Portal:Current events/2020 October 18

{{Current events|year=2020|month=10|day=18|content=

Armed conflicts and attacks

• War in Afghanistan
  • October 2020 Afghanistan attacks
    • A car bombing attack kills 12 people and another 100 were injured in Chaghcharan, Ghor Province. (TOLOnews)
• End SARS
  • The Governor of Osun State, Nigeria, Gboyega Oyetola, escapes an assassination attempt as he addressed a crowd. Gunmen, also carrying machetes and throwing rocks, attacked his position. According to authorities, he was unharmed, but some of his bodyguards were injured. (BBC)

Business and economy

• Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
  • Italy approves a new $4.7-billion stimulus package in its 2021 budget to foster an economic rebound from the recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. (TRT World)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns
      • Victorian premier Daniel Andrews announces an easing of lockdown restrictions across Victoria, particularly Melbourne, after more than 100 days of the city's lockdown, effective at 11:59 pm AEST. According to new rules, five kilometre travel restrictions have been extended to 25 kilometres, with the city's two-hour time limits on gathering and exercising outside scrapped. Further restrictions are to be eased in the city on November 1, allowing retail and hospitality sectors to reopen. (9 News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
      • New Zealand reports first community case since September 25. This comes after a man who worked in Ports of Auckland and Taranaki tested positive for COVID-19. (Newshub)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
    • Malaysia surpasses 20,000 COVID-19 cases after a record of 871 new infections was reported in a single day; 702 of them are from Sabah. (The Straits Times)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    • [[Italy reports 11,705 new infections in the past 24 hours, the highest number in a single day yet since the outbreak started in February. (The Globe and Mail)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland
    • Switzerland announces that it will ban gatherings of more than 15 people and issues a nationwide obligation to wear masks in all indoor public places and public transport in order to combat the spread of COVID-19. The new restrictions will take effect tomorrow. (Swiss Info)

International relations

• Sanctions against Iran
  • A United Nations Security Council arms embargo on Iran formally expires. The embargo had been in place since 2007 and was due to expire as part of the terms agreed in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says, "Today's normalization of Iran's defense cooperation with the world is a win for the cause of multilateralism and peace and security in our region". (Reuters)

Politics and elections

• 2020 Guinean presidential election
  • Citizens in Guinea head to the polls as incumbent Alpha Condé seeks another term facing off against the only other candidate, Cellou Dalein Diallo of the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea political party. (Al Jazeera)
• 2020 Bolivian general election
  • Citizens in Bolivia head to the polls to elect their new President. This is the first time elections are held since the 2019 Bolivian political crisis which saw Evo Morales resigning from power and Jeanine Áñez temporarily taking power. The main two candidates are Luis Arce and Carlos Mesa. (CGTN)
• Tens of thousands of people protest in Karachi, Pakistan as a part of a campaign to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan by opposition parties which accuse him of being installed by the military. (Reuters)

}}