attacked and summarily executed. He resigned soon after his comments
were made public.
   (NY Times, 11/9/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, California to date
had 960,570 cases of coronavirus and 17,888 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 122,184 cases and 1,832 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 9,727,345 with the death toll at 235,071.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Republican US Sen.
David Perdue and Democrat Jon Ossoff will face off in a Jan. 5
runoff in Georgia for Perdue’s Senate seat, one of two high-profile
contests in the state that could determine which party controls the
upper chamber. Democrat Raphael Warnock and Sen. Kelly Loeffler, the
Republican appointed last year after Sen. Johnny Isakson retired,
will also compete in a runoff on the same day. The twin races in
Georgia are likely to settle which party controls the Senate.
   (AP, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, In Georgia Rapper
King Von (26), aka Dayvon Bennett, and another man were fatally shot
after gunfire erupted outside an Atlanta hookah bar early today.
Timothy Leeks (22) was soon charged with murder in Bennett's death.
   (NBC News, 11/7/20)(SFC, 11/9/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, In Illinois the
death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 10,000.
   (SFC, 11/7/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, It was reported
that Deputy Inspector James Kobel, the commanding officer of the
NYPD's workplace discrimination office, has been relieved of his
command and placed on modified duty as the department investigates
allegations that he posted a slew of racist, sexist and homophobic
comments on a message board for police officers.
   (CBS News, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Wisconsin police
arrested Nathanael Benton (23), suspected of shooting two police
officers earlier in the day in Waukesha County. Benton was also
wanted in Fargo, North Dakota, for attempted murder.
   (SFC, 11/7/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, A panel of outside
advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration voted that a
potential Alzheimer’s treatment from Biogen Inc has not been proven
to slow progression of the disease, a sharp rebuke to agency staff
who earlier this week praised the drug. The FDA still could decide
to approve the drug, aducanumab.
   (Reuters, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Humanigen Inc said
it has partnered with the US government to help advance development
of its drug candidate as a potential COVID-19 treatment following
positive response in hospitalized patients in a late-stage study.
   (AP, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, At least three
civilians were killed in the latest shelling of Nagorno-Karabakh
cities as Azerbaijan pushed its offensive to reclaim control over
the separatist territory for a sixth straight week.
   (AP, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, In Burkina Faso an
unknown assailant threw a flammable bottle into a mosque in
Ouagadougou, wounding six people.
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Ethiopia PM Abiy
Ahmed said air strikes have been carried out in the well-armed
Tigray region.
   (SFC, 11/7/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, The European Union
imposed sanctions on the president of Belarus and 14 other officials
over their roles in the security crackdown launched during protests
of the country's contested August presidential election.
   (AP, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, French Health
Minister Olivier Veran said that the government is sending 1.6
million rapid virus tests to care homes across the country to allow
them to test personnel. More than 400 people with COVID-19 have died
in the past week and some residents are again being confined to
their rooms and cut off from their families. France hit a record
60,486 new confirmed coronavirus cases.
   (AP, 11/6/20)(NBC News, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, In Greece Friday
prayers were held for the first time in capital’s first
state-sponsored mosque, which opened this week after years-long
delays. Athens’ Muslim population numbered around half a million
people. The new mosque’s capacity was 300 men and 50 women.
   (AP, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, India recorded
47,638 new cases of the novel coronavirus, taking its total to 8.41
million. Deaths rose by 670 in the last 24 hours, taking total
mortalities to 124,985.
   (Reuters, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Iraqi security
forces opened fire during clashes with hundreds of protesters in the
southern city of Basra, killing demonstrator Omar al-Thiabi (29) and
wounding several others as tensions flared once again.
   (AP, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, It was reported
that Natan Zach (89), an Israeli writer who had a major impact on
the development of modern Hebrew poetry, has died.
   (AP, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Italy registered
37,809 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the
country's highest ever daily tally. A total of 40,638 people have
now died because of COVID-19 in Italy, which has registered some
862,681 coronavirus infections since the start of its outbreak. New
coronavirus restrictions came into force.
   (Reuters, 11/6/20)(NBC News, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Italian drinks
group Campari said checks conducted after a hacking attack showed
data on some of the company's servers had been encrypted and some
information had been lost. Earlier this week the Milan-based group
famous for its red aperitif said it had been targeted by hackers
around Nov. 1.
   (Reuters, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Norway's capital
Oslo said it will shut down theatres, cinemas, training centers and
swimming pools to contain the spread of the coronavirus, with bars
and restaurants no longer able to serve alcohol for three weeks as
of Nov 9.
   (Reuters, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Maher al-Akhras
(49), a Palestinian prisoner held by Israel, agreed to end more than
100 days of hunger strike. His family and a prisoner rights’
advocate said he had received assurances from Israeli authorities
that his open-ended detention wouldn't be extended beyond the end of
November.
   (AP, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Poland reported a
record 445 new coronavirus-related deaths, as the healthcare system
faced shortages in hospital beds, equipment and medics. The country
also reported 27,086 new COVID-19 cases.
   (Reuters, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Romania's
government said it will impose a nationwide nighttime curfew and
close all schools for 30 days from Nov. 9 after seeing the number of
daily coronavirus infections double in two weeks. A record 9,714
infections were confirmed in the last 24 hours. More than 7,500
people have died since the beginning of the outbreak in late
February.
   (Reuters, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Russia reported
20,582 new coronavirus infections, including 6,253 in Moscow.
   (SFC, 11/7/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, South African
authorities said they have begun deporting 20 refugees and asylum
seekers who were part of a months-long sit-in protest against
xenophobia. More migrants were expected to be deported.
   (BBC, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, It was reported
that criminals, dressed in the uniforms of a well-known South
African security company, attacked guards collecting cash in
daylight from a takeaway in Johannesburg. After stealing the guards'
van, they blew it up with explosives, extracted the cash and sped
off in a Porsche and a Volvo SUV.
   (The Telegraph, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Spanish officials
said Supreme Court prosecutors have opened a third corruption
investigation involving former monarch Juan Carlos I.
   (SFC, 11/7/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Sweden registered
4,697 new coronavirus cases, the highest number since the start of
the pandemic. Sweden also registered 20 new deaths from COVID-19,
taking the total to 6,022 deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Sweden raised its
assessment of the risk level for bird flu to elevated from low,
after outbreaks registered elsewhere in Europe.
   (Reuters, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, The Swiss General
Prosecutor’s office said it plans to return 99 percent of the frozen
assets belonging to one alleged Russian fraudster and 100 percent of
the assets belonging to an alleged Russian crime syndicate boss.
   (The Daily Beast, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, The Vatican embassy
in Poland said sanctions have been imposed on retired Archbishop
Henryk Gulbinowicz (97) after he was accused of sexually abusing a
seminarian and of covering up abuse in another case.
   (SFC, 11/7/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 6, Vietnam said it
will stick to its strategy of containing COVID-19 rather than rush
to secure a supply of a vaccine that could be financially risky.
   (Reuters, 11/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Joe Biden (77)
crossed 270 Electoral College votes with a win in Pennsylvania.
Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th president
of the United States, positioning himself to lead a nation gripped
by historic pandemic and a confluence of economic and social
turmoil. It was unclear whether Trump would publicly concede. Mr.
Biden won the popular vote with a record-breaking 74 million votes.
Mr. Trump received more than 70 million votes, the second-highest
tally on record. Kamala Harris became the first woman, as well as
the first Black person, first Indian-American, and first
Asian-American, to be elected to the vice presidency.
   (AP, 11/7/20)(NY Times, 11/8/20)(The Week,
11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Pres. Donald Trump
persisted in misrepresenting developments at ballot-counting
centers, falsely tweeting that campaign observers in Pennsylvania
were blocked from seeing what was going on as Biden overtook him in
the vote count, which continues. Twitter flagged a series of Trump's
tweets as dubious.
   (AP, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, US President Donald
Trump's campaign said it had filed a lawsuit in Arizona, its latest
legal challenge over the results of the presidential election.
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, It was reported
that North Dakota and South Dakota have the nation's worst rate of
deaths per capita over the last 30 days. Despite advances in
treating COVID-19 patients, hundreds more people have died in recent
weeks than during any other period — a grim exclamation point on the
virus outbreak slamming the northern Plains and Upper Midwest.
   (AP, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Belarusian
President Alexander Lukashenko formally opened the country’s first
nuclear power plant, a project sharply criticized by neighboring
Lithuania. The Russian-built and financed Astravyets plant is
located about 40 km (25 miles) southeast of Vilnius.
   (AP, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Lord Jonathan Sacks
(72), the former chief rabbi in the UK (1991-2013) who reached
beyond the Jewish community with his regular broadcasts on radio,
died.
   (AP, 11/8/20)(Econ., 11/21/20, p.82)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Egyptians began
voting in the second and final stage of the country’s parliamentary
elections, after a relatively low turnout in the first round that
embarrassed the government of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.
   (AP, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Ethiopia's
parliament has voted to dissolve the government of the northern
Tigray region, amid a dispute which has escalated into armed
conflict. In an emergency session, parliament declared the Tigray
administration illegal and voted to replace it. Tigray's leader told
the African Union that the federal government was planning a
“full-fledged military offensive.”
   (BBC, 11/7/20)(AP, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, France reported 828
new deaths from coronavirus in the last 24 hours.
   (NBC News, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Germany followed
several European countries by reporting a record number of daily
coronavirus cases, as a second wave of infections sweeps through the
continent as winter approaches. The Robert Koch Institute, reported
23,399 new cases in the last 24 hours.
   (NBC News, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Greece began a
three-week nationwide lockdown, its second this year. Greece has now
reported 52,254 cases and 715 deaths.
   (NBC News, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Searchers in
Guatemala dug through mud and debris looking for an estimated 100
people believed buried by a massive, rain-fueled landslide, as the
remnants of Hurricane Eta strengthened and the storm churned toward
Cuba. 44 people were confirmed dead.
   (AP, 11/7/20)(Econ., 11/14/20, p.32)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Iran announced new
lockdown curbs after registering a record daily number of COVID-19
cases and another 423 deaths from the disease in the Middle East's
worst-hit country. Iran registered 9,450 new infections in the last
24 hours. This took the total number of confirmed cases to 673,250
and raised the death toll to 37,832.
   (Reuters, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Iran's state-run
news agency reported that Nasrin Sotoudeh (57), a leading human
rights lawyer, has been released from prison, after she was earlier
hospitalized amid a hunger-strike conducted from her cell.
   (AP, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, It was reported
that Ivory Coast opposition leader Pascal Affi N'Guessan has been
arrested for announcing the creation of a parallel government after
boycotting last month's presidential election.
   (BBC, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Lebanon's President
Michel Aoun asked his foreign ministry to make the necessary
contacts to secure any evidence and documents that prompted the US
Treasury sanctions on Gebran Bassil, who leads the largest bloc in
parliament and is also the president's son-in-law.
   (AP, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Slovakia held a
second round of nationwide coronavirus testing in an effort to curb
increasing infections, with more than half a million people screened
by noon. Slovakia reported 2,579 COVID-19 cases through PCR testing,
bringing the total to 73,667, with 351 deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, Turkey's Pres.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan sacked Berat Albayrak, the central-bank
governor, who was also his son-in-law. The central and state banks
had wasted at least $100 billion in precious foreign reserves in an
abortive attempt to salvage the currency.
   (Econ., 11/21/20, p.45)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 7, The United Arab
Emirates announced a major overhaul of the country’s Islamic
personal laws, allowing unmarried couples to cohabitate, loosening
alcohol restrictions and criminalizing so-called “honor killings.”
The changes would take immediate effect.
   (AP, 11/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, The United States
became the first country to surpass 10 million novel coronavirus
infections.
   (Reuters, 11/8/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, California to date
had 973,210 cases of coronavirus and 17,977 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 123,937 cases and 1,839 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 9,961,320 with the death toll at 237,566.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Alex Trebek (80),
host of “Jeopardy!” since 1984, died in Los Angeles of pancreatic
cancer. He hosted more than 8,000 episodes, breaking a record set by
Bob Barker of “The Price is Right” for hosting the most episodes of
a single game show.
   (NY Times, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Tropical Storm Eta
made landfall on the central part of the Florida Keys, bringing
strong winds and heavy rains.
   (NY Times, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, It was reported
that Honolulu doesn’t have enough money to finish building a new
20-mile rail line, one of the nation’s most expensive per capita,
that began in 2011.
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Thousands of
ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered to celebrate a wedding inside a
cavernous hall in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood. On Nov. 23
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a $15,000 fine after video of the
wedding drew backlash online.
   (NY Times, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Seymour Topping
(98), among the most accomplished foreign correspondents of his
generation for The Associated Press and the New York Times and later
a top editor at the Times and administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes,
died in White Plains, NY. His books included "Journey Between Two
Chinas” (1972), a memoir of his reporting career in Asia.
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Utah state Gov.
Gary Herbert declared a new state of emergency to address hospital
overcrowding in response to weeks of stress on its hospital networks
due to a surge of novel coronavirus cases.
   (Reuters, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, President Ilham
Aliyev said Azerbaijani forces have taken control of the
strategically key city of Shushi in Nagorno-Karabakh where fighting
with Armenia has raged for more than a month.
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, In Belarus
club-swinging police went after demonstrators in Minsk who were
demanding the resignation of the country’s authoritarian president,
the 90th consecutive day of protests. Nearly 400 people were
reportedly arrested including 9 journalists and well-known model
Olga Khizhinkova, a former Miss Belarus.
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Belarus' first
nuclear power plant stopped generating electricity a day after it
was formally opened by President Alexander Lukashenko and some of
its equipment needs to be replaced.
   (AP, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Bolivia's new
leftist Pres. Luis Arce took office.
   (SFC, 11/9/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Canary Islands
authorities said more than 1,600 migrants have either been rescued
at sea or reached Spain’s in small boats over the weekend. The body
of one person who had died during the perilous journey was recovered
by rescuers in waters near the island of El Hierro.
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Tropical Storm Eta
has made landfall in Cuba and is expected to head toward South
Florida, making its closest approach to the state late today.
   (The Week, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Ethiopia’s PM Abiy
Ahmed announced major changes to his government's military and
intelligence leadership as he sought to defend a growing military
action against the country's defiant Tigray region, and urged
citizens not to target the ethnic Tigrayan people amid fears of
civil war.
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, A Hungarian
teachers' union asked parents not to send their children to school
and kindergarten to protect teachers and parents from the
coronavirus pandemic, clashing with the government which has vowed
to keep schools open.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, India reported
45,674 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, with the
capital coping with a sharp surge of nearly 7,000 cases a day this
week. The Health Ministry reported 559 deaths in the past 24 hours,
taking total fatalities to 126,121.
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Israel allowed most
retail stores to reopen for the first time in nearly two months, in
the latest phase of its exit from a second coronavirus lockdown.
   (SFC, 11/9/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Lebanon’s former
foreign minister said that last week’s US sanctions targeted him
over alleged corruption because he repeatedly refused Washington’s
calls to severe ties with Iran-backed Hezbollah, a powerful Lebanese
militant and political group.
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, Myanmar held
general elections, just the second democratic vote since military
rule ended in the country in 2011. The National League for Democracy
(NLD) party of Myanmar’s civilian leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, won
the country’s elections. Officials prevented many voters from ethnic
minority groups from casting ballots.
   (AP, 11/8/20)(NY Times, 11/11/20)(Econ.,
11/14/20, p.37)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, The Dutch
Protestant Church made a far-reaching recognition of guilt for its
failure to do more to help Jews during and after World War II and
even for the church’s role in preparing ”the ground in which the
seeds of anti-Semitism and hatred could grow."
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 8, In Thailand
pro-democracy protesters were confronted by riot police and sprayed
by water cannons as they tried to approach Bangkok's Grand Palace to
deliver letters about their political grievances addressed to the
country's king.
   (AP, 11/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Pres. Donald Trump
fired his defense secretary, Mark Esper. Trump has been unhappy with
Esper since this summer, when he said he would refuse to use
active-duty troops to control protests.
   (NY Times, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Attorney General
William Barr has authorized federal prosecutors across the US to
pursue “substantial allegations” of voting irregularities. The order
goes against a longstanding Justice Department policy not to
investigate elections until their results have been certified. There
continues to be no evidence of meaningful fraud.
   (NY Times, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, The US Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorization (EUA)
to Eli Lilly & Co's bamlanivimab based on trial data showing
that a one-time infusion of the treatment reduced the need for
hospitalization or emergency room visits in high-risk COVID-19
patients.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, The US Census
Bureau denied any attempts to systemically falsify information
during the 2020 head count used to determine the allocation of
congressional seats and federal spending.
   (AP, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, The IRS announced
that former Microsoft software engineer Volodymyr Kvashuk was
sentenced to nine years in prison for stealing over $10 million in
store credit and selling it for Bitcoin. The court ordered that
Kvashuk must pay back $8,344,586. He may also face deportation to
his home country of Ukraine.
   {USA, IRS, Robbery}
   (Business Insider, 11/13/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, California to date
had 982,666 cases of coronavirus and 18,006 deaths. The SF Bay Area
had 125,177 cases and 1,842 deaths. Total cases nationwide reached
over 9,961,320 with the death toll at 237,566.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, A California
snowplow driver discovered the bodies of two murder victims while
clearing a remote highway in the Sierra Nevada.
   (The Independent, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Suzette Penton, a
librarian in Polk City, Florida, was run over by a van carrying
18-year-old Elijah Stansell and three other teens, ages 14, 15 and
16. Penton died later this month. The teens were initially charged
with attempted murder. Deputies said upgraded charges were pending
following Penton's death.
   (AP, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, A new study found
that a shot of cabotegravir, an experimental medicine, given every
two months works better than daily pills to help keep women from
contracting HIV from an infected sex partner. The drug was being
developed by ViiV Healthcare, Pfizer Inc and Shionogi Limited.
   (SFC, 11/10/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, US biotech firm
Arcturus Therapeutics said it expects to start distributing its
COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the first quarter of next year after
early stage trials showed promising results.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Inovio
Pharmaceuticals Inc on said it expects the US Food and Drug
Administration to decide this month whether to allow an advanced
trial of the company's experimental COVID-19 vaccine to move
forward.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Pfizer announced
promising results from a vaccine trial. The company, which developed
the vaccine with the German drugmaker BioNTech, said it is on track
to file an emergency use application with US regulators later this
month. BioNTech's co-founder and chief executive said he was
optimistic that the protective effect of its experimental COVID-19
vaccine, co-developed with Pfizer, would last for at least a year.
   (AP, 11/9/20)(Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, A new report
released today documents the use of incendiary weapons and their
horrific human cost on civilians over the past decade in conflict
zones like Afghanistan, the Gaza Strip and Syria, with Human Rights
Watch and Harvard’s human rights clinic calling on nations to close
loopholes in international law and stigmatize their use.
   (AP, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, McDonald's
announced that it will introduce a crispy chicken sandwich early
next years and that it is developing its own plant-based category,
called McPlant, starting with a faux meat burger next year.
   (SFC, 11/10/20, p.C3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Novavax Inc said it
was on track to begin a delayed US-based late-stage study of its
experimental coronavirus vaccine later this month.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, The spokesman for
the president of the separatist government in Nagorno-Karabakh
confirmed that Azerbaijani forces have taken control of Shushi, a
strategically key city, and said they were nearing Stepanakert, the
region’s capital. Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a Russian-brokered
deal to end the war in the border region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The
agreement calls for Armenia’s army to withdraw from the region and
to be replaced by Russian peacekeepers, and gives Azerbaijan what it
has sought for years in negotiations. At least 5,000 people were
killed in the recent fighting.
   (AP, 11/9/20)(NY Times, 11/10/20)(Econ.,
12/19/20, p.83)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Austrian
investigators carried out raids early today in several regions on
people and organization suspected of supporting the Muslim
Brotherhood and Hamas groups.
   (SFC, 11/10/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Former Pres. Evo
Morales returned to Bolivia following an election that returned his
socialist party to power.
   (SFC, 11/10/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, In Brazil Governor
João Doria said São Paulo has begun building a facility to produce
100 million doses a year of China's Sinovac vaccine against
COVID-19, which will be ready by September next year.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Finance Minister
Martin Helme, the leader of Estonia’s far-right populist party and a
key Cabinet member, survived a vote of confidence at the country's
Parliament despite uproar over his statements that the U.S.
presidential elections were rigged and undemocratic — comments that
were seen as jeopardizing the Baltic nation's ties to key ally
Washington. A day earlier Martin Helme said in a local talk show
that “there is no question that these (US presidential) elections
were falsified."
   (AP, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, An Ethiopian
military official said the air force is “pounding targets with
precision” as the federal government continues its offensive against
the defiant northern region of Tigray and no clear route to peace is
yet seen. There was a massacre of ethnic Amharas in Mai-Kadra town
in the Tigray region. Scores, perhaps hundreds, of civilians were
reportedly “hacked to death” in the streets of the town. Members of
a Tigrayan youth group killed hundreds of Amhara men. The next
day least 600 were found dead.
   (AP, 11/9/20)(AP, 11/13/20)(Econ., 11/28/20,
p.13)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, The EU said it
would begin imposing sweeping tariffs on around $4 billion worth of
American aircraft, food, drinks and other products beginning Nov.
10.
   (SFC, 11/10/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, German authorities
said type H5N8 bird flu has been confirmed in another poultry farm
in north Germany.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, India's Tata Group
launched a COVID-19 test kit that it says will process results more
easily and faster than the RT-PCR method considered the gold
standard for detection, at a time when cases are still rising in the
country.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Iran reported a
rise of 10,463 in the number of daily coronavirus cases, bringing
total cases in the Middle East's worst-affected country to 692,949.
The health ministry said 458 people had died from COVID-19 in the
past 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 38,749.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Italy registered
25,271 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours. The health
ministry also reported 356 COVID-related deaths, up from 331 the day
before. A total of 41,750 people have now died because of COVID-19
in Italy, which has registered some 960,373 coronavirus infections
since the start of its outbreak.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Mexican reporter
Israel Vázquez Rangel (31), who wrote about violent crime in the
central state of Guanajuato, was shot dead while investigating the
reports of human remains left in a plastic bag in the city of
Salamanca. Vázquez was at least the third journalist to be killed in
Mexico the past two weeks.
   (The Independent, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Mozambique state
media reported that more than 50 people have been beheaded in
northern Cabo Delgado province by militant Islamists over the few
days.
   (BBC, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Peruvian lawmakers
voted to remove Pres. Martin Vizcarra from office, expressing anger
at his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and citing alleged but
unproven corruption allegations during his term as governor of
Moquegua (2011-2014). Opposition lawmaker Manuel Merino will take
his place. The shock vote drew condemnation from international
rights groups who warned that the powerful legislature may have
violated the constitution and jeopardized Peru’s democracy.
   (SFC, 11/10/20, p.A2)(AP, 11/14/20)(Econ.,
11/14/20, p.31)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Portugal entered a
state of emergency for at least two weeks in areas hit worst by the
pandemic.
   (SFC, 11/10/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, A representative of
Russia's health ministry said its Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19
is more than 90% effective, citing data collated from vaccinations
of the public rather than from an ongoing trial. Russia reported a
record high of 21,798 new coronavirus infections as authorities
called for stricter measures to contain the virus in certain
regions.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Russia said that
one of its military helicopters was shot down in Armenia, near the
border with Azerbaijan, killing two servicemen.
   (AP, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, The Kremlin said it
would wait for the official results of the US presidential election
before commenting on its outcome, and that it had noted incumbent
Donald Trump's announcement of legal challenges related to the vote.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, In Sweden local
authorities said hospitals in Stockholm are struggling to cope with
a surge in new cases of COVID-19 after seeing an increase of around
75 patients requiring hospital care since the end of last week.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Swiss drugmaker
Vifor Pharma agreed to pay United States-based Angion Biomedica up
to $80 million for rights to experimental kidney drug ANG-3777.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)  Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that he has tested positive for the
coronavirus and will be working in self-isolation while being
treated.
   (AP, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, The United Nations
opened talks on Libya's future in Tunisia aimed at ending nearly a
decade of chaos and bloodshed by arranging elections, but obstacles
remain despite progress in cementing last month's ceasefire.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, The United Nations
agency for Palestinian refugees announced that it has run out of
money to pay the salaries of its staff across the Middle East, after
two years of funding cuts by the United States and some other
donors.
   (Reuters, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 9, The United States
faced its first review in five years at the UN’s main human rights
body, with the detentions of migrant children and the killings of
unarmed Black people during the Trump administration’s tenure among
issues high on minds.
   (AP, 11/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, The United States
announced plans to sell F-35 fighter jets to the United Arab
Emirates as an apparent reward for the Gulf state agreeing to
normalize ties with Israel.
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Gov. Gavin Newsom
commuted the sentences of 13 people in California prisons and
granted four medical reprieves for older inmates with health
conditions that his office said put them at high risk for Covid-19.
Newsom also issued 22 pardons, 10 of which involve people who face
possible deportation — including one who is in an ICE detention
facility.
   (Politico, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, California made
history when it confirmed its first openly gay state Supreme Court
justice. Associate Justice Martin J. Jenkins, 66, is also the
third-ever Black man to serve on the Golden State's highest court.
   (CBS News, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, An Indianapolis
police officer who fatally shot a Black man after a high-speed chase
earlier this year was cleared by a grand jury. The group, which was
empaneled to investigate the May 6 killing of Dreasjon Reed, 21,
returned a “no bill,” concluding that officer Dejoure Mercer should
not face criminal charges.
   (NBC News, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Former North Miami
Beach Commissioner Frantz Pierre pleaded guilty to 11 felony counts
including bribery, grand theft and money laundering in connection
with shaking down a strip club operator in exchange for votes and
pocketing money from a school program that did not exist.
   (Miami Herald, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Tommy Heinsohn
(86), Boston Celtics player, coach and broadcaster, died.
   (SFC, 11/11/20, p.D6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Missouri woman
Sedina Unkic Hodzic (41) was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison
for conspiring and providing material support to terrorists.
   (https://tinyurl.com/y5b7pxx8)(SFC, 11/12/20,
p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, In North Carolina
Democrat Cal Cunningham conceded to incumbent Republican US Sen.
Thom Tillis, saying “the voters have spoken” and it was clear Tillis
had won.
   (AP, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, A first of its
kind assessment of coral reefs in US waters sounded the alarm again
over the continued decline of these sensitive underwater ecosystems,
which scientists deem essential to the health of the world's oceans
amid the environmental effects posed by human activity and climate
change.
   (AP, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Bosnia, which also
includes the autonomous Serb Republic, reported 1,605 new COVID-19
infections and 46 deaths. Officials said the Bosniak-Croat
Federation will introduce an 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew from tomorrow
after a sharp rise in coronavirus cases and deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, An English study
said high levels of so-called "T cells" that respond to the
coronavirus could be sufficient to offer protection against
infection, adding to the evidence of the crucial role they play in
immunity to COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Ethiopia’s deadly
conflict with its northern Tigray region spilled over borders as
several thousand people fled into Sudan, while the Tigray regional
leader accused Eritrea of attacking at the request of Ethiopia’s
federal government. PM Abiy Ahmed said in a series of tweets that he
wanted "to assure Ethiopians again" that there would be no dialogue
until after rule of law was achieved.
   (AP, 11/10/20)(BBC, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Hungarian
lawmakers granted PM Viktor Orban's government a special 90-day
mandate to rule by decree in an effort to curb a spiking coronavirus
pandemic, and they approved new restrictions amounting to a partial
lockdown.
   (Reuters, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, India's stock
market roared to a record high after news that a COVID-19 vaccine
developed by Pfizer and BioNTech was proving more effective than
expected.
   (Econ., 11/14/20, p.67)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Iran imposed a
nightly curfew on businesses in Tehran and other cities. Iran said
it plans to more than double the number of coronavirus tests it
carries out daily to 100,000, as the total number of detected cases
surpassed 700,000 in the Middle East's worst-affected country.
   (AP, 11/10/20)(Reuters, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Iran pardoned 157
people held on charges stemming from their alleged participation in
antigovernment protests, the biggest such release of those swept up
in the harsh crackdowns.
   (AP, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Israeli PM
Benjamin Netanyahu said he made no distinction between Democrats and
Republicans and intended to stand up for Israel’s interests in the
face of a new American administration.
   (AP, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Israel's
parliament ratified (62-14) the country's recent agreement
establishing formal diplomatic relations with the Gulf state of
Bahrain.
   (AP, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, In Japan data
showed that the number of suicides in the country rose in October
for the fourth month in a row to the highest level in more than five
years. Preliminary police data showed that the total number of
suicides for October was 2,153, an increase of more than 300 from
the previous month and the highest monthly tally since May 2015.
   (Reuters, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Jordanians began
voting to elect a new parliament in the country that has long been a
close Western ally in a volatile region and is now struggling to
contain a coronavirus outbreak.
   (AP, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Lebanon ordered a
full lockdown for around two weeks to stem a rise in COVID-19
infections and allow a badly strained health sector to bolster
capacity as the country buckled under a financial meltdown.
   (Reuters, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, In eastern Libya
armed men in Benghazi shot dead Hanan al-Barassi, a lawyer and
activist who was a vocal critic of authorities. She was known for
livestreaming on social media platforms, revealing alleged
corruption of security and military officials.
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Lithuania reported
1,433 new cases, bringing its total so far to 28,262 cases and 235
deaths. Lithuania's capital Vilnius prepared to set up a 700-bed
makeshift hospital in its largest exhibition center, as the city
fears its health system may soon get overloaded by coronavirus
cases.
   (Reuters, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, In Mali French
ground forces and military helicopters killed a jihadi commander
linked with al-Qaida along with four others. Bah ag Moussa, military
chief for the RVIM Islamic extremist group, had been on a UN
sanctions list and was believed responsible for multiple attacks on
Malian and international forces.
   (AP, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Nepal will provide
free COVID-19 tests and treatment, an aide to the prime minister
said, as the total number of infections was set to cross the 200,000
mark.
   (AP, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, In the Netherlands
a bird flu outbreak prompted Dutch health officials to cull of
chickens.
   (Reuters, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Norway recalled
Home Guard forces to patrol its land border as neighboring Sweden
reported another surge in COVID-19 cases that is straining hospitals
and stretching testing to the limit. Sweden tightened
recommendations for three more regions, meaning inhabitants in 13
out of 21 regions now are advised to work from home, avoid public
transport and limit social interaction outside the family as much as
possible.
   (Reuters, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Saeb Erekat (65),
a veteran peace negotiator and prominent international spokesman for
the Palestinians for more than three decades, died in Jerusalem,
weeks after being infected by the coronavirus.
   (AP, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, South African
authorities issued an arrest warrant for Ace Magashule, the
secretary-general of the ANC, on corruption charges related to a
contract to remove asbestos from roofs in Free State province.
   (Econ., 11/14/20, p.43)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, South Korea's
agriculture ministry said t had confirmed the highly pathogenic H5N8
strain of bird flu in samples from wild birds in the central west of
the country and issued its bird flu warning. The virus was
discovered in samples collected from wild birds last week.
   (Reuters, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, Media activists
said Turkish troops in northwestern Syria have pulled out of a
second military base in the area that had been surrounded by Syrian
government forces.
   (AP, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, The UN called on
Mozambique to investigate reports that militants had massacred
villagers and beheaded women and children in a restive northern
region.
   (Reuters, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 10, A two-year Vatican
investigation of ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick found that a series
of bishops, cardinals and popes downplayed or dismissed reports that
he slept with seminarians, and determined that Pope Francis merely
continued his predecessors’ handling of the predator until a former
altar boy alleged abuse.
   (AP, 11/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Donald Trump's
presidential campaign sued Michigan to block the state from
certifying last week's election results, where the president has
trailed Democrat Joe Biden. The president recently trailed Biden in
Michigan by more than 148,000 votes, or 2.6 percentage points.
   (Reuters, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, US President
Donald Trump endorsed Republican National Committee chair Ronna
McDaniel to stay on in her position, in what one source said could
be a prelude to Trump's announcing plans to run for president in
2024.
   (Reuters, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, President-elect
Joe Biden chose his longtime adviser Ron Klain to reprise his role
as his chief of staff, installing an aide with decades of experience
in the top role in his White House.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, It was reported
that the Trump administration is trying to deport several women who
allege they were mistreated by a Georgia gynecologist at an
immigration detention center. ICE has already deported six former
patients who complained about Dr. Mahendra Amin, who has been
accused of operating on migrant women without their consent or
performing procedures that were medically unnecessary and
potentially endangered their ability to have children.
   (NBC News, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, US Republican
Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska won re-election, leaving control of
the Senate to be determined in January by two runoff elections in
Georgia.
   (Reuters, 11/11/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, California to
date had 993,096 cases of coronavirus and 18,082 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 126,678 cases and 1,852 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 10,392,672 with the death toll at
240,918.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Eta regained
hurricane strength this morning as Florida braced for a second hit
from the storm along the Gulf of Mexico coast near the
heavily-populated Tampa Bay region.
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Texas became
America's first state with more than 1 million confirmed COVID-19
cases.
   (SFC, 11/12/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Dallas rapper Mo3
(28), born as Melvin Noble, was reportedly gunned down in broad
daylight in a drive-by shooting and died from his injuries. In
December police arrested Kewon Dontrell White (21) in connection
with the killing.
   (AP, 11/12/20)(AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, US satellite TV
provider Dish Network said it has signed up Qualcomm as its latest
partner in efforts to build its 5G network using open and
cloud-based platforms by 2023.
   (Reuters, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Police in the
Angolan capital, Luanda, used tear gas to disperse demonstrators.
They were protesting against rising living costs, unemployment and
the postponement of local elections due to coronavirus.
   (BBC, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, In Armenia
thousands of people gathered in Yerevan to protest the country's
agreement with Azerbaijan to halt weeks of fighting over
Nagorno-Karabakh. The deal calls for the deployment of nearly 2,000
Russian peacekeepers and territorial concessions.
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Austrian
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's Cabinet agreed on a wide range of
anti-terrorism measures meant to plug perceived security flaws
identified after a deadly attack by an Islamic extremist in Vienna
last week.
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Bahrain's Prince
Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa (84), one of the world's longest
serving prime ministers, died. He had been receiving treatment at
the Mayo Clinic in the US.
   (SFC, 11/12/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Belize held
parliamentary elections. The People's United Party swept 26 of the
31 seats that were up for grabs.
   (SFC, 11/13/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Britain's
Agricultural Act received royal assent. It allows the agricultural
dept. to phase out per-hectare payments over the next seven years,
and spend more on public goods.
   (Econ., 11/28/20, p.53)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Brazil's health
regulator Anvisa allowed resumption of late-stage clinical trials
for China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, which had been suspended due
to the death of a study subject that was registered in Sao Paulo as
a suicide.
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Britain reported a
total of 50,365 deaths due to COVID-19, making it the fifth country
to pass the 50,000 mark.
   (SFC, 11/12/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Britain's
environment department said the H5N8 bird flu has been identified in
a small number of wild birds in southwest England.
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, In Burkina Faso 14
soldiers were killed and others were injured in an extremist attack
in Oudalan province in the country's Sahel region. At least 20
gunmen were seen on motorbikes in the nearby town of Gorom Gorom,
burning a bar and frightening civilians.
   (AP, 11/13/20) v
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Cambodia banned
all state-organized events in the capital and a neighboring province
for two weeks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
   (SFC, 11/12/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, China moved to
quash one of the last vestiges of democracy and dissent in Hong
Kong, forcing the ouster of four pro-democracy lawmakers from their
elected offices in a purge that prompted the rest of the opposition
to vow to resign en masse.
   (NY Times, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, China's Tibet
Rhodiola Pharmaceutical Holding announced a deal to sell, test and
manufacture Russia's COVID-19 vaccine in China, hours after interim
results showed it was 92% effective at protecting people from the
disease.
   (Reuters, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, In Iran a total of
462 people died from the new coronavirus over the past 24 hours, a
record daily toll. The figures brought the total official death toll
to 39,664 and the total number of recorded infections to 715,068.
   (Reuters, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, The
nongovernmental organization Open Arms recovered the bodies of five
people after a boat in distress fell apart, sending 116 people
overboard including two infants. 263 migrants who had fled Libya
hoping to reach Europe on unseaworthy boats were rescued by Open
Arms over the last 24 hours from three different shipwrecks in the
Mediterranean. The rescue ship headed towards Italian territorial
waters.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, It was reported
that medical drugs have disappeared from shelves around Lebanon in a
shortage exacerbated by panic buying and hoarding.
   (SFC, 11/12/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, A new Mexican law
shifted responsibility for housing child migrants and their families
to the country’s family development agency and away from the
National Immigration Institute, which is responsible for immigration
enforcement and runs the detention centers.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Mongolia recorded
its first domestic coronavirus transmission following hundreds of
imported cases. A woman in Ulaanbaatar had been infected by her
husband, a truck driver delivering goods from Russia who tested
positive after 21 days in quarantine.
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, In Myanmar the
army-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) demanded
that the election commission "hold a new election again, cooperating
with the military."
   (Econ., 11/14/20, p.38)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, In Nepal total
coronavirus infections crossed 200,000, as health workers say the
Himalayan nation was facing a "catastrophic" situation. In the last
24 hours there were 2,569 new cases and 26 deaths. That takes the
Himalayan nation to a total of 202,329 cases and 1,174 deaths
overall.
   (Reuters, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, In the Philippines
Judge Maria Theresa Abadilla (44) was fatally shot in her office at
Manila’s city hall. Police named a court clerk as a suspect in the
shooting.
   (NY Times, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, In Poland dozens
of riot police and a photographer were injured in clashes with
participants in the annual Independence Day march in Warsaw that was
organized by far-right groups. The ruling right-wing party soon
blamed the violence, injuries and damage on hooligans and
provocateurs.
   (AP, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Election officials
in Puerto Rico said they found almost 200 boxes of uncounted votes,
dealing another black eye to the mistrusted government. Puerto Rico
doesn’t vote in the US presidential election. Officials acknowledged
that the votes could change the results of particularly narrow races
that had already been preliminarily certified.
   (NY Times, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, In Saudi Arabia
three people were wounded when an improvised explosive device
targeted a ceremony of French, American, British, Italian and Greek
officials commemorating the end of World War I at a cemetery in
Jiddah. The Islamic State group soon claimed responsibility.
   (AP, 11/11/20)(AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Slovakia's
government said it will extend its state of emergency powers for the
rest of the year to battle a surge in new coronavirus cases.
   (Reuters, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, President Cyril
Ramaphosa announced that South Africa has opened up international
travel to visitors from all countries. Cases of the disease were
slowly increasing in the country.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, In South Africa
armed men broke into a farm belonging to Mark Regal and his wife in
Free State province. Mrs. Regal returned fire and killed one of the
intruders. But Mr Regal (50) was overpowered and killed, the seventh
farmer to be murdered in the province in six weeks.
   (The Telegraph, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Sweden's
government said it planned to ban the sale of alcohol in bars,
restaurants and night clubs after 10 p.m. as it fights to contain a
surge in COVID-19 infections that has seen record numbers of new
cases registered in recent days.
   (Reuters, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, In Switzerland an
extremely rare, purple-pink diamond mined in Russia, which Sotheby's
described as "a true wonder of nature", sold for 24.4 million Swiss
francs ($26.6 million).
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, President Bashar
Assad said the Syrian government is working to secure the return of
millions of refugees who fled war in their country, but Western
sanctions are hindering the work of state institutions, complicating
those plans. His comments came at the opening session of a
Russia-organized two-day international conference in Damascus on the
return of refugees.
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, A Turkish fishing
boat capsized after colliding with a Greek-flagged tanker off
Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. Four people on board the boat were
killed while one other person was reported missing.
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's cabinet voted to impose a national
lockdown at weekends from Nov. 14-30 to strengthen steps to curb the
rapid spread of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, A report by the UN
atomic watchdog (IAEA) said Iran has installed a first cascade of
advanced centrifuges in the underground Natanz uranium enrichment
plant that its deal with major powers says can only be used for
first-generation IR-1 machines.
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Uzbekistan said it
will carry out a phase III trial of a coronavirus vaccine candidate
developed by China's Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical Co.
   (Reuters, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 11, Pope Francis
pledged to rid the Catholic Church of sexual abuse and offered
prayers to victims of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, a day
after the Vatican released a detailed report into the decades long
church cover-up of his sexual misconduct.
   (AP, 11/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, It was reported
that President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. has narrowly won Arizona,
capturing the state’s 11 electoral votes and strengthening his
Electoral College margin as President Trump continues to make
baseless attacks on the vote counts favoring Mr. Biden.
   (NY Times, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The US recorded
more than 160,000 new coronavirus cases, a record.
   (NY Times, 11/13/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, California to
date had 1,001,155 cases of coronavirus and 18,111 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 127,587 cases and 1,868 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 10,526,906 with the death toll at
242,621.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Julio Manuel Reyes
Zuniga (48), a California man imprisoned in Mexico, was extradited
from Mexico to the US. He had allegedly used smuggled cellphones
that duped dozens of American into paying ransoms to free family
members.
   (https://tinyurl.com/y3ovp97l)(SSFC, 11/15/20,
p.A11)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Tropical Storm Eta
made a second landfall in Florida, causing a dangerous storm surge.
Tens of thousands of people are without power.
   (NY Times, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, A new report from
the Louisville Courier-Journal alleged that corruption within the
department reportedly extends to at least 738,000 sexual abuse
complaints against officers.
   (TheGrio, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, An FBI fugitive
task force arrested Leonard Rayne Moses without incident at his home
in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Moses was 16 when he was convicted in the
1968 killing of Mary Amplo during civil unrest in Pittsburgh
following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Authorities
said Moses and his friends fire-bombed Amplo’s house. Badly burned,
Amplo (72) died a few months later. Moses had escaped from custody
while attending his grandmother’s 1971 funeral in Pittsburgh.
   (AP, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, In North Carolina
at least seven people died in flash floods, as the same weather
system driving Tropical Storm Eta dropped 10 inches of rain on some
parts of the state.
   (The Week, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Pennsylvania's
Commonwealth Court barred county election officials from counting
provisional ballots that were cast on Election Day by voters whose
absentee or mail-in ballots were received on time.
   (Reuters, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, AstraZeneca said
its blood cancer treatment, Calquence, failed to improve survival
rates and prevent lung failure in patients hospitalized with
symptoms of COVID-19, citing results from mid-stage trials. Its
other efforts to combat the pandemic - a possible vaccine developed
with Oxford University, and an experimental antibody-based COVID-19
treatment - were not affected.
   (Reuters, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, 48 environmental,
conservation and forest business leaders today announced an
agreement of principles on the important role of sustainably managed
forests and forest products can play in mitigating climate change.
   (Global Newswire, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The Elders, a
group of prominent former world leaders, voiced concern at US
President Donald Trump's refusal to concede electoral defeat, saying
it showed disrespect for the integrity of American democracy.
   (Reuters, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Austria's daily
tally of new coronavirus infections surpassed 9,000 for the first
time, with the government coming under growing pressure to introduce
tougher measures to bring the outbreak under control.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Bangladesh said it
is extending its closure of all schools and other educational
institutions until Dec. 19 amid fears of a second wave of
coronavirus infections during the winter.
   (Reuters, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, In Belarus Raman
Bandarenka (31), a military veteran and children's art teacher, died
at a Minsk hospital after several hours of surgery due to serious
injuries by police inside a van. The opposition alleged that he was
brutally beaten by police who dispersed a protest in Minsk.
Bandarenka’s death caused public outrage and fueled more
demonstrations. Roman Bondarenko had tried to stop thugs of
Alexander Lukashenko from taking down red and white ribbons, a
symbol of national resistance.
   (AP, 11/13/20)(AP, 2/19/21)(Econ., 12/5/20, p.16)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, In Belize John
Briceno was sworn in as prime minister.
   (SFC, 11/13/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The United Kingdom
reported 33,470 new cases of COVID-19, the highest daily total to
date, as the government struggles to control a second wave of
infections going into the winter.
   (Reuters, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Croatia reported
3,082 new cases of COVID-19, the highest daily number since the
global pandemic hit the country nine months ago. PM Andrej Plenkovic
said the overall rate of increase was slowing.
   (Reuters, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, It was reported
that Communist-run Cuba already has two of its own COVID-19 vaccines
in clinical trials.
   (Reuters, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The defense
ministers of Cyprus, Greece and Israel agreed to step up military
cooperation they said will keep their armed forces better prepared,
help create more jobs and bolster security in a fraught region.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, It was reported
that a potential vaccine candidate being developed in Denmark has in
early animal trials proven effective against a mutated novel
coronavirus strain from mink discovered in the country.
   (Reuters, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The European Union
unveiled its first strategy for improving the rights of lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, intersex and queer people,
amid deep concern about widespread discrimination, notably in
Poland.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The EU said it is
prolonging sanctions against dozens of Venezuelan officials for
another year over allegations that they are undermining democracy in
the country or are linked to rights abuses.
   (SFC, 11/13/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The international
force that monitors the Israeli-Egyptian peace agreement said that
eight peacekeepers, including six Americans, were killed when one of
its helicopters crashed during a routine mission on Tiran Island off
the southern coast of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. A ninth peacekeeper
was badly injured.
   (AP, 11/12/20)(The Week, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The government of
Finland said it was preparing legislation that would allow citizens
to change their personal identity codes in cases of gross data
breaches that carry a high risk of identity theft.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Germany reported
21,866 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 727,553 and
jumping back above 20,000 after four days below that figure.
   (Reuters, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Ghana's former
President Jerry John Rawlings (73) died in Accra after a short
illness. He led two coups, first in 1979, before twice being elected
president in multiparty polls.
   (BBC, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, India reported 47,
905 new cases of the coronavirus with a record 8,593 in New Delhi as
people crowd shopping areas ahead of the Diwali holiday.
   (SFC, 11/13/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Serum Institute of
India, the world's largest vaccine producer, said it has made 40
million doses of AstraZeneca's potential COVID-19 vaccine, and would
soon begin making Novavax's rival shot, as they both seek regulatory
approval.
   (Reuters, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Iran's state-run
new said the intelligence ministry has arrested Farajollah Cha’ab, a
leader of a separatist group allegedly involved in the killing of
dozens of people during a military parade in 2018.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Iran passed the
grim milestone of 40,000 coronavirus deaths, with the latest 10,000
added in less than a month. The health ministry announced 457 new
fatalities, along with 117,517 new infections, pushing the total
case count past 726,000.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The already small
number of female legislators in Jordan's parliament dropped even
further, while Islamist opposition parties also lost seats as
officials announced results from this week's parliamentary
elections.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, A wooden boat
carrying migrants bound for Europe capsized off the coast of Libya
and 20 of them drowned. Only three women could be rescued by local
fishermen.
   (AP, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, At least 74 people
died after a rubber raft carrying migrants capsized off the coast of
Libya. The rubber raft was crowded with at least 120 migrants.
   (NY Times, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, It was reported
that archaeologists using radar technology have discovered a
millennium-old ship burial in southeastern Norway, at a site that
they hope will offer clues about life during the period after the
fall of the Roman Empire through the end of the Viking Age.
Researchers made the discovery in April 2018 in Gjellestad.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Italy registered
37,978 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours. The health
ministry also reported 636 COVID-related deaths, the highest figure
since April 6.
   (Reuters, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Police in Peru
repressed mobilizations with tear gas and rubber bullets
against a congressional move to remove Pres. Martin Vizcarra from
office. 19 people, including officers and civilians, were injured at
a large protest. Two protesters were killed and 18 detained.
   (AP, 11/14/20)(Econ., 11/21/20, p.31)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, In the Philippines
Typhoon Vamco killed at least 42 people and caused extensive
flooding that sent people fleeing to their roofs.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The RIA news
agency reported that Russia's supreme court has ruled that US
investor Michael Calvey and other executives of private equity firm
Baring Vostok be released from house arrest.
   (Reuters, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Serbia amended
legislation meant to combat contagious diseases. authorities will
fine anyone not wearing a face mask indoors or who fails to maintain
social distancing indoors or outdoors.
   (Reuters, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Taiwan's
government said posts in support of Taiwan on the WHO's Facebook
page were being censored by the WHO and blocked. Taiwan's Foreign
Ministry said this ran contrary to the neutrality the WHO should be
upholding.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, Turkey's interior
minister banned smoking in public places across the country to curb
the spread of the coronavirus.
   (SFC, 11/13/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, The UN Security
Council voted to prevent the sale or shipment to Somalia of
components of improvised explosive devices if there is “significant
risk” they may be used to manufacture the often deadly devices that
are increasingly being used in attacks by al-Shabab extremists.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 12, A Zimbabwean
magistrate denied bail to investigative journalist Hopewell Chin'ono
who has been in detention for more than a week for alleging
corruption in the country’s prosecuting agency.
   (AP, 11/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, The 2020
presidential election's final states were called, with
President-elect Joe Biden winning Georgia, and President Trump
winning North Carolina. The results bring Biden's total Electoral
College win to a margin of 306-232, the exact number Trump won in
2016.
   (The Week, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, The United States
broke another daily record after reporting more than 181,000
coronavirus infections, bringing the seven-day average to 140,000
cases.
   (AP, 11/14/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, California to
date had 1,015,765 cases of coronavirus and 18,218 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 129,018 cases and 1,876 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 10,736,082 with the death toll at
244,304.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, In Connecticut an
apparent steam explosion in a maintenance building at a Veterans
Affairs hospital in West Haven killed a VA employee and a contractor
and left a third person missing.
   (AP, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, The Miami Marlins
announced Kim Ng has been hired as the team's general manager,
making her the first female Major League Baseball GM.
   (The Week, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, In Cocoa, Florida,
two Black teenagers, Angelo Crooms (16) and Sincere Pierce (18),
were fatally shot in a moving car during an encounter with law
enforcement.
   (NY Times, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, The Republican
National Committee said it is funding more than 600 staffers in
Georgia with an investment of at least $20 million ahead of the Jan.
