World Newsa

 Winter Games
February 9, South Korea: Start of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang against the backdrop of tensions with North Korea
over its nuclear missile programme. The Games close on February 25.
 The end of the Castro era
February 24, Cuba: Raul Castro steps aside as president, ending nearly six decades of Castro leadership on the island.
 A fourth term for Putin?
March 18, Russia: Presidential election at which Vladimir Putin will seek a fourth term.
 Voting in Iraq
May 15, Iraq: Legislative and provincial elections, the first since the defeat of the Islamic State in the country.
 Royal wedding
May 19, Britain: Prince Harry marries US actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle.
 Football finals
July 15, Russia: The final of football's 2018 World Cup, which opens on June 14 in Moscow.
 Test for Trump
November 6, United States: Midterm elections, the first serious electoral test for President Donald Trump.
 Venezuela votes in crisis
December, at a date to be confirmed, Venezuela: Presidential election in the country, which is mired in political and
economic crisis.
 Climate, the moment of truth
December 3, Poland: Start of the COP24 environmental summit in Katowice, where key decisions are expected on the
implementation of the Paris climate accords.
 Delayed voting in DRCongo
December 23, Democratic Republic of Congo: Presidential election, two years after the expiry of the term of outgoing
President Joseph Kabila.
 Persecution of Muslims in Myanmar
 The existence of five mass graves in northern Rakhine State is confirmed by the Associated Press through
multiple eyewitness testimonies and video evidence. Many of the bodies in the graves
were Rohingya victims of the Gu Dar Pyin massacre. (The Associated Press)
Arts and culture
 The Canadian Senate agrees with the House of Commons to make the Canadian national anthem, "O Canada",
gender neutral. The second line of the song will now read "in all of us" instead of "in all thy sons." (NPR)
Business and economy
 Apple Inc. briefly removes the Telegram messaging service from its iOS App Store. Telegram CEO Pavel Durov says
Apple claims "inappropriate content" is available on the service. (The Verge)
Disasters and accidents
 Eleven people are killed in a fire at a Japanese residential facility for people in financial difficulty. (BBC)
International relations
 United States–Mexico relations
 United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrives in Mexico to meet with President Enrique Peña
Nieto and Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 School shootings in the United States
 Two 15-year-old students are seriously wounded and three other people injured in a shooting at Sal
Castro Middle School in Los Angeles, California. A 12-year-old female student is taken into custody. (CNN)
 Human rights in the State of Palestine
 The Palestine Liberation Organization "rejects and condemns" the United States decision to
put Hamas leader Ismael Haniyeh on the OFAC SDNterror blacklist. (Times of Israel)
 Slender Man stabbing
 Morgan Geyser is sentenced to 40 years in a mental institution for her role in the attempted murder of
Payton Leutner. (ABC News)
 2018 Calais migrant violence
 5 people are shot and 17 others sustain injuries during mass fighting between Afghan and Eritrean
migrant groups in Calais, France. A 37-year old Afghan man is suspected of having critically wounded four
Eritrean teenagers at a queue for food handouts. (BBC)
Politics and elections
 Cabinet of Donald Trump
 Tom Shannon, the United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, announces he will be
resigning for personal reasons. The State Department's third-ranking official and its most senior career
diplomat says he will stay on until a successor is named. (Reuters)
Science and technology
 2018 in spaceflight
 NASA confirms that Scott Tilley, a Canadian amateur astronomer and satellite tracker, has rediscovered
NASA's IMAGE (Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration) satellite while he was searching
for the U.S. government's classified Zuma satellite. NASA engineers will try to analyze the data from the
spacecraft to learn more about the state of the spacecraft. (The Independent) (Phys.org)
February 2, 2018 (Friday)
edithistorywatch
 China–United Kingdom relations
 Amid a perceived erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong, British Prime Minister Theresa May concludes a
three-day visit to China, said to have generated £9 billion in trade deals. (Hong Kong Free Press)
 History of YouTube
 YouTube announces that YouTubers who make "egregious" content will be punished. Critics of the move
call it censorship. (BBC)
 YouTube, in a move to boost transparency and combat propaganda, announces that it will start to label
videos by broadcasters that receive state-funding. (The Hill)
 2018 Sibanye Gold incident
 All 955 South African miners, who were stuck in the Beatrix gold minenear Welkom in central Free State
province since Wednesday, have been brought to the surface. Earlier, 65 other workers were rescued. No
serious injuries have been reported. The accident apparently happened when a strong storm knocked
over an electric power tower triggering the huge power cut. (BBC) (Reuters) (OkayAfrica)
 Mexico–United States relations
 Mexico's Secretary of Foreign Affairs Luis Videgaray Caso, flanked by visiting United States Secretary of
State Rex Tillerson and Canadian counterpart Chrystia Freeland, rejects "any option that would imply the
use of violence" on the subject of Venezuela. On the eve of his visit, Tillerson had defended the 19th-
century United States policy in Latin America and suggested that the Venezuelan Army could manage a
"peaceful transition" from President Nicolás Maduro. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Crime in France
 After two days of questioning, influential Islamic academician and Oxfordprofessor Tariq Ramadan is
charged with the alleged rape of two women and jailed in Paris. (The Guardian)
 Aftermath of the 2017 Finsbury Park attack
 As the sole perpetrator of the 19 June 2017 attack on Muslims in London, Darren Osborne is sentenced
to life in prison after being found guilty of murder. (Al Jazeera)
 Aftermath of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting
 An Arizonan ammunition dealer is charged in a Nevada federal court with "conspiracy to manufacture
and sell armor-piercing ammunition without a license" after his fingerprints were discovered on unfired
armor-piercing ammunition inside Stephen Paddock's suite. (Reuters)
 Nunes memo
 U.S. President Donald Trump authorizes Congress to release the Nunes memo, against the wishes of
the FBI, Department of Justice, and lawmakers from both sides, all of whom say that the document's
release poses a risk to national security. (NPR), (USA Today)
 The document is released through the House Intelligence Committee's website. Opinions on the memo
were largely mixed, with Democrats, some Republicans and several national security experts suggesting
that certain details in the document confirm prior reports surrounding the reasoning for the FBI's
decision to conduct the investigation. Critics of the memo suggested that its release was a partisan
attempt to undermine and discredit Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible ties
between Trump's presidential campaign and Russian intelligence associates, and posed a risk to national
security . (CNN)
 Nuclear Posture Review
 The United States releases a new policy on nuclear arms, the first update since 2010. It calls for the
introduction of two new types of weapons in the U.S. nuclear arsenal: low-yield nuclear submarine-
launched ballistic (SLBM) and cruise (SLCM) missiles. (Denver Post) (NPR)
Sports
 Football in Lithuania
 FK Panevėžys, a Lithuanian football club from the second-level I Lyga, is allegedly duped into
signing Barkley Miguel Panzo based on fabricated data from a Wikipedia page. However, the club
apologizes on 3 February for "the appearance of incorrect information" on its website. (SPORTbible) (FK
Panevėžys)
February 3, 2018 (Saturday)
edithistorywatch
Armed conflicts and attacks
 Syrian Civil War
 The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that unidentified rebel factions have
shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-25 jet over the Idlib Governorate, near Maarrat al-Nu'man, also killing its
pilot. The pilot had escaped with his parachute but was killed on the ground while he fought with a pistol
to evade capture. No groups claim responsibility. Russia's Ministry of Defence corroborates this version
of events. (Deutsche Welle)
 The Interfax agency states that Russia retaliated with a missile attack, killing at least 30 Al-Nusra militants
in North-West Syria with "precision-guided weapons". (USA Today)
 According to Sputnik agency, Tahrir al-Sham, allegedly including Al-Nusra Front, claims in a social media
post that it downed the Russian jet with a shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missile. (Sputnik News)
 The Turkish Army suffers its deadliest day of Operation Olive Branch so far after seven soldiers are killed
in clashes with the Kurdish YPG. (BBC)
 War in North-West Pakistan
 A suicide bombing, revindicated in an email to journalists by the Pakistani Taliban, kills at least 11
soldiers and injures 13 at an army unit camp's sports area in the Kabal area of the Swat Valley,
in Northwestern Pakistan, according to Pakistan Army figures. (AFP via The Jakarta Post)
Law and crime
 Crime in Italy, European migrant crisis
 A shooting in Macerata, Italy, leaves six African immigrants wounded. The suspect is arrested and the
case is being treated as a racially motivated crime. (BBC)
Recreation and Entertainment
 Closed amusement park ride
 Epcot announces that Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable would close permanently. (ridevine)
 15760 Albion (previously 1992 QB1), the first discovered Kuiper belt object, is officially named by its
discoverers. (Minor Planet Center)
Sports
 2018 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships
 Sanne Cant outduels Katie Compton in women's elite race at the UCI Cyclo-cross World
Championships in Valkenburg, Netherlands, winning her second title. (CX Magazine)
February 4, 2018 (Sunday)
edithistorywatch
 Israeli–Palestinian conflict
 The Cabinet of Israel decides to legalize a previously unauthorized outpost "deep inside the
[occupied] West Bank", Havat Gilad, allegedly in reaction to the recent killing of an Israeli rabbi
there. (Voice of America)
 Israeli authorities tear down parts of a European Union-funded school in the Palestinian village of Abu
Nuwar, on the occupied West Bank, saying it was built illegally. Palestinians say this is the fifth such
demolition since 2016, with residents and NGO's each time reconstructing it. (Reuters)
 Cayce, South Carolina train collision
 An Amtrak passenger train collides with a freight train in Cayce, South Carolina, U.S., and is derailed. Two
people are killed. (Huffington Post)(BBC) (CNN)
 An Anglo-Eastern Group oil tanker with 22 Indian crew members on board is reported missing off the coast
of Benin. The area is well known for piracy. (BBC)
 Costa Rican general election, 2018
 Costa Ricans head to the polls to elect a new President, amidst a gay rights controversy. (Reuters)
 Fabricio Alvarado Muñoz (National Restoration Party) and Carlos Alvarado Quesada (Citizen Action Party)
will face each other in the second round. (The Tico Times)
 Cypriot presidential election, 2018
 Cyprus is set to elect a new President in a second round of voting. Candidates include incumbent Nicos
Anastasiades and AKEL candidate, Stavros Malas. (Reuters)
 Incumbent Nicos Anastasiades is declared the winner. (Al Jazeera)
 Ecuadorian referendum and popular consultation, 2018
 Ecuador is set to hold a referendum consisting of seven questions for voters to approve or
reject. (Reuters)
 Politics of Yemen
 2011 Nobel Peace Prize co-winner Tawakkol Karman is ordered suspended from the Islah party's ranks
after she likened the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen to "reckless adventurism" and "ugly
occupation". (Reuters)
 Macedonia naming dispute
 Tens of thousands of people demonstrate in Athens against the willingness manifested by the Cabinet of
Greece to make concessions in the long-standing dispute with the Republic of Macedonia. (Radio Free
Europe)
 Weinstein effect
 Robert Doyle resigns as Lord Mayor of Melbourne after allegations of sexual misconduct were made
against him. Melbourne City Council is investigating the allegations. (BBC)
 Asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2018
 As predicted, a ~600 meter asteroid named (276033) 2002 AJ129 makes a close approach to Earth of
0.028 Astronomical units (4.2 million km, 2.6 million mi). (Space)
Sports
 Super Bowl LII
 The Philadelphia Eagles win their first Super Bowl, defeating the New England Patriots 41–33. It is
their first championship title. (AP)
February 5, 2018 (Monday)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Ariel stabbing
 An Israeli rabbi is stabbed to death by an Israeli Arab outside the Israeli-occupied West
Bank settlement of Ariel. (Reuters)
 Syrian government airstrikes pound rebel-held Eastern Ghouta enclave near the capital Damascus, killing
at least 23 civilians including four children. (Al Jazeera) (Times of Israel)
 The Wall Street stock market sheds 4.6% of its value, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping a record
1,175 points at close. At one point during the day, the benchmark index loses a record 1,579 points. (NPR)
(BBC) (USA Today)
 Brexit negotiations
 After talks with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May and Secretary of State for Exiting the
European Union David Davis in London, E.U. chief negotiator Michel Barnier calls on the United
Kingdom to make a choice on what sort of future relationship it wants with the European
Union after Brexit. (Reuters)
 Netherlands–Turkey relations, Aftermath of the 2017 Dutch–Turkish diplomatic incident
 The Netherlands withdraw their ambassador in Ankara and say that they will not accept a new
Turkish ambassador in The Hague. Dutch foreign minister Halbe Zijlstra says, "We have not agreed on
how to normalise ties." (BBC)
Law and crime
 Crime in Kenya
 Esmond Bradley Martin, a world-renowned ivory investigator whose detailed reports contributed to the
fight against elephant poaching and the illegal wildlife trade, is murdered at his home in Kenya. (The
Guardian)
 Politics of the Maldives
 The President of the Maldives, Abdulla Yameen, declares a 15-day state of emergency. Security forces
storm the Supreme Court of the Maldivesin a bid to block the court-ordered release of jailed opposition
politicians. Police arrest former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. (BBC)(Reuters)
 Discoveries of exoplanets
 Scientists using data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory discover new exoplanets in galaxies beyond
the Milky Way for the first time. (NBC News) (National Geographic)
February 6, 2018 (Tuesday)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Hualien earthquake
 Multiple earthquakes, including a magnitude 6.4 earthquake, strike near Hualien City, Taiwan. At least 9
people are killed and over 250 are injured, with extensive damage to many structures in the city. (The
Independent)
Law and crime
 In the United States, billionaire Steve Wynn, best known for his casino hotels and resorts, resigns as CEO
of Wynn Resorts following sexual harassment reports, including a $7.5 million settlement with a former
worker at his Las Vegas resort. (The New York Times)
 Freedom of the press in Turkey
 Turkey detains nearly 600 people for social media posts and protests opposing the Afrin
offensive in Syria. (Reuters)
 Politics of the Maldives
 Former President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed calls from exile for other countries to intervene in
a political crisis engulfing the island nation. Nasheed asks India to help release prisoners and the United
States to curb leaders' financial transactions. (BBC)
 Amendment to the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance
 Polish President Andrzej Duda ratifies a controversial Holocaust bill, despite angry protests
from Israel and the United States. Duda defends the legislation, which will make it illegal to accuse the
Polish state of complicity in the Holocaust during the Nazi occupation. (BBC)(Bloomberg)
 Falcon Heavy test flight
 SpaceX successfully launches its Falcon Heavy rocket, a feat the space company hopes will lead to
increased commercial and national security missions. Both boosters were successfully landed and
recovered. The core didn't land and was softly ditched in the water near the drone ship. The rocket
launched Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster, playing "Life on Mars" by David Bowie, which is expected to be in
an elliptic orbit of the sun, close to Mars, for several hundred million years. (Los Angeles Times)
 Ozone depletion
 Scientists (in the article published in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics) warn that the ozone
layer that protects people from the sun's ultraviolet radiation is recovering only over less populated
areas. (The Guardian)
February 7, 2018 (Wednesday)
edithistorywatch
 Israeli involvement in the Syrian Civil War
 Syrian state media say that Israeli warplanes attacked a military position in Jamraya, Rif Dimashq
Governorate, from Lebanese airspace, with the Syrian Air Defense Force intercepting most of the
missiles. The target is rumored to be a weapon research facility. (Xinhua)
 American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War, United States attacks on the Syrian government
 United States Central Command says that it killed more than 100 pro-government troops in "self-
defense" strikes 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) east of the Euphrates de-confliction line that was reportedly
agreed with Russia. (AFP via Rappler)
 Procter and Gamble announces that it will close its plant in Kansas City, Kansas, and reduce operations at its
plant in Iowa City, Iowa, as the company plans to shift production to factories in Tablers Station, West Virginia,
and Cincinnati, Ohio, by 2020. (USA Today), (Kansas City Star)
 Prime Minister of Macedonia Zoran Zaev states that his country is ready to add a geographical qualifier
to its name in order to end the dispute. He also says that his government renamed the country's main
airport and a key highway. (Reuters)
 Politics of the European Union
 The European Parliament votes 447–196 to dismiss Ryszard Czarnecki(PiS) as one of its 14 vice-
presidents, for calling fellow Polishparliamentarian Róża Thun (Civic Platform) a "szmalcownik"
(meaning Nazi collaborator). It is the first time that the parliament invokes the powers of Article 21 of
the Treaty on European Union to dismiss a senior office holder. Czarnecki remains a Member of the
European Parliament. (Deutsche Welle)
 Rob Porter resigns as White House Staff Secretary after two of his ex-wives make allegations of physical
and emotional abuse. Porter denies the allegations, which were first published by the Daily Mail. (The
Guardian)
 DREAM Act
 Nancy Pelosi breaks the record for the longest speech in the United States House of Representatives. The
77-year-old Democrat spoke for eight hours non-stop, pleading for a vote to protect "Dreamer"
immigrants who illegally immigrated and face the threat of deportation. (Sky News)
 Prehistoric Britain
 Without peer-review publication researchers at London's Natural History Museum state that the DNA
extracted from "Cheddar Man" reveals that early inhabitants of Great Britain had blue eyes and dark
skin. The name "Cheddar Man" was given to a fossil of a human man that lived thousands of years ago,
which was discovered in 1903. Some scientists in the field state that the sample may have been
contaminated with modern DNA weakening the results. (BBC), (The New York Times), (Gene Expression)
February 8, 2018 (Thursday)
edithistorywatch
 American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War
 Syria and the Russian Federation once again state that the United States' military presence in
Syria is "illegal". United States and US-backed forces now have control of about a quarter of
Syrian territory. (The Washington Post)
 Battle of Khasham
 A force of five hundred Syrian pro-government troops supported by tanks and artillery launched
a ground assault on a local headquarters of the Syrian Democratic Forces near the town
of Khasham, in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate. More than one hundred Syrian government fighters
were killed in the battle, including Russian private military contractors of Wagner Group. (The
Washington Post)
 Economy of Germany
 Germany's trade surplus shrank in 2017 for the first time since 2009, reflecting strong domestic
demand. (Reuters)
 Japan–United Kingdom relations
 After a meeting with top Japanese business and British government executives in 10 Downing
Street, Japan's ambassador to Britain warns that companies may discontinue their UK operations if
a Brexit without a new trade deal makes them unprofitable. (The Telegraph)
 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
 A senior European External Action Service official says that the European Union, in order to protect its
companies doing business with Iran, could implement "blocking regulations" based on a legal framework
set up in 1996 for E.U. trade with Cuba, should the United States pull out of the 2015 nuclear deal and
restore its sanctions. (Reuters)
 Commonwealth of Nations
 The Gambia formally rejoins the Commonwealth five years after its former President Yahya
Jammeh withdrew the West African country, calling it a "neocolonial institution". (Euronews)
 Belgium–Netherlands relations
 A judge in Amsterdam delays the extradition of the man suspected of a lethal stabbing on
the Bruges Market Square, citing concerns over the living conditions in Belgian jails. (Knack) (Het Laatste
Nieuws)
 United States–Guatemala relations
 U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales. Trump thanks Morales
for having supported the decision of the United States to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. They
discuss various issues about the crisis in Venezuela, drug trafficking and the UN anti-corruption
commission. (The Times of Israel)
Law and crime
 LGBT rights in Bermuda
 Bermuda repeals same-sex marriage, becoming the world's first jurisdiction to legalise, then repeal
same-sex marriage. However, about half a dozen same-sex marriages that took place in Bermuda
between the Supreme Court ruling in May 2017 and the repeal will continue to be recognised. (The
Guardian)
 Crime in Toronto
 The remains of six people found on a property in East York are linked to alleged serial killer Bruce
McArthur. This brings the total body count to eleven. (Global News)
 Mexican Drug War
 Mexican authorities arrest American-born Jose Maria Guizar Valencia, the alleged leader of
the Zetas drug cartel, as he was entering a hotel inMexico City's upscale neighborhood of Roma. (Los
Angeles Times)(BBC)
 2017–18 United States political sexual scandals
 Jeff Kruse announces his resignation from the Oregon State Senate, effective March 15, amid allegations
that he sexually harassed female colleagues and other staffers. Kruse denies the allegations. (USA Today)
Sports
 2018 Winter Olympics
 Luger Erin Hamlin is selected as the Team USA flag bearer after winning a tie-breaking coin
toss against speed skater Shani Davis. (The Guardian)
edithistorywatch
 Trinity Mirror agrees to buy British publishing group Northern & Shell from Richard Desmond for £126.7 million.
