Portal:Current events/August 2016

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August 2016 was the eighth month of that leap year. The month, which began on a Monday, ended on a Wednesday after 31 days.

Portal:Current events

This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from August 2016.

Current events of August 1, 2016 (2016-08-01) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks War in Afghanistan (2001–present) The Taliban claims responsibility for a truck bombing in a military complex in Kabul. (Reuters) Syrian civil war A Russian Mil Mi-8 military helicopter carrying humanitarian aid onboard is shot down by rebels in northern Syria. All five members of the crew die in the crash. (BBC) (AP) Libyan Civil War (2014–present) The United States launches airstrikes on ISIL positions in the Libyan city of Sirte following a request from the UN-backed Government of National Accord. Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, in a televised address, says the strikes have caused "heavy ISIL losses". (BBC) Business and economy Uber announces plans to merge its China operations with rival DiDi with the merge company valued at $35 billion. (Reuters) Tesla announces plans to acquire Solar City in a $2.6 billion deal. (Reuters via CNBC) Law and crime The Malaysian National Security Council Act comes into effect giving the Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Razak sweeping new powers. (ABC News PM) Venezuelan protests, 2016 state of emergency in Venezuela Venezuela's National Electoral Council says the opposition successfully met the one percent of voter signatures in every state requirement for a referendum to recall President Nicolás Maduro. Council head Tibisay Lucena did not name a date for the next phase of the referendum process: collect 20 percent of voters' signatures. (Reuters) Sports In auto racing, the 2016 Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway is won by Chris Buescher, the first rookie to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race since 2009. Adverse weather plagued the event, causing it to start a day later than planned, and end 22 laps shorter than the scheduled distance. (ESPN) Current events of August 2, 2016 (2016-08-02) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts Syrian Civil War A Syria Civil Defence volunteer search and rescue team says 33 people, mostly women and children, were affected by toxic gas dropped from a helicopter on Saraqeb in rebel-held Idlib Governorate. (Reuters) Libyan Civil War A car bombing in the Al-Quwarsha area on the outskirts of Benghazi claims at least 23 lives. The Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries says it is responsible. (AP via The New York Times) (The Irish Times) Arts and culture Catholic bishops of Panama welcome the news that the next World Youth Day celebration is to be held in 2019 in Panama City. This location is the first diocese established in the Americas, in 1513. (Fides) Disasters and accidents 2016 Pacific typhoon season Typhoon Nida makes landfall near Hong Kong with Category 1 hurricane strength. (Weather.com) At least five people are killed and dozens injured when a charter bus swerved into a support pole on California Highway 99 near the town of Livingston in Merced County. The bus was headed to Pasco, Washington. (NBC News) (Los Angeles Times) Politics and elections Three top staffers leave the Democratic National Committee 100 days before elections in early November as a result of the email leak. (Washington Examiner) Territorial disputes in the South China Sea The Chinese Supreme Court warns people caught fishing in Chinese waters could be jailed for up to a year. (Reuters) United States elections, 2016 Incumbent Republican congressman Tim Huelskamp, an active Tea Party favorite with a confrontational, anti-establishment approach running for a fourth term, is defeated (56.5 - 43.5 percent) in the Kansas primary by obstetrician Roger Marshall. (AP) (McClatchy Washington Bureau via The Wichita Eagle) South Sudan President Salva Kiir fires six ministers allied to his long-time rival Riek Machar, replacing them with people linked to a breakaway faction of Machar's SPLM-IO party. (Reuters) Current events of August 3, 2016 (2016-08-03) (Wednesday) Business and economy The European Banking Authority supports retaining a 3% leverage ratio for most banks within the European Union. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents The search continues for survivors of a bridge collapse on the Mumbai-Goa highway over the flooded Savitri River in western India. Twenty two people and two buses are believed to be missing. (AP via The Washington Post), (Times of India) An Emirates Boeing 777-300, flight EK521 from Thiruvananthapuram in India, crash lands at Dubai International Airport and bursts into flames. All 282 passengers and 18 crew evacuate safely, although one firefighter is killed during the rescue. (BBC) (CNN) (Al Jazeera) 2016 Atlantic hurricane season Tropical Storm Earl, now about 265 miles (425 km) east-southeast of Belize City with top sustained winds of 70 mph (110 KM/H), becomes Hurricane Earl that could produce up to 16 inches of rain by the time it hits Belize. On Sunday, then a tropical wave, Earl was responsible for nine deaths, with four people still missing, in the Dominican Republic. (NBC News) (NHC public advisory) 2016 Pacific typhoon season Nida, the strongest typhoon to hit the Chinese coast in 33 years with winds of up to 145 kilometers per hour (90 mph), affects about 500,000 people; led to the cancellation of over 180 flights at the Hong Kong International Airport; caused 2,100 people to need emergency living assistance; destroyed over 300 houses; and, damaged about 2,400 houses and 19,600 hectares (48,433 acres) of crops. (News Nation) (CNN) International relations North Korea and weapons of mass destruction North Korea launches two ballistic missiles, one of which explodes immediately after its launch while the main part of the other lands in Japan's economic exclusion zone. (Reuters) Law and crime Manus Island A court in Papua New Guinea orders the closure of the facility housing migrants. (The Guardian) The United States Supreme Court grants a Virginia school board's emergency request to stop implementation of the federal government policy that calls for student use of the bathroom consistent with their gender identity in order to allow the board to appeal the Fourth Circuit Court ruling that upheld this policy. (Reuters) (The Wall Street Journal) (Los Angeles Times) (Metro Weekly) 2016 Russell Square stabbing At least one person is dead and several injured as a result of a knife attack in London's Russell Square. (BBC) Science and technology The United States Federal Aviation Administration approves private startup company Moon Express landing a robotic craft on the Moon, according to the Mountain View, California, company. (The New York Times) (SpaceNews) Sports 2016 Summer Olympics Competition begins with six matches in women's football. (ESPN) Current events of August 4, 2016 (2016-08-04) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian Civil War At least 40 government air strikes hit rebel-held areas of Aleppo city and nearby towns, including on a camp for displaced people in Atareb, south-west of Aleppo, killing at least two people. (The National) Jan Egeland, an adviser to the UN’s special envoy to Syria, says that there were 44 attacks on hospitals, clinics and health posts around Syria in July alone. (The National) Business and economy As markets have expected, the Bank of England cuts the key interest rate to 0.25, the first cut since 2009. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents 2016 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Earl makes landfall in Belize near Belize City early today. (NHC) 2016 Nevada wildfire Wildfires in seven U.S. states are keeping thousands of firefighters at bay. (Fox News) International relations China bans K-pop stars and South Korean actors from attending promotional events in retaliation for Seoul's deployment of the U.S. THAAD anti-ballistic missile system. (The Wall Street Journal) Cross-Strait relations China is blocking Taiwan's efforts to join the International Civil Aviation Organization despite 58 million air passengers passing over Taiwan's flight information region annually, citing the One-China principle. (Focus Taiwan) (Taipei Times) Law and crime Philippine Drug War Rodrigo Duterte says that the Sinaloa cartel and the Chinese triad are active in the Philippine narcotic trade. (The Manila Standard) Politics and elections South African municipal elections, 2016 With more than half the vote counted, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) is ahead on 53.2 percent of the vote which, if this trend continues, will be the first election since the end of apartheid in 1994 that the ANC receives less than 60 percent. The opposition Democratic Alliance, with about 28 percent of the vote nationally, has gained the lead in three major cities: Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Port Elizabeth. Final results are expected Friday. (Press TV) (Financial Times) In Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal takes the oath of office and secrecy as Prime Minister. (The Himalayan Times) Science China's unmanned lunar rover Yutu shuts down after exploring the Moon for 31 months. (BBC) Sport 2016 Summer Olympics The International Olympic Committee rules that 271 of the 389 athletes nominated by the Russian Olympic Committee will be eligible to participate in the 2016 summer Olympics. (IOC) Current events of August 5, 2016 (2016-08-05) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2016 Assam attacks Gunmen open fire in a market in Assam, India, killing 13 people and injuring 18. (India Today) Iraqi Civil War, Military intervention against ISIL The United Nations reports that ISIL appears to have captured up to 3,000 fleeing Iraqi villagers from Hawija District headed to Kirkuk city. Militants reportedly executed 12 people. Earlier, the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights said ISIL is using people for human shields against attacks by Iraqi security forces. (NRT News) (NBC News) War in Afghanistan At least 10 people are killed by a pair of explosions in the Tsamkani District in the eastern Afghan province of Paktia. Spokesman Naqib Ahmad Atal says the Taliban are to blame. (AP) Business and economy A U.S. district court judge gives the go-ahead to a billion-dollar lawsuit against PricewaterhouseCoopers in connection with the losses at MF Global in October 2011. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents A Pakistani Mi-17 transport helicopter belonging to the Punjab government en route to Russia for repair, crashed on Thursday night in Logar Province, Afghanistan. The six people on board have been taken hostage by the Taliban. (The Express Tribune) (Pakistan Today) After the crash of a Pakistani Mi-17 transport helicopter belonging to the Punjab government, Army Chief General Raheel Sharif had called the U.S. Military Commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicolson, and asked him to help recover the crew. The Afghan government and Afghan Army have also been contacted for recovery of helicopter and crew. (Dunya News) International relations 2016 United States presidential election Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says he plans to ban immigration from Afghanistan, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, the Philippines, Somalia, Syria, Uzbekistan and Yemen. (The Washington Post) European migrant crisis Ventimiglian police commander Giorgio Marenco says the more than 100 migrants who crashed the Italian border town's police barriers and entered France remain, under French police surveillance, outside the French Riviera town of Menton. (Reuters) Law and crime A Swedish court orders the owner of the luxury cruise ship MV Ocean Gala that was due to house 1,800 asylum seekers before the Swedish Migration Agency pulled the plug to immediately leave its port. The local County administration says it intends to forcefully execute the ruling of the court if the vessel has not left the port by Monday morning. (Local) Politics and elections British activists with the Black Lives Matter movement from America block the road to Heathrow Airport and to streets in Manchester, Birmingham, and Nottingham, marking the fifth anniversary of the deadly police shooting of Mark Duggan in north London. Ten protestors are arrested. (NBC News) (Reuters) Sports The 2016 Summer Olympics held in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro officially start with the Opening Ceremony at Maracanã Stadium. (BBC) Current events of August 6, 2016 (2016-08-06) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian civil war The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claims that 10 people have been killed in an air strike on a hospital in the town of Milis in Syria's Idlib province. (AFP via Yahoo! News) 2016 stabbing of Charleroi police officers A man attacks two policewomen with a machete in Charleroi, Belgium, whilst reportedly shouting Allahu Akbar. The attacker was shot dead by another police officer. The policewomen are being treated in hospital for non-life-threatening wounds. The attack is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism. (Telegraph), (Bloomberg) Moro conflict Three people, including a pregnant woman, are kidnapped in Patikul, Sulu, in the Philippines Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. No group has claimed responsibility, though Abu Sayyaf is suspected. (UPI) (GMA News) Business and economy Reuters reports, based on sources "familiar with the matter," that Nissan is talking with Panasonic Corp. about the sale of Nissan's car battery manufacturing operation. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents 2016 Rouen fire A fire kills at least 13 people in a bar in the French city of Rouen. (CNN) 2016 Atlantic hurricane season Tropical Storm Earl makes its final landfall near Veracruz in eastern Mexico, producing flooding rains that kill at least six. (EFE), (AP via New York Times) International relations Territorial disputes in the South China Sea China's People's Liberation Army Air Force says it has conducted "combat patrols" near the disputed Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea as part of an effort to normalize such drills and respond to security threats. Xian H-6 strategic bombers and Su-30 fighter jets took part in the patrols, according to Xinhua News Agency. (Reuters) Politics and elections 2016 United States presidential election Hawaii U.S. Senator Brian Schatz criticizes Donald Trump for calling the Philippines a 'terrorist' country. (The Manila Bulletin) Current events of August 7, 2016 (2016-08-07) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2016 stabbing of Charleroi police officers ISIL claims responsibility for the machete attack in Belgium. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents 2016 Macedonian floods Floods in Macedonia's capital, Skopje, kill at least 21 people with six others missing and dozens injured following torrential rain and strong winds late Saturday. (BBC) (AP) 2016 Atlantic hurricane season The death toll from mudslides in Eastern Mexico triggered by Hurricane Earl rises to 38, with 28 people killed in Puebla, and 10 others in Veracruz. (Reuters) Law and crime Philippine Drug War President Rodrigo Duterte releases a list of politicians, police officers and military personnel allegedly involved in the illicit drug trade. (Rappler) Oscar Pistorius is admitted to a Pretoria hospital after sustaining injuries to his wrists. Blades are subsequently found in a search of his cell. (News24) Iran confirms it has executed nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri by hanging for treason. Iranian judiciary spokesman Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i says Amiri was charged with spying for enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran and that U.S. officials had been unaware that Iran was monitoring Amiri's efforts for the West. His body was returned to his family with rope marks around his neck. (USA Today) Politics and elections Thai constitutional referendum, 2016 Voters in Thailand go to the polls to vote on whether a new constitution, which would restore elections but empower the military, should it be adopted. The military junta has banned campaigning in opposition to the new constitution. The constitution is approved by 61.45 percent. (BBC) Sport After the men's 400-metre freestyle final of the 2016 Summer Olympics, Australian gold medalist Mack Horton says Chinese silver medalist Sun Yang is a "drug cheat", referring to Sun's three-month doping ban in 2014; Chinese netizens have swarmed Horton's online pages to demand an apology; Chinese state media has since called Horton "immoral" and described Australia as a former "offshore prison". (The Sydney Morning Herald) (ABC News) (Sky News) 2016 Summer Paralympics The International Paralympic Committee bans all Russian athletes from the Paralympics due to state-sponsored sample doctoring to avoid the detection of the use of banned drugs. (BBC Sport) In baseball, the Miami Marlins' Ichiro Suzuki becomes the 30th Major League Baseball player with 3,000 career hits, reaching the milestone with a seventh-inning triple against the Colorado Rockies. (ESPN) Jim Furyk becomes the first golfer to shoot a round of 58 in an official PGA Tour event, doing so in the final round of the Travelers Championship. (ESPN) Current events of August 8, 2016 (2016-08-08) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2016 Ethiopian protests More than fifty protesters are killed by Ethiopian security forces over the last few days. The government restricted internet and journalist access to the country. (Al Jazeera) Quetta Bombing At least 70 people are killed and about 120 others injured in a suicide bombing at a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan. (BBC) The Pakistani Taliban, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, claims responsibility for the attack. (BBC²) Arts and culture Emperor Akihito of Japan says he intends to lessen his official duties due to old age. (USA Today) The Philippine Defense ministry prepares for the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos in the Heroes' Cemetery. (Rappler) (GMA News) Business and economy Delta Air Lines ground their operations after a malfunction in their system headquarters. (Chicago Tribune) Disasters and accidents 2016 Atlantic hurricane season At least 40 people are killed by landslides from floods created from Earl's heavy rainfall in the eastern Mexican states of Puebla and Veracruz. The tropical depression dissipated early today. (NPR) (The Yucatan Times) (NHC) 2016 Pacific hurricane season Remnants of Hurricane Earl helped form Tropical Storm Javier which is southeast of the Mexican resort of Cabo San Lucas on the Baja California Peninsula. A hurricane warning is issued for the southern portion of the peninsula. Rainfall from the storm is expected to impact the American Southwest, starting Tuesday evening. (The Yucatan Times) (The Weather Channel) (NHC) International relations 2016 United States presidential election A Filipino lawmaker proposes a bill banning Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump from entering the Philippines after Trump compared Filipino legal immigrants to terrorists. (The Washington Post), (Rappler) Japan–North Korea relations, North Korea and weapons of mass destruction Japan orders its military to shoot down any North Korean missiles that threaten to strike Japan at anytime, and is placing its forces on a state of alert for at least three months, according to a Ministry of Defense official. (Reuters) Pope Benedict XVI issues a new appeal for an end to bloodshed in Syria, and added a plea for peace in Libya. (Catholic World News) Politics and Elections A report showing a negative evaluation of the British Government's Troubled Families programme is leaked to the BBC. (BBC) Sport Manchester United complete the signing of Paul Pogba on a five-year deal from Juventus for a world record transfer fee of £89m (€105m), making Pogba the most expensive football player ever. (BBC Sport) Current events of August 9, 2016 (2016-08-09) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Israeli-Palestinian conflict Israel charges a UN administrative manager of being a Hamas-linked operative from Gaza. (The Associated Press via The New York Times) Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen At least 14 people are killed after Saudi-led coalition airstrikes hit a food factory in Yemen's capital Sana'a. The airstrikes come just days after the suspension of inconclusive peace talks in Kuwait. (The Guardian) Arts and culture The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant threatens to attack the Miss Universe 2016 pageant if it were to be held in the Philippines. (Fox News) Business and economics Delta Air Lines cancels about 530 flights worldwide on the second day of its major computer systems problem due to malfunctioning switchgear. