Yemeni Civil War - The 2010s

February 24, 2016

Top News Stories –

Jeremy Clarkson apologises to Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon –
Jeremy Clarkson has apologised to the Top Gear producer he punched after settling a £100,000 racial discrimination and injury claim. Oisin Tymon launched the action against the presenter and the BBC after a “fracas” last March that left Mr Tymon with a bloody lip. “I would like to say sorry, once again, to Oisin Tymon for the incident and its regrettable aftermath,” Clarkson said. The presenter was dropped by the BBC following the assault. Clarkson, 55, added: “I want to reiterate that none of this was in any way his fault. Mr Tymon’s lawyers said the case had been settled but did not give details of the settlement. It is understood to be in excess of £100,000 ($140,000), an amount to which both Clarkson and the BBC contributed. [BBC]
In October 2015 Clarkson was threatened with three years in jail as Argentina reopened Falklands row probe.
Jeremy Clarkson

Brit Awards 2016: Adele dominates with four awards –
Adele has been crowned Queen of the Brits, winning four prizes including best British female and best album. “To come back after so long away and be so warmly received means so much,” she said. One Direction’s victory in the fan-voted best video category robbed Adele of the opportunity to become the most-garlanded artist in a single Brits ceremony. As it stands, her total of four awards is equalled only by Blur, who won the same number in 1995 for their album Parklife. Adele became more emotional as the ceremony continued, bursting into tears after accepting the global success prize – which recognises success overseas. “I got really lost for a while and I didn’t know if I’d ever come back,” she said, referencing the writer’s block that delayed her much-anticipated third album. [BBC] See List of the Day

Sepp Blatter & Michel Platini lose Fifa appeals but bans reduced –
Outgoing Fifa president Sepp Blatter and suspended Uefa boss Michel Platini have had bans from all football-related activities upheld. But the suspensions have been reduced from eight to six years by Fifa’s appeals committee. Both were found guilty of breaches surrounding a £1.3m ($2m) “disloyal payment” to Platini. They both deny any wrongdoing and have said they will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Blatter and Platini said the payment honoured a verbal or gentleman’s agreement made in 1998 for work carried out by the Frenchman when he was a technical advisor for Blatter. Blatter, 79, added in a statement that he was “very disappointed by the appeal committee of Fifa”. Platini, 60, said it was “insulting and shameful” and a “political decision”. The committee said “activities and services rendered to Fifa, Uefa and football” was a mitigating factor. [BBC]
In September 2015, the Swiss Police launched an investigation into Blatter over criminal mismanagement or misappropriation over a TV rights deal.
Michel Platini

Video of the Day –

70MM of Hateful from Andrew Walker on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

The Brits Awards Winners

British male solo artist
James Bay
Aphex Twin
Calvin Harris
Jamie xx
Mark Ronson

British female solo artist
Adele
Amy Winehouse
Florence + the Machine
Jess Glynne
Laura Marling

British group
Coldplay
Blur
Foals
One Direction
Years & Years

British breakthrough act
Catfish and the Bottlemen
James Bay
Jess Glynne
Wolf Alice
Years & Years
Critics’ choice
Jack Garratt
Izzy Bizu
Frances

Brits global success award
Adele

British single
Adele – Hello
Calvin Harris & Disciples – How Deep Is Your Love
Ed Sheeran & Rudimental- Bloodstream
Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do
James Bay – Hold Back The River
Jess Glynne – Hold My Hand
Little Mix – Black Magic
Olly Murs ft Demi Lovato – Up
Philip George – Wish You Were Mine
Years & Years – King

British album of the year
Adele – 25
Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams
Florence + the Machine – How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
James Bay – Chaos and the Calm
Jamie xx – In Colour
British producer of the year
Charlie Andrew – winner
Mark Ronson
Mike Crossey
Tom Dalgety

British artist video of the year
One Direction – Drag Me Down
Calvin Harris & Disciples – How Deep Is Your Love
Ed Sheeran – Photograph
Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do
Jessie J – Flashlight
Little Mix – Black Magic
Naughty Boy ft Beyonce & Arrow Benjamin – Runnin’ (Lose It All)
Adele – Hello
Sam Smith – Writing’s On The Wall
Years & Years – King

International male solo artist
Justin Bieber
Father John Misty
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
The Weeknd

International female solo artist
Bjork
Ariana Grande
Courtney Barnett
Lana Del Rey
Meghan Trainor

International group
Tame Impala
Eagles of Death Metal
Major Lazer
Alabama Shakes
U2

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Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Kurdish–Turkish conflict
- Turkish Air Force helicopters struck a group of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters in southeast Turkey, killing nine militants, according to security sources. (Yahoo! News)
Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
- Senior Libyan military officials say French special forces are on the ground in Benghazi helping Libyan National Army troops fight ISIL militants. They said that the French forces, along with American andBritish teams, are setting up an operations room inside Benina International Airport in Benina. The French defense ministry declined to comment, citing a policy not to comment on special forces’ activities.(The New York Times)
Gunmen attack a Malian military checkpoint in the town of Léré, near the Mauritanian border with Mali, killing at least three soldiers and wounding two others. (Reuters)
Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
- Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
  - The United Arab Emirates pulls its troops out of Yemen amid mounting casualties among its forces battling Shia Houthi militants and rising tensions with local fighters in Aden, southern Yemen, which escalated yesterday when Aden International Airport was stormed by local pro-government gunmen. The airport has now been closed. (Fox News) (Middle East Eye)
Metrojet Flight 9268
- Two months after Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry ruled out terrorism in Flight 9268‘s crash, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi admits an ISIS bomb downed the Russian passenger jet. The terrorist group’s Sinai Peninsula Branch claimed responsibility shortly after the incident. (Forbes)

Arts and culture

2016 Brit Awards
- The 2016 Brit Awards are held at The O2 in London with James Bay, Adele, Tame Impala, Justin Bieber, Bjork, and Coldplay all winning their respective categories. Adele won four awards in total. (The Guardian), (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

2015–16 South Pacific cyclone season
- Cyclone Winston
  - The death toll in Fiji rises to 42 and is expected to rise further as relief teams reach remote islands. (ABC Australia)
Tara Air Flight 193 crashes in western Nepal, killing all 23 people on board. (BBC) (AP via Yahoo! News)
The Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service state that the three people missing since a decommissioned turbine hall partially collapsed at Didcot A power station in Oxfordshire, England, yesterday are unlikely to still be alive. If confirmed, this would raise the death toll to four. (BBC News)
Tornadoes of 2016
- Three people die after a tornado hits the town of Waverly, Virginia. (NBC 12)
Australian icebreaker, Aurora Australis, runs aground in Antarctica with 68 people on board. There are no reports of injuries. The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) said blizzard conditions are hampering attempts to assess damage. (BBC)

International relations

Foreign relations of Lebanon
- Qatar and Kuwait join Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates in asking its citizens to leave or avoid travel to Lebanon. (Al Arabiya)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- A report by two Israeli human rights groups, B’Tselem and HaMoked, states dozens of Palestinian detainees at the Shin Bet’s Shikma interrogation facility in Ashkelon have been subjected to mistreatment, and in some cases torture. The report examined affidavits and personal accounts from 116 Palestinians held for security reasons at the facility between August 2013 and March 2014. (AP via San Francisco Chronicle) (Jurist)
2016 North Korean nuclear test
- United States National Security Advisor Susan Rice and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi agree on a draft resolution that would expand United Nations Security Council sanctions following North Korea’slatest nuclear test. U.S. President Barack Obama participated in the meeting. The draft is now headed to the full 15-member council. (Reuters) (AFP via Bangkok Post)

Law and crime

2016 Phoenix murders
- A family of five falls victim to a murder-suicide in Phoenix, Arizona. 26-year-old Alex Buckner is identified by Phoenix police as the shooter, who was killed in a gunfight with police. (AZCentral)
Former California state senator Leland Yee is sentenced to five years imprisonment in a U.S. Federal prison after being convicted of corruption. (San Francisco Chronicle)

Politics and elections

European migrant crisis
- Hungary is to hold a referendum on whether to accept mandatory EU quotas for relocating migrants. (BBC)
South Korea’s opposition holds a parliamentary filibuster, the first in the National Assembly since 1969, to block the current anti-terrorism bill that would expand National Intelligence Service powers. The opposition plans to continue until March 11, when the session is scheduled to end. (Los Angeles Times) {Daily Mail)