The deal gives Trinity Mirror ownership of the Daily Express and Daily Star newspapers. (The Guardian)
 Earthquakes in 2018
 A 5.8 magnitude earthquake strikes off the coast of the Mexican state of Jalisco, prompting evacuations
in the tourist resort of Puerto Vallarta and is felt in the country's second-largest metropolitan area
of Guadalajara. No casualties are reported. (Puerto Vallarta Daily)
Law and crime
 iOS jailbreaking
 A Vice Motherboard report traces the origin of a significant iOS source code leak to an Apple intern and
five "friends" in the iOS jailbreakingcommunity. (The Verge via Slashdot)
 Russian espionage in the United States
 The New York Times reports that the CIA handed $100,000 to an unnamed Russian intelligence source in
a Berlin hotel room, allegedly expecting to get back stolen NSA hacking tools. (Newsweek)
 United States federal government shutdown of 2018
 The United States government runs out of funding for the second time this year, prompting
another government shutdown. (The New York Times)
 A comprehensive budget deal is later passed by Congress in the early hours of the morning, and
a Continuing Resolution is signed into law by President Trump that keeps the government open until
March 23, 2018. (CNN) (Federal News Radio)
 Timeline of the Trump presidency, 2018 Q1
 Rachel Brand, Associate Attorney General since May 2017, plans to step down in the next several weeks
in favor of a job in the private sector. (USA Today)
 Politics of Turkey
 Turkey arrests 17 leaders of the left-wing Peoples' Democratic Party for opposition to the ongoing Afrin
offensive. (Reuters UK)
 Human genetics
 Researchers at the University of Edinburgh claim they have successfully brought prepubescent-
sourced, immature human egg cells to maturity in a laboratory for the first time. The work may be
significant because it may allow the harvesting and preservation of eggs from young girls
undergoing toxic cancer treatment before their lifetime reservoirs of those cells are
destroyed. (BBC) (Oxford Academic)
 As predicted, asteroid 2018 CB, estimated to be between 15 and 40 metres (50–130 feet) in diameter,
makes a fly-by past Earth at a distance of around 64,500 km (40,100 mi). This is the second asteroid to
make a fly-by this week. (The Guardian)
Sport
 The 23rd Winter Olympic Games start in Pyeongchang, South Korea. It marks the first time that South
Korea has hosted the Winter Olympics. (The Guardian) (ABC News)
edithistorywatch
 February 2018 Israel–Syria incident
 The Israeli Army says that it shot down a Syrian UAV manufactured in Iran and, in response, it bombed
the Tiyas Military Airbase in Homs Governorate, Syria, where it was launched from. (Reuters)
 The Syrian Air Defense Force shoots down an Israeli F-16 over the Golan Heights after it fired on
alleged Iranian targets inside Syria. Both pilots parachute to safety. (BBC) (RFERL)
 Syrian state media cite a military source saying that the Syrian air defences hit "more than one plane" at
dawn. (Reuters)
 Turkish military operation in Afrin
 The Kurdish YPG shoots down a Turkish Air Force T129 ATAK helicopter over Syria's Afrin District, killing
both pilots. (Al Jazeera)
 2018 Hong Kong bus accident
 A double-decker bus overturns near Tai Po in Hong Kong, killing at least 19 people. (The Guardian)
 A bus carrying local tourists crashes in West Java, Indonesia, killing at least 27 people. (AP via ABC News)
 A Papillon Tours helicopter crashes in the Grand Canyon in the Southwestern United States, killing three people
and injuring the other four on board. The six passengers were all British citizens. (AP/CBS News)(ABC News)
 India–Palestine relations
 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Palestine, saying that he backs an independent Palestine
state. This event has been labeled as "historic" as it is the first time an Indian Prime Minister has visited
Palestine. (Al Jazeera)
 North Korea–South Korea relations
 South Korean President Moon Jae-in hosts talks at the Blue House with North Korean President of the
Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly Kim Yong-nam and Kim Jong-Un's sister Kim Yo-
jong. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Crime in Ohio
 Two officers of the Westerville, Ohio Police Department are shot and killed (one died immediately, one
later at the hospital) in an ambush-type attack which had begun as a domestic dispute between the male
perpetrator, who was wounded during the incident, and his wife. (CNN)
 Crime in Kentucky
 separate shootings kill a total of 5 in kentucky. The shooter is among the dead.
York Post)
 Politics of the United States
 Heath Hall, the acting Federal Railroad Administration chief, resigns "effective immediately" over
a Politico report that he has a second job in Madison County, Mississippi. (NPR)
 Politics of the Republic of Ireland
 Mary Lou McDonald is confirmed in the position of president of Sinn Féin. She succeeds Gerry Adams,
who was Sinn Féin's leader since 1983. (Reuters)
edithistorywatch
 Saratov Airlines Flight 703
 An Antonov An-148 of Saratov Airlines with 71 people on board crashes shortly after take-off
from Domodedovo Airport, Moscow, Russia. The TASS agency cites an emergency source stating that
none of the 65 passengers and 6 crew members has survived. (BBC) (Reuters viaThe Daily Star)
Law and crime
 United Kingdom Secretary of State for International Development Penny Mordaunt tells BBC One that Oxfam's
failure to pass on information regarding sexual misconduct allegations of its workers in Haiti and Chadshows an
"absolute" absence and failure of moral leadership. (BBC News)
 Monegasque general election, 2018
 Primo ! Priorité Monaco, a new political party, wins 21 of the 24 seats in the National Council. (Hello
Monaco) (Le Figaro)
 Anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, 2017–18 Iranian protests
 Iranian president Hassan Rouhani proposes a referendum to heal country's divisions, according to the
Article 59 of constitution. (Guardian)
 Sri Lankan local elections, 2018
 The opposition SLPP (Rajapaksa) wins 44.65% of the vote, the ruling coalition
parties UNP (Wickremesinghe) and UPFA (Sirisena) gather 32.63% and 8.94% respectively. Rosy
Senanayake (UNP) becomes the first female mayor of the capital Colombo. (Al Jazeera)
edithistorywatch
 Drone strikes in Pakistan
 Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) confirms its deputy leader Khalid Mehsudhas been killed in a U.S. drone
strike in North Waziristan, near the border with Afghanistan. (BBC)
Arts and culture
 Egypt bans Saturday Night Live Arabia for using "sexual expressions that are inappropriate for viewers". (The
Guardian)
 All flights to and from London City Airport are cancelled after an unexplodedWorld War II bomb is discovered in
the River Thames at King George V Dock. (BBC)
 2017–18 South Pacific cyclone season
 Tonga is directly hit by Cyclone Gita, causing heavy damage to the country. Gita is the strongest storm to
hit Tonga in its history. (1 News)
 Tonga's 100 year old Parliament building is destroyed by Cyclone Gita. (BBC News)
 Emergency teams comb snowy fields outside Moscow Monday for debris from a
crashed Russian airliner and the remains of the 71 people who died. Transport Minister Maksim
Sokolov says that emergency teams have already found the plane's flight data recorder, which will help
them determine the crash's cause, but notes that the search for the victims' remains will take at least a
week. (AP via Daily Mail)
 Cyprus–Turkey maritime zones dispute
 The European Union urges calm and restraint after Turkish Navywarships obstruct a Cypriot offshore
drilling vessel in the Eastern Mediterranean, which was approaching an area to explore for natural
gas. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Mass shootings in the United States, Crime in Detroit
 A gunman kills three civilians and wounds three police officers and another civilian, then kills himself, in
a standoff in Detroit. (The Detroit News)
 Ukrainian crisis
 Mikheil Saakashvili, leader of the opposition Movement of New Forcesparty, who has been stripped of
his Ukrainian citizenship by Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko on 26 July 2017, is detained by
the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kiev and deported from Ukraine to Poland. (U.S. News) (Kyiv
Post) (Sputnik News)
 Politics of the Netherlands
 Foreign Minister of the Netherlands Halbe Zijlstra admits to lying about having attended a meeting
with Vladimir Putin in 2006. Zijlstra had said that Putin mentioned plans to expand Russia to include
Belarus, Ukraine, and the Baltic states but now says that he was not present and borrowed the story
from a source. (Politico) (De Telegraaf)
 Politics of New Zealand
 Former Prime Minister Bill English resigns as National Party leader. (Newshub)
 Presidency of Donald Trump, United States federal budget
 U.S. President Donald Trump sends his US$4.4 trillion 2019 budget proposal to Congress. (The New York
Times)
 President Trump also introduces his US$1.5 trillion federal infrastructure plan to several governors and
mayors at the White House. (The Hill)
 Presidency of Rodrigo Duterte
 Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte calls for female communist rebels to be shot in the genitals.
Duterte's comments are described as "a funny joke" by his spokesman, while drawing heavy criticism
from others. (Al Jazeera)
edithistorywatch
 United Airlines Flight 1175 traveling to Honolulu from San Francisco lands safely at Honolulu International
Airport, Hawaii, after the pilots call for an emergency landing because of a loss of the engine cowling. (CBS12)
 An overnight fire destroys parts of Haiti's historic Marché en Fer (Iron Market) in Port-au-Prince. It is unclear
what started the fire. (Voice of America)
Law and crime
 In closed-door proceedings at an Israeli military court in Ofer Prison, near Ramallah, 17-year-old
Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi is indicted on 12 counts of assault and incitement. She is ordered held
until the end of the trial, which is adjourned until next month. (PRI) (VOA)
 United Kingdom football sexual abuse scandal
 Former association football coach Barry Bennell is convicted of 36 counts of indecent assault against
youth footballers in the 1980s and 1990s, following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court. (BBC)
 Corruption in Israel
 Israeli police recommend indicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with charges of corruption
and bribery. Netanyahu calls the accusations "baseless". (NBC News)
 Corruption in Guatemala
 Former President Alvaro Colom and his entire government cabinet were arrested for their alleged
participation in a new corruption case investigated by CICIG and the MP. They were sent to preventive
detention at the Mariscal Zavala Military Center. (Deutsche Welle)
 Politics of South Africa
 South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) formally requests that President Jacob Zuma step
down after he refused to resign. (BBC)
 Politics of the Netherlands
 Halbe Zijlstra offers his resignation as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. Minister Sigrid
Kaag takes over the portfolio ad interim. (NOS) (The Washington Post) (De Telegraaf)
 Politics of Germany
 Martin Schulz resigns as leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) with immediate effect.
The mayor of Hamburg Olaf Scholz will serve as interim leader until a new leader is elected. (BBC)
 Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections
 Russia wants YouTube and Instagram to remove videos posted by Alexey Navalny, a prominent
opposition figure, describing his investigation into Oleg Deripaska, a Russian billionaire, with bribing
Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Prikhodko and offering information about the 2016 U.S. election he had
received from Paul Manafort. (ABC News)
 Supersonic transport
 A new plane that would fly from London to New York City in three hours has just received crucial
funding. The aircraft, officially named Quiet Supersonic Transport (QueSST) and dubbed the "Son
of Concorde", was proposed by NASA and has just been given the go-ahead by US officials. QueSST could
make its maiden voyage in 2021 if all goes according to plan. If so, it will halve the current travel time
between London and New York City. (Metro)
 Antimicrobial peptides
 Scientists announce the discovery of malacidins, a new class of antibacterial chemicals. (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 Russian aircraft carry out airstrikes in Ma'arrat Hurma village in Idlib, Syria, killing seven civilians and
injuring 10 others. (TRT World)
 Economy of the European Union
 Eurozone GDP rises by 2.5% in 2017, a pace not seen since 2007, and industrial production is up 5.2%
year-on-year. The production of durableconsumer goods is up 7.4% and capital goods, indicating
investments, are up 7.6%. (Reuters via Arab News)
 A car crash at the headquarters of the United States National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Maryland, injures
three people. Police officers shoot at the driver, who they say was attempting to attack the building. (The Verge)
Law and crime
 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting
 A shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, leaves 17 people dead (14 of whom were teenagers),
and 15 others wounded. The suspect is apprehended and identified as 19-year-old former student
Nikolas Crus. This is the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history. (CNN)
 Crime in South Africa
 The residence of the Gupta family is raided by the South African Police Service's elite Hawks unit and
three people are arrested. (BBC)
 Stormy Daniels–Donald Trump scandal
 Michael D. Cohen, the private lawyer of U.S. President Donald Trump, says he made a
"lawful" US$130,000 payment to porn star Stephanie Clifford, aka Stormy Daniels, from his own private
funds. The statement to The New York Times comes after the Common Cause organization on January
22, 2018, filed a complaint about the payment with the Federal Election Commission. (ABC News)
 Crime in Pakistan
 Pakistan moves to ban two charities linked to terrorist Hafiz Muhammad Saeed. (Reuters)
 November 2015 Paris attacks
 After the first trial on the attacks, Jawad Bendaoud is acquitted. Bendaoud rented an apartment to two
of the attackers but denied knowing what they planned. Mohamed Soumah is sentenced to five years in
jail for acting as an intermediary, and Youssef Ait-Boulahcen to three years for failing to inform
authorities. (Digital Journal)
 Disappearance of Maëlys de Araujo
 The remains of Maëlys de Araujo, a nine-year-old girl who disappeared from a wedding in France in
August 2017, are found after suspect Nordahl Lelandais guides investigators to the site. (RTE.ie)
 Mikheil Saakashvili, leader of the opposition Movement of New Forcesparty, who was deported
from Ukraine to Poland, relocates to the Netherlands. (NOS) (Xinhua)
 Jacob Zuma resigns as President of South Africa effective immediately, following an ultimatum issued the
day prior by African National Congressthat ordered Zuma to step down as head of state or face a vote of
no confidence by the South African Parliament to remove him from power within 48 hours of the
declaration. Cyril Ramaphosa takes over as Acting President. (News24)
 Zimbabwean general election, 2018
 Morgan Tsvangirai, opposition politician in Zimbabwe, dies of colon cancer at the age of 65, only months
before a presidential election. (Al Jazeera)
Sports
 Concerns and controversies at the 2018 Winter Olympics
 A man is caught impersonating Kim Jong-un after walking through North
Korea's cheerleading squad. (Business Insider)
edithistorywatch
 War in Afghanistan
 The United Nations report that in 2017, more than 10,000 Afghancivilians were killed or wounded in the
war. (Deutsche Welle)
 An arms depot explosion in Tabiyet Jazira, Deir ez-Zor, kills at least 23 people, including over a
dozen Russian contractors allegedly belonging to the Wagner Group, according to the Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights. (The Guardian)
 The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission blocks a Chinese-led group of investors from buying the Chicago
Stock Exchange. (CNN)
Law and crime
 Aftermath of the 2017 cyberattacks on Ukraine
 The United Kingdom government and the United States White Houseaccuse the Russian military of being
responsible for the launch of the NotPetya malware in June 2017. The White House calls it the most
destructive and costly cyberattack in history and says Russia will be met with unspecified "international
consequences". Russia denies responsibility and dismisses the accusation as "groundless", lacking
evidence, and "Russophobic". (Washington Examiner)
 Former Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra youth coach Barry Bennell is found guilty of 43 sexual
attacks on twelve boys between 1979 and 1990. (BBC)
 Mexican general election, 2018
 María de Jesús "Marichuy" Patricio Martínez, the National Indigenous Congress's independent pre-
candidate for President of Mexico, is involved in a road accident while campaigning in Baja California Sur.
Marichuy is reported as injured while a passenger of the vehicle is dead. (Reuters)
 Istanbul convention
 Prime Minister of Bulgaria Boyko Borissov says that GERB, his party, will not ratify the convention due to
lack of support from political parties. The treaty was designed by the Council of Europe to
combat domestic violence and violence against women but critics say its language is vague, it could
encourage youth to identify as transgender or third genderand it could lead to same-sex marriage in
Bulgaria. (Reuters)
 Criminal justice reform in the United States
 The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee backed the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act, a package to
reduce some of the strictest federal sentencing rules along with reforms for the federal prison system, by
a vote of 16–5. (CNN)
 Politics of Ethiopia
 Hailemariam Desalegn resigns as Prime Minister of Ethiopia after six years in office amid ongoing unrest
in the Oromia and Amhara regions. (BBC)
 Cyril Ramaphosa is elected by the National Assembly as President of South Africa. (PBS)
 NASA's Kepler space telescope has discovered 95 new exoplanets. (USA Today)
edithistorywatch
Armed conflict and attacks
 Boko Haram insurgency
 Three suicide bombers kill at least 20 people at a fish market in Konduga, Borno, Nigeria. (The Guardian)
 2018 Oaxaca earthquake
 A magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes near the town of Pinotepa Nacionaland is widely felt across
Southern and Central Mexico, causing material damages in the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca and Mexico
City. It is followed by a 5.8-magnitude aftershock. (The United States Geological Survey), (CNN)
Law and crime
 Crime in Washington
 A teenager is arrested for allegedly planning a school shooting in Everett, Washington. Police found a
semi-automatic rifle hidden in a guitar case along with bomb making equipment. (CBS News)
 War on Terror
 The Court of Appeal in Rabat, Morocco, acquits Younes Chekkouri of undermining the security of the
state. Chekkouri was detained inGuantanamo Bay detention camp for 14 years without charges. (Xinhua)
 Aftermath of the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt
 A court in Turkey hands life sentences to six journalists, including Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan and Nazlı
Ilıcak. (Reuters) (PEN.org)
 Special Counsel investigation (2017–present)
 U.S. President Donald Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon is interviewed over two days this
week as part of the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 United States
elections. (BBC)
 Thirteen Russian nationals from the Internet Research Agency are indicted by a grand jury on charges
of conspiracy to defraud the United States during the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. (CNN) (BBC)
 Ethiopia declares a national state of emergency one day after the unexpected resignation of Prime
Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. (BBC)
 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh
 Bangladeshi home minister Asaduzzaman Khan meets with his Burmese counterpart, Kyaw Swe,
in Dhaka to discuss the repatriation of Rohingyarefugees from Bangladesh to Myanmar. The Burmese
delegation accepts a list of 8,032 Rohingya refugees (1,673 families) who are to be
repatriated. (Washington Post)
edithistorywatch
 A military helicopter surveying the damage, carrying the Governor of Oaxaca Alejandro Murat
Hinojosa and Mexico's Secretary of the Interior Alfonso Navarrete Prida, crashes over Jamiltepec,
killing 13 people on the ground. These deaths are the only known ones related to the
earthquake reported so far. (CNN)
 Earthquakes in the British Isles
 A magnitude 4.4 earthquake, the strongest in the United Kingdom for ten years, occurs
at Swansea. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Aftermath of the murder of Zainab Ansari
 An Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore, Pakistan, sentences Imran Ali to death, for the rape and murder of 7-
year-old Zainab Ansari. The victim's family demands Ali's hanging to be conducted in public. (The Express
Tribune)
 Politics of the United Kingdom
 UK Independence Party (UKIP) members vote to remove Henry Boltonas leader amid controversy over
his private life and leadership. Gerard Batten becomes interim leader. (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Kizlyar church shooting
 A gunman kills five people and wounds several others at a church in Kizlyar, Dagestan, Russia. Police later
shoot and kill him. (BBC)
 Iran Aseman Airlines Flight 3704
 An Iran Aseman Airlines ATR 72 commercial aircraft carrying 59 passengers and 6 crew members crashes
near the Iranian town of Semirom. The airline reports that there are no survivors. (AP via Fox
News), (BBC)
Law and crime
 Corruption in Latvia
 The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau detains the head of the Bank of Latvia, Ilmārs
Rimšēvičs. In response, Latvia's Prime MinisterMāris Kučinskis calls an emergency cabinet meeting but
added there was no apparent threat to the Latvian financial system. (BBC)
Sports
 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
 Austin Dillon wins the 60th Daytona 500. (ESPN)
edithistorywatch
 Rif Dimashq offensive
 Ahead of an expected ground offensive, Syrian Air Force strikes on rebel-held eastern Ghouta,
near Damascus, kill at least 44 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights. (France 24)
 An attacker stabs three people at a Tim Hortons in Montreal, Canada. (CTV news)
 Three days after the previous, stronger earthquake, a 5.9-magnitude possible aftershock strikes again
near the coast of Oaxaca and is widely felt across Southern and Central Mexico. No victims are reported
so far. (Reuters)
 A collapse at a garbage dump in Mozambique kills at least 17 people. (BBC)
 Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra, Indonesia, erupts. There are no reports of injuries or fatalities. (Evening
Standard)
Law and crime
 Former coach Barry Bennell is sentenced to 31 years in prison for 50 offences against 12 boys between
1979 and 1990. (The Guardian)
 Child sexual abuse in the United Kingdom
 A court sentences Matthew Falder, convicted on 137 charges, to 32 years in jail after confessing to
blackmailing numerous teenagers into performing sexual acts. (The Guardian)
 Eurozone
 Spanish Minister of Economy and Competitiveness, Luis de Guindos, is set to be nominated by
the Eurogroup to succeed Vítor Constâncio as Vice-President of the European Central Bank. (Business
Insider)
 Human impact on the environment
 In a Scientific Reports publication, researchers propose 1965 as the start of the Anthropocene era. In that
year, human nuclear weapons testingcaused a noticeable spike in radiocarbon in the heartwood of the
world's remotest tree, a Sitka spruce on Campbell Island, New Zealand. The general scientific community
has already been using 1950 as the year "Before Present", when nuclear weapons began to significantly
affect the reliability of radiocarbon dating of objects whose organic matter content formed after that
epoch. (The Conversation)
edithistorywatch
 Pro-Syrian government forces are sent to help the Kurdish YPG fight against Turkey and
the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army in the Afrin Region. This action opens up a new front in the
war. (The Independent)
 Economy of Venezuela
 Venezuela launches its Petro cryptocurrency, which it claims is the world's first
sovereign cryptocurrency. (BBC)
 Seven regions in New Zealand declare states of emergency as Cyclone Gita makes landfall. (Newshub)
 Iran Aseman Airlines Flight 3704
 Iranian forces have spotted the wreckage of the missing Aseman Airliner 30 meters below a hilltop on
mount Dena. Helicopters could not land yet at the crash site due to weather and topographical
conditions. 65 people are feared dead. (PressTV)
 2018 Mount Sinabung eruption
 Indonesia's Mount Sinabung has a massive eruption, completely destroying the volcano's peak, with ash
reaching over 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) high. Much of the surrounding area is covered with ash. (Quartz)
Law and crime
 Corruption in Latvia
 Latvia will ask the European Central Bank not to renew the mandate of ECB Governing
Council member Ilmārs Rimšēvičs, the head of the central Bank of Latvia since 2001, amid an
ECB payment moratoriumand an U.S. graft investigation into Latvia's third-largest lender, ABLV. On 19
January, Rimšēvičs was released on bail. (Bloomberg)
 Judiciary of Thailand
 A court in Thailand awards a Japanese man paternity rights over 13 of his children from Thai surrogate
mothers. (BBC)
 Gun politics in the United States
 U.S. President Donald Trump orders the Department of Justice to prepare regulations to ban devices that
allow semi-automatic rifles to become fully automatic, such as the bump stocks used in the 2017 Las
Vegas shooting. (The Hill)
 U.S. Special Counsel investigation
 Attorney Alex van der Zwaan pleads guilty in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to making false
statements to the FBI during the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S.