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents 2016 California wildfires The out-of-control Pilot Fire hits 7,500 acres of bone-dry tinder and brush in the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles. More than 5,000 homes are under evacuation orders. Authorities shut down school districts in the area. (Reuters) 2016 Portugal wildfires A raging wildfire destroys dozens of homes and prompts the evacuation of more than 400 people from Portugal's Madeira island as flames spread near the island's capital, Funchal. Regional President Miguel Albuquerque says one person had suffered serious burns and scores of others had needed treatment for the effects of smoke. Flights have also been disrupted at Madeira Airport due to smoke. (BBC) Law and crime Philippine Drug War Rodrigo Duterte says he might declare martial law in the Philippines if his spat with the Supreme Court escalates. (Rappler) The United States Department of State expresses "concern" over extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. (The Washington Post) Irom Chanu Sharmila is set to end her 16-year fast against India's Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.(News18)(Ndtv) Murder of Seth Rich WikiLeaks announces that it is offering $20,000 for information leading to a conviction in last month's shooting death of 27-year-old Democratic National Committee (DNC) staffer Seth Rich in Bloomingdale, Washington, D.C.. Police say they believe Rich was likely killed in an attempted robbery. (The Hill) Science and technology A study conducted at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology shows a positive correlation with playing online video games and higher test scores in math, science and reading while a negative correlation with social media use. (CNN) Sport 2016 Summer Olympics French swimmer Camille Lacourt accuses Chinese swimmer Sun Yang of doping, saying "he pisses purple", while American swimmer Michael Phelps says "something needs to be done" to prevent doping from infiltrating swimming. (AFP via ABC News) Current events of August 10, 2016 (2016-08-10) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Ukrainian crisis Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) says it has thwarted two armed Ukrainian incursions into Crimea with at least two killed, including one FSB officer, following a "massive fire fight" with "sabotage-terrorist" groups. Ukraine denies the Russian claims. (Reuters) (The Guardian) Royal Canadian Mounted Police kill 24-year-old Aaron Driver in Strathroy, Ontario. Driver was accused of supporting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and was believed to have been plotting an "imminent" attack against Canadians. (CP24) Arts and culture 400-year old petroglyphs are discovered off the Waianae coast of Hawaii. (CNN) Business and economics Boeing's CFO Greg Smith announces that Boeing won't raise production of its 787 Dreamliner to fourteen per month as previously expected, but will keep it at 12 while continuing to monitor demand. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents A fire caused by an electrical fault at the Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in Baghdad kills 11 babies. (Newsweek) Law and crime The Supreme Court of Belize rules that Belize's anti-sodomy law is unconstitutional. Belize becomes the last country in Central America to strike down its sodomy law. (NBC News} Politics and elections Impeachment process against Dilma Rousseff Brazil's Federal Senate votes 59 to 21 to indict suspended President Dilma Rousseff on charges of breaking budget laws and put her on trial. (Reuters) Current events of August 11, 2016 (2016-08-11) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks August 2016 Thailand bombings Two bombs hidden in plant pots explode killing at least one person and injuring 10 others, including foreign tourists, in Hua Hin District, Thailand. (BBC) Thirteen people are injured when a roadside bomb hits a Pakistani security vehicle in the southwestern city of Quetta, the same town where at least 74 were killed in a suicide bombing at a hospital on Monday. The police were escorting a judge, who was not injured. (Reuters) Syrian Civil War Suspected Russian airstrike in Aleppo city kills Khaled Omar Harrah while carrying out a rescue mission. Omar is a Syrian rescue worker who became famous around the world after saving a baby buried for 16 hours under rubble. (The Telegraph) Disasters and accidents An apartment building explosion in Silver Spring, Maryland, kills at least two and injures 34, with five to seven people missing. The blast has displaced more than 90 residents. Fire and rescue responded to "a smell of gas" on July 25. The cause of the explosion is being investigated. (The Washington Post) (NBC News) At least 21 people are killed and five are injured following an explosion at a power plant in the city of Dangyang, Hubei province in central China. The blast occurred around 3:20 p.m. local time, when a high-pressure steam pipe exploded, according to China's official Xinhua News Agency. (Reuters) Arts and culture Arianna Huffington leaves The Huffington Post. (CNBC) Politics and elections Zambian general election and Zambian constitutional referendum, 2016 Voters go to the polls to elect a president and the unicameral national assembly, and on proposed amendments to the bill of rights and Article 79. Incumbent President Edgar Lungu again faces off against President of the opposition United Party for National Development Hakainde Hichilema, and seven other candidates. (The New York Times) Science and technology The 2016 Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight. (CBS News) (Space.com) Sport Chronological summary of the 2016 Summer Olympics American Michael Phelps wins the gold medal in the 200-meter individual medley becoming the first swimmer to win gold medals in the same event at four successive Olympic Games. It is Phelps' 22nd gold medal in total. (Washington Post) Current events of August 12, 2016 (2016-08-12) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks August 2016 Thailand bombings A series of coordinated bombings across Thailand, mostly at sites popular with tourists, leaves at least four people dead and dozens wounded. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. (The New York Times) Syrian Civil War U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) say they have seized full control of Manbij in Syria's northern Aleppo Governorate after ISIL militants withdrew from their last remaining strongholds in the city. (Reuters) Suspected Syrian government or Russian airstrike hits the Kafr Hamra children's hospital in a village on the outskirts of Aleppo, killing a nurse and a technician and rendering the hospital's facilities unusable. (The Telegraph) Disasters and accidents Heavy rain on the Gulf Coast of the United States causes floods in the state of Louisiana and the southern part of Mississippi with one person drowning. (Weather) A small plane crashes after an aborted landing at Shannon Airport near Fredericksburg, Virginia, killing six people. (Reuters) In Canada, 20 year old Mohammad Hassan Chaudhary with mental health issues and no formal flight training issues stole a small Piper airplane. He crashed near a mall about halfway between his takeoff near Toronto and the capital in Ottawa. National security investigators ruled out terrorist or suicidal motives. Global News) Health Zika virus outbreak timeline The United States declares a public health emergency in Puerto Rico over an outbreak of the Zika virus which has infected nearly 11,000 people. (AP via St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Sexual abstinence, post-Zika infection, may need to be extended to six months. (BBC) Law and crime Brendan Dassey, the subject of Netflix's hit drama Making a Murderer is found to have been wrongly convicted of murdering the photographer Teresa Halbach. A federal judge orders that he must be released from prison within three months. (People) Politics and elections 2016 Labour Party leadership election Britain's Court of Appeal, reversing Monday's High Court decision, rules the Labour Party has the right to prevent up to 130,000 new members who joined less than six months ago from voting in the party's leadership contest between incumbent Jeremy Corbyn and legislator Owen Smith. An appeal to the United Kingdom Supreme Court is possible. (AP via The Christian Science Monitor) (The Guardian) Science and technology Scientists say Greenland