Sport

2015 FIFA corruption case
- Former President of FIFA Sepp Blatter and suspended President of UEFA boss Michel Platini lose their appeals against being banned from all football related activities but the period of the ban is reduced from eight to six years. (BBC)
- FIFA’s Court of Arbitration for Sport denies presidential candidate Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan’s request to postpone Friday’s presidential election. Ali’s request for transparent booths was rejected last week. (Reuters)

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February 25, 2016

Top News Stories –

Queen’s pigeon rescued after fleeing royal loft –
Animal welfare officers who rescued a lost pigeon in East Lothian were surprised to discover it had a royal owner – the Queen. The Scottish SPCA was called when the exhausted bird was spotted at Traprain Terrace in Haddington on February 2. Staff traced it back to its owner and the racing pigeon has now been returned to the royal loft 407 miles away at Sandringham estate in Norfolk. The charity’s animal rescue officer Connie O’Neill said: “I’ve rescued many pigeons during my career with the Scottish SPCA but this was certainly a first for me. “We were able to identity where the pigeon had come from using the ring number on its leg and arrangements were made for it to be collected.” [Daily Telegraph]

Islamic State hackers take aim at Facebook’s Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Dorsey –
Islamic State has released a new video featuring photographs of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg riddled with digitally added bullet holes and mocking the social media websites’ attempts to block terrorist content from their platforms. Hackers known as the Sons Caliphate Army, the self-styled hacking division of Islamic State, uploaded a video on Tuesday entitled “Flames of the Supporters” in which the group challenges the efforts of Facebook and Twitter to shut down its digital operations. The video begins displays screen grabs of some of the 10,000 Facebook accounts, 150 Facebook groups and 5,000 Twitter profiles the terrorist group claims to control. It takes aim at the recent campaigns by the two social media websites to take down accounts controlled or connected to the terrorist group and used to spread their message. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

How to Win an Election from The New York Times – Video on Vimeo.

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Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Donbass
- The Ukrainian military retakes control of the strategic village of Shyrokyne. (Ukraine Today)
Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)
- Two ISIL suicide bombers attack a Shiite mosque in Baghdad, killing at least 15 people. (Reuters)
Syrian Civil War
- The Syrian Army, backed by Russian airstrikes, recaptures the town of Khanasir from ISIL militants in the Aleppo Governorate. (AP via ABC News)

Arts and culture

Celebrations are held to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the People Power Revolution in the Philippines that led to the downfall of dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ 21-year reign, and the rise of President Corazon Aquino. (The Philippine Star)

Business and economy

Brookfield Asset Management, a Canadian asset manager, agrees to buy the U.S. REIT Rouse Properties for about $2.8 billion. (Reuters)
The Nikkei reports that Japan‘s Sharp Corporation has accepted a 700 billion Japanese yen ($6.2 billion) takeover bid from Taiwan‘s Foxconn Technology Group. (Bloomberg)
Australian electronics retailer Dick Smith, placed in administration by creditors in January, will close 301 stores in Australia and 62 in New Zealand with nearly 3000 people to lose their jobs. (News Limited)

Disasters and accidents

2015–16 South Pacific cyclone season
- Cyclone Winston
  - Fiji’s known casualties are 42 dead, one missing, and more than 100 injured. Authorities say five percent of the country (45,245 people) is staying in evacuation centers and about 80 schools have been damaged. UNICEF reports at least 120,000 of Fiji’s children have been affected. The current identified destruction is more than $1 billion. About 80 percent of the plantations were damaged, especiallysugar fields. However, tourism’s infrastructure has escaped serious damage. (La Prensa de San Antonio) (Daily Mail) (Fijivillage.com)

International relations

2016 North Korean nuclear test
- The United States will present the draft resolution, resulting from yesterday’s meeting with China, to the United Nations Security Council expanding sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear program.(Jerusalem Post) (Reuters)
China–United States relations
- At an event hosted by Center for Strategic and International Studies, Foreign Minister Wang Yi expresses China‘s concerns that the planned deployment of the THAAD missile defense system and the X band radar for which the South Korea and the United States have started talks to secure its approval in order to counter the growing threat of North Korea’s weapons capabilities could jeopardize the country’s “legitimate national security interests.” At the Pentagon, Harry Harris, the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, said that if China wanted to prevent consideration of the THAAD system’s deployment, it should lean on Pyongyang saying, “If China wanted to exert a lot of influence on somebody to prevent THAAD from being considered going into Korea, then they should exert that influence on North Korea.” (Reuters) (Bloomberg)
Foreign relations of Saudi Arabia, Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
- The European Parliament adopts a resolution calling for the introduction of an arms embargo against Saudi Arabia, saying the United Kingdom, France and other EU governments should no longer sell weapons to a country accused of targeting civilians in Yemen. (Reuters)
Austria–Greece relations
- Greece recalls its ambassador to Austria in response to Austria’s hosting of a meeting with Balkan states, to which Greece was not invited, about European migrant crisis policies that would make it harder for migrants to head north across Europe. Greece’s foreign ministry called the move an “unfriendly act.” More than 100,000 migrants have entered the EU illegally so far in 2016, nearly all of them arriving in Greece. (BBC) (Reuters)
Morocco–European Union relations
- Morocco suspends contact with the European Union over a European court ruling that invalidates the bloc’s farm trade deal with Rabat, and saying it should exclude the disputed Moroccan-controlled territory of Western Sahara. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal
- A report by Dame Janet Smith finds that management at the BBC staff knew of complaints against Jimmy Savile but did not advise senior management due to a “culture of fear“. (BBC)
2016 Hesston shooting
- A series of shootings in and near the American town of Hesston, Kansas, results in at least four deaths, including the shooter, at an Excel Industries building, with up to 20 people injured. The shooter is Cedric Ford, a convicted felon. (KWCH) (USA Today), (KAKE)

Politics and elections

Jamaican general election, 2016
- Voters in Jamaica go to the polls for a general election, with the Jamaican Labour Party, led by Andrew Holness, winning a narrow victory. (Bloomberg) (Reuters)

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February 27, 2016

Top News Stories –

Oregon scraps goat landscaping scheme due to cost and smell –
It seemed like an environmentally good idea at the time: Set 75 rented goats loose on 9.1 acres of [Salem] city park to chomp and chew invasive plants such as Armenian blackberry and English ivy that were choking native flora out of Minto-Brown Island Park. So the city, responding to community interest, launched a pilot project last October, contracting with Yoder Goat Rentals out of Molalla to remove the invasive species. But in a report submitted this week to the Salem City Council, the public works department revealed that the six-week project cost the city almost five times what it would normally have spent had it removed the vegetation using more conventional, and less odoriferous, methods. According to the report presented Monday, the total cost to the city for using the nannies and billies, which were “universally welcomed by park users as a pleasant pastoral addition to the scenery,” was $20,719. Ruminate on that, if you will. [Statesman Journal]

Russian troops ‘lose’ field gun after holiday salute –
Russian soldiers have been left red-faced after losing a large artillery piece in the middle of the city of Volgograd, it’s reported. Surprised locals called the police after finding the weapon – a World War Two-era ZiS-3 76mm mobile field gun – blocking the pavement of a major thoroughfare near the centre on Tuesday evening, the LifeNews TV channel reports. It turns out the gun went Awol as it was being towed back to the barracks in a column of military vehicles from the city’s Volga embankment, where it had been used in a gun salute to mark the Defender of the Fatherland Day – an annual official holiday celebrating the armed forces. One eyewitness reports seeing it uncouple itself from a turning lorry and trundle backwards onto the roadside, coming to rest only 1m (3ft) from a parked car. “Only a bit more, and it would have ended up in the front passenger seat,” he says. It’s not clear whether the troops noticed the loss, as the witness says they “carried on as if nothing had happened”. A military spokesman, however, insists the servicemen did spot the gun’s departure, but were unable to stop as they were in an “organised column”. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

8 Mind-Blowing Ways To Use Your Hair Dryer

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Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- A truce is in effect, as of midnight. Russian Air Force attacks on opposition positions were reported to have been intensified before the truce took effect. (BBC)
War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- A suicide bomber kills at least 26 and injures nearly 50 in Afghanistan‘s eastern Kunar Province near the border with Pakistan. (AAP via News Limited) (NY Times)
Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
- Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
  - At least 30 people are killed in an airstrike on a market near the Yemeni capital Sana’a. (BBC)