Presidential election. Specifically, the charges are that he lied to investigators about his interactions with
political consultant and lobbyist Rick Gates and an unidentified Ukrainian-based associate of Paul
Manafort. (The New York Times)
 Aftermath of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting
 Families and students from Parkland, Florida, begin arriving in Tallahassee, the Florida State Capitol, for
advocacy meetings with lawmakers and other State officials. During Tuesday's legislative session, the
Republican-controlled Florida House defeated, by a party-line vote, a motion to debate assault weapons
ban legislation, 71-36. (Tallahassee Democrat) (Miami Herald)
 2017–18 Spanish constitutional crisis
 Anna Gabriel, former member Parliament of Catalonia for Popular Unity Candidacy and Catalan
independentism leader, flees to Switzerland before declaring before the Supreme Court of Spain amid
rebellion and desobedience crime. (Independent)
Sports
 2017 NCAA Division I men's basketball corruption scandal
 In college basketball, the NCAA denies an appeal of sanctions imposed on the University of
Louisville stemming from a sex scandal first publicized in 2015. The most significant sanction requires
Louisville to vacate its 2013 national title, making the Cardinals the first Division Imen's or women's
basketball team ever forced to vacate a national title. (ESPN)
edithistorywatch
 Operation Barkhane
 Two French soldiers are killed after their armoured vehicle hits a roadside bomb in Mali. (France 24)
 The Nigerian military rescues 76 schoolgirls taken on Monday during a Boko Haram raid on the village
of Dapchi, Yobe State. The bodies of two girls were recovered, and at least thirteen other students
remain missing. (Reuters) (Daily Trust)
 2018 Lashio bombing
 A bomb explodes at a bank in Lashio, Shan State, in northern Myanmar, killing two employees and
injuring 22 others. (The New York Times)(Reuters)
 A coach transiting the Pan-American Highway plunges off the road in Arequipa, Peru, killing 44 people. (BBC)
 A ferry explosion at the Playa del Carmen's pier in Mexico injures 18 people. None of the injuries appear to be
life-threatening. (CBS News via MSN)
 Foreign relations of South Korea
 South Korea signs free trade agreements with the Central Americancountries of Costa Rica, El
Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panamato eliminate duties on about 95% of traded goods and
services. (Reuters)
 U.S. President Donald Trump meets in the White House State Dining Room with parents and friends of
young people killed in school shootings to discuss what needs to be done. Suggestions for the president
included a number of items to make schools safer, and for Trump to "put politics aside" and back gun
control measures. (NBC News) (AP via Star Tribune)
edithistorywatch
 Montenegrin police identify the perpetrator of a grenade attack on the U.S.embassy in Podgorica which occurred
yesterday. According to authorities, he was a veteran of the Armed Forces of Yugoslavia. (BBC)
 Russian involvement in the Syrian Civil War
 Russia blocks agreement on a United Nations Security Councilresolution calling for a 30-day
truce in Syria. A formal vote is postponed. (The New York Times)
 The death toll since February 18 in the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta is more
than 400, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. (AP via Time)
 In exchange for some of its national debt being written off, the Seychellesdesignates two new marine protected
areas in the Indian Ocean, covering about 210,000 square kilometres (81,000 sq mi). It is the result of a financial
deal, brokered in 2016 by The Nature Conservancy. (BBC), (Phys.org)
 Canada–India relations
 Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau rescinds from Jaspal Atwal his invitation to a reception. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Politics of Romania
 Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader announces that he would trigger the dismissal procedures of
the Chief Prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate, Laura Codruța Kövesi. The
announcement sparks protests. (Act Media)
 Russian presidential election, 2018
 Russian police detained the political activist Alexei Navalny and his chief of staff Leonid Volkov, who will
be taken to court for having organized an unauthorized protest on January 28. Navalny claims that the
authorities want him in jail when the upcoming presidential election occurs on March 18. (Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty)
 A grand jury indicts Missouri Governor Eric Greitens on charges of felony invasion of privacy by allegedly
threatening to publish a nude photo of the woman he was involved with in a 2015 extramarital affair, if
the woman ever disclosed the relationship. Governor Greitens denies the blackmail charge. (St. Louis
Post-Dispatch), (Fox News)
 Special Counsel Robert Mueller files a 32-count indictment against political consultant and lobbyist Paul
Manafort and his aide Rick Gates in the Eastern District of Virginia for multiple crimes including tax
evasion and bank fraud. (ABC News), (Fox News), (The New York Times), (Justice.gov)
 Presidency of Donald Trump
 The Trump administration through the U.S. Justice Departmentannounces charges filed against more
than 250 defendants in senior-citizen fraud schemes totaling $500 million. (CNBC)
 California State Senator Tony Mendoza resigns after being investigated over sexual harassment
claims. (The New York Times)
 Rhode Island State Senator Nicholas Kettle resigns after being indicted on charges of extortion and
voyeurism. (WJAR)
edithistorywatch
 Syrian government warplanes carry out a sixth day of airstrikes in the rebel-held Ghouta suburbs
east of Damascus, killing 32 people as the death toll from a week of bombardment reaches over
400. (US News)
 Australia–United States relations
 U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Australian Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull in the White House.
Trump indicated that there would be new sanctions against the North Korean regime. (CNBC)
Law and crime
 Rick Gates pleads guilty to charges of conspiracy against the United States and making false statements,
and agrees to cooperate with the Special Counsel investigation. (NPR)
 Politics of Australia
 Barnaby Joyce announces his resignation as Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the National Party,
following scandals involving an affair with a staffer and a sexual harassment allegation. The party, a
junior partner in the Coalition government, will vote for his successor on February 26. (The Guardian)
Sports
 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball corruption scandal
 Documents obtained through legal discovery filings during the ongoing FBI probe into college basketball
corruption reveal potential current and retroactive NCAA rules issues for at least 20 Division I programs
and more than 25 players. In addition to programs named when federal criminal charges were first
revealed in September 2017, among the programs potentially implicated in the new documents
are Duke, Kentucky, and North Carolina. (Yahoo! Sports)
edithistorywatch
 Somali Civil War (2009–present)
 February 2018 Mogadishu attack
 Two car bombings near the presidential palace in Mogadishu, Somalia, kill at least 38 people. Al-
Shabaab claim responsibility for the attacks. (BBC)
 The United Nations Security Council unanimously approves a resolutiondemanding a 30-day ceasefire
in Syria. (BBC), (The Washington Post)
 Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
 Islamist car suicide bombers and gunmen try to storm the headquarters of a counter-terrorism unit in
the southern port city of Aden, killing at least 14 people and wounding 40 others. (Reuters)
 War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
 A series of militant attacks in Afghanistan kill more than 20 people. (Reuters)
 Internal conflict in Myanmar
 2018 Sittwe bombings
 Three bombs explode in Sittwe, the capital of Myanmar's Rakhine State, slightly injuring a police
officer. Three other unexploded bombs are defused around the city. It is unclear who was behind
the bombs, but most of them were placed next to government-related buildings. (BBC), (Voice of
America News)
Arts and culture
 Archbishop of Guatemala City Oscar Julio Vian Morales died at age 70. Acting President Jafeth Cabrera decrees
three days of national mourning. (ABC News)
 2018 NRA boycott
 Several companies, including First National Bank of Omaha, Hertz, and United and Delta airlines
have cut ties with the NRA following the shooting, saying that the discount deals they have with
the NRA are cancelled. (BBC) (USA Today)
 Nunes memo
 A memo written by Democrats on the United States House Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence is released, countering the Republican memo released on February 2. (Bloomberg)
Sports
 Doping in Russia
 Russian bobsledder Nadezhda Sergeeva who tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (a
medication used to treat angina) at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang admits to doping and has
been disqualified from competing. (AP via MSN)
edithistorywatch
 Siege of eastern Ghouta
 Government forces launch a ground and air offensive in eastern Ghouta despite the adoption
of Resolution 2401 by the United Nations Security Council demanding a ceasefire in part of the
area. (Al Jazeera)
 2018 Papua New Guinea earthquake
 A magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurs at the western Southern Highlands Province in Papua New Guinea,
killing at least 31 people and injuring more than 300 others. (The United States Geological
Survey), (TIME)
 An explosion destroys a store and a house, causing at least five deaths on Hinckley Road in Leicester, England.
The cause of the explosion and subsequent fire is unknown. (BBC)
 North Korea–United States relations
 South Korean president Moon Jae-in states that North Korea is willing to enter talks with the United
States in an effort to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. (ABC News)
Law and crime
 Crime in Puerto Rico
 A mass shooting at a bar in the town of Comerio, Puerto Rico, near the capital San Juan, leaves at least
five people dead and one other injured. (CBS News)
 An Iraqi court sentences 15 Turkish women to death by hanging after they were found guilty of joining
the ISIS group as brides. (Newsweek)
 Politics of China
 The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China proposes that the country's constitution be
amended to abolish term limits for the posts of President and Vice President. The move is seen as an
attempt by current president Xi Jinping to solidify his power. (The Guardian)
Sports
 2018 EFL Cup Final
 Manchester City beat Arsenal 3–0 at Wembley Stadium to win the 2017–18 EFL Cup for the fifth
time. (BBC)
 The closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics occurs, officially bringing the competitions to an end.
The Norwegian team leads the medal tablewith 14 gold and record 39 medals in total. (Pyeongchang
2018)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 Women's rights in Saudi Arabia
 Saudi Arabia opens applications for women to join its armed forces for the first time. (BBC)
 United States–Mexico relations
 Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto cancels a scheduled trip to the United States after a heated phone
call with U.S. President Donald Trump, in which Trump refused to publicly back down from his pledge of
having Mexico pay for the U.S.–Mexico border wall. (CNN)
 France–Turkey relations
 French President Emmanuel Macron phones Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, telling Erdoğan
that the UN-approved ceasefire in Syriaalso applies in the Afrin Region. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Clinton–Lewinsky scandal
 Monica Lewinsky questions whether her relationship with Bill Clinton was consensual, saying the Me Too
movement forced her to reconsider it. [https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/26/politics/monica-lewinsky-
me-too/index.html (CNN)
 Crime in Belgium
 Five Dutch nationals and a Colombian are arrested at the staged delivery operation in Oss, Netherlands,
of a container with 4,500 kilograms (9,900 lb) of cocaine and bananas for cover, originating from
Colombia, that was previously intercepted in the Port of Antwerp. (NL Times)
 National Party of Australia leadership election, 2018
 The cogoverning National Party of Australia elects Veterans' Affairs Minister Michael McCormack to
succeed Barnaby Joyce as their leader. McCormack is later sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister. (The
Sydney Morning Herald)
 Politics of France
 French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announces plans to overhaul the state-owned railway firm SNCF.
The details of the railway reform will be released in March. (Deutsche Welle)
 Simon Bridges is elected as leader of the National Party, becoming the first Māori on that position. (The
New Zealand Herald), (Newshub)
 Ron Mark is succeeded by Fletcher Tabuteau as deputy leader of New Zealand First. (Newshub)
 United States–North Korea relations
 United States Special Representative for North Korea Policy Joseph Y. Yun announces his retirement,
effective 2 March. (Xinhua)
edithistorywatch
 Foreign relations of North Korea
 Five unnamed Western European security sources say that North Koreanleader Kim Jong-un and his
father Kim Jong-il used fraudulently obtained Brazilian passports in order to apply for visas to visit
Western countries in the 1990s. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Terrorism in the United States
 A letter containing an unknown substance opened at a U.S. military base in Arlington, Virginia, leaves 11
people ill, with three being hospitalized. (Reuters)
 Government of Saudi Arabia
 Saudi King Salman replaces top army commanders and reshuffles key security and government
ministries. (Al Jazeera)
 Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2020
 U.S. President Donald Trump names Brad Parscale as his 2020presidential campaign manager as he
formally declares he is running for re-election, a record 980 days before the election. (CNBC)
 2016–2018 investigations involving Benjamin Netanyahu
 The Israeli Prosecutor's Office links Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuin a corruption case. (Times of
Israel)
 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election, 2018
 In a public statement, the foreign ministry of Botswana urges Joseph Kabila, the President of DR Congo,
to step down since his term expired in December 2016, and hold the long-delayed new election. (Voice
of America)
edithistorywatch
 Kivu conflict
 The death toll from clashes between militias in the Rutshuru Territory of the North Kivu province, DR
Congo, rises to 23 people. The renewed violence has been ongoing since February 25. (New Vision)
 Economy of the United Kingdom
 U.S. toy and juvenile-products retailer Toys "R" Us collapses into administration in the United Kingdom,
putting 3200 jobs at risk. (The Independent)
 British electronics retailer Maplin Electronics collapses into administration after rescue talks fail, with
2,500 jobs at risk. (BBC)
 Dick's Sporting Goods and Walmart raise the minimum age for purchasing firearms to 21 and stop selling
military-style semi-automatic rifles altogether. (NPR), (Reuters)
 2017–18 Western Europe windstorm season
 The Met Office issues its highest level warning, a red alert for parts of Scotland due to heavy snow. It is
the first time a red alert has ever been issued in Scotland, and only the second time anywhere in
the United Kingdom. (BBC)
 A collision between a passenger and a cargo train in Beheira, Egypt kills 15 people and injures 40 more. (Egypt
Independent)
Law and crime
 Two former employees of InfoWars accuse founder and radio host Alex Jones of sexual harassment,
racism and antisemitism. (New York Daily News)
 Politics of Afghanistan
 Afghan President Ashraf Ghani offers to recognize the Taliban as a legitimate political formation as part
of a proposed process aimed at ending more than 16 years of war. (Reuters)
 Hope Hicks announces that she will resign as White House Communications Director, one day after being
interviewed by the House Intelligence Committee. (The Guardian), (BBC) (CNN)
Sports
 Doping in Russia
 The International Olympic Committee restores the Russian Federation's membership after the ban from
the 2018 Winter Olympics.
January 1, 2018 (Monday)
edithistorywatch
 Kashmir conflict
 An armed standoff between Indian security forces and Kashimiri rebels at a paramilitary base ends after
36 hours and leaves eight people dead. (Al Jazeera)
Arts and culture
 Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
 An American Jewish rabbi publishes an ad in The Washington Postcalling the New Zealand pop
singer Lorde a "bigot" after she cancelled her concert in Israel. (Jpost)
 Value Added Tax (VAT) has been introduced in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for the first time. (BBC)
 A boat capsizes in the north of Indonesian Borneo, leaving at least eight people dead. (BBC)
 Two people are killed in a plane crash in Northland, New Zealand. (1 News)
 Pakistan–United States relations
 U.S. President Donald Trump tweets that Pakistan has been a "safe haven" for terrorists
from Afghanistan and has given America "nothing but lies & deceit" after getting more than $33 billion in
U.S. aid. (Time)
 Pakistan asks U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale to clarify Trump's remarks. Pakistani Prime
Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi calls for Cabinet and National Security Council meetings to discuss the
tweet. (Los Angeles Times)
 Pakistan's Defence Minister accuses the U.S. of giving Pakistan "nothing but invective & mistrust" after
receiving "land & air communication, military bases & intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over
last 16yrs". (AOL)
Law and crime
 Legal history of cannabis in the United States
 California becomes the latest and most-populated state to legalize the recreational use of
cannabis. (BBC)
 Brazil prison riots
 An apparent gang riot at Colonia Agroindustrial prison in Goiânia, Brazil, results in nine deaths and 14
inmates injured. Authorities report 233 prisoners escaped but now only 95 prisoners remain at
large. (The Guardian) (Reuters)
 Law of Alaska
 The U.S. state of Alaska eliminates the posting of bail in criminal cases, replacing it with a points-based
system, rating the defendant on their previous criminal history, their danger to the public, and their
probability of showing up to court hearings. (US News & World Report)
 2017–18 Iranian protests
 Ten people die at the protests overnight, with twelve deaths total so far as the protests enter their fifth
day. (BBC)
 Politics of Switzerland
 Alain Berset takes office as President of the Swiss Confederation. At 45 years of age, Berset is the
youngest president of Switzerland since 1934. (SWI)
Sports
 2018 PDC World Darts Championship
 In darts, Rob Cross wins the PDC World Darts Championship (on his debut) defeating Phil Taylor (in his
last career match) 7–2 in the final. (BBC)
January 2, 2018 (Tuesday)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 Vice Media suspends two of its top executives as it investigates allegations made against them. (ABC
News)
 United States antitrust law
 Citing national security concerns, the U.S. government blocks Ant Financial's acquisition
of MoneyGram. (Reuters)
 2018 Pasamayo bus crash
 A coach bus plunges off a cliff on a coastal road in Peru, killing at least 48 people. (BBC)(CBC)
 Woburn Safari Park fire
 A fire at Woburn Safari Park kills 13 patas monkeys. (The Guardian)
 Palestine–United States relations, Israel–United States relations
 President Donald Trump tweets that the U.S. may withhold future payments to the Palestinian authority,
over 350 million dollars per year, because they are "no longer willing to talk peace" with Israel, and
that Israel "would have had to pay more" in return for his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's
capital. (Haaretz) (Politico)
 South Korean President Moon Jae-in, responding to North Korean leaderKim Jong-un's offer during his
New Year’s Day address, proposes a meeting to discuss the Winter Olympics and North Korea's nuclear
program next Tuesday at the border city of Panmunjom. (The New York Times) (BBC)
 U.S. President Donald Trump responds to Kim Jong-un's claim of having North Korea's nuclear missile
launch button on his desk, boasting that the size of the nuclear missile launch button on his own desk is
larger and more powerful than Kim's. (CNN) (BBC) (The New York Times)
 Illegal immigration from Africa to Israel
 Israel announces plans to deport African migrants residing in the country illegally. Migrants will be given
90 days to leave the country or face imprisonment. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Joshua Boyle, a Canadian man recently rescued from a Taliban linked group, is arrested on 15 charges, including
assault, sexual assault, and unlawful confinement. (Global News)
 Nine prisoners have escaped from a Berlin, Germany prison over the last five days, with two escaping
today. (BBC)
 United States Senate
 U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch announces that he will retire in January 2019. (Salt Lake Tribune)
January 3, 2018 (Wednesday)
edithistorywatch
 A suicide bomber attacks a mosque in Gamboru, Nigeria, killing 11 people. (Deutsche Welle)
 Storm Eleanor
 Winter storm Eleanor moves from the British Isles to continental Europewith one dead in France as well
as injuries and material losses in Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Law of Iceland
 A new Icelandic law goes into effect which requires government agencies and companies with more than
24 full-time employees to prove they are paying men and women equally, as required by existing
legislation. (NPR) (The New York Times)
 Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn announces that Ethiopiawill drop charges against all
political prisoners and close down the infamous prison camp of Maekelawi. (AP)
 United States Senate
 Two new Democratic senators—Doug Jones of Alabama and Tina Smithof Minnesota—are sworn in,
bringing the Republican majority down to 51–49. (CNBC)
 Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity
 U.S. President Donald Trump dissolves the voter fraud commission noting the cost to the public of
litigating against lawsuits from states objecting to the voter information requested. (Reuters) (CNN)
 Computer security
 Security researchers disclose two hardware vulnerabilities—Spectre, which affects most modern
processors, and Meltdown, which affects most Intel chips. (Reuters) (The Guardian)
 Largest known prime number
 The Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search announces the discovery of the latest largest known prime
number, a Mersenne prime with 23,249,425 digits equal to 277,232,917 − 1. (International Business Times)
January 4, 2018 (Thursday)
edithistorywatch
 Afghanistan War
 A suicide bomber attack near a group of security personnel investigating illegal drugs and alcohol dealing
in Kabul, Afghanistan, kills at least 20, wounding another 27 policemen. The Islamic State claims
responsibility for the attack. (The New York Times) (AP via Time)
 Munich Re reports that the insurance industry faces record claims of US$135 billion from natural catastrophes,
such as the Mexico earthquakes, South Asian floods, California wildfires and Atlantic hurricanes in 2017. Overall
economic losses from natural disasters are estimated at the second highest amount since 2011. (Insurance
Journal)
 2018 Kroonstad train crash
 A Shosholoza train collides with a vehicle at a crossing near Kroonstad in the Free State, South Africa,
killing 19 and injuring at least 100 people. (BBC News) (The Independent) (News24)
 January 2018 North American blizzard
 A massive winter storm hits the East Coast of the United States with up to 18 inches of snow predicted to
fall between The Carolinas and Maine. So far, three people have died in North Carolina and a person has
died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (AP via Yahoo!)
