Portal:Current events/2020 November 18

November 18, 2020 (Wednesday)

Business and economy

Boeing 737 MAX groundings
- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration clears Boeing's 737 MAX to fly again, provided that all planes receive modifications to their software and wiring and that all pilots receive additional training. (BBC News)
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation
- Norwegian Air Shuttle files for bankruptcy protection in Ireland for two subsidiaries: Norwegian Air International and Arctic Aviation Assets as part of a restructuring of the business due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. (RFI)
Fitch Ratings downgrades Zambia's government debt to RD (restricted default) after the country failed to pay a Eurobond coupon on Friday. (Reuters) (AFP via Yahoo! Finance)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state)
      - COVID-19 pandemic in New York City
        Mayor Bill de Blasio stated that public schools across New York City will temporarily close after the 7-day average positivity rate reaches 3%. (ABC News)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Ohio
      - Columbus Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts and Franklin County, Ohio Health Commissioner Joe Mazzola issue stay-at-home advisories for residents of Columbus and Franklin County. People living in these areas are also advised to avoid travelling in and out of the state. (WANE-TV)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania
      - Pennsylvania reports a new single-day record of 6,339 new cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 281,852. (WKBN-TV)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin
      - Wisconsin reports a record of 7,989 new cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 331,837. (WBAY-TV)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota
      - Minnesota Governor Tim Walz imposes several new restrictions on businesses and indoor gatherings in response to a surge in new cases. It begins on November 20 and lasts for four weeks. (CBS News)
    - The number of confirmed deaths in the United States reaches 250,000. (NBC News)
    - The U.S. military reported a record high number of COVID-19 cases with 1,314 new cases on Tuesday, according to data from the Department of Defense. (CNN)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia
      - British Columbia reports a record 762 new cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the province's total number of cases to 24,423. (Global News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Tokyo reports a new single-day record of 493 new cases, surpassing the previous record set in August and bringing the cumulative number of cases in the prefecture to over 35,000. (The Mainichi Shimbun)
    - Nationwide, 2,203 new cases are reported in Japan. It is the first time that the country has reported more than 2,000 cases since the pandemic began. (Kyodo News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - The number of patients who recovered from COVID-19 in Indonesia exceeds 400,000. (detikHealth)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
    - Iran reports a record 13,421 new cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the nationwide cumulative total to 801,894 cases. (Al-Arabiya)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan
    - Jordan reports a record 7,933 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide cumulative total to 163,926 cases. (Roya News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    - Malaysia surpasses 50,000 total confirmed cases of COVID-19. (The Edge Markets MY)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
    - The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reports 313 new cases in South Korea in the past 24 hours, surpassing 300 for the first time. It is also the highest single-day figure since August 29, taking the nationwide total to 29,311 cases. (Yonhap News Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the State of Palestine
    - Palestine reports a record 1,268 new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, half of them in Gaza, as officials in both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas resist calls to impose a second general lockdown. (The Times of Israel)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan
    - Beginning December 1, Taiwan will require almost all visitors to have negative COVID-19 tests before arriving in the country due to an increase in imported cases. The government will also increase the number of places where people must wear masks. (The Straits Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark
    - Cluster 5
      - Danish Agriculture Minister Mogens Jensen (politician) resigns following criticism of illegal government order to cull 15-17 million minks after the discovery of a mutated version of the coronavirus at some of the country's mink farms. (Euronews)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Italy reports 753 new fatalities in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day total since April 3, bringing the nationwide death toll to 47,217. (Corriere della Sera)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - Ireland surpasses 2,000 total deaths from COVID-19. (The Irish Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
    - Poland reports a record of 603 new fatalities in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 11,451. (RMF 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
    - Russia reports a record 456 new fatalities in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 34,387. In addition, a record 25,179 recoveries are reported, outnumbering new cases for the first time since September 16. (Vedomosti) (Anadolu Agency)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Attorney General Dolores Delgado tests positive for COVID-19. (El Peridico)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
    - Ukraine surpasses 10,000 total deaths from COVID-19 after a record 256 new fatalities are reported in the past 24 hours. (Kyiv Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns
    - South Australian Premier Steven Marshall announces a six-day "circuit breaker" lockdown across the state beginning at midnight due to a growing number of COVID-19 cases in Adelaide. Unlike previous lockdowns in Australia, outside exercise and takeaway food will be prohibited. The lockdown will be followed by eight days of "lesser restrictions". (BBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Samoa
    - Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi confirms the first case of COVID-19 in the country from a sailor who returned from Auckland, New Zealand. Malielegaoi said the sailor tested positive Wednesday night but that a second confirmation test from this morning was negative. He added that they were concerned that the man could be contagious, though he is in isolation. (RNZ)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe
    - Authorities close a boarding school in Matabeleland North Province after at least 100 students tested positive for COVID-19. (SowetanLIVE)
  - The total number of confirmed cases in Africa surpasses two million. South Africa remains the continent's highest number of reported COVID-19 cases at over 750,000. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - Malaysian Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin signed an agreement with his Chinese counterpart Wang Zhigang to cooperate on the development of a safe and efficacious vaccine, as part of efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. (The Star)
  - Pfizer formally ends its vaccine trial with a 95% success rate and will submit a regulatory approval "within days". (NBC News)
2020 Équateur Province Ebola outbreak
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo declares the end of an almost six-month long Ebola outbreak in the Équateur Province. (AllAfrica.com)

International relations

Iran–United States relations, United States sanctions against Iran
- Iran says that it will return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, better known as the "Iran Deal", if President-elect Joe Biden lifts sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump. (CBS News)
- The United States imposes sanctions against the Mostazafan Foundation, a foundation controlled by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, over alleged human rights abuses. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan
- Three Republican members of the Michigan House of Representatives have introduced a resolution calling for the impeachment of Governor Gretchen Whitmer over her new mitigation measures against the COVID-19 pandemic in the state. Other members of the Michigan Republicans, including high-ranking members of the Michigan House, criticize the resolution. (Fox News)
Taiwan's broadcast regulator denies the renewal of the broadcast license of CTi News channel, citing alleged interference by its major shareholder Tsai Eng-meng. This is the first time ever that Taiwan shuts down a television news channel. The opposition party Kuomintang calls it an attack on press freedom. (CNA)
Politics of Peru
- Violeta Bermúdez becomes the new Prime Minister of Peru. (Andina)

Sports

2020 NBA draft
- In basketball, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Anthony Edwards with the first overall pick in the draft, after the draft was delayed due to COVID-19. (The Guardian) (BBC News)