5 runoffs for the seats held by GOP Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David
Perdue.
   (AP, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, North Dakota
became the 35th US state to require face coverings be worn in
public, as governors across the country grapple with a surge in
coronavirus infections that threatens to swamp their healthcare
systems. North Dakota has critically understaffed hospitals and the
highest per capita rates for new coronavirus cases and deaths in the
US. Gov. Doug Burgum put in place a mask mandate and new limits on
indoor dining.
   (Reuters, 11/14/20)(NY Times, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, The governors of
Oregon and New Mexico ordered near-lockdowns in the most aggressive
response yet to the latest wave of coronavirus infections shattering
records across the US, even as many of their counterparts in other
states show little appetite for reimposing the hard-line
restrictions of last spring.
   (AP, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, A federal court
judge for the second time in two years blocked drilling on more than
300,000 acres in Wyoming because the government failed to adequately
consider its impact on climate change.
   (Reuters, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Microsoft said
hacker groups backed by Russia and North Korea have targeted seven
companies in the US, Canada, France, India, and South Korea. It
blocked the "majority" of the attacks, but Microsoft acknowledged
that some were successful.
   (AP, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Argentina's Pres.
Alberto Fernandez issued a decree authorizing people to grow
marijuana at home and allowing pharmacies to sell cannabis-derived
oils, creams and other products. The decree also orders insurance
systems to cover such medications for patients who obtain a
prescription.
   (SFC, 11/14/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, In Belarus
thousands of people rallied following the death of a 31-year-old
opposition supporter who died in a hospital after he was reportedly
beaten by security forces. The European Union condemned the
continued violent crackdown that Belarusian authorities have waged
on peaceful protesters.
   (AP, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, It was reported
that Nigel Farage's new political party already has more than 3,000
applicants to stand as candidates in May's local elections, in a
move which will alarm Conservatives. Reform UK, renamed from the
Brexit Party, was setup 11 days ago.  Â
   (The Telegraph, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Britain reported
27,301 new COVID-19 cases, a slight fall from the previous day's
all-time high but the second-highest daily figure recorded.
   (Reuters, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Peter Sutcliffe
(74), the British serial killer known as the “Yorkshire Ripper,"
died at a hospital in Yorkshire. He was serving concurrent life
sentences for killing 13 women in Yorkshire and northwest England
between 1975 and 1980.
   (AP, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, China became one
of the last major countries to congratulate US President-elect Joe
Biden, who is expected to make few changes to US policy in conflicts
with Beijing over trade, technology and security.
   (AP, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, The Chinese city
of Wuhan said it had detected the novel coronavirus on the packaging
of a batch of Brazilian beef, as it ramped up testing of frozen
foods this week as part of a nationwide campaign. The beef had
entered the country at Qingdao port on Aug. 7 and it reached Wuhan
on Aug. 17, where it remained in a cold storage facility until
recently.
   (Reuters, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Forces in
Ethiopia's northern Tigray region fired rockets late today towards
the cities of Bahir Dar and Gondar, in Amhara state.
   (BBC, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, The German
government criticized an announcement by Russia's foreign minister
that Moscow is imposing sanctions against German and French
officials in response to EU measures taken over the poisoning of
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
   (AP, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, A Greek
agriculture ministry official said the new coronavirus has been
found in mink at two farms in northern Greece. A cull of the 2,500
mink at one farm was due to begin shortly.
   (Reuters, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Unknown gunmen
killed three Iranian border guards near the country's northwestern
border with Turkey.
   (AP, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, PM Benjamin
Netanyahu said Israel has signed a deal with Pfizer Inc to receive 8
million doses of the drugmaker's potential COVID-19 vaccine, enough
to cover close to half of Israel's population.
   (Reuters, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Italy registered a
record 40,902 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours. The
health ministry also reported 550 COVID-related deaths. 44,139
people have now died in Italy because of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Lebanon recorded
21 coronavirus deaths over 24 hours, making it one of the highest
daily death tolls for the country.
   (AP, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Montenegro
introduced a two-week overnight lockdown to rein in a major spike in
coronavirus infections.
   (Reuters, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, The Moroccan
military launched an operation in a UN-patrolled border zone in the
disputed Western Sahara to clear a key road it said had been
blockaded for weeks by supporters of the pro-independence Polisario
Front. Brahim Ghali, leader of the Polisario, had abandoned a
ceasefire and claimed a series of attacks around the 2,700 km sand
berm separating the two sides.
   (AP, 11/13/20)(Econ., 12/19/20, p.79)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Confirmed
coronavirus cases in Portugal pushed past the 200,000 mark as the
number of new daily infections reached a record high, putting
increasing pressure on an already fragile health system. Portugal
has recorded 204,664 cases and 3,250 deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Russia reported a
record 21,983 new coronavirus infections as Moscow prepared to close
restaurants and bars overnight in an effort to contain the COVID-19
pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, South Korea began
fining people who fail to wear masks in public as it reported 191
new coronavirus cases, with daily infections continuing to creep
higher. South Korea reported 205 new coronavirus cases as of
midnight. The total number of infections now stood at 28,338 with
492 deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Ukraine registered
a record 11,787 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours. new
cases TOOK the total confirmed infections to 512,652, with 9,317
deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 13, Zambia defaulted
on its debt. Zambia said it will not pay an overdue Eurobond coupon
before a 30-day grace period expires at the end of the day. Zambia
became the sixth government to default on its bonds this year.
   (https://tinyurl.com/y97bm7hf)(Econ., 11/14/20,
p.44)(Econ., 11/21/20, p.11)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, In Washington DC
several thousand supporters of President Donald Trump protested the
election results and marched to the Supreme Court. Nighttime clashes
with counterdemonstrators led to fistfights, at least one stabbing
and more than 20 arrests.
   (AP, 11/14/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, California to
date had 1,023,818 cases of coronavirus and 18,254 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 130,004 cases and 1,881 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 10,903,890 with the death toll at
245,598.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Gov. Michelle
Lujan Grisham of New Mexico announced the nation’s most sweeping
statewide measure of the fall season, issuing a two-week “stay at
home” order to begin on Nov 16.
   (NY Times, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, A federal judge in
New York ruled that Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary
Chad Wolf assumed his position unlawfully, a determination that
invalidated Wolf's suspension of the Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals program, which shields young people from deportation.
   (AP, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Gov. Doug Burgum
of North Dakota, which has critically understaffed hospitals and the
highest per capita rates for new coronavirus cases and deaths in the
US, put in place a mask mandate and new limits on indoor dining.
   (NY Times, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, In Azerbaijan
kilometers-long (miles-long) columns of cars and trucks jammed the
road to Armenia as residents fled Nagorno-Karabakh.
   (AP, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, The western
Chinese city of Lanzhou said it had detected the new coronavirus on
the packaging of a batch of shrimp imported from Saudi Arabia, as
China ramps up testing of frozen foods. The shrimp entered the
country on Oct. 21 and reached Lanzhou on Nov. 8. The WHO says the
risk of catching COVID-19 from frozen food is low.
   (AP, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Egyptian
antiquities officials announced the discovery of at least 100
ancient coffins, some with mummies inside, and around 40 gilded
statues in a vast Pharaonic necropolis south of Cairo. The
discovered items date back to the Ptolemaic dynasty that ruled Egypt
for some 300 years — from around 320 BC to about 30 BC, and the Late
Period (664-332 BC).
   (AP, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Egypt and Sudan
launched joint military exercises, in the latest sign of deepening
security ties between the Nile Valley neighbors.
   (AP, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, In Ethiopia gunmen
killed at least 34 people on a passenger bus in the western region
of Benishangul-Gumuz. Residents of Asmara, the capital of Eritrea's,
reported hearing loud explosions, amid reports of rockets landing
near the city's airport. No casualties were yet reported. Tigrayan
leader Debretsion Gebremichael has suggested that his forces have
been fighting 16 divisions of the Eritrean army on several fronts
for the past few days.
   (BBC, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, The IAEA verified
that Iran has begun feeding uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gas feedstock
into the advanced IR-2m uranium-enriching centrifuges installed at
its underground plant at Natanz.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, In Israel several
thousand protesters gathered outside PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s
official residence in Jerusalem late today in what has become a
weekly demonstration calling for the Israeli leader to resign.
   (AP, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Lebanese police
patrolled the streets of the capital Beirut, ordering shops to close
as the country began a two-week lockdown to limit the spread of the
coronavirus that has killed dozens of people over the past days in
the small Mediterranean country. Lebanon has registered 102,607
cases and 796 deaths since the first case was reported in late
February.
   (AP, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Mexico topped 1
million registered coronavirus cases and nearly 100,000
test-confirmed deaths, though officials agree the number is probably
much higher.
   (AP, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Poland reported a
record high 548 new coronavirus-related deaths, taking the country's
total above 10,000. The country of 38 million has reported a total
of 691,118 coronavirus cases and 10,045 deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, In northeastern
Romania a fire at a hospital treating COVID-19 patients killed 10
people and injured 10 others, seven of them critically, in the city
of Piatra Neamt. Prosecutors quickly opened a criminal
investigation.
   (AP, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Well-known
Christian millionaire preacher Shepherd Bushiri skipped bail in
South Africa and fled to Malawi, his home country. Bushiri is
accused of money laundering and fraud along with his wife and two
others.
   (BBC, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, In Thailand
numerous groups of pro-democracy protesters rallied in a "Mob Fest"
calling for PM Prayuth Chan-ocha to step down.
   (SSFC, 11/15/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 14, Istanbul's mayor
called for a lockdown of at least two weeks to contain an "out of
control" rise in coronavirus cases, and said virus-related deaths in
the city alone outstrip reported nationwide figures.
   (Reuters, 11/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, President Donald
Trump appeared to acknowledge for the first time that Joe Biden won
the White House, but made clear he would not concede and would keep
trying to overturn the election result. Trump's statements came in
tweets that included several baseless claims about the Nov. 3 vote,
which state and federal officials say was safe and secure.
   (AP, 11/15/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, California to
date had 1,028,462 cases of coronavirus and 18,262 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 130,925 cases and 1,883 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 11,032,095 with the death toll at
246,206.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Michigan and
Washington joined several other states in announcing renewed efforts
to combat the coronavirus as more than 11 million cases of COVID-19
have now been reported in the United States — with the most recent
million coming in less than a week.
   (AP, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Oklahoma's Gov.
Kevin Stitt issued an 11pm curfew for bars and restaurants across
the state, effective as of Nov. 18, in an attempt to help stem the
spread of COVID-19.
   (https://tinyurl.com/y3yg7eha)(SFC, 1/11/21,
p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Dustin Johnson, a
golfer with a history of blowing late leads in big tournaments, held
onto his lead this week and won his first Masters, by five strokes.
Dustin completed the Masters in fewer than 268 strokes, breaking the
1997 record of 270 held by Tiger Woods.
   (NY Times, 11/15/20)(Econ., 11/21/20, p.81)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, A SpaceX rocket
launched four astronauts into orbit for a six-month stay on the
International Space Station. NASA designated the launch as the first
operational flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft built and operated
by SpaceX, the rocket company started by Elon Musk.
   (NY Times, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, The Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed a China-backed Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
   (Reuters, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, It was reported
that Anis Rahmani (aka Mohamed Mokaddem), the head of a major
Algerian media group, has been jailed for five years. He was accused
of recording and broadcasting a phone conversation with a senior
intelligence officer without his consent.
   (BBC, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Azerbaijan
postponed taking control of a territory ceded by Armenian forces in
a cease-fire agreement, but denounced civilians leaving the area for
burning houses and committing what it called "ecological terror."
Azerbaijan agreed to delay the takeover until Nov 25 after a request
from Armenia.
   (The Telegraph, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, In Belarus more
than 500 people were reported arrested in protests around the
country calling for authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko to
step down. The Viasna human rights organization said the nationwide
arrest total was at least 928 and that some of those detained were
beaten by police.
   (AP, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Bosnians voted in
nationwide municipal elections amid concerns that the turnout will
be hurt by a major surge in coronavirus infections and deaths.
Opposition candidates won council seats and mayoral posts in
Bosnia’s biggest cities, dealing a painful blow to the
long-entrenched nationalists in nationwide municipal elections held
amid a major surge in coronavirus infections and deaths.
   (AP, 11/15/20)(AP, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Brazil held
municipal elections. Candidates backed by Pres. Bolsonaro nearly all
fared poorly. Big winners were the mainstream parties.
   (Econ., 11/28/20, p.30)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Bulgarian
journalist Maxim Minchev (67), who was at the helm of the Bulgarian
news agency BTA, passed away. In 2016, he was elected
secretary-general of the News Agencies World Congress and president
of the Association of Balkan News Agencies.
   (AP, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, A wealthy Chinese
pigeon racing fan put down a record price of 1.6 million euros ($1.9
million) for a Belgian-bred bird, at the end of a two-week auction
at the Pipa pigeon center.
   (AP, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, The Czech Republic
reported 1,887 new cases, its lowest daily tally since Oct. 4. The
total number of deaths has doubled to 6,208 since Oct. 29.
   (Reuters, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, In Hong Kong at
least seven people were killed and 11 injured in a fire at an
apartment building that may have started at a gathering of people
from the city's Nepalese community.
   (AP, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, The Israeli
military struck Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip early today after
militants fired two rockets from the Palestinian territory.
   (AP, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, A settlement
watchdog group said Israel is moving ahead with new construction of
hundreds of homes in a strategic east Jerusalem settlement that
threatens to cut off parts of the city claimed by Palestinians from
the West Bank.
   (AP, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Moldovans returned
to the polls for a presidential runoff, facing a stark choice
between President Igor Dodon, the staunchly pro-Russian incumbent,
and his popular challenger, former PM Maia Sandu, a pro-Western
former World Bank economist. Sandu won the presidential runoff vote
over 57% of the vote. 97% of the country's diaspora had plumped for
Sandu.
   (AP, 11/15/20)(AP, 11/16/20)(Econ., 11/21/20,
p.47)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Peru's interim
leader Manuel Merino quit and Congress couldn’t decide on his
replacement. That left Peru rudderless and in crisis less than a
week after legislators ignited a storm of protest by removing
President Martín Vizcarra, an anti-corruption crusader highly
popular among Peruvians.
   (AP, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 15, Sudan’s rebel
leaders returned to Khartoum, signaling the first major steps toward
implementing a peace agreement with the government that aims to end
the country’s decades-long civil war.
   (AP, 11/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, The Trump
administration announced that it would begin the formal process of
selling leases to oil companies in a last-minute push to achieve its
long-sought goal of allowing oil and gas drilling in the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.
   (NY Times, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, It was reported
that President Trump plans to make significant troop reductions in
Afghanistan and smaller cuts in Iraq before he leaves office in
January.
   (The Week, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, US President
Donald Trump's national security adviser, Robert O'Brien, said he
will ensure a professional transition to the team led by Democrat
Joe Biden if Biden is deemed the winner of the 2020 presidential
election and "obviously things look like that now."
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, The Dow Jones
Industrial Average and S&P 500 surged to close at record highs
after drug maker Moderna announced that its potential COVID-19
vaccine proved nearly 95 percent effective in late-stage trials.
   (The Week, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Some 88,500 claims
of sexual abuse have been filed against the Boy Scouts of America as
the deadline arrived for submitting claims in the organization's
bankruptcy case.
   (SFC, 11/17/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, The prestigious
University of California system filed a proposed $73 million
settlement with seven women who accused former gynecologist Dr.
James Heaps of sexual abuse. As part of the class-action lawsuit,
more than 6,600 patients of Dr. James Heaps could receive part of
the settlement. A federal judge must still approve the deal.
   (AP, 11/16/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, California to
date had 1,044,001 cases of coronavirus and 18,304 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 132,342 cases and 1,885 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 11,202,980 with the death toll at
247,202.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Georgia Secretary
of State Brad Raffensperger (R) said that Republicans, including
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), have been pushing him to question the
validity of absentee ballots that were legally cast.
   (The Week, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Peter Brand, a
former Harvard University fencing coach, and Jie "Jack" Zhao, the
chief executive of a telecommunications company, were arrested on
charges that they engaged in a bribery scheme aimed at securing the
admission of the businessman's two sons to the Ivy League school.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, New Jersey
Governor Phil Murphy announced stricter capacity restrictions for
both indoor and outdoor gatherings as more US states took steps to
combat the latest coronavirus surge.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Home Depot Inc
said it would buy HD Supply Holdings Inc in a deal valued at about
$8 billion, setting itself up to regain control over the industrial
materials wholesaler after spinning it off over a decade ago.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Inovio
Pharmaceuticals Inc said it has received US health regulator's
clearance to begin a mid-stage study of its COVID-19 vaccine
candidate. INO-4800 is administered through a device called
Cellectra, which sends out an electrical pulse to open pores in a
cell so DNA molecules can enter.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Johnson &
Johnson launched a new large-scale late-stage trial to test a
two-dose regimen of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine and evaluate
potential incremental benefits for the duration of protection with a
second dose.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Moderna Inc
delivered the latest good news from COVID-19 vaccine developers,
saying its experimental vaccine is 94.5% effective in preventing the
disease based on interim data from a late-stage trial. Moderna's
interim analysis was based on 95 infections among trial participants
who received either a placebo or the vaccine.
   (AP, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, SpaceX’s newly
launched capsule with four astronauts arrived at the International
Space Station, their new home until spring.
   (AP, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, South Australia
reported 14 new coronavirus cases, a rapid spike in the state's
first outbreak since April, prompting officials to impose social
distancing restrictions.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, In Belarus crowds
of retirees marched in Minsk, marking 100 days since mass protests
began and became an almost-daily feature of life in the country
after authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko won his sixth
term in a widely disputed election.
   (AP, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Amnesty
International said Belgian authorities “abandoned” thousands of
elderly people who died in nursing homes during the coronavirus
pandemic and did not seek hospital treatment for many who were
infected, violating their human rights. Belgium has reported more
than 531,000 confirmed virus cases and more than 14,400 deaths
linked to the coronavirus.
   (AP, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Germany ordered
around 16,100 turkeys to be slaughtered after the H5N8 bird flu was
found on another poultry farm.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Hungary and Poland
blocked the adoption of the EU 2021-2027 budget and recovery fund at
a meeting of ambassadors, over a clause making access to money
conditional on respect for the rule of law.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, New Delhi's top
health official said the latest surge of coronavirus infections in
the Indian capital, that has swamped its intensive care wards and
killed hundreds of people, has passed its peak.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Iran reported a
record 13,053 new coronavirus infections and 486 deaths over the
past 24 hours as the government planned tougher restrictions to curb
the pandemic in the Middle East's worst-affected country. The total
number of infected cases reached 775,121, while total fatalities had
increased to 41,979.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Iraq hanged 21
prisoners in Nasiriyah Central Prison. Among them were men with
suspected IS-links convicted under a 2005 counter-terrorism law.
They had been charged with detonating explosives in the northern
Iraqi town of Tal Afar during battles to dislodge the militant
group. Amnesty International soon called the executions “an
outrage".
   (AP, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Italy registered
27,354 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, down from
33,979 the day before, with the fall reflecting the usual drop in
the number of swabs conducted on Sundays. The ministry also reported
504 COVID 19-related deaths, down from 546 the previous day.
   (AP, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Libya's rival
sides wrapped up a week of UN-brokered talks without agreeing on a
transitional government that would lead the county to an election in
December next year.
   (AP, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, An Amsterdam
appeals court upheld the terror conviction of an Afghan
asylum-seeker who stabbed two American tourists, seriously injuring
them, at Amsterdam’s main railway station in 2018. Judges slightly
reduced the sentence of the attacker, who has been identified only
as Jawed S. (21), from nearly 27 years to 25 years based on
sentences in similar cases and on his young age.
   (AP, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Hurricane Iota,
the 13th of the Atlantic season, made landfall in northeastern
Nicaragua at 10:40 p.m. Eastern time as a Category 4 storm, with
wind speeds of up to about 155 miles per hour.
   (SFC, 11/16/20, p.A2)(NY Times, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Pakistan banned
public political rallies after recording its highest daily
coronavirus infections since July for four days running.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Peru's Congress
chose Francisco Sagasti (76), an engineer from the centrist Purple
Party, as the legislature's new president. By law the head of
Congress should become the country's new interim president.
   (SFC, 11/17/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, The Philippines'
health ministry recorded 1,738 new coronavirus infections and seven
additional deaths, the lowest daily increase in casualties in nearly
three months. Total confirmed cases increased to 409,574, while
deaths reached 7,839.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Pres. Vladimir
Putin approved the creation of Russia’s first naval base in the
Indian Ocean, expanding his country’s global military footprint and
cementing its defence ties with African nations. The facility in
Sudan, which will be able to accommodate up to four military vessels
and 300 personnel.
   (The Telegraph, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Russia reported a
record 22,778 new daily coronavirus cases as the authorities in
Moscow turned to a temporary hospital built inside an ice rink to
handle the influx of COVID-19 patients.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Russia resumed the
vaccination of new volunteers in its trial for its flagship COVID-19
Sputnik V vaccine after a short pause.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, The UN refugee
agency said Ethiopia’s growing conflict has resulted in more than
25,300 refugees fleeing the Tigray region into Sudan.
   (AP, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, The Swedish
government moved to cut the size of public gatherings sharply as it
sought to come to grips with a second wave of the pandemic that has
seen record daily numbers of new cases and growing pressure on
hospitals.
   (Reuters, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Syria’s longtime
Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem (79), a career diplomat who became
one of the country’s most prominent faces to the outside world
during the uprising against President Bashar Assad, died.
   (AP, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 16, Kurdish-led
authorities released 120 Syrian families from one of the largest
camps in northeastern Syria holding tens of thousands of women and
children, many of them linked to the Islamic State group.
   (AP, 11/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, US Attorney
General William Barr and Mexican Attorney General Alejandro Gertz
Manero said the US wanted to drop criminal charges against Gen.
Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda so that he "may be investigated and, if
appropriate, charged, under Mexican law". Cienfuegos had been
accused of helping one of Mexico's drug cartels "operate with
impunity" while using the Mexican military to hurt its rivals.
   (NBC News, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, A US interceptor
fired from the USS John Finn warship shot down a mock ICBM in the
middle of the Pacific Ocean for the first time.
   (Econ., 11/21/20, p.24)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, The Food and Drug
Administration authorized the first at-home coronavirus test. The
test, developed by the California-based company Lucira Health,
requires a prescription from a health care provider. People under
the age of 14 also cannot perform the test on themselves. But with a
relatively simple nasal swab, the test can return results in about
half an hour, and is projected by the company to cost $50 or less.
   (NY Times, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, "Black Panther"
actor Michael B. Jordan (33) was named People's magazine's 'sexiest
man alive', the third Black actor in a row to be given the annual
pop culture honor.
   (Reuters, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Drug stocks
largely outperformed, a day after Warren Buffett's conglomerate,
long underweight in the healthcare sector, revealed $5.7 billion of
new investments in Abbvie Inc, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Merck &
Co and Pfizer Inc, whose vaccine has demonstrated effectiveness in
late-stage studies against COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 11/17/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, California to
date had 1,048,394 cases of coronavirus and 18,317 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 133,697 cases and 1,892 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 11,342,495 with the death toll at
248,468.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Illinois Gov. J.B.
Pritzker join other governors of Great Lakes states — Democrats and
Republicans alike — in calling for help with testing, contact
tracing and hospital staffing, in addition to more money for
businesses, schools and the unemployed because of COVID-19.
   (AP, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Iowa Sen. Chuck
Grassley (87), the longest-serving Republican senator and third in
the line of presidential succession, said he has tested positive for
the coronavirus. Iowa surpassed 2,000 confirmed coronavirus cases.
   (AP, 11/18/20)(SFC, 11/18/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Amazon opened an
online pharmacy that allows customers to order medication or
prescription refills, and have them delivered to their front door.
   (SFC, 11/18/20, p.C2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Drugmaker Alkermes
said the US Food and Drug Administration declined to approve its
treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, citing concerns
related to a tablet coating process at its manufacturing site.
   (Reuters, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Mars, the company
behind M&M’s and Snickers, said it is acquiring the maker of
Kind bars, the snacks that celebrate their lack of artificial
flavors and preservatives.
   (NY Times, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Quest Diagnostics
Inc said the nationwide surge in coronavirus cases has led to a
slight increase in turnaround time for its COVID-19 testing.
   (Reuters, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Twitter launched
these ephemeral tweets, dubbed "fleets", after having tested the
feature in Brazil, Italy, India, and South Korea.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, The leaders of
Australia and Japan reached an agreement on a bilateral defense pact
that would allow their troops to work more closely.
   (SFC, 11/18/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, German police said
that they had three suspects in custody almost a year after what may
have been the biggest jewel heist in history. Two more people were
still being hunted in connection with the brazen theft of an
estimated $1 billion worth of treasure from the Green Vault of
Dresden Castle.
   (CBS News, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Authorities said
bird flu has been found on another chicken farm in Germany and a
program to slaughter up to 70,000 poultry is being prepared.
   (Reuters, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, German authorities
seized 10.2 metric tons (11.2 tons) of water pipe tobacco they say
was being smuggled into Berlin from the Mideast to avoid import
taxes. A 35-year-old accused of being the ringleader is an alleged
member of a known Berlin crime family.
   (AP, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, In Greece police
detained several people and fired tear gas during scuffles in Athens
as hundreds of protesters defied a ban on gatherings of more than
three people to mark the anniversary of the crushing of a 1973
student uprising against a military junta.
   (AP, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, In Iraq seven
rockets struck Baghdad, four of them exploding inside the heavily
fortified Green Zone, the seat of Iraq's government and home to the
US Embassy. The rockets killed a child and wounded five other
civilians. No one claimed responsibility for the attack.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Italy registered
32,191 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, up from
27,354 the day before. The health ministry also reported 731 COVID
19-related deaths, the highest daily toll since April 3.
   (Reuters, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, It was reported
that Kenya's government has ordered an investigation into the theft
and sale of babies following a BBC investigation into the black
market trade. Police soon arrested three senior medical officers for
allegedly running a child-trafficking syndicate following a BBC
investigation into the theft and sale of babies.
   (BBC, 11/17/20)(BBC, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Palestinian
officials said the PA would restore all cooperation with Israel,
including security coordination, and that meetings would be held in
the coming days to facilitate the tax transfers.
   (AP, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, In Somalia five
people were killed when a suicide buyer detonated an explosives belt
near the police academy in Mogadishu.
   (SFC, 11/18/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, South Korea said
it will impose stricter social distancing rules for the greater
Seoul area a month after easing them. Officials warned of an even
bigger crisis if anti-COVID-19 efforts fail to dampen a spike in new
cases.
   (Reuters, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, Turkey’s
parliament granted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government
permission to deploy peacekeepers to Azerbaijan to monitor a
cease-fire deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia that aims to end the
conflict in the region.
   (AP, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, The UN said that
thousands of people were fleeing northern Ethiopia's conflict-torn
Tigray region and the border area with Sudan now faced a full-blown
refugee emergency.
   (AFP, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 17, It was reported
that fierce fighting in southern Yemen between Emirati-backed
separatists and the country’s internationally recognized government
killed nearly 50 fighters this week on both sides.
   (AP, 11/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, A US federal judge
ordered the Trump administration to stop expelling immigrant
children who cross the southern border alone, halting a policy that
has resulted in thousands of rapid deportations of minors during the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The United States
hit Iran with new sanctions, as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made
the case that undoing the actions of the Trump administration would
be foolish and dangerous. The Treasury and State departments
announced they had targeted Iran's leading Mostazafan Foundation and
numerous of its affiliates for human rights violations. Also
targeted was Iran’s Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi, who it said
“played a central role in the Iranian regime’s human rights abuses
against Iranian citizens."
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, President Donald
Trump's campaign said it has paid $3 million for a recount of two
heavily Democratic Wisconsin counties, saying that they were the
sight of the “worst irregularities” although no evidence of
wrongdoing has been presented and state elections officials have
said there was none.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The US Senate
confirmed James Story of South Carolina as the new ambassador to
Venezuela. He will work from Colombia as Venezuela endures an
economic and political crisis.
   (SFC, 11/20/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The US Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) approved a plan to allow a growing
number of wireless devices to use part of a spectrum previously set
aside for automakers to develop methods for vehicles to communicate
with each other, a decision that the Transportation Department
warned could result in "thousands of accidents".
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, A US federal judge
granted the Justice Department's request to drop criminal charges
against Mexico's former defense secretary, Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos
Zepeda, who had been accused of helping one of Mexico's drug cartels
"operate with impunity" while using the Mexican military to hurt its
rivals.
   (NBC News, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The Federal
Aviation Administration cleared Boeing’s 737 Max to fly again. The
plane had been grounded for 20 months after two fatal crashes.
   (NY Times, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Charles Yu won the
National Book Award for fiction for his novel “Interior Chinatown.”
Les Payne and Tamara Payne won the nonfiction prize for their
Malcolm X biography, “The Dead Are Arising”.
   (NY Times, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, A Northern
California jury deliberated just 2½ hours before convicting serial
rapist Roy Waller (60), aka the NorCal Rapist, on all 46 charges,
bringing him to justice for a series of terrifying home attacks
between 1991 and 2006.
   (NBC News, 11/19/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, California to
date had 1,059,076 cases of coronavirus and 18,359 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 134,753 cases and 1,901 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 11,517,455 with the death toll at
250,426.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, It was reported
that Colorado investigators were searching for Andre Baroz (26), a
felon nicknamed "Psycho," in connection with the discovery of three
human bodies on two rural properties near the state's New Mexico
border. Baroz was arrested the next day at a motel in Gallup, NM.
   (Independent, 11/18/20)(SFC, 11/21/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Mayor Bill de
Blasio said New York City is shuttering schools to try to stop the
renewed spread of the coronavirus, in a painful about-face for one
of the first big US school systems to bring students back to
classrooms this fall.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The University of
Michigan said it will pay $9.25 million to eight women who reported
emotional or sexual abuse by Martin Philbert, a man who became the
school's chief academic officer. Philbert was fired in March, weeks
after being put on leave by President Mark Schlissel. He quit as a
faculty member in June.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Governor Tim Walz
of Minnesota ordered all restaurants, bars, fitness centers and
entertainment venues closed, and all youth sports canceled, for four
weeks.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Mayor Bill de
Blasio said New York City is shuttering schools to try to stop the
renewed spread of the coronavirus, in a painful about-face for one
of the first big US school systems to bring students back to
classrooms this fall.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, New York's
Department of Financial Services announced that the National Rifle
Association has agreed to a five-year ban on doing insurance
business in New York state and will pay a $2.5 million civil fine to
settle charges it offered insurance to members without a license and
concealed how it routinely kept some premiums for itself.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, A Utah Department
of Public Safety showed a metal monolith in the ground in a remote
area of red rock. It disappeared less than 10 days after it was
spotted by wildlife biologists performing a helicopter survey of
bighorn sheep.
   (AP, 11/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Former Army Green
Beret Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins (45) of Gainesville, Virginia,
pleaded guilty to a charge under the federal Espionage Act at a
hearing in US District Court in Alexandria. Debbins, a Minnesota
native, had a 15-year relationship with Russian intelligence, dating
back to 1996 when he was an ROTC student at the University of
Minnesota.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, It was reported
that Apple will pay $113 million to settle the latest case alleging
the trend-setting company duped consumers by deliberately slowing
down older iPhones to help extend the life of their batteries.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Johnson &
Johnson was ordered by a New York state judge to pay $120 million,
reduced from $325 million, in damages to a Brooklyn woman and her
husband, after she blamed her cancer on asbestos exposure from using
the company's baby powder.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, US drugmaker
Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech SE released final late-stage
trial data that showed their shot was 95% effective at stopping
COVID-19, the highest efficacy rate so far.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Group video chat
app Houseparty said that it has partnered with popular video game
"Fortnite" to let friends video chat while playing the game, as
people seek various sources of entertainment during the COVID-19
pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Australia’s
military said Australian troops unlawfully killed 39 civilians and
prisoners in Afghanistan over an 11-year period (2005-2016). It is a
rare public accounting of abuses in distant war zones. Commanders
had ordered junior soldiers to execute prisoners so they could
record their first “kill.” Adolescents, farmers and other
noncombatants were shot dead in circumstances clearly outside the
heat of battle.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, South Australia
declared a six-day lockdown to stamp out what the state premier
described as a highly contagious outbreak of the coronavirus disease
that officials linked to a returned traveler from Britain.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, In Bosnia several
hundred people rallied in a suburb of Sarajevo demanding that
authorities move migrants from the streets and into camps following
a fight and stabbing that killed a local man and wounded two others.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, RSA Insurance, one
of the UK's oldest insurance companies, agreed to a takeover by
Canadian and Danish buyers in a cash deal that values it at 7.2
billion pounds ($9.4 billion).
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Democratic
Republic of Congo announced the end of its 11th Ebola outbreak in
the Equateur province as health authorities looked to apply lessons
from the successful response to the fight against COVID-19 in
Africa.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)(SFC, 11/19/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The Czech
Republic, one of the worst-hit countries in Europe in the second
wave of the coronavirus pandemic, reported 5,515 new cases. The
health ministry also reported 66 new deaths, which including
revisions for previous days, took the total to 6,740. The country of
10.7 million has reported 475,284 cases of the novel coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, It was reported
that Ethiopia has issued arrest warrants for 76 army officers
accused of being linked to the Tigray People's Liberation Front
(TPLF). PM Abiy Ahmed said that his army is advancing on Tigray's
capital, Mekelle.
   (BBC, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, In Ethiopia Tigray
People's Liberation Front (TPLF) leader Debretsion Gebremichael said
his forces were inflicting "heavy defeats on all fronts against the
forces that came to attack us". He called on all Tigrayans including
children to mobilize and join the "struggle".
   (BBC, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The European
Commission recommended the use of rapid COVID-19 antigen tests
mostly on people already showing symptoms because it said the kits
were deemed less accurate in detecting the virus in asymptomatic
cases.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, In Germany several
thousand people banging saucepans and blowing whistles gathered in
central Berlin to protest against Angela Merkel's plans to give her
government powers to enforce restrictions aimed at curbing the
spread of the coronavirus. Police fired water cannons as the crowd
refused to war masks and maintain social distancing.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)(SFC, 11/19/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Hong Kong police
arrested three former opposition lawmakers for disrupting
legislative meetings several months ago.
   (SFC, 11/19/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Iraqi officials
said the Arar crossing to Saudi Arabia, the main border crossing for
trade between the two nations, has been reopened after three decades
of closure.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Israel said its
warplanes hit multiple targets in Syria overnight, including a
secret facility in Damascus. Syrian state media reported that the
airstrikes left three Syrian soldiers dead and a fourth wounded.
   (The Week, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Italy registered
34,283 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, up from
32,191 the day before. The health ministry also reported 753 COVID
19-related deaths, the highest daily tally since April 3.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Coronavirus
infections in Tokyo hit a record daily high of 493 cases, as local
media reported the Japanese capital was preparing to raise its alert
level for infections to the highest of four stages.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, In Malawi fugitive
Pastor Shepherd Bushiri and his wife surrendered to police after
South Africa issued a warrant of arrest against him for skipping
bail and fleeing home.
   (BBC, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Malaysia said it
has signed an agreement with China to cooperate on the development
of a safe and efficacious vaccine, as part of efforts to combat the
COVID-19 pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, In Nicaragua the
death toll from Hurricane Iota rose to 16 people.
   (SFC, 11/19/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, In Northern
Ireland police arrested a man (65) in connection with the Nov. 21,
1974, bombings of two pubs that killed 21 people and injured more
than 200 in Birmingham, England.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Poland reported a
record 603 new coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, but
a senior official expressed optimism over a fall in new infections
since restrictions were tightened.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Russia reported a
new record daily high of 456 coronavirus-related deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, It was reported
that the Rwandan diaspora faced pledging loyalty oaths to the
governing party, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).
   (BBC, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, South Korea
reported 313 new daily COVID-19 cases, the highest number since
August, as cluster infections continued to emerge from offices,
medical facilities and small gatherings, prompting authorities to
tighten social distancing rules.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, Sweden said it has
culled 3,200 turkeys after finding bird flu, effectively bringing to
a halt the country's poultry exports to markets outside the EU for
at least three months.
   (Reuters, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, In Uganda armed
men in a police truck with the registration number UP5564 drove down
Kampala Road firing live ammunition. In the space of a minute or so,
seven people were shot, at least four of them fatally. In 2021 the
BBC Africa Eye documentary "Three Killings in Kampala," released on
31 May, presented evidence that Ugandan security forces fired
indiscriminately at passers-by during the Nov., 2020, crackdown.
   (BBC, 6/3/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, The United Nations
humanitarian office said it is releasing $100 million in emergency
funding to seven countries at risk of famine in Africa and the
Middle East amid conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic. A statement
overnight said $80 million of the money will go to Afghanistan,
Burkina Faso, Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen. Another $20
million has been set aside for "anticipatory action to fight hunger
in Ethiopia.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 18, It was reported
that Zimbabwean authorities have closed a boarding school in the
west of the country after at least 100 students tested positive for
coronavirus. Zimbabwe has so far recorded 8,945 confirmed cases of
COVID-19, and 260 deaths.
   (AP, 11/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The United States
slapped sanctions on two companies it accused of being involved in
exporting forced labor from North Korea and warned countries still
using workers from the country to send them home.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Steven Mnuchin,
the US Treasury secretary, said he did not plan to extend several
emergency loan programs that are set to expire at the end of the
year. The Federal Reserve said it preferred that the programs
continue.
   (NY Times, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The US Justice
Department executed Orlando Cordia Hall late today for his role in
the 1994 kidnapping and killing of a 16-year-old girl, after the
Supreme Court cleared the way earlier in the night. His execution,
by lethal injection at the penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind., was
the eighth by the Trump administration since this summer.
   (NY Times, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The director of
the Census Bureau said that irregularities have been found during
the numbers-crunching phase of the 2020 census, a development that
jeopardizes the statistical agency’s ability to meet a year-end
deadline for handing in numbers used for divvying up congressional
seats.
   (AP, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, US District Judge
Randolph Moss in Washington blocked the federal Bureau of Prisons
from carrying out Lisa Montgomery’s execution before the end of the
year after her attorneys contracted the coronavirus visiting her in
prison. She was scheduled to be put to death on Dec. 8 at the
federal prison complex in Terre Haute, Indiana. Montgomery was
convicted of killing 23-year-old Bobbie Jo Stinnett in the northwest
Missouri town of Skidmore in December 2004, using a rope to strangle
Stinnett, who was eight months pregnant, and then using a kitchen
knife to cut the baby girl from the womb, authorities said.
   (AP, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Fashion designer
Mossimo Giannulli (57) reported to prison to begin serving his
5-month sentence for bribing his daughters' way into college. Hi
wife, Lori Loughlin, began serving her -2-month term last month.
   (SFC, 11/20/20, p.A5)
020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Omaha police killed
Kenneth Jones (35) late today while responding to a traffic stop.
People gathered outside police headquarters on the next two nights
to protest the killing.
   (AP, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, In Ohio Alexander
Sittenfeld (36), the front-runner to be Cincinnati’s next mayor, was
arrested at home this week by federal agents for allegedly accepting
$40,000 in bribes, casting his once-bright political future into
doubt and further tainting a city council beset by corruption
charges.
   (https://tinyurl.com/yxkfb5en)(NBC News,
11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, US grain trader
and processor Archer Daniels Midland Co and French biotech company
InnovaFeed announced plans to build the world's largest insect
protein plant in Decatur, Illinois.
   (AP, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The US Food and
Drug Administration approved the emergency use of Eli Lilly and Co's
arthritis drug, baricitinib, in combination with Gilead Sciences
Inc's remdesivir, to treat COVID-19 patients.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Tyson Foods Inc
said it suspended employees without pay and hired former US Attorney
General Eric Holder to conduct an investigation in response to a
wrongful death lawsuit that alleges managers at an Iowa pork plant
took bets on how many employees would catch COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The US National
Science Foundation announced that it will close the huge telescope
at the renowned Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico in a blow to
scientists worldwide who depend on it to search for planets,
asteroids and extraterrestrial life.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The Africa Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention said the 54-nation continent has
seen more than 48,000 deaths from COVID-19. Its infections and
deaths make up less than 4% of the global total. Africa has
surpassed 2 million confirmed coronavirus cases.
   (AP, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Asia-Pacific
(APEC) leaders called for open and multilateral trade to support a
global economy battered by the novel coronavirus, and some hoped for
more engagement with the United States under a Joe Biden
administration.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Belarus' nuclear
power plant, which went out of service a few days after it started
operating, resumed producing electricity at 40% capacity. Lithuanian
authorities have said construction of the Russian-built and
-financed plant was plagued by accidents, stolen materials and the
mistreatment of workers.
   (AP, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, In Brazil a Black
man died after being beaten by supermarket security guards in the
city of Porto Alegre on the eve of Black Consciousness Day
observations, sparking outrage after videos of the incident
circulated on social media. Carrefour soon released a statement
lamenting the “brutal death” of João Alberto Silveira Freitas, and
said it will end its contract with the security company, fire the
store manager who was on duty and close the Porto Alegre store out
of respect for the victim.
   (AP, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, The first 120,000
doses of CoronaVac, a COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac
Biotech that is being tested in Brazil, arrived at São Paulo's
international airport.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Douglas Stuart won
the Booker Prize for his autobiographical novel “Shuggie Bain,” the
story of the lonely gay son of an alcoholic mother in 1980s
Scotland.
   (NY Times, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Canada's Net-Zero
Emissions Accountability Act was introduced in Parliament. It will
formalize Canada’s target to achieve net-zero emissions by the year
2050, and establish a series of interim emissions reduction targets
at 5-year milestones toward that goal.
   (https://tinyurl.com/dzb9et7s)
2000Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Colombia's army
began Operation Berlin and continued to Jan 5, 2021. The army’s
target was the Arturo Ruíz mobile column of the FARC guerrilla
group. It was later reported that 78 rebels were killed during the
operation, 28 of them children.
   (AP, 6/26/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Egyptian security
forces arrested Gasser Abdel Razek, a veteran human rights advocate
and the EIPR executive director, from his home in Cairo. A day
earlier, Karim Ennarah, the head of the group's criminal justice
unit was arrested while on vacation in the Red Sea resort of Dahab
in South Sinai. Ennarah’s arrest came three days after security
forces in Cairo detained Mohamed Basheer, EIPR's administrative
director. All three were released on Dec. 3.
   (AP, 11/20/20)(AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, It was reported
that Ethiopia's army chief has accused the head of the World Health
Organization of procuring weapons for the Tigray People's Liberation
Front (TPLF), which is fighting federal troops. Dr Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus is Tigrayan and was health minister in a previous
Ethiopian government, which was led by the TPLF.
   (BBC, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, In Ethiopia an IRC
staff member was killed in Hitsats Refugee Camp in Shire, two days
before government troops took control of the town.
   (BBC, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, In Ethiopia high
school teacher Kitilaa Guddata (32) was taken by police officers
from his home in Sekela town in the Oromia region. His body, along
with those of two other people, was found a couple of days later.
   (BBC, 1/15/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Greece said it
will shut one border crossing with Albania and conduct rapid
COVID-19 tests on all visitors at its land borders, as cases in
northern Greece continue to rise unabated.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, India recorded
45,576 new cases of the coronavirus, taking total infections in the
country to 8.96 million. Deaths rose by 585, with the total now at
131,578.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, In
India-controlled Kashmir four suspected militants were killed and
two Indian police officers were wounded in a gunfight on the
outskirts of Jammu.
   (SFC, 11/20/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Iranian media
reported that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a
fatwa banning male surgeons from performing cosmetic procedures on
women.
   (The Telegraph, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Iran's death toll
from the new coronavirus outbreak rose to 43,418, with 476 deaths in
the past 24 hours. The total number of infections reached 815,117.
The health ministry said 13,223 new cases had been identified in the
last 24 hours.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Italy registered
36,176 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours. Italy has
seen 47,870 COVID-19 fatalities since its outbreak emerged in
February. It has also registered 1.309 million cases.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Tokyo raised its
coronavirus alert to the highest level as its daily tally of new
infections rose to a record 534 and its governor called for maximum
caution as the year-end party season approaches. Japan's nationwide
tally also hit a new high of 2,259.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Mexico passed the
100,000 mark in confirmed COVID-19 deaths, becoming only the fourth
country to do so amid concerns about the lingering physical and
psychological scars on survivors.
   (AP, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Poland reported a
new daily high of coronavirus-related deaths for the second day in a
row, as fatalities mounted despite stabilizing numbers of new
infections. The health ministry reported 23,975 new cases and 637
coronavirus-related deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Russia's COVID-19
case tally passed the 2 million mark as the number of daily deaths
and infections hit new highs.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Samoa's PM
Tuilaepa Sailele Maleilegaoi appealed for calm after her country
reported its first positive test for the coronavirus. A 2nd test
returned a negative result on a sailor who had flown in from New
Zealand.
   (SFC, 11/20/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Spain's health
ministry lowered a price cap on health masks used to curb COVID-19
contagion to 0.62 euros ($0.73) per mask to take into account a cut
in value-added tax announced this week.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, A trial's lead
investigator said Roche's Actemra, aka tocilizumab, helped the
sickest COVID-19 patients in a 303-patient study, bolstering what
has been mixed evidence that the arthritis drug can be repurposed to
help in the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 19, Uganda police said
the death toll from protests over the latest arrest of opposition
presidential hopeful and musician Bobi Wine has risen to 16, as a
second day of demonstrations continued in the country's worst unrest
in a decade.
   (AP, 11/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, President-elect
Joe Biden turned 78. He will enter office as the oldest president in
the nation’s history.
   (AP, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, The US Justice
Department announced that Jonathan Pollard, the former US Navy
analyst convicted of spying for Israel in the 1980s, had completed
his parole, freeing him to move to Israel. He was arrested in 1985
after trying unsuccessfully to gain asylum at the Israeli Embassy in
Washington and pleaded guilty.
   (AP, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, A US federal judge
ruled against Michael Pack, the head of the agency that runs the
Voice of America and other US-funded news outlets. He was accused of
trying to turn it into a propaganda vehicle to promote President
Donald Trump’s agenda.
   (AP, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, US Sec. of State
Mike Pompeo wrapped up a trip to Israel. He announced a new policy
allowing settlement products to be labeled "made in Israel" and a
new initiative to combat the Palestinian-led international boycott
movement.
   (SFC, 11/21/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, California
authorities said they have dismantled the senior leadership of the
white supremacist Aryan Brotherhood as part of a statewide takedown
of the notorious prison gang and its associates in the Fresnecks
street gang in Fresno County. Half of the suspects were arrested a
day earlier in California and others remained at large.
   (AP, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, US officials
arrested three Mexican nationals "suspected of trafficking huge
quantities of illicit drugs for the Sinaloa Cartel" into southern
California. The arrests included the seizure of $3.5 million in cash
and a significant haul of cocaine, fentanyl and large-caliber
ammunition.
   (CBS News, 11/25/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, California to
date had 1,085,719 cases of coronavirus and 18,586 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 137,529 cases and 1,919 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 11,895,876 with the death toll at
254,297.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, In south Florida a
divided federal appeals court (2-1) struck down laws that prohibited
therapists from offering so-called conversion therapy to children
struggling with their sexual orientation or gender identity.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Georgia Gov. Brian
Kemp (R) certified the state's presidential election results after a
hand recount was completed. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger
(R) did the same, meaning Georgia's 16 electoral votes will go to
President-elect Joe Biden.
   (The Week, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Michigan's Senate
Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R) and House Speaker Lee Chatfield
(R), the two state GOP lawmakers who met with President Trump at the
White House, issued a joint statement following the encounter that
they "have not yet been made aware of any information that would
change the outcome of the election in Michigan" and, therefore, they
will "follow the normal process regarding Michigan's electors".
   (The Week, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, A federal appeals
court ruled that Tennessee can begin outlawing abortions because of
a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, as well as prohibit the
procedure if it's based on the race or gender of the fetus.
   (AP, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Kyle Rittenhouse,
the teenager charged with fatally shooting two men and wounding a
third at a demonstration in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was released on a $2
million bond.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Asia Pacific
leaders put aside differences over trade to endorse their first
joint communique in three years, calling for free and predictable
trade to help support a global economy battered by the coronavirus
pandemic. Leaders of the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC), who included US President Donald Trump and China's President
Xi Jinping, also said they would not resort to protectionist trade
policies.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Azerbaijani forces
entered the war-ravaged ghost town of Aghdam, regaining a
once-beloved city over a quarter of a century after being driven out
by Armenian forces.
   (AP, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Brazil surpassed 6
million confirmed cases of the coronavirus, becoming the third
country in the world to pass that milestone after the United States
and India. Brazil recorded 38,397 additional confirmed cases of the
novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours and 552 deaths from COVID-19.
The official death toll has risen to 168,613.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, A British study
reported that people who've had COVID-19 are highly unlikely to
contract it again for at least six months after their first
infection.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, It was reported
that GHB, the club and party drug, is to be reclassified to increase
the penalties to up to five years in jail for possession after
British Government advisers uncovered a “concerning increase” in the
harm it causes. Reynhard Sinaga, the UK's most prolific rapist, was
jailed earlier this year for drugging and raping more than 40 men,
with his trials hearing that he laced his victims' drinks with drugs
like GBH to render them unconscious.
   (The Telegraph, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, It was reported
that Burundi is no longer welcoming the UN special envoy to the East
African nation, asserting that peace has been achieved after a
deadly political crisis. The office had opened in 2016 in the wake
of deadly political unrest around former President Pierre
Nkurunziza’s ultimately successful decision to pursue another term.
   (AP, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, In China nine
people were killed after a truck plowed into a funeral procession in
Huabin County, Henan province.