sharks are now known to be the longest-living vertebrates on Earth, after researchers at the University of Copenhagen, using radiocarbon dating, determined the ages of 28 of the animals, and estimated that one female was about 400 years old. The former vertebrate record-holder was a Bowhead whale estimated to be 211 years old. (BBC) Sport 2016 Summer Olympics Singaporean swimmer Joseph Schooling defeats American swimmer Michael Phelps in the 100 m butterfly event, attaining Singapore's first-ever Olympic gold; Schooling's winning time of 50.39 seconds is an Olympic, Asian, and national record. (The New York Times) Current events of August 13, 2016 (2016-08-13) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) At least 10 children are killed and 28 injured in an air attack on a school in northern Yemen. The Houthi group claims that the Saudi Arabia led coalition is responsible. (Reuters via ABC News) Syrian civil war The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that at least 51 people have been killed in the Syrian city of Aleppo. (AFP via Yahoo! News) Disasters and accidents 2016 Louisiana floods Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards declares a state of emergency as over 17 inches of rain (43 cm) causes unprecedented flooding across the region and takes at least three lives in his state, with more rain expected through Sunday. (Reuters), (AP) The death toll from Thursday's explosion in a Silver Spring, Maryland, apartment building rises to three with others still missing. The cause of the blast has not yet been officially determined. (Reuters) Law and crime Six people are injured by a knifeman who also set fire to a train at Salez, Switzerland. (BBC News Online) A lone gunman shoots a Muslim cleric and an associate to death in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens, New York City. Both were still wearing religious garb following afternoon prayers. No arrests have been made. (Reuters) 2016 Milwaukee riots Violence breaks out in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, following a fatal police shooting of a 23-year-old male criminal armed with a handgun earlier in the day. The Milwaukee Police Department says an officer was injured after being struck in the head by a brick, while a police car and gas station were set on fire. (NBC News) Sport 2016 Summer Olympics Darya Klishina, Russia's sole track and field competitor at the Rio Olympics, has her exemption to Russia's blanket ban revoked. Reportedly, new evidence emerged in relation to a World Anti-Doping Agency report. Klishina is appealing the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. (Reuters) The United States becomes the first nation to win 1000 gold medals at the Olympic Games when its 4 × 100 medley relay team of Kathleen Baker, Lilly King, Dana Vollmer and Simone Manuel wins. (USA Today) Current events of August 14, 2016 (2016-08-14) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Yemeni Civil War About 40 suspected Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula fighters are killed as Yemeni forces, aided by Saudi-led airstrikes, fight their way into Zinjibar and Jaʿār in eastern Yemen. (Reuters) (Daily Mail) Syrian Civil War Russian and Syrian government jets conduct 26 airstrikes across Idlib province, killing 122 civilians. (The Washington Post) Beni massacre At least 64 to 100 people are killed in a massacre. (Al Jazeera) Business and economy Volkswagen emissions scandal Volkswagen gets approval from Germany's motor vehicle authority for technical fixes on 460,000 cars. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents A wedding bus carrying over 50 passengers falls into a ravine in Azad Kashmir, killing at least 25 people and wounding 20 more. Many people are critically injured, with the death toll expected to increase. (Anadolu Agency) 2016 California wildfires 100 homes are destroyed and thousands of people are forced to leave due to wildfire in Lower Lake, California. (WSJ) Law and crime American Olympic swimmers Ryan Lochte, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen claim they were robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro by men posing as Brazilian police officers. (The New York Times) HEI Hotels & Resorts, a firm that operates hotels for Hyatt, Intercontinental, Marriott, and Starwood, reports that malware designed to collect payment information was discovered on computers at 20 of their locations across the United States. (Reuters) Sage, a British accounting software firm, reports a data breach; it is presently unclear what data was viewed or taken. (BBC) Science and technology SpaceX successfully launches Japanese communication satellite JCSAT-16 into geostationary orbit from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket used to place the satellite in orbit successfully landed on an autonomous spaceport drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. (RT) Sports 2016 Summer Olympics Athletics Usain Bolt of Jamaica becomes the first man to win three gold medals in the men's 100 metres. (CNN) In the men's 400 metres, Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa breaks the world record set in 1999 by Michael Johnson en route to winning South Africa's first gold medal in a track event since 1928. (ESPN) In golf, England's Justin Rose, representing Great Britain, wins the first gold medal in the sport since 1904. (The New York Times) In tennis, Scotland's Andy Murray, representing Great Britain, defeats Argentine Juan Martín del Potro in the men's singles final for his second consecutive gold medal in the event. Murray becomes the first male tennis player ever to win two Olympic gold medals, whether consecutively or not. (ESPN) Current events of August 15, 2016 (2016-08-15) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks Yemeni Civil War An air strike by the Saudi-led coalition which hit a hospital in northern Yemen run by Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) kills at least 11 people. (BBC) Disasters and accidents 2016 Louisiana floods At least seven people have died and thousands have been rescued in the American state of Louisiana. President of the United States Barack Obama has declared a federal emergency in the state. (BBC), (NBC News) An Olympics aerial camera and its cables fall sixty-five feet, injuring seven people. (USA Today) Heavy rainfall causes multiple bus crashes that kill at least 40 people and injure 86 in the Kavrepalanchowk bus crashes. (CNN) Law and crime Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane is convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice. (WCAU-TV) Former English Premier League player Dalian Atkinson dies after being tasered by police in Telford, Shropshire. (The Independent) New York authorities charge a man with second-degree murder in the deaths of a New York Muslim imam and his assistant. (Reuters) Politics and elections The Obama administration transfers 15 Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United Arab Emirates. (BBC) Current events of August 16, 2016 (2016-08-16) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks The Russian Air Force uses an Iranian airbase near Hamadan to launch airstrikes in Syria. (BBC) Houthi shelling kills seven in Saudi Arabia; nine Yemenis from one family die from an airstrike by the Saudi-led alliance. (Reuters) Arts and culture Westfield World Trade Center opens on schedule, part of the World Trade Center Ground Zero redevelopment in New York City. (CBS NY) Business and economy Barnes & Noble fires CEO Ronald Boire after less than a year in the job. Executive Chairman and company founder Leonard Riggio, who is postponing his September retirement, will assume Boire's duties. (Reuters) (USA Today) China successfully launches QUESS, the world's first ever quantum-communications quantum key distribution satellite. (The New York Times)(Space.com) Disasters and accidents 2016 California wildfires The town of Wrightwood, California, is evacuated due to threats from the Blue Cut Fire burning in the Cajon Pass. (KTLA) The Governor of California declares a state of emergency in San Bernardino County due to the Bluecut Fire. (ABC 7) Law and crime California wildfires California authorities charge a Clearlake resident with 17 counts of arson in connection with the wildfires over the last two years. (The Los Angeles Times) Medical marijuana A United States Court of Appeals rules that the Department of Justice, per the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, cannot spend money to prosecute federal marijuana cases if the defendants comply with state medical marijuana laws. (Washington Post) (Reuters) Current events of August 17, 2016 (2016-08-17) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Federal Security Service (FSB) officers kill at least four suspected North Caucasus Islamic militants during a counter-terrorism raid on an apartment building in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Arts and culture With a Moto Proprio, Pope Francis announces the establishment of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life. The Prefect of the new Dicastery is the Irish-born Bishop Kevin Joseph Farrell, currently serving as Bishop of Dallas. (Vatican Radio) Business and economy Cisco announces a cut of 5,500 jobs in their shift from switches to software. (Reuters) Energy Future Holdings, a Texas electric utility, asks a bankruptcy court in Delaware to confirm a plan that would allow it to exit Chapter 11 after more than two years. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents Eight people are seriously injured when a passenger train collides with a tree that had fallen across the railway line at Saint-Aunès, Hérault, France. (BBC News Online) All 511 passengers and crew are evacuated from the ferry Caribbean Fantasy which caught fire off San Juan, Puerto Rico. (World Maritime News) An unusual kiting incident in India leaves three people dead. 500 birds were also injured in similar incidents. (CNN) International relations The governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia confirm that the Manus Regional Processing Centre will close following a ruling by the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea. (ABC News) North Korean defectors North Korea's deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom, Thae Yong-ho, defects with his family to South Korea. (Reuters) (BBC) Law and crime A Malaysian oil tanker, MT Vier Harmoni, is hijacked off the coast of Malaysia and is believed to have been taken to Indonesian waters near the island of Batam, according to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. The identity of the hijackers is not yet known. (BBC) Judge Keyla Blanc, of Brazil's Special Tribunal for Fans and Major Events, orders Brazil police to question U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte over inconsistencies describing the armed robbery of himself and three other American Olympians. Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger are later removed from a plane returning to the United States. (Reuters), (Daily Telegraph) The U.S. National Security Agency's website goes down amid hacking fears. (FOX News) Science and technology The Hybrid Air Vehicles HAV 304 Airlander 10 hybrid airship makes its maiden civil flight. (BBC News Online) Current events of August 18, 2016 (2016-08-18) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks Kurdish–Turkish conflict (2015–present) Three bombings targeting police and military kill at least 12 people and wound 219 in southeast Turkey. (BBC) Syrian civil war Syrian government warplanes bomb Kurdish-held areas of Al-Hasakah for the first time in the country's five-year civil war, killing at least 13 people. (BBC) (Reuters) Law and crime Eddie Bauer reports that malware was used to access payment data for cards used at their stores; payments made via their website were reportedly unaffected. (Reuters) U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentences former NFL player Darren Sharper to 18 years in prison in rape and drugging case involving as many as 16 women in several U.S. states. (BBC) Mexico's National Human Rights Commission says 22 people were executed by federal police during the 2015 Ecuandureo shootout in the western state of Michoacán last year. (BBC) Politics and elections Proposal for a new flag of Fiji: Fiji prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama scraps plans to change the flag of Fiji as the feel-good factor envelops the Pacific nation following a first Olympic medal, a gold in men's rugby sevens. (Guardian) The Obama Administration says it wants to phase out the use of privately owned federal prisons. The move would affect private prisons which house 22,660 federal inmates, out of a total of nearly 200,000. (BBC) Science and technology Twitter announces 235,000 terror-linked accounts have been suspended over the past six months amid increasing pressure on tech companies from the White House to censor extremists from groups like ISIS. (CBS News) Current events of August 19, 2016 (2016-08-19) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian civil war Russian warships in the Mediterranean Sea fire cruise missiles at sites near Aleppo. The Russian Defense Ministry claims the strikes targeted the Islamist militant group Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. (Pravda) (Reuters) Arts and culture The American town of Shishmaref, Alaska, votes to relocate the village from its current location on a barrier island, that has been disappearing through erosion and rising sea levels, to a site on the mainland. (The New York Times) (ABC News) Law and crime A Defense Department audit reveals that the United States Army had manipulated its finances, making $6.5 trillion of improper accounting adjustments in order to balance the books in 2015. (Reuters)(The Hill)(CNN) Politics and elections 2016 United States presidential election Paul Manafort resigns as chairman of Donald Trump's presidential campaign. (The Guardian) Current events of August 20, 2016 (2016-08-20) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks Gaziantep bombing A suicide bomber targets a Kurdish wedding celebration in the Turkish city of Gaziantep killing at least 22 people and wounding 94. (Reuters), (Reuters via New York Times) 2016 Citronelle homicides Six people, including an unborn baby, were killed in Citronelle, Alabama. A 27-year-old man was arrested as a suspect in the case. (CNN) Business and economy India announces the new governor of its central bank, the Reserve Bank of India, is Urjit Patel, formerly the RBI's deputy governor for monetary policy. (Reuters) Law and crime Derrick Dearman a 27-year-old Mississippi man kills five people in the U.S. town of Citronelle, Alabama then kidnaps his pregnant ex-girlfriend from among the victims. Nearby, the Greene County, Mississippi Sheriff's office takes the surrender and confession of the suspect. (Reuters) Sports 2016 Summer Olympics Mo Farah of Great Britain wins the men's 5,000 metres to go along with his earlier gold medal in the 10,000 metres. By successfully defending his golds from the 2012 Games in both events, he becomes only the second man to win these two events at consecutive Olympics, alongside Lasse Virén of Finland (1972 and 1976). (BBC) Matthew Centrowitz wins the men's 1,500 metres for the first American gold in the event since 1908. (BBC) In men's football, Brazil defeats Germany 5–4 on penalties after a 1–1 draw to claim their first-ever gold medal in the sport. (BBC) In women's golf, Inbee Park of South Korea wins the gold medal. (BBC) Current events of August 21, 2016 (2016-08-21) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Somali Civil War (2009–present) An al-Shabaab suicide car bomb kills at least 20 people in the town of Galkayo in Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region. (Reuters) Gaziantep bombing The death toll from the Turkish wedding bombing rises to 50 with up to 94 people injured. Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant is suspected of conducting the attack. (Daily Sabah) International relations Philippine Drug War Rodrigo Duterte threatens to withdraw the Philippines from its founding membership of the United Nations after the international body criticized him over alleged human rights violations. (BBC) Law and crime Iraqi Civil War Iraq hangs 36 men convicted of taking part in the Islamic State group's massacre of hundreds of soldiers in 2014. (AP) A shooter wounds at least 13 people at a house party in Bridgeport, Connecticut. (AP via Fox News) Politics and elections 2016 Labour Party (UK) leadership election London Mayor Sadiq Khan calls on fellow Labour Party members to remove Jeremy Corbyn in the upcoming party leadership election. (Reuters) (The Observer via The Guardian) Current events of August 22, 2016 (2016-08-22) (Monday) Disasters and accidents 2016 Pacific typhoon season Typhoon Mindulle is forecast to make landfall near the Japanese capital Tokyo with flights and train services being cancelled. It arrives one day after Typhoon Kompasu. (Bloomberg), (CNN) At least 40 people are killed and hundreds of thousands are evacuated due to flooding caused by days of heavy rain in central and eastern India. (ABC News) International relations North Korea–South Korea relations South Korea and the United States start annual military drills despite North Korea's threats of nuclear attacks. (AP) Iran–Russia relations Iran confirms that Russia will stop using its Hamadan Airbase to launch attacks in Syria, saying Russia's use of Hamadan Airbase was "temporary, based on a Russian request," and that Russian operations are "finished for now". Iranian Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan earlier criticized Russia's announcement of its use of the base in Iran, saying "There has been a kind of showing-off and inconsiderate attitude behind the announcement of this news." (The Washington Post) Law and crime Ahmad al-Mahdi pleads guilty at the start of his trial before the International Criminal Court for the war crime of destroying cultural sites in Timbuktu. (BBC News) Philippine Drug War The death toll estimates for the crackdown on recreational drugs in the Philippines reaches 1,800 amid a senate investigation of the killings. (NBC News) Politics and elections President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte fires thousands of former president Benigno Aquino III appointees from the government. (Time magazine) French presidential election, 2017, The Republicans (France) presidential primary, 2016 Former President of France Nicolas Sarkozy officially declares his candidacy for president in 2017. (The Guardian) Science and technology Microsoft acknowledges that a Windows 10 update has stopped millions of webcams from working. (BBC) Current events of August 23, 2016 (2016-08-23) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Boko Haram insurgency In a raid on Boko Haram Islamists' northeast heartland, Nigeria’s air force kills senior militants and possibly fatally wounds their leader, Abubakar Shekau. (Reuters) War in Afghanistan (2001–present) A U.S. service member becomes the first U.S. military combat casualty in Afghanistan since January 2016 when he is killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) while on patrol near the city of Lashkar Gah in Afghanistan's southern Helmand Province. Another American service member and six Afghan soldiers were also injured in the blast. (NBC News) August 2016 Thailand bombings Two bombs explode at the Southern Hotel in Pattani killing one person and injuring 30. (Reuters) Arts and culture Philippine officials believe they may have recovered biggest natural giant clam pearl in the world — weighing 34kg. Officials are awaiting confirmation