Law and crime

Three people are stabbed, including one person critically wounded, and several people are arrested after a Ku Klux Klan (KKK) rally in Anaheim, California turns violent. (Los Angeles Times)

Politics and elections

United States presidential election, 2016
- Voters in South Carolina go to the polls for the Democratic Party primary. Hillary Clinton won. (ABC) (AL.com) (The Guardian)
Irish general election, 2016
- Counting begins of the votes cast yesterday with exit polls indicating that the existing coalition will not gain enough votes to govern without reaching a deal with other parties. (BBC)
Elections in Iran
- Counting of votes begins in Iran after polling hours in yesterday’s election were extended by six hours due to a heavy turnout. Reports indicate that reformist candidates are doing well in the early count.(Reuters via Swiss, info), (AP)
- Preliminary results shows that Pervasive Coalition of Reformists has won a majority in Tehran district and some other big cities, as Principlists Coalition won seats in smaller cities. (Reuters)
- Early Assembly of Experts results show that Principlists won the majority, as Reformists won 14 out of 16 seats in Tehran, although some of them also had the support of conservatives. (Reuters via Yahoo)
Thousands, including some from Australia, protest in London, England, against the renewal of the United Kingdom’s Trident nuclear deterrent system, the largest anti-nuclear rally since 1983. Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, Scottish National Party leader and First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, the Welsh Plaid Cymru Party, and the Green Party participated in the march. A parliamentary vote on renewing Trident is expected this year. (International Business Times) (The Guardian)

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March 4, 2016

Top News Stories –

Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall marry –
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch has married actress-model Jerry Hall in London. Mr Murdoch, whose News UK company publishes The Times and The Sun newspapers, and Miss Hall married in a civil ceremony at Spencer House. It is Mr Murdoch’s fourth marriage and the first for Miss Hall, 59, after her 1992 Bali wedding to Sir Mick Jagger was later deemed legally void. Australian-born Mr Murdoch, 84, who now has US nationality, tweeted he was “the luckiest and happiest man in world”. [BBC]
Rupert Murdoch
Jerry Hall

Union J say they have axed George Shelley: ‘One member is not bigger than the band’ –
George Shelley has parted ways from Union J – with his former band mates saying they kicked him out. Josh Cuthbert, JJ Hamblett and Jaymi Hamsley told The Sun that the I’m A Celebrity runner-up refused to commit to the pop group after returning from the jungle in December. But a spokesman for George said it was a “mutual decision” – and called the other Union J members “simply jealous”. The boy band apparently gave him a final ultimatum by email, as the situation had become “heart-breaking”. [MSN]
George Shelley

Royal Australian Navy facing calls to apologise after speeding warship damages boats in New Zealand –
A speeding Australian warship is being blamed for damage caused to boats and a fish farm inside a tranquil New Zealand waterway. HMAS Warramunga has been conducting advanced navigation training in New Zealand for Australian and Kiwi navy students. Last week, locals in the picturesque Marlborough Sounds said they spotted the Anzac Class frigate speeding through their sheltered harbour. Paul Keating from local advocacy group Guardian of the Sounds said several boats and a walkway were damaged. “Twelve people rang the harbour master that day to lay complaints and one of them was, I believe, from the salmon farm,” he said. “Maritime hoonery would be a good way to describe [it]. “We haven’t been given any reason why they chose to drive into the bays and then do very sharp turns.” [ABC Australia]

Video of the Day –

The Goodyear Eagle-360 concept tire –

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Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
- A Libyan spokesperson says two Italian hostages are freed by local fighters from Islamic State custody in Sabratha, Libya. He also confirms that two other Italian hostages were recently killed during local forces clashes with IS militants. (AP via ABC News)
Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
- Gunmen storm a retirement home in Yemen, run by a charity established by Mother Teresa, killing 16 people, including four Catholic nuns. (NY Times)
Dissident Irish Republican campaign (1998–present)
- A bomb explodes under a vehicle in Belfast injuring a prison officer; Dissident republicans have claimed responsibility. (Belfast Telegraph)
PKK rebellion (2015–present)
- Two Turkish police officers die and 14 others are injured following a car bomb attack on a police station in the town of Nusaybin, near the Syria–Turkey border. The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) are blamed for the attack. (BBC)
Syrian Civil War
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Syrian rebels have seized control of the al-Tanf border crossing on the Iraq–Syria border from ISIL militants. The rebel fighters who took the crossing reportedly entered Syria through Jordan. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Electricity is gradually being restored across Syria from a nationwide blackout that began early Thursday afternoon. Syria’s Electricity Ministry says the electrical grid is expected to return to normal capacity by midnight. There is no immediate word on the cause. (WireUpdate.com)
Five people, including an 18-month-old baby, are missing from an Indonesian ferryboat traveling from Bali to East Java that sank in the Bali Strait; 76 people have been rescued. (Jakarta Globe)

International relations

South China Sea disputes
- The U.S. Navy dispatches a carrier strike group containing the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier USS John C. Stennis to the South China Sea. (Washington Post)
Japan–United States relations, Relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe agrees to suspend work to expand the U.S. military base on Okinawa Island. Abe says his government will follow the court recommendation and settle several lawsuits over landfill work carried out to prepare for new runways. (Bloomberg)
France–Germany relations
- Germany wants France to shut down the Fessenheim Nuclear Power Plant near its border as soon as possible following media reports the April 9, 2014, incident was more serious than reported. (AP via ABC News) (Deutsche Welle)
European migrant crisis
- The European Commission proposes an end-of-year target date for lifting internal border checks and restoring the 26-nation, passport-free Schengen Area. (Reuters) (Bloomberg)

Law and crime

Brazilian police raid the home of ex-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in relation to the Petrobras scandal. Lula is brought in for questioning. (BBC)
Media freedom in Turkey
- A Turkish court places the influential Zaman newspaper under state control. Zaman is closely linked to the Gülen movement of influential U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, a former ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. (BBC)
The United States Supreme Court, with only Justice Clarence Thomas dissenting, blocks implementation of a Louisiana law that could have forced all but one of the state’s abortion clinics to close, and restores an earlier judicial ban on enforcing the 2014 law. Last week, a federal appeals court said the law could be enforced. (Los Angeles Times) (AFP via GlobalPost)

Politics and elections

Samoan general election, 2016
- Voters in Samoa go to the polls for a general election. (Radio New Zealand)
Serbian parliamentary election, 2016
- Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić, at the request of Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić, dissolves Serbia‘s parliament and calls for early elections to take place on April 24. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
United States presidential election, 2016, Republican Party presidential candidates, 2016
- Ben Carson suspends his campaign for the Republican Party nomination. The expected announcement was made during a speech at the 2016 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). (NBC News)
United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, 2016
- The British Chambers of Commerce suspends Director-General John Longworth for announcing his personal views on Brexit. The BCC, whose members are split on this issue, will not campaign for either side. (BBC)

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March 5, 2016

Top News Stories –

Sport Relief: Shearer beats Savage in 57-hour five-a-side epic –
Alan Shearer’s team have beaten Robbie Savage’s squad by 18 goals in a 57-hour five-a-side game for Sport Relief. Shearer, who captained the Match of the Day team, beat Savage, who led the BBC 5 live team with 547 goals to 529. More than 1,100 people played in the snow and rain outside BBC MediaCityUK in Salford since 09:15 on Thursday, raising £370,592 for Sport Relief. All-time Premier League top goal-scorer Shearer was presented his winning trophy by Gary Lineker. After scoring in extra time of the last game, Shearer said the challenge had tired him out. “My back, my thighs, my knees – they’re all in bits but it was all worth it.” The 57-hour duration of the match was chosen because it is the equivalent of a Premier League club’s entire season. The Premier League is matching all of the public’s donations up to a maximum of £500,000. The money will go towards helping disadvantaged people in the UK and overseas. [BBC]
Alan Shearer

Email inventor Ray Tomlinson dies at 74 –
Internet pioneer Ray Tomlinson, who is credited with the invention of email, has died at the age of 74. The US computer programmer came up with the idea of electronic messages that could be sent from one network to another in 1971. His invention included the ground-breaking use of the @ symbol in email addresses, which is now standard. Tomlinson died of an apparent heart attack on Saturday, according to reports. He sent what is now regarded as the first email while working in Boston as an engineer for research company Bolt, Beranek and Newman. [BBC]
Ray Tomlinson in 2004

