10/30/2022Da Silva wins presidency10/28/2018Bolsonaro elected president09/30/2016Rousseff impeached; Michel Temer assumes presidency09/14/2016Prosecutors file corruption charges against Lula da Silva04/18/2016The House of Representatives impeaches Dilma Rousseff09/07/2014Effects of corruption scandal Operation Car Wash widespread in the government08/18/2011Corruption accusations affecting Rousseff’s administration10/31/2010Dilma Rousseff elected president10/30/2006Lula da Silva wins second term as president06/04/2005Corruption scandal known as Operation Car Wash impacting government10/27/2002Lula da Silva elected president11/13/1998IMF agrees to $41.3 billion bailout for Brazil09/03/1994Fernando Cardoso elected president
06/18/2021Ebrahim Raisi elected president01/02/2020US kills high-ranking Iranian05/08/2019Iran ends some aspects of nuclear agreement04/08/2019US adds sanctions on Iran
10/13/2022New heads of state01/02/2020US kills high-ranking Iranian10/02/2018Abdul Mahdi named prime minister12/08/2017Iraq declares victory over the Islamic State
10/31/2021Ruling coalition retains majority09/29/2021Kishida to be prime minister08/25/2020Abe resigns for health reasons07/21/2019Abe reelected with reduced majority
08/01/2021General assumes prime ministership02/01/2021Military resumes control11/09/2020Suu Kyi’s party claims election win10/10/2016Outburst of violence between government and Rohingya Muslim minority
04/07/2022Hadi transfers powers01/05/2021Qatar blockade ended10/09/2018Disappearance of journalist leads to international attention11/04/2017Anti-corruption crackdown
10/24/2023New government formed01/07/2020Sanchez re-elected prime minister04/28/2019Socialists win plurality06/01/2018Socialists eject Rajoy and take control of government
01/03/2020US kills high-ranking Iranian12/18/2018US announces withdrawal of troops from Syria09/04/2018Assault on Idlib09/26/2016Government attempt to retake Aleppo.09/09/2016Ceasefire08/24/2016Turkish troops enter Syria.08/23/2016Kurdish truce with Syria.09/30/2015Russia enters war.09/10/2014US bombing Islamic State in Syria01/24/2014Geneva peace conference 201409/25/2013Islamic State increasing in Syria08/20/2013Government accused of using chemical weapons03/18/2011Beginning of unrest in Syria that leads to civil war05/21/2008Negotiations with Israel about Golan Heights05/29/2007Bashar al-Assad re-elected10/28/2005Preliminary UN report on Syrian responsibility for murder of Lebanon’s Rafik Hariri03/06/2005Syrian intelligence officers begin to leave Lebanon06/09/2000Hafez al-Assad dies11/12/1970Hafez al-Assad takes power
11/21/2021Ruling party reelected12/07/2020Ruling oalition wins legislature01/05/2020Chaos in National Assembly election08/18/2017Constitutional assembly assumes the powers of the legislature.12/06/2015Opposition wins legislature
Heaviest rainfall since records have been kept, 140 years, in Hong Kong and nearby Chinese city of Shenzhen.
09/21/2022
Hong Kong Monetary Authority interest rate to a 14-year high, following similar move by US Federal Reserve.
05/08/2022
John Lee is elected chief executive in a vote that was a foregone conclusion.
04/13/2022
John Lee, the second-ranked official in Hong Kong hierarchy, files to become Chief Executive. A former security administrator, Lee is a hard-liner and approved by China and his election will a foregone conclusion.
04/04/2022
Carrie Lam says she will not run for a second term. Chief Secretary Hong Lee is expected to renounce his title and succeed Lam in May.
12/19/2021
Pro-Beijing candidates win most seats on the Legislative Council. Turnout was extremely low, probably because pro-independence voters stayed home to protest the policy that the election commission allowed only “patriots” to run for office.
09/01/2021
Seven activists are sentenced to jail for taking part in protests in 2019.
06/23/2021
Opposition newspaper Apple Daily shuts down under pressure from China.
05/27/2021
Hong Kong legislature gives China more power to appoint and remove members of the legislative council and reduces the number of seats elected by popular vote.
04/01/2021
Activists including Jimmy Lai are convicted of “unlawful assembly,” which is punishable with up to ten years in prison.
03/30/2021
China limits the number of elected members of the Hong Kong legislative council and delays elections until 12/21.
03/08/2021
China announces changes to Hong Kong’s election laws that would reduce the possibility of independence advocates to be elected. Only “patriots” will be allowed to run for office, among other changes.
03/01/2021
Forty-seven face charges in court under the new security law.
01/06/2021
More than fifty opposition figures are arrested.
12/23/2020
Jimmy Lai released on bail.
12/11/2020
Activist and media tycoon Jimmy Lai is charged with violating the national security law.
12/03/2020
Jimmy Lai, owner of opposition newspaper the Apple Daily, is taken into custody on charges of fraud relating to his office lease.