   (SFC, 11/21/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, In Ethiopia the
TPLF was accused of firing rockets into the city of Bahir Dar in the
neighboring Amhara region. The Amhara government said there were no
casualties and no damage caused. Aid agencies called for an
immediate temporary ceasefire to allow aid to reach civilians
affected by the fighting. Tigray's leader confirmed the losses of
two towns but said it was a temporary setback and vowed to defeat
the government.
   (BBC, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, It was reported
that Germany will make it compulsory for most listed and cooperative
companies to have at least one woman on their boards after
representatives of the ruling conservative and Social Democrat (SPD)
parties reached agreement on the long-sought measure.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Germany reported a
record number of new coronavirus cases, upping the pressure on
leaders of the country's 16 federal states to implement stricter
restrictions favored by Chancellor Angela Merkel to tame a second
wave before Christmas.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, German prosecutors
said there is evidence of "cannibalism" in the killing of a
44-year-old man whose remains were found on the northern edge of
Berlin earlier this month. A day earlier a 41-year-old high school
teacher was arrested on suspicion of murder with sexual motives at
his home close to the site where the victim's bones were found.
   (The Telegraph, 11/20/20)(Insider, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Hong Kong reported
a spike in daily coronavirus cases to 26, two days before an
arrangement with Singapore to allow a limited number of passengers
to fly both ways without having to go through quarantine kicks in.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, India crossed the
grim milestone of 9 million coronavirus cases, with 45,882 new
infections recorded in the last 24 hours. Deaths rose by 584, with
the total now at 132,162.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Italy registered
37,242 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours. The health
ministry also reported 699 COVID 19-related deaths. Italy has seen
48,569 COVID-19 fatalities since its outbreak emerged in February.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Japan's Kagawa
prefecture said it will cull 850,000 chickens at two poultry farms
after the country detected a bird flu outbreak earlier this month.
These will be the sixth and seventh cases of the avian flu in
western Kagawa prefecture and the biggest culling to be done at one
time since the country's first bird flu outbreak in more than two
years was found in the poultry this month.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Portugal's
parliament approved a 15-day extension of a state of emergency from
next week to allow continuation of coronavirus measures as the
government considers fresh steps.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Russia said it has
sent troops to reinforce its border guards in Armenia and secure a
peace settlement with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia
planned to deploy a 2,000 strong peacekeeping force for the next
5-10 years.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)(Econ., 11/14/20, p.48)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Russian
authorities reported 24,318 new coronavirus infections and 461
coronavirus-related deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the official
death toll to 35,311. Developers of Russia's second vaccine against
COVID-19 said mass production would begin in 2021.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, The leader of the
Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Irinej (90), who often criticized
Western policies toward Serbia and urged close relations with Slavic
ally Russia, died after testing positive for the coronavirus.
   (AP, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, It was reported
that Swiss-based Novartis aims to boost its respiratory treatment
portfolio with a $50 million deal for an off-the-shelf cell therapy
from Australia-based Mesoblast that it hopes to deploy for COVID-19
patients as well as others suffering from respiratory distress.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Turkey's daily
coronavirus death toll hit a record high 141, as the country
introduced new nationwide curbs amid a surge in cases in recent
weeks. Health Ministry data showed 435,273 total COVID-19 cases as
the overall death toll rose to 12,084.
   (Reuters, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Ugandan
presidential candidate Bobi Wine (38) was released on bail after
being charged with spreading coronavirus. Police said the death toll
from protests over the arrest of Bobi Wine has risen to 45.
   (AP, 11/20/20)(Econ., 11/28/20, p.41)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Ukraine reported
14,575 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours. Total cases
climbed to 598,085, with 10,598 deaths. Ukraine said it hoped to
receive 8 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in the first half of
next year.
   (AP, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, The United Nations
refugee agency said about 32,000 people have fled Ethiopia’s
embattled Tigray region into neighboring Sudan, and it is preparing
to take in up to 200,000 in the next six months if necessary.
   (AP, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 20, Jan Morris,
British author, journalist and transgender movement leader, died in
Wales. A procedure in 1972 permanently altered her body. Her books
included the best-selling memoir "Conundrum" (1974).
   (SSFC, 11/22/20, p.C7)(Econ., 11/28/20, p.82)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, The Food and Drug
Administration issued an emergency use authorization for Regeneron's
antibody cocktail, a treatment that was given to President Trump in
October after he tested positive for COVID-19. Regeneron has
received more than $500 million from the federal government to
develop and manufacture the treatments.
   (Bloomberg, 11/21/20)(SFC, 11/23/20, p.A9)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, California to
date had 1,098,195 cases of coronavirus and 18,670 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 138,699 cases and 1,927 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 12,051,253 with the death toll at
255,588.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, A SpaceX Falcon 9
rocket blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base carrying a
US-European satellite designed to extend a decades-long measurement
of global sea surface heights.
   (SSFC, 11/22/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, The Trump campaign
formally requested a recount in Georgia. The next recount is
expected to begin next week.
   (AP, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, In Nebraska two
employees were shot and killed in an attack at a fast food
restaurant. Two others were wounded and officers responding to a
report of a possible bomb inside a moving truck in the parking lot
arrived to find the vehicle on fire. Roberto Carlos Silva Jr. (23),
of Omaha, was booked into Sarpy County jail early the next day on
suspicion of first-degree murder and first-degree arson.
   (AP, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, US District Court
Judge Matthew Brann threw out yet another lawsuit filed by the Trump
campaign seeking to block the certification of the presidential
election results in Pennsylvania.
   (AP, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Election officials
in Wisconsin’s largest county accused observers for President Donald
Trump of seeking to obstruct a recount of the presidential results,
in some instances by objecting to every ballot tabulators pulled to
count.
   (AP, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Guitar Center Inc,
the largest US retailer of music instruments and equipment, filed
for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, as music lovers moved their shopping
online during the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, The G20 summit
began virtually, with Saudi Arabia serving as host. The two-day
meeting of the world's wealthiest nations focused on the coronavirus
pandemic and the economic crisis it has caused.
   (AP, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Al-Qaida’s North
African branch said it has appointed a new leader after confirming
the death of its former chief, who was killed in June by French
forces. Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) said that Yazid
Mubarak, also known as Abu Ubaida Yusuf al-Annabi, is the new
leader.
   (AP, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, In Afghanistan
nearly two dozen rockets hit Kabul's heavily fortified Green Zone,
where many embassies and international firms are based, reportedly
killing at least eight civilians and wounding at least 31 others.
   (AP, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Britain and Canada
struck a continuity trade deal to maintain the flow of goods and
services worth $27 billion between the two countries after Brexit,
and vowed to deepen ties with talks on a bespoke agreement next
year.
   (Reuters, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, In Burkina Faso an
American citizen was shot outside of the Baba Sy military camp on
the outskirts of Ouagadougou after trespassing and ignoring a
warning shot by soldiers to stop advancing. The man died from
gunshot wounds.
   (AP, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, President Xi
Jinping said that China is ready to step up global COVID-19 vaccine
cooperation, and called for better international coordination on
policies to facilitate movement of people.
   (Reuters, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Mainland China
reported 17 new COVID-19 cases, up from 16 the previous day. China
so far reported an accumulated total of 86,431 COVID-19 cases, with
the official death toll at 4,634.
   (Reuters, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, The Czech
Republic's recorded coronavirus fatalities reached 7,021.
   (Reuters, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, In France music
producer, Michel Zecler, was violently arrested in the 17th
arrondissement of Paris. videos showed officers repeatedly punching
him, using a truncheon and tear gas against him for no apparent
reason. Nine others who were recording music in the studio basement
were also beaten. The officers involved in the case were soon
suspended and charged with assault.
   (AP, 11/26/20)(SFC, 12/1/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Protesters in
Guatemala set fire to part of the Congress of the Republic of
Guatemala building, and participants in a student-led march set up a
guillotine outside. The demonstrators had taken to the street in
response to a controversial budget bill passed this week that will
make cuts to health care, education, human rights programs, and the
judiciary, while increasing lawmakers' stipends for meals and other
expenses.
   (NY Times, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Iran shuttered
businesses and curtailed travel between its major cities, including
the capital of Tehran, as it grapples with the worst outbreak of the
coronavirus in the Mideast region. Iran's total number of confirmed
cases has risen to above 840,000.
   (AP, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Italy registered
34,767 new coronavirus infections in the space of 24 hours. The
health ministry also reported 692 COVID-19-related deaths. Italy has
suffered 49,261 deaths from COVID-19 since its outbreak emerged in
February and has registered 1.38 million cases.
   (AP, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, It was reported
that police in Kenya are investigating an "online cartel" that
targets girls stuck at home because of coronavirus and lures them
under false pretenses to what officers describe as orgies.
   (BBC, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, In Lebanon 69
inmates broke out of a prison in Baabda, a suburb of Beirut, after
smashing their cell doors and attacking prison guards. Five of the
escaped inmates died when a car they stole while fleeing crashed
into a tree during an ensuing police chase.
   (AP, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Palestinian
militants in Gaza fired a rocket toward Israel late today, setting
off air-raid sirens in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon.
   (AP, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Sudan boycotted
talks between Nile Valley countries over Ethiopia's controversial
mega-dam, calling on the African Union to play a greater role in
pushing forward the negotiations that have stalled for years.
   (AP, 11/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 21, Turkey reported
its highest daily number of new coronavirus patients since the
outbreak started. 5,532 people had been diagnosed with COVID-19
symptoms in the previous 24 hours. The daily death toll from the
coronavirus was 135, bringing the cumulative total to 12,219.
   (Reuters, 11/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, President Donald
Trump railed against the Paris climate accord, telling world leaders
at a virtual summit that the agreement was designed to cripple the
US economy, not save the planet.
   (AP, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, The Trump
administration officially withdrew from the Open Skies treaty. The
decades-old, 34-nation pact was meant to reduce the chances of an
accidental war by letting the participating countries conduct
reconnaissance flights over allies' territory.
   (The Week, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Trump campaign
lawyers filed an appeal of a federal judge's decision to throw out
Trump's effort to block the certification of Pennsylvania's election
results.
   (The Week, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, The US Rhodes
Scholars for 2021 were elected virtually this year for the first
time as the coronavirus pandemic swept across the globe. Winners
included 22 students of color. Ten are Black, which ties the record
for the most Black students elected in a single year.
   (AP, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Taylor Swift was
named artist of the year at the American Music Awards and won two
other trophies in a ceremony held live in Los Angeles amid tight
coronavirus curbs.
   (Reuters, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, In San Jose, Ca.,
two people were fatally stabbed late today and others were wounded
at the Grace Baptist Church, which was being used as a homeless
shelter. A suspect was soon arrested.
   (AP, 11/23/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, California to
date had 1,105,022 cases of coronavirus and 18,709 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 139,279 cases and 1,927 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 12,210,237 with the death toll at
256,671.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Helen LaFrance
(101), a self-taught artist whose vibrant and intimate “memory
paintings” of scenes from her childhood in rural Kentucky brought
her renown late in life, died at a nursing home in Mayfield, Ky.
   (NY Times, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Pat Quinn (37), a
co-founder of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, died in Yonkers, NY. The
Ice Bucket Challenge raised more than $200 million for ALS research.
   (NY Times, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, G20 leaders vowed
to ensure affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines as they wrapped up
their annual summit.
   (AP, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, In Belarus
demonstrations that attracted thousands were the 16th consecutive
Sunday of large protests against President Alexander Lukashenko.
More than 140 people were reported arrested and many of them beaten
by police during the protests.
   (AP, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Burkina Faso held
president elections, although polls are closed in parts of the north
and east because of fears of jihadist violence. President Roch
Kaboré, who has governed Burkina Faso since 2015, is seeking a
second term.
   (BBC, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, It was reported
that Chinese authorities are testing millions of people, imposing
lockdowns and shutting down schools after multiple locally
transmitted coronavirus cases were discovered in three cities across
the country last week.
   (AP, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, An Ethiopian
military spokesman said that the government's troops are planning to
surround the Tigray region's rebel-held capital city, Mekelle, with
tanks and may shell the city to force surrender. PM Abiy Ahmed
announced a 72-hour deadline for the region's fighters to surrender.
   (Reuters, 11/22/20)(BBC, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, The French
agriculture ministry said mink infected with coronavirus have been
found at a farm in the Eure-et-Loire region of western France, and
1,000 mink at the farm will be culled.
   (Reuters, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, In Honduras
thousands of victims from hurricanes Eta and Iota have taken shelter
under highway overpasses or bridges as shelters became overcrowded.
In all, some 200 people died and 7 million were affected by the
storms, most of them in Honduras and Guatemala.
   (SFC, 11/23/20, p.A4)(Econ., 12/12/20, p.38)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Israeli aircraft
struck multiple sites in the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket
fired earlier from the Palestinian territory.
   (AP, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Israeli PM
Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly made an unprecedented clandestine
visit to Saudi Arabia late today, fuelling speculation that the Gulf
state might be the next to normalize relations with Tel Aviv.
   (AP, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Italy registered
28,337 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, down from
34,767 the day before. The health ministry also reported 562 COVID
19-related deaths, down from 692.
   (Reuters, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, Mexico's health
ministry reported 9,187 additional cases of the novel coronavirus,
only the third time it has recorded more than 9,000 new infections
in a single day.
   (Reuters, 11/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 22, In Taiwan
thousands of people marched in Taipei demanding the reversal of a
decision to allow US pork imports with residues of ractopamine, a
drug added to animal feed that promotes the growth of lean meat.
   (SFC, 11/23/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, More than 100
former Republican national security officials demanded that party
leaders denounce President Donald Trump's refusal to concede the
presidential election, calling it a dangerous and anti-democratic
assault on US institutions.
   (Reuters, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Emily Murphy, a
Trump appointee who runs the agency in charge of presidential
transitions, formally designated Joe Biden as the election’s
apparent winner. Murphy’s move provides Biden with federal funds for
his transition and authorizes Biden’s aides to begin working with
Trump administration officials.
   (NY Times, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Bruce Carver
Boynton (83), a civil rights pioneer from Alabama who inspired the
landmark “Freedom Rides" of 1961, died.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, California to
date had 1,130,311 cases of coronavirus and 18,777 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 140,928 cases and 1,929 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 12,417,009 with the death toll at
257,657.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Florida confirmed
6,331 additional cases of COVID-19. 94 virus-related deaths brought
the death toll to 18,085.
   (SFC, 11/25/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, US federal
prosecutors announced that more than 30 people were charged for
their participation in a test score-fixing scheme that happened over
seven years at a United States Coast Guard exam center in Louisiana.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, The 5th US Circuit
Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled that Louisiana and Texas can
cut off funding to Planned Parenthood clinics, reversing earlier
decisions.
   (SFC, 11/24/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, The Emmy Rose, an
82-foot Maine fishing boat, sank off of Massachusetts with four
people aboard.
   (SFC, 11/24/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, David Dinkins
(93), a barber’s son who became New York City’s first Black mayor,
died at his home on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
   (NY Times, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Oklahoma City
officers fatally shot Stavian Rodriguez (15) who had tried to rob a
convenience store at gunpoint. Rodriquez had dropped the weapon as
ordered by officers before the shooting, but appeared to be reaching
for perhaps another weapon when he was shot.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, In Oregon Robert
Keegan (47) confronted Aidan Ellison (19) in the parking lot of the
Stratford Inn in Ashland because of the volume of his music. Keegan
was soon charged with second-degree murder and first-degree
manslaughter.
   (Insider, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, The Seattle City
Council approved the city’s 2021 budget with reductions to the
police budget by about 18%. This was not as much as activists sought
amid mass demonstrations against police brutality over the summer.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, It was reported
that Wales-based DST Innovations plans to build a new facility in
West Virginia that is expected to create 1,000 new manufacturing and
technology jobs.
   (AP, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, A US judge voided
permits needed for a massive methanol plant on the Columbia River in
southwestern Washington, agreeing with conservation groups that the
project needs a more thorough environmental review.
   (AP, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, General Motors
dropped its support for a Trump administration lawsuit challenging
California’s stricter fuel economy rules. The company also signaled
that it would work with Biden to reduce climate-warming emissions
from cars and trucks.
   (NY Times, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, The top US
infectious disease medical association said that Gilead Sciences
Inc's antiviral drug remdesivir should be used for hospitalized
COVID-19 patients despite a World Health Organization (WHO)
recommendation last week against its use.
   (Reuters, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, It was reported
that Merck & Co Inc has agreed to acquire drugmaker OncoImmune
in a deal that will give it control of a drug that could help ease
symptoms and reduce deaths in patients with severe or critical cases
of COVID-19. Merck is paying $425 million for the private company,
in addition to extra payments for regulatory milestones and sales.
   (Reuters, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Small launch firm
Rocket Lab said it was able to safely recover from the ocean a
rocket it sent to space, a key test of the company's strategy to
slash rocket launch costs via reusability. California-based Rocket
Lab's 16th mission to space using its Electron rocket took off on
Nov. 19 from the company's New Zealand launch site, with its
four-storey-tall booster stage returning back to Earth under
parachutes for the first time instead of burning up in the
atmosphere.
   (Reuters, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Australian
scientists pushed to list the platypus as a vulnerable species after
a report showed the habitat of the semi-aquatic native mammal had
shrunk more than a fifth in the last 30 years.
   (Reuters, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, In Belarus over
2,000 retirees staged a protest in Minsk to demand the resignation
of the country's authoritarian leader who won his sixth terms in
office in a disputed election.
   (AP, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, British-Swedish
company AstraZeneca became the third major vaccine developer to
announce promising results, saying that its coronavirus vaccine is
70.4 percent effective on average. AstraZeneca’s vaccine is expected
to come with relatively simple storage requirements. AstraZeneca
said its COVID-19 vaccine could be as much as 90% effective, giving
the world's fight against the global pandemic a new weapon, cheaper
to make, easier to distribute and faster to scale-up than rivals.
   (NY Times, 11/23/20)(Reuters, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Alibaba Group CEO
Daniel Zhang said China's move to draft rules aimed at preventing
monopolistic behavior by internet platforms is "timely and
necessary".
   (Reuters, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Ntabo Ntaberi, a
former militia leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was
sentenced in Goma to life in prison for crimes against humanity,
including mass rape.
   (BBC, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, In Paris, France,
police officers were filmed tossing migrants out of tents while
evacuating a makeshift camp on the Place de la Republique.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, A speedboat that
appeared to have been smuggling migrants to the Greek island of
Rhodes from nearby Turkey partially sank before reaching land,
leaving one person dead.
   (AP, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Guatemala's
Congress backed down on a federal budget that slashed social
spending and drew angry protests.
   (SFC, 11/24/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Hong Kong reported
73 new coronavirus cases as the government warned the epidemic in
the densely populated city is rapidly worsening with silent
transmission chains feared amid a rise in asymptomatic infections.
Hong Kong has recorded 5,702 COVID-19 cases and 108 deaths since the
pandemic began.
   (Reuters, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, India said it
plans to put off the winter session of parliament due to the rising
number of coronavirus infections. India recorded 44,059 new cases of
the novel coronavirus, taking its total to 9.14 million.
   (Reuters, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Indonesia
surpassed more than half a million cases of the coronavirus, as
hospitals across the country's most populated province edged closer
towards capacity. Indonesia now has 502,110 infections and 16,002
deaths from COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Italy reported 630
COVID 19-related deaths, rising from 562 the day before and taking
the official toll since its outbreak began in February to 50,453.
   (AP, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, In northern
Lebanon a Syrian citizen allegedly shot dead a local man in a
personal dispute. After the killing, church bells tolled and some
residents went down to the streets demanding that all Syrian
citizens be evicted.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Libya’s rivals
began a second round of talks on a mechanism to choose a
transitional government that would lead the conflict-stricken
country to elections.
   (AP, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Mexico’s Roman
Catholic Church announced the cancellation of what’s considered the
world’s largest Catholic pilgrimage, for the Virgin of Guadalupe,
due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (AP, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, It was reported
that Roberto González Montes, the alleged leader of La Línea cartel,
was arrested as part of a multi-agency investigation in the killing
of a Mormon family in Mexico on November 4, 2019. He was arrested
alongside other suspected cartel figures Eulalio Domínguez Alanís
and Santiago Casavantes Radovich.
   (The Independent, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, In Poland police
detained several people, including a photo reporter, as women-led
protests over abortion rights flared up again in Warsaw and
elsewhere.
   (AP, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Russia reported a
record 25,173 new coronavirus infections as the Kremlin said it was
up to regional authorities to decide what measures needed to be
imposed in their regions to curb its spread. The country's
coronavirus task-force reported 361 coronavirus-related deaths in
the last 24 hours, taking the official death toll to 36,540.
   (AP, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, In Saudi Arabia a
cruise missile attack struck an oil facility in Jeddah. Houthi
rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility.
   (The Week, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, South Korea
reported another daily rise of more than 200 new coronavirus cases,
a day before tighter social distancing rules to blunt a third wave
of infections take effect.
   (Reuters, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, In northern Syria
clashes between Kurdish fighters and Turkey-backed opposition gunmen
left at least 11 fighters dead in some of the most intense fighting
in weeks. The clashes were reportedly triggered by an assault from
Turkey-backed gunmen on SDF positions.
   (AP, 11/24/20)(SFC, 11/25/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Turkey's daily
coronavirus death toll reached a record 153, as citizens adapted to
new nationwide curbs and weekend curfews following a rise in
infections in recent weeks.
   (Reuters, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, The United Nations
weather agency said a slowdown in industrial activity linked to the
coronavirus pandemic has cut emissions of pollutants and
heat-trapping greenhouse gases, but hasn't reduced their record
levels in the atmosphere.
   (AP, 11/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 23, Uganda police said
the death toll from last week’s protests over the arrest of
opposition presidential hopeful and musician Bobi Wine has risen to
45 with more than 800 people arrested. Police, soldiers and
plainclothes gunmen shot dead at least 54 people in the protests and
more than a thousand people were arrested.
   (AP, 11/24/20)(Econ., 1/2/21, p.33)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, According to court
papers filed the US government has agreed temporarily not to deport
detained immigrant women who have alleged being abused by a rural
Georgia gynecologist.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, The Dow Jones
Industrial Average breached the 30,000-mark for the first time, as
optimism that COVID-19 vaccines will open the way to economic
recovery next year fueled Wall Street's rebound from a
pandemic-driven crash this year.
   (Reuters, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Beyonce dominated
nominations for the 2021 Grammy Awards in a field that favored
alternative artists over mainstream musicians, topped by a stunning
snub for Canadian singer The Weeknd, who called the process
"corrupt".
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Fox News reached a
settlement with the parents of Seth Rich, a former Democratic
National Committee staff member who was killed in an apparent
botched robbery. The network had falsely cast Rich’s 2016 death as a
political conspiracy.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Purdue Pharma,
owned and operated by the Sackler family while it pushed the
painkilling opioid to addicts, formally admitted to the federal
charges as part of a plea agreement signed in October.
   (NY Daily News, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Local and federal
prosecutors said California's system for paying unemployment
benefits is so dysfunctional that the state approved more than $140
million for at least 20,000 prisoners.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, California to
date had 1,147,392 cases of coronavirus and 18,873 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 142,843 cases and 1,934 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 12,555,729 with the death toll at
259,477.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, It was reported
that Illinois state officials are investigating a coronavirus
outbreak at a veterans nursing home at the state-run LaSalle
Veterans Home that has infected nearly 200 residents and staff, and
killed 27 veterans.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Democrat Joe Biden
was certified as winner of the presidential election in
Pennsylvania, culminating three weeks of vote counting and a string
of failed legal challenges by President Donald Trump.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, In Tennessee a
12-year-old was behind the wheel of a stolen pickup truck traveling
on an interstate near Nashville when shots rang out early today. The
driver and a 14-year-old passenger were killed, and two other teens
were injured. Police said they believe a 16-year-old is responsible
for the shooting, striking the driver and the 14-year-old in the
backseat.
   (Charlotte Observer, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, The Montana ACLU
announced a settlement against the US Customs and Border Protection
agency for the detention in May, 2018, of two women for speaking
Spanish while shopping at a convenience store in Havre.
   (SFC, 11/25/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, In Afghanistan
roadside bombs killed at least 13 civilians and traffic policemen in
Bamiyan province. The Taliban said they were not involved.
   (SFC, 11/25/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Cambridge Univ.
launched an appeal to find two valuable notebooks written by Charles
Darwin that have been missing since 2000.
   (SFC, 11/25/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, At least eight
people died after a migrant boat carrying more than 30 people hit
rocks late today close to a small port on Lanzarote in the Canary
Islands.
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, China's Chang'e 5
mission to the moon began as the four modules of the spacecraft
blasted off atop a massive Long March-5Y rocket from the Wenchang
launch center on Hainan island. The mission’s main task is to drill
2 meters (about 7 feet) into the moon’s surface and scoop up about 2
kg (4.4 pounds) of rocks and other debris.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, In Denmark a
hacker attack against the country's biggest news agency called for a
ransom to release locked data. Ritzau's CEO rejected the ransom
demand.
   (SFC, 11/26/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, The EU, the US and
other donors pledged billions of dollars in new funding for
Afghanistan, hoping to salvage years of work aimed to foster peace
and stability in the country and coax along uncertain peace talks
between Taliban rebels and the Afghan government.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Italy reported 853
COVID 19-related deaths, soaring from 630 the day before and the
highest daily toll since March 28.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Mexico's health
ministry reported 10,794 additional cases of the novel coronavirus
and 813 more deaths in the country, bringing the official number of
cases to 1,060,152 and the death toll to 102,739.
   (Reuters, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Poland reported
some 10,139 new COVID-19 cases and 540 related deaths as the total
number of confirmed coronavirus infections passed 900,000.
   (Reuters, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Russia announced
that its coronavirus vaccine was 95 per cent effective on par with
two other leading vaccines - but the lack of full scientific data
has left some questions unanswered. Financial backers and developers
said Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine will cost under $20 per
person on international markets and Moscow aims to produce more than
a billion doses at home and abroad next year. Russian authorities
reported a record 491 deaths linked to COVID-19 as well as 24,326
new infections.
   (AP, 11/24/20)(Reuters, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, It was reported
that Russian authorities have carried out dozens of raids and
detained several people as they pursue a new criminal case accusing
the country's Jehovah's Witnesses of extremism.
   (CBS News, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, The acting head of
a big Russian state fur company floated the idea of vaccinating
minks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, after millions of infected
minks were destroyed in Denmark and cases of the disease were found
elsewhere.
   (Reuters, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, It was reported
that several policemen serving in the Russian drugs control
department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Surgut, Siberia,
have been arrested for allegedly selling a bad batch of a
psychotropic drug that has killed several of their clients.
   (The Daily Beast, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Scotland's
Parliament passed legislation making sanitary products free to all
girls and women. Scotland became the first country to make period
products freely available.
   (https://tinyurl.com/2nm2t9pc)(SFC, 11/26/20,
p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Singapore has all
but eradicated the virus after reporting 14 days without any new
local cases today, and saying it had snuffed out the last cluster of
infection at a worker dormitory.
   (Reuters, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, South Korean boy
band BTS snagged the first ever Grammy nomination for a K-pop band,
taking the worldwide sensation a step closer to winning the music
award.
   (Reuters, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, In Sudan a head-on
collision late today between a bus and a truck in West Kordofan
province killed at least nine people and injured more than three
dozen others.
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Swedish
pharmaceuticals maker Recipharm said it had agreed a preliminary
deal with Moderna Inc to fill and seal the packaging for the US
drugmaker's new COVID-19 vaccine.
   (Reuters, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Syria's military
said suspected Israeli warplanes struck locations south of the
capital Damascus late today, causing only material damage.
   (AP, 11/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 24, Taiwan's Pres.
Tsai Ing-wen inaugurated the production of domestically made
submarines.
   (SFC, 11/25/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, President Trump
pardoned Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser, who
twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations
with a Russian diplomat.
   (NY Times, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, The US Supreme
Court, in a 5 to 4 vote, barred restrictions on religious services
in New York that Gov. Andrew Cuomo had imposed. Justice Amy Coney
Barrett played a decisive role.
   (NY Times, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, It was reported
that the US will temporarily require visitors from Iran, Myanmar and
a number of African nations to pay up to $15,000 in visa bonds in a
new hardline immigration measure enacted late in Donald Trump's
presidency. The rule takes effect December 24 for a duration of six
months.
   (AFP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, The Army Corps of
Engineers denied a permit for the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska,
most likely killing the project. Opponents of the mine said it would
have irreversibly harmed salmon breeding grounds.
   (NY Times, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, The NASDAQ
composite index hit a record high gaining 57.62 points to close at
12,094.40.
   (SFC, 11/26/20, p.C2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, In Arizona
hundreds of inmates at Eyman prison in Florence were involved in
unrest that reportedly involved teargas and pepper spray being
deployed against them.
   (The Guardian, 11/27/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, California to
date had 1,154,031 cases of coronavirus and 18,919 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had    144,148 cases and 1,941 deaths.
Total cases nationwide reached over 12,759,949 with the death toll
at 262,080.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, A statewide order
by Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly requiring facemasks went into effect. 62
counties joined the rule and 43 opted out.
   (SFC, 11/28/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, It was reported
that the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska is creating the nation's
largest tribal national park (444 acres) on a forested bluff
overlooking the Missouri River and a historic site of its people.
The new Ioway Tribal National Park will overlook a historic trading
village where the Ioway people bartered for buffalo hides and
pipestones with other tribes during the 13th to 15th centuries.
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, James Wolfensohn
(86), two-term president of the World Bank, died at his home in
Manhattan. He had escaped a financially pinched Australian childhood
to become a top Wall Street deal maker.
   (NY Times, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Pennsylvania will
not allow bars and restaurants to sell alcohol after 5 p.m. today,
in an effort to dissuade gatherings on what is usually one of the
busiest bar nights of the year.
   (NY Times, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, In Texas police
shot and killed a man who fired on officers and set his trailer on
fire in San Antonio.
   (AP, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Tesla Inc issued
two recalls covering about 9,500 vehicles for roof trim that may
separate and bolts that may not have been properly tightened.
   (Reuters, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Diego Maradona
(60), the Argentine soccer star with other worldly footwork, died of
a heart attack in Tigre. He was ranked with Pelé among the best, and
his ability to surprise and startle won over fans and even critics.
   (NY Times, 11/25/20)(Econ., 12/5/20, p.86)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Azerbaijan's
President Ilham Aliyev vowed to rebuild and revive the Kalbajar
region, the latest territory that Armenian forces have ceded in a
truce that ended six weeks of intense fighting over
Nagorno-Karabakh.
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Britain unveiled
plans for more massive state spending despite soaring debt on
coronavirus fallout, including pay rises for nurses to support the
ravaged economy as the nation embarks on its post-Brexit future.
   (AFP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, AstraZeneca
acknowledged a key mistake in the vaccine dosage received by some
study participants, adding to questions about whether the vaccine’s
apparently spectacular efficacy will hold up under additional
testing.
   (NY Times, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, The Canadian
Museum announced the winners of its national Nature Inspiration
Awards for 2020. These annual awards, which began in 2014, recognize
individuals, groups and organizations whose leadership, innovation
and creativity connect Canadians with nature and the natural world.
   (Global Newswire, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Chinese President
Xi Jinping congratulated US President-elect Joe Biden and expressed
hope for “win-win cooperation” amid conflicts over trade, technology
and security that have plunged Sino-American relations to their
lowest level in decades.
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, China's top
diplomat told Japan's leader that Beijing wants the two Asian powers
to have good relations and cooperate in fighting the coronavirus and
reviving their pandemic-hit economies, but the two sides remained at
odds over an island dispute.
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, It was reported
that an inventor in Egypt is trialing a remote-control robot which
can test for COVID-19, take the temperature of patients, and warn
them if they don't wear masks at a private hospital north of Cairo.
   (Reuters, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Germany's Cabinet
approved legislation that would provide compensation to gay
servicepeople who experienced discrimination in the military before
a change of policy 20 years ago.
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Bertelsmann, the
German parent of Penguin Random House, outbid News Corp. with a $2.2
billion offer for Simon & Schuster, the fifth-biggest
english-language publisher.
   (Econ., 11/28/20, p.59)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Germany reported a
record 410 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours. The number of
confirmed coronavirus cases increased by 18,633 to 961,320. The
reported death toll rose by a record 410 to 14,771.
   (Reuters, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, India's ruling
Hindu BJP nationalist party approved legislation in Uttar Pradesh
state that lays out a prison term for anyone found guilty of using
marriage to force someone to change religion. The party describes
such marriages as "love jihad," an unproven conspiracy theory used
by its leaders and Hindu hard-line groups to accuse Muslim men of
converting Hindu women by marriage.
   (SFC, 11/26/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Indonesian
authorities arrested Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Edhy
Prabowo as he arrived in Jakarta following a working visit to the
US. He was suspected of taking bribes related to exports of lobster
larvae.
   (SFC, 11/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Iran released
Kylie Moore-Gilbert, the British-Australian academic who has been
detained in the country for over two years on espionage charges, in
exchange for three Iranian prisoners who were being held abroad.
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Israeli forces
shot and killed a Palestinian motorist who police say tried to carry
out a car-ramming attack at a West Bank checkpoint.
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Italy reported 722
COVID 19-related deaths, down from 853 the day before, and 25,853
new infections.
   (Reuters, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Poland reported a
new daily record of 674 coronavirus-related deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Poland said it
will cull over 900,000 hens in a farm in the village of Wroniawy due
to an outbreak of the H5N8 bird flu, which was discovered the
previous evening.
   (Reuters, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Thousands of
people in Russia's Far East region of Primorye remained without
heating or electricity, as local authorities and emergency services
wrestled with the consequences of an unprecedented ice storm that
hit the region last week.
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Russia reported a
record 507 coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours, taking its
national death toll to 37,538 since the pandemic began.
   (Reuters, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, A mine in the Red
Sea off Saudi Arabia's coast near Yemen exploded and damaged an oil
tanker near Shuqaiq.
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, A UN report said
Israel’s blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip has cost the seaside
territory as much as $16.7 billion in economic losses and sent
poverty and unemployment skyrocketing.
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 25, Pope Francis
called for global action to mark the International Day for the
Elimination of Violence against Women.
   (AP, 11/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, President Donald
Trump said he will "certainly" leave the White House if the
Electoral College, as expected, casts its votes for President-elect
Joe Biden on Dec. 14, formalizing his victory.
   (The Week, 11/27/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, California to
date had 1,161,749 cases of coronavirus and 18,980 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 144,439 cases and 1,943 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 12,795,581 with the death toll at
262,446.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, The annual Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York was confined to a single city
block, only a snippet of its traditional 2.5-mile route. There were
no high school bands, and about 130 balloon handlers instead of the
usual 2,000.
   (NY Times, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, "Henri’s
Armchair," a painting by famed Australian artist Brett Whiteley
(1939-1992) sold at auction for A$6.25 million ($4.6 million),
setting a new record in the country and underscoring the appeal of
art investments amid the uncertainties of the coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Britain defended
swingeing cuts planned to its overseas aid budget after an
outpouring of protests that it marks a life-threatening retreat on
the government's ambitions to play a global role after Brexit.
   (AP, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Britain's
100-year-old charity hero Captain Tom Moore and motor racing
champion Lewis Hamilton have topped GQ magazine's Men of the Year
Awards at a virtual ceremony broadcast via GQ's YouTube channel.
Moore (99) had walked 100 laps in his garden to raise £,1000 to
support health workers. He ended up raising £33 million.
   (Reuters, 11/26/20)(Econ., 2/6/21, p.46)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, AstraZeneca CEO
Pascal Soriot said the company is likely to run an additional global
trial to assess the efficacy of its COVID-19 vaccine, after
questions over the results from its late-stage study.
   (Reuters, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, President Roch
Marc Christian Kabore will serve another five years as Burkina
Faso’s president, according to provisional results announced by the
National Independent Electoral Commission. Kabore won with nearly
58% of the vote, beating 12 opponents.
   (AP, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, In the Canary
Islands Onalia Bueno, mayor of Mogán in Gran Canaria island, said
the government should remove 3,471 migrants, including unaccompanied
minors, from 10 hotels in her area by the year's end, when
hoteliers' contracts expire, and take them to government facilities,
including in the mainland.
   (AP, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Cuban officials
raided a house where activists and artist were staging a sit-in to
demand the release of rapper Dennis Solis, who had been sentenced to
prison for insulting a police officer.
   (SSFC, 11/29/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, The low-cost
carrier FlyDubai began regular flights to Tel Aviv, the latest sign
of the normalization deal taking hold between the United Arab
Emirates and Israel.
   (AP, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Ethiopian PM Abiy
Ahmed said he is launching the "final phase" of the army's operation
in the northern region of Tigray after weeks of fighting. The TPLF
party, which controls Mekelle, has vowed to keep fighting.
   (BBC, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, The European Space
Agency said it is signing a 86 million-euro ($102 million) contract
with ClearSpace SA, a Swiss start-up company, to bring a large piece
of orbital trash back to Earth.
   (AP, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, French Finance
Minister Bruno Le Maire said that France will again levy a special
tax on Big Tech companies like Amazon and Facebook despite the
threat of US retaliatory tariffs on French Champagne, cheese,
handbags and other goods.
   (AP, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Chancellor Angela
Merkel said Germans will face restrictions on public life for the
foreseeable future as the country tries to suppress the spread of
the coronavirus and prevent the health system becoming overburdened.
   (Reuters, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Greece said it
will extend its nationwide lockdown by a week until Dec. 7 as
COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the country.
   (Reuters, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Italy reported 822
COVID 19-related deaths, up from 722 the day before, and 29,003 new
infections, up from 25,853.
   (Reuters, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Rebels in
India-controled Kashmir killed two soldiers in an attack on the
outskirts of Srinagar.
   (SFC, 11/27/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Officials in Kenya
arrested 21 people accused of attempting to use fake "Covid-free
certificates" to travel from Kenya to the United Arab Emirates. This
came after the UAE issued a visa ban on Kenyans, allegedly after
visitors were found using forged certificates.
   (BBC, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, It was reported
that feminist activists and crime victims have settled in after
nearly three months of occupying the headquarters of Mexico's
National Human Rights Commission. The women said they took over the
building because the government has been slow to protect or support
women who have suffered abuse.
   (SFC, 11/26/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Russian President
Vladimir Putin inaugurated a pharmaceutical plant in Siberia that
will manufacture drugs to treat COVID-19. Russia reported a record
high of 25,487 new coronavirus infections and 524 deaths in the last
24 hours.
   (Reuters, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, In South Korea the
Seoul Central District Court found Cho Ju-bin (25) guilty of
violating laws to protect minors from sexual abuse and of making a
profit from producing and selling abusive footage. He had overseen a
group of 38 accomplices who befriended and then blackmailed at least
74 women into sharing explicit videos that were then posted in
pay-per-view internet chat rooms. Cho was sentenced to 40 years in
prison.
   (The Telegraph, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Sadiq al-Mahdi
(84), Sudan’s last democratically elected prime minister and leader
of the country's largest political party, died of COVID-19 in a
hospital in the UAE.
   (AP, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Thailand said it
has transferred three Iranians involved in a botched 2012 bomb plot
back to Tehran, as Iran released an Australian academic who was
imprisoned for more than two years on spying charges.
   (AP, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, A Turkish court
sentenced several military and civilian personnel at an air base to
life prison sentences, proclaiming them guilty of involvement in a
failed coup attempt in 2016.
   (AP, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, Ukraine said it is
seeking a $100 million loan from the World Bank to buy doses of a
COVID-19 vaccine, as the number of new infections in the country hit
a daily record high. Ukraine has registered 677,189 coronavirus
cases, with 11,717 deaths.
   (Reuters, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, United Nations
experts said police and border guards must combat racial profiling
and ensure that their use of "big data" collected via artificial
intelligence does not reinforce biases against minorities.
   (Reuters, 11/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 26, A Venezuelan judge
found six American executives guilty, sentencing them to lengthy
prison terms three years after they were arrested on corruption
charges. The defendants are all employees of the Houston-based
refining company Citgo.
   (The Week, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, The Trump campaign
suffered another legal defeat when the Third Circuit Court of
Appeals denied an attempt to challenge a lower court loss. The
original lawsuit, based on unfounded claims of voter fraud, sought
to stop or reverse the certification of Pennsylvania's vote.
   (The Week, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, The Trump
administration took a step toward rolling back protections for
migratory birds and reducing penalties for companies that
inadvertently kill them.
   (Reuters, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, The US Justice
dept. amended its execution protocols allowing the government to
conduct executions by lethal injectiuon or use any other manner
prescribed by the law of the state in which sentence was imposed.
   (SSFC, 11/29/20, p.A16)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, President-elect
Joe Biden picked up 257 votes in Wisconsin's Milwaukee County after
the Trump campaign demanded a recount there. President Trump also
picked up 125 votes, giving Biden a net gain of 132.
   (The Week, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, The S&P 500
and the Nasdaq Composite closed at record highs when Wall Street
shuttered early at the end of the holiday week, adding 0.2 percent
and 0.9 percent, respectively.
   (The Week, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Los Angeles County
announced a new stay-home order as coronavirus cases surged out of
control in the nation’s most populous county, banning most
gatherings but stopping short of a full shutdown on retail stores
and other non-essential businesses. The three-week “safer at home"
order takes effect Nov. 30.
   (AP, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, In California a
gunman shot and killed two teens at the Arden Fair Mall In
Sacramento in the midst of Black Friday sales. On Nov. 30 Damario
Beck (18) was held for the attack that killed Sa’Quan Reed-James
(17) and Dewayne James Jr. (19).
   (SSFC, 11/29/20, p.A12)(AP, 11/30/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, California to
date had 1,171,604 cases of coronavirus and 19,035 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 146,691 cases and 1,956 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 13,072,584 with the death toll at
264,764.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, In Connecticut
former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh (46) died of injuries from a house fire
in New London. Hsieh had sold his LinkExchange online advertising
network to Microsoft in 1998 for $265 million. Zappos began selling
shoe online in 1999. Hsieh invested in the company in 2000 and
became co-CEO.
   (SSFC, 11/29/20, p.A16)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, In Maryland the
bodies of Timothy Eugene Francis (50) and Christina Lynn Francis
(41) were found in their home. The veteran Washington D.C.
Metropolitan Police Department detective was reportedly shot to
death by his wife, who then killed herself. They had been married
for three years.
   (TheGrio, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, A "Make Amazon
Pay" campaign was launched on this annual Black Friday shopping
bonanza by a coalition of over 50 organizations, with demands
including improvements to working conditions and full tax
transparency.
   (Reuters, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Biogen Inc said it
will take a $650 million stake in Sage Therapeutics and pay $875
million in upfront payment as they jointly develop and sell
treatments for depression and other neurological disorders.
   (Reuters, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Belarus President
Alexander Lukashenko said that he would not remain in the post he
has held for more than 26 years if his country adopts a new
constitution. However, Lukashenko did not describe the amendments he
is seeking or give a timeline for when a new constitution might be
adopted.
   (AP, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, The World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said Belgium has confirmed an
outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N5 bird flu on a poultry farm. The
outbreak killed 600 birds and led to the destruction of the other
151,000 birds in the flock.
   (Reuters, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Britain's National
Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said North Korea authorized a
state-sponsored cyber gang to pose as headhunters in an attempt to
steal Britain's Covid-19 vaccine secrets.
   (The Telegraph, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Priti Patel,
Secretary of State for Britain's Home Department, hit back at
attempts by 82 black public figures to halt the deportation of up to
50 Jamaican criminals next week, saying she was "unapologetic" about
removing people who posed a risk to the public.
   (The Telegraph, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, British scientists
said anti-inflammatory colchicine will be tested as a possible
COVID-19 treatment in one of the world's biggest trials, the latest
effort to repurpose existing medicines to fight the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, In Canada officers
police in Ontario opened fire on a pickup truck. The officers were
responding to a domestic dispute involving a gun and the suspected
abduction of the one-year-old by his father. The boy was hit by a
bullet and pronounced dead at the scene. The father died of gunshot
wounds one week later.
   (The Guardian, 1/18/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, The Danish Mayfly
was selected by an international group of entomologists and others
as the Insect of the Year for 2021, but it won't have long to
celebrate its 15 minutes of fame. Ephemera danica, only has a few
days to fly, mate and lay new eggs.
   (AP, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Ethiopian PM Abiy
Ahmed again ruled out dialogue with the leaders of the defiant
Tigray region but said he was willing to speak to representatives
"operating legally” there during his meeting with three African
Union special envoys trying to end the deadly conflict between
federal troops and the region's forces.
   (AP, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, In Germany the
number of confirmed coronavirus cases increased by 22,806 to
1,006,394. The reported death toll rose by 426 to 15,586.
   (AP, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, In India thousands
of angry farmers protesting new agricultural laws were allowed to
enter New Delhi late today after they clashed with police who had
blocked them at the outskirts of the city.
   (SFC, 11/28/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, It was reported
that Indian pharmaceutical company Hetero will manufacture over 100
million doses of the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine per year
under the terms of a deal unveiled today between it and Russia's
RDIF sovereign wealth fund.
   (Reuters, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, In Indonesia
suspected militants killed four people in Lemban Tongoa village in
Central Sulawesi province.
   (SSFC, 11/29/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Iran said Mohsen
Fakhrizadeh, one of its most prominent nuclear scientists, was
assassinated in an attack on his car outside Tehran. Iran accused
arch foe Israel of being behind the attack.
   (AFP, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Iran announced
that all government offices will effectively close and operate with
only essential staff, further tightening coronavirus measures as the
country struggles to contain its most widespread wave of infection
yet. Iran again set a record for new virus cases in a single day
with 14,051 cases, bringing the total to 922,397. The death toll
reached 47,095, after 406 people died over the last 24 hours.
   (AP, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Thousands of
Iraqis, most of them not wearing protective masks, took to the
streets in Baghdad in a show of support for radical cleric Moqtada
al-Sadr ahead of elections next year, stirring fears of a spike in
coronavirus cases.
   (AP, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Mexico's Health
Ministry reported 12,081 additional cases of the novel coronavirus
and 631 more deaths in the country, bringing the official number of
infections to 1,090,675 and the death toll to 104,873.
   (Reuters, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, It was reported
that Norwegian officials are asking the public for helping cleaning
up and mapping “large amounts” of paraffin wax found at the entrance
to the Oslo Fjord, a narrow inlet south of Norway’s capital.
   (AP, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Russia said it
plans to vaccinate more than 400,000 military personnel against
COVID-19, as authorities reported a record 27,543 new coronavirus
cases.
   (Reuters, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, In Somalia a
suicide bombing at an ice cream shop in Mogadishu killed at least
seven people. The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group claimed
responsibility.
   (AP, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, South Korea’s spy
agency told lawmakers that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has
ordered at least two people executed, banned fishing at sea and
locked down the capital, Pyongyang, as part of frantic efforts to
guard against the coronavirus and its economic damage.
   (AP, 11/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 27, Turkey's daily
COVID-19 death toll hit a record high for a fifth consecutive day at
177. A new high of 29,845 coronavirus infections was recorded in the
last of 24 hours. The total number of deaths stood at 13,191.
   (Reuters, 11/27/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, California to
date had 1,185,632 cases of coronavirus and 19,035 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 148,953 cases and 1,962 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 13,155,569 with the death toll at
265,394.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Alonzo “Lon” T.
Adams II, the man who created the formula for Slim Jim beef jerky
sticks, died in Raleigh, North Carolina, from complications of
COVID-19.
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, The British
government appointed a vaccines minister as it prepares to inoculate
millions of people against the coronavirus, potentially starting
within days. Conservative lawmaker Nadhim Zahawi will oversee the
country’s biggest vaccine program in decades.
   (AP, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, A new Anglo-French
deal to prevent Channel migrant crossings was signed this evening,
as France agreed to double police beach patrols but continued to
resist taking back arrivals.
   (The Telegraph, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, David Prowse (85),
the English actor who played Darth Vader in the original Star Wars
films, died in London. The champion weightlifter-turned-actor
starred as the body, but not the voice, of one of cinema's
best-known villains.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Prowse)(Reuters, 11/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In Cambodia seven
people died and more than 130 were hospitalized after drinking
adulterated rice wine at a funeral ceremony.
   (SFC, 12/2/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Cuban artist and
intellectuals said that have won an unusual government vow of
greater tolerance for independent art.
   (SSFC, 11/29/20, p.A8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Ethiopian PM Abiy
Ahmed declared victory over Tigray's ruling party (TPLF).
   (Econ., 12/5/20, p.50)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In Ethiopia TPLF
leader Debretsion Gebremichael said that Mekelle was under "heavy
bombardment", and said that government forces had started an
operation to capture it. Ethiopia's army chief of staff said the
military has control of Mekele. In Aksum Eritrean soldiers went on a
rampage, shooting at unarmed civilian men and boys who were out on
the streets.
   (BBC, 11/28/20)(AP, 11/28/20)(BBC, 2/26/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, France partially
reopened following a month-long coronavirus lockdown.
   (Reuters, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Thousands of
critics of a proposed security law that would restrict sharing
images of police officers in France gathered across the country in
protest. Officers in Paris who were advised to behave responsibly
during the demonstrations fired tear gas to disperse rowdy
protesters in the largely peaceful crowd.
   (AP, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Greece announced
limits on how much private medical facilities can charge for
coronavirus tests. The caps would be 40 euros ($48) for PCR tests
and 10 euros ($12) for rapid tests.
   (SSFC, 11/29/20, p.A10)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In Hungary Szilard
Demeter, ministerial commissioner and head of the Petofi Literary
Museum in Budapest, wrote an opinion article comparing
American-Hungarian billionaire and philanthropist George Soros, a
staunch critic of Hungary’s government, to Adolf Hitler and the
Nazis.
