Portal:Current events/2020 September 13

September 13, 2020 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Boko Haram insurgency
- A Boko Haram suicide bomber detonated herself at a village in Zeleved, Far North, Cameroon, killing five civilians. Another female suicide bomber made a failed attempt, resulting only in injuries to herself. (RFI)
Islamic terrorism in Europe
- A Portuguese man is stabbed to death during a suspected jihadist attack in Morges, Switzerland. The victim was chosen at random, as the attacker entered a shop and stabbed him. The suspect had been known to the Federal Intelligence Service since 2017 for dissemination of jihadist propaganda and had been arrested in April 2019 following an arson attack. (Swissinfo)
Second Libyan Civil War
- Protesters, some armed with guns, set ablaze a House of Representatives building in Benghazi, Libya. Protests against deteriorating living conditions and corruption continue in eastern Libya for a third consecutive day. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Nvidia announce that they are acquiring Arm Holdings, the market-dominant designer of smartphone processors, for US$40 billion in the semi-conductor industry's largest-ever deal. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

Hurricane Sally
- Hurricane warnings are issued to multiple locations in Louisiana and Mississippi as Hurricane Sally approaches from the Gulf of Mexico with sustained winds of 50 mph (80 km/h). Flood watches are still in effect in Florida's west coast, including Tampa. (CNN)
2020 Nepal floods
- Torrential rains cause landslides in Bahrabise and Baglung, in Nepal, killing a total of 12 people and leaving 21 others missing. (Reuters)
2020 Western United States wildfire season
- The death toll from the wildfires reaches 33 in California, Oregon, and Washington after nearly a dozen people reported missing in southern Oregon are accounted for, authorities say. (The Columbian)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, 2020 Indonesia large-scale social restrictions
    - Jakarta releases a new set of rules in the second round of stricter social restrictions, which will take effect on September 14. Different from the first round of restrictions, aside from 11 essential services that can continue to be operated, markets, shopping malls and worship with only local residents are allowed to be attended and continue to operate with 50% capacity. Non-essential government and private office operations must have 25% capacity and isolation must occur in government-appointed facilities if anyone tested positive without symptoms or mild symptoms. (Jakarta Globe)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - South Korea eases its tough social distancing measures for the next two weeks until September 28 in the Seoul Capital Area. The government lifts a ban on on-site dining after 9 p.m. local time, though it still requires restaurants and cafes to restrict seating and record patrons' names and contact details. Effective tomorrow, franchise coffee shops will resume normal operations, after restricting service to takeouts. (CNA)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon
    - Ninety United Nations peacekeeping forces of UNIFIL test positive for COVID-19. A spokesman for UNIFIL says the personnel were transferred to a special facility with equipment to treat the disease. (AFP via Al Arabiya)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns
    - It is announced that Israel will enter a three-week nationwide lockdown starting on September 18 to contain the spread of COVID-19 after a second-wave surge of new cases. During the lockdown, Israelis will have to stay within 500 metres of their houses, but can travel to workplaces that will be allowed to operate on a limited basis. Schools and shopping malls will be closed but supermarkets and pharmacies will remain open. (Reuters)
  - Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia
    - It is announced that Saudi Arabia will lift all travel restrictions for citizens on January 1, the state news agency SPA said. The kingdom will also partially lift its suspension of international flights on September 15 to allow "exceptional categories" of citizens and residents to travel. (Arab News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal
  - After twice in a single week reporting the biggest daily increases in new cases since the national lockdown was lifted in May, with 646 on Wednesday and then 687 on Friday, Portugal reports another high increase of 673 new cases and seven deaths, bringing the cumulative totals to 63,983 confirmed cases and 1,867 deaths since the first infections were detected in the country on March 2. The 2020/2021 school year is set to start in-person classes between September 14 and September 17 nationwide. (DGS) (DGEstE)

International relations

Internal conflict in Myanmar
- A joint statement made by eight of the 15 members of the United Nations Security Council urges Myanmar and the separatist Arakan Army to halt hostilities in northern Rakhine State and southern Chin State due to the "heavy toll" the fighting is having on the civilian population. (The Star Malaysia)

Law and crime

Killing of Jennifer Laude
- After being pardoned by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Joseph Scott Pemberton is deported to the United States. The former US Marine apologizes to the victim's family and thanks Duterte for the pardon. (CNN Philippines)
2020–2021 United States racial unrest
- Two Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies are shot while parked at a metro station in Compton. A small crowd, including demonstrators, gathers near the hospital in Lynwood where the deputies were transported. Witnesses say members in the group were chanting anti-law enforcement slogans and at one point tried to get inside the hospital. (KABC-TV)
- Protests erupt in Lancaster, Pennsylvania after a police officer shot and killed a man who charged the officer with a knife following a domestic disturbance. Police arrest 13 people after members of the crowd allegedly damaged police vehicles and threw bricks at the police station, the post office, and nearby businesses. (Lancaster Online)
2020 republication of Muhammad caricatures
- Around 200 people in Istanbul, Turkey demonstrate against French magazine Charlie Hebdo's decision to republish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed (France24)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian protests
- Belarusian security forces close off Independence Square and October Square in Minsk, as 100,000 people gather in the capital calling for President Alexander Lukashenko to resign. At least 250 protesters are detained by police. (Reuters) (Al Jazeera)
COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
- Housing Minister Yaakov Litzman resigns in protest of holiday lockdown, he also accuses the government of failing to act earlier and deliberately picking Rosh Hashanah as the start date of closure. (Times of Israel)