 Pakistan–United States relations
 The U.S. State Department suspends its security assistance to Pakistan. (ABC News)
 Iran–United States relations
 The U.S. Treasury sanctions five Iranian entities associated with Iran's ballistic missile program. (Politico)
 North Korea accepts South Korea's proposal for official talks, and will meet on January 9 to discuss North
Korea's possible involvement with the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. These are the first high-
level talks between the Koreas in more than two years. (CNN) (BBC)
Law and crime
 Marijuana policy of the Donald Trump administration
 U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinds three Obama-era memos that had adopted a policy of non-
interference with states that have legalized recreational marijuana. (Associated Press)
 A United Airlines flight headed from Chicago to Hong Kong makes an emergency landing in Anchorage, Alaska,
after a passenger allegedly became unruly. (KTUU-TV)
 Virginia House of Delegates election, 2017
 A drawing is held to resolve a tied election between Democrat Shelly Simonds and Republican David
Yancey, with Yancey being randomly chosen as the winner. (ABC News)
January 5, 2018 (Friday)
edithistorywatch
 Northern Rakhine State clashes
 ARSA insurgents, using small arms and homemade land mines, ambush a Burmese military convoy in the
village of Turaing. Three members of Myanmar's security forces are reportedly wounded. (BBC) (The
Guardian)
Arts and culture
 Donald Trump on social media
 Twitter, in response to criticism over its handling of U.S. President Donald Trump's account, says it will
not block world leaders or remove their controversial tweets. (Reuters)
 Four women accuse film and television producer, director, and writer Paul Haggis (Crash and Million
Dollar Baby) of sexual misconduct including two rapes. (Hollywood Reporter)
 2018 Luxor hot air balloon crash
 A hot air balloon crashes due to strong winds in Egypt's Luxor Governorate. A tourist from Australia is
killed and 12 other tourists are injured. The Egypt Aviation Authority says there were 20 passengers on
the balloon. (CNN)
 Accession of Turkey to the European Union
 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says he is "tired" of waiting for the European Union to approve
Turkey's membership in the political union. (Al Jazeera)
 French President Emmanuel Macron suggests that Turkey could have a "partnership" with the EU instead
of full membership. (France 24)
 Palestine–United States relations
 An anonymous U.S. State Department official says no decision has been made on the scheduled January
1, 2018, $125-million payment to the UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency), which
administers aid for Palestinian refugees. Media reports had stated the money was frozen. The official
added the government is still reviewing U.S. assistance to the Palestinian Authority and has until January
15 to resolve the issue. (Reuters) (The Hill)
 Belgium–Netherlands relations
 Belgium and the Netherlands, by swapping 48 acres of land, agree that one section of their border is
now the center of the Meuse River. This is expected to fix a police jurisdiction problem. (UPI) (The
Independent)
 Foreign relations of Iran
 During a session of the United Nations Security Council, the United States repeat its "unapologetic"
support for the ongoing Iranian protests. Russia denounces the "veiled [U.S.] attempt to use the current
moment to continue to undermine" the JCPOA. France calls to "be wary of any attempt to exploit this
crisis for personal ends". (The New York Times)
Law and crime
 Senators Chuck Grassley and Lindsey Graham of the United States Senate Committee on the
Judiciary refer the British spy Christopher Steele to the U.S. Department of Justice for a potential criminal
investigation. (ABC News)
 National Security Agency director Admiral Mike Rogers plans to retire this spring. President Donald
Trump is expected to nominate a successor later this month. (Politico) (New York Magazine)
 Ozone depletion
 NASA research, published in Geophysical Research Letters, implies that the ozone layer is starting to
recover due to man's actions. The decline in ozone-depleting chemicals,
specifically chlorine from chlorofluorocarbon(an effect from the 1980's CFC ban, say the scientists), has
resulted in 20 percent less depletion since 2005. (Newsweek)
 Six-time U.S. NASA astronaut John Young dies at the age of 87. He was the 9th man who walked on
the Moon. (Time Magazine)
January 6, 2018 (Saturday)
edithistorywatch
 Casamance conflict
 Gunmen kill 13 people near the town of Ziguinchor, Senegal. (France 24)
 Kashmir conflict
 An IED bombing kills four Indian Reserve policemen patrolling a deserted market in the upper
northwestern city of Sopore, India. Jaish-e-Mohammed militants, fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir,
claim responsibility for the attack. (AP via The Washington Post) (Gulf News)
 Sanchi oil tanker collision
 Thirty-two sailors are missing after Iranian oil tanker MV Sanchi and Chinese freighter CF-Crystal collide
off the east coast of China. The collision ignites the oil tanker, which carried a 136,000-tonne
load. (CNN), (Reuters)
 Germany–Turkey relations
 German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel and his Turkish colleague Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu agree to improve
relations between their countries. (AFP via News24)
 Cuba–United States relations
 U.S. Senator Jeff Flake tells Cuban officials there is "no evidence" of a suspected sonic attack on U.S.
diplomats at the U.S. embassy in Havana. (CBS News)
Law and crime
 Anti-austerity movement
 Saudi authorities arrest 11 princes in Riyadh for staging a protest against Saudi
Arabia's austerity measures. (Al Jazeera)
 Thousands of government supporters demonstrate across Iran for the fourth consecutive day. (Voice of
America)
 Hundreds of Iranians hold rallies in support of the anti-regime protests in Iran, in cities
including Washington, D.C., Stockholm, London, Paris and Berlin. About 400 people gathered in central
Paris, and several hundred held a rally in front of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate with Iranian flags, drums and
banners calling for a change of government. (Yahoo via Reuters)
 Hundreds of Iranians hold rallies in support of the anti-regime protests in Iran, in cities
including Washington, D.C., Stockholm, London, Paris and Berlin. About 400 people gathered in central
Paris, and several hundred held a rally in front of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate with Iranian flags, drums and
banners calling for a change of government. (Yahoo via Reuters)
 Crisis in Venezuela (2012–present)
 After the Venezuelan government orders shops to lower prices, hundreds of people line up to take
advantage of these price cuts. (Reuters)
January 7, 2018 (Sunday)
edithistorywatch
 An explosion at the headquarters of the Chechen-led Ajnad al-Kavkazrebel group in Idlib, Syria, kills at
least 23 people, while several people remain unaccounted for, according to the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights. (BBC)
Arts and culture
 Education in Iran
 Iran enforces a ban on teaching English in elementary schools, calling it a "cultural invasion" by the
West. (Deutsche Welle)
 75th Golden Globe Awards
 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri wins four Golden Globe Awards including Best Motion Picture
– Drama, while Lady Bird wins Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. (The New York Times)
 Six people are killed in a head-on collision and a subsequent fire caused by a single-driver vehicle going the
wrong way on Interstate 5 north of Woodland, California. (Reuters) (Sacramento Bee)
 Foreign relations of Iran
 The Revolutionary Guards announce that Iran broke down the chain of last week's unrest. According to
them, the unrest was created "by the United States, Britain, the Zionist regime (Israel), Saudi Arabia, the
hypocrites (Mujahideen) and monarchists." (Reuters)
Law and crime
 A man is killed in Stockholm after he picks up a grenade that detonates. According to police, there has been
an increased use of hand grenades by criminal groups in the country. (CTV)
 Eleven people are killed in La Concepción, Mexico, near the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco, following violent
clashes involving gunmen, a community police force, and state police in the southern state of Guerrero. (AP via
ABC News)
 Politics of Egypt
 The former Prime Minister of Egypt, 76-year-old Ahmed Shafik, retracts his candidacy for the upcoming
presidential elections. (Reuters)
 Politics of Malaysia
 The Pakatan Harapan alliance chooses 92-year-old former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad as their
candidate Prime Minister in the upcoming Malaysian general election. Opposition leader Anwar
Ibrahim will be released from jail on June 8. Mahathir and Anwar join forces in the election. (The Sydney
Morning Herald)
 Politics of Yemen
 Sadeq Ameen Abu Rass, not Saleh's son Ahmed, is named as the successor to late Ali Abdullah Saleh as
leader of the General People’s Congress party. (Reuters)
 Trond Giske announces his permanent resignation as deputy leader of Norway's Labour Party after
several sexual assault accusations. He also gives up his position in the Norwegian parliament's finance
committee. (Jamaica Observer)
edithistorywatch
 Pharmaceutical company Pfizer discontinues research into treating patients with Alzheimer's
disease and Parkinson's disease. (The Telegraph)
 MV Sanchi is still ablaze this morning and it continues to leak oil. Chineseofficials mention the danger of
explosion and sinking. (BBC) (CNN)
 The body of a crew member is found on the ship. (Reuters)
 2018 Kadovar eruption
 All residents are evacuated, 500 of them to the nearby island of Blup Blup, while the once-dormant
Kadovar volcano in the Schouten Islands, Papua New Guinea, erupts for the first known time, sending an
ash cloud 2.1 kilometres (1.3 mi) above sea level. (Carbonated TV)(News.com.au)
Law and crime
 Law of India
 The Supreme Court of India orders a review of Section 377, a colonial-era law that criminalizes
consensual sex between men, and of the Court's December 2013 verdict that upheld the law. In August
2017, the Supreme Court ruled that all Indian citizens have a constitutional right to privacy, noting in the
judgment that "sexual orientation is an essential attribute to privacy." (The New York Times) (Hindustan
Times)
 Temporary protected status in the U.S.
 The Trump administration will, in 18 months, end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants
from El Salvador living in the U.S. under the TPS issued after a series of devastating earthquakes in 2001.
The Department of Homeland Security estimates about 200,000 Salvadorans will be impacted. (BBC)
 2018 Tunisian protests
 Amid protests against rising prices and tax increases, a protestor is killed and five others are injured in
clashes with security forces in the Tunisiantown of Tebourba. (Reuters)
 Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart, in a statement, comments, "... while living conditions may have slightly
improved, El Salvador now faces a significant problem with drug trafficking, gangs and crime." (CNN)
(House.gov)
 The U.S. government's highly classified Zuma satellite is reportedly lost after being launched
by SpaceX on a Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Northrop Grumman,
who built the satellite, and SpaceX have both refused to confirm the mission's failure due to
its classified nature. (CNBC) (Los Angeles Times)
Sport
 2017–18 in English football
 Video assistant referee (VAR) technology makes its debut in an English club competition during a 2017–
18 FA Cup match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace. (BBC)
 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision
 In the College Football Playoff National Championship, Alabama defeats Georgia 26–23 in overtime. It is
the second national title for Alabama in three years, the sixth for coach Nick Saban, and the 17th
officially claimed by Alabama. (ESPN)
edithistorywatch
 Steve Bannon steps down as executive chairman of Breitbart News amid a dispute with U.S. President Donald
Trump over comments he made about the Trump family in Michael Wolff's Fire and Fury. (BBC)
 2017–18 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
 Cyclone Ava
 At least 29 people are dead and 22 are missing in the aftermath of a strong tropical cyclone
striking Madagascar. (Firstpost)
 2018 Southern California landslides
 At least 15 people are killed by mudslides following heavy overnight rains in areas of Santa Barbara
County, California, where last month's wildfires destroyed forests and destabilized the land. (SF
Gate) (NBC News)(The New York Times)
 2018 Swan Islands earthquake
 A magnitude 7.6 earthquake strikes north of Honduras, resulting in tsunami warnings in
the Caribbean. (RT)
 In the first inter-Korean talks in two years at the Panmunjeom-Paju"Truce Village" (DMZ), both parties
agree on the need to ease tensions and hold military talks. North Korea also agrees to participate in
the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. (The Korea Herald)
 Cuba–United States relations, Health-related incidents at the United States Embassy in Havana
 An anonymous senior State Department official says that United States Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson decided to convene a special-panel Accountability Review Board to further investigate the
"attacks" at the U.S. embassy in Havana. (Reuters)
 Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei says that Iran has extinguished the unrest and has foiled attempts to turn
legitimate protests into an insurgency to overthrow the Islamic Republic. He went on to identify
the United States, Britain, Israel, the People's Mujahedin of Iran and "a wealthy government" in
the Persian Gulf among Iran's foreign enemies. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
 The United States District Court for the Northern District of Californiaissues a nationwide injunction
blocking the rescission of the DACA program, ordering the Trump administration to restart and maintain
the program as the legal challenge(s) to the president's decision go forward. (The New York Times)
 Gerrymandering in the United States
 A three-judge federal panel rules North Carolina's congressional district map was
illegally gerrymandered because legislators relied too heavily on partisan affiliation in drawing
constituencies. This is the first time a federal court has struck down a redistricting plan for partisan
gerrymandering. (NPR) (The Atlantic)
 Politics of Poland, Cabinet of Mateusz Morawiecki
 New ministers of defence, finance, interior, health, environment and foreign affairs, amongst others, are
appointed. (Reuters) (Reuters²)
 The Parliament of Egypt approves, with a two-thirds majority in favour, extending the nationwide state
of emergency for a further three months, starting January 13. (Ahram Online)
 Politics of Spain, 2017–18 Spanish constitutional crisis
 Artur Mas announces that he is resigning as president of the PDeCATparty. (Turkey Telegraph)
edithistorywatch
 Colombian conflict
 After failing to reach agreement on an extension of the 101-day ceasefire, hostilities resume between
Colombia's government and ELNforces. (Colombia Reports)
 Ivorian soldiers in Bouaké attack the Coordination Center for Operational Decision-Making (Centre de
Coordination des Décisions Opérationnelles) military base, seizing their weaponry and setting the base on fire
after accusations that the unit was spying on them. Last year the soldiers were involved in a series of
mutinies. (Reuters)
 Rohingya persecution in Myanmar
 Senior General Min Aung Hlaing posts on Facebook that Myanmar Armytroops and Rakhine
State villagers killed 10 Rohingya Muslims whose bodies were found in a mass grave in Inn Din village.
This is the first time Myanmar's military has officially acknowledged extrajudicial actions against the
Rohingya. Fortify Rights chief executive officer Matthew Smith says the two Reuters journalists who have
been jailed since December 12, 2017, were investigating the same mass grave referenced by Min Aung
Hlaing. (The Washington Post)
 The United States Central Command launches an investigation into a video posted on YouTube which
appears to show a U.S. service member firing on civilians inside a truck on a road in Afghanistan.
The montage video, titled "Happy Few Ordnance Symphony", has since been removed. (Politico)
 China says no major oil spill has been detected after MV Sanchi disaster. (Channel News Asia)
 A fire on the oil tanker rages for the fourth day. An explosion forces rescue teams to retreat as 31 sailors
remain missing. (Reuters)
 Tom Wolf, the Governor of Pennsylvania, issues a disaster declaration over the "heroin and opioid epidemic”,
starting an Opioid Operational Command Center at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. (The
Morning Call)
Law and crime
 Immigration policy of Donald Trump
 The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency conducts operations at 98 7-Eleven stores in 17
states, arresting 21 people suspected of being illegal immigrants. (Reuters)
 The Hellenic Coast Guard seizes the Tanzanian-flagged cargo ship Andromeda – allegedly bound for Libya, loaded
with 410 tonnes of explosives – in Heraklion, Greece. 102 safety deficiencies are found, and 8 crew members are
arrested. (Maritime Executive) (Creta Live)
 More than two hundred people are arrested across Tunisia as protests against economic conditions
continue to grip the North African country. At least 49 police officers have been injured during clashes
with protesters. (BBC)
 A Jewish school on the Tunisian island of Djerba is firebombed. (Reuters)
 Cabinet of Mexico
 President Enrique Peña Nieto accepted the resignation of three secretaries of his cabinet, including
the Secretary of the Interior, Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong. (Reuters)
edithistorywatch
 Two 16-year-old Palestinians are shot and killed in separate clashes with the Israeli army. (The
Washington Post)
Arts and culture
 Bowing to pressure, French publisher Gallimard suspends plans to reprint a compendium of
"violently antisemitic pamphlets" by novelist Louis-Ferdinand Céline. (The Guardian)
 Walmart employee wages
 Walmart announces that it will increase the minimum wage for its U.S. employees to $11 per hour and
close 50 Sam's Club stores. (USA Today)
 Legal status of cryptocurrency
 The South Korean Ministry of Justice announces that it is a preparing a bill to ban cryptocurrency trading
through exchanges. (ABC News Australia)
 2018 Southern California mudflows
 The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office reports this afternoon that up to 43 people are still missing
from Tuesday's mudslides as rescuers continue to search through Montecito’s massive debris field; this
morning the report had been eight missing. The casualty numbers are expected to rise. (Los Angeles
Times)
 The Trump administration through the U.S. Justice Departmentestablishes the Hezbollah Financing and
Narcoterrorism Team to assist with the DEA's Project Cassandra investigation into groups
supportingHezbollah. (Reuters)
 United States–European Union relations
 The United Kingdom, France, and Germany call on U.S. PresidentDonald Trump to endorse the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action. (France 24)
Law and crime
 Media of the Philippines
 The Securities and Exchange Commission revokes the license of Rappler over its use of
Philippine Depository Receipts (PDRs) issued to Omidyar Network. The commission ruled that the
provisions of the PDRs issued by Rappler to Omidyar violates constitutional restrictions on foreign
ownership and control of companies. Critics of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte
condemned the move as an "attack on press freedom". (GMA News) (Reuters)
 Murder of Zainab Ansari
 The rape and murder of six-year-old girl Zainab in Pakistan has sparked outrage across the country. Two
people die in protests in Kasur city. (Dawn)
 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
 The United States House of Representatives passes a bill to reauthorize, for a period of six years, a key
foreign intelligence collection program, permitted by Section 702. Changes to the program
will require the FBI to get a probable cause warrant if it wants to view the contents of Americans'
communications swept up in the process. (Time)
 WikiLeaks, Julian Assange political asylum and life at the Ecuadorian embassy
 It is revealed that Ecuador granted citizenship to Julian Assange. Ecuador granted him asylum in August
2012 and he has remained in the Embassy of Ecuador
in London avoiding extradition to Sweden on rapecharges. Subsequently, Swedish authorities dropped
the charges in May 2017. (The Guardian)
 Twitter posts disseminate claims that actor Kirk Douglas (aged 101) had been accused in the past of
having sexually assaulted actress Natalie Wood when she was 16 years old (c. 1954). (Mediaite.com)
 1964 Murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner
 Former Ku Klux Klan organizer and convicted murderer Edgar Ray Killendies in prison at the age of
92. (The New York Times)
 Haiti–United States relations
 U.S. President Donald Trump refers to Haiti, El Salvador and African countries as "shithole countries" in a
private meeting. (CNN)
Sports
 The world's oldest professional football player, 51-year-old Kazuyoshi Miura("King Kazu"), has extended his
contract with Yokohama FC, to take him into his 33rd professional season. (CNN)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 Women's rights in Saudi Arabia, Mohammad bin Salman, Saudi Vision 2030
 For the first time, Saudi Arabia allows women to spectate at footballmatches, part of an easing of strict
rules on gender separation by the ultra-conservative Muslim country. (BBC)
 A major fire engulfs parts of Nottingham station, United Kingdom. (BBC)
 Turkey–United States relations
 Turkey cautions its citizens against travel to the United States in response to an advisory that warned
Americans about terror threats and arbitrary detentions in Turkey. (AP via Fox News)
 United Kingdom–United States relations
 United States President Donald Trump cancels his scheduled trip to the United Kingdom next
month. (Reuters)
 Nepal–United States relations, Botswana–United States relations
 Nepalese authorities state that they are "discussing their response" to Trump's recent comment which
referred to their country (among others) as a "shithole". Botswana summoned their U.S. ambassador,
asking for clarification and expressed their concerns. (CNN)
 Panama–United States relations
 The United States Ambassador to Panama, John D. Feeley, resigns saying he can no longer serve under
Trump administration. (The Telegraph)
Law and crime
 Murder of Zainab Ansari
 Protesters set a government office on fire in the Pakistani city of Kasur, in a second day of riots after the
rape and murder of a six-year-old girl. (BBC)
 After European Parliament auditors conclude that he used a parliamentary assistant for UKIP party matters
instead of for work related to the duties of a Member of the European Parliament, Nigel Farage will now pay
back £35,500 (€40,000) through having half of his salary withheld. (The Independent)
 Cabinet of Germany
 The CDU/CSU (Christian Democrats) and SPD (Social Democrats) agree on a blueprint for formal
negotiations on a new "grand coalition" government after the September 2017 federal election. (BBC)
 Politics of Mexico
 Mexicans react with incredulity after President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto appointed Alberto Bazbaz
to the position of head of the CISENintelligence service. Bazbaz is known for having overseen a 9-day
search for a missing girl, Paulette Gebara Farah, who was eventually found dead in her own bed. (The
Guardian)
 The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launches India’s 100th satellite and 30 other
satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. (The Hindu)
 A Delta IV launches NROL-47, a classified U.S. military payload, from Vandenberg Air Force
Base, California. It is the last single-core Delta IV to launch from Vandenberg. (Spaceflight Now)
edithistorywatch
 A search for missing children is underway after a boat capsized off the Indiancoast near Dahanu, Maharashtra.
Two bodies have been recovered. (BBC)
 A Chinese rescue team recovers two bodies from the MV Sanchi and salvages the voyage data
recorder from the bridge. (Reuters)
 Pegasus Airlines Flight 8622
 A Pegasus Airlines flight from Esenboğa International Airport in Ankara, Turkey, departs the runway
of Trabzon Airport in northern Turkey upon landing. All 162 passengers, two pilots, and four cabin crew
evacuated the aircraft, a Boeing 737, unharmed. The local government launched an investigation into the
incident. (Irish Independent), (Sky News)
 Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the January 12 U.S. sanctions on Chief Justice Sadeq Amoli-
Larijani are "beyond all [...] red lines." (BBC)(Sputnik)
 U.S. President Donald Trump says he is extending sanctions relief for Iran one last time so Europe and
the U.S. can fix the nuclear deal's "terrible flaws". (BBC)
 Iran's Foreign Ministry replies that it "will not accept any change in the deal," adding that it will "not take
any action beyond its commitments." (Politico)
 Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation
 Russia deploys a second anti-air S-400 missile batallion in Crimea. (TASS) (Radio Free Europe)
 2018 Hawaii false missile alert
 An emergency alert warning of an inbound ballistic missile is accidentally sent out across the U.S. state
of Hawaii at 8:07 HST, before being cleared as a false alarm 38 minutes later. This event caused panic and
disruptions across the state on the archipelago inhabited by roughly 1.7 million people. (BBC)
Law and crime
 The Bar Council of India forms a 7-member delegation which will attempt to meet the four most senior Supreme
Court judges on behalf of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra. This comes in the wake of allegations made by
the four top judges against the CJI at a first of its kind press conference held on January 12. (The Times of India)
 Nigerian Shia Islamic Movement leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky, who is detained at an unknown location without
charges since December 2015, makes a short public appearance, his first in two years, being allowed to see
his doctor. (Reuters)
 Two people are killed and another is injured in a mass shooting in Vancouver, Canada. (CBC)
 Czech presidential election
 The first round of the presidential election results in a second round that will be held on 26 and 27
January between Miloš Zeman and Jiří Drahoš. (Reuters)
edithistorywatch
 Palestinian tunnel warfare in the Gaza Strip, Blockade of the Gaza Strip
 The Israel Defense Forces report the complete destruction of an underground tunnel dug
by Hamas under the Kerem Shalom crossing. Israel shut down the crossing before its jets bombed the
tunnel opening in Gaza Saturday night. The crossing remains closed. (Ynetnews),(CNN)
 The U.S.-led coalition confirms reports that it will form a new 30,000-strong Syrian Border Security
Force (BSF). Half of the forces will be Syrian Democratic Forces veterans. Another 15,000 will be
recruited and trained in the near future. (Daily Sabah)
 The National Iranian Tanker Company-operated MV Sanchi sinks, following its January 6 collision with
a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship off Shanghai, China, leaving no survivors. (BBC)
 2018 Peru earthquake
 A 7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes in the Pacific Ocean near Acarí in Peru's Arequipa Region resulting in
1 death and 65 injured. (Reuters), (USGS)
 A heat boiler explodes at a community center in Vila Nova da Rainha, Tondela, Portugal, leaving at least eight
people dead and thirty five injured.(BBC)
 President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas describes President of the United States Donald
Trump's Middle East peace efforts as the "slap of the century." (Euronews)
Law and crime
 Turpin case
 A couple in Perris, California is arrested for allegedly holding captive and abusing their 13 children. (BBC)
 The Tunisian government announces a wave of social and economic reforms after violent anti-austerity
protests that have resulted in at least one death and the arrest of more than eight hundred
people. (BBC)
 Government of Jimmy Morales
 Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales presents his second government report and starts the second half
of his term surrounded by accusations of corruption and protests. Álvaro Arzú Escobar takes office
as President of the Congress. Arzú is the son of former president Álvaro Arzú and both are accused of
corruption. (Plenglish), (Telesur)
 A study in Biological Psychiatry asserts that increasing the activity of the habenula brain region leads
to social problems in rodents, whereas decreasing activity of the region prevents social problems. (Brinkwire)
edithistorywatch
 Iraqi Civil War (2014–present), January 2018 Baghdad bombings
 A double suicide bombing kills at least 35 people and injures over 90 in Baghdad, Iraq. (BBC)
 India–Pakistan military confrontation (2016–present)
 Four Pakistani soldiers are killed in shelling by the Indian Army across the
disputed Kashmir frontier. (Reuters)
 Turkey threatens to "strangle" the United States-backed Syrian Border Security Force "before it's even
born", while Syria vows to crush it and expel American military personnel from the country. Russia called
the plans "a plot to dismember Syria". (Reuters)
 Aftermath of the Caracas helicopter incident
 Two police officers and several gunmen are killed near Caracas in an operation to capture Óscar Pérez,
the rogue pilot responsible for the Caracas helicopter incident on June 27, 2017, according to
the Venezuelan government. Five people have also been arrested. (BBC)
Arts and culture
 Weinstein effect, #MeToo
 American actress Eliza Dushku says she was sexually assaulted by a stuntman when she was 12 years
old. (The Guardian)
 After talks between the company, its lenders, and the United Kingdom's government fail to reach a
deal, British multinational facilities managementand construction services company Carillion fails and
is liquidated, threatening thousands of jobs. Carillion is currently involved in projects such as the high-speed rail
in the United Kingdom, including the High Speed 2 rail line. (BBC)
 List of largest rough diamonds
 A 910 ct "D colour Type II A" diamond is dug up in the Letseng diamond mine, Lesotho. (MiningMX)
 The mezzanine overlooking the main lobby of the Indonesia Stock Exchangein Jakarta, Indonesia, collapses,
injuring at least 70 people. The Indonesian National Police ruled out terrorism as the cause. (The
Australian), (Daily Express)
 The Mayon volcano begins to erupt in the Philippines. (CNN)
 Chirajara bridge collapse
 A partially completed bridge in Cundinamarca, Colombia, collapses, killing at least 10 workers. (Reuters)
 An oil tanker sinks in the East China Sea after burning for a week, causing a major spill. (Gizmodo)
 2017–18 North Korea crisis, Korean War
 A meeting of senior officials from countries that backed South Korea in the Korean War begins today in
Vancouver which will look at ways to better implement sanctions to push North Korea to abandon its
nuclear weapons. China and Russia, which backed the North in the war but have since agreed to U.N.