   (AP, 11/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Iran's supreme
leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to retaliate, a day after the
dramatic assassination of the country's leading nuclear scientist in
a roadside attack and pledged to continue Iran's nuclear work. Pres.
Hassan Rouhani also said Iran will retaliate for the killing.
   (NBC News, 11/28/20)(Reuters, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Iran reduced
government offices to essential staff as total coronavirus
infections rose to more than 935,000.
   (SSFC, 11/29/20, p.A10)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In southern Iraq
supporters of a firebrand Iraqi cleric shot dead five people in
overnight clashes with anti-government protesters in Nasiriya.
   (AP, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, About 1,000
protesters gathered outside Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's official
residence in Jerusalem late today, pressing ahead with their
months-long campaign demanding his resignation.
   (AP, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In Japan daily
cases of the coronavirus reached a record of 2,680.
   (Econ., 12/5/20, p.43)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In Mexico the
bodies of French-Mexican restaurateur Baptiste Lormand (45) and
business partner Luis Orozco were found bound in an empty car park
south of Mexico City. The were reportedly murdered over a plot to
steal five bottles of expensive wine.
   (The Independent, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Montenegro’s
outgoing cabinet proclaimed the Serbian diplomat persona non grata,
citing his “long and continuous meddling in the internal affairs of
Montenegro.”
   (AP, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In Nigeria
attackers tied up agricultural laborers working in rice fields and
slit their throats near Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state. More
than 43 people were killed. About 15 women were kidnapped. The death
toll was later raised to 78 and Boko Haram claimed credit.
   (AP, 11/29/20)(Econ., 12/5/20, p.50)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Protesters marched
in Warsaw and other Polish cities against an attempt to restrict
abortion rights and the police violence that occurred in response to
other recent protests over reproductive rights.
   (AP, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Russia reported
more than 27,000 new coronavirus cases raising its total to more
than 2.2 million. Total deaths reached 38,676.
   (SSFC, 11/29/20, p.A10)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, The Sardinian town
of Bitti was partially buried by mudslides after torrential
rainfall. Two bodies were soon found and a 3rd was recovered the
next day.
   (AP, 11/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, In Ukraine the
total number of novel coronavirus cases climbed to 709,701 as it
registered a record daily tally of 16,294 new infections in the past
24 hours. 184 patients died of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, taking
the total number of deaths to 12,093.
   (Reuters, 11/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 28, Pope Francis
bestowed red hats on 11 of 13 new cardinals symbolizing they are now
so-called princes of the church. Two of the new cardinals couldn’t
make it to Rome because of pandemic travel complications. Francis
immediately warned them not to use their titles for corrupt,
personal gain, presiding over a ceremony marked from beginning to
end by the coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 11/28/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, California to
date had 1,207,881 cases of coronavirus and 19,149 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 150,379 cases and 1,962 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 13,383,320 with the death toll at
266,873.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Kurt Phelps, a
former New York-based Bank of America executive, was arrested and
charged with bank bribery and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Federal prosecutors said he received tens of thousands of dollars at
a time in cash bribes, in exchange for fraudulently helping a New
Jersey firm get a line of credit at the bank.
   (AP, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Police in the West
Texas community of San Angelo fatally shot Adam Lee Mendez (38)
early today after he approached officers with a knife during a
domestic violence call. Mendez was taken to a hospital, where he
died.
   (AP, 11/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, In Afghanistan at
least 34 people were killed in two separate suicide bombings that
targeted a military base and a provincial chief. In eastern Ghazni
province, 31 soldiers were killed and 24 others wounded when the
attacker drove a military humvee full of explosives onto an army
commando base before detonating the car bomb. Another suicide car
bomber targeted the convoy of a provincial council chief in Zabul
province, killing at least three people and wounding 21 others.
   (AP, 11/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Argentine
authorities searched the home and offices of Diego Maradona’s doctor
as part of an investigation into the soccer star’s death last week.
   (NY Times, 11/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, In Belarus over
180 people were reported detained during protests across the country
against authoritarian Pres. Alexander Lukashenko.
   (AP, 11/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Brazil completed
municipal elections. Pres. Jair Bolsonaro suffered big losses with
only five candidates he supported winning their races, none of them
in major cities.
   (SFC, 12/1/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, The British
government said H5N8 bird flu has been found at a turkey farm in
northern England. All 10,500 birds at the farm would be humanely
culled to limit the spread of the disease.
   (AP, 11/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, A Chinese factory
owned by South Korean semiconductor giant SK Hynix Inc halted
operations after a plant worker was found to have an asymptomatic
infection of the novel coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 11/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, It was reported
that El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have rounded up hundreds of
suspected street gang members as part of US-backed "Operation
Regional Shield." Arrest warrants had been issued for 1,152 suspects
of whom 572 were arrested in a week-long effort.
   (SSFC, 11/29/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, In India
protesting farmers rejected a government offer to hold talks if they
end their blockade of key highways. The farmers have been protesting
new agricultural laws they sau that could devastate crop prices.
   (SFC, 1/30/19, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Indonesia reported
its record daily rise in coronavirus infections with 6,267 cases,
bringing the total to 534,266. Total fatalities rose to 16,815 with
169 new coronavirus deaths.
   (AP, 11/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, In Sri Lanka
several inmates attempted to escape Mahara prison amid fears of the
spread of the disease, with guards shooting and killing one prisoner
and wounding several more.
   (The Telegraph, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, Sudanese security
forces seized a large cache of weapons and ammunition en route to
the Tigray region of Ethiopia.
   (Econ., 12/5/20, p.50)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, An air strike
reportedly killed an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander and
three others. Their vehicle was struck shortly after crossing into
Syria with a load of weapons from Iraq. Iran’s foreign ministry
spokesman on Dec. 1 denied knowledge of the strike.
   (The Telegraph, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, In Thailand
pro-democracy activists took to Bangkok's streets again, this time
to protest the army as they push forward with their campaign for
sweeping reforms, including to the nation's monarchy. The protesters
believe that the army undermines democracy in Thailand, and that
King Maha Vajiralongkorn wields too much power and influence in what
is supposed to be a democratic constitutional monarchy.
   (AP, 11/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 29, In Yemen artillery
fire killed at least 11 civilians, including four children, near the
strategic port city of Hodeida. Yemen's internationally recognized
government blamed the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels for the attack.
   (AP, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, In Alaska a
shooting spree north of Anchorage left four people dead. Malachi
Maxon (18), just out of jail for assault, was soon charged with
killing four members of his family, including two cousins ages 7 and
10.
   (AP, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Arizona and
Wisconsin certified their presidential election results in favor of
Joe Biden, even as President Donald Trump's legal team continued to
dispute the results.
   (AP, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Phoenix police
shot and killed ex-NFL player Ekom Udofia. Video footage showed
officers deploying stun bags, pepper balls and a dog on Udofia after
responding to a call that a man was acting erratically near traffic.
   (TheGrio, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, In northeastern
Arkansas two people were killed when a small airplane crashed in the
town of Franklin.
   (AP, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, San Francisco's
Public Utilities Commission chief Harlan Kelly resigned after
federal prosecutors charged him with accepting bribes in exchange
for insider information on city contracts. Kelly is married to Naomi
Kelly, who oversees more than two dozen city departments.
   (SFC, 12/1/20, p.A1)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, California to
date had 1,211,705 cases of coronavirus and 19,160 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 152,899 cases and 1,963 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 13,529,961 with the death toll at
267,969.  Â
   (sfist.com, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, In Maryland public
schools in Baltimore County were closed following a cyber attact
that forced the district to cancel remote classes for its 115,000
students.
   (SFC, 12/1/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, North Carolina man
Timothy Dalton Vaughn (22), a member of the “Apophis Squad” hacker
collective and involved in threats to dozens of school districts and
other crimes, was sentenced to nearly eight years in prison.
   (NBC News, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Amgen Inc, UCB SA
and Takeda Pharmaceuticals Inc launched a global trial to identify
whether any of three different drugs can reduce the severity of
COVID-19 in hospitalized patients by moderating the immune system's
response to the disease.
   (Reuters, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Exxon Mobil Corp
said it would write down the value of natural gas properties by $17
billion to $20 billion, its biggest ever impairment, and slash
project spending next year to its lowest level in 15 years.
   (Reuters, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Moderna Inc
applied for US and European emergency authorization for its COVID-19
vaccine after full results from a late-stage study showed it was
94.1% effective with no serious safety concerns.
   (Reuters, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Tesla Inc shares
jumped 4% in extended trade after S&P Dow Jones Indices said it
would add one of Wall Street's most valuable companies to the
S&P 500 index all at once on Dec. 21.
   (Reuters, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Bitcoin hit a
record high of $19,864, breaking its prior record set in Dec. 2017
as its 2020 rally powered on.
   (Reuters, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Researchers from
DeepMind presented results suggested that they have made enormous
progress on using a computer to predict a protein's shape just from
a list of its amino acids. Dennis Hassabis founded DeepMind, a
British artificial-intelligence firm in 2010. In 2014 it was
acquired by Alphabet, the parent company of Google.
   (Econ., 12/5/20, p.75)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Algeria's energy
minister said OPEC members have reached a consensus on the need to
extend existing oil production cuts for three months from January
and will work on convincing their allies in the wider OPEC+ group to
support such a move.
   (Reuters, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, In southern Brazil
some 30 bank robbers armed with “bazookas” took over the city of
Criciúma, Santa Catarina state, late today setting cars on fire,
starting gun fights with police and eventually leaving money strewn
across the streets to encourage residents to run into the road –
enabling their getaway.
   (The Independent, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, A large-scale
study of more than 100,000 volunteers showed that COVID-19
infections have fallen by 30% during England's month-long national
lockdown and the virus is now in retreat.
   (Reuters, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Cambodian PM Hun
Sen banned wedding parties and gatherings of more than 20 people, as
authorities moved quickly to try to thwart a coronavirus outbreak
after announcing rare cases of community transmission. Cambodia has
just 323 cases so far and no deaths reported.
   (AP, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, In Ethiopia
Debretsion Gebremichael, who leads the Tigray People's Liberation
Front (TPLF), said they are still fighting near the city of Mekelle,
which was seized by government troops at the weekend. He called on
PM Abiy Ahmed to “stop the madness” and withdraw troops from the
region and also said his fighters have retaken another key city.
   (BBC, 11/30/20)(AP, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Healthcare
companies Sanofi and Regeneron said that their Dupixent product has
won approval from the European Commission to treat children aged
6-11 suffering from severe atopic dermatitis, often known as eczema.
   (Reuters, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Iran’s defence
minister vowed to double spending on the nuclear research
organization once headed by Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, during a fiery
speech at the funeral for the assassinated scientist described as
Iran’s nuclear weapons guru.
   (The Telegraph, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, In Iran Emad
Shargi (56), an Iranian American, was summoned to a Tehran court and
told that he had been convicted of espionage without a trial and
sentenced to 10 years.
   (AP, 1/17/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Italy reported 672
coronavirus-related deaths, against 541 a day earlier, and 16,377
new infections, down from 20,648.
   (Reuters, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, In northern Mali
the cities of Kidal, Gao and Menaka were hit by simultaneous attacks
against military camps housing international forces.
   (AP, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Pakistani
opposition supporters rallied in Multan, calling on PM Imran Khan to
resign over alleged bad governance and incompetence. Police earlier
in the day acknowledged arresting over 370 people, while opposition
groups put the number at more than 1,800.
   (AP, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, It was reported
that thousands of volunteers in Pakistan are being recruited to
trial a vaccine from Chinese manufacturer CanSinoBio in return for
sharing the finished drugs when they are available.
   (The Telegraph, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Russian
authorities confirmed 26,338 new coronavirus cases taking the
national total to 2,295,654 since the pandemic began. They also
reported 368 deaths in the last 24 hours, pushing the official death
toll to 39,895. Russia delivered the first known batch of Sputnik V
vaccines for civilian use to a hospital just south of Moscow and
began vaccinating the local population last week.
   (Reuters, 11/30/20)  Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, It was reported
that Spanish authorities have dismantled a makeshift camp for
migrant processing that for over three months was known as the “dock
of shame” for holding thousands of Africans in squalor after they
arrived in the Canary Islands.
   (AP, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Sri Lankan special
forces surrounded a prison in Colombo as eight prisoners died and
the facility was set alight in rioting over an outbreak of
coronavirus.
   (The Telegraph, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, In Switzerland
delegations from Syria’s government, opposition and civil society
began meeting in Geneva for the latest round of talks toward
revising the war-battered country’s constitution.
   (AP, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Taiwan said it
will restrict the number of Indonesian workers coming to the island
from this week, following a spike in the number of coronavirus
infections among migrant workers arriving from the southeast Asian
country.
   (Reuters, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, President Tayyip
Erdogan said Turkey will impose curfews on weekdays and full
lockdowns over weekends to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov 30, Vietnam confirmed
its first locally transmitted case of the coronavirus in nearly
three months, after the infection of a man related to a flight
attendant who had tested positive after returning from Japan two
weeks ago.
   (Reuters, 11/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov, A new variant of the
coronavirus, B.1.526, appeared in New York City and began spreading
rapidly. By mid-February it accounted for about one in four viral
sequences.
   (SFC, 2/26/21, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov, British mobile phone
operator Vodafone said it would use a technology called Openran to
replace some gear made by Hauwei, a Chinese firm whose products are
considered to much of a security risk to be used in the new 5G
mobile networks.
   (Econ., 11/7/20, p.16)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Nov, In Ethiopia some 800
people were believed killed at the Church of St. Mary of Zion and
around the city of Axum late this month.
   (SFC, 2/19/21, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, The Trump campaign
said it filed a petition challenging Wisconsin's results in the 2020
presidential election with the state's Supreme Court.
   (Reuters, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, US Court documents
released today indicated that the Justice Department is
investigating a bribery scheme that directed money to the White
House or used political contributions in exchange for a presidential
pardon. Pres. Donald Trump wrote late today that the “Pardon
Investigation is Fake News”, hours after federal court documents
revealed his own Justice Department was investigating a possible
scheme to lobby White House officials for presidential pardons.
   (CBS News, 12/2/20)(The Independent, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Attorney General
William Barr said the Justice Department had not uncovered any
evidence of voter fraud that could have changed the outcome of the
presidential race, contradicting President Trump’s false assertions.
   (NY Times, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, A US federal judge
blocked a Trump administarion's planned restrictions on H-1B visas
for skilled workers from foreign countries.
   (SFC, 12/2/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, The US State
Department accused China of "flagrant violation" of its obligation
to enforce international sanctions on North Korea and said
Washington would offer rewards of up to $5 million for information
about sanctions evasions.
   (Reuters, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, A US analyst
claimed that China has provided North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and
his family with an experimental coronavirus vaccine.
   (The Telegraph, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Former Arizona
politician Paul Petersen, who admitted running an illegal adoption
scheme in three states involving women from the Marshall Islands,
was sentenced in Arkansas to six years in federal prison. It was the
first of three punishments he’ll face for arranging adoptions
prohibited by an international compact.
   (AP, 12/1/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, California to date
had 1,233,439 cases of coronavirus and 19,228 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 154,443 cases and 1,971 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 13,706,356 with the death toll at
270,450.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Norman Abramson,
pioneering electrical engineer, died at his home in San Francisco.
During the late 1960s he spearheaded the development of AlohaNet, a
broadcast network technology that is widely credited as being the
foundation for wireless communication systems like cell phones and
Wi-Fi.
   (SSFC, 12/13/20, p.C14)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Authorities said
the Roman Catholic Church has paid out $7.3 million to more than 70
people sexually abused during their youth by priests in Colorado
parishes, settling claims dating back over two decades.
   (Reuters, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, In Louisiana an FBI
agent was wounded, Ohio homicide suspect James Hawley (47) was
killed and the woman he was accused of abducting was found safe
following a shooting at a hotel In Pineville.
   (SFC, 12/3/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Massachusetts
lawmakers approved a major police reform bill in the wake of
protests over George Floyd's death in Minneapolis that creates a new
system for officer accountability, restricts no-knock warrants and
bans chokeholds.
   (Reuters, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Salesforce said it
plans to buy Slack, the maker of popular workplace chat software,
for $27.7 billion. It’s part of a run of acquisitions by tech
companies hoping to capitalize on the shift to remote work.
   (NY Times, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, It was reported
that C2N Diagnostics of St. Louis has started selling the first
blood test to help diagnose Alzeimer's disease. The company is
charging $1,250 and offers discounts based on income.
   (SFC, 12/1/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Australia national
science agency said a powerful new telescope in the outback has
mapped vast areas of the universe in record-breaking time, revealing
a million new galaxies and opening the way to new discoveries.
   (Reuters, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Belarus opposition
leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said the opposition will compile a
register of law enforcement officers accused of abuses against
peaceful demonstrators protesting the reelection of the country's
authoritarian leader.
   (AP, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, The British
government said a type of COVID-19 test that can be taken without
the need for a nose or throat swab has been found to be highly
effective in identifying infectious cases, including for people not
showing symptoms. The RT-LAMP tests, made by privately-held British
company OptiGene, have been studied in a pilot program in the
southern English city of Southampton.
   (Reuters, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, AstraZeneca said it
would sell rights to its erstwhile blockbuster cholesterol drug,
Crestor, to German pharmaceutical company Gruenenthal GmbH for an
upfront payment of $320 million as the British drugmaker focuses on
its cancer treatments portfolio.
   (Reuters, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, China landed a
robotic spacecraft on the moon to collect rocks and dirt. China
would be the third nation to bring back lunar samples, after the US
and the former Soviet Union. The spacecraft, Chang’e-5, was the
third successful uncrewed moon landing by China since 2013.
   (NY Times, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, In Germany more
than 180 police officers raided homes in three states early today
after the government banned a far-right group. The homes of 11
members of the far-right group Wolfsbrigade 44, founded in 2016,
were searched in Hesse, Mecklenburg West-Pomerania and North
Rhine-Westphalia to confiscate the group's funds and far-right
propaganda material. The 44 in their name stands for the fourth
letter in the alphabet, DD, and is an abbreviation for Division
Dirlewanger. Oskar Dirlewanger was a known Nazi war criminal and
commander of a Nazi SS special unit.
   (AP, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, In Germany a car
drove at high speed into a pedestrian zone in the city of Trier,
killing five people and seriously more than a dozen others before
being stopped by police. The driver (51) was arrested at the scene
and the vehicle was impounded.
   (AP, 12/1/20)(AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Hong Kong leader
Carrie Lam urged residents of the densely populated city to stay at
home and avoid unnecessary family gatherings as the global financial
hub scrambles to contain a new rise in COVID-19 cases.
   (Reuters, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Iran’s parliament
approved a bill that would suspend UN inspections of its nuclear
facilities and require the government to boost its uranium
enrichment if European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal do not
provide relief from oil and banking sanctions. Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on all nuclear policies.
   (AP, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Global consumer
goods giant Unilever said it was poised to try out a four-day
working week for all its New Zealand employees. After 12 months,
Unilever will assess the outcome of the move and look at how it
could work for the rest of its 155,000 employees globally.
   (Reuters, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, It was reported
that a new official biography of Kim Jong-un published to mark the
75th anniversary of the founding of North Korea’s Workers’ Partyhas
been criticized for major omissions, including that his mother is
half-Japanese.
   (The Telegraph, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Russian authorities
detained a long-wanted serial killer, known as the "Volga maniac,"
suspected of murdering at least 26 elderly women between 2011 and
2012. Radik Tagirov (38) was arrested in the city of Kazan. He was
identified using DNA evidence and shoe prints obtained from the
crime scenes.
   (CBS News, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, In South Africa a
PowerBall lottery saw the numbers five, six, seven, eight and nine
drawn, while the Powerball itself was 10. Some South Africans have
alleged a scam and an investigation was under way.
   (BBC, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, South Korea’s
parliament passed a new law to allow globally renowned pop stars to
postpone their mandatory military service and avoid disrupting their
careers at the height of their game.
   (The Telegraph, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Turkey's daily
COVID-19 death toll hit a record high for a ninth consecutive day,
with 190 fatalities in the last 24 hours. The number of new
coronavirus cases, including asymptomatic ones, recorded over the
past 24 hours stood at 30,110. Total deaths rose to 13,936.
   (Reuters, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, UNHCR, the UN's
refugee agency, said thousands of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia's
conflict-hit northern region of Tigray have run out of food.
   (BBC, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, In her World AIDS
Day message, UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima lamented the
fact that more than 12 million people are still waiting to get on
HIV treatment, while 1.7 million people were infected with HIV in
2019 because of lack of access.
   (AP, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, The 193-member UN
General Assembly urged all countries to designate seafarers and
other marine personnel as key workers after travel restrictions to
combat the spread of COVID-19 have left hundreds of thousands
stranded at sea for months.
   (Reuters, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, The UN children’s
agency said at least 11 children, including a 1-month-old, were
killed in Yemen in two separate attacks in the past three days.
   (AP, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 1, Vietnam reported
two more coronavirus cases linked to a rare domestic infection in
its commercial hub Ho Chi Minh City. The government urged public
vigilance and tighter enforcement of health measures.
   (Reuters, 12/1/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, President Donald
Trump stood before a White House lectern and delivered a 46-minute
diatribe against the election results that produced a win for
Democrat Joe Biden, unspooling one misstatement after another to
back his baseless claim that he really won. Trump called his
address, released only on social media and delivered in front of no
audience, perhaps "the most important speech” of his presidency.
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, The US
Transportation Dept. issued a final rule saying only dogs can be
service animals on airlines, and companions used for emotional
support don't count.
   (SFC, 12/3/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, The US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said a shorter quarantine
period of seven days with a negative COVID-19 test and 10 days
without a test would work for individuals showing no symptoms after
virus exposure, providing alternatives to the current 14-day
standard. The US recorded its single worst daily death toll with at
least 2,760 deaths due to COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 12/2/20)(SFC, 12/3/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, In Alaska six
people were missing after a mudslide measuring an estimated two
football fields across slammed into a neighborhood in the
southeastern community of Haines.
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Los Angeles Mayor
Eric Garcetti warned that the city was nearing "a devastating
tipping point" and ordered residents to stay in their homes and
avoid social gatherings in new lockdown measures to rein in a surge
in COVID-19 infections.
   (Reuters, 12/2/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, California to date
had 1,255,846 cases of coronavirus and 19,369 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 156,829 cases and 1,985 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 13,805,853 with the death toll at
273,181.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, In southern
California a house fire in Orange County’s Silverado Canyon spread
to dry brush by fierce winds. Some 25,000 people were ordered to
flee their homes, although some evacuations orders were later
lifted.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, San Francisco
company Eat Just announced that it will sell its cultured chicken
meat in Singapore, making it the first of its kind to be approved
for sale.
   (SFC, 12/3/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Rafer Johnson
(b.1934), the first Black captain of a US Olympic team (1960), died
at his home in the Sherman Oaks, Ca. He is remembered especially for
helping to wrestle the Sen, Robert F. Kennedy's assassin to the
ground in Los Angeles in 1968.
   (NY Times, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, A US federal grand
jury indicted Maryland attorney Jeremy Wyeth Schulman (45), on
charges including wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud and money
laundering. He reportedly engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain
more than $12.5 million in Somali government assets from financial
institutions and was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by a law
firm that kept more than $3 million of the money.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, A US appeals court
ruled that a federal judge wrongly blocked North Carolina's latest
voter identification law. The decision improved the position of GOP
lawmakers, who for years have sought IDs for voting.
   (SFC, 12/3/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, In North Carolina
the Union County Sheriff’s Office and Monroe Police Department
seized over 27 pounds of the opioid painkiller fentanyl, one of the
largest seizures of the narcotic in the county’s history.
   (Charlotte Observer, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Christopher Allen
Whiteley (28) was last seen early today in Lipan, Texas. Whiteley’s
body was found days later in a nearby wooded area after a search. A
preliminary report found that he likely died of a mountain lion
attack.
   (NBC News, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Boeing Co's 737 MAX
took off on its first public appearance with media onboard since
being grounded over fatal crashes, as one of its biggest customers,
American Airlines, seeks to prove it is safe for passengers.
   (Reuters, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Eli Lilly and Co
said the US government has purchased 650,000 additional doses of its
COVID-19 antibody drug for $812.5 million. Lilly's bamlanivimab is a
treatment similar to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc's COVID-19
antibody therapy that President Donald Trump received in October
during his illness.
   (Reuters, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Belarusian media
reported two cases of people jailed for flying a pre-Lukashenko
national flag – a red horizontal strip between two white ones – from
their balconies. The flag is seen as a symbol of nationalist
opposition to Mr Lukashenko.
   (The Telegraph, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Britain approved
Pfizer’s vaccine, making it the first Western country to allow mass
inoculations against Covid-19. BNT162b2 was developed by Pfizer, an
American pharmaceutical giant, and BioNTech, a smaller German firm.
   (NY Times, 12/2/20)(Econ., 12/5/20, p.78)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Beijing and Moscow
announced an expansion of their cooperation in space exploration and
related technologies, boosting their alliance as the China-US
rivalry continues.
   (South China Morning Post, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, JD Health, a
Chinese online pharmacy, raised $3.5 billion in Hong Kong.
   (Econ., 12/12/20, p.63)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Amnesty
International said Egypt has embarked on a “horrifying execution
spree”, carrying out at least 57 death sentences in the past two
months.
   (The Telegraph, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, In Egypt an
apartment building collapsed in the Mediterranean city of
Alexandria, killing at least six people.
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Ethiopia and the UN
agreed to allow aid into the country's conflict-torn Tigray region.
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Valéry Giscard
d’Estaing (94), president of France (1974-1981), died from Covid-19
at his family home in the Loir-et-Cher area of central France.
During his 7-year term he allowed young people to vote from the age
of 18, women to legally terminate unwanted pregnancies, divorce by
mutual consent and new rights for people with disabilities.
   (AP, 12/2/20)(SFC, 12/4/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, A search and rescue
operation was underway in the eastern Aegean Sea after a dinghy
carrying migrants either sank or overturned off the Greek island of
Lesbos. The body of one woman was recovered from the sea. Another
woman was listed as missing.
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Three prominent
Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were sentenced to jail for a
protest outside police headquarters as authorities stepped up a
crackdown on opposition to tighten control by Beijing over the
territory: Joshua Wong (13.5 months), Agnes Chow (10 months) and
Ivan Lam (7 months).
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, In Hong Kong Jimmy
Lai (73), the founder of Next Digital, which publishes Hong Kong’s
best-selling tabloid, Apple Daily, was arrested late today. He was
charged with fraud and denied bail until a court hearing in April.
Senior executives Royston Chow and Wong Wai-keung were also
arrested, but granted bail.
   (The Telegraph, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, India's daily
coronavirus cases continued to stay below the 50,000 mark for the
25th straight day, with 36,604 new infections reported.
   (Reuters, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Iran's watchdog
body approved a law that obliges the government to halt UN
inspections of its nuclear sites and step up uranium enrichment
beyond the limit set under Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal if sanctions
are not eased in a month.
   (Reuters, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Israel transferred
over $1 billion in taxes and customs duties it collects on behalf of
the Palestinian Authority after a six-month hiatus in which the
Palestinians had severed ties with Israel over its plans to annex
parts of the occupied West Bank.
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Italy reported 684
coronavirus-related deaths, down from 785 a day earlier, and 20,709
new infections, compared with 19,350.
   (Reuters, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Lebanon's health
ministry said 1,842 COVID-19 cases and 22 deaths had been recorded
in the past 24 hours. Recorded deaths due to COVID-19 total 1,055 in
the country of 6 million, where healthcare is deteriorating.
   (Reuters, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Mexico's health
ministry reported 11,251 new confirmed cases of coronavirus
infection and 800 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the
country to 1,133,613 cases and 107,565 deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, New Zealand
promised its public sector would become carbon neutral by 2025 as it
declared a climate emergency, a symbolic move that critics said
needed to be backed with greater actions to reduce emissions.
   (Reuters, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, It was reported
that suspected North Korean hackers have recently tried to break
into at least nine health organizations, including pharmaceutical
giant Johnson & Johnson and vaccine developer Novavax Inc,
revealing a broader effort to target key players in the race to
develop treatments for COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Philippines Pres.
Rodrigo Duterte issued an executive order granting the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) the power to clear COVID-19 drugs and vaccine
for emergency use.
   (Reuters, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, The number of
coronavirus cases recorded in Poland passed 1 million as the
government said it has agreed to buy 45 million vaccine doses,
amidst a second wave of the pandemic that is proving more serious
than the first. A further 13,855 coronavirus cases and 609 deaths
were reported, bringing the total to 1,013,747 confirmed cases and
18,208 deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Russian President
Vladimir Putin ordered a “large-scale vaccination” campaign using
the Russian Sputnik 5 vaccine as early as late next week.
Developers, however, have yet to release full clinical data of their
Phrase III trials.
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Thailand’s highest
court acquitted Prayuth Chan-ocha of breaching ethics clauses in the
country’s constitution, allowing him to stay in his job.
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivered another urgent appeal
to curb climate change highlighting new reports of 2020's
record-breaking weather and growing fossil fuel extractions that
trigger global warming.
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, Officials said that
the UN agency for Palestinian refugees paid the salaries of 30,000
Palestinian staff across the Middle East for last month, but a
funding shortfall may still hinder payment in December.
   (Reuters, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, The UN Commission
on Narcotic Drugs voted to remove cannabis and cannabis resin from a
category of the world's most dangerous drugs, which could impact the
global medical marijuana industry.
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, The top UN official
for Libya said there are at least 20,000 foreign fighters and
mercenaries in the war-torn nation, and warned of a “serious crisis”
as weapons continue pouring into the North African country.
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 2, The International
Union for Conservation of Nature said climate change is increasingly
damaging the UN’s most cherished heritage sites, reporting that
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and dozens of other natural wonders
are facing severe threats.
   (AP, 12/2/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, The US government
stepped up a feud with Beijing over security by adding Semiconductor
Manufacturing International Corp. and China National Offshore Oil
Corp. to a blacklist that limits access to American technology and
investment.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Pres. Donald Trump
and his campaign repeatedly accused Ruby Freeman, a Georgia election
worker, and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, of illegally
counting phony mail-in ballots after pulling them from mysterious
suitcases while working on Election Day at Atlanta’s State Farm
Arena. Freeman was already facing death threats after being falsely
accused by former President Donald Trump of manipulating votes.
   (Reuters, 12/10/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Joe Biden said that
he will ask Americans to commit to 100 days of wearing masks as one
of his first acts as president, stopping just short of the
nationwide mandate he's pushed before to stop the spread of the
coronavirus.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, US officials said
the US is withdrawing some staff from its embassy in Baghdad and
temporarily reducing personnel amid regional security concerns.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, The US Supreme
Court ordered a lower federal court to reexamine California
restrictions on indoor religious services in areas hard hit by the
coronavirus in light of the justices' recent ruling in favor of
churches and synagogues in New York.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, The US Census
Bureau said the data irregularities that are putting in jeopardy a
year-end deadline for turning in numbers used for divvying up
congressional seats affect only a tiny percentage of the records and
are being resolved as quickly as possible.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Alaska's state
official overseeing elections said personal data such as driver’s
license numbers and birth dates for tens of thousands of Alaskans
was breached in an online voter database. Election results were not
compromised because the online registration and vote tabulation
systems are not connected. He became aware of the breach on Oct. 27.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, California to date
had 1,255,846 cases of coronavirus and 19,369 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 156,829 cases and 1,985 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 14,023,237 with the death toll at
276,060.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, In Chicago Dwain
Williams (65), a retired firefighter, was sot and killed as he
exchanged gunfire with three youths in a carjacking attempt. On Dec.
16 police announced murder charges against a teen (15), saying he
was known to authorities as a member of a “crew” that stole cars in
the south suburbs. Dwain Johnson (18) was also soon charged in the
botched carjacking.
   (Chicago Tribune, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Nevada reported 48
new coronavirus deaths, marking its deadliest day since the onset of
the pandemic.
   (SFC, 12/4/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, North Carolina
reported its highest single-day increase in coronavirus cases since
the start of the pandemic with more than 5,600 people testing
positive.
   (SFC, 12/4/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Researchers In the
Pacific Northwest published a report that identified a toxic
material from tire treads as the killer of as many as 90% of the
coho salmon in parts of the Puget Sound.
   (SFC, 12/4/20, p.A1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Inovio
Pharmaceuticals Inc said Japan's Kaneka Corp has entered into a deal
to manufacture its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
   (Reuters, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Authorities in
Bangladesh have begun relocating thousands of Rohingya refugees to
Bhasan Char, an isolated island in the Bay of Bengal, despite calls
by human rights groups for a halt to the process.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Brazil's São
Paulo's Butantan Institute biomedical center received 1 million
doses of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech Ltd
that is undergoing late-stage testing by the institute at 16
locations in Brazil.
   (Reuters, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, A London ceremony
announced that this year's Global Teacher Prize has been awarded to
Ranjitsinh Disale (32) for his work helping girls, most of then from
poor tribal communities, at a village school in western India.
Disale immediately announced he would share the $1 million prize
money with the nine other finalists.
   (Reuters, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, In Britain four
people died following an explosion at a waste water treatment plant
near the southwest England city of Bristol.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, The UK became the
fifth country to officially record more that 60,000
coronavirus-related deaths. 414 new deaths took the confirmed total
to 60,013.
   (SFC, 12/4/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Chile extended a
state of catastrophe that allows for the control of movement of
people through curfews and lockdowns.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, China's leader Xi
Jinping declared victory in China’s fight against poverty, claiming
nearly 100 million people have been lifted out of extreme material
deprivation after eight years of struggle. Xi Jinping had vowed in
2015 to eradicate the last vestiges of extreme poverty by the end of
2020.
   (https://tinyurl.com/y2vg8nau)(Econ., 1/2/21,
p.28)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Denmark's
Parliament voted to end all oil and gas activities in the North Sea
by 2050. The county had started its North Sea gas and oil extraction
in 1972.
   (SFC, 12/5/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Some three hundred
Ethiopian immigrants arrived to a festive ceremony at Israel’s
international airport, as the government took a step toward carrying
out its pledge to reunite hundreds of families split between the two
countries.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, French drug maker
Sanofi said it will announce the price of the potential COVID-19
vaccine it is developing with Britain's GlaxoSmithKline following
the release of results from the Phase I/II clinical trials this
month.
   (Reuters, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Authorities in
Germany said about 29,000 chickens will be slaughtered after H5N8
bird flu was found on another poultry farm in the eastern area of
Mecklenburgische Seenplatte.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Germany's Merck
KGaA said it has agreed a three-year strategic research deal worth
up to $6.8 billion with Artios Pharma Limited to develop up to eight
potential drugs for cancer by targeting DNA repair mechanisms inside
cells.
   (Reuters, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Hungary reported
182 new COVID-19 deaths, by far the highest daily toll since the
start of the coronavirus pandemic. This brought the total number of
deaths to 5,324, while infections rose by 6,635 to 231,844.
   (Reuters, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Indonesia posted a
record 8,369 new cases. Local news has run headlines of more
regional hospitals reaching full capacity. In the last ten days
Indonesia has posted four daily record high numbers.
   (Reuters, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Iran's Pres. Hassan
Rouhani rejected a bill that would have suspended UN inspections and
boosted uranium enrichment saying it was harmful to diplomatic
efforts to ease US sanctions.
   (SFC, 12/3/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Italy reported a
record 993 coronavirus-related deaths, against 684 a day earlier,
and 23,225 new infections, compared with 20,709.
   (Reuters, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, The International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its last remaining foreign
staff have left North Korea, the latest in a mass exodus of
foreigners amid strict coronavirus lockdowns.
   (Reuters, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, OPEC agreed to lift
production in January by a modest 500,000 barrels a day.
   (Econ., 12/12/20, p.72)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, South Korean
drugmaker Daewoong Pharma said it had sought regulatory approval for
Phase II trials of its anti-parasite niclosamide drug to treat
COVID-19 patients, sending its shares up nearly 6%.
   (Reuters, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, Sudanese forces
said Ethiopian forces have blocked people from the country’s
embattled Tigray region from crossing into Sudan at the busiest
border crossing point for refugees. More than 45,000 Ethiopians have
fled into the remote area of Sudan.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 3, UN agencies warned
that the window to prevent a famine in war-torn Yemen is narrowing,
with a new study showing that millions of people in the country will
face some form of food crisis next year.
   (AP, 12/3/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, US Judge Nicholas
Garaufis directed the Trump administration to fully restore the
Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program, which was designed
during the Obama administration to protect younger undocumented
immigrants from deportation.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, A US federal
appeals court ruled that a lower court was wrong to bar the Trump
administration from taking $3.6 billion from military construction
projects for a border wall.
   (AP, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, The Pentagon
announced that it will remove all troops from Somalia by Jan. 15,
five days before President-elect Joe Biden takes office.
   (AP, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, US Secretary of
Education Betsy DeVos said the suspension of federal student loans
payments and accruing interest set to end on Dec. 31 will be
extended another month as the pandemic presents financial challenges
to borrowers.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, The US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention urged Americans to always wear masks
indoors when they're not in their homes. It's the first time the CDC
has made this recommendation.
   (The Week, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Courts in Arizona,
Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, and Wisconsin ruled against
President Trump and his allies in several lawsuits seeking to
overturn the results of the presidential election.
   (The Week, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, California
certified its presidential election and appointed 55 electors
pledged to vote for Democrat Joe Biden, officially handing him the
Electoral College majority needed to win the White House.
   (AP, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, San Francisco Mayor
London Breed said she and political leaders across the Bay Area were
imposing new lockdown orders and business restrictions in the face
of a surge in COVID-19 infections.
   (AP, 12/4/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, California to date
had 1,302,561 cases of coronavirus and 19,729 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 161,534 cases and 2,020 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 14,337,640 with the death toll at
278,594.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, David Lander (73),
the actor best known for his role as Andrew "Squiggy" Squiggman on
the sitcom Laverne & Shirley, died at Cedars-Sinai Medical
Center in Los Angeles after battling multiple sclerosis for many
years.
   (The Week, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In NYC fugitive
Andre Sterling (35), who shot a Massachusetts state trooper in the
hand during a traffic stop two weeks ago, was killed early today
during a gunfight with US marshals in the Bronx that left two of the
officers wounded.
   (AP, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In Ohio a Franklin
County sheriff's deputy shot and killed Casey Goodson (23), a black
man. Goodson's family said he was shot three times in the back. Law
enforcement alleged he was waving a gun, but the family said Goodson
was only holding a sandwich from Subway. In 2021 Deputy Jason Meade
was charged with murder.
   (Insider, 12/7/20)(SFC, 12/3/21, p.A10)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Drugmaker Eli Lilly
and Co and insurer UnitedHealth Group said they have partnered to
conduct a study of Lilly's COVID-19 antibody treatment bamlanivimab
in high-risk Medicare patients.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Former Austrian
finance minister Karl-Heinz Grasser was sentenced to eight years in
prison in the country’s biggest corruption trial since World War
Two. He and two co-defendants were convicted of accepting kickbacks
of €9.6m (£8.6m) for passing insider information on the
privatization of public housing.
   (The Telegraph, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Three of Austria's
nine provinces kicked off a national effort to test as much of the
population as possible before Christmas, to limit infections when
families meet.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, The island kingdom
of Bahrain said it has become the second nation in the world to
grant an emergency-use authorization for the coronavirus vaccine
made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech.
   (AP, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Britain's
government reported the highest daily number of new COVID cases
since Nov. 26, after the number of new positive test reports rose to
16,298 from 14,879 the day before.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Liverpool Mayor Joe
Anderson (62) was arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation and
conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with a long-running
police investigation into fraud in the city. Merseyside Police said
five men had been arrested as part of an investigation into building
and development contracts in Liverpool.
   (The Telegraph, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Hargobind
Tahilramani (41) of Indonesia, suspected of being the "Con Queen of
Hollywood", appeared in court in London. He was arrested last week
and is alleged to have swindled hundreds of thousands of dollars out
of hopeful actors. The US has made a provisional application for his
extradition.
   (BBC, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In China at least
18 coal miners were killed by high levels of carbon monoxide in the
Diaoshidong mine in Chongqing.
   (SFC, 12/5/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, China's Clover
Biopharmaceuticals said its two coronavirus vaccine candidates
triggered strong immune responses in an early-stage human trial and
appeared to be safe. The vaccine candidates, one containing an
adjuvant from GlaxoSmithKline and the other from Dynavax, induced
strong immune responses including neutralizing antibodies and
cell-mediated immunity in a Phase 1 clinical trial.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In France the
latest case of H5N8 bird fly discovered at a farm of about 6,000
ducks due to be force-fed - a technique used to make foie gras - in
the town of Benesse-Maremne, near the city of Biarritz and the
Spanish border. France has already detected the H5N8 virus on birds
sold in three pet stores.
   (Reuters, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Luxury brand Gucci,
owned by French group Kering, said it will give at least $500,000 to
UNICEF to help supply and distribute COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable
people around the world.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Veteran German
diplomat Helga Schmid, a key behind-the-scenes negotiator of the
2015 nuclear accord with Iran, was named as the new administrative
head of the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Co-operation
in Europe (OSCE).
   (AP, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Hungary reported
189 new COVID-19 deaths, the highest daily toll since the start of
the coronavirus pandemic, bringing the total death toll to 5,513.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, India's daily
coronavirus cases rose by less than 40,000 for the fifth straight
day, with 36,595 new infections reported in the last 24 hours.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In Indonesia
torrential rains in Medan, south Sumatra province, caused four
rivers to overflow killing at least five people.
   (SFC, 12/5/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, It was reported
that Iran has told the UN nuclear watchdog it plans to install three
more cascades, or clusters, of advanced IR-2m centrifuges at its
underground uranium enrichment plant at Natanz.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Israeli police
arrested a Jewish man after he poured out a “flammable liquid”
inside the Catholic Church of All Nations, built on the traditional
site of the Garden of Gethsemane, in what they described as a
"criminal" incident.
   (AP, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Israeli gunfire in
the occupied West Bank killed Ali Abu Alia (13) in the Almugayer
village, where the Palestinian youth was hit in the stomach and died
later at a hospital.
   (AP, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Italy reported 814
coronavirus-related deaths, against a record 993, and 24,099 new
infections, up from 23,225 the day before.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Japanese PM
Yoshihide Suga pledged a 2 trillion yen ($19 billion) fund to
promote ecological businesses and innovation to achieve his goal of
zero net carbon emissions by 2050.
   (AP, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, President
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's office said Kazakhstan will start producing
the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against the novel coronavirus this
month and begin a mass vaccination campaign next year.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Montenegro’s
parliament voted to approve a new conservative, pro-Serb coalition
government, which will succeed a pro-Western party that has ruled
the small Balkan nation for almost three decades.
   (AP, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In southern
Nicaragua an unregulated gold mine collapsed killing two miners and
trapping as many as 13 others.
   (SSFC, 12/6/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In the Philippines
Lt. Gen. Cesar Binag announced that the new, one-meter rattan sticks
being issued to the national Police will be used for enforcement,
for measuring, or for hitting those that are hard-headed.
   (Econ., 12/12/20, p.41)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, In South Africa
seven people were hospitalized after an early-morning explosion and
fire at an oil refinery near the harbor in the city of Durban.
   (AP, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, South Korea's
capital, Seoul, announced unprecedented restrictions shuttering most
establishments and shops at 9 p.m. and cutting back public
transportation operations by 30% in the evenings, as daily
coronavirus cases hit a nine-month high. South Korea recorded 62 new
coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours bringing its total to
36,332 and 536 deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)(SFC, 12/5/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, Switzerland said it
has approved an agreement to allow free movement of service workers
between the country and Britain after Brexit.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, The UN said
continued fighting in many parts of Ethiopia's Tigray region is
hindering efforts to deliver aid.
   (BBC, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, The UN World Food
Program (WFP) said Southern Madagascar is on the brink of a
humanitarian disaster.
   (AP, 12/4/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 4, The UN refugee
agency said Rohingya refugees must be able to make free and informed
decisions about relocating to Bangladesh's Bhasan Char island, as
naval vessels began carrying 1,642 refugees towards the remote site.
   (Reuters, 12/4/20)(Econ., 12/12/20, p.44)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, Pres. Trump
reportedly called Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and requested that he
call a special session of the state legislature to get lawmakers to
override the presidential election results and appoint electors to
vote for him instead of President-elect Joe Biden. Kemp reportedly
declined. Trump flooded his first postelection political rally in
Georgia with debunked conspiracy theories and audacious falsehoods
as he claimed victory in an election he decisively lost.
   (AP, 12/5/20)(The Week, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, A US federal
appeals court rejected a bid by a conservative lawyer to block
President-elect Joe Biden's victory in Georgia and left in place
procedures that will make it easier for voters to cast absentee
ballots in January when two Senate seats are up for grabs.
   (Reuters, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, In southern
California more than 150 people were arrested and a juvenile sex
trafficking victim was rescued after Los Angeles County authorities
shut down a massive underground party.
   (NBC News, 12/9/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, California to date
had 1,315,805 cases of coronavirus and 19,810 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 163,760 cases and 2,028 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 14,521,676 with the death toll at
280,634.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, It was reported
that South Korea-based Kia is recalling nearly 295,000 vehicles in
the US because the engines can stall or catch fire. Engine failure
and fire problems with Hyundais and Kias have plagued the companies
for more than five years.
   (AP, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, The value of global
stocks crossed $100 trillion for the first time.
   (Econ., 12/19/20, p.98)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, In Armenia tens of
thousands of opposition supporters marched across Yerevan to push
for the resignation of PM Nikol Pashinyan over his handling of the
conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.
   (AP, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, The prehistoric
monument of Stonehenge in southern England was closed to visitors
after dozens of protesters staged a trespass against the British
government's road-building plans, including a new tunnel near the
World Heritage Site.
   (AP, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, Protests over a
controversial French draft security bill that would make it illegal
to film and identify police officers with malevolent intent took
place again. 95 people were arrested and 67 police officers were
reportedly injured.
   (AP, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, The Indian
government and protesting farmers failed to break their deadlock in
talks over new agricultural laws. Farmers continued to block key
highways around New Delhi.
   (SSFC, 12/6/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, In India an
unidentified infection began causing over 500 people to fall
unconscious following seizures and nausea in Eluru Andhra Pradesh
state.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, Iran's death toll
from the global pandemic rose above 50,000, as the country grapples
with the worst outbreak in the Middle East. over 12,150 new cases
brought the total of confirmed cases to above 1,028,980.
   (AP, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, Kuwaitis elected a
new parliament in an election that saw two-thirds of lawmakers and
the country's only female legislator lose their seats.
   (AP, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, Clashes between
Israeli security forces and Palestinians erupted, at the funeral of
a 13-year-old killed by Israeli gunfire a day earlier in the
occupied West Bank.
   (AP, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, Italian police
arrest 19 suspects, dismantling what authoritie3s said was a
criminal organization that moved migrants via Greece and Turkey to
Italy and then into northern Europe.
   (SSFC, 12/6/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, It was reported
that Colonel Malick Diaw, one of the key figures behind the August
coup in Mali, has been chosen to lead the interim legislative body,
the National Transition Council, despite concern over the military's
continued influence in the country.
   (BBC, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, Russia launched its
nationwide coronavirus immunization effort in Moscow, where
thousands of workers in the city's health and education systems have
signed up to receive the Sputnik V vaccine at 70 vaccinations
facilities throughout the capital.
   (The Week, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, The MV Hasan, a
cargo ship flagged out of Sierra Leone, was attacked while traveling
past Yemen in the Gulf of Aden. It had been on its way to Salalah,
Oman, and ended up off the small port city of Nishtun in Yemen's far
east.
   (AP, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, In Thailand
thousands of monarchy loyalists greeted King Maha Vajiralongkorn as
he led a birthday commemoration for his revered late father. In
recent days at least 12 protest leaders have been charged with royal
defamation under lese-majeste laws.
   (SSFC, 12/6/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 5, In southern Yemen
Khalid al-Hameidi, a university professor and secular thinker, was
killed in a drive-by shooting. Al-Hameidi was a harsh critic of
religious extremism, and encouraged his students to organize and
take part in mixed-gender cultural and artistic activities in Dhale
University.
   (AP, 12/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, President Donald
Trump said his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani has tested positive
for the coronavirus, making him the latest in Trump's inner circle
to contract the disease that is now surging across the US.
   (AP, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, President-elect Joe
Biden chose California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to be his
secretary of health and human services. If confirmed, Becerra would
be the first Latino to run the department.
   (NY Times, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Dr. Deborah Birx,
the White House coronavirus response coordinator, warned that some
governors and local officials were ignoring coronavirus mitigation
efforts that are proven to work, putting residents in danger.
   (The Week, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, SpaceX launched a
newer, bigger version of its Dragon supply ship to the Int'l. Space
Station from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
   (SFC, 12/7/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Individual US
states scrambled to impose lockdowns to stem coronavirus spikes amid
a lack of national leadership on how to curb infections until
vaccines are widely available in the spring.
   (Reuters, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, A long-awaited
report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine that has been obtained by news organizations has found that
the mysterious neurological symptoms American diplomats experienced
in China and Cuba are consistent with the effects of directed
microwave energy, making it the most likely cause behind the
illnesses that first struck people working at the US embassy in
Havana in 2016.
   (AP, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, California reported
more than 25,000 new confirmed COVID-19 infections, the state's
highest number since the pandemic began. Hospitalizations also hit a
record high with more than 10,200. Tens of millions of Southern
California and San Joaquin Valley residents will be under
stay-at-home orders beginning this evening after intensive care
units in the two state regions, which include Los Angeles and San
Diego, fell below 15 percent capacity amid the coronavirus pandemic.
   (The Week, 12/6/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, California to date
had 1,351,199 cases of coronavirus and 19,938 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 166,764 cases and 2,028 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 14,610,367 with the death toll at
281,347.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Former US Sen. Paul
Sarbanes (87) died in Baltimore. He represented Maryland for 30
years in the Senate as a leader of financial regulatory reform and
drafted the first article of impeachment against Republican
President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal as a
congressman.
