Portal:Current events/2020 November 27

November 27, 2020 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Tigray conflict
- Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed rejects talks with the leadership of the Tigray People's Liberation Front but says he is willing to talk to representatives "operating legally". The meeting with African Union (AU) representatives Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique and Kgalema Motlanthe of South Africa, comes after his announcement of a "final phase" of an offensive on the region's capital Mekelle. (AP)
Mali War
- Six rice farmers are killed by gunmen in the village of Farabougou, Mali, bringing the death toll to 23 since the siege of the village by suspected jihadists began nearly two months ago. (Reuters)
Somali Civil War
- Seven people are killed and ten others injured by a suicide bomber in an ice cream parlor in Mogadishu. (ABC News)
Terrorism in Indonesia
- Four Christians are killed and seven houses are burned by militants in Sigi, Central Sulawesi. The police believes that attacks was carried out by East Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT), a terrorist group linked to the Islamic State. (CNA)
Iran's most senior nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, is assassinated by gunmen in Absard. The attackers blow up a car and then open fire on his vehicle, seriously wounding him; he later dies in a hospital. Three or four of the attackers are later killed during a gunfight with Fakhrizadeh's bodyguards. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called the killing an act of state terror. (BBC News)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in India
  - India enters a recession for the first time in its history after the economy contracts by 7.5% in July-September quarter. (ABC News) (The Hindu)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - COVID-19 pandemic in California
      - Los Angeles County announces that it will issue a new safer-at-home order that restricts the capacity of businesses, closes playgrounds and cardrooms, and prohibits all public and private gatherings of individuals from different households except for religious services and protests. This order will begin November 30 and will expire on December 20. (CBS News)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota
      - Minnesota reports a new daily record of 101 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the state's death toll to 3,476. (WCCO-TV)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state)
      - New York reports 8,176 new cases, according to a statement from Governor Andrew Cuomo. It is the state's highest single-day total since April 24 when more than 10,000 cases were reported. (WABC-TV)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin
      - Wisconsin reports 1,300 cases, the lowest daily total in the state since October 12. (WGBA-TV)
    - The United States surpasses 13 million cases of COVID-19, six days after surpassing 12 million cases. (NBC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
      - Ontario reports 1,855 new cases in the last 24 hours, a new single-day record since the pandemic began. (CBC)
    - Nationwide, a record 5,963 new cases are reported in Canada, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 358,741. (Global News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
    - Indonesia reports a record 5,828 new cases and 169 new deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 522,581 and the nationwide death toll to 16,521. (detikHealth)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
    - Iran announces that all government offices will close beginning tomorrow and only operate with essential staff. This comes as the country reports a record 14,051 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 922,397. (AP)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
    - Tokyo reports a new single-day record of 570 cases, according to data from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 39,649. (The Japan Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, COVID-19 vaccine
    - Malaysia's Health Ministry signs a preliminary purchasing agreement with Pfizer to obtain 12.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. (The Edge Markets MY)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, COVID-19 vaccine
    - The Philippines signs its first supply deal for a COVID-19 vaccine with AstraZeneca to obtain 2.6 million doses of vaccines for more than one million people, covering a percent of its population. (Reuters via CNA)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand, COVID-19 vaccine
    - Thailand signs an advance agreement with AstraZeneca to obtain 26 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. (Bangkok Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium
    - Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announces that all non-essential retailers will be allowed to reopen on December 1, along with museums and swimming pools, provided that they follow strict health protocols. Other government restrictions will remain in effect, including limits on gatherings during Christmas and bans on fireworks during New Year's Eve. (The Brussels Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Germany surpasses one million total cases of COVID-19. (Süddeutsche Zeitung)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
    - Taoiseach Micheál Martin announces that beginning December 1, the country will move to Level 3 restrictions with some modifications. Hotels, places of worship, gyms, and museums with protective measures will be allowed to reopen beginning on Tuesday, followed by restaurants and gastropubs on December 4. (The Irish Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
    - Russia reports a new single-day record of 27,543 cases, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2.21 million. (The Moscow Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
    - Turkey reports a record 177 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 13,191. The country also reports 29,845 cases, including 6,592 symptomatic cases, a new record since the pandemic began when asymptomatic figures are included. (Arab News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine
    - Ukraine reports a new single-day record of 16,218 cases, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 693,407. (Kyiv Post)
2020 H5N8 outbreak
- China's Agriculture Ministry reports an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu in wild swans in Shanxi province. Two swans have been killed by the disease in Pinglu County while two others appear to be infected. (Reuters)
- Norway detects its first case of the highly pathogenic H5N8 strain of bird flu in a wild goose in Sandnes municipality, prompting the Norwegian Food Safety Authority to introduce a regional ban of outdoor poultry. (AFP via Deccan Herald)
- Belgium reports an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N5 bird flu on a poultry farm in Menen. The outbreak killed 600 birds and led the authorities to cull another 151,000 birds. (Reuters)

Law and crime

The Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea dismisses a legal challenge against the election of Prime Minister James Marape. The opposition had argued that Marape's election was unconstitutional after the original candidate, Peter O'Neill, withdrew his nomination, paving the way for Marape's election. (RNZ)
The United States Department of Justice announces that criminal charges will be brought against 700 gang members in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras for human trafficking. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2020 Belarusian protests
- President Alexander Lukashenko says that he will step down after a new constitution is adopted. (ABC News)