from gemologists that the find is indeed the world's largest pearl. If confirmed, it will beat the current record holder, the Pearl of Lao Tzu, which weighs 6.4kg. (BBC) Business and economy Former presenter Andrea Tantaros sues Fox News by accusing the network of being a "sex-fueled, Playboy Mansion-like cult." (The Washington Post) New U.S. single-family home sales unexpectedly rose in July, reaching their highest level in nearly nine years as demand increased broadly. (Reuters) Health 2015–16 Zika virus epidemic The first infection outside Miami in Florida is discovered in Pinellas County. (Fox News) International relations North Korea–South Korea relations, North Korea–United States relations In response to the annual military drills, North Korea threatens to destroy Seoul and Washington, D.C. through nuclear weapons if provoked. Both South Korea and the United States insist the drills are for defense. (News.com.au) According to South Korean officials, North Korea has laid landmines on the northern side of the so-called Bridge of No Return near the village of Panmunjom in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to block potential defection by its own soldiers. (Yonhap) (Reuters) Turkey–United States relations, Turkish government – Gülen Movement conflict The United States Department of State says Turkey has formally requested the extradition of Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gülen and is now considering the merits of the request. (Sky News) Law and crime 2015 Bangkok bombing A Thai military court commences the trial of two Uighurs from the People's Republic of China with the bombing of a popular shrine in Bangkok that killed 20 people. (AP via Star Tribune) Philippine Drug War The Philippine human rights commission says that the International Criminal Court may have jurisdiction over the mass killings. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) The New York Times reports its Moscow bureau was targeted this month by hackers, believed to be Russian. While there is no evidence that the hackers were successful, the FBI is investigating. (Reuters) (AP via The New York Times) Politics and elections Melania Trump plans to sue The Daily Mail and Politico after the publications allege that she worked as an escort. (CNN) Sports 2016 Summer Paralympics The Court of Arbitration for Sport upholds a ban of Russian athletes from next month's Paralympics over its state-sponsored doping program. (BBC)(CNN) Current events of August 24, 2016 (2016-08-24) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Syrian civil war The Turkish Armed Forces and US-backed Syrian rebels launch an initially successful campaign to capture the town of Jarabulus from ISIL. The Turkish Land Forces are also shelling YPG positions to prevent them from capturing areas that ISIL will retreat from. (AP via NBC News) (AP) (ABC News) War in Afghanistan (2001–present) The American University of Afghanistan in Kabul is attacked by suspected Taliban militants, resulting in at least 13 deaths and 30 injured. (CNN) (Fox News) Disasters and accidents 2016 Central Italy earthquake A 6.2 magnitude earthquake occurs in central Italy near the city of Perugia. The mayor of the town of Amatrice reports that residents are buried under rubble. (The Telegraph) (USGS) (AP via San Diego Union Tribune) At least 159 people have been reported dead. (BBC News), (ANSA) August 2016 Myanmar earthquake A 6.8 magnitude earthquake hits central Myanmar, 25km west of the town of Chauk, and was also felt in Thailand, Bangladesh and India, according to reports. At least three people are killed. (BBC) The world's largest aircraft, Hybrid Air Vehicles HAV 304 Airlander 10, crashes at RAF Cardington, Bedfordshire, during its second test flight. (The Guardian) International relations Japan–North Korea relations, North Korea and weapons of mass destruction North Korea launches a missile from a submarine off the port city of Sinpo in the Sea of Japan, according to U.S. and South Korean officials. This missile, the third sub-based attempt this year, flew about 500 kilometers (311 miles) and landed in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The first test exploded and the second traveled 30 km (18½ miles). (NBC News) (AP) Law and crime 2016 Home Hill stabbings One British woman is killed and two others are wounded in a stabbing attack on a North Queensland backpacker hostel, Australia. (News.com) (ABC News Australia) A police officer from Bethel, Alaska, will be sentenced to prison for charges related to police brutality in a 2014 case involving an intoxicated man. The charges followed an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations civil rights division. The former officer, Andrew Reid, was found to have used excessive force and lying on official police reports. The victim suffered a separated shoulder and other injuries. (Alaska Dispatch News) Politics and elections Colombian conflict The government of Colombia and FARC finalise a peace deal ending 50 years of conflict. (Xinhua) Science and technology Proxima Centauri b is discovered as the closest exoplanet to Earth that may be habitable. (BBC) Current events of August 25, 2016 (2016-08-25) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks Philippine Drug War The death toll in Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs reaches 1,900 people killed. (Al Jazeera) Syrian Civil War Turkey sends more tanks into northern Syria to continue its offensive against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). (Reuters) Business and economy Miners in the Philippines criticize the government after a crackdown on mining closed more nickel and copper mines. (Gulf Times), (Jakarta Globe) Disasters and accidents August 2016 Central Italy earthquake The search continues for survivors in central Italy with the death toll now 241. An aftershock of 4.7 MMS hits further east in the province near Norcia. (AFP via ABC News Australia) (USA Today) (USGS) (Financial Times) Health 2015–16 Zika virus epidemic Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection confirms Hong Kong's first case of Zika virus in a 38-year-old woman and says it will report the case to the World Health Organization (WHO). (Channel News Asia) Law and Crime Three people are killed and two are injured after a crossbow attack in Scarborough, Toronto. A suspicious package was also found in another linked event.(CBC) Politics and elections Impeachment process against Dilma Rousseff Brazil's Federal Senate begins the impeachment trial of suspended President Dilma Rousseff. (Reuters) Current events of August 26, 2016 (2016-08-26) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1978–present) Eight Turkish police officers are killed and 40 are injured in a bombing at a police checkpoint in the town of Cizre, with the PKK believed to be responsible. (CNN) Syrian civil war Following a ceasefire agreement with the government, Syrian rebels begin evacuating the war-torn suburb of Darayya, near Damascus, ending a four-year-long siege by government forces. Under the terms of surrender, the 8,000 civilians who reside in the suburb will be moved to regime-controlled areas while several hundred rebel fighters will be given passage to the Idlib Governorate. (The Telegraph) Arts and culture U.S. President Barack Obama expands the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument off the coast of Hawai'i, making it the largest national park on the planet. (The Washington Post) Business and economy Turkey opens the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge in Istanbul, one of the world's biggest suspension bridges. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents Southeast Asian haze Fires in Indonesia burn and blow smoke into Singapore, engulfing the city-state into darkness. (ABC News) An explosion at a sports centre in the Belgian town of Chimay kills one person and injures another four. A gas explosion is suspected to be the cause. (CBC) 2016 Central Italy earthquake A state of emergency is declared in Italy following several strong earthquakes. (CNN) The official death toll rises to 278. (Radio New Zealand) Law and crime Bolivia's deputy interior minister, Rodolfo Illanes, is kidnapped and beaten to death by striking miners. (BBC) An assassination attempt against Angela Merkel is foiled by Czech police. (The Daily Mail) Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte unintentionally reveals that a US$1 million ransom was given to the Abu Sayyaf terror group in exchange for a Norwegian hostage. (IBTimes) (Rappler) Trial of Oscar Pistorius The Johannesburg High Court rejects an appeal against the sentencing of Oscar Pistorius. (The Telegraph) The France Conseil d'État suspends Villeneuve-Loubet commune's ban on full-body burkini swimsuits. (Reuters) Politics and elections 2016 Zimbabwe protests Police and protesters clash in Harare after a court ruled that protests against Robert Mugabe can continue. (ABC News) Science and technology A newly-discovered galaxy known as Dragonfly 44 appears to be made up mostly of dark matter. (IBTimes) Current events of August 27, 2016 (2016-08-27) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks Paraguayan People's Army insurgency At least eight Paraguayan Army soldiers are killed in an ambush by suspected Paraguayan People's Army (EPP) insurgents, near the village of Arroyito, in northern Paraguay. (BBC) Kurdish–Turkish conflict (2015–present) Suspected Kurdish militants fire rockets at Diyarbakır Airport in Diyarbakır, Turkey. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents A fire at a warehouse in Moscow, Russia, kills at least 17 people, all migrant workers from Kyrgyzstan. The Investigative Committee of Russia, which reports directly to President Vladimir Putin, says a criminal inquiry has been launched. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Politics and elections Northern Territory general election, 2016 The opposition Australian Labor Party defeats the governing Country Liberal Party in a landslide, reducing the CLP to just two seats. (The Guardian) Current events of August 28, 2016 (2016-08-28) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Moro conflict Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militants break free supporters from a Marawi jail in the Philippines. (BBC) Colombian conflict The FARC orders all its fighters to observe a ceasefire from midnight local time (Monday 1 a.m. EDT). (BBC) Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017) A suicide bombing kills at least 15 people at a wedding in the southern Shiite city of Kerbala. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents European migrant crisis The Spanish-based Proactiva Open Arms NGO rescues more than 700 migrants in the Mediterranean Sea about 17 miles north of Sabratha, Libya. The rescued, who are from Nigeria, are transferred to the Italian Coast Guard. (AP via NBC News) 2016 Central Italy earthquake Officials report the death toll is at least 290 people with at least 10 others still missing. (Reuters) 2016 Louisiana floods A bus carrying volunteers crashes into emergency vehicles responding to an earlier accident near New Orleans killing two, including the St. John the Baptist Fire District Chief, and injuring 43 more. (Reuters) 2016 Pacific hurricane season Tropical Storm Madeline is expected to reach the American state of Hawaii Tuesday, just before world leaders arrive for the World Conservation Congress. (AP) (KHON-TV) Law and crime Philippine Drug War The Archbishop of Manila Luis Antonio Tagle condemns the extralegal killings and murders under Rodrigo Duterte. (Rappler) Politics and elections Political reshuffle in China: Wu Yingjie becomes the Communist Party Secretary of the Tibet Autonomous Region, replacing Chen Quanguo, who will assume another post. Chen Hao becomes Communist Party Secretary of Yunnan, replacing Li Jiheng, who will assume another post. Du Jiahao becomes Communist Party Secretary of Hunan, replacing Xu Shousheng. (Reuters) German economy minister Sigmar Gabriel claims the TTIP negotiations "have de facto failed", citing a general lack of progress. The U.S. and the European Commission have no immediate response to his comment. (AP) Gabonese presidential election, 2016 Both President Ali Bongo Ondimba and his main challenger, former Foreign Minister Jean Ping, say they won yesterday's election for a seven-year term as president. Official results are expected Tuesday. (Reuters) Science and Technology The Indian Space agency ISRO successfully tests its Scramjet engines. Two scramjet engines were mounted alongside of a two-stage, solid fueled rocket called Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), which is an advanced sounding rocket. Scramjet engines were then ignited when ATV achieved a speed of Mach 6 (7350 km/hr) at an altitude of 20 km. (The Hindu) Sport Anita Włodarczyk of Poland breaks her own hammer throw world record, set earlier this month at the Rio Olympics, by close to ¾ meter, with a throw of 82.98 meters at the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Warsaw. (AP) Current events of August 29, 2016 (2016-08-29) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks Moro conflict At least 12 Philippine Army soldiers die in clashes with the Abu Sayyaf. (BBC) Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) The death toll of a suicide bombing in the southern Yemeni city of Aden rises to at least 71. Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant claims responsibility. (Reuters) 2016 Kashmir unrest A curfew has ended in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir after 52 days of protest allowing for an all-party delegation to visit the state on Sunday. (Times of India) Arts and culture Gene Wilder, known for his role as the title character in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and for his collaborations with Mel Brooks, dies at the age of 83. (Variety) Disasters and accidents A lightning strike from a freak thunderstorm kills 323 reindeer in Norway. (The Washington Post) 2016 Pacific hurricane season A hurricane watch is issued for the island of Hawaii as Hurricane Madeline approaches. (AP) Health 2015–16 Zika virus epidemic The number of Zika virus infected in Singapore rises above 40. (NBC) Law and crime Philippine Drug War Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte calls on critic senator Leila de Lima to resign and "hang herself". (Rappler) Duterte rejects claims that he is inciting genocide with his anti-drug campaign. (The Daily Beast) Multiple individuals rammed a van into the entrance of the Brussels National Institute of Criminology building, setting its laboratories on fire. No casualties have been reported. At least five people are arrested. (BBC) (BNO News) U.S. officials are investigating the hacking of election system databases in Illinois and Arizona. The FBI alerted all election officials nationwide about this issue earlier this month. (CNN) (NBC News) Politics and elections Political reshuffle in China Li Jinbin becomes Communist Party Secretary (top official) of Anhui, succeeding Wang Xuejun. Chen Quanguo becomes Communist Party Secretary of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, succeeding Zhang Chunxian, who will take on another office. Li Jiheng becomes Communist Party Secretary of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, succeeding Wang Jun. (South China Morning Post) Science and technology Scientists from the University of Texas at Austin postulate that the hominin fossil Lucy (Dinkinesh) died due to a fall from a tree. Paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson, who is credited with discovering and naming Lucy, disagrees. (National Geographic) Current events of August 30, 2016 (2016-08-30) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Sinjar massacre Thousands of Yazidi are believed to be buried in 72 newly-discovered mass graves left by ISIL after the 2014 massacre. (The Daily Mail) A car bomb explodes near the Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan, killing the perpetrator and injuring three. (The New York Times) Somali Civil War (2009–present) A car bomb explodes outside the President of Somalia's compound in Mogadishu claiming at least ten people's lives. Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack. (Daily Mail) Syrian Civil War The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant says its official spokesman, Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, has been killed in Syria's Aleppo Governorate. The group's statement, distributed by Amaq News Agency, did not say how al-Adnani was killed. (Reuters) Business and economy The European Union orders Apple to pay up to 13 billion euros in back taxes to Ireland. A three-year investigation by the EU's competition commissioner concludes that Apple received "illegal state aid" from Ireland, the EU order that Apple pay 13 billion euros ($14.5 billion), and, in addition, also interest and unpaid taxes. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents Numerous tremors rock the Katla volcano in Iceland prompting the government to raise the alarm level. (Bloomberg) Health 2015–16 Zika virus epidemic Australia, South Korea and Taiwan issue travel advisories concerning Singapore after cases of Zika virus infection in the city-state passes 50. (Reuters) International relations Philippines v. China Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte says he would not press on for China to abide by the South China Sea ruling but he might do so in the future. (Voice of America) Law and crime Two North Korean officials are reportedly publicly executed by Kim Jong-un after they allegedly disobeyed orders: former agriculture minister Hwang Min for unsuitable policies and Ri Yong Jin, a senior official at the education ministry, for sleeping at a meeting with Kim, disrespect for the leader and corruption. They were allegedly executed by anti-aircraft artillery fire. (International Business Times) (The Guardian, UK) American singer Chris Brown is arrested on suspicion on assault with a deadly weapon following a lengthy stand-off with the Los Angeles Police Department. (NBC Los Angeles) Politics and elections Venezuelan protests Venezuelan officials arrest several opposition activists, including Popular Will Party leaders, just days before Thursday's scheduled national protest against the rule of President Nicolás Maduro. (Reuters) (Bloomberg) Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff The Senate postpones the impeachment vote on suspended President Dilma Rousseff to Wednesday. (The New York Times) Current events of August 31, 2016 (2016-08-31) (Wednesday) Arts and culture Mother Teresa of Calcutta is to be canonized into sainthood after "proof" of two miracles. (NPR) Business and economy Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans on increasing the spending for the Japan Self-Defense Force. (The New York Times) Disasters and accidents United Airlines Flight 880 makes an emergency landing at Shannon Airport in the Republic of Ireland due to "severe and unexpected turbulence". At least 12 people are hospitalized. (BBC) 2016 Pacific typhoon season, Typhoon Lionrock At least two rivers break embankments, causing floods on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. Operations are underway to rescue 400 stranded people. On Honshu Island, at least 11 people, including nine elderly from a nursing home, have died. (AP via Daily Mail) (CNN) (The New York Times) 2016 Atlantic hurricane season, Tropical Storm Hermine The National Hurricane Center declares a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning from the Anclote River, north of Tampa, to Destin, Florida, near the Georgia border. Hermine, now at 45 mph (75 km), is expected to reach