   (AP, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Japan retrieved a
capsule of asteroid dust from Australia's remote outback after a
six-year mission that may help uncover more about the origins of the
planets and water. The capsule lit up on re-entry into the
atmosphere early today and landed in the Woomera restricted area,
about 460 km (285 miles) north of Adelaide.
   (Reuters, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, In Belarus more
than 300 people were detained in Minsk, where crowds of people took
to the streets for the 18th consecutive weekend, demanding the
ouster of the country's authoritarian leader who won a sixth term in
office in an election widely seen as rigged.
   (AP, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, British negotiators
arrived in Brussels for a last-ditch attempt to strike a Brexit
trade deal with the European Union and avert a chaotic parting of
ways at the end of the year.
   (Reuters, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, An Egyptian court
upheld a prosecutors’ decision to freeze the assets of Abdel-Razek,
Karim Ennarah and Mohammed Basheer, one of the country’s most
prominent human rights groups. The EIPR rights workers were freed on
Dec 3 after being arrested last month and slapped with
terrorism-related charges.
   (AP, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Ethiopian troops
shot at and detained UN staff after they drove through check-points
in the conflict-hit northern Tigray region. The UN team had
reportedly ignored instructions not to be in the area.
   (BBC, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, It was reported
that Bayer AG has struck a deal with Atara Biotherapeutics to
jointly work on Atara's CAR-T cell anti-tumor treatments, as the
German group firms up its commitment to build a specialist cell and
gene therapy development platform.
   (Reuters, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Indonesia's
anti-corruption commission formally detained Juliari Batubara, the
country's social affairs minister, after he surrendered in Jakarta
to face charges of taking $1.2 million in bribes related to the
government's COVID-19 aid distribution.
   (SFC, 12/7/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, In Japan Shoko
Arai, the only female assembly member in the town of Kusatsu, was
voted out of office in a recall election orchestrated by the mayor
and other assembly members. Last November she had accused mayor
Nobutada Kuroiva of forcing her into sexual relation in 2015.
   (SFC, 12/10/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, In Mexico Bryan
Celaya Alvarado disappeared, becoming of the country's 87,855
"disappeared" people. His wife, Aranza Ramos, spent over a year
searching for him before she was killed in Sonora on July 15, 2021.
Multiple cartels have been fighting for control of Sonora and its
valuable trafficking routes to the US.
   (SFC, 7/24/21, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Thousands of
Moldovans protested outside the parliament building in Chisinau
demanding the resignation of the country’s Russia-backed government
and a new election.
   (AP, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Romania held
elections. Just 32% of eligible voters cast a ballot.
   (Reuters, 12/7/20)(Econ., 12/12/20, p.55)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Russia reported a
record daily increase of 29,039 new cases, taking the national total
to 2,460,770 since the pandemic began, while the official national
death toll rose to 43,141. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said his
city wants to vaccinate up to seven million people.
   (Reuters, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, The main opposition
party in Tanzania's semiautonomous Zanzibar archipelago announced it
will join a coalition government with the islands' ruling party,
after a disputed poll in October in which some of its supporters
were allegedly killed and its leaders arrested.
   (AP, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Uruguay's first
socialist president, Tabaré Vásquez (80), a popular figure who was
returned to office for a second term, died of cancer, a disease the
oncologist dedicated much of his life to fighting.
   (AP, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 6, Venezuelans headed
to the polls, with President Nicolás Maduro and his loyalists
reportedly set to take back control of the National Assembly after
the opposition won a majority of seats in 2015. Opposition
supporters, many of whom are planning to boycott the voting booth,
have called it fraudulent.
   (NY Times, 12/6/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, A US federal judge
blocked President Donald Trump's attempts to ban TikTok, the latest
legal defeat for the administration as it tries to wrest the popular
app from its Chinese owners.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, US Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo announced sanctions on 14 high-level officials in
China's legislature for the body's enforcement of a controversial
national security law imposed on Hong Kong.
   (South China Morning Post, 12/8/20)(SFC, 12/9/20,
p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, A US judge rejected
a bid to decertify President-elect Joe Biden's election victory in
Michigan because of alleged irregularities and to have President
Donald Trump declared the winner, the latest failed legal attack on
the vote.
   (Reuters, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, A report by the US
Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of
Congress, said the US air pollution monitoring network has fallen
into disrepair after years of budget cuts and neglect, leaving tens
of millions of Americans vulnerable to undetected bad air quality
from events like wildfires to industrial pollution.
   (Reuters, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, California
compelled much of the state to close shop and stay at home, when
some of the harshest coronavirus restrictions in the United States
came into effect one day after the state set a record with more than
30,000 new COVID-19 cases.
   (AP, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Chuck Yeager (97),
the first pilot to break the sound barrier and a central figure in
the book “The Right Stuff,” died in Los Angeles.
   (NY Times, 12/7/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, California to date
had 1,351,199 cases of coronavirus and 19,882 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 170,707 cases and 2,039 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 14,949,299 with the death toll at
283,703.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Airbnb, the US home
rental firm, said plans to sell 51.6 million shares at between $56
and $60 apiece later this week. It had earlier targeted a price
range of between $44 and $50 per share for 51.9 million shares.
   (AP, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Bellicum
Pharmaceuticals said the US Food and Drug Administration had placed
a clinical hold on patient enrollment and dosing in an early-stage
trial of its cancer treatment, after the death of a patient. The
company said the death was unrelated to the treatment, BPX-601, but
that it would work with the FDA to resume the trial.
   (Reuters, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Inovio
Pharmaceuticals Inc said it has dosed the first participant in a
mid-stage clinical trial testing its COVID-19 vaccine candidate,
INO-4800.
   (Reuters, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Uber announced the
sale of its self-driving arm to a firm called Aurora. The deal would
leave Uber with a 26% stake in Aurora.
   (Econ., 12/12/20, p.67)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Britain reported
14,718 new cases of COVID-19, down from 17,272 cases a day earlier.
The United Kingdom has recorded a total of 1.738 million cases of
the disease and 61,434 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.
   (Reuters, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Doug Scott (79),
part of the first British team to climb Mount Everest in 1975,
diedat his home in the Lake District in northern England.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Chinese vaccine
company Sinovac announced that it is planning to complete a new
facility to double its annual vaccine production capacity to 600
million doses by the end of the year, while also securing a $500
million investment in a boost to its COVID-19 vaccine development
efforts.
   (AP, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, It was reported
that Congo’s Pres. Felix Tshisekedi has announced an end to the
coalition between his party and that of former president Joseph
Kabila. Kabila’s supporters make up a majority in Congo's
legislature, which Tshisekedi threatened to dissolve if the crisis
persists.
   (AP, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, An Egyptian court
extended the detention of Patrick George Zaki (28), an activist and
researcher who previously worked for one of the country’s most
prominent rights groups. Zaki worked as a gender rights researcher
at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, or EIPR, which
provides him legal representation.
   (AP, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, The EU adopted a
version of the "Magnitsky laws," which sanction foreign officials
who commit human-rights abuses or steal money. The laws were named
after Sergei Magnitsky, who died in 2009 in a Russian prison after
trying to investigate a $230 million fraud case.
   (Econ., 1/23/21, p.58)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, French President
Emmanuel Macron acknowledged “disagreements” with Egyptian President
Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not
prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the
North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on
dissent in its modern history.
   (AP, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Ghana held
elections. Eleven candidates were in the race to unseat President
Nana Akufo-Addo (76), who is running for his second term. At least
five people were killed and a dozen injured in violence related to
the presidential and legislative elections. Days later official
results showed that Mr Akufo-Addo obtained 51.6% of the vote,
compared with 47.4% won by his main rival, ex-President John Mahama.
   (BBC, 12/7/20)(AP, 12/9/20)(BBC, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Hong Kong
authorities arrested 8 people in connection with an unauthorized
protest at the Chinese University of Hong Kong campus last month.
   (SFC, 12/8/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, A senior Indian
health department official said one person has died and more than
400 have been hospitalized in Andhra Pradesh state due to an
unidentified infection that caused many to fall unconscious
following seizures and nausea. Authorities were investigating water
supplies at 20 locations within the city of Eluru where the outbreak
was first reported.
   (Reuters, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, In Indonesia six
followers of divisive cleric Rizieq Shihab were shot and killed by
police officers on the outskirts of Jakarta. The officers were
tailing the men as part of an investigation.
   (SFC, 12/8/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, In northern Iraq
protester Adham Suliman was shot and killed during a rally late
today in Chamchamal, a town in northern Sulimaniyah province. For
days, hundreds have been protesting in the streets of Sulimaniyah
against two main Kurdish political blocs over public salary payment
delays and perceived corruption. A total of eight protesters were
killed in the areas of Chamchamal, Kefri Darbendikan, Khormal and
Saidsadiq.
   (AP, 12/8/20)(AP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Japan's agriculture
ministry said bird flu has been detected in a fifth Japanese
prefecture, as a wave of infections at poultry farms sparks the
Japan's worst outbreak in more than four years.
   (Reuters, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Forces of a Libyan
commander who rules the eastern half of the country and who was
behind a year-long military attempt to capture the capital, Tripoli,
seized the Mabrouka, a Turkish cargo vessel heading to the western
town of Misrata. The Jamaica-flagged cargo vessel was let go days
later after local authorities questioned its crew and had them pay a
fine for violations of sailing rules in Libyan waters.
   (AP, 12/8/20)(AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Romania's PM
Ludovic Orban claimed victory in his country's Dec. 6 elections.
With 95% of ballots counted, the populist, corruption-prone and
fiscally reckless Social Democrat Party (PSD) had around 30% of the
vote, with the reformist center-right National Liberal Party of PM
Orban trailing them by about 5%. Orban resigned after voters
delivered a nominal victory to the left-leaning, populist opposition
party. The new ultra-nationalist Alliance for Romanian Unity (AUR)
took 9% of the vote.
   (Reuters, 12/7/20)(SFC, 12/8/20, p.A2)(Econ.,
12/12/20, p.55)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, South Korean
President Moon Jae-in called for expanded coronavirus testing and
more thorough tracing as the country struggles to control its latest
and largest wave of infections.
   (Reuters, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Swiss authorities
said a 3,500-ton stockpile of munitions sitting in an underground
depot in the Bernese Alps since World War II must be cleared for
safety reasons, advancing toward a giant project that could cost
billions and require the evacuation of local residents from their
homes for a decade — though likely not before 2030.
   (AP, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Two UN agencies
said that the removal of subsidies in Lebanon without guarantees to
protect the vulnerable would amount to a social catastrophe.
   (Reuters, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, The UN General
Assembly approved a resolution urging Russia to immediately withdraw
all its military forces from Crimea “and end its temporary
occupation of the territory of Ukraine without delay.” The vote was
63-17 with 62 abstentions, close to the vote on a similar resolution
adopted last year.
   (AP, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, Venezuelan
President Nicolás Maduro declared victory after his allies swept
congressional elections boycotted by the opposition and considered
fraudulent by international critics.
   (AP, 12/7/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 7, In Yemen suspected
al-Qaida militants targeted a checkpoint in southern Abyan province,
killing at least six Yemeni troops.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The US imposed
terrorism-related sanctions on Hasan Irlu, Iran's envoy in Yemen,
Iran's Al-Mustafa International University and an Iran-based
Pakistani citizen Yousef Ali Muraj.
   (Reuters, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The Trump
administration escalated steps to rein in North Korea’s efforts to
evade international sanctions with new penalties.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The US Supreme
Court rejected a last-ditch request from Pennsylvania Republicans to
overturn the state’s election results.
   (NY Times, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The US-based Watson
Institute of Int'. and Public Affairs warned of a dramatic increase
in air strikes by Afghan government forces in the third quarter
resulting in a sharp rise in civilian casualties. 70 civilians were
reported killed as compared to 86 for the first six months of the
year.
   (SFC, 12/9/20, p.A2)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, California to date
had 1,385,689 cases of coronavirus and 20,054 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 173,936 cases and 2,049 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 15,163,285 with the death toll at
286,232.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The Supreme Court
of Nevada rejected an appeal late today from President Donald
Trump's campaign to overturn the election results in the state,
affirming President-elect Joe Biden's win in one of the battleground
states that gave him overall victory.
   (AP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Ohio's Republican
Gov. Mike DeWine said that lethal injection is no longer an option
for the state's executions, and lawmakers must choose a different
method of capital punishment before any inmates can be put to death
in the future. He said Ohio has an “unofficial moratorium” on
capital punishment.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, An investigative
panel looking into a pattern of violent crimes at the Fort Hood Army
base in Texas says they found a command structure that was
"permissive" of sexual assaults. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy
announced 14 firings and suspensions among commanders and
lower-level leaders as a result of an investigation into a pattern
of sexual assault, harassment, suicides and murder at the post in
Killeen, Texas.
   (Reuters, 12/8/20)(CBS News, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, In West Virginia a
fire that tore through a house near Williamsburg. Officials later
determined that Oreanna Myers (25), the mother of three children and
stepmother to two others, had shot the children, set the fire
intentionally and killed herself.
   (Charlotte Observer, 1/22/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, A Wisconsin fighter
pilot died after a plane crashed during a training flight in
Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
   (SFC, 12/11/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Documents released
by US regulators confirmed that Pfizer's vaccine was strongly
protective against COVID-19 and appeared safe, offering the world’s
first detailed look at the evidence behind the shots.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, FireEye’s chief
executive officer, Kevin Mandia, disclosed that his company’s
servers had been hacked. FireEye is a go-to enterprise for
governments and corporations bloodied by their own hacks, and rely
on FireEye to defend or rescue them by identifying and blocking
breaches.
   (Bloomberg, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, It was reported
that Goldman Sachs Group Inc has signed a pact to buy out its China
joint venture partner to make it the most advanced foreign bank to
take full ownership of a mainland securities business.
   (Reuters, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, In Albania Klodian
Rasha (25) was shot and killed by police after he reportedly ignored
officers' calls to stop and ran away. One policeman was soon
detained over the incident, pending an investigation. Protests
followed the next day as hundreds of people clashed with police and
tried to enter government buildings. Authorities said 16 police and
two demonstrators were injured.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Scientists in an
annual assessment of the region said the Arctic continued its
unwavering shift toward a new climate in 2020, as the effects of
near-record warming surged across the region, shrinking ice and snow
cover and fueling extreme wildfires.
   (NY Times, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, In Armenia crowds
of protesters took to the streets of Yerevan, demanding the
resignation of the country’s PM Nikol Pashinyan over his handling of
the conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Britain became the
first country in the world to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine
developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE, initially making the shot
available at 50 hospitals. The vaccine begins conferring some
protection after the first shot and reaches full effectiveness about
a week after the second shot, which follows the first after three
weeks.
   (Reuters, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Peer-reviewed data
published in The Lancet showed that AstraZeneca and Oxford
University have more work to do to confirm whether their COVID-19
vaccine can be 90% effective, potentially slowing its eventual
rollout in the fight against the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, China and Nepal
jointly announced a new official height for Mount Everest, ending a
discrepancy between the two nations. The new height of the world's
highest peak is 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 feet).
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The Egyptian
military said forces have killed at least 40 militants over the past
three months in raids and airstrikes against an Islamic insurgency
in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula, in clashes that also
left at least six casualties among its troops.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, In Ethiopia gunmen,
whose identities they were unsure of, used a loudhailer to summon
both Oromos and Amharas to an evening meeting. They took away about
10 Amharas. Seven of their bodies were found the next day.
   (BBC, 1/15/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, President Emmanuel
Macron announced that France will build a new, nuclear-powered
aircraft carrier to replace its Charles de Gaulle carrier by 2038.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, German prosecutors
said there is compelling evidence the German prime suspect in the
disappearance of Madeleine McCann killed her but it cannot be shared
with the public. Christian Brückner (43), a convicted pedophile and
rapist, was named as a suspect in the toddler’s disappearance in
June.
   (The Telegraph, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, In Germany an
official said authorities, churches and Jewish communities in the
southern state of Bavaria have agreed that anti-Semitic statues and
carvings dating back to the Middle Ages shouldn't be removed from
churches.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Hong Kong said the
city would once again ban dining in restaurants after 6 p.m. (1000
GMT) and close all gyms and beauty salons, to curb a rise in
coronavirus cases in the densely packed financial hub.
   (Reuters, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Indonesia's
state-owned pharmaceutical company Bio Farma said late today that
the efficacy of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac
could not yet be determined, after previously saying that interim
data showed 97% efficacy.
   (Reuters, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Iranian media
reported that the Supreme Court has upheld the death penalty of
Ruhollah Zam, a once-exiled journalist, over his online work that
helped inspire nationwide economic protests three years ago. Zam has
another chance to appeal.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Myanmar has seen a
spike in infections with total cases topping 100,000 this week and
over 2,000 deaths, adding to pressure on a health system heavily
dependent on volunteers.
   (Reuters, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The Dutch public
health institute reported a “worrying rise" in the number of
coronavirus infections in the last week, as the government prepared
to announce whether it will allow any relaxations over the Christmas
holidays of its partial lockdown.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Netherlands-based
biopharmaceutical firm Halix said AstraZeneca has signed an
agreement with Halix B.V. for manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine
being developed by the British drugmaker and the University of
Oxford.
   (Reuters, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Amnesty
International charged that at least 10,000 civilians have died in
Nigerian military custody since 2011 after being detained in
connection with the Boko Haram insurgency in northeast Nigeria.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, President Vladimir
Putin signed a law allowing Russia's national legislation precedence
over international treaties and rulings from international bodies in
cases when they conflict with the Russian constitution.
   (Reuters, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, A Senegalese court
sentenced three fathers to a month in prison for paying smugglers to
take their sons to Europe. One of the boys, Ousmane Faye (15), died
at sea in October.
   (BBC, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, Spanish veterinary
authorities said four lions at Barcelona Zoo have tested positive
for COVID-19, in only the second known case in which large felines
have contracted coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, State-run media
reported that Turkey has ordered the detention of 304 members of the
military in an operation targeting the group that the government
claims to be behind a 2016 coup attempt.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 8, The UN said over 50
donors pledged $370 million to the UN fund to finance humanitarian
emergencies caused by conflict, climate change, natural disasters,
the coronavirus pandemic and gender-based violence.
   (AP, 12/8/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, US President Donald
Trump issued a formal threat to veto congressional efforts to block
his plans for $23 billion in military sales to the United Arab
Emirates. US law requires congressional review of major arms deals,
and lets senators force votes on resolutions of disapproval.
   (AP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, President Donald
Trump vowed to intervene in a long-shot lawsuit by the state of
Texas filed at the US Supreme Court trying to throw out the voting
results in four states he lost to President-elect Joe Biden as he
seeks to undo the outcome of the election.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The Trump
administration said that it will allow migrants from six countries
to extend their legal US residency under a temporary status for nine
months while courts consider its effort to end the program.
   (AP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The US Senate fell
short in trying to halt the Trump administration's proposed $23
billion arms sales to the United Arab Emirates, despite bipartisan
objections to the package of F-35 fighter jets and drones stemming
from a broader Middle East peace agreement.
   (AP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Federal regulators
and 46 states accused Facebook of illegally stifling competition by
buying up rivals like Instagram and WhatsApp. Prosecutors called for
Facebook to sell those services — and for restrictions on future
deals.
   (NY Times, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The United States'
daily death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 3,000 for the first
time, prompting pleas for Americans to scale back Christmas plans
even with vaccines on the cusp of winning regulatory approval.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, California to date
had 1,421,089 cases of coronavirus and 20,273 deaths. The SF Bay
Area had 177,593 cases and 2,058 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 15,371,953 with the death toll at
288,889.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, A federal judge in
Maryland denied the Trump administration's request to reinstate a
rule that would require women to visit a hospital, clinic or medical
office to obtain an abortion pill during the COVID-19 pandemic,
noting that public health risks for patients only have grown worse.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The speaker of the
New Hampshire House of Representatives, Richard Hinch (71), died
suddenly of Covid-19. Hinch recently attended an indoor meeting with
his Republican colleagues where several members contracted the
virus.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The New York state
pension fund committed to help curb climate change by transitioning
its investments to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, making
it the first pension fund to set the goal by that date.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, SpaceX launched its
shiny, bullet-shaped, straight-out-of-science fiction Starship
several miles into the air from a remote corner of Texas, but the 6
1/2-minute test flight ended in an explosive fireball at touchdown.
   (AP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The S&P 500 and
the Dow scaled record highs as hopes of a working COVID-19 vaccine
and fresh economic stimulus before the end of the year lifted demand
for economically sensitive energy and financial shares.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Researchers said a
poorly understood Triassic Period reptile group called lagerpetids,
known from a few partial skeletons from the United States,
Argentina, Brazil and Madagascar, appears to have been the
evolutionary precursor to pterosaurs. Lagerpetids, first appearing
about 237 million years ago, were generally small and may have been
bipedal insect-eaters. They could not fly. Pterosaurs became Earth's
first flying vertebrates, with birds and then bats appearing much
later.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, In Armenia
thousands of protesters converged on the parliament building in
Yerevan to push for the resignation of the ex-Soviet nation's PM
Nikol Pashinyan over his handling of the fighting with Azerbaijan
over Nagorno-Karabakh.
   (AP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, In Brussels
Vivendi's pay-TV arm Canal+ won its court fight against a deal
between EU competition regulators and Paramount Pictures in which
the US studio agreed to scrap movie-licensing deals with British
pay-TV group Sky UK.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Brazil reported
53,453 more confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, the highest daily
rate since mid-August, and 836 deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Brazil’s Gol
Airlines became the first in the world to return the Boeing 737 Max
jetliners to its active fleet, using a 737 MAX 8 on a flight from
Sao Paulo to Porto Alegre.
   (AP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Britain's medicine
regulator has advised that people with a history of significant
allergic reactions do not get Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine after two
people reported adverse effects.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Canada approved its
first COVID-19 vaccine, clearing the way for doses of the Pfizer Inc
and BioNTech SE shots to be delivered and administered across the
country.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, It was reported
that the restored flagship of former Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito
is being converted in Croatia into a hotel and a museum devoted to
its turbulent history, from banana boat to meeting place for world
statesmen.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Ethiopia's PM Abiy
Ahmed shifted his focus away from war, opening a cross-border
highway to Kenya at the opposite end of his country, while the
United Nations voiced alarm over ongoing fighting in the northern
Tigray region.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, France reported
that the H5N8 bird flu has been detected at a second farm in the
Landes region, as the disease continues to spread across Europe.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Franco-Italian
chipmaker STMicroelectronics said the US-China trade war and a
near-embargo on Huawei, one of its biggest clients, would slow
growth and affect profitability even if demand rebounds after a
COVID-afflicted year.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Chancellor Angela
Merkel demanded tougher curbs to halt coronavirus infections, as the
German death toll reached a daily record of nearly 600 people.
   (AFP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Indonesia reported
171 more deaths from the coronavirus, marking the Southeast Asian
country's highest daily rise in fatalities and taking the total
number of deaths to 18,171. Total number of infections rose to
592,900 with 6,058 new cases.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Iran's President
Hassan Rouhani said that US sanctions are making it difficult for
Iran to purchase medicine and health supplies from abroad, including
COVID-19 vaccines needed to contain the worst outbreak in the Middle
East. Iran has reported more than 50,000 deaths from the coronavirus
out of more than a million confirmed cases.
   (AP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Iran said a number
of people have been detained for involvement in the Nov. 27
assassination of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.
   (SFC, 12/10/20, p.A2)  Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The prime minister
of Iraq's northern Kurdish-run region blamed the federal government
in Baghdad for delaying crucial budget transfers as violent protests
over salary payments left eight dead in the past week.
   (AP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The International
Criminal Court's chief prosecutor said she is closing a preliminary
probe into allegations of killings and torture of Iraqi prisoners by
British troops from 2003-2008 and will not open a full-scale
investigation because UK authorities have investigated the
allegations.
   (AP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Israel received its
first shipment of coronavirus vaccines and a distributor predicted
the country would have enough for about a quarter of the population
by the end of the year.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Italy reported 499
coronavirus-related deaths against 634 the day before, while the
daily tally of new infections fell to 12,756 from 14,842.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Mexican
photojournalist Jaime Castaño Zacarías happened upon dead bodies
with their hands bound in northern Zacatecas state, following a
clash between drug cartels in the city of Jerez. When Castaño left
the scene on a motorcycle, he was pursued by gunmen, who shot him
dead.
   (The Guardian, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Nearly 1,700
passengers on a Royal Caribbean 'cruise-to-nowhere' from Singapore
remained confined in their cabins for more than 14 hours after a
COVID-19 case was detected on board, forcing the ship back to port.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, South Africa
recorded 6,700 new cases of the coronavirus. The country has
reported a total of 828,598 cases, including 22,574 deaths.
   (SFC, 12/11/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, South Korea
reported 590 deaths related to COVID-19 over the last 24 hours as
well as 20,815 new daily infections.
   (SFC, 12/10/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, In northeastern
Spain a fire engulfed the abandoned industrial complex where he and
over 100 African migrants lived in precarious conditions. At least
three people were killed. Workers clearing the rubble soon found a
4th body.
   (AP, 12/10/20)(AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Swiss drugmaker
Roche said it is partnering with Moderna to include a COVID-19
antibody test in the mRNA specialist's ongoing vaccine trials,
potentially demonstrating if the vaccine is working.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, Turkey ruled out
buying the Russian coronavirus vaccine since its development lacked
"good practice," as Ankara steps up efforts to inoculate 50 million
citizens by spring.
   (AP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The United Arab
Emirates approved a Chinese coronavirus vaccine, citing preliminary
data showing that it was 86 percent effective.
   (NY Times, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, The UN hit out at
violence that erupted in DR Congo's parliament, pitting backers of
President Felix Tshisekedi against supporters of his predecessor
Joseph Kabila.
   (AFP, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 9, A UN report showed
that greenhouse gas emissions reached a new high last year, putting
the world on track for an average temperature rise of 3 degrees
Celsius.
   (Reuters, 12/9/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, US Pres. Donald
Trump has announced that Morocco has agreed to normalize relations
with Israel, as a part of a deal which sees the US recognize its
claim over the disputed Western Sahara region.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The United States
sanctioned alleged human rights abusers in Russia, Yemen and Haiti
including Ramzan Kadyrov, who is the leader of Russia's
Muslim-majority Chechnya region and a close ally of Russian
President Vladimir Putin.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The Trump
administration finalized a regulation that greatly restricts access
to asylum in the United States, part of a last-minute immigration
crackdown that incoming President-elect Joe Biden will likely try to
reverse.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The Trump
administration sold oil and gas leases on federal land in California
for the first time in eight years despite widespread opposition to
the auction in the Democratic state, including from its governor.
Seven parcels covering 4,100 acres (16.6 square km) brought in just
over $46,000 in high bids. All of the acreage sold with the average
price per acre was $11.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The US Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) said it has begun the process of
revoking China Telecom's authorization to operate in the United
States as it took further steps to crack down on China's role in US
telecommunications.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The US Supreme
Court let three American Muslim men sue several FBI agents who they
accused of placing them on the government's "no-fly list" for
refusing to become informants, rejecting a challenge to the lawsuit
by President Donald Trump's administration.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Time magazine
named its 2020 person — in this case, people — of the year: Joe
Biden and Kamala Harris.
   (NY Times, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, An FDA advisory
panel voted in favor of Pfizer’s vaccine, clearing one of the final
hurdles before the agency authorizes the drug. It is likely to do so
within days.
   (NY Times, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Todd Gloria took
office as San Diego's first openly gay mayor.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, California to
date had 1,452,878 cases of coronavirus and 20,468 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 180,495 cases and 2,076 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 15,586,978 with the death toll at
291,929.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, San
Francisco-based Airbnb made its long-awaited debut on the public
market. Shares traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol
ABNB. Airbnb ended with a market capitalization of $101 billion. The
company’s shares skyrocketed on their first day of trading, rising
113 percent above the initial public offering price of $68 to close
at $144.71.
   (AP, 12/10/20)(NY Times, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, San
Francisco-based startup Nesos raised $16.5 million to fund a medical
device that it hopes can train parts of the brain to treat
inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The company's
experimental device, which resembles a pair of wireless earbuds,
uses electric fields to make changes, or 'hack' the brain.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, A US sailor (20)
reportedly fell overboard from the USS Theodore Roosevelt off the
coast of Southern California. search and rescue efforts for as
Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Ethan Goolsby of San Antonio
were called off on Dec. 12.
   (AP, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, In Indiana Brandon
Bernard (40) was put to death for his part in a 1999 killing of a
religious couple from Iowa after he and other teenage members of a
street gang abducted and robbed Todd and Stacie Bagley in Texas.
Bernard, who was 18 at the time of the killings, was a rare
execution of a person who was in his teens when his crime was
committed.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Actress Carol
Sutton (76), a fixture on stages in her native New Orleans, died
from complications from COVID-19. She had built a steady career on
the big and small screens, including roles in the 1989 comedy “Steel
Magnolias” and the TV series “Queen Sugar”.
   (AP, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Massachusetts’
highest court said Gov. Charlie Baker didn’t overstep his authority
with orders to close businesses and limit gatherings to control the
spread of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, It was reported
that the Minneapolis City Council has voted (7-6) to defund its
police department by $7.77 million. The city’s 2021 budget will
redirect those funds to other programs.
   (TheGrio, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, In Nevada about 20
bicyclists were riding on US Highway 95 south of Boulder City when a
box truck allegedly hit a safety escort vehicle that was following
the cyclists. Five cyclists were killed in the crash. It was later
reported that truck driver Jordan Alexander Barson (45) of Arizona
had a high level of methamphetamine in his system. He was arrested
on Dec. 16 and faced 12 felony charges.
   (AP, 12/11/20)(SFC, 12/17/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, In Oregon a
gentrification protest that has blockaded several city blocks in
Portland, entered its third day as people dressed in black and
wearing ski masks continued to build makeshift barriers.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation pledged an additional $250 million to
support the development of low-cost and easier to deliver treatments
and vaccines against COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Biogen said it has
filed for regulatory approval in Japan for an Alzheimer's disease
drug it developed with local partner Eisai Co.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Mastercard and
Visa said they had prohibited the use of their cards on the adult
website Pornhub, after the New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof
reported that the platform included videos of child abuse and rape.
   (NY Times, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Moderna Inc said
it had dosed the first participants in a mid-to-late stage study
testing its COVID-19 vaccine candidate in adolescents aged 12 to
less than 18, and aims for data ahead of the 2021 school year.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Newsmax, a
conservative cable news channel promoted by President Donald Trump,
said it plans to expand in the United States and Britain.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The leaders of
Afghanistan and Iran inaugurated the first railway link between the
two countries, expressing hope it would enhance trade links across
the region. The $75 million project began in 2007.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, In Afghanistan
gunmen shot and killed Malala Maiwand, a female TV anchor and
women's rights activist, as she left her home in Nangarhar province.
   (SFC, 12/11/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Australian
scientists said they had developed a rapid genome sequencing method
that would cut to within four hours the time taken to trace the
source of coronavirus cases, helping to quickly contain any future
outbreaks.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, In Azerbaijan More
than 3,000 troops took part in a military parade to celebrate
reclaiming control over broad swathes of Nagorno-Karabakh and
surrounding lands in a conflict with Armenia.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Bahrain announced
plans to give the public free coronavirus vaccines.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Bhutan's
Parliament voted to decriminalize same-sex relations.
   (SFC, 12/12/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The EU's Bosnia
mission warned in a statement that current weather conditions are
putting at risk the lives of more than 3,000 people who have been
sleeping rough or staying in inadequate conditions in the country.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Brazil's São Paulo
state started producing the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's
Sinovac Biotech, Governor João Doria said, even though the federal
government of President Jair Bolsonaro has yet to approve its use.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Britain signed a
free trade deal with Singapore. The deal came as PM Boris Johnson
and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen tried to seal a new trade pact and
avert what some fear will be a chaotic end to the five-year Brexit
process.
   (The Telegraph, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, England's COVID
test and trace system said it is making a 500 pound ($665) support
payment available for people who self-isolate after receiving a
notification via its app.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Canadian police
Officer Alex Dunn was found guilty of assault causing bodily harm
after slamming Dalia Kafi, a handcuffed black woman, against a
cement floor in a “judo-style” throw. Video footage of the assault,
shared widely on social media, was seen as emblematic of systemic
racism in Canada’s policing.
   (The Guardian, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, China's Foreign
Ministry said that two Canadians held for two years in a case linked
to a Huawei executive have been indicted and put on trial. Former
diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor have been
confined since December 10, 2018, just days after Canada detained
Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Canada said that it has confirmed
with China that two Canadians held for two years in China in a case
linked to a Huawei executive have not been put on trial, contrary to
remarks by a Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
   (The Telegraph, 12/10/20)(AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, China said it is
imposing restrictions on travel to Hong Kong and Macau by some US
officials and others in retaliation for similar measures imposed on
Chinese individuals by Washington.
   (AP, 12/10/20)(Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Egypt received its
first shipment of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine, which was tested in
the United Arab Emirates and is said to be 86% effective.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, EU members agreed
to a 7-year EU budget worth €1.1 trillion, as well as a one-off €750
billion fund to speed recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.
   (Econ., 12/19/20, p.82)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, The EU Central
Bank unleashed another $600 billion of stimulus as a surge in
COVID-19 infections shut down large parts of the economy.
   (SFC, 12/11/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, France's data
privacy watchdog said it has handed out its biggest ever fine of 100
million euros ($121 million) to Alphabet's Google for breaching the
country's rules on online advertising trackers (cookies). The CNIL
said it had also fined e-commerce giant Amazon 35 million euros for
breaking the same rules.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, It was reported
that a German court has ruled that automaker Tesla Inc. has to stop
clearing trees on the site where it's building its first electric
car factory in Europe. The ban would last until a decision was made
on the appeal by the environmentalist groups NABU and Gruene Liga.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Honduran
authorities began trying to break up a caravan of hundreds of people
who set off for the United States to escape the impact of
back-to-back hurricanes, testing efforts to stem immigration from
the battered region.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, It was reported
that top executives of Carlsberg, SABMiller and India's United
Breweries (UB) exchanged commercially sensitive information and
colluded to fix beer prices in India over 11 years.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Italian
prosecutors formally put three high-ranking members of Egypt’s
national security force and one police officer under investigation
in the 2016 kidnapping, torture and killing of Giulio Regeni, an
Italian youth doing doctoral research in Cairo.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, A bird flu
outbreak in Japan worsened with farms in two more prefectures
slaughtering chicken in a record cull of poultry as the government
ordered the disinfection of all chicken farms.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, In Kenya four
women subjected to sexual assault in the violence that followed the
disputed 2007 election were set to receive compensation. The
government was ordered to pay $36,000 (£27,000) to each one.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, A Lebanese
prosecutor placed the caretaker prime minister and three former
ministers under investigation in connection with Beirut’s August
devastating port explosion.
   (The Telegraph, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Two Russian
citizens who had been held by the UN-backed government in Libya for
more than 1 1/2 years on spying charges were released from
captivity. Maxim Shugalei and Samir Seifan were detained in May 2019
by the UN-backed government in Tripoli on charges of espionage.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Saudi Arabia said
it has approved an inoculation by Pfizer and its German partner
BioNTech to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Advanced MedTech,
which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore state investor
Temasek, said Singapore has approved its COVID-19 kit for use in
testing saliva from deep within the throat.
   (Reuters, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, In Thailand
pro-democracy demonstrators in Bangkok marked UN Human Rights Day
with rallies calling for the abolition of Thailand’s strict royal
defamation law, which was recently revived to prosecute more than 20
of the protest movement’s leaders.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 10, Turkish police
shot and killed a suspected Kurdish militant who was allegedly
planning to detonate a bomb that was strapped to his body at a
checkpoint near the town of Viransehir, Sanliurfa province.
   (AP, 12/10/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, President Donald
Trump, facing a midnight deadline, signed a one-week extension of
expiring federal funding to avoid a government shutdown and to
provide more time for separate talks on COVID-19 relief and an
overarching spending bill.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, The US Senate
approved a wide-ranging defense bill, despite Pres. Trump's threat
to veto the measure because it does not clamp down on big tech
companies he claims were biased during the election. The House and
Senate have enough votes to override a veto. U.S. Trump has until
Dec. 23 to decide whether to veto the $740 billion National Defense
Authorization Act or allow the annual measure setting policy for the
Department of Defense to become law.
   (SFC, 12/12/20, p.A4)(Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, The US Supreme
Court threw out a complaint filed by Texas Attorney General Ken
Paxton that directly attacked four other states that President-elect
Joe Biden won.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, The Trump
administration continued its unprecedented series of post-election
federal executions by putting to death in Indiana Alfred Bourgeois
(56), a Louisiana truck driver who severely abused his 2-year-old
daughter for weeks in 2002, then killed her by slamming her head
repeatedly against a truck’s windows and dashboard.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, President Donald
Trump's administration moved forward with $1 billion in sales of
drones and precision-guided weapons to Morocco, sending a notice to
Congress about the potential deals.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, The FDA granted
emergency use for the vaccine produced by Pfizer Inc. and its German
partner BioNTech. Hours before the FDA authorization, a high-ranking
White House official told the agency’s chief he could face firing if
the vaccine was not cleared by day’s end.
   (AP, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, It was reported
that a team of codebreakers has deciphered an encrypted 340
character message sent 51-years ago by the so-called Zodiac killer,
who was responsible for at least five murders in northern
California: "I hope you are having lots of fun in trying to catch
me. I am not afraid of the gas chamber because it will send me to
paradice (sic) all the sooner because I now have enough slaves to
work for me where everyone else has nothing when they reach paradice
so they are afraid of death. I am not afraid because I know that my
new life will be an easy one in paradice death."
   (SFC, 12/12/20, p.A1)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, California to
date had 1,497,623 cases of coronavirus and 20,700 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 184,154 cases and 2,098 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 15,817,169 with the death toll at
294,690.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Rapper Lil Wayne
pleaded guilty to a federal charge that he possessed a weapon
despite being a convicted felon following a 2019 search of a private
plane in the Miami area.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, In North Carolina
Tyler Avery (25), a Mount Holly Police officer, died following an
exchange of gunfire early today during a break-in at a car wash in
the Belmont area of Gaston County. Joshua Tyler Funk (24) was soon
arrested and charged with murder.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, In Ohio hundreds
of people peacefully demonstrated in Columbus late today to protest
the December 4 death of Casey Goodson Jr.
   (Insider, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, It was reported
that Global fund managers are reducing their holdings in US-listed
Chinese companies such as Alibaba, Netease and JD.com as risks grow
they will be forced off American exchanges, switching instead into
shares of the companies listed in Hong Kong.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Scientists said
five key genes are linked with the most severe form of COVID-19 in
research that also pointed to several existing drugs that could be
repurposed to treat people who risk getting critically ill with the
pandemic disease.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Australian
researchers announced they had abandoned development of a potential
vaccine because the false positive results to HIV tests undermined
public confidence.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, The Azerbaijani
military reportedly launched an attack late today that left three
local ethnic Armenian servicemen wounded in Nagorno-Karabakh.
   (AP, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Bolivia's first
same-sex civil union was recognized by the Bolivian Civil Registry
in La Paz.
   (https://tinyurl.com/zxde4r4a)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Brazil's Health
Ministry said it is studying 58 suspected cases of COVID-19
re-infection after confirming the first case of a person getting
re-infected with the illness caused by the coronavirus. The pathogen
of the sample collected in June belonged to the B.1.1.33 strain and
the October sample was from the B.1.1.28 strain.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Britain and
Vietnam finalized a free trade agreement, the second deal London has
reached in Southeast Asia in as many days while deadlock continues
over post-Brexit European Union arrangements.
   (AFP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Canadian federal
health authorities said longer-range forecasts project the second
wave of the coronavirus spreading rapidly through Canada, and all
the major provinces need to impose more restrictions.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Chinese foreign
ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said US claims about risks to
national security were completely false, following a US decision to
halt China Telecom US operations.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Ethiopia said it
is returning thousands of refugees who ran from camps in its Tigray
region, putting them on buses back to the border area with Eritrea,
the country the refugees originally fled. Ethiopia's government
denied that the war in its northern Tigray region was preventing aid
reaching civilians, as two foreign aid agencies confirmed some staff
had been killed there and urged all sides to do more to protect
non-combatants. The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) reported the deaths
of three security guards in Ethiopia's Tigray region over the last
month.
   (AP, 12/11/20)(Reuters, 12/11/20)(BBC, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, French Culture
Minister Roselyne Bachelot pledged an extra 35 million euros ($42
million) to bail out museums, cinemas and theatres left "stunned" by
an extension of COVID-19 restrictions.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, France reported
13,406 new coronavirus infections, while intensive care cases
dropped again and are now well below a government target. The number
of deaths rose by 627 to 57,567.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, France-based
Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline said clinical trials of their COVID-19
vaccine showed an insufficient immune response in older people,
delaying its launch to late next year and marking a setback in the
global fight against the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Construction of
Nord Stream 2, a German-Russian pipeline that the United States has
vehemently opposed, resumed after nearly a year.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, City leader Carrie
Lam said Hong Kong has ordered 15 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine,
split between China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd. and Pfizer/BioNTech,
twice the number of its residents.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, In India around a
million doctors went on a day-long strike amid the coronavirus
pandemic to protest against a new federal government rule that
allows practitioners of the traditional science of Ayurveda to
perform minor surgeries.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Mexico became the
fourth country to approve emergency use of Pfizer's COVID-19
vaccine, following authorization from health regulator Cofepris.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, In north-western
Nigeria hundreds of students were feared missing after gunmen raided
a secondary school in Katsina state. On Dec. 15 the Islamist
militant group Boko Haram said it was behind the kidnapping.
   (BBC, 12/12/20)(AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Eight mainly
Western nations accused North Korea of using the pandemic “to crack
down further on the human rights of its own people,” pointing to
reports of an uptick in executions related to the coronavirus and
strict controls on movements in and around the capital.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Pakistan's foreign
minister called for the UN and the EU to investigate a recent report
exposing a 15-year disinformation campaign that Islamabad alleges
was designed to serve India's interests and discredit Pakistan. New
Delhi denied the claims.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Philippines-based
Asian Development Bank said it has launched a $9 billion facility to
help nations access and deliver COVID-19 vaccines. The Asia Pacific
Vaccine Access Facility (APVAX) will provide support for procurement
and transporting of vaccines from place of purchase to ADB's
developing members.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Portugal reported
95 deaths linked to COVID-19, its worst daily toll since the
pandemic started, as countries across Europe struggled to contain a
second wave of infections.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Russia reported
its highest COVID-19 daily death tally, a day after official data
revealed a surge in excess deaths in October that made it the most
deadly month in a decade.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Russia's sovereign
wealth fund said AstraZeneca is to start clinical trials to test a
combination of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine with Russia's
Sputnik V shot to see if this can boost the efficacy of the British
drugmaker's vaccine.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, It was reported
that South Korea-based Hyundai Motor Group and its chairman have
agreed to buy a controlling stake in Boston Dynamics from SoftBank
Group Corp in a deal that values the US-based robot maker at $1.1
billion. The deal would give the company and its chief a combined
80% stake in Boston Dynamics, while Softbank will retain 20%.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, A new report by
international food security experts said South Sudan's western Pibor
county is feared to have reached famine level, the result of massive
flooding and deadly violence that has prevented access to aid.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Swiss-based
Novartis said it has received approval from the European Commission
for Leqvio, also known as inclisiran, a drug to lower cholesterol
that the drugmaker bought last year in a deal worth nearly $10
billion and expects to be a top seller.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, The global
chemical weapons watchdog (OPCW) criticized Syria for failing to
declare a chemical weapons production facility and respond to 18
other issues. Russia accused the watchdog of conducting a “political
crusade” against its close ally, the Syrian government.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Taiwan
commissioned the first of a new fleet of coastguard ships, an
advanced catamaran that can be armed with missiles during war, as
the island bolsters its defenses in the face of what it sees as a
growing threat from Beijing.
   (Reuters, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, Ukraine reported
13,514 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the
total number to 872,228 cases with 14,755 deaths.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 11, A UN-backed
tribunal sentenced fugitive Hezbollah member, Salim Ayyash, to five
concurrent terms of life imprisonment in absentia over his
involvement in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafik
Hariri.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Thousands of
President Trump’s supporters marched in Washington and several state
capitals to protest what they contended, against all evidence, was a
stolen election. Four people were stabbed in DC, and the police
declared a riot in Olympia, Wash., where one person was shot.Â
Vandalism targeted two historic Black churches during clashes
between supporters of President Trump and counter protesters.
   (NY Times, 12/13/20)(The Week, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, President Donald
Trump lost his latest legal challenge seeking to overturn Georgia's
election results, with the state Supreme Court's rejection late
today of a case from Trump's campaign and Georgia Republican Party
Chairman David Shafer.
   (AP, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, US President-elect
Joe Biden pledged to rejoin the Paris climate accord on the first
day of his presidency, as world leaders staged a virtual gathering
to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the international pact aimed
at curbing global warming.
   (AP, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, The Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) said it had approved the use of the
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine by pilots and air traffic
controllers.
   (Reuters, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, It was reported
that Oracle Corp., based in Redwood City, Ca., is moving its
headquarters to Austin, Texas.
   (SFC, 12/12/20, p.A1)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, California to
date had 1,486,873 cases of coronavirus and 20,857 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 187,086 cases and 2,102 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 16,045,596 with the death toll at
297,789.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Ann Reinking
(b.1949), Broadway star and Tony-award winning choreographer, died
in Seattle. She was known as the star of such musicals as: "Sweet
Charity" and "Chicago."
   (SFC, 12/16/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, A Virgin Galactic
test flight ended prematurely as the spacecraft's rocket motor
failed to ignite and it then glided down safely to its landing site
in southern New Mexico.
   (AP, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Vanderbilt kicker
Sarah Fuller made history again, when she knocked through an extra
point during the Commodores' SEC matchup with in-state rival
Tennessee. Last month, Fuller became the first woman to play in a
Power Five game when she took the second half kick off against
Missouri.
   (The Week, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Charley Pride,
described as "the first Black superstar in country music," died due
to complications from COVID-19 in Dallas, Texas.
   (The Week, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, In Afghanistan an
alleged airstrike late today killed around a dozen civilians in
southern Kandahar province. The government later insisted that seven
civilians were killed when the Taliban detonated a bomb in the area.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, In Albania
demonstrators in the northern city of Shkodra damaged the left-wing
governing Socialist Party's offices and injured a police officer, as
part of ongoing protests this week after a fatal shooting by police
enforcing a coronavirus curfew.
   (AP, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Austrian officials
said authorities in recent days have seized a large cache of weapons
and ammunition that were intended to be sold to far-right extremists
in Germany. The seizure included 70 automatic and semi-automatic
firearms, more than 100,000 rounds of ammunition and explosives.
   (AP, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, The Brazilian
government unveiled its long-awaited national vaccination plan
against COVID-19 with an initial goal of vaccinating 51 million
people, or about one-fourth of the population, in the first half of
2021.
   (Reuters, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Britain's
AstraZeneca said it has agreed to buy US drugmaker Alexion
Pharmaceuticals for $39 billion in its largest ever deal,
diversifying away from its fast-growing cancer business in a bet on
rare-disease and immunology drugs.
   (Reuters, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, John le Carré
(89), the best-selling British author of Cold War spy thrillers,
including “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy,” died in Cornwall, England.
Graham Greene described le Carré's best-selling novel “The Spy Who
Came in From the Cold” (1963), “the best spy story I have ever read.
   (NY Times, 12/13/20)(Econ., 12/19/20, p.126)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, China pledged to
reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by "at least" 65 per cent from
2005 levels by 2030, raising the target slightly from the country's
previous goal of "up to" 65 per cent.
   (South China Morning Post, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, An Egyptian court
sentenced nine police officers to three years in prison after their
conviction for beating to death street vendor Magdy Maken (53) in
November, 2016, at a Cairo police station. The verdict can be
appealed before a higher court.
   (AP, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, In France police
in Paris took 142 people into custody at what quickly became a tense
and sometimes ill-tempered protest against proposed security laws,
with officers wading into the crowds of several thousand to haul
away suspected trouble-makers.
   (AP, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Indonesian police
said they have arrested Aris Sumarsono, aka Zulkarnaen, on Sumatra
island. He is believed to be the military leader of the
al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah network and has eluded capture
since 2003.
   (SSFC, 12/13/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Indonesia said US
automaker Tesla will send delegations to Indonesia next month to
discuss potential investment in a supply chain for its electric
vehicles.
   (Reuters, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Iran executed
Ruhollah Zam (47), a once-exiled journalist, over his online work
that helped inspire nationwide economic protests in 2017, just
months after he returned to Tehran under mysterious circumstances.
   (AP, 12/11/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Italy reported 649
new coronavirus-related deaths compared with 761 the day before. The
daily tally of new infections was 19,903, up from 18,727.
   (Reuters, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Japan saw more
than 3,000 new infections of the novel coronavirus for the first
time in one day, as the number of cases continues to rise in the
winter.
   (Reuters, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Mexico City's
government said shops in the center of the capital and other busy
areas would temporarily have to close at 5 p.m. to reduce the risk
of coronavirus infection as authorities battle a surge in cases.
   (Reuters, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, A Russian nuclear
submarine successfully test-fired four intercontinental ballistic
missiles in a show of readiness of Moscow's nuclear forces amid
tension with the US.
   (AP, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, In South Korea
protests erupted as sex offender Cho Doo-soon (69) was released from
prison at the end of his sentence for raping and seriously injuring
a young girl in 2008, a crime which caused revulsion across the
country.
   (The Telegraph, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, South Korea
reported a record 950 daily coronavirus cases, exceeding the late
February peak of 909, with the president calling the country's third
wave of COVID-19 an "emergency".