12/01/2020
Joshua Wong, along with others, sentenced to 13.5 months for illegal assembly.
11/11/2020
Four pro-democracy members are removed from the Legislative Council for violations of the new security law. In response, the other fifteen members quit the council.
11/01/2020
Seven legislators arrested in connection with a fight in the legislature last May.
10/05/2020
Court orders temporary release of Joshua Wong.
09/25/2020
Protests against arrests of activists.
09/24/2020
Joshua Wong is arrested for violating new security law.
09/14/2020
US issues travel warning for Hong Kong because of new Chinese national security law.
09/06/2020
Hundreds are arrested at protests against the postponement of the election.
08/11/2020
Lai is released.
08/10/2020
Activist Jimmy Lai is arrested.
08/07/2020
US imposes sanctions on Hong Kong officials, including Carrie Lam.
07/31/2020
Using emergency powers imposed for the COVID-19 pandemic, Lam postpones legislative elections for a year, to 9/5/21.
07/30/2020
Twelve opposition activists are banned from running for the Legislative Council.
07/20/2020
UK suspends extradition treaty with Hong Kong, meant as a rebuke t to China.
07/19/2020
Hong Kong reports its highest one-day increase in COVID-19 cases. Hong Kong has about 1600 cases and 10 deaths.
07/14/2020
Exit polls show strong support for young pro-democracy candidates, including independent activist Joshua Wong and League of Social Democrats candidate Jimmy Sham. A spokesperson for the Liaison Office of China in Hong Kong says that the election could be in violation of the new security law and could be nullified.
07/12/2020
High turnout by opposition in primaries.
07/03/2020
UK PM Johnson offers British visas and refuge to all Hong Kongers who qualify, nearly three million. The visas could provide a path to citizenship.
07/01/2020
More than three hundred people are arrested in protests over the new law.
06/30/2020
China passes new law restricting anti-government activity in Hong Kong.
05/29/2020
EU calls for “open dialogue” with China about Hong Kong.
05/29/2020
EU calls for “open dialogue” with China about Hong Kong.
05/27/2020
US Sec of State Pompeo says that Hong Kong is no longer an autonomous region and should lose the trading concessions it received in a 1990s US law. This would make it less attractive for US companies to reside there, a blow to China.
05/27/2020
Protests continue.
05/27/2020
US Sec of State Pompeo says that Hong Kong is no longer an autonomous region and should lose the trading concessions it received in a 1990s US law. This would make it less attractive for US companies to reside there, a blow to China.
05/27/2020
Protests continue.
05/25/2020
Taiwan offers to help the people of Hong Kong.
05/23/2020
Protestors of new Chinese restrictions are tear-gassed by police.
05/21/2020
Chinese official says that China will revise Hong Kong’s Basic Law by fiat and also criminalize “foreign interference,” secessionist activities, and subversion of state power at the Communist Party Congress . The change will bring Hong Kong largely under control of China.
05/11/2020
Police arrest more than 200 protestors.
05/11/2020
Anti-government protests re-emerge as government lifts COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
04/24/2020
Lam’s reshuffling of cabinet makes no concessions to protestors and names members of the most pro-Beijing party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, to several positions.
04/18/2020
Many pro-democracy activists are arrested. Convener of the Civil Rights Human Rights Front, Jimmy Sham, warns of “more resistance than ever” as they plan a 7/1/20 demonstration.
01/28/2020
Government restricts travel from China, including all rail travel.
01/02/2020
China temporarily suspends crosslink between London and Shanghai stock exchanges in retaliation for the UK’s support of Hong Kong protestors.
01/01/2020
Protests resume, but there is increasing doubt that the government will move.
12/26/2019
Hundreds are arrested during Christmas protests.
12/15/2019
Carrie Lam visits Beijing, protests continue. China Pres Li Keqiang says Carrie Lam remains in charge and that Hong Kong must restore calm. Hong Kong’s economy has seen a downturn as a result of the protests.
12/08/2019
Large protest march.
12/04/2019
Protests decrease in size.
12/02/2019
China bans US military ships from Hong Kong and sanctions five US NGOs after Pres Trump signs a law in support of Hong Kong democracy.
11/24/2019
In local district council elections, members of the pro-democracy parties win overwhelmingly.
11/17/2019
Protestors make Polytechnic University a stronghold and hold off police there. Students using bows and arrows against police.
11/12/2019
Protests continue and become increasingly violent, shutting down businesses and transportation.
11/11/2019
Police use live fire on protestors.
11/02/2019
Protests again turn violent and police tear gas demonstrators.
11/01/2019
China says that it will change how the Hong Kong leader is appointed and removed.
10/27/2019
Hong Kong economy enters recession.
10/23/2019
Hong Kong withdraws extradition bill that sparked protests, but the withdrawal will have little effect now.
10/22/2019
Protests continue. Police attempt to disperse them with tear gas.