sanctions on Pyongyang, will not be attending the meeting. (Reuters)
 Israel–Palestine relations
 Nabil Shaath, the foreign affairs adviser of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, says that
the Palestinian Central Council freezes its recognition of the state of Israel until Israel
recognizes Palestine as a state. Palestine will freeze the Oslo accords. (Gulf News)
Law and crime
 Aftermath of the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff
 Malaysia upholds death sentences for nine Filipino Tausūgs over 2013 incursion in Sabah by a faction of
claimant to the Sultanate of Suluthrone. (Reuters)
 A knife fight between students breaks out in a school in Perm, Russia. Twelve injured are reported, with three of
them in serious condition. (BBC)
 Two people are arrested in Perris, California, after 13 people aged between 2 and 29 years old are found being
held captive at their house, including some "shackled to their beds with chains and padlocks". They are all
believed to be siblings. (BBC)
 Chinese espionage in the United States
 Jerry Chun Shing Lee, a former U.S. Central Intelligence Agency officer, is arrested at New York's Kennedy
International Airport and held without bail by the Brooklyn federal court. He faces charges that, after he
left his job, he kept notebooks filled with classified information about undercover agents and assets
which he allegedly used to help China identify informants and dismantle a U.S. spying
network. (Reuters) (The New York Times) (The Washington Post)
 The nephew of assassinated Egyptian president Mohamed Anwar al-Sadat announces that he will not
run in March’s presidential election, blaming an environment of fear surrounding the vote. (The
Guardian)
 Romanian Prime Minister Mihai Tudose resigns after losing the support of the Social Democratic
Party. (Reuters)
 Rohingya persecution in Myanmar
 Win Myat Aye, Myanmar's minister of social welfare, relief and resettlement, announced that his country
would begin repatriatingRohingya refugees in Bangladesh beginning on January 23, 2018. Burmese
officials also promised that a newly built camp for repatriated refugees would also be finished by that
date. (The Washington Post)(ABC News)
 Partition and secession in California
 A group of Californians criticize their state government and declare their desire to form a new U.S. state
called New California. (U.S. News & World Report)
 Nine out of the twelve members of the U.S. National Park Service's advisory board resign out of protest
over their treatment by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. (The Washington Post), (NPR)
edithistorywatch
 Aftermath of the Caracas helicopter incident
 The Venezuelan government confirms that Óscar Pérez, the rogue pilot responsible for the Caracas
helicopter incident in June 2017, was killed in a firefight with the Venezuelan Army yesterday. Two police
officers and seven people from Pérez's group were killed, and six members of Pérez's group were
arrested. (CNN) (teleSUR)
Arts and culture
 Animal welfare and rights in Europe
 The European Parliament approves a call to ban electric pulse fishing, seen by some as cruel. (U.S. News
& World Report)
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) names Russell M. Nelson as the 17th President
of the Church. (NPR)
 The Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches 26,000 points for the first time, after surpassing the 25,000-mark on
January 4. (Chicago Tribune)
 In a strategy claimed as "towards healthier products", Nestlé sells its United States confectionery business,
number 4 on the market, to Ferrero SpA for $2.8 billion. (Reuters)
 A Colombian Army Mi-17 helicopter crashes near Segovia, Antioquia, in northern Colombia, killing at least ten
people. (Reuters)
 The United States will withhold $65 million for Palestinian aid paid via the United Nations Relief and
Welfare Agency stating that UNRWA needs to make unspecified reforms. The U.S. says it will provide $60
million, 48 percent of the regular payment. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Terrorism in Kosovo
 Oliver Ivanović, the head politician of the Kosovo Serb party Freedom, Democracy, Justice, is killed
outside his office in North Mitrovica in a drive-by shooting. Aleksandar Vučić, the President of Serbia says
his government treats this as an act of terrorism. (BBC)
 Terrorism in Pakistan
 Over 1,800 muslim clerics in Pakistan issue a fatwa aimed at prohibiting the use of suicide bombing,
declaring it haram. (Sputnik).
 Special Counsel investigation
 The New York Times reports that Special Counsel Robert Muellersubpoenaed Steve Bannon last week
to testify before a grand jury. The House Intelligence Committee issues a second subpoena, via powers
seldomly used by Congress, following Bannon's testimony today that, while he was willing to answer
questions, the White House instructed him not to answer questions related to his White House
tenure. (CNN)(NBC News) (The New York Times)
 Climate of Russia
 Temperatures reach −67 °C (−89 °F) in Russia's Yakutia region, four degrees shy of the record low of
−71 °C (−96 °F) recorded in 2013 in Yakutia's village of Oymyakon. (Channel NewsAsia)
edithistorywatch
 Two Americans and two Canadians are abducted by unknown gunmen in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Two police
officers are killed after engaging in a firefight with the abductors. (Reuters)
 Suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers kill 12 people and injure 48 others,
in Maiduguri, Nigeria. (Reuters)
 Insurgency in the North Caucasus
 In Nazran, Ingushetia, arsonists set fire to the office of Memorial, a Russian human rights
organization. (The Moscow Times)
Arts and culture
 France–United Kingdom relations
 The Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the Norman conquest of England, is to be displayed in the United
Kingdom for the first time after French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to loan it out for the first
time in 950 years. Subject to the outcome of tests, the loan is expected to happen somewhere after
2020. (BBC)
 2018 Sapphire Aviation Bell UH-1H Iroquois crash
 Zimbabwean politician Roy Bennett is killed in a helicopter crash near Raton, New Mexico, United
States. (BBC)
 The South Korean Ministry of Unification announces that both North Korea and South Korea will march
together under the Korean Unification Flag during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter
Olympics. (CNN)
 Visa policy of the United States
 The U.S. Department of Homeland Security discontinues the eligibility of citizens of Belize, Haiti,
and Samoa to obtain H-2A and H-2B visas for temporary work. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Freedom of the press, Media of the Philippines
 Following the Securities and Exchange Commission of the Philippines' revocation of Rappler's license,
the National Bureau of Investigation of the Philippines launches a probe into Rappler. (Reuters)
 The Parliament of Catalonia opens the new legislature. Roger Torrent(ERC) is named Speaker. Three
parliamentarians in jail vote through proxies, the five parlementarians in exile in Belgium do not. Carles
Puigdemont (PDeCAT, JuntsxCat), through his spokesman, considers it "perfectly plausible" for him to
be president remotely. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy says that he will not restore Catalonia's
autonomous powers if the regional parliament permits Puigdemont to lead the government from
exile. (BBC)
 Freedom of the press, Fake News Awards
 Donald Trump tweets a link to the Republican National Committee's "Fake News Awards", won by ten
stories and tweets that he considers misreported. The link also honors ten ways the President "has been
getting results" thus far. (Politico)
edithistorywatch
 The Emirates airline announces an order for up to 36 Airbus A380s. Emirates is already the aircraft's largest
operator, with a fleet of over 100. (BBC)
 2018 Aktobe bus fire
 A bus carrying Uzbek migrant workers catches fire in Kazakhstan's Aktobe Region, killing 52 people. Five
people escape and are treated by rescue workers. (BBC)
 France–United Kingdom relations
 French President Emmanuel Macron meets with British Prime Minister Theresa May at the Royal Military
Academy Sandhurst. (Politico)
Law and crime
 Crime in Serbia
 Police in Serbia arrest three Australians, one of them Rohan Arnold, a known businessman, for allegedly
smuggling 1,280 kilograms (2,820 lb) of cocaine into Sydney in 2016. (Sydney Morning Herald)
 In a world's first, a drone rescues two swimmers off the coast of Lennox Head, New South Wales in Australia by
dropping a safety device to them. John Barilaro, the Deputy Premier of New South Wales, praises the rescue as
historic. (Channel News Asia) (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 Turkish military intervention in Afrin
 With a cross-border artillery bombardment into the Afrin Canton, Turkeystarts its announced military
campaign to "destroy" the Syrian KurdishYPG group. (Reuters)
 Protests against Rodrigo Duterte
 Journalists in the Philippines protest the government's decision to cancel the license of Rappler. (The
Philippine Star), (Channel News Asia)
 Fifteen people are injured and an infant is killed after a car hits a group of pedestrians near Copacabana
Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The police report that the driver had an epileptic seizure. (BBC)
 The bodies of ten Syrian men are found after a snowstorm on the Lebanon–Syria border. The Lebanese
Army says they tried to enter Lebanon illegally. Two presumed people smugglers are arrested. (Daily Star)
Law and crime
 Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Service arrests 7 journalists who were covering this week's economic
protests in Khartoum. The charges are unclear. (The New York Times)
 Outside the Fleury-Mérogis prison, French police clash with prison guardswho are striking over the detention
conditions in French jails. (Reuters)
 Citing a national "fervor", the Communist Party of China proposes writing the Xi Jinping Thought into
the state constitution, after it was already added to the party constitution. (Reuters)
 Presenting a new national defense strategy, the United States Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis,
says terrorism is no longer the focus of the national security of the United States. Now it
is competition between great powers. (BBC)
 A spokesperson for Prime Minister Theresa May says the government has seen no plans for Foreign
Secretary Boris Johnson's idea of building a road bridge across the English Channel between France and
the United Kingdom. (CNBC)
 Political appointments by Donald Trump
 Carl Higbie, Corporation for National and Community Service Chief of External Affairs, apologizes and
resigns from his position with the agency that runs AmeriCorps after racist and anti-Muslim remarks he
made in 2013 are reported by CNN. (NPR)
 An Atlas V rocket successfully deployed the fourth SBIRS satellite for the United States Air Force. This launch
completes the geosynchronoussegment of SBIRS and provides a global missile detection system for the United
States. (Spaceflight 101)
 Twitter announces it is notifying 677,775 people in the U.S. that they had some contact with the Kremlin-
linked troll farm, Internet Research Agency, during the 2016 election period. The count of Russian-linked bot
accounts is now 50,258, the company having identified an additional 13,512 bot accounts since its November
Congressional briefing. (Politico) (Mumbrella)
edithistorywatch
 Northwestern Syria campaign (October 2017–present)
 The Syrian Army seizes control of the strategic Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in Idlib
Governorate. (Reuters)
 2018 Inter-Continental Hotel Kabul attack
 At least four gunmen launch an attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan. (CNN)
 The United States federal government shuts down after the United States Senate fails to pass
a budget bill. (The New York Times)
 A bus crash in Turkey's northwestern Eskişehir Province kills at least 11 people and injures 46 others. (BBC)
 The state government of Minas Gerais, Brazil, declares a health emergency in three areas, Belo
Horizonte, Itabira and Ponte Nova, over an outbreak of yellow fever. (Outbreak News)
 South China Sea disputes, Philippines v. China
 China claims its sovereignty was violated when a United States Navyship sailed close to the Scarborough
Shoal near the Philippines. (The Japan Times)
 2017–18 Romanian protests
 Tens of thousands of demonstrators protest in Bucharest and major cities against perceived corruption
and changes to the judiciary. Romanians in diaspora stage protests in dozens of cities worldwide in
solidarity with the anti-corruption movement in the country. (Associated Press) (Balkan Insight)
 2018 Women's March
 Hundreds of thousands protest in D.C., with thousands of protesters turning out in Los Angeles, Chicago,
Philadelphia, and other cities throughout the United States and the world in cities such as Rome,
Italyinternationally, in support of women's rights. (The New York Times)(Politico)
 Odebrecht case in Guatemala
 Former presidential candidate Manuel Baldizón is captured in the United States accused of receiving
bribes from Odebrecht. (Reuters)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Inter-Continental Hotel Kabul attack
 Six insurgents kill at least 18 people, including 4 Afghans and 14 foreigners, in a 13-hour gun battle.
The Afghan Interior Ministry says that the siege ended when the last gunman was shot
dead. NATO reports that "no foreign troops" died. The Taliban claim that they sent five suicide bombers
armed with hand grenades and AK-47 assault rifles. The Afghan government blames the attack on
the Pakistan-based Haqqani network. (CBS News), (AP via NBC News), (BBC)
 Turkish President Erdoğan announces that Turkish Army ground troopshave entered the district
of Afrin in Syria. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım says the goal is to establish a 30-km safe
zone. (Voice of America)
 France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian calls for an emergency meeting of the United Nations
Security Council to address the Turkishincursion into Northern Syria's Afrin Region. The UNSC will
convene on Monday. (Reuters) (Daily Sabah) (Reuters²)
 Jordan–United States relations
 Abdullah II of Jordan tells U.S. Vice President Mike Pence the U.S. has to rebuild "trust and confidence"
to achieve a two-state solution in Israelafter the U.S. recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital. (Reuters)
 2018 Women's March
 Hundreds of thousands protest for a second day throughout the United States in support of women's
rights. (CNN)
 Politics of Somalia
 President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed fires Taabit Abdi Mohamed as mayor of Mogadishu and
replaces him with his information minister, Abdirahman Omar Osman. (Reuters)
 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election
 The Kabila government begins blocking internet access in the capital Kinshasa at midnight, after
a Catholic lay group's call to march today, in defiance of a government ban on public demonstrations. A
joint statement was released by the American and British embassies on Twitter the day prior, applauding
"Congolese citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble peacefully in support of the full
implementation" of the Sylvester agreements of December 2016. The statement also said that those
who do not protect these fundamental human rights must be held accountable "at the highest
level". (Het Laatste Nieuws), (AP via U.S. News & World Report), (Reuters)
 Congolese security forces kill at least six protesters and fire tear gas in Kinshasa. 57 people are wounded
and dozens of arrests are made in protests across the country, notably in Mbuji-
Mayi, Goma, Lubumbashiand several other places. (Reuters)
 U.S. President Donald Trump says on Twitter that if the shutdown stalemate continues, Republicans
should consider the "nuclear option" parliamentary procedure in the Senate. Majority leader Mitch
McConnellis opposed to taking this step, a spokesperson said. (Bloomberg)(CNBC)
 The United States Senate schedules a vote for noon Monday to fund the government through February
8. Since the Senate did not reach a budget compromise late Sunday evening, hundreds of thousands of
federal workers will face furloughs on Monday and many federal government offices will remain closed
though some facilities, such as the Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo, are scheduled to be
open. (The Washington Post) (BBC) (Reuters) (The Hill)
 Rocket Lab successfully launches test rocket Electron into orbit from Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand,
becoming the first rocket to reach orbit using an electric-pump-fed engine, after the original rocket
launch in May 2017 had to be aborted by safety officials. (1 News)
Sport
 2017–18 NFL playoffs
 In American football, the Philadelphia Eagles win the National Football Conference, defeating
the Minnesota Vikings 38–7. (NBC Sports)
 The New England Patriots win the American Football Conference title, defeating the Jacksonville
Jaguars 24–20. (Fox Sports Australia via News Limited)
edithistorywatch
Armed conflict and attacks
 Seven people die in clashes between security forces and worshippers taking part in an Ethiopian
Orthodox religious ceremony marking Timkat (Epiphany) in Woldiya, Amhara, Ethiopia, over the
weekend. (Reuters)
 South Thailand insurgency
 A motorcycle bomb kills at least three people and wounds 22 others at a market in Thailand's
southern Yala Province. (Reuters)
 Net neutrality in the United States
 Montana Governor Steve Bullock signs an executive order that bars any Internet service provider with
state contracts from blocking or charging more for faster delivery of websites to any customer in the
state. Montana is the first state to respond this way to the FCC's December 14, 2017, net
neutrality ruling. (The New York Times) (The Hill)
 2018 Mount Mayon activity
 The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raises Mount Mayon's alert level to 4, its second
highest volcano category which indicates a hazardous eruption is imminent. Mayon's activity, which
began the afternoon of January 13, 2018, has displaced about 40,000 residents in Albay
Province on Luzon island. (Reuters via NBC News)(CNN Philippines)
 Mayon erupts at 12:43 p.m. (PST). The eight-minute phreatomagmatic eruption was a dense, five-
kilometer tall column of volcanic ash, followed by two explosion-type earthquakes. Fountains of intense
but sporadic lava, which lasted between three to 30 minutes, began at 9:37 p.m. (GMA News
Online) (PHIVOLCS bulletin)
 An explosion on an oil rig in the U.S. state of Oklahoma leaves one injured and five people reported
missing. (CBC)
 A landslide pushes a bus into a ravine in Colombia, killing 13 people. (Reuters)
 United States recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital
 U.S. Vice President Mike Pence declares during a speech in the Israeli parliament that the new U.S.
embassy located in Jerusalem will open in 2019, sooner than generally expected. (The Guardian)
 Palestine–European Union relations
 After a meeting with the President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas, High Representative of the
Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini again assures President Abbas that
the European Union supports his ambition to have East Jerusalem as capital of a Palestinian
state. (Reuters)
 Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
 Italian politician Michele Nicoletti becomes the new President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe. (PACE)
 Tariffs in United States history
 President Donald Trump imposes Section 201 tariffs on imported solar panels and washing
machines. (Chicago Tribune)
Law and crime
 Crime in Germany
 German nurse and convicted serial killer Niels Högel is charged with 97 further counts of
murder. (Deutsche Welle)
 Carles Puigdemont, ex-President of Catalonia, travels to Denmark while Spanish Attorney
General requests the European Arrest Warrant. The Speaker of the Catalan Parliament appoints
Puigdemont to be invested as President. Spain's Supreme Court refuses to reactivate the arrest
warrant. (BBC) (RTE)
 The United States Senate reaches an agreement to reopen federal agencies through to February 8. A bill
is working its way through the legislative process. The first Senate vote was 81–18. (AP).
 Politics of Liberia
 George Weah takes office as President of Liberia, and Jewel Taylor as Vice President. It is the first
peaceful transition between two Liberian presidents in 74 years. (New York Times)
Sport
 USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal
 Three members of the USA Gymnastics Board of Directors resign amid criticism over their handling of
sexual abuse allegations against Larry Nassar. (NBC News)
edithistorywatch
 Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
 A double car bombing in Benghazi, Libya, kills at least 33 people and wounds "dozens" of others. The
victims include both military personnel and civilians, according to local officials. (Reuters)
Arts and culture
 90th Academy Awards
 The nominations for the upcoming Academy Awards are announced. Among the films nominated as the
best of 2017 in film, The Shape of Water leads with thirteen nominations, with Dunkirk following behind
with eight nominations. (CNN)
 Russia's Ministry of Culture bars the release of the British–French political satire film The Death of Stalin in the
country after accusing the film of containing "ideological warfare" and "extremist" content. (BBC)
 World Economic Forum
 Various billionaires, world leaders, and investors gather in Davos, Switzerland to discuss economic
issues. (Bloomberg)
 Trans-Pacific Partnership
 The 11 remaining countries aiming to create the Trans-Pacific Partnership after the Unites States'
withdrawal announce that they will sign an agreement in Chile this March. (Reuters)
 2018 Alaska earthquake
 A 7.9 magnitude earthquake occurs in the Gulf of Alaska. A tsunami warning is issued for
coastal Alaska and British Columbia, and the entire U.S. West Coast is placed under a tsunami watch.