   (Reuters, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, South Korea's
agriculture ministry issued a temporary nationwide standstill order
for poultry farms and related transport in a bid to contain a wider
spread of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu.
   (Reuters, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, It was reported
that Switzerland has frozen the financial assets of the president of
Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, following the violent aftermath of
the elections in the east European country.
   (Reuters, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Jack Steinberger
(99), who shared a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1988 for expanding
understanding of the ghostly neutrino, died at his home in Geneva.
   (NY Times, 12/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, United Nations'
Climate Ambition Summit was held on the fifth anniversary of the
international Paris climate. At the virtual gathering UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said world leaders should declare
states of "climate emergency" in their countries to spur action to
avoid catastrophic global warming.
   (Reuters, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Pope Francis urged
countries to work towards net zero carbon emissions and committed
Vatican City - the world's smallest state - to reaching the target
by 2050.
   (Reuters, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, Venezuela's
opposition, led by Juan Guaido, concluded a "popular consultation"
to repudiate President Nicolas Maduro's government after boycotting
a Dec. 6 congressional vote. The opposition said just under 6.5
million people participated. The Maduro government has said 5.2
million Venezuelans voted in the election.
   (Reuters, 12/12/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 12, The bodies of 11
migrants, traveling by boat from Venezuela to Trinidad and Tobago,
were found at sea. Nine more bodies were found the next day.
   (SFC, 12/15/20, p.A4)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, California to
date had 1,573,639 cases of coronavirus and 20,976 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 190,605 cases and 2,102 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 16,240,370 with the death toll at
299,101.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, The New York Times
reported that the Cleveland Indians baseball team has decided to
change its name, which Native American groups for years criticized
as racially insensitive.
   (NY Times, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, New York City
police fatally shot Luis Vasquez (52) after he began firing two
semiautomatic handguns at the end of a Christmas choral concert at
the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. A note in his pocket said he
planned to take hostages to get US aid for Latin America.
   (AP, 12/13/20)(SFC, 12/17/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, In West Virginia
four family members, including a 3-year-old and a 12-year-old, were
found dead in a home in the Elkview community near Charleston. A
juvenile was charged with murder in connection with the case.
   (Charlotte Observer, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, IT company
SolarWinds said that monitoring products it released in March and
June of this year may have been surreptitiously tampered with in a
"highly-sophisticated, targeted and manual supply chain attack by a
nation state."
   (Reuters, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Pfizer began
shipping its vaccine across the US, the first of nearly three
million doses.
   (NY Times, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Social network
firm Reddit said it would buy short-video platform Dubsmash,
becoming the latest company to expand in a space dominated by
Chinese-owned TikTok.
   (Reuters, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Bahrain said it
has approved the use of a coronavirus vaccine developed by China
National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm).
   (Reuters, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, In Belarus crowds
of people took to the streets in Minsk in a weekly protest against
the country’s authoritarian leader who won a sixth term in office in
a disputed election. Nearly 170 people were reportedly detained.
   (AP, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, PM Boris Johnson
said that Britain and the European Union remained very far apart on
key issues in Brexit trade talks so people should be prepared for a
no-deal on Dec. 31.
   (Reuters, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, It was reported
that hundreds of senior employees at British banks HSBC and Standard
Chartered have been members of the Chinese Communist Party.
   (The Telegraph, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Eswatini (formerly
Swaziland) PM Ambrose Dlamini (52) died in hospital in South Africa,
four weeks after he tested positive for coronavirus.
   (BBC, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Chancellor Angela
Merkel said Germany will enact a nationwide lockdown over Christmas,
closing most stores and schools and strictly limiting gatherings.
Starting on December 16, most stores, schools and hairdressers will
be required to close, and gatherings over the holidays will be
restricted.
   (NY Times, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Indian workers
smashed windows, broke office furniture, and set fire to a sign at a
Wistron Corp. factory that makes iPhones during a protest over wages
and working hours. Police said that they had detained 100 people.
   (The Week, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, In Indonesia
police arrested a cleric who is accused of inciting people to ignore
Covid-19 restrictions by holding sermons with tens of thousands of
his followers. Rizieq Shihab, leader of the Islamic Defenders Front,
turned himself in to a Jakarta police station. The Islamic Defenders
Front wants Islamic Shariah law to apply to Indonesia’s 230 million
Muslims.
   (The Telegraph, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Iranian news
reported that Kameel Ahmady, a British-Iranian anthropologist who
has studied child marriage and female genital mutilation, has been
sentenced to nine years in jail and fined him over $700,000 in cash.
Ahmady has the right to appeal within 20 days.
   (AP, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Italy reported
another 17,938 coronavirus infections to raise its official tally to
1.84 million. 484 deaths pushed Italy's official toll up to 64,520,
making it the nation with the worst official coronavirus death toll
in Europe.
   (AP, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, In Japan 3,030 new
coronavirus cases, including 621 in Tokyo, took the national tally
to 177,287 with 2,562 deaths.
   (AP, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, In Poland large
numbers of people marched in Warsaw to protest the right-wing
government, the latest demonstration after a high court ruled to
further tighten the country's already restrictive abortion law.
   (AP, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, In Saudi Arabia
the Singapore-flagged BW Rhine was hit “by an external source” while
discharging refined oil products at Jeddah. The incident did not
result in any casualties, and there was no damage caused to the
unloading facilities.
   (The Telegraph, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, South Korea set
another record for its daily coronavirus tally with 1,030, as
authorities struggle to suppress the virus's spread.
   (AP, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 13, Sudan's PM Abdalla
Hamdok made a brief visit to Ethiopia, amid a growing refugee crisis
that has seen more than 50,000 Ethiopians flee conflict in the
Tigray region into neighboring Sudan.
   (AP, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Pres. Donald Trump
tweeted that Attorney General Bill Barr will leave his post next
week, after tension between the two men over Barr’s refusal to echo
Trump’s falsehoods about voter fraud. Jeffrey Rosen, Barr’s deputy,
will become the acting attorney general.
   (NY Times, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, The US Electoral
College formally designated President-elect Joe Biden the winner of
the election.
   (NY Times, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, US officials
announced that two members of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and
Security (MOIS) would be sanctioned for their alleged role in the
kidnapping and detention of former FBI agent Robert Levinson. The
Treasury Department identified Mohammad Baseri and Ahmad Khazai as
senior Iranian intel officials involved in Levinson’s kidnapping and
disappearance. The Trump administration told family members in 2020
that Levinson had likely died in Iranian custody at some point prior
to the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (The Daily Beast, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, The US Embassy in
Khartoum said that President Donald Trump's administration has
removed Sudan from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.
President Donald Trump gave Congress the statutory 45-day notice of
this move in October as part of a deal that involved Sudan paying
$335m to US victims of terror attacks.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, California-based
video games maker Electronic Arts said it had reached an agreement
to buy Codemasters in a deal worth $1.2 billion, trumping an earlier
agreement between the British company and rival Take-Two Interactive
Software.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Zoox of Foster
City, Ca., unveiled a next-generation robot taxi. Founded in 2014,
Zoox is now owned by Amazon, which bought it in June for $1.2
billion.
   (SFC, 12/15/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, It was reported
that San Francisco's historic Cliff House will close on Dec. 31. The
feds bought the property in 1977 and have failed to renew a
long-term lease. Dan and Mary Hountalas have run the restaurant
since 1973.
   (SFC, 12/14/20, p.A6)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, California to
date had 1,573,639 cases of coronavirus and 21,045 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 196,526 cases and 2,112 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 16,517,256 with the death toll at
300,477.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, The US state of
Georgia began early voting in a pair of US Senate races that will
determine control of the chamber in a contest that ends on Jan. 5.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Wisconsin
Republicans met at the state Capitol, the same day as 10 Democratic
electors awarded their votes to Biden, who carried the battleground
state by just under 21,000 votes. They forwarded their votes for
Trump to the National Archives, arguing that they were trying to
preserve Trump's legal options in case a court overturned Biden's
win.
   (AP, 6/21/22)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, ExxonMobil pledged
to cut carbon emissions from operations by as much as 20% in five
years.
   (Econ., 12/19/20, p.93)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Argentina said
that it had now recorded 1.5 million cases of coronavirus, making it
the ninth country in the world to reach the milestone. The Ministry
of Health said there had been 1,503,222 people infected so far with
COVID-19 and 41,041 deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Brazil's health
regulator Anvisa said China's health authorities are not transparent
in their authorization of COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Britain reported
that over 1,000 cases of a new coronavirus variant have been
identified in the past few days in England, predominantly in the
south of the country where it could be connected to a surge in
cases. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the variant is more likely
to cause serious disease, and the latest clinical advice is that
it's highly unlikely that this mutation would fail to respond to a
vaccine.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, A single-patient
study conducted by British scientists has found that Gilead's
antiviral drug remdesivir could be highly effective against
COVID-19, raising questions about previous studies that found it had
no impact on death rates from the disease.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Codagenix Inc and
India's Serum Institute said they have received regulatory approval
in the United Kingdom to begin an early-stage trial of their
single-dose, intranasal COVID-19 vaccine.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Canada kicked off
its inoculation campaign against COVID-19 by injecting frontline
healthcare workers, becoming just the third nation in the world to
administer the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Canadian fashion
executive Peter Nygard (79) was arrested in Winnipeg at the request
of the US. His arrest on sex trafficking, racketeering and related
charges came after the FBI raided Nygard’s Manhattan offices earlier
this year.
   (AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, It was reported
that Chinese authorities have locked down an area near the Russian
border after half a dozen coronavirus were confirmed in the
north-eastern province of Heilongjiang.
   (SFC, 12/14/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, The EU announced
that an agreement has been reached on setting up the 27-nation
bloc’s first ever fund to support defense research and development.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, German biotech
firm CureVac said it has started a large Phase 2b/3 clinical trial
of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, banking on the same technology
that has allowed rivals BioNTech and Moderna to lead the development
race.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Tens of thousands
of protesting Indian farmers called for a national farmers' strike,
the second in a week, to press for the quashing of three new laws on
agricultural reform that they say will drive down crop prices and
devastate their earnings.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Indian
ride-hailing firm Ola, backed by Japan's SoftBank Group, said it
planned to invest 24 billion rupees ($326 million) to set up a
factory in the southern state of Tamil Nadu to produce electric
scooters.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Two prominent
Italian intellectuals announced they were returning their Legion of
Honor awards to France to protest that Egyptian President
Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi was given the prize despite his government's
human rights abuses.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Italian police
officers hailed their Albanian counterparts for their fight against
drug production and trafficking in the western Balkan country.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Italy reported 491
coronavirus-related deaths against 484 the day before, while the
daily tally of new infections declined to 12,030 from 17,938.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Ivory Coast
President Alassane Ouattara was inaugurated for a third term in
office amid ongoing outcries from opposition parties.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Japan selected the
"mitsu" kanji character, meaning "congested" or "dense" and used to
encourage social distancing, as its defining symbol for 2020.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Japan said its
worst bird flu outbreak on record has spread to new farms and now
affects more than 20% of the country's 47 prefectures, with
officials ordering cullings after more poultry deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, A military court
in Lebanon sentenced a political activist to three years of hard
labor for collaborating with Israel. Kinda El-Khatib was sentenced
for allegedly visiting Israel, contacting Israeli agents and
providing them with security information.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Moroccan
authorities dispersed a group of activists who tried to hold a
protest outside the parliament building in the capital to denounce
the country's recent decision to establish diplomatic relations with
Israel.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Fatou Bensouda,
the outgoing prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, hit out
at sanctions slapped on her by the Trump Administration in her final
speech to an annual gathering of the court's member states before
she leaves office next year.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, PM Jacinda Ardern
announced that the New Zealand government intends to establish a
travel bubble with Australia in the first quarter of next year.
   (NY Times, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Russia
successfully test-launched its heavy lift Angara A5 space rocket
from the Plesetsk cosmodrome for the second time.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Russian developers
published fresh trial results for their Sputnik V coronavirus
vaccine based on new data, and said the shot had again been found to
be 91.4% effective in providing protection from COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Russian
authorities said they are investigating the death of nearly 300
endangered seals, including pregnant females, that have been found
washed up on the Caspian Sea shores of Dagestan since December 6.
The Caspian seal was included in Russia’s Red Data Book of rare and
endangered species this year.
   (The Telegraph, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Singapore became
the first Asian country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus
vaccine and said it expects to start receiving shots by the end of
the year.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, South Africa's
pharmaceutical regulator SAHPRA said it has received its first
application to register a COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson &
Johnson.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, South Korea’s
parliament approved contentious legislation criminalizing the flying
of propaganda leaflets by balloon toward North Korea, despite fierce
criticism that the country is sacrificing freedom of expression to
improve ties with the rival North.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Human Rights Watch
said South Sudan's security agency has used electric shocks, gang
rapes, abductions and killings since the country gained independence
in 2011. Acting army spokesman Santo Domic Chol dismissed the
report.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, The Swiss
government acknowledged that authorities in the Alpine nation had
failed to prevent the illegal adoptions of children from Sri Lanka
up until the 1990s. Switzerland only recently acknowledged the
suffering of Swiss children who were taken away mainly from poor
families and single mothers, and were made to work on farms as late
as the 1960s.
   (AP, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 14, Swiss-based
Novartis said a late-stage clinical trial of ruxolitinib on top of
standard therapy showed no significant reduction in severe
complications of COVID-19, including death, respiratory failure
requiring mechanical ventilation or admission to the intensive care
unit.
   (Reuters, 12/14/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, The Trump
administration slapped sanctions on an alleged Iranian-backed Shiite
group in Bahrain that it accuses of trying to overthrow Bahrain’s
government and plotting terrorist attacks on Americans in the
country, which is home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet.
   (AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, A US Food and Drug
Administration review released today concluded that Moderna's
coronavirus vaccine "was highly effective" at preventing COVID-19
symptoms after trial participants received a second dose.
   (NY Times, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, The Food and Drug
Administration issued an emergency use authorization for the first
over-the-counter, fully at-home COVID-19 test. The Ellume COVID-19
Home Test will likely be sold at pharmacies, and it won't require a
prescription.
   (AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, It was reported
that US regulators have approved a genetically modified pig for food
and medical products, making it the second such animal to get the
green light for human consumption. But the company behind it says
there are no imminent plans to sell it for meat. The pig is
genetically engineered to eliminate the presence of alpha-gal, a
type of sugar found in many mammals, and can cause allergic
reactions in some people.
   (AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, US federal
officials declared the monarch butterfly “a candidate” for
threatened or endangered status, but said no action would be taken
for several years because of the many other species awaiting that
designation.
   (AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Arizona reported
4,134 new cases of the coronavirus and 64 deaths. Total cases
reached 424,000 and 7,422 deaths.
   (SFC, 12/16/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, SF Mayor London
Breed announced that Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia plans to donate
$25 million to help two organizations combat homelessness and help
people suffering economically from the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (SFC, 12/16/20, p.B2)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, California to
date had 1,615,692 cases of coronavirus and 21,200 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 196,526 cases and 2,112 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 16,517,256 with the death toll at
300,477.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Shares of Eli
Lilly climbed after the drugmaker laid out a better-than-expected
revenue forecast and plans to buy a young company developing a
potential Parkinson’s disease treatment.
   (AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, In Afghanistan a
bombing and a shooting attack in Kabul killed at least three people,
including a deputy provincial governor. A deputy provincial council
chief was killed in western Ghor province.
   (AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, British PM Boris
Johnson repeated to his top ministers that the most likely outcome
of post-Brexit trade talks with the European Union was no deal, but
that his team would still try to reach agreement.
   (Reuters, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, British scientists
said they are trying to establish whether the rapid spread in
southern England of a new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19
is linked to key mutations they have detected in the strain.
   (Reuters, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Canadian PM Justin
Trudeau announced that the government has reached an agreement with
Moderna Inc to receive the first deliveries of its COVID-19 vaccine
within 48 hours of regulatory approval.
   (Reuters, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, US college student
Skylar Mack (21) and her boyfriend were sentenced to four months in
prison in the Cayman Islands for violating strict COVID-19 measures.
The ruling will be appealed. On Dec. 22 their four-month sentences
were reduced to two months.
   (AP, 12/17/20)(AP, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, It was reported
that China's residential property market rose for the 33rd straight
month in November, prompting the government to continue its drumbeat
of market-cooling measures to stave off the kind of risk that led to
the 2008 subprime lending crisis in the US.
   (South China Morning Post, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, A cross-border
attack by Ethiopian forces and militias reportedly left causalities
among Sudanese troops, a development that could strain ties between
the two neighbors.
   (AP, 12/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, The EU's
anti-fraud body said almost 140,000 liters of dangerous hand
sanitizer have been seized across the region since the start of the
coronavirus pandemic. The product originated from Turkey and was
contaminated with dangerous levels of methanol, a substance likely
to create headaches, blurred vision and that can sometimes lead to
blindness when used in hand sanitizers.
   (AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Hungary amended
the definition of family in its constitution to allow an effective
ban on adoption by same-sex couples, another win for the ruling
conservatives but decried by one pro-LGBTQ group as "a dark day for
human rights".
   (Reuters, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, India reported
22,065 new coronavirus infections, taking its total to 9.9 million,
making it the lowest daily rise since July 4. Deaths rose by 354,
taking the total to 143,709.
   (Reuters, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, In Indonesia
official data showed that burials in Jakarta were 61% higher in the
first 10 months of 2020 than in the past five years. The new study
suggested that Indonesia's real coronavirus death toll is far higher
than the 2,963 reported deaths from COVID-19 since the start of the
pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Indonesia said
China's Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) plans to invest $5
billion in a lithium battery plant in Indonesia.
   (Reuters, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Ireland's data
regulator has fined Twitter 450,000 euros ($547,000) for a bug that
made some private tweets public, the first sanction against a major
US tech firm under a new EU dispute mechanism, but much less than
some EU states demanded.
   (Reuters, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Italy reported 846
coronavirus-related deaths against 491 the day before. The daily
tally of new infections rose to 14,844 from 12,030. Italy has
registered 1.871 million cases to date.
   (Reuters, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, A Japanese court
sentenced Takahiro Shiraishi (30), known as the "Twitter killer," to
death for killing and dismembering nine people, most of whom had
posted suicidal thoughts on social media. Police arrested Shiraishi
in 2017 after finding the bodies of eight females and one male in
cold-storage cases in his apartment.
   (AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, The Lithuanian and
Polish governments said they have been the target of a cyber
disinformation attack that appears aimed at undermining relations
between the two NATO allies. Polish government official, Stanislaw
Zaryn, said Russia appeared to be the culprit.
   (AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, It was reported
that the government of Lithuania has extended a nationwide
quarantine until jan. 31 and tightened existing lockdown measure as
it tries to flatten a spike in coronavirus cases.
   (SFC, 12/15/20, p.A9)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Mexico's
legislature rushed through a law that wraps red tape around foreign
agents on Mexican soil, complicating American anti-narcotics work.
The new national security law strips foreign agents of
diplomatic immunity and requires foreign officials in the country to
share any intelligence they have obtained with Mexican officials.
   (https://tinyurl.com/uf5ywabu)(Econ., 1/2/21,
p.21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, The Int'l.
Criminal Court issued a preliminary report saying there was evidence
to show crimes against humanity committed in the Philippines under
Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. His bloody drug war has left thousands dead
since 2016.
   (SFC, 12/16/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Russian President
Vladimir Putin congratulated Joe Biden on winning the US
presidential election after weeks of holding out.
   (AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, In Russia a fire
in a private retirement home in the southern Urals killed 11 people
while three more were hospitalized with injuries in the Bashkiria
region.
   (AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Somalia's
government said it has severed ties with strategic neighbor Kenya
"to safeguard the unity, sovereignty, stability of the country.”
   (AP, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, South Korean
health authorities said doctors can administer pharmaceutical maker
Celltrion Inc's candidate COVID-19 antibody treatment to patients
with life-threatening conditions. The Ministry of Food and Drug
Safety approved CT-P59 under its patient treatment scheme on Dec.
11.
   (Reuters, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, It was reported
that the share of the Spanish population that contracted coronavirus
has nearly doubled to almost 10%, or about 4.7 million people, in
the second wave of contagion since late summer.
   (Reuters, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Spanish
pharmaceutical Reig Jofre said it had agreed with Johnson &
Johnson to produce the US company's COVID-19 vaccine, becoming the
third Spanish company to be chosen to take part in manufacturing
coronavirus vaccines.
   (Reuters, 12/15/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 15, Sri Lanka
authorities said that more than 3,000 COVID-19 have been detected in
the country's highly congested prisons.
   (SFC, 12/16/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, It was reported
that the US Treasury Department has branded Vietnam and Switzerland
as currency manipulators while putting China and nine other
countries on a watch list in an annual report designed to halt
countries from manipulating their currencies to gain unfair trade
advantages.
   (AP, 12/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, A bipartisan US
congressional investigation released today found that key players in
the nation’s opioid industry have spent $65 million since 1997
funding nonprofits that advocate treating pain with medications, a
strategy intended to boost the sale of prescription painkillers.
   (AP, 12/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Major League
Baseball said it will add seven Negro leagues that operated from
1920 to 1948 to its official records, granting recognition to more
than 3,400 players and shaking up the game’s record books.
   (NY Times, 12/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, The price of
bitcoin rose above $20,000 for the first time.
   (SFC, 12/17/20, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, The Trump
administration said it would withhold $200 million in federal health
care funding from California because the state requires that
insurance providers cover abortions.
   (SFC, 12/17/20, p.B1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, A California judge
extended an order exempting San Diego strip clubs from state
pandemic-related restrictions.
   (SFC, 12/17/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, US Attorney
announced that seven members of a crime family in the East Bay were
arrested on suspicion of supplying a stream of illegal drugs to San
Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood.
   (SFC, 12/17/20, p.B1)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, California to
date had 1,647,554 cases of coronavirus and 21,495 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 204,307 cases and 2,189 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 16,931,636 with the death toll at
307,076.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Tyson Foods said
it has fired seven top managers at its pork plant in Waterloo, Iowa,
following an investigation that they bet on how many workers would
test positive for the coronavirus.
   (SFC, 12/17/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Brazil's number of
confirmed COVID-19 cases surged past 7 million, with an all-time
high of more than 70,000 cases and 936 deaths.
   (SFC, 12/17/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Britain's Supreme
Court overturned a Court of Appeal judgement that had stopped the
expansion of Heathrow Airport.
   (Econ., 12/19/20, p.89)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Germany entered a
strict lockdown in an effort to get soaring coronavirus cases under
control as the number of registered deaths from COVID-19 jumped by
952, the highest daily increase yet.
   (Reuters, 12/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Chancellor Angela
Merkel's cabinet passed new legislation to introduce all-electronic
securities as part of its wider blockchain strategy.
   (Reuters, 12/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, A French court
found 14 people guilty of aiding the 2015 attack on the magazine
Charlie Hebdo, by supplying the attackers with cash, weapons and
vehicles.
   (NY Times, 12/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, French model agent
Jean-Luc Brunel (74), accused of supplying underage girls to Jeffrey
Epstein, was arrested by detectives at Charles de Gaulle airport,
who are questioning him on his links to British socialite Ghislaine
Maxwell and Prince Andrew.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, In India a Sikh
priest (65) committed suicide at an agricultural protest site.
Farmers have called for a 24-hour rotating hunger strike from Dec.
21 among protesters at home and abroad.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Israel’s justice
minister said he has signed an extradition order to send former
teacher Malka Leifer to Australia to face charges of child sex
abuse.
   (AP, 12/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, In Sudan Bahaa
el-Din Nouri (45) was taken on from the Kalakla neighborhood in the
southern part of Khartoum, by men wearing plain clothes and riding
in a vehicle without license plates. Five days later, his body
appeared at a hospital morgue in the city of Omdurman with apparent
beating and torture. An initial investigation showed that Nouri died
while being interrogated by the Rapid Support Forces.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, Sweden's king said
his country had failed in its handling of COVID-19, in a sharp
criticism of a pandemic policy partly blamed for a high death toll
among the elderly.
   (Reuters, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 16, The UN has warned
that about 2.3 million children in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region
are cut off from humanitarian assistance as violence continues.
   (BBC, 12/16/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, US Health and
Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said nearly 6 million doses of
Moderna Inc's experimental COVID-19 vaccine were poised to ship
nationwide as soon as it secures Food and Drug Administration
approval.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, US federal
prosecutors charged Cholo Abdi Abdullah (30) of Kenya with plotting
to hijack an airplane and crash it into a building in the US and
said he was an operative for the Shabab, a Qaeda branch in East
Africa. Mr. Abdullah was arrested by the Philippine authorities last
year and was brought to the United States on Dec. 15.
   (NY Times, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The federal
government granted Florida’s request for wider authority over
wetland development, a move that came under immediate fire by
environmentalist who worry that the country's largest network of
wetlands could be at risk of being further destroyed.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, It was reported
that the federal government must pay some landowners along the lower
Missouri River for flooding damage caused by changes the Army Corps
of Engineers made to the river to protect endangered species,
according to a ruling this week.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The US Securities
and Exchange Commission said that Robinhood, a fast-growing
financial app, had misled its customers about how it was paid by
Wall Street firms for passing along customer trades and that the
start-up had made money at the expense of its customers. Robinhood
agreed to pay a $65 million fine to settle the charges, without
admitting or denying guilt.
   (NY Times, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, NASA and the UN
Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) signed a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) pledging cooperation in areas of science and
technology to support the peaceful use of outer space.
   (PR Newswire, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The organizers of
the Grammy awards launched an initiative to elevate Black voices at
all levels of the music industry and ensure that Black artists are
fairly compensated for their work.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Technology shares
pushed the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq to record highs as optimism
grew over a coronavirus stimulus bill.
   (Reuters, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Sesame Workshop,
the nonprofit that runs the early education TV show “Sesame Street”
and operates in more than 150 countries, unveiled Aziz and Noor as
the latest Muppets in their cast of characters. The six-year-old
twins Noor and Aziz are Rohingya Muslims and live in the largest
refugee camp in the world.
   (NY Times, 12/20/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, California to
date had 1,699,276 cases of coronavirus and 21,887 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 205,549 cases and 2,206 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 17,176,796 with the death toll at
310,291.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A British man was
jailed for two-and-a-half years in Florida for attempting to smuggle
industrial equipment to Iran against a US embargo. Colin Fisher (45)
pleaded guilty at Pensacola federal court in September to violating
the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
   (The Telegraph, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, In Florida a fire
early today killed as many as 240,000 chickens at a farm operated by
operated by Mississippi-based Cal-Maine, one of the nation's largest
egg producers.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A winter storm
piled historic amounts of snow onto parts of the US Northeast and
wreaked havoc throughout the region. Massachusetts Governor Charlie
Baker encouraged drivers to stay off the road.
   (AP, 12/17/20)  Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Cpl. Hayden Allen
Harris (20), a Fort Drum soldier, was meeting someone in Watertown,
N.Y., “for some type of vehicle transaction” when he was last heard
from. Authorities said his body was found in a remote part of New
Jersey and that Pfc. Jamaal Mellish (23) was arrested in Jefferson
County, N.Y., over the weekend in connection with the death. Private
Jamaal Mellish (23) and a 16-year-old were later charged with
first-degree murder, kidnapping, and second-degree weapons charges.
   (NY Times, 12/20/20)(The Independent, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Alphabet's Google
won EU antitrust approval for its $2.1 billion bid for Fitbit after
agreeing restrictions on how it will use customers' health related
data.
   (Reuters, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Afghanistan's
telecoms regulator banned "Player-Unknown's Battlegrounds" (PUBG), a
popular video game, after the Ministry of Haj and Religious Affairs
declared it harmful to mental health.
   (Econ., 1/16/21, p.30)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, It was reported
that the UN has reached an agreement with the Taliban leadership to
set up thousands of schools inside Afghanistan's
insurgent-controlled territory.
   (The Telegraph, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, It was reported
that Austrian scientist Josef Aschbacher has been appointed to head
the European Space Agency as the organization grapples with the
fallout from Brexit and the rise of commercial rivals outside of
Europe.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A politician in
Belgium published the price per dose of COVID-19 vaccines ordered by
the country. The Belgian government paid 12 euros ($14.7) per dose
to buy about five million shots of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The
Belgian price does not factor in unrefundable downpayments of
hundreds of millions of euros that the EU has made to many vaccine
makers to secure their shots.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The British
government extended its salary support program by another month
through to the end of April as it tries to keep a lid on
unemployment as coronavirus restrictions slam businesses.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Oxford University
said its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, licensed to AstraZeneca, has a
better immune response when a two full-dose regimen is used rather
than a full-dose followed by a half-dose booster.
   (Reuters, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A Chinese capsule
returned to Earth landing in Inner Mongolia with about 4.4 pounds of
fresh samples of rock and debris from the moon.
   (SFC, 12/17/20, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Human Rights Watch
accused Egyptian authorities of making modifications to a notorious
Cairo prison, known as “Scorpion Prison," that amount to “collective
punishment" of inmates following an escape attempt that left four
policemen dead.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, An Egyptian
criminal court acquitted three Muslim men accused of stripping naked
an elderly Coptic Christian woman (70) and parading her through the
streets of a village in southern Egypt in May 2016.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, In Egypt two
roadside bombs exploded in restive northern Sinai Peninsula late
today killing three members of the security forces and wounding 10
others.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The European
Parliament has issued a three-day ultimatum to Brexit negotiators to
strike a trade deal, warning that MEPs won't have time to ratify an
agreement this year unless it is ready by the end of Dec 20.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The EU imposed a
new round of sanctions on Belarus, targeting dozens more officials
over their role in the security crackdown launched after the
contested presidential elections in August.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The EU formally
prolonged for six months economic sanctions against Russia over the
country's failure to live up to commitments to the peace agreement
in Ukraine.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The EU's top court
upheld a Belgian law requiring animals to be stunned before
slaughter, rejecting challenges from Jewish and Muslim groups and
opening the way for other countries to bring in similar
restrictions.
   (Reuters, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The EU’s top court
ruled that Hungary has failed to respect EU law by denying people
entering the country without authorization the right to apply for
asylum and unlawfully detaining them in “transit zones” on its
border with Serbia.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The EU said it has
concluded preliminary talks with US firm Novavax to secure up to 200
million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
   (Reuters, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The French
presidency said President Emmanuel Macron (42) has tested positive
for the coronavirus.
   (NY Times, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A French court
convicted Ayoub El Khazzani, a Morocco-born Islamic State operative,
to life in prison, with 22 years guaranteed behind bars. Five years
ago his train attack was foiled by three American passengers. Clint
Eastwood turned the incident into a movie, "The 15:17 to Paris"
(2018).
   (SFC, 12/18/20, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A plane carrying
88 asylum-seekers, including 19 sick children, arrived in Germany as
part of the country's pledge to take in migrants from camps in
Greece.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, German firm
BioNTech's chief medical officer said Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19
vaccine has been given to 140,000 people in Britain, and the
feedback on side effects and tolerability has been reassuring.
   (Reuters, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A leaked draft of
Iraq's state budget sent Iraqis into a panic as it confirmed the
government's intentions to devalue the national currency, the Iraqi
dinar, and cut salaries to cope with the impacts of a severe
economic crisis.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The Italian
government announced that 18 Italian fisherman, who were seized in
September by Libyan authorities in a fishing dispute, have been
freed.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, In Nigeria the
governor of Katsina state announced that all of the boys, abducted
on Dec. 11, had been released, and would be reunited with their
parents the next day. The governor of Katsina has insisted bandits
were responsible for the recent attack.
   (NY Times, 12/17/20)(BBC, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Panamanian health
authorities reported 3,348 new coronavirus cases and 42 deaths, a
daily record for both new infections and deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Russian President
Vladimir Putin (68) said that he has yet to receive the Russian-made
Sputnik V vaccine because it has not yet been approved for anyone
over 65. He also brushed off accusations that the Russian state was
behind the poisoning of opposition figure Alexei Navalny earlier
this year.
   (NBC News, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A South Korean man
who spent 20 years behind bars for a murder he didn’t commit cleared
his name in court after one of the country’s most notorious serial
killers confessed to the 1988 rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl.
Yoon Seong-yeo (53) had been sentenced to life in prison and was
released on parole in 2009.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Switzerland’s
postal supervisory authority, PostCom, announced that food delivery
service Uber Eats counts as a postal service provider, and needs to
be regulated as such.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, A Swiss court cut
Russia’s four-year doping ban from global sports in half. Russia’s
teams will still miss the 2021 and 2022 Olympics.
   (NY Times, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Turkey recorded
27,515 new coronavirus cases. The death toll hit a record high of
243 in the last 24 hours, bringing the total so far to 17,364. The
country has registered 1,955,680 COVID-19 infections since the
beginning of the pandemic in March.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, The UN announced a
$35.6 million emergency aid package for civilians caught up in
fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray region.
   (AP, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 17, Pope Francis urged
world leaders to divert funds used for armaments to confront
problems such as the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure vaccines reach the
poor and most vulnerable nations.
   (Reuters, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, President Donald
Trump signed legislation that would kick Chinese companies off US
stock exchanges unless they adhere to American auditing standards.
The act would also require public companies to disclose whether they
are owned or controlled by a foreign government.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, In a last-minute
change, the Trump administration cut about 30 percent of the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge territory that it plans to auction off for
oil exploration.
   (Reuters, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, National security
adviser Michael T. Flynn and lawyer Sidney Powell presented Pres.
Donald Trump with a copy of a draft executive order authorizing the
military to oversee the seizure of election machines. At a 6-hour
White House meeting President Donald J. Trump’s outside advisers
proposed an executive order to have the military seize voting
machines in crucial states Mr. Trump had lost. The meeting devolved
into shouting that could be heard outside the room. Details of the
meeting came out in 2022 during hearings by the Jan. 6 committee.
The draft executive order was soon amended suggesting that if the
Defense Department could not oversee the seizure of machines then
the Department of Homeland Security could.
   (NY Times, 1/31/22)(NY Times, 7/12/22)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The US House
passed a temporary government funding bill by a 320-60 vote. The
Senate approved it by voice vote almost immediately afterward, and
President Donald Trump signed it.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, US Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo said that Russia was responsible for a cyber
attack that embedded malicious code inside US government software
systems and those of other governments and companies across the
world.
   (Reuters, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The US Department
of Justice filed charges against Zoom executive Xinjiang Jin (39),
accusing the software engineer of using the company's systems to
censor speech. Prosecutors charged the former China-based executive
with disrupting video meetings commemorating the 31st anniversary of
the Tiananmen Square crackdown at the request of the Chinese
government.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, US regulators
authorized Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The US Food and
Drug Administration said it is investigating around five allergic
reactions that happened after people were administered Pfizer Inc
and BioNTech SE's COVID-19 vaccine in the United States this week.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The US Supreme
Court, in a 6-3 decision, threw out a lawsuit seeking to block
President Donald Trump's plan to exclude immigrants living illegally
in the United States from the population count used to allocate
congressional districts to states.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, It was reported
that one in every five state and federal prisoners in the US has
tested positive for the coronavirus, a rate more than four times as
high as the general population.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Alaskan race
officials announced that the famed Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
across the state will not run to Nome in 2021, a drastic change
called necessary to protect the mushers from the COVID-19 pandemic
and reduce its spread in rural Alaska. The new route will take
racers and dogs to the halfway point, the abandoned gold-mining town
of Iditarod for which the trail is named, then they will double back
to the starting point.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, In California Roy
Charles Waller (60), the notorious NorCal rapist, was sentenced to
897 years in state prison. He had attacked, kidnapped and sexually
assaulted nine women in Northern California over a 15-year period.
   (SFC, 12/119/20, p.B1)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, California to
date had 1,751,091 cases of coronavirus and 22,176 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 212,316 cases and 2,206 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 17,442,180 with the death toll at
313,246.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/17/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Michigan's state
Senate and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer agreed to a $465 million pandemic
spending plan, including relief payments to businesses and workers
struggling to stay afloat because of the coronavirus and government
restrictions to curb its spread. The legislation is expected to win
House passage on Dec. 21 before legislators adjourn for the year.
   (https://tinyurl.com/y7mlxfnw)(SSFC, 12/20/20,
p.A11)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Roger Berlind
(90), a producer of more than 100 Broadway plays and musicals and
the winner of 25 Tony Awards, died at his home in Montana. The death
of his wife and three of four children in a June 1975 plane crash in
New York City changed the trajectory of his life.
   (AP, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The New York Film
Critics Circle voted Kelly Reichardt's Western fable “First Cow” the
best film of 2020, while also giving special honors to Spike Lee and
the art-house distributor Kino Lorber for their roles in a movie
year deeply marred by the pandemic.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, New York City
officials announced a series of admissions changes for hundreds of
middle and high schools in one of the most significant steps the
nation's largest school system has taken in years to address racial
segregation.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced that it has suspended three
fraternities that have been linked to a drug trafficking ring that
federal prosecutors say funneled large amounts of drugs into three
college campuses.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The Utah-based
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints added new language to
the faith's handbook imploring members to root out prejudice and
racism, adding significance and permanence to recent comments by top
leaders on one of the most sensitive topics in the church's history.
The faith’s past ban on Black men in the lay priesthood, which stood
until 1978, was disavowed in a 2013 essay. The church never issued a
formal apology.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Shares of Tesla
gained in a busy day for the electric car maker's stock ahead of its
much-anticipated grand entrance into the benchmark S&P 500
index.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Walgreens Boots
Alliance Inc said it had begun administering Pfizer's COVID-19
vaccine to residents and staff at US long-term care facilities.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The British Office
for National Statistics said the prevalence of COVID-19 cases in
England has risen sharply and is back above 500,000 infections in
the latest weekly data, after dropping in the three previous weeks.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, OneWeb, the
satellite firm rescued by the British government and India's Bharti
Group, resumed flights in its push to provide global broadband
coverage as 36 of its satellites blasted off into orbit from
Russia's Far East. The launch was the first fully commercial flight
from Russia's new Vostochny cosmodrome.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The Channel Tunnel
remained clogged with queues at Dover stretching back 20 miles, as
business leaders warned they had run out of time to prepare for
no-deal.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, China ended the
Central Economic Work Conference. A statement led with the message
that China was the only major economy to post positive growth,
saying it could "satisfy the people, catch the world's attention and
make history".
   (South China Morning Post, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, President Ivan
Duque said Colombia said it has inked deals with pharmaceutical
companies Pfizer and AstraZeneca to provide 20 million doses of
COVID-19 vaccines. Daily confirmed cases reached 13,277. Colombia
has nearly 1.5 million confirmed cases.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Croatia reported
3,272 cases of new infections and banned movement of people between
various parts of the country, tightening measures against the
COVID-19 epidemic before the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Between Dec. 23 and Jan. 8, citizens will not be allowed to leave
the county of their residence.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Ethiopia offered a
reward of more than $250,000 for information on the whereabouts of
Tigray’s rebellious leaders who fled the regional capital Mekele
three weeks ago.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, A cross-border
attack by Ethiopian forces and militias killed at least four
Sudanese troops and wounded a dozen others in the Abu Tyour area in
eastern Sudan's al-Qadarif province.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, In Fiji Cyclone
Yasa destroyed about 20 homes in Tiliva and left at least 2 people
dead after hitting the island nation overnight.
   (SFC, 12/17/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, A German court
ruled Tesla could partially proceed with clearing a forest to build
a manufacturing site near Berlin.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, One woman died and
another two were rescued from the sea off the eastern Greek island
of Lesbos in an incident involving an inflatable dinghy carrying
Somali migrants.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, India's health
ministry reported 22,890 new coronavirus infections, taking its
total to just shy of 10 million.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Indonesia and a
unit of South Korean firm LG Group signed a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) on a $9.8 billion electric vehicle (EV) battery
investment deal.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Satellite photos
showed that Iran has begun construction on a site at its underground
nuclear facility at Fordo amid tensions with the US over its atomic
program.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Italy reported 674
coronavirus-related deaths against 683 the day before, while the
daily tally of new infections decreased to 17,992 from 18,236.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Japan’s Cabinet
adopted a plan to enhance the country's missile deterrence,
including development of new cruise missiles, to counter potential
threats from China and North Korea.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Russia began
vaccinating its cosmonauts and staff at Star City, the closed town
near Moscow that is home to the country's space program.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, South Africa first
reported a new, faster-spreading variant of the coronavirus. The
first samples dated from mid-October. The new strain (known as
501.V2), different from the one in Britain, appears to be more
infectious than the original virus. South African scientists are
studying if the vaccines against COVID-19 will also offer protection
against the new strain.
   (AP, 12/21/20)(Reuters, 12/24/20)(Econ., 1/2/21,
p.57)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, South Korea
reported 1,062 new cases of the coronavirus, its third straight day
over 1,000. The national caseload rose to 47,515 with 645 deaths.
   (SFC, 12/17/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Sweden introduced
its toughest measures yet in the face of soaring COVID-19
infections, including a recommendation to wear masks at peak hours
on public transport, but stopped short of ordering a general
lockdown of society. Sweden registered a record 9,654 new
coronavirus cases. Total number of deaths reached 7,993.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Swiss-based
Novartis AG said the US health regulator declined to approve
inclisiran, the drugmaker's potential treatment for elevated
low-density cholesterol in adults, citing unresolved facility
inspection issues. The European Commission last week approved the
drug, branded Leqvio.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Thailand said it
has four new local coronavirus infections, just as the country has
started reopening for tourists after months of keeping the virus at
bay.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Ukrainian state
security service SBU said the country is facing almost daily hacker
attacks on its government resources and intends to sharply
strengthen its cyber security.
   (Reuters, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The United
Nations’ highest court (ICJ) ruled that it will intervene to settle
a decades-old border dispute between South American neighbors Guyana
and Venezuela.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, The UN said it had
deployed peacekeeping forces to the Central African Rep.
   (BBC, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Officials said the
World Health Organization program to help get COVID-19 vaccines to
all countries in need has access to nearly 2 billion doses of
“promising” vaccine candidates. WHO's partners in COVAX, a UN-backed
program, include the Gavi vaccine alliance and the Coalition for
Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 18, Yemen’s embattled
Pres. Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, in exile in Saudi Arabia, announced a
Cabinet reshuffle in a major step toward closing a dangerous rift
between his internationally recognized government and southern
separatists backed by the United Arab Emirates.
   (AP, 12/18/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, President Donald
Trump suggested without evidence that China, not Russia, may be
behind the cyber espionage operation against the US and tried to
minimize its impact.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Pres. Donald Trump
posted to Twitter urging his supporters to arrive at the Capitol on
Jan. 6. “Be there, will be wild!” he wrote.
   (NY Times, 7/13/22)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, The US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was monitoring reports
of allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccination and made
recommendations on how people with histories of allergies should
proceed. The agency said anyone who had a severe reaction to a
COVID-19 vaccine should not get the second dose.
   (Reuters, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, The Army general
in charge of getting COVID-19 vaccines distributed across the United
States apologized after many governors said they had been shorted on
anticipated shipments. Gen. Gustave Perna said he made mistakes by
citing numbers of doses that he believed would be ready for
delivery.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, The US Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) said it had approved the use of the
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine by pilots and air traffic controllers.
   (Reuters, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, The US State
Department said it is halting work at two consulates in Russia,
citing safety and security issues at the facilities where operations
had been curtailed over COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, It was reported
that a record 621 people died of drug overdoses in San Francisco so
far this year, a staggering number that far outpaces the 173 deaths
from COVID-19 the city has seen thus far.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, California to
date had 1,804,417 cases of coronavirus and 22,441 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 216,480 cases and 2,269 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 17,631,293 with the death toll at
316,006.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Apple Inc said it
has temporarily shut all of its 53 stores in California because of a
coronavirus outbreak and 16 stores in the United Kingdom following
restrictions introduced by the government in London.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Apple Inc placed
supplier Wistron Corp on probation, saying it would not award the
Taiwanese contract manufacturer new business until it addressed the
way workers were treated at its southern India plant.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Global coronavirus
infections surpassed the 75 million mark, as several nations around
the world begin vaccinating against the virus.
   (Reuters, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, In Armenia both
opponents and supporters of PM Nikol Pashinyan rallied as the nation
paid tribute to the thousands who died in fighting with Azerbaijan
over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Critics demanded that the
leader resign and tried to pelt him with eggs.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, In Australia a
quarter million people in Sydney's northern beach suburbs were
ordered into a strict lockdown until Christmas Eve to help contain a
coronavirus cluster with authorities fearing it may spread across
Australia's most populous city.
   (Reuters, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Brazilian
President Jair Bolsonaro, who has refused to take any coronavirus
vaccine, said that he did not think the world's rush for a vaccine
was justified because the pandemic is in his view coming to an end.
Brazil registered 50,177 new cases, bringing the total to 7,213,155.
Deaths rose by 706 to 186,356.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, British PM Boris
Johnson imposed tighter coronavirus controls on millions of people
in England and drastically scaled back plans to ease restrictions
over Christmas, seeking to curb a new more infectious strain of the
virus.
   (Reuters, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, England's Chief
Medical Officer Chris Whitty said a new strain of COVID-19
identified in the United Kingdom can spread more quickly and urgent
work is under way to confirm that it does not cause a higher
mortality rate.
   (Reuters, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, In the Central
African Rep. the three main rebel groups announced that they had
formed an alliance called the Coalition of Patriots for Change
(CPC), accusing President Touadéra of trying to rig the 27 December
election. Authorities said forces loyal to former president François
Bozizé were near the city of Bossembélé and planned to march on
Bangui. Spokesman Christian Guenebem said Bozize was in his house in
Bossangoa.
   (BBC, 12/19/20)(BBC, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, A German court
ruled that automaker Tesla has to stop clearing trees on some parts
of the site outside Berlin where it is building the company's first
electric car factory in Europe.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Germany's daily
Rheinische Post reported that authorities have broken up an
international crime ring that duped elderly people into handing over
their money and valuables to criminals posing as police officers.
German police busted a call center in the southwestern Turkish city
of Izmir where suspects allegedly phoned retirees in Germany and
talked them into handing over their valuables to fake officers. 38
people were arrested earlier this month and 48 locations were
searched in addition to the call center.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Germany organized
the return of three women and 12 children from camps in northeastern
Syria for humanitarian reasons.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, India reported
25,152 new infections and 347 deaths in the past 24 hours. The virus
has so far killed 145,136 people in the country. India took 30 days
to add the last million cases, the second slowest since the start of
the pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Iraq's Central
Bank announced it will devalue the Iraqi dinar by over 20 percent in
response to a severe liquidity crisis brought on by low oil prices,
a measure that has sparked public outrage as the government
struggles to cover its expenses.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Italy announced
sweeping travel restrictions and bans on large family gatherings,
becoming the latest European nation to introduce some form of
Christmas lockdown.
   (The Telegraph, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, The Economist
selected Malawi as "country of the year."
   (Econ., 12/19/20, p.18)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Malaysia said it
has secured coronavirus vaccine from AstraZeneca PLC, on the heels
of news it will receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in February as
it grapples with a surge in infections.
   (Reuters, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, In Nigeria 84
schoolchildren were seized by gunmen late today as they returned
home to Mahuta village after taking part in a religious ceremony.
The children were soon released following a gun battle between the
abductors, security forces and local vigilantes.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, In Russia the
number of COVID-19 deaths surpassed 50,000 as the country continued
to fight stubbornly high numbers of new infections daily. 585 people
died from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the country's
official death toll to 50,347. The country also recorded 28,209 new
infections, bringing the national tally to 2,819,429.
   (Reuters, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, In Sudan protests
in Khartoum and across the country demanded a faster pace to
democratic reforms, in demonstrations that marked the two-year
anniversary of the uprising that led to the military’s ouster of
strongman Omar al-Bashir.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, Thailand reported
548 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily tally in a country that
had largely brought the pandemic under control. Most of the cases
were connected to a shrimp market in Samut Sakhon province, near
Bangkok.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 19, In southern Turkey
a fire broke out at an intensive care unit treating COVID-19
patients after an oxygen cylinder exploded, killing nine people at
the privately-run Sanko University Hospital unit in Gaziantep.
   (AP, 12/19/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Congressional US
Democrats and Republicans reached a deal late today on a new $900
billion coronavirus relief package. The legislation will include
stimulus checks of $600 per person, with smaller benefits for those
who earned more than $75,000 last year.
   (The Week, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, It was reported
that 6.7 million adults are likely to face eviction or foreclosure
in the next two months, according to the US Census Bureau's
Household Pulse Survey.
   (SSFC, 12/20/20, p.A7)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, California to
date had 1,839,294 cases of coronavirus and 22,594 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 219,893 cases and 2,269 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 17,667,545 with the death toll at
316,298.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Chad Stuart (79),
half of the musical duo Chad and Jeremy, died at his home in Idaho.
The British duo's songs included "Yesterday's Gone" (1963) and "A
Summer Song" (1964).
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_%26_Jeremy)(SFC, 12/26/20, p.B3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Corporation
Counsel Mark Flessner, Chicago's top attorney, resigned in the
fallout of a February 22, 2019, botched police raid on the
home of Anjanette Young, who was not allowed to put on clothes
before being handcuffed.
   (https://tinyurl.com/yde3dypj)(SFC, 12/21/20,
p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, The Kilauea
volcano on Hawaii's Big Island erupted late today, followed by
magnitude 4.4 earthquake that struck at the volcano's south flank.
   (Reuters, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, In Missouri the
Kansas City Star's top editor apologized for past decades of
racially biased coverage and the newspaper has posted a series of
stories examining how it ignored the concerns and achievements of
Black residents and helped keep Kansas City segregated.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Lockheed Martin
said it is buying rocket engine manufacturer Aerojet Rocketdyne
Holdings for $4.4 billion in a deal that brings together companies
that already had been working together in the aeronautics industry.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, In Afghanistan a
car bomb blast rocked Kabul this morning killing at least nine
people. The Afghan Defense Ministry in a statement confirmed that a
suicide car bomber tried to attack an army checkpoint in Helmand
province, but was identified and shot by soldiers.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Sydney was
isolated from the rest of Australia after all of the country's
states and territories imposed travel restrictions on its residents
as a coronavirus cluster in the city grew to around 70. New South
Wales recorded 30 new coronavirus cases overnight.