Video of the Day –

SAGE “August In Paris” from LABELGUM on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#SabadoDaDetremuraSdv	Pat Conroy	#EpiloguesToSongs
2	#RenanExpulso	#SuperSaturday	#StradeBianche
3	#FelizSabado	Bankroll Fresh	#brickingitforcanada
4	#Felices20MarioBau	#A3AñosDeTuSiembraComandante	#Shetland
5	#انا_من_جيل	#MakeAMovieFeelTheBern	#gogglebox
6	#A3AñosDeTuSiembraComandante	#ShawnAtRadioCity	#StPiransDay
7	KATHNIEL SA CDO	#5daysTilDangerouswoman	#sgpconf
8	#ALDUBMaineEvent	#Ver01	#UFC196
9	#PrettyLittleWeekend	#WTM16	#OJSimpson
10	#SöylemedenEdemiycem	#OJSimpsonASong	#AMVCA2016

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Taliban insurgency
- The Afghan Taliban releases a statement rejecting peace talks with the government of Afghanistan until foreign forces stop attacking their positions and withdraw from the country. Direct peace talks between the government and the Taliban were expected to take place in Islamabad, Pakistan next week. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
- Second battle of Aden
  - Gunmen shoot dead the police chief of Aden‘s Tawahi district and one of his aides. (Reuters)

Business and economy

China announces plans to build a railway linking the Tibetan capital Lhasa with Chengdu. (Channel News Asia)

Disasters and accidents

More than 60 people are hospitalized after an engine explodes on a crowded Bangkok, Thailand, commuter boat. Police suspect a liquefied natural gas leak caused the blast. The boat operator has been ordered to use diesel fuel only on its 25-boat fleet. (AP) (International Business Times)

International relations

North Korea–Philippines relations
- The Philippines impounds a North Korean cargo ship in line with new UN sanctions on North Korea in response to Pyongyang‘s recent nuclear test and missile launch. Presidential spokesman, Manolo Quezon, said the 6,830-tonne cargo ship would not be allowed to leave the Port of Subic, Luzon, where it has been docked for three days, and that its crew would be deported. (The Straits Times)

Law and crime

Media freedom in Turkey
- Turkish police fire tear gas at protesters outside the Istanbul headquarters of the Zaman newspaper which has been taken over by the Turkish government. (BBC)
Gunmen dressed in police uniforms kill at least ten people in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Republican Party presidential primaries, 2016, Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2016
- Voters in the states of Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Maine, and Kentucky, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico participate in a party caucus or vote in a primary election. (Presidential Primary Schedule)
- Ted Cruz wins the Republican Party caucus in Kansas and Maine. (CBS News), (The Guardian)
- Donald Trump wins the Louisiana primary and Kentucky caucus. (ABC News), (New York Times)
- Bernie Sanders wins the Democratic Party contests in Kansas and Nebraska while Hillary Clinton wins in Louisiana. (CNN), (Washington Post), (NOLA), (CNN)
Slovak parliamentary election, 2016
- Voters in Slovakia choose representatives for all 150 National Council seats. While anti-migrant Prime Minister Robert Fico’s Smer party is expected to lose its parliamentary majority, it should be in position to lead a coalition government. (Reuters via Firstpost) (New Europe), (Bloomberg)
Samoan general election, 2016
- Results from yesterday’s election indicate that the ruling Human Rights Protection Party will retain power in a landslide. (ABC News Australia)
Anti-corruption campaign in China:
- The former party chief of Liaoning and Jilin provinces, Wang Min, is placed under investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. (SCMP)

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March 23, 2016

Top News Stories –

Foo Fighters singer Dave Grohl backs teenage metal band in Cornwall noise row –
US rocker Dave Grohl has leapt to the defence of a teenage heavy metal band from Cornwall – after their local council said they were too loud. The Black Leaves of Envy were told they would have to stop practising in a family garage after noise complaints from neighbours. Foo Fighters frontman Grohl penned an open letter to the authority after the band reached out to him. He asked Cornwall Council to “reconsider the restrictions”. In the open letter, former Nirvana drummer Grohl says he started out practising in a garage and says music is a “wonderful, creative outlet for kids”. Grohl also penned a separate letter to the band, giving them advice on soundproofing. He advised the group to fill the garage walls with sand and cover the floor in gym mats. Band member Adam Jones, 17, said: “It’s just been surreal – I’m speechless.” “Seeing the Foo Fighters tag you in a post on Facebook was just incredible,” he said. [BBC] Grohl famously broke his leg when he fell off the stage at a gig in Gothenburg, Sweden in June 2015 but returned to finish the concert.
Dave Gohl

Formula 1 drivers warn success of sport could be jeopardised –
Formula 1 drivers have demanded change at the top of the sport, saying its decision-making process is “obsolete and ill-structured”. Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) directors Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Alex Wurz have written a letter on behalf of the drivers. It “urges the owners and stakeholders of F1 to restructure its governance”. Many issues can be traced back to F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, but the letter does not mention the 85-year-old. Some recent decisions are “disruptive”, avoid “the bigger issues” and “could jeopardise F1’s success”, it adds. Writing the letter is an extraordinary step by the drivers, which reflects the strength of their feelings on the matter.
Jenson Button

Video of the Day –

iPhone SE (parody)

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#QuartaSantaClubeSDV	#NationalPuppyDay	#NationalPuppyDay
2	Katt Williams	#WednesdayWisdom	Katt Williams
3	#NationalPuppyDay	Katt Williams	#WeAreHereForYouJustin
4	#شبيهك_من_المش�…	David Letterman	#DogBooks
5	#ObamaEnArgentina	#1linewed	Suzanne Evans
6	#اشكر_ربي_علي	#ObamaEnArgentina	#SocialDayUK
7	#الهلال_في_ثلا�…	#WeAreNotThis	Bridget Jones
8	#EBGodGaveMeYou	#IndvsBan	#GeordieShore
9	#WeAreHereForYouJustin	#cowx	#SaudiArabiaUncovered
10	#ManInTree	#HandsOffMyBC	#FirstDates

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

2016 Brussels bombings
- Belgian federal prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw says two brothers of Belgian nationality, Khalid and Brahim el-Bakraoui, were responsible for yesterday’s suicide bombings. Khalid bombed the subway station while Ibrahim bombed the airport, he added. A third suspect, who died at the airport, is identified as Najim Laachraoui, says De Standaard. A fourth suspect seen in the airport photo, who left a massive bomb at the airport that did not detonate, is unidentified and still at large. (UPI) (Los Angeles Times) (De Standaard)
- Van Leeuw says 31 people died and 271 are injured in the bombings. (UPI)
- Referring to the Brussels bombings, Poland abandons a pledge to shelter Syrian migrants under a European Union relocation agreement. (Reuters)
Yemeni Civil War (2015–present), War on Terror
- At least 50 militants are reportedly killed in a U.S. air strike on an Al-Qaeda training camp in southern Yemen. (Reuters)

Business and economics

The U.S. Labor Department releases a long-awaited rule, the so-called persuader rule that was first proposed in 2011. The regulation requires companies to disclose when they seek advice about countering union campaigns. The final rule will apply to contracts beginning on July 1, 2016. Several business groups, such as the National Retail Federation, the Associated Builders and Contractors, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers, object because the rule limits employers’ free speech rights to counter union organizing, it could interfere with attorney-client privilege, etc. Court challenges are expected. (Reuters) (The Hill)

Disasters and accidents

2015–16 North American winter
- Late March 2016 North American blizzard
  - A powerful blizzard sweeping Denver, Colorado, forces authorities to close Denver International Airport, Interstate 70, Interstate 25 and leaves more than 100,000 people without power. The Colorado Army National Guard has been deployed to help rescue those stranded by the storm. (The Denver Post)
  - Denver International Airport reopens at 7 pm (Mountain Daylight Time). Over 1,300 flights were canceled. Just a few flights are expected to arrive or depart through the night. The National Weather Service estimates that parts of Denver received 19.5 inches of snow as of 3:59 pm (MDT). (The Denver Post) (The Denver Post²)

International relations

European migrant crisis
- Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, announce they are withdrawing from the so-called hotspots on the Greek islands because of the new EU-Turkey deal. UNHCR’s Melissa Fleming says, “Under the new provisions, these sites (hotspots) have now become detention facilities.” MSF’s Marie Elisabeth Ingres says, “We will not allow our assistance to be instrumentalized (sic) for a mass expulsion operation, and we refuse to be part of a system that has no regard for the humanitarian or protection needs of asylum seekers and migrants.” (Vox Media)(New Europe)