Areas of Alaska remain under a tsunami advisory. It is tied as the sixth-largest earthquakeever recorded
in the United States, but there are no reports of significant damage or fatalities. (Sky News UK) (CBS
News) (USGS)
 A helicopter and a light aircraft collide mid-air close to the Philippsburg Nuclear Power Plant in Germany, killing
four people. (Deutsche Welle)
 Haiti–United States relations
 The United States closes its embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, due to large-scale protests against
the policy of U.S. President Donald Trump. (AP via Armenpress)
Law and crime
 Marshall County High School shooting
 A school shooting at Marshall County High School in Draffenville, Kentucky kills two people and injures
19. The suspect is arrested. (Fox News)
 Theresa May criticizes Boris Johnson for airing National Health Servicefunding concerns outside
private U.K. Cabinet meetings. (Reuters)
 Venezuelan presidential election, 2018
 The National Constituent Assembly approved a decree that calls for presidential elections before April
30. Incumbent Nicolás Maduro says he will compete for re-election. (Business Insider)
 The United States Senate confirms Jerome Powell as chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank with 84 votes for and
13 against. (The New York Times)
 Politics of Guatemala
 President Jimmy Morales is questioned about the high costs he spends to buy food and other luxury
items. (BBC)
 Google Lunar X Prize
 The organizers of the Google Lunar X Prize announce that the $20 million grand prize for a
commercial lunar lander will expire on 31 March 2018 without a winner because none of its five finalist
teams would be able to launch a mission before the deadline. (Space News)
Sports
 2017–18 NBA season
 LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers scores his 30,000th career regular-season point in a loss to
the San Antonio Spurs. James becomes the youngest player to reach the milestone at age 33 years,
24 days, surpassing Kobe Bryant's previous record of 34 years, 104 days. (Sports Illustrated)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Save The Children Jalalabad attack
 Attackers detonate explosives before storming the offices of the Save the Children charity in the
eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad. (BBC)
 British, American and German men are among a group of international volunteers who travelled
to Afrin to fight against Turkish-led forces in north-west Syria. (BBC) (Reuters)
 Several rockets fired from Syria strike the Turkish city of Kilis, near the Syria–Turkey border, killing at least
one person and injuring 13 others. Turkey blames the YPG group. (Xinhuanet)
 The U.S.-led coalition against ISIL says it has killed up to 150 militants in air strikes on a headquarters
in Deir ez-Zor Governorate, Syria. (BBC)
Arts and culture
 Culture of Saudi Arabia
 A dozen camels are disqualified from a beauty pageant at the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, near Riyadh,
after reports in the media about injections with botox. A veterinarian is caught performing plastic
surgeryto make the camels more attractive. Rules prohibit to change the natural form of participating
camels. (NPR)
 Senior politicians express outrage after an investigative report by the Financial Times on groping practices at
a Dorchester hotel charity gala held by the London-based Presidents Club old boy network. Boris
Johnson and Mark Carney both deny knowing that their lunch or tea time was sold as lots in the club's charitable
auction. (AP via U.S. News and World Report)
Law and crime
 Crime in Michigan
 Two Michigan State Police troopers are injured by gunfire in Union Citywhile serving a warrant. The
suspect was later found dead nearby. (MLive.com)
 Larry Nassar is sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison for molesting Olympic gymnasts and other women.
Many of the accusers were children, who were told to not question authority. (Chicago Tribune)
 Animal cloning
 Chinese scientists announce they have successfully cloned crab-eating macaques using somatic cell
nuclear transfer (SCNT), making them the first primates to be cloned. The monkeys were named Zhong
Zhong and Hua Hua. (Reuters)
 SpaceX conducts the first static fire test of the Falcon Heavy rocket ahead of its maiden flight with Elon
Musk's Tesla Roadster as a dummy payload. (BBC)
Sports
 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2018
 The Baseball Writers' Association of America elects Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome,
and Trevor Hoffman to the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame. They will be formally inducted alongside Jack
Morris and Alan Trammell, voted in by a special Hall of Fame committee, on July 29. (ESPN)
edithistorywatch
 Thirteen civilians travelling from Burkina Faso are killed after their vehicle struck a landmine near the village
of Boni in Mali's Mopti Region. (Reuters)(AFP via Daily Sabah)
Arts and culture
 Tens of thousands of Pentecostal Christians in Mbarara, Uganda take to the streets with songs of praise and
thanks to hold a common celebration seen as a way of dedicating people’s lives to Christ and preaching the
gospel across the entire district. (UG Christian News)
 Monetary policy of the United States
 Financial analysts interpret remarks by United States Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin as an
indication that the United States may change the strong dollar policy that it has held since the 1990s.
This is evidenced by the fact that he did not deliver the usual message that a strong dollar is good for
America. (CNBC)
 Mario Draghi, the President of the European Central Bank, says that Mnuchin's comments are contrary
to a decades-old agreement not to "target" each other's exchange rate. The European Central
Bank keeps its policy unchanged for now despite citing the euro's surge as a source of uncertainty with
respect to its strong currency policy. (Reuters)
 Pioltello train derailment
 At least three people are killed and over 100 injured in a train derailmentnear Milan, Italy. (BBC) (The
Guardian) (Reuters)
 Germany–Turkey relations
 Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, for the German caretaker government,
decide to delay a decision on upgrading Turkey's German-built Leopard 2 tanks until after the formation
of a new government coalition. Foreign Minister of Turkey Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu says Turkey expects
"solidarity and support" from its ally. (Reuters)(Jerusalem Post)
 U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to stop aid to Palestine if they do not agree to partake in peace
talks with Israel. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Time in Florida
 Two bills are unanimously approved by the Florida House and SenateCommittees that propose
moving the state permanently to Daylight Saving Time (UTC−04:00), and shifting most of
the Panhandle west of a line from eastern Jackson County to northern Gulf County – which currently lies
within the southern boundary of the Central Time Zone(UTC−05:00) – to the Eastern Time Zone, in
alignment with the remainder of Florida's 67 counties. If passed by the state legislature, any changes
would need to be approved by the Department of Transportationand Congress. (Miami Herald)
 Politics of Brazil
 The Brazil Workers' Party (PT) insists that former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will be their candidate
for the upcoming presidential electioneven as a conviction for corruption bars him from participating.
The São Paulo stock market hits new highs and the value of the Brazilian realstrengthens. (Reuters)
 Politics of Guatemala
 The Attorney General and the Head of the Anticorruption Commission of the UN, reported on a new case
of corruption in the Superintendency of Tax Administration, leaving 9 people arrested, including the
Former President of that organization. (ABC News)
 Doomsday Clock
 The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moves the Doomsday Clock thirty seconds forward, to two minutes
before midnight, the closest setting since 1953. The journal cites the closer approach to the point of
hypothetical global catastrophe to the failure of world leaders to deal with looming threats of nuclear
war (particularly, tensions involving the North Korean nuclear program) and climate change. (The
Washington Post)(Vice Motherboard)
edithistorywatch
 President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says the Afrin offensive, as announced, is now to turn east,
towards Manbij and the border with Iraq. (Reuters)
Arts and culture
 Protests against Donald Trump
 Celebrities Alyssa Milano, Michael Moore and Mark Ruffalo organize a "People's State of the Union"-
themed concert on Monday in New York City. Common and Andra Day are scheduled to perform. (USA
Today)
 CSeries dumping petition by Boeing
 The United States International Trade Commission votes 4–0 in favor of dismissing the Boeing Company's
petition against Bombardier Inc. over alleged price dumping. (Reuters)
 2018 Miryang hospital fire
 A fire breaks out in a hospital in Miryang, South Korea, killing at least 37 people and injuring over 130
others. (Reuters via ABC News) (BBC)
 Paris Zoological Park, France, is evacuated and closed after dozens of baboons escape their enclosure. (The
Guardian)
 Rescuers, including the Royal New Zealand Air Force, search for the Kiribatiferry MV Butiraoi with around 50
people on board after it is declared missing. (BBC) (The New Zealand Herald)
 Cape Town water crisis
 Cape Town announces that they will reach their "zero day", when they run out of all available water
reserves, on April 12, 2018. (CNN) (BBC)
 Aftermath of the Oroville Dam crisis
 The cost of the Oroville Dam spill rises to US$870 million. The U.S. stateof California continues to hope
for federal aid for the project. (KQED)
Law and crime
 Crime in Guatemala
 Former Defense Minister of Guatemala Williams Mansilla is arrested for a possible corruption case
associated with a bond to President Jimmy Morales. The Attorney General asked the Supreme Court to
consider again the impeachment against President Morales. (Reuters)
 José Arturo Sierra, former President of the Supreme Court of Justice of Guatemala, is shot and killed
while driving to Guatemala City. (AP viaThe New Zealand Herald)
 Cryptocurrency and security
 Hackers steal $535 million worth of the NEM cryptocurrency from Japanese exchange Coincheck. (CNBC)
 U.S. President Donald Trump names former NASA astronaut James F. Reilly as leader of the U.S.
Geological Survey. (The Hill)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Kabul ambulance bombing
 A suicide bomber in an ambulance packed with explosives kills at least 102 people and wounds 158
outside a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan. (The Washington Post)
 Gunmen kill at least 14 soldiers at a military base in Soumpi, central Mali. (AFP via France 24)
 Energy in Europe
 United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says that the U.S. and Poland "oppose" the Nord Stream
2 pipeline. They see it as undermining Europe's overall energy security and stability. (Reuters via U.S.
Report)
 Riverside homes and businesses in Paris are on high alert as the swollen River Seine threatens to overflow its
banks. (BBC)
 According to the Turkish presidency, United States National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster said January
26 that the U.S. "will not provide any more weapons to the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia". (Reuters via U.S.
News & World Report) (AP via The Washington Post)
Law and crime
 In the United States, billionaire Steve Wynn, best known for his casino hotels and resorts, resigns
as Republican National Committee finance chairman following sexual harassment reports, including a
$7.5 million settlement with a former worker at his Las Vegas resort. (Bloomberg viaFortune)
 Czech presidential election, 2018
 Incumbent Miloš Zeman, who opposes immigration and objects to EU sanctions against Russia, is elected
to a second term as President of the Czech Republic, after receiving 51.8 percent of the votes in the run-
off election over pro-EU challenger Jiří Drahoš. (BBC) (ABC News)
 The United States will pay Boeing nearly US$24 million to replace two of the five 27-year-old chiller
units on Air Force One, customized to carry 70 cubic feet of refrigerated storage for about 3,000
meals. (Star and Stripes) (Defense One)
 Politics of Honduras
 President Juan Orlando Hernández Alvarado takes oath of his second presidential term amid protests led
by Salvador Nasralla, former candidate for the Alliance of Opposition against the Dictatorship. (Deutsche
Welle)
Sports
 2018 in sumo
 In sumo, Tochinoshin Tsuyoshi becomes the first Georgian wrestler in history to win the makuuchi (top
division) championship. (Reuters)
edithistorywatch
 Yemeni Crisis (2011–present)
 Battle of Aden (2018)
 United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) fighters seize control of
government buildings in the southern Yemenicity of Aden, after clashing with forces loyal
to President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. At least 10 people are reportedly killed and 30 wounded.
Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr accuses the separatists of mounting a
coup. (BBC) (Al Jazeera)
 Turkish airstrikes and shelling heavily damage the ancient Syro-HittiteAin Dara temple in Syria's Afrin
District. The Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums calls on the international community to
pressure Turkey "to prevent the targeting of archaeological and cultural sites". (Reuters)
Arts and culture
 60th Annual Grammy Awards
 Leonard Cohen and Carrie Fisher win posthumously. (The New York Times)
 Alessia Cara wins Best New Artist. (NPR)
 Bruno Mars wins three of the Big Four awards with Song of the Year for "That's What I Like", Record of
the Year for "24K Magic" and Album of the Year for 24K Magic. (CNN), (Billboard)
 Researchers note that in November 2017, Strava, which processes data from apps and Internet of Things devices
such as Fitbit, accidentally revealed the locations of alleged United States military bases overseas, including
in Afghanistan, Djibouti and Syria. (The Verge), (The Guardian)
 Shipwrecks in 2018
 Seven survivors from the MV Butiraoi, six adults and a baby, are found in a dinghy and rescued, four days
after the 50-passenger ferry sank in Kiribati. New Zealand rescuers say there is a lot of debris near the
dinghy, but no sign of anyone else. (Sky News)
 China–Japan relations
 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Japanese Foreign Minister Tarō Kōno in Beijing and says
they hope to work to improve relations. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Mass shootings in the United States, Crime in Pennsylvania
 Four people are shot and killed at a car wash in the Melcroft suburb of Saltlick Township in Pennsylvania.
A fifth person, believed to be the gunman, is severely injured. (CBS News)
 Four people are shot and killed in a house in Reading, Pennsylvania. (USA TODAY)
 Cypriot presidential election, 2018
 Incumbent Nicos Anastasiades wins the first round of the election, but is well short of an absolute
majority required to win outright. He will face his rival from the 2013 election, Stavros Malas, in the
second round. (Cyprus Mail)
 Finnish presidential election, 2018
 Incumbent Sauli Niinistö takes an unprecedented first round victory after receiving 62.7 percent of the
votes. (Bloomberg)
 2017–18 Russian protests
 Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny is arrested by police at a protest rally in Moscow. His arrest
comes shortly after police raid the headquarters of his unregistered Progress Party in an apparent
attempt to disrupt online broadcasts of opposition rallies against Vladimir Putin, while police say they
were looking for a bomb. Navalny is released from police custody without charge late Sunday but needs
to appear in court later. (The Guardian) (Reuters)
Sports
 2018 Australian Open
 Swiss tennis player Roger Federer successfully defends his title in the five-sets men's singles
final against Marin Čilić, winning his sixth title at the Australian Open and becoming the first man to
win 20 titles in Grand Slam tournaments. (ESPN)
 Royal Rumble (2018)
 In professional wrestling, Shinsuke Nakamura wins the 31st Royal Rumble match. Asuka wins the 32nd,
the first all-woman version. Both receive championship matches at WrestleMania 34.
Former UFCwomen's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey returns to WWE. (Sports Illustrated)
edithistorywatch
 Bus plunge
 A bus plunges into the Bhairab River after falling off a bridge in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, India,
killing at least 36 people. The late response by rescuers to save passengers leads to violence between
local residents and police. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Toronto Police charge landscaper Bruce McArthur with five charges of first-degree murder, after planters
containing the remains of three other people are found on a property linked to him. (CBC News)
 Mass shootings in the United States, Crime in Pennsylvania
 The gunman who fatally shot four people at a car wash in the Melcroftsuburb of Saltlick
Township in Pennsylvania the previous day dies at a hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. (CNN)
 Minutes before the registration deadline, a second candidate, Moussa Mostafa Moussa, fulfills
paperwork to participate in the 2018 presidential election. Leading opposition members called for a
boycott, saying that a wave of repression has cleared the field of challengers to PresidentAbdel Fattah el-
Sisi. (Reuters)
 Viorica Dăncilă (PSD) is confirmed as Romania's first female Prime Minister. She is Romania’s third
premier in less than 13 months. (Irish Times)
 Andrew McCabe resigns as Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation amid a dispute
with President Donald Trump. (The Independent)
edithistorywatch
 Battle of Aden (2018)
 The Southern Transitional Council (STC) takes control of the Yemeniport city of Aden following
two days of fierce fighting in the city which has left dozens dead. Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed
Obeid bin Daghr, and members of the President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi-led government are
confined to the presidential palace which has been surrounded. (Reuters)
 Russia–United States relations
 Reports surface about the publication on January 29 by the United Statesof a list of Russian politicians
and oligarchs that the U.S. governmentwas required by CAATSA to draw up. Russian President Vladimir
Putinsays that the list, on which he is not included, is an "unfriendly act" that complicates ties between
the two countries. (BBC1), (BBC2)
 2018 State of the Union Address
 U.S. President Donald Trump delivers his first State of the Union Addressto the 115th United States
Congress in the chamber of the House of Representatives.(The New York Times)
 The Speaker of the Parliament of Catalonia delays the session of investiture of Carles Puigdemont after
the suspension by the Constitutional Court of the telematic investiture. Roger Torrent insists that
Puigdemont is the only candidate, disobeying the decision of the high court. (The Guardian)
 Shortly after the decision, demonstrators assaulted the Parliament gardens as a form of protest, facing
the Mossos d'Esquadra. (El País)
 Aftermath of the Kenyan general election, 2017
 Raila Odinga stages a swearing in ceremony in Nairobi in which he names himself the 'People's
president'.(New York Times)
edithistorywatch
 A BBC study finds that, as of October 2017, the Taliban presently maintains control of or has some
territorial presence in 70% of Afghanistan, with full control of 14 districts (totaling 4% of the country)
and demonstrating an open physical militant presence in 263 others (encompassing the remaining 66%
of the group's occupied territory). (Reuters)
 2018 Crozet, Virginia train crash
 An Amtrak train carrying Republican lawmakers to a retreat in West Virginia collides with a garbage truck
in Crozet, Virginia. At least one person dies and one person is seriously injured. The White House states
that there are no serious injuries among members of Congress or their staff. (NPR)
Law and crime
 Crime in Belgium
 Renaud Hardy, a suspected serial killer from Mechelen, Belgium, confesses to two murders and two
attempted murders ahead of his February assizes case in Tongeren. (De Standaard)
 Cannabis in California
 San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón announces the city will retroactively
apply California's new marijuana laws to nearly 5,000 felony convictions, expunging or reducing
misdemeanors and felonies dating to 1975. (Los Angeles Times)
 Federal Reserve System
 The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rules, by a 7–3 vote, that the independent
structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is constitutional. A separate case involving
directorial succession is under appeal; lower courts have approved the president's selection of Mick
Mulvaney as head of CFPB. (NPR)
 Prime Minister Theresa May orders Phillip Lee, a Justice minister, to "air his views in private" after he
suggested that Brexit planning should be based on evidence rather than dogma. (The Independent)
 MPs vote 236–220 in favour of moving out of the Houses of Parliamentfor six years while the Palace of
Westminster undergoes repairs at a cost of around £4 billion. The move out of Westminster will not
occur before 2025. It will be the first time MPs have moved out of the Palace of Westminster since World
War II. (Sky News)
 Politics of Guinea-Bissau
 President José Mário Vaz appoints Artur Silva as Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau, succeeding Umaro
Sissoco Embaló, who resigned on January 16th. (CGTN Africa)
 Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald resigns as head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention following a
report that she purchased stock in food, health insurance, and tobacco companies shortly after taking up
her federal government position. (CNBC)
 Private messages between former President of the Generalitat of Catalonia Carles
Puigdemont and Antoni Comín, the exiled regional minister of Health, come to light, in which the former
President confesses that the secession procedure "is over", opening, once again, tensions between the
pro-independence political parties and more confusion about the future of Catalonia. (The Guardian)
 January 2018 lunar eclipse
 A lunar eclipse is seen in Oceania, Asia, and North America, coinciding with a supermoon and blue
moon. (AP via Los Angeles Times)
Sports
 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship
 The upcoming Formula One season will abandon the practice of using "grid girls", arguing that the
practice does not "resonate" with Formula One's values. Four days before, the Professional Darts
Corporationabandoned the use of "walk-on girls" to accompany men onto the stage.