   (Reuters, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, In Belarus around
100 people were detained in Minsk during the anti-government
protests that were prompted by the reelection of the country’s
authoritarian leader and continued for over four months. The Viasna
human rights center released the names of 141 people detained in
Minsk and other cities.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, In Bosnia polls
opened in the southern city of Mostar for the first local election
in over a decade. The city is famed for its picturesque Ottoman
architecture and deep ethnic divisions.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Canada joined a
growing number of European countries late today and banned passenger
flights from Britain, effective as of midnight, as southern England
grapples with a new variant of COVID-19. The ban will be in place
for 72 hours.
   (The Week, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Chinese adventurer
and environmentalist Wang Xiangjun, nicknamed “Glacier Bro” by his
fans, went missing and was presumed dead after falling into a
glacial waterfall in Tibet.
   (The Telegraph, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Meraas Holding, a
Dubai government-backed holding company, made a formal bid to buy
out DXB Entertainment, the city's struggling theme park operator.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, In Ethiopia three
people were killed and five others wounded after an abandoned bomb
exploded in Addis Ababa.
   (BBC, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Several European
countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, Belgium, and
the Netherlands, imposed bans on flights and ferries from the United
Kingdom, after reports that a new, more infectious variant of the
coronavirus is spreading in southeast England.
   (The Week, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, The Finnish
government said the repatriation of its citizens from the al-Hol
camp in Syria was done for humanitarian reasons and because of the
country's legal obligations for its citizens. Finnish media said two
returning women, both known to be radicalized IS sympathizers, will
face thorough screening by security officials upon return.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, In Iraq an "outlaw
group" fired at least eight Katyusha rockets into Baghdad's Green
Zone, causing minor damage to the US Embassy.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Israel's Justice
Ministry said Facebook has taken down content that spread lies in
Israel against coronavirus vaccinations as the government seeks to
drum up support for the program.
   (Reuters, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Israeli woman
Esther Horgen 52) a mother of six from Tal Menashe, disappeared. Her
body was soon found with signs of violence in a forest near a West
Bank settlement. On Dec. 24 Israel's internal security agency said
it detained a Palestinian suspected of killing Horgen. Suspect
Muhammad Cabha (40) was detained on Dec. 24.
   (AP, 12/21/20)(AP, 12/24/20)(AP, 1/4/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Israel began its
coronavirus inoculation drive, seeking to vaccinate some 60,000
people a day in a bid to stamp out the illness.
   (SFC, 12/21/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, In Japan Harley
Davidson bikers dressed in Santa Claus costumes rode through the
streets of central Tokyo for their annual parade against child
abuse.
   (Reuters, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Kuwait’s Sheikh
Nasser Sabah Al Sabah (72), the eldest son of the late emir, died.
He had emerged as an influential reformer in the oil-rich Gulf
sheikhdom.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, In southern Mexico
rain unleashed a surge of water that swept away most of a 21-member
group on a conyoning expedition. At least 4 people were killed and 3
left missing in the Rio Oro canyon of Veracruz state.
   (SFC, 12/22/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Nepal’s President
Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved Parliament after PM Khadga Prasad Oli
recommended the move amid an escalating feud within his Communist
Party that is likely to push the Himalayan nation into a political
crisis.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait and Oman said they are closing their borders and suspending
commercial flights over fears about a new coronavirus strain.
   (Reuters, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, South Korea
reported a record 1,097 new coronavirus cases, including an outbreak
in a Seoul prison that infected 188 as the country's latest wave of
COVID-19 worsens.
   (Reuters, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Sudan’s PM Abdalla
Hamdok met his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed in Djibouti, as
Sudanese forces continued their advances to reclaim territories
controlled by Ethiopian militias along the two countries' shared
border.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, Thailand’s Disease
Control Department said that they found 141 more cases linked to a
shrimp market outbreak in Samut Sakhon province. Thousands of people
lined up for coronavirus tests in the province.
   (AP, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 20, The United Arab
Emirates’ top diplomat publicly acknowledged a so-far unexplained
ban on visitors from Pakistan, which travel agents say also targets
tourists and laborers from a dozen Muslim-majority countries amid
the pandemic and the UAE's normalization of ties with Israel.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, The US Congress
passed a $900 billion stimulus bill to provide a lot of help to the
economy. But many economists believe that it also has major flaws.
Among them: It isn’t especially targeted at the parts of the economy
that need help. A provision in the bill allows businesses that that
get government money in the Paycheck Protection Program to deduct
from their taxes expenditures used with that money.
   (NY Times, 12/22/20)(SFC, 12/24/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Sen. Ron Wyden,
D-Ore., said dozens of email accounts at the Treasury Department
were compromised in a massive breach of US government agencies being
blamed on Russia, with hackers breaking into systems used by the
department's highest-ranking officials.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, The US Justice
Department announced new charges against Abu Agela Masud Kheir
Al-Marimi, a Libyan bombmaker in the 1988 explosion of Pan Am Flight
103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, an attack that killed 259 people in
the air and 11 on the ground. Mr Masud is in custody in Libya. It is
not yet known if he would be brought to the US for trial.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, DC officials said
a statue of Black civil rights activist Barbara Johns, who played a
key role in the desegregation of the public school system, will be
installed in the US Capitol Rotunda, replacing one of General Robert
E. Lee, a leader of the pro-slavery Confederacy.
   (Reuters, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Officials said the
US Military Academy at West Point is confronting its biggest
academic scandal in nearly five decades after more than 70 cadets
were accused of cheating on a calculus exam last spring.
   (NY Times, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Chicago White Sox
manager Tony La Russa (76) pleaded guilty to a lesser charge to
resolve misdemeanor drunken driving charges stemming from his arrest
nearly 10 months ago on a freeway in metro Phoenix. He was sentenced
to one day of home detention, fined nearly $1,400 and was required
to complete 20 hours of community service.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, California to
date had 1,866,392 cases of coronavirus and 22,676 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 225,228 cases and 2,295 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 18,011,849 with the death toll at
319,255.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Kennedy Maxie (7)
was fatally shot while Christmas shopping with her family in
Atlanta. Daquan Reed (24) of Virginia was later identified as the
suspect responsible for the shooting. A $15,000 reward was offered
leading to Reed’s arrest.
   (TheGrio, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, New York Governor
Andrew Cuomo said British Airways has agreed to allow only
passengers who test negative for the novel coronavirus to fly to New
York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, as international
leaders reacted to news of a highly infectious new strain.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, In Oregon Rep.
Mike Nearman let violent, far-right protesters into the state
Capitol. Police prevented a full-scale assault. On June 10, 2021,
state lawmakers expelled the Republican representative.
   (SFC, 6/12/21, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Hank Adams (77),
one of Indian Country’s most prolific thinkers and strategists, died
at St. Peter’s Hospital in Olympia, Washington. Adams was involved
with nearly every major event in American Indian history from the
1960s forward.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, It was reported
that International Business Machines (IBM) will acquire
Finland-based startup Nordcloud, the latest in a series of
acquisitions for the 109-year old firm preparing a mega spin-off to
focus on cloud computing.
   (Reuters, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Jupiter and Saturn
appeared as one bright planet in the night sky. The last time they
came this visibly close to each other was in the year 1226.
   (NY Times, 12/20/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, In Afghanistan
Taliban insurgents launched attacks against security checkpoints in
northern Baghlan province, killing two security officers and
wounding two others. Four Taliban were also killed while two others
were wounded in the battle. In northern Faryab province, at least
two security officers were killed and five others were wounded when
Taliban militants detonated a vehicle full of explosives in a
market. Journalist Rahmatullah Nekzad was gunned down in Ghazni
City.
   (AP, 12/22/20)(SFC, 12/22/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Australia said it
had detected cases of the new fast-spreading coronavirus strain
identified in the UK, while Hong Kong and India said they would
suspend flights from Britain. Authorities say a new strain of the
coronavirus in Sydney's north most likely originated in the United
States, but how it got from the airport to the community remains a
puzzle.
   (Reuters, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Feyyaz Öztürk
(53), a suspected Turkish intelligence agent turned whistleblower
who handed himself in to Austrian police claiming he had been
ordered to assassinate Viennese politician Berivan Aslan, was
released from custody and deported to Italy before standing trial.
   (The Telegraph, 1/18/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, A virulent new
coronavirus strain (the B.1.1.7 lineage) in the UK prompted a London
lockdown and widespread travel restrictions against Britons.
Supermarkets warned that supplies of fresh produce could run short
within days. “French borders closed,“ signs on roads approaching the
English Channel port of Dover flashed, steering truck drivers away
as traffic backed up.
   (Reuters, 12/21/20)(AP,
12/21/20)Â Â Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, AstraZeneca Plc
said that the US drug regulator had approved Tagrisso, the British
drugmaker's top selling treatment for another type of lung cancer
when diagnosed at an early stage, pushing its potential sales
higher.
   (Reuters, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Denmark agreed on
a temporary ban on mink breeding, leaving little hope to rebuild the
industry, which pioneered the global fur trade.
   (Reuters, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, The EU gave
official approval for the coronavirus vaccine developed by BioNTech
and Pfizer to be used across the 27-nation bloc.
   (SFC, 12/22/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, A German court
sentenced Stephan Balliet (28), a far-right terrorist, to life in
prison on a double murder charge after he attempted to storm a small
town synagogue in a gun rampage on Yom Kippur last year.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, It was reported
that death threats linked to police computers and the discovery of
far-right chat groups in police departments across Germany have fed
concerns about far-right infiltration.
   (NY Times, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Israeli police
shot and killed a Palestinian attacker who opened fire at a group of
officers in Jerusalem's Old City.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, In south-central
Italy an explosion in a gunpowder processing factory killed three
people in Casalbordino, Chieti province.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Italy added 415
deaths to what is Europe’s highest national toll of pandemic dead,
raising to 69,214 the known total to date of COVID-19 deaths. 10,872
confirmed COVID-19 cases were registered in the last 24-hour period.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Japan's national
associations of doctors, nurses and seven other medical groups
declared a state of medical emergency, urging the government to
support the nation's medical system creaking under the strain of the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Kenyan doctors and
other crucial medical personnel in public hospitals started a
nationwide strike to protest the lack of personal protective
equipment and health insurance for frontline workers fighting
against the spread of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, The Committee to
Protect Journalists (CPJ) named Mexico as the most dangerous country
for journalists worldwide.
   (The Independent, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Myanmar closed off
public gardens, parks and a lake in its biggest city Yangon, hoping
to prevent a spike in coronavirus cases during year-end holidays.
Myanmar has recorded more than 116,000 infections and 2,443 deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Pakistan reported
1,792 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases and 62 deaths in the past 24
hours. There have been 9,392 deaths among 458,968 COVID-19 cases
since February when the first infection was detected in the country.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Russian opposition
leader Alexei Navalny released a recording of a phone call he said
he made to an alleged state security operative who revealed details
of how the politician was supposedly poisoned. Media outlets
identified the man Navalny said he spoke with as Konstantin
Kudryavtsev, a trained chemical-weapons specialist. Kudryavtsev
explained that the poison had been applied to Navalny's underpants.
   (AP, 12/21/20)(Econ., 1/2/21, p.37)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, It was reported
that Rwanda has deployed what it called a "protection force" to the
Central African Republic after its peacekeepers there were attacked
by rebels advancing to the capital, Bangui.
   (BBC, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, South Korea
reported 24 more virus-related deaths in the country’s highest daily
fatalities since the pandemic began. The government added a total of
926 new cases, taking the country’s total to 50,591 including 698
deaths. Gatherings of more than five people will be banned in the
capital region from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3, as an elevated step to
suppress what authorities call an “explosive” surge in coronavirus
infections.
   (AP, 12/21/20)(Reuters, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Thailand's PM
Prayuth Chan-ocha called for calm and said there were no immediate
plans for a wider lockdown after 382 new coronavirus infections were
confirmed, the majority linked to the country's worst outbreak yet.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, The Vatican said
it’s “morally acceptable” for faithful to receive COVID-19 vaccines
whose research used cell lines from tissue obtained from abortions.
   (AP, 12/21/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 21, Yemen’s
Iran-backed Houthi rebels shot down a Chinese-made, Saudi drone
along the border with Saudi Arabia over the Madghal district, Marib
province.
   (AP, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, President Donald
Trump signed a stopgap measure to fund US agencies for another week.
   (AP, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Outgoing President
Donald Trump, angry at his fellow Republicans in Congress,
threatened not to sign a $2.3 trillion government funding and
coronavirus aid package. Trump demanded the bill be revised to
include $2,000 payments to each American, more than triple the $600
per person included in it.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Pres. Donald Trump
issued 20 pardons and commutations, including to two people who
pleaded guilty in the special counsel’s Russia inquiry and to four
Blackwater guards convicted in connection with the 2007 killing of
Iraqi civilians.
   (NY Times, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, The Trump
administration announced more sanctions on Syria, intensifying
pressure on President Bashar Assad to end the country’s vicious,
nearly decade-long conflict. The sanctions target Syria's central
bank, an aide to Assad and others.
   (AP, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, San
Francisco-based Ouster Inc, a US startup that makes lidar sensors
for self-driving cars and smart cities, said it has agreed to go
public through a merger with special purpose acquisition company
(SPAC) Colonnade Acquisition Corp. Ouster is fifth lidar
manufacturer this year to agree a SPAC merger to go public,
following on from Velodyne Lidar Inc, Luminar, Innoviz and Aeva.
   (Reuters, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Gov. Gavin Newsom
appointed Alex Padilla, California’s secretary of state, to fill
Kamala Harris’s Senate seat.
   (NY Times, 12/22/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, California to
date had 1,929,053 cases of coronavirus and 22,928 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 229,223 cases and 2,334 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 18,202,019 with the death toll at
322,345.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, In Connecticut UPS
driver Nathan Burk (28) of Waterbury was fatally stabbed by a
co-worker. Elijah David Bertrand (19) of Bristol, who was working as
Burk's “helper/runner,” was arrested the next day in Plymouth.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, In Yonkers, NY, a
car speeding away from police late today barreled into another car,
splitting that vehicle in half and killing five people. The driver
(36) of the speeding car and four 18-year-old men, who were ejected
from the other vehicle, died in the crash.
   (AP, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, In Ohio police
Officer Adam Coy fatally shot Andre Hill, a Black man (47), early
today in Columbus, three weeks after a county sheriff’s deputy
killed a Black man in the state capital, which ignited a round of
protests against police brutality. Coy, who did not activate his
body camera until after the shooting, was later fired and pleaded
not guilty to murder and reckless homicide charges.
   (AP, 12/23/20)(SFC, 5/15/21, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, In Afghanistan a
roadside bomb tore through a vehicle in Kabul, killing at least five
people, three of them doctors.
   (AP, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, British PM Boris
Johnson's government was working with France in an attempt to find a
way to lift border closures that have snarled one of Europe's most
important trade routes just days before the Brexit cliff edge.
Britain agreed late today to conduct mass coronavirus tests on truck
drivers as part of a deal with France to reopen the border to some
travelers and to freight trucks, raising hopes of relief for
hundreds of drivers stuck near British ports and for supermarkets
warning that they could soon run short of fruit and vegetables.
   (Reuters, 12/22/20)(NY Times, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, It was reported
that the mutation of the virus found in Britain appears to be up to
70 percent more contagious than earlier strains. Britain reported a
record number of new COVID-19 infections.
   (NY Times, 12/22/20)(Reuters, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Britain and Canada
said they struck a short-term deal to ensure that free trade between
the two after Brexit can continue until the Canadian parliament
approves a new bilateral agreement.
   (Reuters, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Stella Tennant
(22), one of Britain's top models, died. Her unconventional,
androgynous looks helped her break into the world of fashion in the
1990s.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, A Cambodian court
convicted two rappers and sentenced them to up to a year and a half
in prison on charges of incitement over their rhymes about social
injustice and loss of sovereign territory.
   (Reuters, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, China hit back
with reciprocal actions against unnamed American officials in the
latest back-and-forth, following a US announcement of new visa
restrictions on Chinese officials.
   (AP, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Ethiopia's deputy
prime minister accused Sudanese forces of looting. Sudan countered
by accusing the Ethiopian army of taking part in border attacks.
   (Econ., 1/2/21, p.32)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, The Grand Chamber
of the ECHR in Strasbourg ruled that four years in a Turkish prison
violated the rights of Selahattin Demirtas on five fundamental
rights categories, including the freedom of expression. The Kurdish
politician faced up to 142 years in prison on terror charges but
denies any wrongdoing. The ECHR website came under a “large-scale”
cyberattack after its Demirtas ruling, making the site inaccessible
for several hours.
   (AP, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, In Germany
cyberattack began on the Funke media group, affecting numerous
computer systems at editorial offices and printing plants across the
country.
   (AP, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, German media
reported that Benedikt Schwaderlapp decided to commercialize a
coronavirus game, invented by his four daughters, by hiring an
artist to design cards, board and box. So far he's sold 2,000
copies, and signed up a toy store as a secondary distributor.
   (r, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Drug makers
including BioNTech and Moderna scrambled to test their COVID-19
vaccines against the new fast-spreading variant of the virus that is
raging in Britain, the latest challenge in the breakneck race to
curb the pandemic. Ugur Sahin, chief executive of Germany's
BioNTech, which with partner Pfizer took less than a year to get a
vaccine approved, said he needs another two weeks to know if his
shot can stop the mutant variant of the virus. Moderna expects
immunity from its vaccine to protect against the variant and is
performing more tests in coming weeks to confirm.
   (Reuters, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Drug developer
Ocugen Inc said it had partnered with Bharat Biotech to co-develop
Covaxin, the India-based company's COVID-19 vaccine candidate, for
the US market.
   (Reuters, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Iraq said it is
banning air travel to or from eight countries to guard against the
spread of a new variant of the coronavirus, and is ordering public
venues like shopping malls and restaurants to close.
   (Reuters, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Israel’s
government collapsed, pushing the country into yet another early
election, the fourth in two years. Parliament automatically
dispersed at midnight after failing to meet the legal deadline for
approving a budget for 2020.
   (NY Times, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Italy reported 628
coronavirus-related deaths against 415 the day before, while the
daily tally of new infections increased to 13,318 from 10,872.
   (Reuters, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Hospitals in the
Netherlands said they would postpone all non-critical care the
coming weeks in order to deal with the rapid rise in COVID-19
patients.
   (Reuters, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Russia’s Foreign
Ministry announced that Moscow is expanding the list of European
officials barred from entering Russia in response to the European
Union’s sanctions over the poisoning of Russian opposition leader
Alexei Navalny.
   (AP, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Russian filmmaker
Vitaly Mansky was detained in front of the Russian secret service
agency FSB for waving a pair of blue boxer shorts in protest at the
alleged poisoning by the agency of Alexei Navalny.
   (The Daily Beast, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, It was reported
that Russia has sent an additional 300 military instructors to the
Central African Republic (CAR) to deal with what its foreign
ministry calls a "sharp degradation of security." Russia said the
CAR government, which is threatened by rebel groups ahead of
presidential elections on Dec. 27, had asked for help.
   (BBC, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Nearly 5,000 doses
of the Pfizer and BioNTech coronavirus vaccines were flown to
Serbia, the first country in the Balkans to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
   (Reuters, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Spain passed a
decree forcing landlords to slash rents for coronavirus-hit bars and
restaurants by up to half and announced plans to distribute EU
COVID-19 recovery funds via public-private partnerships.
   (Reuters, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Switzerland got
its first doses of COVID-19 vaccine, paving the way for jabs to
begin just as the country imposes a month-long clampdown on public
life in an attempt to curb stubbornly high infection rates.
   (Reuters, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Taiwan reported
its first locally transmitted case of COVID-19 since April 12. A
woman in her 30s had close contact with the New Zealand pilot, who
was himself confirmed to have been infected on Dec. 20, having flown
flights to the United States.
   (Reuters, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, Turkey’s
parliament extended for 18 months a law that allows the deployment
of Turkish troops to Libya.
   (AP, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, The United Nations
appealed for $156 million to help the tens of thousands of refugees
who have fled fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray, again requesting full
humanitarian access to the conflict-hit northern region.
   (AFP, 12/22/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 22, UN Security
Council members decided to end the joint UN-African Union
peacekeeping force in Sudan’s western Darfur region when the
mission's mandate runs out on Dec. 31, after pressure from the
country's transitional government, Russia and African nations.
   (AP, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, President Donald
Trump gave national security awards to several top advisers for
their role in helping broker agreements aimed at normalizing
relations between Israel and four countries in the Arab world.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Donald Trump
pardoned another 26 people in his second big wave of clemency
actions, marking yet another audacious application of presidential
power to reward loyalists. Trump pardoned his former campaign
chairman Paul Manafort, his longtime adviser Roger Stone, and
Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law and adviser Jared
Kushner.
   (The Guardian, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Pres. Donald Trump
vetoed the annual defense policy bill. He has called on lawmakers to
include limits on social media companies he claimed are biased
against him and for language to be stripped out that allows the
renaming of military bases that honor Confederate leaders. He called
the bill a gift to China and Russia.
   (SFC, 12/24/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, The first part of
a US auction for 5G radio-frequency bands concluded. Bids reached a
staggering $70 billion. The auction was set to resume on january 4.
   (Econ., 1/2/21, p.50)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, California to
date had 1,963,853 cases of coronavirus and 23,303 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 232,937 cases and 2,375 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 18,410,130 with the death toll at
325,829.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Leslie West (75),
guitarist for the 1970s band Mountain, died in Palm Coast, Fl.
   (SSFC, 12/27/20, p.C11)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, The Louisiana
Supreme Court moved a statue of Edward Douglass White Jr. (d.1921)
from its front steps. White was the ninth chief justice of the US
Supreme Court and was the only Louisiana justice ever on that court
until Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation this year. He also fought for
white supremacy and upheld racial segregation laws.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Cryptocurrency XRP
tumbled 24% after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
charged associated blockchain firm Ripple with conducting a $1.3
billion unregistered securities offering. XRP, the third-biggest
cryptocurrency by market value, dropped to as low as $0.33, its
weakest in a month. On Dec. 21 XRP tokens were worth around $22
billion, making it the third most valuable cryptocurrency after
bitcoin and ether. XRP tokens, trading since 2012, were created and
distributed by the founders of Ripple.Â
   (AP, 12/23/20)(SFC, 12/23/20, p.C4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Merck & Co
said it would supply 60,000-100,000 doses of its experimental
COVID-19 treatment to the US government for up to about $356
million.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Pfizer said the US
government will pay nearly $2 billion for 100 million additional
doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to bolster its supply as the country
grapples with a nationwide spike in infections. The purchase price
amounts to $19.50 per shot.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, British health
minister Matt Hancock said more areas in England would be placed
into the highest tier of coronavirus restrictions in a bid to curb
the spread of a more transmissible variant of COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Britain approved
using a COVID-19 self-test kit endorsed by its state-run health
service to detect asymptomatic cases, as it mulls further
restrictions to stem the spread of a highly infectious variant of
the virus.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Britain and Swiss
drugmaker Roche offered reassurances that the accuracy of diagnostic
tests used to detect COVID-19 was unlikely to be affected by a
fast-spreading mutant strain of the virus.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Canada approved
Moderna Inc's coronavirus vaccine, the second country to do so,
paving the way for health authorities to step up an inoculation
campaign against a worsening second wave.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, It was reported
that China has launched an antitrust investigation into Alibaba
Group and will summon the tech giant's Ant Group affiliate to meet
in coming days, in the latest blow for the e-commerce and fintech
empire of Jack Ma (56).
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Mainland China
recorded 17 new COVID-19 cases on Dec. 23, up from 15 cases the
previous day.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, China's Ant Group
said it is lowering borrowing limits for some young users of its
Huabei virtual credit card product, a month after China suspended
the fintech giant's $37 billion public listing plan.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, At least 26 people
died late today when their boat capsized on Lake Albert near the
town of Kolokoto while trying to return to Congo from Uganda.
   (BBC, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, The Czech Republic
recorded 14,054 new COVID-19 cases, its largest daily tally since
Nov. 4 as a spike in infections approaches previous peaks.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Dubai-based
international port operator DP World announced a deal to develop a
new deep-water port in Senegal worth over $1 billion, its biggest
ever investment in Africa.
   (AP, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, The Estonian
Defense Ministry said the United States has allocated $169 million
in military aid to the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and
Lithuania for 2021.
   (AP, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, An Ethiopian news
agency said several dozen people have been killed in the latest
massacre along ethnic lines in the western part of the country.
Witnesses said the attack occurred early today in the Metekel zone
of the Benishangul-Gumuz region. More than 200 people, mostly
Amharas, have been killed by unknown attackers in the village of
Bekoji.
   (AP, 12/23/20)(BBC, 12/23/20)(Econ., 1/2/21,
p.32)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, French authorities
said a gunman who had beaten and taken his partner hostage in
southern France killed three policemen who came to her aid and fled,
prompting a wide manhunt. He was later found dead.
   (AP, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Hong Kong's
Department of Health said a new variant of the novel coronavirus
spreading rapidly in Britain appears to have infected two students
who returned to Hong Kong from the UK, as the city secured 22.5
million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Israel's health
ministry said it has detected four cases of the new, highly
infectious variant of the coronavirus that has emerged in Britain.
   (AP, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, It was reported
that Telecom Italia has decided to retain Nokia as a supplier and
reduce Huawei's share of a planned purchase of equipment for
building a 5G network, amid pressure to exclude the Chinese firm on
security concerns.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Italy reported 553
coronavirus-related deaths against 628 the day before, taking its
total toll past 70,000.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Japan's highest
court upheld a ruling granting a retrial to Iwao Hakamada (84), a
man described as the world's longest-serving death row inmate. He
was convicted of robbing and murdering his boss, the man's wife, and
their two teenaged children. Mr Hakamada had confessed to the crime
but later recanted in court citing his allegedly brutal police
interrogation and planted evidence.
   (The Telegraph, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Moldova’s
pro-Russian PM Ion Chicu resigned to, as he put it, pave the way for
an early parliamentary election and “bring normalcy” to the tiny
former Soviet state.
   (AP, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Morocco imposed a
curfew, closed restaurants in major cities and banned public and
private gatherings for three weeks, including the usually festive
New Year's Eve, to curb the spread of the coronavirus virus.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Romania’s
parliament approved a new liberal government and prime minister,
keeping out of power a left-leaning populist party that won most
votes at a parliamentary election earlier this month. Former
investment banker and finance minister Florin Citu become the new
prime minister.
   (AP, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Russia's sovereign
wealth fund said that the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, which it
markets abroad, has been approved for use by Argentina's regulators.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Singapore said it
has confirmed its first case of the new coronavirus variant found in
the United Kingdom, while 11 others who were already in quarantine
had returned preliminarily positive results for the new strain.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Swiss authorities
said they have identified a cow with the infectious bovine
rhinotracheitis (IBR), a respiratory disease, in the eastern canton
of Grisons. There have been no cases of IBR in Switzerland since
1993.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, Thailand confirmed
46 new coronavirus infections, of which 39 were locally transmitted
cases found in several different province.
   (Reuters, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, A Turkish court
convicted in absentia Car Dundar, the former editor-in-chief of
opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet, on espionage and terror-related
charges over a 2015 news story, a verdict the exiled journalist said
exemplified the pressures on Turkish media.
   (AP, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 23, The UN said that
Bambari, the Central African Republic's fourth-largest town, which
was seized by rebels a day earlier ahead of elections this weekend,
is in the hands of United Nations peacekeepers and national security
forces.
   (AP, 12/23/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, The State
Department said the United States will open a consulate in Western
Sahara following President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize
Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed region.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, The US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention announced that as of Dec. 28 the US
will require airline passengers from Britain to get a negative
COVID-19 test before their flight.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, US House
Republicans shot down a Democratic bid to pass President Donald
Trump's longshot, end-of-session demand for $2,000 direct payments
to most Americans as he ponders whether to sign a long-overdue
COVID-19 relief bill.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020      Dec 24, A US federal
judge said that the Justice Department broke the law when it
rescheduled the execution of Lisa Montgomery, the only woman on
federal death row last month, potentially pushing her execution into
Democratic President-elect Joe Biden's new administration.
   (AP, 12/25/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, California to
date had 2,009,562 cases of coronavirus and 23,660 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 237,223 cases and 2,398 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 18,547,045 with the death toll at
327,573.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, It was reported
that Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch in California has been sold
to billionaire businessman Ron Burkle for $22 million. In 2015, the
asking price was $100 million and in 2017 it was re-listed for $67
million.
   (Reuters, 12/24/20)  Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, It was reported
that a $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the
conviction of whoever is slashing the pouches and necks of brown
pelicans on the Southern California coast.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, New York Governor
Andrew Cuomo granted clemency to 21 people on Christmas Eve,
including two women who killed their abusive partners while
defending themselves.
   (The Independent, 12/25/20)Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Lawyers filed
papers in Manhattan federal court to repel an effort by the Boy
Scouts to toss out before trial a trademark infringement lawsuit the
Girl Scouts filed in 2018.
   (AP, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, SolarWinds Corp
said it had released an update to fix the vulnerabilities in its
flagship network management software, Orion, following the discovery
of a second set of hackers that targeted the company's products.
   (Reuters, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, In Afghanistan
Freshta Kohistani, a women's rights activist, was shot and killed by
unknown gunmen in northern Kapisa province.
   (SFC, 12/25/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, In Armenia police
in Yerevan detained dozens of people during protests against the PM
Nikol Pashinyan, who is being pressured to resign over his handling
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Belarus Archbishop
Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of Minsk and Mohilev arrived home.
Kondrusiewicz was barred from entering the ex-Soviet nation for
nearly four months after his criticism of the Belarusian
authorities' crackdown on protests demanding the resignation of the
country's authoritarian leader.
   (AP, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Sao Paulo's state
health secretary said the CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine developed by
China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd showed efficacy between 50% and 90% in
Brazilian trials.
   (Reuters, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Britain clinched a
Brexit trade deal with the European Union, just seven days before it
exits one of the world's biggest trading blocs in its most
significant global shift since the loss of empire.
   (Reuters, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, The first 10,000
doses of a 10-million order of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine
reached Chile with inoculations of health workers in the hardest hit
sectors to begin immediately.
   (Reuters, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Denmark said it
has identified 33 infections with the new variant of the coronavirus
that has been spreading rapidly in parts of Britain.
   (Reuters, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Ethiopia's state
media reported that the military has killed 42 men suspected to be
linked to the massacre a day earlier of at least 100 people,
including children, in the Benishangul-Gumuz region.
   (BBC, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, In Ethiopia
Reuters cameraman Kumerra Gemechu (38) was arrested in Addis Ababa.
No reason was given for his detention.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, In France Ivry
Gitlis (98), an acclaimed Israeli-born violinist who played with
famed conductors, rock stars and jazz bands around the world and
worked to make classical music accessible to the masses, died in
Paris.
   (AP, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Germany's state of
Baden-Wuerttemberg said that the new variant of the pandemic
SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that has been spreading rapidly in Britain
has been found in Germany for the first time.
   (Reuters, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, India-based
Aurobindo Pharma Ltd said it would make and sell US-based COVAXX's
COVID-19 vaccine candidate for supply in India and to the United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) under a licensing deal.
   (Reuters, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Iran said it had
received approval from US authorities to buy coronavirus vaccines
from the World Health Organization-led COVAX alliance.
   (Reuters, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, A new Iranian
computer-hacking group targeted Portnox, an Israeli cyber-security
firm, whose clients include electronics company Elbit Systems, which
produces defence systems for military aircraft, vehicles and drones.
The group, known as "Pay2Key", boasted of carrying out dozens of
cyber-attacks on high-profile targets since last month, including
two in the last week.
   (The Telegraph, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Italy reported 505
coronavirus-related deaths against 553 the day before. The daily
tally of new infections increased to 18,040 from 14,522, taking the
total number of cases since Italy's epidemic began past the 2
million mark to 2.009 million. Police in Italy enforced new COVID-19
travel restrictions aimed at limiting far-flung families from
gathering over Christmas as public health officials appealed for
people to use common sense to prevent new infections over the
holidays.
   (Reuters, 12/24/20)(AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Kenyan doctors
working in public hospitals ended a nationwide strike with ministers
saying concerns about inadequate protective equipment during the
pandemic, delayed pay and a lack of insurance had been addressed.
   (Reuters, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Mexico began a
mass vaccination campaign, the first Latin American country to do
so.
   (NY Times, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Morocco announced
it has acquired 65 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from China’s
Sinopharm and Britain’s AstraZeneca, as the north African kingdom
prepares to launch a COVID-19 vaccination program that aims to
immunize 80% of the country’s adult population.
   (AP, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, In northeastern
Nigeria at least 11 people were reported killed after Boko Haram
militants raided a mostly Christian village and burned down a church
in Pemi, Borno state.
   (AP, 12/25/20)Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, The head of
Africa's disease control body said that another new variant of the
novel coronavirus seems to have emerged in Nigeria. In the past
week, Nigeria reported a 52% increase in cases.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, A Pakistani court
ordered the immediate release of four men accused of orchestrating
the 2002 kidnapping and murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl,
including the main suspect earlier sentenced to death for
masterminding the killing.
   (The Telegraph, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Panama's health
ministry said that 220 Cuban doctors arrived this morning to
reinforce the Central American nation's healthcare system and help
in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Serbia's PM Ana
Brnabic received the country's first COVID-19 vaccine shot, kicking
off a mass inoculation drive with doses developed by Pfizer and
BioNTech.
   (Reuters, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, First Minister
Nicola Sturgeon said it was time for Scotland to become “an
independent, European nation” after a trade deal was sealed with
Brussels, and accused Boris Johnson of "cultural vandalism" for
pulling out of the Erasmus student program.
   (The Telegraph, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, South Africa's
infection tally rose to 968,563. South Africa has recorded 25,983
deaths, the highest figure on the continent.
   (Reuters, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Spanish PM Pedro
Sanchez said Madrid and London would continue to negotiate an
agreement on the British territory of Gibraltar on the Iberian
peninsula.
   (Reuters, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Sri Lankan
authorities imposed lockdown on three towns on the outskirts of
Colombo to contain the spread of COVID-19. Total cases in the
country numbered about 38,600.
   (SFC, 12/25/20, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Thailand confirmed
67 new coronavirus infections, of which nine were imported from
overseas.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Former Tunisian
presidential candidate and media mogul Nabil Karoui was arrested on
charges of money laundering and tax evasion. Karoui’s brother Ghazi
also faced charges, but was not arrested because he enjoys immunity
as a parliament deputy.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, At least 20
migrants died after their boat capsized in the Mediterranean off the
coast of Tunisia. At least 20 more people were still missing.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, Turkish
researchers said COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac
Biotech is 91.25% effective, according to interim data from a
late-stage trial in Turkey.
   (AP, 12/24/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 24, In Yemen Ahlam
al-Ashary (25) was beaten to death in front of her two children by
Houthi rebels in Ibb province. The militants were searching for
al-Ashary's husband for his alleged ties to rival forces loyal to
the UN-recognized government.
   (AP, 12/25/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, California to
date had 2,042,743 cases of coronavirus and 23,954 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 238,738 cases and 2,415 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 18,680,653 with the death toll at
329,355.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, K.C. Jones (88),
who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
in 1989, died in Connecticut. In eight of his nine seasons, the
Celtics won the NBA championship.
   (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._C._Jones)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, A soggy, wet and
dark Christmas morning greeted more than 250,000 US power customers
in New York, Pennsylvania and the Northeast who had their
electricity knocked out by clobbering winds and drenching, icy rain.
   (Reuters, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Notorious “club
kid” killer Michael Alig, who served 17 years in prison for killing
his roommate over a drug debt in a case that became a book and film,
died overnight in NYC of a suspected drug overdose six years after
his release. Alig pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 1997 for killing
Andre “Angel” Melendez. The story was turned into the 2003 movie
“Party Monster,” in which Macaulay Culkin played Alig.
   (AP, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Barry Lopez (75),
award-winning author who focused on the Arctic landscape, died at
his home in Eugene, Oregon. His books included "Of Wolves and Men"
(1978), "Arctic Dreams" (1986) and "Crow and Weasel" (1990).
   (SFC, 12/28/20, p.B3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, In Tennessee a
large blast shook downtown Nashville early Christmas morning. A bomb
was reportedly detonated inside an RV parked on Nashville's historic
Second Avenue. At least 41 buildings were damaged, and
communications systems, including residential and cell phone service
and 911 call centers, failed across the state Police emergency
systems in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama, as well as Nashville's
COVID-19 community hotline and a handful of hospital systems, went
out of service due to an AT&T central office being affected by
the blast.
   (AP, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Texas reported 10,
868 patients hospitalized with confirmed cases of COVID-19.
   (SFC, 12/28/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Around 1,000
British soldiers spent Christmas Day trying to clear a huge backlog
of truck drivers stuck in southeast England after France briefly
closed its border to the UK, then demanded coronavirus tests from
all amid fears of a new, apparently more contagious, virus variant.
Rail operator Eurotunnel was also back in action, offering a way
back into France.
   (AP, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, In the Central
African Rep. three UN peacekeepers from Burundi were killed and two
others wounded in attacks by armed combatants. The Coalition of
Patriots for Change (CPC), an alliance of the country's most
powerful rebel groups, said that it had called off a three-day
ceasefire due to attacks by government forces.
   (AP, 12/26/20)(BBC, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Mainland China
recorded 20 new COVID-19 cases, compared with 14 cases the previous
day. China has now reported a total of 86,933 confirmed mainland
cases, with 4,634 deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, France said it has
recorded its first case of the new variant of coronavirus. France
registered 20,262 new, confirmed COVID-19 cases and 159 more related
deaths in hospitals in the last 24 hours. France's number of
confirmed COVID-19 cases now stands at 2,547,771 while its COVID-19
death toll stands at 62,427.
   (AP, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, India's PM
Narendra Modi said that protests by farmers against three laws
brought by his government were politically motivated, as he touted
the success of an agricultural scheme launched last year.
   (Reuters, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, In Iran a series
of avalanches killed 12 people in a mountainous area north of Tehran
popular with climbers and hikers.
   (AP, 12/26/20)(SFC, 12/28/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Italy reported 459
coronavirus-related deaths against 505 the day before. The daily
tally of new infections increased by 19,037 from 18,040 the day
before.
   (Reuters, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Lebanon said it
has detected its first case of the new variant of the coronavirus,
which has been spreading rapidly in parts of Britain, on a flight
arriving from London. Lebanon has reported more than 1,000 deaths as
a result of COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Libya’s rival
leaders kicked off a UN-brokered prisoner exchange.
   (AP, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Mali's opposition
leader Soumaila Cisse (71), who was held hostage for six months
earlier this year by jihadists and was considered a leading
contender in 2022 elections, died in Paris.
   (AP, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Palestinian
militants fired two rockets fired aimed at the Israeli coastal city
of Ashkelon, but air defenses intercepted them.
   (AP, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Russian police
raided the home of prominent opposition activist Lyubov Sobol (33)
and hauled her in for questioning after the mother-in-law of an
alleged intelligence agent pressed charges of trespassing. Sobol was
officially charged and released on Dec. 27 after spending 48 hours
in detention.
   (AP, 12/25/20)(The Telegraph, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, In western Russia
an intercity bus veered off a road in the Ryazan region, killing
four people and injuring another 11.
   (AP, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Syrian media said
Syrian air defenses responded to an Israeli attack near the town of
Masyaf, Hama province. Masyaf is a significant military area for
Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime that includes a military
academy and a scientific research center.
   (AP, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 25, Thailand confirmed
81 new coronavirus infections, of which nine were imported from
abroad.
   (Reuters, 12/25/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Expanded
unemployment benefits for around 14 million Americans were set to
expire today, as President Trump continued to hold off on signing
Congress' $900 billion COVID-19 pandemic relief bill.
   (Reuters, 12/26/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, California to
date had 2,048,213 cases of coronavirus and 23,990 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 238,738 cases and 2,415 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 18,680,653 with the death toll at
329,355.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, In Illinois a
gunman opened fire inside a bowling alley in Rockford, killing three
people and injuring three others late today in what authorities
believe was a random attack. Green Beret suspect Duke Webb (37) was
in custody after the shooting at Don Carter Lanes. 35 people have
been killed in the city this year, breaking the previous record of
31 in 1996.
   (AP, 12/26/20)(NBC News, 12/27/20)(CBS News,
12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, In Massachusetts
two male teenagers (15&16) and two female teenagers (15&16)
threw bricks at moving cars in Worcester severely injuring one man
who was struck in the face by a brick that went through his
windshield. The teens faced charges including aggravated assault and
battery with a dangerous weapon.
   (SFC, 12/28/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Black
astrophysicist George Carruthers (81) died in Washington, DC. He
developed a telescope that went to the moon on Apollo 16, producing
images of Earth’s outermost atmosphere, stars and galaxies.
   (NY Times, 1/23/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, The Center for
Economics and Business Research predicted that China is on course to
overtake the United States as the world's biggest economy by 2028.
   (The Week, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, In Afghanistan at
least four people, including two police officers, were killed in a
series of explosions in Kabul.
   (AP, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, In Bosnia hundreds
of migrants were stranded in a burned-out squalid tent camp as heavy
snow fell in the country and temperatures suddenly dropped amid a
wintry spell of bad weather.
   (AP, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Brazil registered
307 new COVID-19 deaths, and 17,246 new cases of coronavirus. Brazil
now has nearly 7.5 million confirmed cases and 190,795 deaths from
the virus.
   (Reuters, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Cases of a new
coronavirus variant recently identified in the UK continue to be
found in European countries. Spain and France confirmed their first
infections of the variant today, while Italy, Denmark, and the
Netherlands have reported cases in recent days. It has also been
found in Australia, Singapore, and Japan.
   (BBC, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, The People’s Bank
of China, the country’s central bank, summoned Ant executives and
ordered them to formulate a rectification plan and an implementation
timetable of its business.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Mainland China
recorded 22 new COVID-19 cases, up from 20 cases the previous day.
   (Reuters, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, In Egypt an
intensive care unit at a hospital in the greater Cairo area caught
fire, killing seven coronavirus patients.
   (AP, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Hundreds of
Israelis protested against PM Benjamin Netanyahu, calling on the
long-serving leader to resign just days after the country was
plunged into a new national election.
   (AP, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Israeli aircraft
struck several sites in the Gaza Strip early today after Palestinian
militants fired two rockets toward southern Israel.
   (AP, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Archaeologists in
Pompeii, the city buried in a volcanic eruption in 79 AD, unveiled a
frescoed hot food and drinks shop that served up the ancient
equivalent of street food to Roman passersby. Pompeii was home to
about 13,000 people when it was buried under ash, pumice pebbles.
   (Reuters, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Japan registered a
record 3,881 infections including a new record for the capital,
Tokyo, of 949.
   (BBC, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, In northern
Lebanon a scuffle broke out between Syrian refugees and residents of
Bhanine. More than 300 Syrian refugees were forced to flee an
informal camp as a blaze raged through and burned tents to the
ground.
   (AP, 12/27/20)(Econ., 1/9/21, p.40)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Mexico's health
ministry reported 4,974 confirmed coronavirus infection and 189
COVID-19 deaths, bringing the total to 1,377,217 cases and 122,026
deaths. The government said the real number of infected people is
likely significantly higher than reported cases.
   (Reuters, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Montenegro
Airlines ceased its operations after the small country’s new
government refused to continue financing the indebted national
carrier. The government said it plans to form a “completely new”
airline in the months to come.
   (AP, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, In Russia the
total number of cases of coronavirus infections crossed the 3
million mark for the first time after officials recorded 29,258 new
cases in the preceding 24 hours and 567 deaths. Total cases rose to
3,021,964.
   (Reuters, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, George Blake (98),
a former British intelligence officer who worked as a double agent
for the Soviet Union and passed some of the most coveted Western
secrets to Moscow, died in Russia. A Polish defector exposed Blake
as a Soviet spy in 1961. He was convicted on spying charges in
Britain and sentenced to 42 years in prison. Blake has lived in
Russia since his daring escape from a British prison in 1966 and was
given the rank of Russian intelligence colonel.
   (AP, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Sudan said it has
taken control of most of the land it accuses Ethiopians of
encroaching upon near the border between the two countries.
   (AP, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, In Sudan Ezzel-Din
Ali Hamed (22) died a day after his release from police custody in
Omdurman. He had arrested on Dec. 17 as part of an investigation
into charges of robbery. Security officers implicated in Hamed’s
arrest and death were being detained and investigated.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, The Swedish Health
Agency said that the new variant of coronavirus linked to a rapid
rise in infections in Britain has been detected in Sweden after a
traveler from the UK became ill and tested positive.
   (Reuters, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Thai protesters
demonstrated to demand more action to help seafood sellers hit by a
COVID-19 outbreak as the government urged people to eat more
shellfish.
   (Reuters, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 26, Uganda suspended
all campaigning for January's presidential poll in the capital and
10 populous districts, citing coronavirus risks, but critics said
the real reason was the opposition's popularity in these areas.
   (Reuters, 12/26/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Pres. Donald Trump
urged senior Justice Dept. officials to declare the 2020 election
results "corrupt." Notes of the call were released on July 30, 2021.
   (SFC, 7/31/21, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Unemployment
benefits for millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet
lapsed overnight as President Donald Trump refused to signed an
end-of-year COVID relief and spending bill that had been considered
a done deal before his sudden objections. Trump continued to demand
larger COVID relief checks and complained about “pork” spending.
Late today Trump signed the coronavirus stimulus package and a
massive spending measure needed to prevent a government shutdown
just ahead of a Dec. 28 deadline.
   (AP, 12/27/20)(Reuters, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, The $2.3 trillion
coronavirus relief and spending bill passed by the federal
government brought a new national park, the New River Gorge, in
southern West Virginia. The roughly 72,000 acre preserve creates the
63rd national park in the United States and completes a
multigenerational effort, started in the mid-twentieth century, to
transform a tired industrial area into a national landmark.
   (NY Times, 2/16/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, The FBI identified
the Nashville bombing suspect as Anthony Q. Warner (63) and said he
died in the blast, which damaged more than 40 businesses in the
downtown area.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Warner Bros.
announced that Wonder Woman 1984 brought in $16.7 million at the box
office in the US and Canada over weekend.
   (The Week, 12/28/20)  Â
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, California to
date had 2,048,213 cases of coronavirus and 24,224 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 246,923 cases and 2,432 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 19,132,446 with the death toll at
333,118.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, New Mexico began
providing COVID-19 vaccinations to 15,000 people who work or live at
long-term care facilities.
   (SFC, 12/28/20, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Azerbaijan army
units were reportedly attacked by “an illegal Armenian armed group"
in Nagorno-Karabakh, killing one Azerbaijani serviceman and wounding
another.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Hurricane-force
winds reaching up to 106 mph (170 kph) and heavy rainstorms battered
parts of Britain, disrupting train services and stranding drivers in
floodwaters.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, The head of
drugmaker AstraZeneca, which is developing a coronavirus vaccine
widely expected to be approved by UK authorities this week, said
that researchers believe the shot will be effective against a new
variant of the virus driving a rapid surge in infections in Britain.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, In Cameroon more
than 37 people were killed and 18 others seriously injured after a
bus crash early today in the western village of Nemale.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Central African
Republic held presidential and legislative elections amid fears of
violence after a campaign period marked by fighting between rebels
and government forces.. President Faustin-Archange Touadera is
seeking a second term in office and has accused his predecessor,
François Bozizé, of fomenting a coup with rebel groups.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Beijing tightened
COVID-19 curbs over concerns that China's mass travel during the
holiday period could cause cases to spike in the capital, as it
reported locally transmitted cases for a fourth straight day.
   (Reuters, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, It was reported
that China has lowered the age of criminal responsibility for murder
and some other serious crimes from 14 to 12 after some high-profile
killings by children.
   (The Telegraph, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, It was reported
that drugmakers have agreed to cut prices by around 50% on average
for more than 100 medicines in order to have them included in
China's state medical insurance scheme from March, potentially
heralding a massive leap in sales.
   (Reuters, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Cyprus started
vaccinating its population against COVID-19 as part of a concerted
drive across the EU. Cyprus has reported 19,391 cases and 111
deaths.
   (Reuters, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Czech PM Andrej
Babis became the first person in the country to be given a vaccine
against the new coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Europe rolled out
a huge COVID-19 vaccination drive to try to rein in the coronavirus
pandemic but many Europeans are skeptical about the speed at which
the vaccines have been tested and approved and reluctant to have the
shot.
   (Reuters, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, It was reported
that BMW wants roughly every fifth car it sells to be powered by an
electric engine by 2023. Chief Executive Oliver Zipse said 15,000
private and about 1,300 public charging points would have to be put
into operation every week as of today.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Iran informed
Iraq’s electricity ministry that it plans to cut gas shipments
further to three million cubic meters. Iran reduced gas exports to
Iraq to five million cubic meters from 50 million cubic meters two
weeks ago citing unpaid bills.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Israel became the
first country to enter a third coronavirus lockdown as officials
ramped up vaccinations to a pace PM Benjamin Netanyahu said may
allow an emergence from the pandemic by March.
   (Reuters, 12/27/20)(Econ., 1/2/21, p.34)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Italy vaccinated
the first residents against COVID-19 as it reported 298
coronavirus-related deaths up from 261 the day before. The daily
tally of new infections was 8,913 down from 10,407 the day before,
taking the total number of cases since Italy's epidemic began to
2,047,696.