10/16/2019
Lam driven out of legislative council by pro-democracy legislators’ protests when she attempts a delivery the annual policy address.
10/11/2019
Explosions set off by demonstrators in a subway station.
10/06/2019
Protests resume after one quiet day. Court denies a temporary injunction on the mask ban, but calls for an urgent hearing of the case.
10/04/2019
Lam invokes the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, imposing a state of emergency and bans face masks worn by protestors.
10/01/2019
Protests continue, protestor shot by police.
09/25/2019
China threatens to “hit back forcefully” if a law in the US congress that would require sanctions on officials who limit Hong Kong’s “basic freedoms,” among other things.
09/15/2019
Hong Kong protestors call on the UK to take a stronger stance against China.
09/10/2019
Protests continue.
09/04/2019
Lam withdraws extradition bill and initiates committee to discuss the protestors grievances.
09/03/2019
Lam reported willing to resign but will stay on though she believes her ability to calm the situation is limited. China says it can declare an emergency to end the crisis.
09/01/2019
Protests continue to be violent, and protestor block some roads to the airport. Police say the protests violated a court injunction.
08/30/2019
Protests leaders arrested, but protests continue. China insists that there will be no concessions to the protestors.
08/28/2019
Hong Kong police reported to be preparing to ban weekend protest, citing threat of gasoline bombs and escalation of violence.
08/23/2019
Protests in Hong Kong continue.
08/19/2019
Largest peaceful protest so far. Carrie Lam offers talks with protestors.
08/19/2019
Largest peaceful protest so far. Carrie Lam offers talks with protestors.
08/14/2019
Airport reopens, though protests continue and China masses troops on the border with Hong Kong.
08/13/2019
Flights cancelled for a second day at Hong Kong airport.
08/12/2019
Hong Kong closes its airport as the protest there stops all business. China increasingly dissatisfied with the situation and has threatened to intervene.
08/05/2019
Hong Kong protests increase in intensity. China warns of undefined consequences.
08/01/2019
Chief of banned Hong Kong National Party Andy Chan and seven others arrested.
07/25/2019
Protests continue.
07/24/2019
China says it could deploy troops in Hong Kong and rejects the suggestion that it was behind the Yuen Long attacks.
07/22/2019
Renewed protests in Hong Kong anger China. Protestors fight with security police, and men dressed in white shirts and black pants beat some protestors in the town of Yuen Long. Some believe they were organized by China.
07/08/2019
Lam announces that the extradition bill is “dead.” Protestors say they will continue to demand that the bill be officially withdrawn.
07/01/2019
Protestors storm government offices on the anniversary of the city’s 1997 return to China, as more militant protestors reject moderates' pleas for restraint. Security forces push them back.
06/21/2019
Protests spark again demanding Carrie Lam’s resignation and the ending of the extradition bill.
06/17/2019
Prominent activist Joshua Wang is released from jail (he spent two months in prison for his activity in the umbrella protests), and calls for the extradition bill to be permanently rejected, for Lam to resign, and for the police to apologize to the protestors.
06/16/2019
Protests grow even larger involving hundreds of thousands and perhaps more than a million people.
06/15/2019
Lam says she will suspend work on the extradition bill.
06/12/2019
Legislative Council delays vote on extradition bill after protestors block government headquarters.
06/09/2019
Massive protest in a continuing series of protests against extradition law. Clashes between police and protestors. However, Chief Executive Carrie Lam insists that the law will go forward and have its second reading at the Executive Council on 6/12.
04/28/2019
Proposed extradition law sparks protests
Substantial protests against proposed new law that would ease extradition process at China’s request. While the law is phrased in terms of criminals, opponents point out that protestors and democracy movement leaders have been charged as criminals.
04/09/2019
Leaders of 2014 Umbrella Movement Reverend Chu Yiu-ming, 75, law professor Benny Tai, and scholar Chan Kin-man found guilty of incitement and conspiracy. The conviction has a maximum sentence of seven years, to be imposed 4/10.
09/25/2018
China bars a US warship from docking in its territory near Hong Kong in October and cancels planned military talks with US.
09/24/2018
Government bans the Hong Kong National Party, citing security concerns.
07/31/2018
Hong Kong National Party given a month to argue its case for legitimacy.
07/17/2018
Hong Kong police seek to ban democracy movement group, the Hong Kong National Party.
02/22/2018
US announces new sanctions on companies that ship to North Korea. They are registered in China, North Korea, and Hong Kong.
02/05/2018
Court orders three leaders of the Umbrella Movement protests of 2014 freed.
11/03/2017
Second bribery trial of former Hong Kong chief Donald Tsang results in another hung jury. A third attempt is possible, but not decided.
08/31/2014
China limits democracy in Hong Kong
China announces plan for limited democracy in Hong Kong that falls far short of what Hong Kongers were demanding and sets off protests. The event becomes known as “the 8/31.”