march 1, 2018 (Thursday)

edithistorywatch
 U.S. President Donald Trump announces plans to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium
imports. (BBC), (The Hill)
Law and crime
 Crime in Norway, Crime in the United States
 Police in Oslo, Norway, say that the FBI is assisting in the investigation into two forged nominations
of Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. The impersonator allegedly used the same stolen
identity twice. (Newser), (The Washington Post)
 Terrorism in Turkey
 Dilek Öcalan, MP for the pro-Kurdish HDP party, is sentenced to two and a half years in jail on
charges of terror propaganda related to her participation in the 2016 funeral of a PKK fighter. Nine HDP
MPs are currently in jail. (NRT)
 Politics of Iraq
 The Parliament of Iraq votes to oblige the federal government to set a schedule for the withdrawal
of foreign troops. (Iraq News)
 An alleged Senate Intelligence Committee report states that a House Intelligence
Committee Republican was behind the leak to Fox News of private text messages between a Russian-
connected lawyer and Senator Mark Warner, the committee vice-chairman, concerning an attempt to
contact Christopher Steele, author of the Trump–Russia dossier. Committee chairman Richard Burr later
denied the leak report. (The New York Times), (Slate) (The Hill)
 2018 opening of regular sessions of the National Congress of Argentina
 Argentine President Mauricio Macri delivers a speech in the Congress to start the regular sessions
for 2018. (Reuters)
 NASA astronomers use the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes in research implying that "hot
Saturn" (high surface-atmospheretemperatures and gas giant-mass) exoplanet WASP-39b, located
700 light-years from Earth, has a large amount of water molecules in its atmosphere. (NASA)
Sports
 2018 NHL Stadium Series
 The Washington Capitals defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in a special outdoor hockey match, 5–2,
at the Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland. (The Washington Post)
March 2, 2018 (Friday)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Ouagadougou attacks
 A terrorist attack at the French embassy and military headquarters in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso,
leaves 28 people dead and at least 50 others injured. (BBC)
 Ituri conflict
 An attack on a village, part of the unrest between ethnic Lendu and Hema communities, leaves 49
people dead in the Ituri Province of DR Congo. (News18)
 A suicide car bomber kills one person and injures fourteen others near the Australian embassy
in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Reuters via Newshub)
 2017–18 European windstorm season
 An avalanche near Entraunes in southeastern France, kills at least four people and leaves another
one missing. (BBC)
 March 1–3, 2018 nor'easter
 A massive winter storm occurs in the East Coast of the United States, leaving millions without power
and cancelling thousands of airplane flights. (CNN via MSN)
 2018 Baku fire
 At least 25 people are killed in a fire at a drug-rehabilitation clinic in Baku, Azerbaijan. (RFE/RL)
 Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denies White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders' claim that
Russia breached any international arms control pacts, after President Vladimir Putin's March 1 speech
on nuclear weapons. (Reuters)
 Cuba–United States relations
 The United States permanently downgrades their embassy in Havana, making its status
'unaccompanied', meaning a post at which no family members are permitted to reside. The status change
comes after alleged health attacks. (Miami Herald)
Law and crime
 2016–2018 investigations involving Benjamin Netanyahu
 An Israel Police anti-corruption unit questions Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his
wife Sara. (Reuters)
 Cannabis in Greece
 The Hellenic Parliament passes a bill legalising the use of medical cannabis in Greece. New
Democracy, Communist Party, Golden Dawnand the Union of Centrists voted against the government-
sponsored bill. (Greek Reporter)
 Central Michigan University shooting
 A student shoots his parents dead in a dorm at Central Michigan University in Mount
Pleasant, Michigan, United States. (NBC), (BBC)
 Italian general election, 2018
 Antonio Tajani, the current President of the European Parliament, accepts the offer of Silvio
Berlusconi to stand as a candidate for Prime Minister of Italy for Forza Italia. (The Local)
 Politics of the European Union
 European Union lawmakers strike a deal on opening up the 3.6 and 26 GHz bandwidths by 2020 to
make room for the new 5G network. (Reuters)
 Politics of Germany, SPD party member vote on the 2018 coalition agreement of Germany
 Postal ballots of the 2018 SPD coalition party member vote are due. The vote will determine if the
SPD is allowed to form a coalition with Angela Merkel's CDU. (Reuters)
Sports
 Long-distance swimming
 The Dutch swimmer Maarten van der Weijden sets the 24-hour swimming record in a 25-meter pool
at 102.8 kilometres (63.9 mi). (SwimSwam)
March 3, 2018 (Saturday)
edithistorywatch
 Gazan officials say Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian farmer on his own land in the Gaza Strip. An
Israeli military spokesperson said that he got too close to the border fence. (Oman Times)
 According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 36 pro-Syrian government troops
were killed in a Turkish airstrike in Afrin, Syria. (BBC)
 Turkish troops and the Free Syrian Army seize control of the strategic town of Rajo, Syria,
from YPG forces. (Al Masdar News) (The Guardian) (AP via San Francisco Chronicle)
 Protectionism in the United States, United States–European Union relations
 In a message on Twitter, U.S. President Donald Trump says the U.S. will apply a tax on cars made in
the European Union if the E.U. "further" increases tariffs. (CNBC) (BBC)
Law and crime
 "Polish death camp" controversy
 Hours after the Polish so-called Holocaust Law about discussing of historical facts takes effect,
the Polish League Against Defamation sues Argentinian newspaper Página/12, which it accuses of
suggesting Polandwas complicit in the Holocaust. (Reuters)
 Murder of Ján Kuciak
 On the day of the funeral of slain journalist Ján Kuciak, for lack of evidence, police release
seven Italian nationals who are accused of links with the 'Ndrangheta mafia in a posthumously published
investigative report by Kuciak. (Daily Star)
 The Florida Senate rejects a bill to ban assault weapons and holds a moment of “silence and
reflection” for the Parkland, Florida, victims. (The Washington Post)
Sports
 Rules of association football
 The International Football Association Board, which sets the rules for association football, approves
the use of video assistant referees, which will be used at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. (BBC)
March 4, 2018 (Sunday)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 90th Academy Awards
 The Shape of Water wins a leading four awards, including Best Picture, followed by Dunkirk, which
won three awards. (CNBC)
 The ceremony records its lowest U.S. television audience in recorded history, according to Nielsen
Holdings. (BBC)
Disasters and incidents
 An explosion followed by a building collapse kills four and injures 20 in Poznan, Poland. (Reuters)
 Online advertising
 Advertisers remove their ads from InfoWars founder Alex Jones' YouTubechannels. Many of the
brands say they were not aware their adverts were being shown on the channel until being contacted
by CNN. (The Independent) (CNN)
Health and environment
 2017–18 South African listeriosis outbreak
 South African officials determine that the country's ongoing listeriosisoutbreak—which is already the
world's deadliest listeriosis outbreak, killing over 180 people and sickening 1,000 more—was caused
by contaminated "Polony" processed meat. The Ministry of Health issues a recall of contaminated products
from RCL Foods and from Tiger Brandssubsidiary company Enterprise Food and advises the public to avoid
all processed meat products that are sold as ready-to-eat. (Reuters)
 2017–18 North Korea crisis
 U.S. President Donald Trump states North Korea was recently seeking talks with the United
States. (Chicago Tribune)
 South Korean President Moon Jae-in announces he is sending two officials to meet with North
Korea. (The Week)
 In a private speech to Republican donors at Mar-a-Lago, U.S. PresidentDonald
Trump congratulates Chinese President Xi Jinping on eliminating China's presidential term limits, reportedly
advocates for similar action to be taken in the United States. (CNN)
 Italians go to the polls today to elect the 630 members of the Chamber of Deputies and the 315
members of the Senate of the Republic. (BBC)
 SPD party member vote on the 2018 coalition agreement of Germany
 SPD party members approve with 66% in favour to allow to form a coalition with Angela
Merkel's CDU/CSU, ending a five-month political deadlock after the federal elections. (BBC)
 2017–18 Spanish constitutional crisis, Spanish unionism
 15,000 demonstrators gather in Barcelona, Spain, to support the mock region of Tabarnia—a
hypothetical area that includes the least independentist areas of Catalonia—as a way to oppose Catalan
independence and the declaration of independence on October 27. (The Washington Post)
 Swiss referendums, 2018
 Swiss voters reject a proposal to scrap the television licence fee that provides the majority of funding
for the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. Swiss voters also approve the right of the federal government to
levy VAT and direct federal tax until 2025. (BBC)
 Wildlife of Antarctica
 Scientists discover a large colony of more than 750,000 pairs of Adéliepenguins on the Danger
Islands in Antarctica. (WGN-TV)
 Hyperbolic asteroids
 Hyperbolic asteroids A/2017 U7 and A/2018 C2 are announced, although their orbit suggests they
are not interstellar in origin. (Minor Planet Center1) (Minor Planet Center2)
March 5, 2018 (Monday)
 Tongo Tongo ambush
 ISIL releases purported footage of the October 2017 attack on Americanspecial forces in Tongo
Tongo, Niger. (BBC)
 Allied Democratic Forces insurgency
 Seven people are killed in an attack on the city of Beni, North Kivu, DR Congo by the Allied
Democratic Forces rebel group, which crossed the border from Uganda. (Xinhua News Agency)
 Global warming
 NIWA declares that the previous summer, which had an average temperature of 18.8 °C (65.8 °F),
was the hottest in New Zealand history. (The New Zealand Herald)
 Children's rights
 A UNICEF report says that 20% of girls under 18 are married, compared to 25% ten years ago, with
an estimated 25 million marriages having been prevented in the past decade. (BBC) (Voice of America)
 Egypt–Saudi Arabia relations
 Saudi Arabian Prince Mohammad bin Salman meets Pope Tawadros II at Saint Mark's Coptic
Orthodox Cathedral. (Reuters)
 United States–Vietnam relations
 The USS Carl Vinson enters Vietnam's Da Nang Port, becoming the first U.S. aircraft carrier to visit a
Vietnamese port since the Vietnam War in 1975. The visit comes amid tensions in the
region with China. (NPR)
Law and crime
 Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal
 Former Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter are taken to a hospital
in critical condition after being exposed to an unknown substance in Wiltshire, United Kingdom. Skripal was
granted refugee status in the UK following a "spy swap" deal between the UK and Russia in 2010. (BBC)
 Italy faces a period of political instability after the results of the general election are almost complete.
The populist Five Star Movement (M5S) is projected to be the largest party in the Italian Parliament with
32% of the vote. The party has long stated its hostility towards forming a coalition government. (The Wall
Street Journal)
 Former Prime Minister and candidate to the elections, Matteo Renzi, resigns as Secretary of the
Democratic Party. (Politico)
 The Speaker of the Catalan Parliament, Roger Torrent, proposes Jordi Sànchez i Picanyol as a
candidate for President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, but he has been preventively jailed since 16 October
2017, accused of sedition. This happens after Carles Puigdemont resigns as a possible candidate, who, if
elected, would have been a symbolic president with a symbolic government in Brussels. The candidacy of
Sànchez also reportedly lacks one seat for a majority. (El País)
 National Party politician and former Minister of Finance Steven Joyceresigns
from parliament. (Newshub) (The New Zealand Herald)
 Republicans raise concern about U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs on metal
imports. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan says he is "extremely worried" about the impact of a trade war,
adding that it could "undermine economic gains". (BBC via RNZ) (Vox)
 Fighting breaks out between anti-fascist protesters and supporters of white nationalist Richard B.
Spencer when he gives a speech at Michigan State University, before they are separated by
police. (Chicago Tribune)
 China's "two sessions" - the annual meetings of the national legislature and the top political advisory
body - opens in Beijing; major announcements include an 8% rise in its military budget and a GDPgrowth
target of around 6.5%. (BBC 1), (BBC 2), (Reuters)
 Cyberethics
 Facebook apologizes after including a question in a user survey on the acceptability of soliciting
sexual pictures from minors on its platform. (The Verge)
 Maritime archaeology
 A search team led by Paul Allen's company Vulcan, Inc., using his research vessel Petrel,
announces the discovery of the wreck of the USS Lexington (CV-2) about 800 kilometres (500 mi) off the
eastern coast of Australia at a depth of around 3 km (2 mi). The aircraft carrier was lost in the Battle of the
Coral Sea during World War II. (United States Naval Institute) (BBC)
March 6, 2018 (Tuesday)
edithistorywatch
 Kamwina Nsapu rebellion
 The UN Refugee Agency reports that more than 900,000 people have been displaced by the
ongoing fighting in the central provinces of DR Congo between militias and government forces since
2016. (UNHCR)
 2018 anti-Muslim riots in Sri Lanka
 Sri Lanka imposes a nationwide 10-day state of emergency, the first since 2011, in an effort to calm
communal tensions. The previous day, a Sinhalese Buddhist mob attack on Sri Lankan Muslim shops in the
region of Kandy, Central Province, left a Muslim person dead. (Reuters) (The New York Times)
 2018 Antonov An-26 crash
 A Russian Antonov An-26 transport plane crashes during an attempted landing at Khmeimim Air
Base in Latakia, Syria, killing all 39 people onboard. (BBC)
 2018 North Korea–United States summit
 South Korea states that North Korea is willing to hold talks with the United States on
denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. (Fox News)
 U.S. President Donald Trump tweets that possible progress is being made in talks with North
Korea. (The Washington Examiner)
 2018 inter-Korean summit
 South Korea and North Korea agree to hold a summit in April 2018. (LocalNews8) (CNBC)
 Assassination of Kim Jong-nam
 The United States accuses North Korea of using VX to kill Kim Jong-nam, and imposes
apparently symbolic sanctions against North Korea. (Reuters)
 Foreign relations of New Zealand
 New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces that New Zealand will give NZ$10 million
to Tonga to help with rebuilding after the country was struck by Cyclone Gita in February. (1 News)
Law and crime
 The U.S. Office of Special Counsel says that Kellyanne Conway violated the Hatch Act of
1939 during two 2017 television interviews. (ABC News)
 Stormy Daniels–Donald Trump scandal
 Porn star Stormy Daniels sues Donald Trump, arguing that a nondisclosure agreement signed by her
and Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen is invalid. (NBC News)
 Free speech zones on college and university campuses, Safe-space
 Violence breaks out as protesters storm an event organized by the King's College
London Libertarian Society which featured Yaron Brook (Ayn Rand Institute) and
the antifeminist YouTuber Sargon of Akkad. (The Telegraph)
 Politics of Russia
 Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich replaces Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko as
the Russian government executive in charge of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. (AP via ABC News)
 U.S. National Economic Council director Gary Cohn announces his resignation. (BBC)
 SpaceX successfully launches Spanish communications satellite Hispasat 30W-6 into orbit on
a Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. (CBS News)
March 7, 2018 (Wednesday)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Vienna stabbing
 Two connected stabbings occurred in Vienna, Austria: three people were seriously injured outside
a Japanese restaurant, and one man in a later stabbing. The perpetrator was arrested. (The Independent)
Arts and culture
 A message in a bottle found in Australia is confirmed to have been adrift for almost 132 years, making it
reportedly the oldest known message in a bottle. (ABC Online)
 Accidents and incidents involving helicopters
 A Russian Border Guard Service Mil Mi-8 crashes in Chechnya, killing at least eight people. (TASS)
 March 6–8, 2018 nor'easter
 A second winter storm occurs in the East Coast of the United States, only a few days after another
storm. (The Weather Company)
 Australia–East Timor relations
 Australia and East Timor sign a treaty for a permanent maritime border in the Timor Sea, ending a
decade-long dispute over rights to the sea's rich oil and gas reserves. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Hate crime in the United Kingdom
 Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, leader and deputy of the British far-right organization Britain First,
are convicted of hate crimes for posting things deemed offensive online. Golding is sentenced to 36 weeks
in prison and Fransen to 18 weeks in prison for promoting Islamophobicactivities
and harassment. (The Independent) (BBC)
 Crime in the United States
 Former United States Department of Justice attorney Jeffrey Wertkin is sentenced to 2½ years in
prison for what prosecutors called the DoJ's "most serious" example of public corruption, which involved
stealing more than 40 whistleblower fraud cases in 2016 with intentions to sell the secret information to
companies under federal investigation. (The Washington Post)
 Florida's House of Representatives votes 67–50 to approve a gun and school safety bill that would
raise the age to buy firearms from 18 to 21, sending the bill to Governor Rick Scott to sign into law. The
measure also prohibits bump stocks, and creates a program for the arming of some teachers. (NBC News)
 Observational astronomy
 European astronomers observe the "birth" of a symbiotic X-ray binary, IGR J17329-2731, described
as a transient, from the Galactic Centerusing INTEGRAL space telescope. (European Space Agency)
(The Astronomer's Telegram)
 Near-Earth asteroid 2017 VR12 makes a flyby past Earth. (USA Today)
 Forensic anthropology
 Emeritus University of Tennessee Professor Richard Jantz claims that bones found in 1940
on Nikumaroro, Kiribati, almost certainly belong to lost aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. (Newshub)
March 8, 2018 (Thursday)
edithistorywatch
 The Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army seizes control of Jindires in Syria's Afrin District from
the Kurdish YPG. The town is extensively destroyed by Turkish airstrikes, according to the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights. (Reuters) (France 24)
 Economy of the United States
 Toys "R" Us considers closing all its stores in the United States. (CNBC)
 Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says "potentially positive signals" come from North Korea,
but that the two countries are "still a long way" from direct negotiations. (NBC News)
 U.S. President Donald Trump accepts an invitation from North KoreanSupreme Leader Kim
Jong-un to discuss North Korea's denuclearization sometime by May. (CBC) (The New York Times)
 Japan–North Korea relations
 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe says inter-Korea talks could be a "meaningless" ploy
by North Korea. (The Japan Times)
 United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel, Foreign relations of Guatemala
 Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit demands Guatemala reverse its decision
to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, Sandra
Jovelsays the move is "irreversible." (JPost)
 Protectionism in the United States
 Citing national security reasons, U.S. President Donald Trump imposes tariffs of 25% on steel and
10% on aluminum imported from most countries. Canada and Mexico are provisionally exempt
pending NAFTArenegotiations. The tariffs will take effect on March 23. (CBS News)
 Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership
 Eleven countries in Asia, North America, Oceania, and South Americasign the revised Trans-Pacific
Partnership trade agreement. (The New York Times)
 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election, 2018
 Prime Minister Bruno Tshibala says the election – delayed repeatedly since President Joseph
Kabila's term expired in December 2016 – will occur this December. (Reuters via Standard Digital)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 Media of the United Kingdom
 British music journalism magazine New Musical Express (NME) issues its final print edition after 66
years, becoming a purely digital medium. (London Evening Standard)
 White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says that the White House needs to
see "concrete and verifiable steps" toward the denuclearization of North Korea before meeting with Kim
Jong-un. (Business Insider)
 Australia–North Korea relations, Australia–United States relations
 Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull urges U.S. PresidentDonald Trump to be
cautious in North Korea talks. Turnbull also said that Australia must retain sanctions on North
Korea. (Canberra Times)
 France–North Korea relations, France–United States relations
 French President Emmanuel Macron says that Trump should hold tough talks with North
Korea. (First Post)
Law and crime
 Yountville hostage crisis
 An Afghan War veteran and recently expelled resident takes an executive director and two
psychologists into a room at the Veterans Home of California in Yountville, California. Seven hours
later, California Highway Patrol officers find all of them shot dead. (The New York Times)
 Crime in New York
 A Brooklyn federal court sentences Martin Shkreli to seven years in prison for securities fraud in
his hedge fund and pharmaceuticalcompanies. (CNBC)
 Federal pardons in the United States
 U.S. President Donald Trump pardons Kristian Saucier, who had served a one-year sentence for
unauthorized possession and retention of national defense information. (The Washington Post)
 Politics of Mauritius
 Mauritian President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim is to resign over a financial scandal, where she was
accused of using a charity bank card to make personal purchases worth tens of thousands of
dollars. (Reuters)(BBC)
 Arianespace launches mission VS18 from the Guiana Space Centre, a Soyuz rocket carrying a
payload of four O3b communications satellitesfor SES. (NASASpaceFlight.com)
Sports
 2018 Winter Paralympics
 The opening ceremony of the 2018 Paralympic Games in South Koreatakes place. (BBC)
 Figure skating in the United States
 American figure skating coach Richard Callaghan is suspended by the United States Center for
SafeSport for alleged inappropriate sexual conduct with a 15-year-old pupil in 1985, first reported in
1999. (The Washington Post)
edithistorywatch
 Economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
 Congolese President Joseph Kabila signs a law that increases taxes on mining and government
royalties on international mining companies working in DR Congo, including on the mining of cobalt, despite
the opposition from foreign companies. (BBC)
 East-Central Africa Division of Seventh-day Adventists
 Lightning strikes a Seventh-day Adventist Church in Nyaruguru District, Rwanda, killing 16 people
and injuring dozens. (BBC)
 Environmental issues in Chile
 Outgoing Chilean President Michelle Bachelet signs a new law which creates nine marine reserves.
The new legislation will increase the area of sea under state protection from 4.3% to 42.4%. (BBC)
 Jeju Island emerges as a possible location for U.S.–North Korea summit talks in May. (The
Hankyoreh)
 North Korea–Sweden relations
 North Korean foreign minister Ri Yong-ho will visit Sweden and meet with Deputy Prime
Minister Margot Wallström. (Reuters via The Japan Times)
Law and crime
 The NRA is suing Florida after it passed a gun control law which would raise the minimum age for
purchasing guns from 18 to 21. (CNN)(BBC)
 The U.S. Department of Justice submits a regulation to ban bump stocks, a modification to semi-
automatic guns that allows the user to fire at a faster rate. (Reuters)
edithistorywatch
 Cyclone Hola makes landfall in New Zealand. (Newshub)
 2018 New York City helicopter crash
 A helicopter crash in Manhattan's East River kills five people. (ABC News)
 2018 Bombardier Challenger 604 crash
 A private plane from Sharjah to Istanbul crashes in the Zagros Mountainsin Iran, killing Turkish
socialite Mina Başaran along with, according to Iranian state media, ten other people on board. (The
National UAE), (BBC)
Law and crime
 Visa policy of the United Kingdom
 Far-right activist and journalist Lauren Southern is detained at Calais and prevented from entering
the United Kingdom, with the reason given by the UK Home Office that her presence 'was not conducive to
the public good'. (London Evening Standard), (Fox News)
 2018 Vienna embassy stabbing
 An Austrian soldier was stabbed and injured in front of the Iranian embassy in Vienna. The attacker,
which had Islamist sympathies according to the authorities, was shot dead.(Reuters)
 2018 National People's Congress
 China's National People's Congress approves the removal of presidential term limits, in a move that
allows current president Xi Jinping to remain president for life. (BBC)
 Chilean general election, 2017
 Sebastian Piñera takes office for the second time as President of Chile. (SBS)
 The suspension of Facebook remains in place until the riots end. (The Sunday Times)
Sports
 College basketball in the United States
 The field for the NCAA Division I Men's Tournament is announced. The top overall seed is Virginia,
with Villanova, Kansas, and Xavier as the other #1 seeds. (ESPN)
edithistorywatch
 Acquisitions by Apple
 Apple Inc. buys digital magazine subscription app Texture for an undisclosed sum. (CNBC)
 United States antitrust law
 Citing national security concerns, U.S. President Donald Trump blocks Broadcom's proposed
acquisition of Qualcomm. (CNBC)
 US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211
 An aircraft operated by Bangladeshi airline US-Bangla Airlines crashes at Tribhuvan International
Airport, Kathmandu, Nepal, killing 49 of the 71 people on board. (BBC)
 Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, Russia–United Kingdom relations
 British Prime Minister Theresa May says she believes it is "highly likely" that the Russian
government was behind an attempt to murder Sergei Skripal and his daughter using a Novichok
agent. (Deutsche Welle)
Law and crime
 Austin package explosions
 Police in Austin, Texas announce that three package bombs in recent days that have killed two
people and injured one more appear to be connected. The packages were left off at three separate
locations and were not placed there by any delivery service, police say. (CNN)
 Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee announce the end of their Russia investigation,
against the objections of Democratic members. According to the investigation's preliminary findings,
the 2016 Trump campaign did not collude with the Russian government, and, contrary to the U.S.