   (Reuters, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Hassan Nasrallah,
the leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah, said his group now has twice as
many precision-guided missiles as it had a year ago, saying Israel's
efforts to prevent it from acquiring them have failed.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Niger held
presidential and legislative elections that could see the West
African country's first democratic transition of power since
independence amid a growing threat from jihadists in the region.
President Mahamadou Issoufou, who has served two terms, is stepping
down, paving the way for the first peaceful transfer of power
between two elected presidents since Niger became independent from
France in 1960. None of the 28 candidates won a majority. Former
foreign affairs minister Mohamed Bazoum of the ruling party will
face off against former president Mahamane Ousmane on Feb. 21.
   (AP, 12/27/20)(SSFC, 1/3/21, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Norway's Institute
of Public Health said that the new variant of the coronavirus
circulating in Britain has been detected in two people who came to
Norway from the UK.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, It was reported
that nearly 1,000 girls from religious minorities are forced to
convert to Islam in Pakistan each year, largely to pave the way for
marriages that are under the legal age and non-consensual.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, The regional civil
protection authority of Portugal's Madeira Island said the new
variant was "detected in travelers who arrived in Madeira from the
United Kingdom" but it did not specify how many people were infected
or when the cases were found. Portugal has reported 6,619 deaths and
a total of 394,573 infections.
   (Reuters, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, South Africa
confirmed 1,004,413 Covid-19 infections and 26,735 deaths since the
outbreak began in March.
   (BBC, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, South Korea said
it will extend social distancing measures introduced to try to curb
the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic for another six days,
to Jan. 3, even as it continues to report near-record numbers of new
cases each day.
   (Reuters, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, In Sudan
Abdel-Rahman Nour-el-Daem al-Tom, the governor Blue Nile province,
was killed in a car crash in the country's southeast that also
injured four others.
   (Reuters, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Thailand confirmed
121 new infections of the novel coronavirus, up from the 103 cases
reported earlier in the day. the new cases included 94 domestic
transmissions and 18 in migrant workers connected to an outbreak at
a seafood market in Samut Sakhon, a province southwest of Bangkok.
Infections connected to this cluster have spread to 38 provinces.
Thailand has reported a total of 6,141 cases and 60 deaths.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, Turkey’s
parliament approved a law that would increase government monitoring
of civil society groups, which rights groups have warned would
violate the freedom of association.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 27, In Uganda a
bodyguard for Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine was killed and two
journalists injured amid violent confrontations between security
forces and followers of the singer and lawmaker who is challenging
the country’s long-time leader.
   (AP, 12/27/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, The US House
passed a bipartisan bill to increase the size of individual stimulus
checks to $2,000 from $600, endorsing a measure demanded by
President Trump and daring Senate Republicans to either do the same
or defy the president.
   (NY Times, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, The US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it was finalizing the
first-ever proposed standards regulating greenhouse gas emissions
from airplanes.
   (Reuters, 12/28/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, California to
date had 2,192,127 cases of coronavirus and 24,536 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 253,213 cases and 2,436 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 19,299,002 with the death toll at
334,788.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, In Indiana Winston
Corbett (25) was sentenced to 115 years in prison for fatally
stabbing college professor James Miller (58) and leaving the man's
wife with nearly two dozen stab wounds during a home invasion in
2011.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, New York State
banned most evictions for at least another 60 days, as tenants
struggle to pay rent during the pandemic. It’s one of the most
comprehensive anti-eviction laws in the country.
   (NY Times, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Former North
Carolina state Sen. Marc Basnight (73), a Democrat from the barrier
islands, died. He became one of North Carolina’s most powerful
contemporary political leaders while serving a record 18 years as
Senate leader.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Ohio police
Officer Adam Coy was fired after bodycam footage showed him fatally
shooting 47-year-old Andre Hill, a Black man who was holding a
cellphone, and refusing to administer first aid for several minutes.
   (The Telegraph, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, In Virginia the
operators of White’s Ferry announced on Facebook that they were
ending the cable-drawn ferry operation between Montgomery County,
Maryland and Loudoun County, Virginia, effective immediately. A
Virginia judge ruled last month that the ferry company had no right
to use a parcel of land on the Virginia side of the river as a
landing site on the Potomac River, a site where a ferry has operated
since the late 1700s.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Novavax Inc said
it has begun a large late-stage study of its experimental COVID-19
vaccine in the United States, after delaying the trial twice due to
issues in scaling up the manufacturing process.
   (Reuters, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, It was reported
that child labor in the palm oil industry is tied to Girl Scout
cookies. Indonesia and Malaysia supply 85% of the world’s most
consumed vegetable oil.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Britain said it
will ban "buy one get one free" promotions for food high in fat,
sugar or salt and free refills of sugary soft drinks in restaurants
from April 2022.
   (Reuters, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, COVID-19 deaths in
Britain breached the 600-a-day mark.
   (Econ., 1/9/21, p.47)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Cambodia's
long-awaited first commercial extraction of oil was begun by
KrisEnergy, a Singapore-based oil and gas company, from a well in
offshore Block A in the Gulf of Thailand.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, In Chechnya two
brothers attacked police with knives, killing an officer and
injuring another before being shot dead in Grozny. The brothers
reportedly came from the neighboring region of Ingushetia and were
working at a bakery.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, China expressed
anger after US President Donald Trump signed into law measures to
further bolster support for Taiwan and Tibet, which had been
included in a $2.3 trillion pandemic aid and spending package.
   (Reuters, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, A Chinese court
sentenced citizen journalist Zhang Zhan (37) to four years in prison
for her uncensored reports from Wuhan during the early stages of the
coronavirus outbreak. She began a hunger strike in late June to
protest her detention, and has been subjected to force-feeding
through a nasal tube.
   (The Telegraph, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Mainland China
reported 27 new COVID-19 cases, up from 21 cases a day earlier.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, BuzzFeed News
reported, with the help of satellite imagery, the construction in
the past few years of factory facilities on the grounds of more than
100 detention facilities in China's Xinjiang province.
   (Econ., 1/9/21, p.27)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, A moderate 5.0
earthquake hit central Croatia near the capital of Zagreb early
today, triggering panic and damaging some buildings in towns south
of the city. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
   (AP, 12/28/20)(SFC, 12/29/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, In Ethiopia
banking services resumed in Mekelle, the capital of the northern
Tigray region, for the first time since conflict broke out there on
Nov. 4.
   (Reuters, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Finnish
authorities said email accounts belonging to some lawmakers were
compromised during a cyberattack on parliament last autumn.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Germany's
confirmed death toll in the coronavirus pandemic rose by 348Â
bringing the country's total to 30,126.
   (SFC, 12/29/20, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Hungary's Foreign
Minister Peter Szijjarto said on his Facebook page that Hungary has
received 6,000 doses of Russia's COVID-19 vaccine, though it was
unclear when or whether the shot would be administered in the
country. Under EU rules, Russia's Sputnik V vaccine must be
authorized by the European Medicines Agency before it can be
marketed in any state of the 27-nation bloc.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, India's major
grain-growing state of Punjab asked police to crack down on farmers
and sympathizers vandalizing telecommunication masts as they
intensify their weeks-long protests against farm deregulation.
   (Reuters, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Mahinder Watsa
(96), Indian obstetrician-gynecologist and "sexpert" for the Mumbai
Mirror, died.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahinder_Watsa)(Econ., 1/23/21, p.74)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Indonesia said as
of Jan, 1 it will bar International visitors for two weeks to try to
keep out a new, potentially more contagious variant of the novel
coronavirus.
   (Reuters, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, It was reported
that "Demon Slayer: Mugen Train," the animated tale of a boy
fighting human-eating demons that murdered his family, has shattered
a nearly two-decade record to become Japan's top-grossing movie. The
old record was held by "Spirited Away."
   (Reuters, 12/28/20)(Econ., 1/23/21, p.29)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Kazakhstan
authorities said they had signed a preliminary agreement with Pfizer
to potentially buy the vaccine it developed with its partner
BioNTech against COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Lebanon said it
has secured about 2 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19
vaccine, which will cover 20% of the country's nationals.
   (Reuters, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, In Mexico
Yucatan-born ballad singer and composer Armando Manzanero (85) died
in Mexico City.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armando_Manzanero)(AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, In Montenegro
several thousand people rallied in Podgorica, accusing the new
government of being pro-Serb because of its plans to amend a
religious property law that is strongly opposed by the Serbian
Orthodox Church.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Russia's prison
service gave Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny a last minute ultimatum:
Fly back from Germany at once and report at a Moscow office early
tomorrow morning, or be jailed if you return after that deadline.
Navalny was serving out a suspended three-and-a-half-year prison
term over a theft case he says was politically-motivated. His
probation period expires on Dec. 30.
   (Reuters, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Russia's state
statistical agency announced new figures indicating that the
coronavirus death toll is almost four times as high as officially
reported. The government left unchanged its 55,827 death toll.
   (SFC, 12/30/20, p.A4)Â
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, A Russian fishing
trawler sank in the northern Barents Sea and 17 of its crew were
still missing. Two crew members were rescued.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Prominent Saudi
Arabian activist Loujain al-Hathloul (31), who campaigned for the
right to drive and was arrested in 2018, was sentenced to five years
and eight months in jail, despite international criticism of her
trial and claims she had been tortured. The court suspended two
years and 10 months of her sentence and backdated the start of her
term, so she would serve only three more months.
   (The Telegraph, 12/28/20)(Econ., 1/2/21, p.32)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, South Africa's
President Cyril Ramaphosa said "reckless behavior" caused by
drinking increased the risk of spreading Covid as he announced a ban
on liquor sales.
   (BBC, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, South Africa's
doctors urged the government to return to tighter restrictions on
social gatherings and the sales of alcohol to slow the spread of the
disease.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Sudanese state
news reported that tribal clashes in the troubled Darfur region have
killed at least 15 people in recent days, forcing authorities to
deploy more troops. Clashes over the weekend in the town of Gereida
in South Darfur province pitted the Fallata tribe against the Arab
Masalit.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Switzerland said
it will return $150 million from blocked Swiss bank accounts by the
end of the year to the United States to be given to victims of
convicted Ponzi scheme con artist Robert Allen Stanford. Stanford, a
former Texas financier, was convicted of fraud by a Houston jury in
2012 in what prosecutors called a $7.2 billion fraud that lasted two
decades.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, Thailand announced
its first coronavirus death in nearly two months and tightened
restrictions on entertainment businesses in Bangkok, in a bid to
contain an outbreak that has reached more than half of the country's
provinces. Authorities confirmed 144 new infections as new clusters
emerged stemming from its biggest outbreak yet.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 28, It was reported
that Pope Francis has formally stripped the Vatican secretariat of
state of its financial assets and real estate holdings following its
bungled management of hundreds of millions of euros in donations and
investments that are now the subject of a corruption investigation.
   (AP, 12/28/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, President Donald
Trump's campaign asked the US Supreme Court to take its failed
lawsuit challenging election results in swing state Wisconsin. Trump
lost the state to Democrat Joe Biden by about 21,000 votes.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, A US federal
appeals court ruled that immigrant children caught crossing the
border must be released to relatives or adult sponsors in the US as
soon as possible under a 1997 legal setlement.
   (SFC, 12/30/20, p.B1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Researchers in the
US found a more contagious virus variant, first discovered in
Britain, in a Colorado man who had not visited that country.
   (NY Times, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, The US Justice
Department said two Cleveland police officers will avoid federal
criminal charges over their role in the 2014 killing of Tamir Rice,
a 12-year-old Black boy, citing a lack of evidence.
   (NY Times, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, It was reported
that drug traffickers have paid millions of dollars to US border
agents to keep drugs and people flowing throughout Trump's time in
office.
   (Business Insider, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, American troops
stationed in South Korea received the first doses of coronavirus
vaccine to be administered in the country.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, It was reported
that Alabama, long one of the unhealthiest and most impoverished
states in America, has emerged as one of the nation's most alarming
coronavirus hot spots. The coronavirus has killed over 4,700 in the
state.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, California to
date had 2,208,052 cases of coronavirus and 24,568 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 256,125 cases and 2,465 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 19,532,025 with the death toll at
335,623.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Joe Louis Clark
(82), the baseball bat and bullhorn-wielding principal, died at his
Florida home after a long battle with an unspecified illness. His
unwavering commitment to his students and uncompromising
disciplinary methods inspired the 1989 film “Lean on Me”.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, A federal judge
ordered local election officials in Georgia to allow voting by more
than 4,000 people whose eligibility was being challenged ahead of
next week’s runoff elections for the US Senate.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Louisville’s
police department said it will fire two officers involved in the
raid that killed Breonna Taylor: Detective Myles Cosgrove, who fired
the fatal shot, and Detective Joshua Jaynes, who arranged the raid.
   (NY Times, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Luke Letlow ()41),
a Republican congressman-elect from Louisiana, died of complications
from Covid. He had been set to take office on Jan 3.
   (AP, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, In Massachusetts
workers removed a statue of Abraham Lincoln with a freed slave
appearing to kneel at his feet, optics that drew objections amid a
national reckoning with racial injustice, from its perch in downtown
Boston, where it had stood since 1879.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Phyllis McGuire
(89), the last surviving member of the three singing McGuire
Sisters, died in Las Vegas. The McGuire Sisters earned six gold
records for hits including 1954's "Sincerely" and 1957's
"Sugartime."
   (AP, 1/1/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, New York City
reported 447 homicides this year, the most since 2011.
   (NY Times, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, The 2nd US Circuit
Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled in the case of Dr. Chi Ping
Patrick Ho (70), a prominent Hong Kong businessman, finding he was
properly convicted by a jury in December 2018 of paying bribes to
the presidents of Chad and Uganda.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, An Oklahoma judge
issued a restraining order on Gov. Kevin Stitt's 11pm curfew on bars
and restaurants, an effort to stem coronavirus infections.
   (SFC, 1/11/21, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Boeing's 737 MAX
resumed passenger flights in the United States for the first time
after a 20-month safety ban was lifted last month.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Boston Dynamics
released a video showing four of its robots dancing to the 1962 hit
“Do You Love Me?” by The Contours, and it caught fire online.
   (AP, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Nielsen data
reported that ratings for Rupert Murdoch's Fox News Channel topped
all news and basic cable channels for a fifth straight year in 2020.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Reporters Without
Borders said at least 50 journalists were killed this year, most of
whom were deliberately targeted. The press freedom group counted 53
dead in 2019.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Algerian state TV
reported that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune (75) has returned home
after receiving coronavirus treatment in Germany for two months.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Argentina's
government released some 300,000 doses of the Russian-made Sputnik-5
vaccine to all 23 province and the city of Buenos Aires.
   (Econ., 1/2/21, p.23)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Bangladesh moved a
second group of about 1,800 Rohingya from cramped refugee camps on
the mainland to the low-lying island of Bhasan Char, despite
opposition from rights groups.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Belarus said it
has begun administering the Russian-made Sputnik V coronavirus
vaccine, after the first consignment arrived in Minsk. Belarus
expects to vaccinate around 200,000 people with Sputnik V in the
first stage of its national program.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Brazilian health
regulator Anvisa said Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine has
requested regulatory approval to launch Phase 3 trials in Brazil.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Britain and Turkey
signed a free-trade agreement, effective Jan. 1, as the UK prepares
to leave the European Union's economic orbit at the start of the new
year.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, China's banking
and insurance regulator urged consumers to guard against excessive
borrowing spurred by internet platforms, hiding the real costs of
such debt.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Mainland China
reported 24 new COVID-19 cases, down from 27 cases a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, A magnitude 6.3
earthquake hit central Croatia, destroying buildings and sending
panicked people fleeing into rubble-covered streets in a town
southeast of the capital. Seven people were killed and at least 20
were injured. Over the next few months nearly 100 sink holes
appeared in the area.
   (AP, 12/29/20)(SFC, 3/6/21, p.A2)(SSFC, 3/21/21,
p.B8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Denmark reported
2,621 new cases over the past 24 hours. The government said it will
extend a hard lockdown for two weeks until Jan. 17 to limit the
spread of COVID-19.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, An Egyptian court
convicted Ahmed Bassam Zaki, a former student at the American
University in Cairo, of sexual misconduct charges and sentenced him
to three years in prison, the first conviction in a case that has
fueled the #MeToo movement in the Arab world’s most populous
country. Zaki was being tried separately in criminal court on
charges of rape and attempted rape of three other women who were
minors at the time of the alleged crimes.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, The European Union
said it will buy an extra 100 million doses of Pfizer and BioNTech’s
COVID-19 vaccine, bringing the total from the two firms to 300
million doses.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, French couturier
Pierre Cardin (98) died. He made his name by selling designer
clothes to the masses, and his fortune by being the first to exploit
that name as a brand for selling everything from cars to perfume.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Claude Bolling
(90), French pianist, composer and arranger, died in Garches. He
attained a worldwide following through his melodic blend of jazz and
classical influences and stayed on the Billboard classical charts
for more than a decade with his 1975 album “Suite for Flute and Jazz
Piano”.
   (AP, 1/1/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Biotech firm GNA
Biosolutions said it has received emergency use approval from
German's health authority for its quick COVID-19 test that it says
is as reliable as widely-used PCR tests but delivers results almost
as quickly as an antigen one.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Iran said it will
resume normal gas flows to Iraq on Dec. 30 after reaching an
agreement with Iraq over unpaid bills.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Iran-based Shifa
Pharmed, part of a state-owned pharmaceutical conglomerate known as
Barekat, began its first study of the safety and effectiveness of a
coronavirus vaccine.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Ireland began its
COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Ireland expected to vaccinate all
75,000 people who live or work in nursing homes and tens of
thousands of other health workers by the end of February.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, In northern Italy
Agitu Ideo Gudeta (42), Ethiopian refugee, goat-herder and
cheesemaker, was killed by Suleiman from Ghana following an argument
over wages.
   (Econ., 1/9/21, p.78)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Dozens of Cubans
protested at the US border in the northern Mexican city of Ciudad
Juarez late today, demanding they be allowed to cross and claim
asylum in the US.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Montenegro's new,
pro-Serb authorities amended a law on religious rights and property
that was passed by a previous government but was strongly opposed by
the Serbian Orthodox Church, which led months of protests against
the bill. The changes abolished the sections on ownership that the
Serbian church insisted were designed to strip it of its property in
Montenegro despite repeated denials by the previous government.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Oman reopened its
land, air and sea borders after a one-week shutdown over the new
coronavirus variant that emerged in Britain. On Jan 5, 2020, Oman
said it has registered its first case of the highly contagious
variant.
   (AP, 1/5/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, President Klaus
Iohannis said Romania would donate 200,000 doses of the
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to Moldova, offered as a gesture of
solidarity following the election of the pro-Western President Maia
Sandu.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, The Investigative
Committee, Russia's main investigative agency, said it has opened a
new criminal case against Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on charges
of large-scale fraud related to his alleged mishandling of some $5
million in private donations to his Anti-Corruption Foundation and
other organizations.
   (AP, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, A court in Moscow
convicted Karina Tsurkan, a former top executive of Inter RAO, a
Russian state-controlled energy company, of spying for the ex-Soviet
nation of Moldova and sentenced her to 15 years in prison. Tsurkan
has denied the accusations.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Russian riot
police stormed into a monastery to detain rebel monk Father Sergiy
at the Sredneuralsk monastery outside Yekaterinburg, who has
castigated the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church leadership
and denied the existence of the coronavirus.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Russia said it had
dismantled an international drug smuggling network as part of a
collaborative operation with the United States. The mission elapsed
in several stages beginning in May this year in Saint Petersburg and
concluded with the discovery of a cache in the Moscow region last
month.
   (The Telegraph, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Moscow said it
will extend the school holiday by one week until Jan. 17 in hopes of
stabilizing the situation regarding new coronavirus infections and
avoid new COVID-19-related restrictions.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, South Korean
authorities scrambled to contain a cluster of coronavirus infections
in a Seoul prison as inmates waved signs through barred windows
pleading for help. South Korea recorded 1,050 new cases nationally
as of midnight, bringing the total case tally to 59,773 and death
toll to 879.
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Turkish
prosecutors issued a detention warrant against Sezgin Baran Korkmaz,
a Turkish businessman with links to Utah-based business executives
who have pleaded guilty to a $511 million tax credit scheme in the
United States.
   (AP, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, Turkey aims to
produce Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine domestically but has
asked for more information about it before inoculating its citizens.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 29, It was reported
that the UAE has emerged as hub for companies helping Venezuela
avoid US oil sanctions.
   (Reuters, 12/29/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, UN human rights
experts said US President Donald Trump's pardon of four American men
convicted of killing Iraqi civilians while working as contractors in
2007 violated US obligations under international law.
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Sep 30, California to
date had 2,230,934 cases of coronavirus and 24,987 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 257,585 cases and 2,479 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 19,722,422 with the death toll at
341,964.  Â
   (sfist.com, 9/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Dawn Wells (82),
crowned Miss Nevada in 1959, died at a nursing home in Los Angeles
of causes related to COVID-19. The actress radiated all-American
wholesomeness, Midwestern practicality and a youthful naïve charm as
the character Mary Ann on the hit 1960s sitcom “Gilligan’s Island”.
   (NY Times, 12/30/20)(SFC, 12/31/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Samuel Little
(80), the most prolific serial killer in US history, died at a Los
Angeles hospital. He had confessed to 93 murders from 1970 to 2005.
Little was convicted of eight of the killings, but investigators
verified at least 50.
   (The Week, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Louisiana reported
a record one-day total of new coronavirus infections. 6,754 positive
cases were reproted over the last 24 hours.
   (SFC, 12/31/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, A new $1.6 billion
train hall at New York City's Penn Station was unveiled to the
public, significantly expanding North America's busiest train
terminal amid a public transit crisis caused by the coronavirus
pandemic.
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, In Wisconsin the
Aurora Medical System said that 500 doses of a coronavirus vaccine,
that had to be discarded after they were left unrefrigerated,
appeared to have been deliberately spoiled by an employee. Licensed
pharmacist Steven Brandenburg was arrested the next day on suspicion
of sabotaging more than 500 doses of the vaccine. Brandenburg later
said he believed the shots would mutate people's DNA. In 2021
Brandenburg was sentenced to three years in prison.
   (SFC, 12/31/20, p.A3)(SFC, 1/6/21, p.A5)(SFC,
6/10/21, p.A5)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Amazon said it is
buying Wondery, a 4-year-old producer of popular true crime podcasts
such as “Dr. Death” and “Dirty John,” which was later turned into a
TV series.
   (AP, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, US jeweler Tiffany
& Co's shareholders approved a $15.8 billion deal with France's
LVMH, ending an acrimonious dispute between the two luxury retailers
that had stretched for more than a year.
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Bitcoin jumped to
a record $28,599.99, after the digital currency almost quadrupled in
value this year amid heightened interest from bigger investors.
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Argentina's Senate
voted to legalize abortion. The Senate backed the government
proposal to allow terminations through the 14th week of pregnancy.
The lower house had already approved it this month.
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Hundreds of
migrants from a burned-out tent camp in northwest Bosnia remained
packed in buses where they had spent the night after an attempt to
relocate them failed, reflecting confusion in the Balkan country’s
handling of the crisis.
   (AP, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Britain’s House of
Commons voted resoundingly to approve a trade deal with the European
Union, paving the way for an orderly break with the bloc that will
finally complete the UK’s long and divisive Brexit journey.
   (AP, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, The British
government said more areas of England would be placed under the
strictest COVID-19 restrictions as a highly infectious variant of
the virus is spreading across the country.
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Britain approved
the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University
of Oxford, the first country to do so, clearing a path for a cheap
and easy-to-store shot that much of the world may rely on.
   (NY Times, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, The Canadian
government said that passengers must have a negative COVID-19 test
taken within three days before they arrive in the country.
   (SFC, 12/31/20, p.A3)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Chinese President
Xi Jinping and top EU officials concluded a business investment deal
that will open big opportunities to European companies, but has the
potential to irk the new American administration. The deal secured
puny gains for the EU and gave China a diplomatic coup.
   (AP, 12/30/20)(Econ., 1/9/21, p.12)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, A Chinese court
convicted 10 people from Hong Kong who had tried to flee to Taiwan
on a speedboat of crimes relating to illegal border crossing, and
sentenced them to up to three years in prison.
   (The Telegraph, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, A Chinese
pharmaceutical company, the state-controlled Sinopharm, said its
virus vaccine was 79 percent effective, but released minimal
details.
   (NY Times, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, China said it has
detected its first imported case of the new coronavirus variant that
is spreading rapidly around Britain. The variant was detected in a
23-year-old female student returning to China from Britain, who was
tested in Shanghai on Dec. 14.
   (AP, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Financial magazine
Caixin reported that Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group will set up
a joint venture with Germany's BioNTech to produce COVID-19 vaccines
in China.
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, The Czech
Republic's Health Ministry said it has allowed the squeezing of an
extra dose from COVID-19 vaccine vials supplied by Pfizer and
BioNTech, taking advantage of a reserve amount put into the vials by
the maker.
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, German officials
made clear that they won't be able to relax lockdown restrictions in
early January as the country recorded more than 1,000 deaths in one
day for the first time.
   (The Telegraph, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Guinea began
vaccinating against COVID-19 with the Russian Sputnik V vaccine on
an experimental basis. The country has ordered only 55 doses of the
Russian vaccine.
   (AP, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Iran’s Pres. said
his cabinet has created a compensation fund to pay the families of
the 176 victims of a Ukrainian passenger plane that was shot down by
Iranian forces outside Tehran last January.
   (AP, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Representatives of
the Indian government and tens of thousands of protesting farmers
held talks after a hiatus of three weeks and reached agreement on
two of the four issues that caused the farmers to blockade highways
near the capital.
   (AP, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Indonesia said it
has signed an agreement with two drugmakers AstraZeneca and Novavax,
for 100 million doses of vaccines.
   (AP, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, A Dutch aid group
says one of its staffers was “murdered” during the conflict in
Ethiopia’s Tigray region, bringing the number of humanitarian
workers killed during the nearly two months of deadly unrest to
five. ZOA International did not say when the 52-year-old staffer was
killed at the Hitsats refugee camp.
   (AP, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, In Norway a
massive landslide struck a residential area near the capital. Ten
people, including children, were missing. In February search teams
found two more bodies in the rubble bringing the total found to
nine.
   (AP, 12/31/20)(AP, 2/10/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, In Pakistan
supporters of Maulana Shareef, a radical Islamist cleric, set on
fire and demolished a Hindu temple in the northwestern town of
Karak. Local police detained 31 people and raids were under way to
arrest Shareef and other participants.
   (SFC, 1/1/21, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, President Vladimir
Putin signed an array of laws handing Russia new powers to restrict
US social media giants, label individuals "foreign agents", and to
crack down on the disclosure of its security officers' personal
data.
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Sweden said it had
registered 8,846 new coronavirus cases and 243 deaths, the highest
in Sweden since the pandemic began. The country took steps to
increase measures against the novel coronavirus, recommending
commuters wear masks on public transport during rush hour as the
country announced a record death toll from COVID-19.
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, The Swiss
government decided against further restrictions to prevent the
spread of the novel coronavirus, even as faster-spreading variants
have entered the country.
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Syria's military
said that Israeli jets fired missiles on targets near Damascus early
today, killing one Syrian soldier and wounding three.
   (AP, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Syrian state news
said an attack on a passenger bus killed 28 civilians and injured
others in Deir el-Zour province. A war monitor said attackers
ambushed three buses after setting up a checkpoint along the road,
and that the assault reportedly killed 30, all of them soldiers
returning home for the holidays.
   (AP, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Thailand's tourist
city of Pattaya and the surrounding district were placed under
lockdown as the country continues to grapple with an intensifying
outbreak of the coronavirus. Thailand imposed a ban on large
gatherings and events across the country in an effort to contain its
worst coronavirus epidemic yet during New Year.
   (AP, 12/30/20)(Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Turkey received
its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from China's Sinovac.
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, In Uganda
prominent rights attorney Nicholas Opiyo, jailed over criminal
charges, was freed on bail after a week in prison amid intense
pressure from the international community and watchdog groups urging
authorities to respect human rights ahead of elections in January.
   (AP, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, Ukraine's
presidential office said it has signed contract to buy 1.8 million
doses of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, with the shots expected
in "the shortest possible time".
   (Reuters, 12/30/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 30, In Yemen at least
25 people were killed as explosions rocked Aden airport moments
after a new unity government flew in. UN experts later said the
attack was likely carried out by Houthi rebels.
   (AP, 12/30/20)(AP, 12/31/20)(AP, 3/30/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, US President
Donald Trump extended a pair of immigration bans that block many
"green card" applicants and temporary foreign workers from entering
the country, measures he says are needed to protect US workers amid
the pandemic-battered economy.
   (Reuters, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, A US federal
appeals court ruled that Pres. Donald Trump has the power to bar
immigrants from the US who cannot afford private health insurance.
The ban would affect as many as 375,000 people a year.
   (SFC, 1/2/21, p.B1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, The US Department
of Justice has confirmed that Ticketmaster has paid a $10m (£7.3m)
criminal fine for "intrusions into a competitor's computer systems".
   (AP, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, The NYSE announced
that it would delist China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom to
comply with Pres. Donald Trump's executive order in November banning
American investments in companies with links to the People's
Liberation Army (PLA). On Jan. 4 the NYSE declared it would not
eject the firms. Two days later it changed its mind again.
   (Econ., 1/9/21, p.54)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, A Pacific storm of
record proportions swept a remote stretch of Alaska's Aleutian
Islands chain, battering a region used heavily by commercial
shipping with hurricane-force winds and seas five stories high.
   (Reuters, 12/31/20)
2020 Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, California to
date had 2,262,972 cases of coronavirus and 25,423 deaths. The SF
Bay Area had 259,374 cases and 2,501 deaths. Total cases nationwide
reached over 19,852,041 with the death toll at
344,030.  Â
   (sfist.com, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, SF Bay Area poet
Q.R. Hand (83) died of cancer in Vallejo. He had chronicled the
Black experience in America while working for many years as a
mental health councilor in the Mission district of San Francisco.
   (SFC, 1/5/21, p.B4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Florida health
officials said a more infections variant of COVID-19 that has swept
through the United Kingdom has been identified in the state, marking
the third known US state to identify such a case.
   (Reuters, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Chicago ended 2020
with 769 homicides, 274 more than the previous year and the most
since the 784 homicides in 2016.
   (AP, 1/1/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Portland police
declared a riot just before 11 p.m. local time on New Year's Eve
after protesters broke windows, shot off fireworks and set fires
near the federal courthouse. The demonstration had been publicized
via posts on social media.
   (AP, 1/1/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, In Pennsylvania
about 50 people, all in black, vandalized the historic US Customs
House   in Philadelphia. Seven people soon faced
felony charges after at least two federal buildings were attacked.
   (AP, 1/2/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Former
Pennsylvania Gov. Dick Thornburgh (88) died in Pittsburgh. He had
made integrity and efficiency the hallmarks of his public service as
a governor, US attorney general and under-secretary-general of the
UN.
   (AP, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, In Texas Pfc. Asia
M. Graham (19) was found unresponsive in her barracks and was later
pronounced dead by emergency services personnel on the Fort Bliss
Army post.
   (CBS News, 1/5/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, The Salt Lake
Tribune and Deseret News printed their final daily newspapers as
they joined others that made the same decision in response to
declining print and circulation revenues. The newspaper had printed
daily for 149 years.
   (AP, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Apple removed
39,000 game apps on its China store, the biggest removal ever in a
single day, as it set year-end as deadline for all game publishers
to obtain a license.
   (Reuters, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, It was reported
that Drugmakers including Pfizer, Sanofi, and GlaxoSmithKline plan
to raise US prices on more than 300 drugs in the US on Jan. 1.
   (Reuters, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Two sisters were
murdered in Albania on New Year’s Eve. The incident prompted a
judicial investigation into an alleged illegal adoption ring in
northern Greece. The victims’ sister later claimed that over the
years, the two women gave birth to more than ten babies that were
then sold to foster parents from inside the hospital.
   (The Telegraph, 1/17/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, The government of
Barbados scuppered "Old Year's Night" fireworks parties and
extended a curfew from 9pm to 5an to contain a surge in coronavirus
infections.
   (Econ., 1/9/21, p.29)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Brazil reported
56,773 additional confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the
past 24 hours, and 1,074 deaths from COVID-19. A Brazilian lab said
it has detected two cases of the new coronavirus variant that has
spread rapidly in Britain, and urged reinforcement of quarantine
measures for travelers coming from Europe.
   (Reuters, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, PM Boris Johnson
said that Britain would withdraw from Erasmus, citing its high
costs. Since its introduction in 1987, Erasmus has sent millions of
people abroad for study exchanges, work placements or traineeships.
   (NY Times, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, The British
government said it will allow people to be given shots of different
COVID-19 vaccines on rare occasions, despite a lack of evidence
about the extent of immunity offered by mixing doses.
   (Reuters, 1/2/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Thirty-three
migrants on four boats crossed the Channel under the cover of
darkness in freezing temperatures this morning, in a desperate
attempt to reach the UK before Brexit. Some 8,400 people arrived on
British shores this year having left northern France.
   (The Telegraph, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Negotiators from
the UK and Spain said they have reached a draft agreement on the
post-Brexit future of Gibraltar. As part of the deal Gibraltar would
be able to join European Union program and policies such as
Schengen.
   (The Guardian, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Ontario's Finance
Minister Rod Phillips resigned after public outrage over a Caribbean
vacation he took earlier this month in violation of his own
government's coronavirus travel warnings.
   (Reuters, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, China introduced a
delisting reform to strip lousy firms of their listing status.
Companies with a share price below 1 yuan ($0.15) for 20 consecutive
days will now face automatic delisting.
   (Econ., 1/9/21, p.65)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, The Chinese
government said that it had approved a homegrown coronavirus
vaccine, after an early analysis of clinical trial results showed
that it was effective. A day earlier Sinopharm said that a vaccine
candidate made by its Beijing Institute of Biological Products arm
had an efficacy rate of 79 percent based on an interim analysis of
Phase 3 trials.
   (NY Times, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, China reported 19
new COVID-19 cases, down from 25 cases a day earlier.
   (Reuters, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, In Congo DRC at
least 25 people were killed in an attack on New Year’s Eve by Allied
Democratic Forces rebels in eastern Beni territory. Other people
were kidnapped.
   (AP, 1/1/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, The Czech Republic
reported a record high 16,939 daily cases of COVID-19 for the past
24 hours. Total deaths have reached 11,580.
   (AP, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, In Dubai travelers
from countries, otherwise shut down over the coronavirus, partied
without face masks in bars and on yachts. By mid-January the UAE as
a whole began reporting record daily coronavirus case numbers as
lines at Dubai testing facilities grew.
   (AP, 1/28/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Hong Kong's
highest court revoked media tycoon Jimmy Lai's bail after
prosecutors succeeded in asking the judges to send him back to
detention. The court said that it was “reasonably arguable" that the
previous judge's decision was erroneous and that the order of
granting bail was invalid.
   (AP, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, A court in Jordan
sentenced five leaders of the national teachers' syndicate to a year
in prison over recent protests demanding a salary increase. The five
were among 13 members of the Teachers Association council who were
arrested in July after threatening to stage new protests over a
long-running salary dispute.
   (AP, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Norway said all
travelers entering the country will have to take a COVID-19 test
within 24 hours of arrival from Jan. 2.
   (Reuters, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, A province of
islands in the southern Philippines said it will seal itself off for
an initial two weeks from Jan. 4 to keep out a new COVID-19 variant
found in nearby Malaysia.
   (Reuters, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Saudi-led
coalition warplanes struck targets in Yemen's Houthi-held capital
Sanaa in retaliation for attacks in the southern port city of Aden
the previous day that took place as officials in a government backed
by Riyadh arrived there.
   (Reuters, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Singapore reported
five locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, its highest number in
nearly three months, and was seeking to verify two others suspected
of being infected by a highly contagious variant first discovered in
Britain.
   (Reuters, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, The Slovak
government ordered ski resorts and hotels closed and banned travel
between districts at an emergency session on New Year's Eve after
new coronavirus cases hit record high and hospitals filled up with
patients.
   (AP, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, Turkey began a
4-day lockdown this evening to stem the spread of COVID-19 over the
New Year's holiday.
   (SFC, 1/1/21, p.A7)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec 31, The UN General
Assembly closed the year by approving the $3.231 billion budget for
2021. Only Israel and the US voted against it citing disagreements
on Israel and Iran.
   (The Telegraph, 12/31/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec, In the SF Bay Area a
cracked pipe in Walnut Creek sent more than 63,000 gallons of
gasoline flowing underneath a waterway. In 2020 pipeline operator
SFPP was ordered to pay a $2.5 million fine and was put on probation
for 18 months.
   (SFC, 12/17/21, p.C1)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec, In China Xu Yan was
sentenced to 13 years in prison following sexual relationships with
a local police chief and trysts with other local leaders, including
police and hospital officials. She had received $573,000 from nine
men, including eight officials, according to court documents. She
was ordered to pay the money back, plus $869,000 in fines. All of
the men but one avoided prison time.
   (AP, 3/29/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec, In Kenya Gidion Mbuvi
Kioko, (aka Sonko, rich person in Swahili), the governor of Nairobi,
was impeached for gross misconduct and abuse of office. He is
alleged to have embezzled more than 300 million shillings ($2.7m;
£1.9m) partly through the irregular awarding of contracts to
friends' companies that are said to have wired money to his personal
accounts after receiving their payments from Nairobi county.
   (BBC, 3/27/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec, Lithuania entered a
COVID-19 lockdown. Shops, restaurants and offices closed, schools
moved online, and people mostly stayed at home.
   (Reuters, 3/18/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec, In New Caledonia
protesters, demanding public control of natural resources, blockaded
several mines that are part-owned by foreign firms. New Caledonia is
the world's fourth biggest producer of nickel.
   (Econ., 2/13/21, p.71)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec, News emerged that
Russia will set up a naval base in Sudan with up to 300 Russian
troops, and also to simultaneously keep up to four navy ships,
including nuclear-powered ones, in Port Sudan on the Red Sea. In
exchange, Russia would provide Sudan with weapons and military
equipment. The agreement would last for 25 years, with automatic
extensions for 10-year periods if neither side objects to it. In May
2021 Sudan announced a review of the agreement.
   (AP, 6/2/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Dec, Zambia's debt
balloned over the last five years from 32% to 120% of GDP.
   (Econ., 11/14/20, p.14)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Wife and husband Susan
Glasser of The New Yorker and Peter Baker of The Times authored “The
Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James A. Baker III,” a
new biography of James Baker, the only person to serve as the chief
of staff to two presidents.
   (NY Times, 10/2/20)(Econ., 9/26/20, p.76)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Matt Alt authored "Pure
Invention: How Japan's Pop Culture Conquered the World."
   (Econ., 1/23/21, p.30)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Yuen Yuen Ang of the Univ.
of Michigan authored "China's Gilded Age: The Paradox of Economic
Boom and Vast Corruption."
   (Econ., 6/27/20, p.32)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â British journalist
Catherine Belton, former Moscow corespondent for the Financial
Times, authored "Putin'sPeople: How the KGB Took Back Russia and
then Took on the West."
   (Econ, 4/25/20, p.75)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Mark Benioff, founder of
Salesforce, authored "Trailblazer," a personal history of how he
built his software giant.
   (Econ., 7/4/20, p.60)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Ben Bland, director of the
Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute, authored "Man of
Contradictions: Joko Widodo and the Struggle to Remake Indonesia."
   (Econ., 10/17/20, p.34)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Financial Times journalist
Tom Burgis authored "Kleptomania: How Dirty Money is Conquering the
World."
   (Econ., 10/10/20, p.74)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â "Hunger: The Oldest
Problem," by Argentinian journalist Martin Caparros (b.1957), first
published in 2017, was updated and made available in English.
   (https://tinyurl.com/y8drkuvv)(Econ, 3/14/20,
p.67)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Wade Davis, a Canadian
writer, authored "Magdalena: A River of Dreams." Here Davis
describes his travels on the thousand-mile length of the Colombian
river, which now faces partial ecological death due to sewage.
   (Econ., 8/22/20, p.69)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â John Dickie authored "The
Craft: How the Freemasons Made the Modern World." This is a global
history explaining how the brand spread far beyond Europe.
   (Econ., 8/29/20, p.69)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Bart Ehrman (b.1955),
American New Testament scholar, authored "Heaven and Hell: A History
of the Afterlife."
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bart_D._Ehrman)(Econ., 5/9/20, p.69)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Joseph Henrich (b.1968),
Canadian professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard
University, authored "The Weirdest people in the World: How the West
Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous."
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Henrich)(Econ., 11/7/20, p.75)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Ben Hubbard, a New York
Times journalist, authored "MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed Bin
Salman".
   (Econ, 3/21/20, p.71)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Peniel Joseph authored
"The Sword and the Shield," a twin biography of Martin Luther King
and Malcolm X.
   (Econ., 5/23/20, p.73)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Charles Koch, billionaire
owner of Koch Industries, and Brian Hooks authored "Believe in
People: Bottom-Up Solutions for a Top-Down World."
   (https://tinyurl.com/y48boy7d)(Econ., 11/21/20,
p.25)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Former US Pres. Barack
Obama authored his memoir "A Promised Land."
   (Econ., 11/21/20, p.28)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Vicky Osterweil authored
"In Defence of Looting: A Riotous History of Uncivil Action".
   (Econ., 8/15/20, p.25)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Arie Perliger authored
"American Zealots: Inside Right-Wing Domestic Terrorism," a history
of far-right violence over 150 years.
   (Econ., 12/12/20, p.82)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Thomas Piketty, French
economist, authored "Capital and Ideology."
   (Econ., 3/7/20, p.74)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Paul Preston authored "A
People Betrayed," a political history of Spain over the past 150
years.
   (Econ., 6/20/20, p.71)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Ritchie Robertson authored
"The Enlightenment: The Pursuit of Happiness 1680-1790."
   (Econ., 12/12/20, p.83)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Grigory Rodchenkov
authored ""The Rodchenko Affair: How I Brought Down Russia's Secret
Doping Empire." His book covered the history of drugs in sport.
   (Econ., 8/1/20, p.66)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Padraic Scanlon authored
"Slave Empire: How Slavery Built Modern Britain."
   (Econ., 11/14/20, p.75)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â New York Times reporter
Michael Schmidt authored "Donald Trump v. the United States: Inside
the Struggle to Stop a President." The book went on sale on Sep 8.
   (Yahoo News, 9/5/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Abigail Shrier authored
"Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters."
Here she argues that teenagers should, by and large, be discouraged
from embarking on biomedical gender reassignment.
  Â
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreversible_Damage)(Econ., 11/28/20,
p.24)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Augustine Sedgewick
authored "Coffeeland: One Man's Dark Empire and the Making of Our
Favorite Drug," a story of coffee's role in global capitalism.
   (Econ, 4/25/20, p.76)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Judith Shapiro of American
Univ. in Washington and Li Yifei of New York Univ. in Shanghai
authored "China Goes Green: Coercive Environmentalism for a Troubled
Planet," an analysis of China's stated ambitions to build an
"ecological civilization."
   (https://tinyurl.com/y5fr8opw)(Econ., 9/12/20,
p.36)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â David Stasavage. a
professor at New York Univ., authored "The Decline and Rise of
Democracy: A Global History from Antiquity to Today".
   (Econ., 8/15/20, p.73)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â British economist Andrew
Whitby authored "The Sum of the People: How the Census Has Shaped
Nations, from the Ancient World to the Modern Age".
   (Econ, 4/18/20, p.66)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â In the US far-right armed
men, self-styled as "Boogaloo Boys" or "Boojahdeen" began wearing
Hawaiian shirts to protests. They are usually adherents of
accelerationism, a strange marriage of Marxism and neo-Nazism which
holds that the contradictions of the economic and political order
will cause it to collapse. Followers encourage any act that will
"accelerate" this breakdown.
   (Econ., 5/23/20, p.21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â California's southwest
suffered from a 19-year drought now classified as a megadrought.
   (Econ., 5/16/20, p.50)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Minnesota saw the highest
number of murders on record this year, as well the most assaults
against police officers in the line of duty ever recorded within a
one-year period, according to an annual uniform crime report
released in 2021 by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
   (Fox News, 7/28/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â The number of homicides in
Ohio rose this year to its highest mark in three decades and once
again exceeded the national rate.
   (Axios, 10/12/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â In America the wealthiest
1% owned 56% of the stock market, up from 46% in 1990. The top 10%
owned 88% of the market.
   (Econ., 10/17/20, p.62)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â The US this year
experienced the biggest rise in murder since the start of national
record-keeping in 1960.
   (SFC, 9/23/21, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Some 5 million Americans
were thought to have bought a gun for he first time this year. A
record 22.7 million handguns and long guns were sold in the US this
year, 63% more than in 2019.
   (Econ., 10/17/20, p.25)(Econ., 1/16/21, p.20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Tobacco use killed an
estimated 500,000 Americans this year.
   (The Conversation, 3/2/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Concentrations of methane,
a greenhouse gas, increased more this year than since records began
in 1983, and scientists were not sure why.
   (SSFC, 5/23/21, p.B8)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â A report in May, 2021,
said at least 155 million people faced acute hunger this year,
including 133,000 who needed urgent food to prevent widespread death
from starvation.
   (SFC, 5/7/21, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Brazil was flooded with
misinformation about the coronavirus this year, and two students
fought it by creating the Sleeping Giants Brazil Twitter site to
call out Brazilian websites for spreading “hate speech and Fake
News,” and torpedoing those sites’ advertising revenue. The US
Sleeping Giants campaign started in November 2016, shortly after
Donald Trump's victory in the 2016 United States presidential
election, with the launch of a Twitter account aiming to boycott
Breitbart News.
   (AP, 12/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â The British economy
suffered its biggest decline in more that 300 years due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (SFC, 2/13/21, p.A4)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â An estimated 500,000
Bulgarians returned home this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (Econ., 1/30/21, p.43)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â At least 529 migrants are
known to have died trying to reach the Canary Islands this year.
Almost 400 more, in nine missing boats, are presumed dead. More than
18,000 migrants did arrive this year.
   (Econ., 11/28/20, p.42)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â China's government
published an "Outline for the Moral Construction of Citizens in the
New Era." It identified "money worship" as a cause of "moral
failure".
   (Econ., 11/28/20, p.36)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â China's economy grew by
2.3 percent this year, potentially making it the only major economy
to have expanded despite widespread business shutdowns due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
   (AP, 1/18/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â In Colombia 120 community
leaders were murdered this year according to the UN’s High
Commissioner for Human Rights, up from 107 a year earlier.
   (AP, 1/13/20)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Egyptian archeologists
unearthed a 3,000-year-old lost city, complete with mud brick
houses, artifacts, and tools from pharaonic times. The city in
Luxor, built on the western bank of the Nile River, was once the
largest administrative and industrial settlement of the pharaonic
empire.
   (AP, 4/9/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Ghana officially
registered only about 25% of total deaths. Tuberculosis in Ghana
kills over 15,000 people per year, accounting for about 5% of the
country's deaths.
   (Econ., 5/9/20, p.34)(Econ., 9/19/20, p.46)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Haiti recorded 234
reported kidnappings this year, up from 78 a year earlier. 1,378
homicides were reported, a 20% increase from the prior year.
   (SFC, 4/19/21, p.A2)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Â In Japan, 6,976
women took their lives this year, nearly 15 percent more than in
2019. It was the first year-over-year increase in more than a
decade.
   (NY Times, 2/22/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â According to the World
Bank about half of Nepal's 30m people subsisted on less than $3.20 a
day.
   (Econ, 3/14/20, p.28)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Niger registered only
about 3% of deaths.
   (Econ., 5/9/20, p.34)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â North Korea passed
legislation dubbed the “Law on the Elimination of Reactionary
Thought and Culture,” which can result in the death penalty for
watching, owning, or distributing media from capitalist countries
such as South Korea and the US.
   (Kotaku, 11/24/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Several regions in Poland
declared themselves LGBTQ-free zones this year, defying EU diversity
policies. In 2021 the regions began to reverse their stance after
the EU halted as much as €126 million in pandemic aid.
   (SSFC, 9/26/21, p.A6)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â An estimated 1.3 million
Romanians returned home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
   (Econ., 1/30/21, p.43)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Saudi Arabia dramatically
reduced its use of capital punishment by 85 percent this year after
it stopped executing non-violent drug offenders.
   (The Telegraph, 1/18/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â In Sierra Leone the Black
Street Boys recruited members for breaking into cars, picking
pockets or robbing people at knifepoint. More than half of the
country's population paid bribes for public services.
   (Econ., 7/4/20, p.40)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A 15-ton meteorite
was found in rural Somalia. Locals called the stone Nightfall, and
say it is documented in poems, songs and dances that stretch back
five generations. It is used today to sharpen knives. In 2022
scientists named new minerals in the rock: elaliite and
elkinstantonite.
   (BBC, 11/30/22)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â South Korea's population
stood at about 52 million.
   (Econ., 7/11/20, p.28)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Taiwan this year
expelled nearly 4,000 Chinese sand-dredgers and sand-transporting
vessels from waters under its control, most of them in the area
close to the median line. That's a 560% jump over the 600 Chinese
vessels that were repelled in all of 2019.
   (Reuters, 2/5/21)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Taiwan's population was
set to start shrinking this year. Government forecasts said it will
drop from 24 million today to 16 million in 2070.
   (Econ., 12/5/20, p.40)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Tanzania registered only
about one in eight births.
   (Econ., 5/9/20, p.34)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Uganda's average annual
income was about $800.
   (Econ., 11/7/20, p.42)
2020Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The United Arab
Emirates drastically reduced its funding to the UN agency for
Palestinian refugees in 2020, the year it signed a US-brokered
normalization accord with Israel that was heavily criticized by the
Palestinian Authority.
   (AP, 2/5/21)