Law and crime

Passengers are evacuated from the south domestic terminal at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the U.S. state of Georgia after a suspicious package is found. The package is declared safe by a bomb squad. (AP via News24)
The Supreme Court of the United States, which currently has just eight justices, today heard the case brought by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh (Zubik v. Burwell, which includes similar ones by other religious organizations) that challenges the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act provision that employer-paid health insurance plans provide women with access to contraceptives at no additional out-of-pocket cost, and challenges the federal government accommodation offered in 2014 that would have a third-party provide the coverage with costs paid by the federal government. The plaintiffs state that both are unconstitutional because they violate the free exercise of religion. The decision is expected in June. If the result is a split decision (4-4), there would be no national precedent and each case’s final decision would be the one made in court before the case was forwarded to the Supreme Court. In the group of cases presented today, all but one appeals court upheld the government mandate. (Reuters)(USA Today) (NPR)

Politics and elections

Nigerien general election, 2016
- Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou wins re-election in a second round of voting, receiving 92 percent of the vote in an election that was boycotted by the opposition. (Al Jazeera)
Senegalese constitutional referendum, 2016
- Voters in Senegal approve a series of constitutional reforms, which include a reduction of presidential terms from seven to five years, with 63 percent of the vote. (BBC)
United States presidential election, 2016
- Tuesday, March 22 primaries/caucuses
  - Front runners Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump each won the Democratic and Republican primary in Arizona, respectively. (BBC)
  - Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz each won their party’s votes in Idaho and Utah (BBC)
  - The early results for Tuesday’s GOP caucus in American Samoa — nine uncommitted. The Democratic caucus was held on March 1, 2016, with Hillary Clinton getting eight delegates and Bernie Sanders three. (caffeinatedthoughts.com) (The Green Papers)

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April 24, 2016

Top News Stories –

Astronaut Tim Peake smashes the Guinness World Record for a space marathon –
British astronaut Tim Peake ran the London Marathon while aboard the International Space Station in a world record time. The spaceman is the second person to complete the 26.2 mile distance while on the ISS. However, Peake’s time of three hours, 35 minutes and 21 seconds was far faster than US astronaut Sunita Williams of four hours, 23 minutes and ten seconds. Williams ran her race in 2007 at the same time as the Boston Marathon. [Daily Mail]

Video of the Day –

Hello Tokyo from Christoph Gelep on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide	USA
#NiallDay	#NiallDay
#الهلال_الاهلي	Rachel Roy
#DomingoDetremuraSdv	#GameofThrones
#البنات_اوصخ_ش�…	#RedBullKumite
#UFC197	#HappyBirthdayKehlani
#توقع_واربح_كا�…	#LondonMarathon
#MiPrimerAcoso	#ClassicWrestlerFilms
#KathNielAtHimigHandog2016	#CanAnyoneExplainToMe
#ماذا_تعرف_عن_ع…	#TwitterWouldBeGreatIf
#LondonMarathon	#WhatTwitterTaughtMe

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraqi Civil War
- At least 14 people have been killed in suicide bombing attacks in Baghdad. (Daily Times)
Yemeni Civil War
- Saudi-led air strikes kill at least ten al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula fighters in southern Yemen. (Reuters)
- Yemeni and United Arab Emirates troops capture the seaport of Mukalla from al Qaeda. The Saudi Arabia led coalition claims to have killed more than 800 militants(Reuters), (Reuters)
Syrian Civil War
- Rockets fired by ISIL from northern Syria hit a poor neighborhood and a mosque in the Turkish city of Kilis, killing one person and injuring 26 others. Turkish security forces responded by returning fire into Syria. (Euronews) (Reuters)

International relations

North Korea–South Korea relations
- North Korea reportedly deploys 300 new multiple launch rocket systems along the Korean Demilitarized Zone. (Yonhap)
Syrian Civil War
- U.S. President Barack Obama rules out deploying U.S. ground troops in Syria and says military efforts alone cannot solve the country’s problems. He also said he did not think that ISIL would be defeated in his last nine months of office. (BBC)
- U.S. officials report President Obama will announce plans to send as many as 250 more U.S. troops to Syria to help fight ISIL militants. The troops are likely to include special operations forces and medical or intelligence support personnel, an official added. The decision is scheduled to be announced around noon tomorrow in Hanover, Germany, during the President’s farewell tour of Europe. (CBS News) (Reuters)
North Korea-United States relations
- President Barack Obama says the United States isn’t taking North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong’s proposal to halt nuclear activity seriously. Pyongyang would “have to do better than that,” he added.(AP)

Law and crime

Ebru Umar, a Dutch journalist of Turkish descent, is arrested in Kuşadası, Turkey, for tweets deemed critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This comes as a political storm erupted this week over reports that the Turkish consulate asked Turkish organizations in the Netherlands to forward emails and social media posts which insult Erdoğan or Turkey. (The Guardian)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- Following an appeal, 12-year-old Dima al-Wawi is freed from an Israeli prison. She is believed to be the youngest female Palestinian ever imprisoned. Israeli civil law, which does not allow anyone under 14 to go to jail, did not affect her imprisonment. Palestinian residents in the occupied territories are subject to military law that can sentence suspects as young as 12 to prison. (AP via ABC News)

Politics and elections

Austrian presidential election, 2016
- Austrians vote in the first round of electing the next president. Preliminary estimates indicate FPÖ‘s Norbert Hofer won the first round with 36 percent of the vote. Greens‘ Alexander Van der Bellen, who is supported by the Green Party, garnered 20%, and another independent, Irmgard Griss, took 18.5 percent. President Heinz Fischer was not eligible to be re-elected. Candidates representing the two leading parties, that have ruled for the past 70 years, were eliminated. Hofer and Van der Bellen will compete in the runoff election on May 22, 2016. (Bloomberg) (Election website) (Deutsche Welle), (Euro News)
Equatorial Guinean presidential election, 2016
- Equatorial Guinean voters go to the polls with incumbent Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo expected to win as the opposition boycotts the election. (Voice of America) (Al Jazeera)
Japanese House of Representatives by-elections, 2016: By-elections were held for two seats controlled by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. (Japan Times)
- Hokkaido 5th district by-election, 2016: LDP candidate Yoshiaki Wada staved off the competition from independent candidate Maki Ikeda. Despite the LDP’s winning margin decreasing from 14% (in 2014) to 2%, this win is seen as a boost for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the upcoming upper house election.
- Kyoto 3rd district by-election, 2016: The newly formed Democratic Party wrested back the seat from the LDP after their candidate and former MP for the district Kenta Izumi won by a landslide.
Philippine presidential election, 2016.
- The final leg of the Philippine presidential debate series is held in Dagupan. (The Manila Bulletin)
Serbian parliamentary election, 2016
- Serbians elect a new parliament under the backdrop of its accession to the European Union. Preliminary results indicate the incumbent, pro-EU populists sweeping the election. (Bloomberg) (AP via The Washington Post)
2015–16 protests in Moldova
- Protests continue in Moldova as thousands of anti-government protesters demonstrate in the capital Chișinău despite concessions given to the protesters last month by the government. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Around 1,000 people stage a rare public protest in the Kazakh city of Atyrau, rallying against the government’s decision to sell land in auctions amid a heavy police presence, though they did not forcibly disperse the rally. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

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May 9, 2016

Top News Stories –

Michel Platini: Uefa president to resign after ban appeal fails –
Uefa president Michel Platini will resign from European football’s governing body after failing to have a six-year ban from football overturned. A Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) panel reduced the ban to four years on Monday. Following the judgement, the 60-year-old said he would be stepping down. Platini and former Fifa counterpart Sepp Blatter, were last year found guilty of ethics breaches over a 2m Swiss Franc (£1.3m) “disloyal payment”. The pair, who deny wrongdoing, had their original bans reduced from eight to six years by the Fifa appeals committee. Platini had taken his case to Cas seeking to get the ban overturned, but a three-man panel said it “was not convinced by the legitimacy of the payment”. [BBC]
Michel Platini

Japan vagina artist cleared over kayak model but fined for data distribution –
A Japanese court has found an artist not guilty for displaying a kayak based on the shape of her vagina. The judge ruled that Megumi Igarashi‘s brightly-coloured kayak sculpture did not immediately suggest female anatomy. However, she was fined 400,000 yen ($3,700) after a judge ruled that she broke the law by sharing data from 3D scans of her genitalia, which could be used to recreate the shape of a vagina. Japan’s strict obscenity laws prohibit public displays of genitalia. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

TRIAL by The Brothers Lynch from The Brothers Lynch on Vimeo.