hurricane strength when it makes landfall Thursday afternoon. Florida Governor Rick Scott, with life-threatening flooding forecast, declares a state of emergency. (Reuters) (NHC) At least five people are killed after two small planes collide near Russian Mission, Alaska. Officials from the Alaska Army National Guard say the planes involved were a Cessna 208 Caravan and a Piper PA-18 Super Cub. (Fox News) Health Embattled tech company Theranos pulls out of a research project regarding the Zika virus. (The Washington Post) International relations Cuba–United States relations, United States–Cuban Thaw The first commercial flight from the United States to Cuba since 1961 takes place as JetBlue Flight 387 lands in Santa Clara, Villa Clara province, after a 51-minute flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. JetBlue Flight 387 had 150 passengers, including United States Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx. (USA Today) Philippines v. China The Philippines says it won't have bilateral talks with China until the Chinese stop all provocations in the South China Sea. (Nikkei Asian Review) Mexico–United States relations U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump meets with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto in Mexico City after accepting an invitation from him. (The Washington Post) Law and crime Singer Chris Brown is released on a US$ 250,000 bail for an assault charge. (Billboard) More than 2,000 people have reportedly died in the Philippine Drug War. (The Wire) Politics and elections Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff is removed from office by a vote of 61–20 in the Senate. Current Acting President Michel Temer will serve out the remainder of her term, which ends January 1, 2019. (BBC) (CNN) Gabonese presidential election, 2016 Ali Bongo is re-elected President of Gabon. (Reuters) Protestors set fire to the National Assembly of Gabon in Libreville in response to the disputed presidential election result. (The Washington Post) Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi holds historic peace talks to end decades of ethnic conflict in the country. (CBC) Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala resigns amid criticism over his handling of a string of ISIL and PKK terror attacks, and is replaced by Süleyman Soylu. (Reuters) Science and technology The population of African elephants have fallen by about 30% between 2007 and 2014. (National Geographic) (PEERJ) The fossil of a new species of pterosaur is discovered on Hornby Island, British Columbia in Canada. (Christian Science Monitor) The oldest fossil (stromatolite) that had life is discovered in the melting snow at the Isua Greenstone Belt of Greenland. (Nature)

August 2016 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31  Ongoing events Business Bangladesh Bank heist Brexit Panama Papers Venezuelan protests State of emergency in Venezuela Culture Pokémon Go phenomenon Disasters Atlantic hurricane season California wildfires Pacific hurricane season Pacific typhoon season Portugal wildfires Southeast Asian haze Health Flint water crisis Zika virus outbreak Law Philippines v. China Political War in Afghanistan Boko Haram insurgency Brazil protests Impeachment process Burundian unrest Ethiopian protests European migrant crisis (timeline) Iraqi and Syrian Civil War (map) Military intervention against ISIL Mosul offensive Israeli–Palestinian conflict Lebanese political deadlock Libyan Civil War Moldova protests Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Armenian–Azeri border conflict Philippine Drug War PKK rebellion Polish Constitutional Court crisis Sinai insurgency South China Sea disputes Turkish coup d'état attempt Turkish purges War in Donbass Yemeni Civil War Zimbabwe protests More details on ongoing conflicts below Sports 2016–17 Premier League 2016 Formula One season 2016 ATP World Tour 2016 Major League Baseball season 2016 WTA Tour Technology Democratic National Committee email leak  Recent deaths August 30: Abu Mohammad al-Adnani 30: Věra Čáslavská 30: Joe Sutter 29: Gene Wilder 28: Binyamin Ben-Eliezer 28: Mr. Fuji 28: Juan Gabriel 26: Peter Barry 25: Margaret Anstee 25: James Cronin 25: Marvin Kaplan 25: Davoud Rashidi 25: Sonia Rykiel 25: Rudy Van Gelder 24: Walter Scheel 24: Roger Y. Tsien 23: Esther Jungreis 23: Evita Muñoz 23: Steven Hill 22: S. R. Nathan 22: Toots Thielemans 21: Antony Jay 20: Harry Gilmer 20: Nina Ponomaryova 20: Brian Rix 19: Donald Henderson 19: Lou Pearlman 19: Jack Riley 19: Horacio Salgán 19: Mohammad Ali Samatar 18: Machali 18: John William Vessey Jr. 17: Arthur Hiller 16: Mauril Bélanger 16: João Havelange 16: John McLaughlin 16: Gurdial Singh 15: Dalian Atkinson 15: Bobby Hutcherson 14: Fyvush Finkel 14: Robert Goff 13: Kenny Baker 13: Pramukh Swami Maharaj 12: Ruby Wilson 11: Hanif Mohammad 11: Glenn Yarbrough 10: Neill Armstrong 10: John Saunders 9: Gerald Grosvenor 9: Aftab Ghulam Nabi Kazi 9: Ernst Neizvestny 9: Kalikho Pul 8: Edward Daly 7: John Boreland 7: Bryan Clauson 6: Helen Delich Bentley 6: Philip Bialowitz 6: Pete Fountain 5: Shamim Ara 4: Jean Antone 4: Patrice Munsel 3: Shahram Amiri 3: Chris Amon 3: Mel Hurtig 2: Forbes Carlile 2: David Huddleston 2: Franciszek Macharski 2: Ahmed Zewail  Ongoing conflicts Africa Algeria and Tunisia Maghreb insurgency ISIL insurgency in Tunisia Central African Republic Civil war Democratic Republic of the Congo Kivu conflict ADF insurgency Ituri conflict Lord's Resistance Army insurgency Libya Civil war Mali Northern Mali conflict Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger Boko Haram insurgency Somalia Civil war South Sudan Ethnic violence (South Sudanese Civil War) Sudan War in Darfur South Kordofan conflict Sudanese nomadic conflicts Americas Colombian conflict Internal conflict in Peru Mexican War on Drugs Asia Afghanistan Afghanistan War China Xinjiang conflict India Naxalite–Maoist insurgency Insurgency in Northeast India India and Pakistan Kashmir conflict Pakistan War in North-West Pakistan Balochistan conflict Philippines CPP-NPA-NDF rebellion Moro conflict Cross border attacks in Sabah Southeast Asia Internal conflict in Burma Papua conflict South Thailand insurgency Europe Georgia Abkhaz–Georgian conflict Georgian–Ossetian conflict Chechen–Russian conflict North Caucasus insurgency Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Ukraine War in Donbass Russian military intervention in Ukraine Middle East Arab–Israeli conflict Gaza–Israel conflict Israeli–Lebanese conflict Israeli–Palestinian conflict Egypt Sinai insurgency Iran Iran–PJAK conflict Iraqi civil war American-led intervention in Iraq Iranian intervention in Iraq Syrian Civil War American-led intervention in Syria Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon Turkey Turkey–PKK conflict Turkey–ISIL conflict Yemeni Crisis Yemeni Civil War Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Houthi rebellion Al-Qaeda insurgency South Yemen insurgency  Elections and Referendums Recent August 7: São Tomé and Príncipe, President (2nd round) 7: Thailand, Constitutional referendum 11: Zambia, National Assembly, President, Constitutional referendum 27: Gabon, President Upcoming September 4: Hong Kong, Legislative Council 8: Seychelles, National Assembly 11: Belarus, House of Representatives 11: Croatia, Parliament 18: Russia, State Duma 20: Jordan, House of Representatives  Trials Recently concluded Australia: Brett Peter Cowan, Craig Thomson, Robert Hughes, Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara Brazil: Mensalão scandal Canada: Luka Magnotta China: Ji Jianye, Li Chuncheng, Jiang Jiemin, Liao Shaohua, Ni Fake, Ling Jihua, Chen Baihuai, Zhou Yongkang, Gu Junshan, Yao Mugen, Guo Boxiong Croatia: Ivo Sanader Egypt: Hosni Mubarak, Peter Greste, Mohamed Morsi Germany: Bernie Ecclestone, Uli Hoeness, Christian Wulff Iran: Mohammad Reza Rahimi Israel: Hussam Qawasmeh Jordan: Abu Qatada Philippines: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Romania: Liviu Dragnea, Dan Diaconescu, Gheorghe Ștefan, Gabriel Sandu, Dorin Cocoş, Dumitru Nicolae Russia: Leonid Khabarov, Eston Kohver, Vladimir Kvachkov South Africa: Shrien Dewani, Oscar Pistorius Turkey: Kenan Evren, Tahsin Şahinkaya United Kingdom: Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, Andrew Lancel, Dale Cregan, Ray Wilkins, Liam Adams, R v Grillo and Grillo, Ian Watkins, William Roache, Dave Lee Travis, Nicholas Jacobs, Nigel Evans, Max Clifford, Stuart Hall, Dappy, Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson, Rolf Harris, Tulisa Contostavlos, Chris Denning, Ray Teret, Gary Glitter, Fred Talbot, Adam Johnson United States: Abu Hamza al-Masri, Michael Grimm, Jesse Jackson Jr., Bob McDonnell, Vilma Bautista, Kermit Gosnell, Chelsea Manning, Whitey Bulger, Robert Bales, Nidal Malik Hasan, Jodi Arias, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, James Eagan Holmes, Sheldon Silver, Dylan Quick International ECCC: Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan ICC: Germain Katanga ICTY: Radovan Karadžić Ongoing China: Bai Enpei, Guo Youming, Pan Yiyang, Wan Qingliang, Yang Weize, Zhu Zuoli Germany: Beate Zschäpe Iran: Babak Zanjani Netherlands: Geert Wilders Philippines: Andal Ampatuan Jr., Jovito Palparan Romania: Darius Vâlcov, Dan Șova, Elena Udrea, Radu Mazăre, Gheorghe Nichita, Marian Vanghelie, Cătălin Voicu Russia: Alexei Navalny South Korea: MV Sewol crew members Spain: Lionel Messi United States: Dean Skelos International ICTY: Ratko Mladić Upcoming China: Wu Changshun Estonia: Edgar Savisaar Libya: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi United Kingdom: Max Clifford, Rolf Harris, Ched Evans United States: Paul Anthony Ciancia, Javaris Crittenton, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Aaron Hernandez, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, Rick Perry, Bill Cosby International ICC: Laurent Gbagbo