How the “Through the mirror shot” was done

ANATOMY OF A MIRROR SHOT – TRIAL short film from The Brothers Lynch on Vimeo.

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Somalia (2009–present)
- A suicide car bomb targeting Mogadishu’s traffic police headquarters kills at least four. Al-Shabaab claims responsibility. (NY Times) (Reuters)
Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
- Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
  - Airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition kill at least 10 in Yemen. (NY Times)
Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)
- The Pentagon announces the death of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIL) leader Abu Waheeb and three other militants in an airstrike near the town of Rutba, Iraq. (FOX News) (Reuters)
- An ISIL car bomb kills at least 50 and injures 54 people in the eastern Iraq city of Baquba. (AAP via News Limited)

Business and economy

Panama Papers
- The Panama Papers go online at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists website. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

At least seven people are killed and 30 injured in a bus accident in Ranchi, the capital of the Indian state of Jharkand. (NDTV)
The death toll from yesterday’s landslide in Taining County in China’s Fujian province rises to 14 with 25 still missing, (AP via Daily Mail)

International relations

North Korea–United Kingdom relations
- Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, the BBC‘s Tokyo correspondent, was detained in North Korea before being expelled by the government for “speaking very ill of the system”. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Philippine general election, 2016
- Filipino voters head to the polls for a presidential election with unofficial counts showing Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte with a commanding lead. (CNN), (AP)
Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann resigns after seven and a half years in office; says he lost the backing of his Social Democrats party. (USA Today)
Impeachment process against Dilma Rousseff
- Waldir Maranhão, the acting President of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies, says that the impeachment vote in that chamber should be annulled due to procedural irregularities and the voting process be held again. The Federal Senate is due to start voting on whether to impeach President Rousseff later this week. (Al-Jazeera)

Science

A transit of Mercury occurs, visible from Africa, the Americas, Europe and most of Asia. (BBC), (Daily Mail), (New York Times)

Sport

2015 FIFA corruption case
- UEFA President Michel Platini, who had been suspended by the FIFA Ethics Committee last fall, announces his resignation following the Court of Arbitration for Sport decision that let stand his ban, shortened to four years which corresponds to the duration of his remaining time in office. The court ruled that Platini was guilty of conflict of interest for taking a $2 million payment from FIFA approved bySepp Blatter in 2011. (USA Today)

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June 28, 2016

Top News Stories –

Japan uses anime to target young voters –
Japanese cities are using manga and anime to persuade young people to vote in forthcoming elections. The popular formats feature in local electoral commission materials aimed at newly enfranchised 18- and 19-year-olds, which explain why going to the polls is important, The Japan Times website reports. Last year, Japan lowered the voting age from 20 to 18 – the first change in seven decades. An election on 10 July to choose members of the upper house of parliament will be the first national poll since the law changed. Officials in the city of Nara have created a five-minute-long anime video on the importance not only of voting, but of making an informed decision at the ballot box. It shows three girls celebrate turning 18, two of whom don’t intend to use their votes. Other characters then warn the girls that it’s never been more important to make their voices heard. It ends with what the paper describes as a “perky, off-key song” about nearing adulthood and thinking for yourself. [BBC]See Video of the Day

Video of the Day –

エンジェルは選挙権がお好き / 井上涼【18歳選挙権】- Nara City Voting video

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni Civil War
- Three Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant bombings in Yemen’s southern port city of Al Mukalla kill 38 government forces and injure 24 others. (Reuters)
Iraqi Civil War
- At least 12 people are killed and 32 more are injured in a suicide bombing in Baghdad. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Atatürk Airport attack, Turkey–ISIL conflict
- Suspected ISIL militants attack Turkey‘s Istanbul Atatürk Airport. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım says 36 people were killed, as were the three suicide bombers. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ says 147 were wounded. (BBC) (The Guardian) (AP via Toronto Star), (The Australian) (AP)
Syrian Civil War
- Al-Bukamal Offensive
  - Rebels of the New Syrian Army begin an offensive to capture the eastern town of Al-Bukamal, currently held by ISIL militants. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Balochistan conflict
- Gunmen kill four police officers and four paramilitary soldiers in separate attacks in the city of Quetta. (AP via ABC News America)
Kurdish–Turkish conflict
- Turkish Armed Forces state two soldiers are killed and three wounded in a pair of attacks by Kurdistan Workers’ Party fighters in Diyarbakır Province in the country’s southeast. (Reuters) (Daily Sabah)(Azeri-Press Agency {APA})

Business and economics

Volkswagen emissions scandal
- Volkswagen and the United States Justice Department agree on a $14.7 billion settlement for its emissions-cheating program. The breakdown: $10 billion to consumers to cover buybacks and fixes; $2 billion for green energy funds investment; and, $2.7 billion to offset diesel emissions. In addition, VW agrees on a settlement with 44 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico that will cost at least $600 million. As for Europe, Volkswagen says its diesel vehicles don’t violate European Union emissions standards. (Reuters) (Nasdaq)
IKEA is to recall 27 million Malm chests of drawers in North America due to the danger they pose to children. Since 2014, at least three children have died when the drawers toppled over on them. (BBC)
Toyota is recalling 1.43 million hybrids worldwide—Toyota Prius, Toyota Prius Plug-in, and Lexus CT200h—from model years 2010-2012 because of a possible airbag inflator defect. The company says it is not aware of any injuries or deaths related to this issue. (Reuters) (AP via U.S. News & World Report)

Disasters and accidents

EgyptAir Flight 804
- One of the flight recorders of EgyptAir Flight 804 has been fully repaired in Paris after being found in the Mediterranean Sea and will now be sent to Egypt to be analyzed. (Euronews)
Three crew members are missing and one worker is injured following the head-on collision of two BNSF Railway freight trains near the American town of Panhandle, Texas. Officials, concerned that flames from box car fires could cause a fast-moving grass fire, order an evacuation of some nearby areas. (AP via MSN)
A huge explosion completely destroys a house and damages 24 others in Mississauga, Canada. At least one person is dead and 13 others are injured, according to Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services. Thousands of residents are forced to evacuate and many spend the night at a local community shelter. (CBC News) (CP24)

International relations

Bolivia, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, and Sweden are elected to be non-permanent members in the United Nations Security Council. (ABC News)

Politics and elections

United Kingdom withdrawal from the European Union
- The European Parliament’s first debate on the UK’s vote to leave is marked by bitter exchanges as prominent pro-Brexit figure Nigel Farage is booed and heckled by members of the European Parliamentand European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is heckled after saying that he is neither a robot nor a bureaucrat. (BBC)
- Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn refuses to resign after losing a vote of no confidence, with 80% of voting members of the Parliamentary Labour Party voting against him. Critics which include fellowMPs cite his failure to do more in the effort for the UK to remain in the EU as the main issue. (The Guardian)
- Prime Minister David Cameron will turn over his office no later than 9 September 2016. (Daily Mail)
- Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon schedules a meeting Wednesday with European Parliament President Martin Schulz about remaining in the EU, and intends to discuss the Scottish issue with theEuropean Commission. (Time) (Reuters)
Following a South African Constitutional Court order, the National Treasury reports President Jacob Zuma should pay back $500,000, the public funds spent upgrading his private residence. (Gulf News)(Business Standard)

Science and technology

Durham and Oxford universities’ geologists, working with a helium exploration company, discover an at least 54 billion cubic foot field of helium in the Tanzanian East African Rift Valley. Previously, helium has only been found in small quantities. This field, found using a new exploration approach connected to volcanic activity, could potentially meet global demand for several years. (BBC) (Phys.org)(Goldschmidt conference)

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July 6, 2016

Top News Stories –

Chilcot report: Tony Blair’s Iraq War case not justified –
Tony Blair overstated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, sent ill-prepared troops into battle and had “wholly inadequate” plans for the aftermath, the UK’s Iraq War inquiry has said. Chairman Sir John Chilcot said the 2003 invasion was not the “last resort” action presented to MPs and the public. There was no “imminent threat” from Saddam – and the intelligence case was “not justified”, he said. Mr Blair apologised for any mistakes made but not the decision to go to war. Sir John, the ex-civil servant who chaired the inquiry, describes the Iraq War as an intervention that went “badly wrong” with consequences still being felt to this day – and he set out lessons to be learned for future conflicts. His report, which is 2.6 million words, does not make a judgement on whether Mr Blair or his ministers were in breach of international law. [BBC]
Tony Blair in 2014

Video of the Day –

Explore Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park in Two Minutes

List of the Day –

Chilcott Report – errors in political and military decision-making in going to war in Iraq:

UK military commanders made “over-optimistic assessments” of their capabilities which had led to “bad decisions”
There was “little time” to properly prepare three military brigades for deployment in Iraq. The risks were neither “properly identified nor fully exposed” to ministers, resulting in “equipment shortfalls”
Policy on the Iraq invasion was made on the basis of flawed intelligence assessments. It was not challenged, and should have been
Mr Blair overestimated his ability to influence US decisions on Iraq; and the UK’s relationship with the US does not require unconditional support

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

CPP-NPA-NDF rebellion
- Twenty Philippine Army soldiers are under investigation after they are suspected of mutilating the body of a New People’s Army member. The communist militant’s eyes were gouged, his tongue was cut off and his throat was slit. (GMA News)
Yemeni Civil War
- A suicide car bomb, that targeted the Central Security headquarters in the port city of Aden, Yemen, kills at least 26 people. Following the blast, militants stormed the compound and clashed with soldiers. No group immediately claimed responsibility but it is similar to an Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant attack on the port of Al Mukalla. (AP via The New York Times) (Reuters)

Business and economy

The price of nickel swings wildly after Philippines environment secretary Gina Lopez announces plans to close existing mines in the country. (Financial Times) (Bloomberg)
Business magnate and former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi sells leading football club A.C. Milan to a Chinese consortium for an eventual €400 million. (BBC)
Australian federal election, 2016
- Standard & Poor’s drops Australia’s debt outlook from stable to negative following the country’s surprisingly close election this weekend. (The Guardian)

International relations

International reactions to Philippines v. China
- China threatens the United States regarding the South China Sea and it will not accept a verdict in the Permanent Court of Arbitration. (ABC News Go) (Forbes)

Law and crime

Oscar Pistorius trial
- South African athlete Oscar Pistorius is sentenced to six years imprisonment for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp. (CNN)

Politics and elections

Iraq Inquiry
- A report about the United Kingdom‘s involvement in the Iraq War is released. The chairman of the inquiry, Sir John Chilcot, said that the invasion was not a “last resort” and was based on “flawed intelligence and assessments”. The inquiry was announced on 15 June 2009 by then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The final hearing was held on 2 February 2011. (The Guardian) (BBC) (BBC²)
Hillary Clinton email controversy
- Loretta Lynch, the Attorney General of the United States, closes the investigation into Hillary Clinton‘s use of a personal email system to conduct official business without charges being laid. (CNN)
2016 Zimbabwe protests
- National “Stay Away” protests, organized over the Internet via the WhatsApp social messaging platform, take place in Zimbabwe, following fears of an economic collapse amid calls for President Robert Mugabe’s resignation.(BBC News)

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August 13, 2016

Top News Stories –

Gary Lineker pants: Match of the Day presenter keeps Twitter promise –
Gary Lineker kept his promise and introduced the opening Match of the Day of the new season in his underpants. Former England captain Lineker, 55, pledged to “do the first MOTD of next season in just my undies” if former club Leicester won the Premier League. The Foxes went on to win their first top-flight title by 10 points. “It is a one-off and a sporting miracle that has landed me in my underwear,” said Lineker, who scored 95 goals in 194 appearances for Leicester. “When I tweeted that silly bet back in December, I categorically knew there was zero chance of Leicester winning the league. Zero chance. It happened but it was magical, it was great.” Lineker managed to keep a straight face, while MOTD pundits Alan Shearer and Ian Wright giggled in the background, as he opened the programme. Lineker stayed in his underwear as Shearer and Wright analysed Leicester’s opening-day defeat by Hull. But as the programme moved on to the second match, he told viewers: “Enough of this nonsense – I’m going to get dressed!” [BBC]
Gary Lineker on MOTD with Alan Shearer and Ian Wright(BBC)

Video of the Day –

NEW YORK, NEW YORK from LMJ on Vimeo.

Other News Stories –

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)

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August 14, 2016

Top News Stories –

Wayde van Niekerk wins Olympic 400m gold in a new world record! –
The South African produces an absolutely astonishing run to wrestle the Olympic title away from Kirani James, who comes second. Michael Johnson’s 17-year-old world record is finally beaten! He looked to have set out far too quickly but, incredibly, got faster around the top bend and then sustained that top speed down the final stretch. The 2008 Olympic champion, LaShawn Merritt, gets the bronze. To give you an idea of how incredible of an athlete Van Niekerk is; he’s the only athlete in history to run 100m under 10 secs, 200m under 20 secs, and 400m under 44 secs. [CNN] See List of the Day
Wayde van Niekerk

Video of the Day –

Vocabulary 1 from Becky James on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

Time	Athlete	Nationality	Location of race	Date
43.86A	Lee Evans	United States	Mexico City, Mexico	October 18, 1968^[1]
43.29	Butch Reynolds	United States	Zürich, Switzerland	August 17, 1988^[1]
43.18	Michael Johnson	United States	Seville, Spain	August 26, 1999^[1]
43.03	Wayde van Niekerk	South Africa	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	August 14, 2016^[4]

Other News Stories –

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)

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 wildfire in Lower Lake, California. (WSJ)

Law and crime

American Olympic swimmers Ryan Lochte, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen are 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)

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August 15, 2016

Top News Stories –

A marriage proposal at the Olympics medal ceremony –
Chinese diver He Zi had just received a silver medal for the women’s three-metre springboard at the Rio Olympics on Sunday. But she ended up with another prize when her boyfriend Qin Kai, in front of a global TV audience, went down on one knee. Luckily for Qin, who himself won bronze in the men’s three-metre synchronised springboard last week, He Zi said yes. “We’ve been dating for six years, but I didn’t expect him to propose today,” she said. “He said a lot of things, made a lot of promises, but I think the thing that touched me the most is I think this is the guy I can trust for the rest of my life.” [BBC]

Rio Olympics: Seven injured when aerial camera, cables fall in Olympic Park –
Seven people suffered minor injuries when an aerial camera and its cables fell about 65 feet in the Olympic Park on Monday afternoon. Flavio Oliveira was just getting out of a handball match with his nephew when he heard the wires come crashing to the ground. He said the cable whipped against two girls, hitting one of them in the neck. A statement from the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), which provides TV feeds for countries around the world outside NBC, said, “According to local medical authorities, there were seven minor injuries that have received medical attention. A full investigation has been launched.” [USA Today]

Video of the Day –

Hot Wheels Road Trip

Other News Stories –

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)
2016 Summer Olympics
- An Olympics aerial camera and its cables fall sixty-five feet, injuring seven people. (USA Today)

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)
Without alluding to a possible motive, 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)

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November 8, 2016

Top News Stories –

Toblerone triangle change upsets fans –
A decision to space out the distinctive triangular chocolate chunks in two Toblerone bars sold in the UK has upset fans who say that they do mind the gap. The product’s makers, US-based Mondelez International, said it had changed the design to reduce the weight of what were 400g and 170g bars. Some consumers have described the move as “the wrong decision” and said the bigger spaces looked “stupid”. Mondelez said the move was down to a rise in the cost of ingredients. In a statement on the Toblerone Facebook page, the company said it had to make a decision between changing the look of the bars or raising the price. [BBC]
The old shaped Toblerone

Video of the Day –

The Flying Frenchies Surf and BASE Jump From a Zipline

List of the Day –

How many peaks in a bar of Toblerone?
According to Schott’s Food & Drink Miscellany the sizes and number of peaks for Toblerones are as follows:

Size	Tiny	Mini	35 g	50 g	75 g	100 g	200 g	400 g	750 g	4.5 kg
Peaks	3	3	8	11	11	12	15	15	17	12

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
- Six Al Qaeda insurgents are killed by the Arab coalition in Yemen. (Reuters)
Gunmen kill at least 30 people in an attack on a gold mine in a remote area of Zamfara State, northwestern Nigeria. (Reuters)

Business and economy

India abolishes larger banknotes in a bold and unexpected move to curb circulation of counterfeit notes and to fight black money. (BBC)(NDTV)

Politics and elections

United States elections, 2016
- Voters in the United States go to the polls for a range of federal, state and local elections, including the highly publicized presidential election between major party nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. (ABC)
- Results from several of New Hampshire‘s small midnight voting towns are released, showing marginal victories for Clinton in Dixville Notch and Hart’s Location, while Trump won significantly more votes in Millsfield. (News.com.au) (IB Times)
- The Republican Party is forecast to retain control of the United States House of Representatives. (ABC News)
- Donald Trump is forecast to win the United States presidential election as a result of victories of battleground states. (The Telegraph)
- The New York Times forecasts that it is highly likely that the Republican Party will retain control of the United States Senate. (The New York Times)
2016 South Korean political scandal
- South Korean prosecutors raid the offices of Samsung Electronics as part of a ongoing probe into President Park Geun-hye‘s controversial association with Choi Soon-sil. Yonhap News Agency reports prosecutors are investigating whether Samsung improperly provided financial assistance to Choi’s daughter, Chung Yoo-ra. (BBC) (Reuters)
European migrant crisis
- The National Assembly rejects Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán‘s bill to block the settlement of refugees in Hungary. The far-right Jobbik party abstained from the vote, arguing the immigration ban should apply to all foreigners, and not just refugees. (BBC)

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November 19, 2016

Top News Stories –

‘Fart’ in parliament: Row blows up in Canada –
A row has blown up in the Canadian parliament – over the word “fart”. When Conservative MP Michelle Rempel accused the government of treating the province of “Alberta like a fart in the room” over jobs, Green Party leader Elizabeth May took exception. However, it was not the accusations of inaction which riled Ms May. “I heard her say a word I know is distinctly unparliamentary, and I think she may want to withdraw it,” the shocked Ms May said. “The word was f-a-r-t,” she continued, spelling it out clearly so as not to repeat the offending term. Ms Rempel, who has represented Calgary Nose Hill since 2011, became equally incensed. “Is my colleague actually serious? I just gave an impassioned speech about Alberta jobs, and that’s what the leader of a political party has to say? No, I don’t withdraw it.” Ms May was not letting it go, however. “Decorum is important, and respect is important in this place,” she scolded. Unsurprisingly, the row has caused great hilarity on social media – especially in light of the political upheaval taking place just across the border. “With all eyes on Trump’s destruction of US politics and civil society, a silent but deadly political scandal in Canada,” tweeted Josh Greenberg, director of one of Canada’s leading journalism schools. [BBC]
Josh Greenberg tweet

Video of the Day –

STOMP makes rhythm with the Harlem Globetrotters –

Eight performers from the international sensation STOMP took to an outdoor basketball court in New York City’s Greenwich Village with four stars from the world famous Harlem Globetrotters to celebrate the team’s 90th year.

Other News Stories

Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni Civil War (2015–present), Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
- The Saudi-led coalition announces a 48 hour ceasefire in Yemen from noon. (Bloomberg) (Reuters, AFP via Breaking News)

Business and economics

After a software error, Mexicans purchase US$2500 Dell Alienware laptops for just US$33 each. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

Fire retardant foam floods the streets around a hangar at San José International Airport in Santa Clara County, California, U.S., after a fire alarm malfunction. (BBC)
2016–17 UK and Ireland windstorm season
- The Met Office issues warnings for parts of South East England as Storm Angus prepares to make landfall. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Bersih 5 rally
- Tens of thousands of people protest in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, calling for Prime Minister Najib Razak to step down amid an ongoing corruption scandal involving 1Malaysia Development Berhad. (Reuters)

Science and technology

An Atlas V rocket launches the GOES-R geosynchronous environmental satellite that will cover the Western Hemisphere for weather forecasting. (Florida Today)
Professor Stephen Hawking predicts that the humanity may suffer annihilation within the next 1,000 years, from causes such as a nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus or the threats from artificial intelligence. He also suggested that the only path toward human survival is going to space. (Fox News), (Extreme Tech)

Sports

In NASCAR, Daniel Suárez wins the season’s final race in the second-tier Xfinity Series, the Ford EcoBoost 300, claiming the season title in the process. The Mexican becomes the first foreign driver ever to win a season championship in any of NASCAR’s three U.S.-based national touring series. (ESPN)

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December 18, 2016

Top News Stories –

Zsa Zsa Gabor: Hollywood legend dies at 99 –
Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor has died at he age of 99 after suffering a heart attack, her husband has confirmed. On the point of tears, Frederic von Anhalt told the AFP news agency his wife had passed away at home, surrounded by her friends and family. “Everybody was there. She didn’t die alone,” he said. Born in Hungary, she emigrated to the United States during World War Two and made her Hollywood debut in 1952. She was married nine times. She appeared in more than 70 films, but was more famous for her celebrity lifestyle. She first married at the age of 20 and for the last (and longest) time when she was nearly 70 to the man who outlived her. By her own reckoning she was only married eight-and-a-half times – she said she didn’t really count a Spanish duke in 1982. [BBC]
Zsa Zsa Gabor in 1959

Video of the Day –

INDIAN PACIFIC FIFTEEN from Tom Jennings on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

Zsa Zsa Gabor Filmography

Film

Year	Film	Director	Note
1952	Lovely to Look At^[68]	LeRoy
	We’re Not Married!^[69]	Goulding
	Moulin Rouge^[69]	Huston
1953	The Story of Three Loves^[70]	Minelli
	Lili^[69]	Walters
	L’ennemi public no. 1 (The Most Wanted Man)	Verneuil
1954	Sangre y luces (Love in a Hot Climate)^[71]	Rouquier/Suey
1954	3 Ring Circus^[69]	Pevney
1956	Death of a Scoundrel^[69]	Martin
1957	The Girl in the Kremlin^[72]	Birdwell
1958	The Man Who Wouldn’t Talk	Wilconx
	Country Music Holiday^[72]	Ganzer
	Touch of Evil^[69]	Welles
	Queen of Outer Space^[69]	Bernds
1959	For the First Time	Mate
1960	Pepe^[1]	Sidney
1962	The Road to Hong Kong^[73]	Panama	Cameo
1962	Boys’ Night Out^[69]	Gordon
1966	Picture Mommy Dead^[69]	Gordon
1966	Drop Dead Darling^[74]	Hughes
1967	Jack of Diamonds^[75]	Taylor
1972	Up the Front	Kiliett
1976	Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood^[76]	Winner
1978	Every Girl Should Have One	Hyatt
1984	Frankenstein’s Great Aunt Tillie^[77]	Gold
1987	A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors^[78]	Russell	Cameo
1992	The Naked Truth^[72]	Mastorakis
1993	Happily Ever After^[79]	Blossom	Voice only
1993	The Beverly Hillbillies^[80]	Spheeris	Cameo

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War, Aleppo offensive (November–December 2016)
- Rebels attack and burn several buses en route to evacuate ill and injured people from the besieged Syrian villages of Al-Fu’ah and Kafriya. (The Guardian)
Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
- December 2016 Aden suicide bombings
  - An explosion outside a military camp in southern Yemen kills at least 49 people and injures many more. The explosion is believed to have been caused by a suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest. (AP) (BBC)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- A rock throwing 19-year old Palestinian is killed by IDF troops amid clashes in the West Bank village of Beit Rima. (Daily Sabah) (Haaretz)
2016 Al-Karak attack
- Unknown militants stage a number of attacks across the city of Al-Karak in Jordan, killing five people and injuring at least 10 others. (Al Jazeera)

Arts and culture

Stephanie Del Valle of Puerto Rico is named as Miss World 2016. (The Telegraph)

Disasters and accidents

At least 49 people die in Irkutsk, Russia after consuming hawthorn-scented bath essence as if it were alcohol. The product has been found to contain methanol. (The New York Times) (BBC News)
2016 Indonesian Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules crash
- An Indonesian military Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport plane crashes in Papua province killing all 13 people on board. (AP via Star Tribune)

International relations

Gambian presidential election, 2016
- Leaders from the West African bloc ECOWAS and from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation plead with Gambian long-time President Yahya Jammeh who lost in the recently held elections to step aside or face consequences. (Al-Jazeera) (Quartz)

Politics and elections

Ivorian parliamentary election, 2016
- Côte d’Ivoire votes. (The Voice of America)

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The 2010s

The story of a decade

Tag Archives: Yemeni Civil War

February 24, 2016

February 25, 2016

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March 23, 2016

April 24, 2016

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August 15, 2016

November 8, 2016

November 19, 2016

December 18, 2016

Film