intelligence community's previous conclusions, Russia did not have a preference for Donald Trump as a
presidential candidate. (NBC News)
Sports
 2017–18 Superleague Greece
 The Superleague Greece season is suspended indefinitely by the GreekMinistry of Culture and
Sports after PAOK FC owner Ivan Savvidisinvaded the pitch with several bodyguards during a match
against AEK Athens F.C. while armed with a gun, after his side had a late goal ruled out for offside. (BBC)
 College basketball in the United States
 The field for the 2018 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournamentis announced. Connecticut,
the only remaining unbeaten Division I team of either sex, is the top overall seed, with Notre
Dame, Louisville, and Mississippi State as the other #1 seeds. (AP via ESPN)
edithistorywatch
 Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
 Maoists blow up a mine-protected vehicle of CRPF personnel with an IED, killing at least nine and
injuring two others in Sukma district, Chhattisgarh, India. (Hindustan Times)
 The Argentine Navy rescues four United States Antarctic Program scientists and a contractor stranded
on Joinville Island in Antarctica after their icebreaker RV Laurence M. Gould encountered thick sea-ice. (BBC)
 A bus plunges into a ravine in the Amhara Region, Ethiopia, killing at least 38 people, mostly
students. (Channel News Asia)
 Anonymous Japanese government sources say that Japan is considering a summit meeting
between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. (AFP)
Law and crime
 Transport in Iraq
 Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi lifts a ban on international air travelto the Kurdistan
Region. (France24)
 U.S. President Donald Trump fires Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State, moving to replace him
with CIA Director Mike Pompeo. Trump selects CIA Deputy Director Gina Haspel to replace Pompeo as
director. (The Washington Post)
 Trans-Neptunian objects
 2015 TH367 (previously known as V774104), a 100–400 kilometer asteroid, is announced as
possibly the fourth most distant known Solar System object from the Sun at nearly 90 (±10) times Earth's
distance from the Sun. (Minor Planet Center)
 Toba catastrophe theory
 A study is released suggesting that humanity flourished even after Lake Toba erupted 74,000 years
ago. (International Business Times)
 K2-155d, a Super-Earth exoplanet, is discovered and could produce life. (Cnet)
Sports
 2018 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament
 The 2018 NCAA tournament begins, with the First Four starting in Dayton, Ohio. (ESPN)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 British physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking dies aged 76 at his home in Cambridge. (The
Guardian) (The New York Times) (BBC)
 Toys "R" Us announce that they will close down all of their stores in the United Kingdom after rescue
talks fail, resulting in the loss of about 3,000 jobs. (The Guardian)
 Shortly after the announcement of the closure of Toys "R" Us stores in the UK, the company
announced that they will close down all 800 stores in the United States, resulting in the loss of about 33,000
jobs. (The Washington Post)
 Ford issues a recall of 1.4 million vehicles, including some models of the Ford Fusion and
the Lincoln MKZ, citing an issue where the steering wheel could come loose. (CNN)
 Panama Papers
 Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca announces that it is shutting down due to the economic and
reputational damage inflicted by its role in the global tax evasion scandal. (The Guardian)
 Two U.S. Navy aviators – a pilot and a weapons officer – are killed after they eject from their FA-18 fighter
jet, which crashes into the sea off Key West, Florida. (Navy Times) (CNN)
 Foreign relations of the Philippines
 Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announces the withdrawal of the Philippines from
the International Criminal Court (ICC) over "outrageous attacks" by United Nations officials. (Reuters)
 Australia–South Africa relations, South African farm attacks, Racism in South Africa
 Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says white South Africanfarmers could receive fast-
track visas on "humanitarian grounds" amid calls to transfer land ownership from white to black farmers,
and fears over the number of racially-motivated farm killings. (BBC)
 Russia–United Kingdom relations, Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal
 The United Kingdom expels 23 Russian diplomats and cuts off all top-level ties with Russia as
punishment for a reported attack with the Novichok military-grade nerve agent, an attack which Prime
MinisterTheresa May described as an "unlawful use of force by the Russian state against the United
Kingdom". (The Guardian) (NPR) (Reuters)
Law and crime
 2018 United States gun violence protests
 Students throughout the United States participate in a walkout protest against gun violence. (ABC
News)
 Crime in Brazil, Politics of Brazil
 Brazilian politician and outspoken police critic Marielle Franco is killed along with her driver in
a drive-by shooting in Rio de Janeiro. (BBC)
 Telford child sex abuse ring
 After a 18-month Sunday Mirror investigation, Theresa May has called for an inquiry "as quickly as
possible" on reported Asian grooming gangs in Telford whereby up to 1,000 girls were lured from their
families to be drugged, beaten, raped and even murdered. (The Mirror)
 Angela Merkel is elected and sworn in for a new term as Chancellor of Germany. Olaf
Scholz and Heiko Maas assume the positions of Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister of Foreign
Affairs respectively. (The Guardian)
 Politics of Slovenia
 Miro Cerar announces his resignation as Prime Minister of Slovenia, due to the Supreme Court of
Slovenia's annulment of the referendum that approved building a railway between Koper and Divača, a
project which he calls "strategic". (Associated Press)
 Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district special election, 2018
 Democrat Conor Lamb declares victory in the special election of Pennsylvania's 18th congressional
district. The final vote could still be determined by a recount if at least three voters in each precinct petition
for one. (The New York Times) (Fox News)
 U.S. President Donald Trump appoints conservative commentator Larry Kudlow as National
Economic Council director, replacing outgoing Gary Cohn. (BBC)
 Internet censorship
 Facebook blocks Britain First, a far-right group that has been deregistered as a political party in the
United Kingdom, because leaders Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen have repeatedly violated its community
standards. (The New York Times) (BBC) (NBC News)
edithistorywatch
 The largest U.S. broadcaster, iHeartMedia, owner of 850 radio stations, files for chapter 11
bankruptcy after accumulating US$20 billion in debt. (CNN)
 Southeastern Grocers announces a plan to file for bankruptcy and close 94 of its locations. (CNN)
 Florida International University pedestrian bridge collapse
 An under-construction pedestrian bridge over the eight-lane Tamiami Trail at Florida International
University in Miami collapses killing at least six people and flattening eight cars. Nine people are rescued
from the rubble and taken to nearby Kendall Regional Medical Center. Two require immediate surgery; the
others injured sustain non-life-threatening wounds. (The Washington Post)
 A U.S. Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crashes near Al-Qa'im in Iraq's western Al Anbar
Governorate, killing all seven people on board. (ABC News) (CNN)
 Approximately 3,400kg of gold ingots break free from a Nimbus Airlines Antonov An-12 cargo plane and fall
onto the runway at Yakutsk Airport. (The Aviation Herald)
 North Korea–Sweden relations, 2018 North Korea–United States summit
 North Korea foreign minister Ri Yong-ho visits Sweden for talks. (NK News) (CNN)
 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act
 The Trump administration imposes financial sanctions on 19 Russian nationals, including 12 of those
indicted in the Special Counsel investigation. (Business Insider)
 Russia–United Kingdom relations, Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal
 Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov says Russia will "definitely" expel British
diplomats. (Sputnik News)
 The government of Myanmar agrees to repatriate 374 Rohingya refugees from a list of 8,000
submitted by the government of Bangladesh. Myanmar's authorities blamed their Bangladeshi counterparts
for the slow process, citing "incomplete" information for many of the refugees on the list. (The Guardian)
 Politics of Slovakia
 Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico resigns amid controversy over the murder of Ján
Kuciak. (The Guardian) (BBC)
Sports
 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
 Norwegian musher Joar Leifseth Ulsom wins the 2018 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. (KTUU News)
edithistorywatch
 2018 inter-Korean summit, North Korea–South Korea relations
 South Korea states that they want high-level talks with North Koreabefore the
summit. (Reuters)
 South Korea–United States relations
 South Korea and the United States announce that the Foal Eagle and Key Resolve military
drills will be scaled down and shortened. (The Malay Mail)
 Crime in the United Kingdom, Russia–United Kingdom relations
 The death of Russian businessman Nikolai Glushkov, who lived in exile in the United Kingdom, is
confirmed by a coroner's examination to be a murder. The killing happened eight days after the poisoning of
Sergei and Yulia Skripal. (BBC)
Law and crime
 South African Arms Deal
 South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority Director Shaun Abrahamssays former President Jacob
Zuma will be prosecuted for corruption, relating to a R30 billion arms deal in the late 1990s. Zuma disputes
all the allegations against him. (The Guardian)
 The Holocaust in Latvia
 Police arrest a man at the Freedom Monument displaying a poster of soldiers killing Jews as a
protest against an annual march in Riga, Latvia, honoring two Latvian SS divisions during World War
II. (JTA) (The Times of Israel)
 Aviation in the United States
 The Federal Aviation Administration of the United States restricts "doors off" aircraft flights following
a helicopter crash that killed 5 people. (CNN)
 U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions fires former Deputy FBI DirectorAndrew McCabe because of a
report from the Office of Professional Responsibility accusing McCabe of making an unauthorized news
media disclosure and lacking candor on multiple occasions. (CBS News)
 European astronomers discover eight new exoplanets classified as Hot Jupiters as part of
the WASP project. (The Talking Democrat)
Sports
 For the first time in the history of the Division I men's tournament, a #16 seed defeats a #1 seed,
as UMBC shocks top overall seed Virginia 74–54. (AP via ESPN)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Philippine Piper PA-23 Apache crash
 A Piper PA-23 passenger aircraft bound for Laoag International Airport in Ilocos Norte, Philippines,
crashes upon take off from Plaridel Airport in Bulacan, killing all five people onboard as well as five on the
ground. (Reuters) (Rappler)
 Russia–United Kingdom relations, Reactions to the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal
 In response to the UK's decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats following the poisoning of Sergei and
Yulia Skripal, the Russian Federation expels 23 British diplomats, closes the British Council in Russia and
closes the Consulate-General of the United Kingdom in Saint Petersburg. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Judicial system of Iran
 Former Vice President of Iran Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, a close ally to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is
arrested after criticizing Iran's judiciary. (AP via Al-Arabiya)
 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the United Stateslaunches an investigation
into potential defects in the airbag control systems of some Kia and Hyundai models. (NPR)
 A man is arrested in Austin, Texas, for threatening, via email, to bomb the SXSW festival. (NPR)
 Facebook and Cambridge Analytica data breach
 Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey launches an investigation into alleged harvesting
of Facebook profiles by Cambridge Analytica, a firm employed by Donald Trump's 2016 election
campaign. (BBC)(Reuters via The New York Times)
 South Australian state election, 2018, Batman by-election, 2018, Cottesloe state by-election, 2018
 Australian voters in South Australia, the Melbourne division of Batman, and the Perth electoral
district of Cottesloe go to the polls in three separate elections. (Switzer Daily)
 The SA Liberals win a majority of seats in South Australia's lower house, ending 16 years of Labor
Party government in the state. (The Guardian)
 Ged Kearney retains the Batman Division for the Australian Labor Party, despite earlier predictions
that the Australian Greens would win. (SBS News)
edithistorywatch
 The Turkish Army and Free Syrian Army seize the Kurdish stronghold of Afrin from the YPG in
northern Syria, raising the Turkish flag above the city centre. A statue of the Kurdish legendary figure, Kaveh
the Blacksmith, is bulldozed by Turkish-backed forces. (BBC) (Reuters)
 2018 Manila Pavilion Hotel fire
 Three people are killed in a fire at the Manila Pavilion Hotel in the Philippines. (Reuters)
 Florida International University pedestrian bridge collapse
 The Miami Police Department states that they believe they have recovered the last of the victims
killed by the bridge's collapse. (NPR)
 Cirque du Soleil fatal accidents
 A Cirque du Soleil performer dies after falling 15 feet (4.6 m) during a performance
in Tampa, Florida. (CBC)
 2017–18 Australian bushfire season
 A bushfire destroys dozens of buildings in Tathra, New South Wales, Australia. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Sri Lanka ends the state of emergency declared on March 6, 2018. (BBC)
 Far-right politics in the United Kingdom
 Lutz Bachmann, the founder of the German nationalist group Pegida, is detained and prevented
from speaking at a free speech rally at Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, London, at which activist Tommy
Robinson is also speaking.(The Independent)(The Guardian)
 Voters in Russia cast their votes for the President of Russia. Incumbent Vladimir Putin wins a fourth
term in office, with just over 75% of the popular vote. (Reuters)
Sports
 2018 Winter Paralympics
 The closing ceremony of the Winter Paralympics takes place with the United States team winning
the medal table with 36 medals (13 gold, 15 silver and 8 bronze). (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 The Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army rebels loot the Syrian city of Afrin. (BBC)
 The United Nations reports that from January 2017 to January 2018 a total of 47 people were killed in
protests against Congolese President Joseph Kabila. (Yahoo News)
 After struggling with debt from a leveraged buyout, Claire's files for chapter 11 bankruptcy in
the United States. The company has issued a statement that it expects its stores to remain operational
while it restructures its debt. (CNN)
 History of autonomous cars
 A woman in Tempe, Arizona, dies after being hit by a self-driving caroperated by Uber, in what
appears to be the first death of a pedestrian struck by an autonomous vehicle on public roads. In response
to the fatal accident, Uber suspends self-driving car tests in all U.S. cities as well as Toronto. (The
Guardian) (BBC)
Law and crime
 Austin serial bombings
 In Austin, Texas, a fourth bomb detonates, injuring two men. The Austin Police Department believes
it is connected to the other parcel bombings, but do not believe it to be connected to the bomb threat
leveled at the SXSW festival. (BBC) (NPR)
 Turpin case
 The seven adults of the "Turpin children" are reported to have been released from the Corona
Regional Medical Center in California and placed into an undisclosed residential home to lead normal
lives. (ABC)
 Crime in Turkey
 Turkish police discover 1.4 kilograms (3.1 lb) of radioactive-labelled material in a car in Ankara.
Initially claimed to be californium by the smugglers, the material is later identified as a type of polystyrene
sulfonate. (BBC)(Daily Sabah)
 Federal drug policy of the United States
 U.S. President Donald Trump unveils his plan to combat the United States's opioid epidemic which
includes harsher penalties for drug traffickers, including the death penalty. (CNN)
edithistorywatch
 A rocket fired from rebel-held Eastern Ghouta strikes a popular market in Damascus, killing at least
35 people, according to Syrian state TV SANA. (Reuters) (Channel News Asia)
 An airstrike in Eastern Ghouta kills two women and 15 children in an underground school. (BBC)
 Military activity of ISIL
 Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tells Parliament DNA testing on remains in a mass
grave in Iraq confirms 39 Indian nationals believed to have been kidnapped by ISIL have been killed. (The
Guardian)
 After a series of allegations of sexual misconduct against co-founder Harvey Weinstein, The
Weinstein Company files for chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company also states that it will release all
employees from a non-disclosure agreement which could prevent them from coming forward regarding the
alleged misconduct of Weinstein. (CNN)
 Economy of India
 Aircel, India's fifth-largest wireless provider, declares bankruptcy. (CNN)
Disasters and incidents
 A Red Arrows jet crashes in North Wales, killing an engineer. (The Scotsman)
 Toyota pulls all its self-driving cars off U.S. roads in the wake of a fatal accident involving
an Uber vehicle. (The Verge)
 Police state their investigation indicates the collision could not have been avoided. (AZ Central)
 2017–18 South African listeriosis outbreak
 The World Health Organisation says a listeria outbreak spread via infected food responsible for 200
deaths in South Africa may have spread to Namibia. The organisation reaches out to 16 African nations it
assesses as at risk. (CBC)
 2018 disasters in the Philippines
 A bus falls off a bridge in Occidental Mindoro, Philippines, killing at least 19 people and injuring 21
others. (Rappler)
 Russia's Ministry of Transport suspends all flights by Saratov Airlinesafter conducting checks on the
company's Antonov An-148 aircraft. (The Aviation Herald)
 Delegations from North Korea, South Korea, and the United States meet in the outskirts
of Helsinki, Finland. (Reuters)
 North Korean state media KCNA claims that, as a result of its nuclear weapons program, there has
been "dramatic atmosphere for reconciliation" with South Korea, and "a sign of change" from the United
States. (SBS news)
 China–Japan relations, China–South Korea relations, Japan–South Korea relations
 Japan, China, and South Korea agree in principle to hold a trilateral summit in May. (SCMP)
 South Korea and the United States announce that the Foal Eagle and Key Resolve military drills will
start on April 1 and last for four weeks. (ABC News)
 United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel
 Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas insults U.S. Ambassador to IsraelDavid M. Friedman, calling him
a "son of a dog" when he says Israeli settlers build on their land in the occupied West Bank. The U.S. warns
Abbas to "choose between hate and peace". (The Kuwait Times)(Jerusalem Online) (The Telegraph)
 Palestinians are planning a mass demonstration in the Gaza Strip, ahead of the U.S.
Embassy move. (Bloomberg)
 Human rights in China
 Chinese diplomat Chen Cheng repeatedly interrupts and objects to exiled dissident Yang Jianli's
testimony to the United Nations Human Rights Council. (The Guardian)
 Cyprus dispute
 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asserts his nation will secure Northern Cyprus' access to
natural hydrocarbon resources off the Cypriot coast. The comments come amid disputes as to sovereign
rights and access to offshore resources on the island. (The Daily Sabah)
 Brexit negotiations
 The Court of Session allows an appeal by a cross-party group of Scottishpoliticians seeking court
permission for a referral to the European Court of Justice. The group wish for a ruling that the UK can
abandon Brexit without permission from the European Union's other member states. A lower court will
examine the claim. (The Guardian)
 All 23 Russian diplomats expelled from the UK and their families depart on a flight to Moscow. (Sky
News)
Law and crime
 A bomb detonates overnight at a FedEx facility in San Antonio, Texas, United States.
The FBI believes the bombing is linked to the other bombings in the area. The ATF reports that there were
no serious injuries. Both the bomb's point of origin and intended destination were in Austin. (CNN) (NPR)
 A second package presumed to have been sent by the bomber is discovered in a FedEx facility
near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. (New York Times)
 A shooting occurs at Great Mills High School in Great Mills, Maryland. Two students are reported
injured; the shooter is killed by police. (CNN)
 Alleged Libyan influence in the 2007 French elections
 Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is held for up to 48 hours and questioned
by police in Nanterre over allegations that he illegally accepted €50 million from Libyan leader Muammar
Gaddafi to finance his bid in the 2007 presidential election. (NPR)
 Shooting of Justine Damond
 Minneapolis Police formally charge Mohamed Noor with third-degree murder and second-degree
manslaughter for the shooting death of Justine Damond. (Star Tribune)
 Human rights in Turkey
 The United Nations issues a report calling for an end to the nation's state of emergency, claiming it
has been used to violate human rights. Turkey responds, calling the report "biased" and "unacceptable". (al-
Jazeera)
 The European Court of Human Rights says that Turkish authorities violated the rights of journalists
Mehmet Altan and Sahin Alpay when they were arrested in the aftermath of a failed coup. The court ruled
the men, one of whom is now serving life, were innocent and their rights to freedom of expression and to
liberty had been violated. (Euronews)
 Human rights in the United Kingdom
 The Department for Work and Pensions wins a court case case holding that benefits claimants
cannot raise arguments based on the European Convention on Human Rights at tribunals, and must
instead go via the High Court. (The Canary)
 Legal status of cryptocurrencies
 U.S. President Donald Trump issues an executive order banning U.S. entities from trading in
the Venezuelan Petro cryptocurrency. Trump calls the digital currency, launched last month, an "attempt to
circumvent U.S. sanctions". (al-Jazeera)
 Politics of Norway
 Norwegian justice minister Sylvi Listhaug resigns amid controversy over remarks on human
rights and national security. (The Guardian)
 Politics of Slovakia
 Protests continue in Slovakia after last week's collapse of the government, which included the
resignation of Prime Minister Robert Fico. (NPR)
 Politics of Zambia
 Zambian Minister Bowman Lusambo is suspended by Parliament over an assault on a fellow
lawmaker in October 2017. (Africa News)
 Eschatology in Norse mythology
 Analysis of ancient ice cores extracted from Greenland dates an eruption on Eldgjá volcano
in Iceland. Iceland's largest eruption in the last 2,000 years was described in ancient
poem Völuspá. (Infosurhoy)
 Extinction threshold
 Sudan, the last known male Northern white rhinoceros, dies in captivity, leaving two females as the
only surviving members of the subspecies. (BBC)
 ESA missions
 The European Space Agency announces a mission to study the atmospheres of exoplanets.
Selected as Cosmic Vision medium class M4 mission, ARIEL is expected to launch in 2028. (BBC)
 Japan's space development
 Japan announces a fund worth US$940 million to encourage the foundation of new companies
involved in space exploration. (CNBC)
 Marine debris
 A study commissioned by the UK government concludes marine plastic debris may treble within ten
years, and predicts the "ocean economy" will double to US$3 trillion (£2 trillion) by 2030. (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
 Houthis claim to have shot down a Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 jet over Sa'da
province, Yemen. (Sputnik News)
 The Syrian government and rebel forces reach an agreement to allow 7,500 people to evacuate from
rebel-held Harasta, Eastern Ghouta. (al-Jazeera)
 Boko Haram insurgency, Dapchi schoolgirls kidnapping
 Boko Haram releases most of the 110 Nigerian schoolgirls it had kidnapped in February 2018, and
warns against sending them back to school. (The Globe and Mail)
 A Eurocopter 120 helicopter carrying five people crashes into the sea near Hardy Reef off
the Whitsunday Islands, Queensland, Australia. Two people are killed. (The Guardian)
 Aftermath of the 2015 Shoreham Airshow crash
 The Crown Prosecution Service charges pilot Andrew Hill with 11 counts of manslaughter by gross
negligence and one count of endangering an aircraft over an accident at Shoreham
Airshow in England. (The Telegraph)
 Metro Hotel Dublin fire
 A fire breaks out in the upper floors of a hotel and apartment block building in Ballymun, Ireland,
near Dublin Airport. The fire affects the top seven floors of the building and two floors of apartments, without
casualties. (RTE) (The Irish Times)
 Police release onboard video from an autonomous Uber car that fatally struck a pedestrian crossing
the road in Tempe, Arizona. (BBC)
 Israel–Syria relations
 Israel admits for the first time that it carried out an airstrike on a suspected nuclear reactor in Deir
ez-Zor Governorate, Syria, on 6 September 2007. The strike allegedly killed ten North
Korean workers. (Reuters)
 Austria–Israel relations
 Austrian foreign minister Karin Kneissl recalls diplomat Jürgen-Michael Kleppich from Israel after he
is photographed wearing a t-shirt with slogans linked to Nazism. (The Local)
 Economy of the African Union
 The leaders of 44 African Union states sign an agreement in Kigali, Rwanda, to create the African
Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA). (BBC)
 Russia holds a briefing on the case for all foreign diplomats in Moscow, where it accuses the United
Kingdom of "withholding evidence." (The Guardian)
 Poland in the European Union
 Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz accuses the European Unionof "double standards" and
of suffering "a deficit of democracy". Poland and the European Commission are engaged in disputes
over migrant quotas and proposed reform of Poland's judiciary. (al-Jazeera)
Law and crime
 Censorship in Singapore
 The Singaporean Parliament approves the Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Act, which
makes it a crime to take pictures and relay information during terror attacks. (Channel News Asia)
 Mark Anthony Conditt, the main suspect in the serial bombings, dies after detonating a bomb in his
vehicle while being pursued by Austin police officers. The police chief warns residents that while they
believe the bomber is deceased, he may have sent more packages before his death. (CNN)
 Crime in the United Kingdom
 James Ibori, a former governor of Delta State, Nigeria, launches a bid to overturn his guilty pleas on
corruption charges in the UK alleging police corruption. (Africa News)
 Former President of France Nicolas Sarkozy is preliminarily charged with illegal funding of his 2007
presidential campaign, passive corruption and receiving money from Libyan embezzlement. (Voice of
America)
 Aftermath of the 2017 Parsons Green bombing
 The Independent claims the Metropolitan Police misidentified material in convicted bomber Ahmad
Hassan's possession as not related to ISISwhen in fact it was produced by the group. The newspaper says
it has submitted evidence to the Central Criminal Court that could affect Hassan's sentence. (The
Independent)
 Police in the Philippines fatally shoot 13 suspected drug dealers in Bulacan. (France 24)
 Politics of Myanmar
 Myanmar President Htin Kyaw resigns due to ill health. Vice-President Myint Swe, a former general,
will become acting president until a new president is chosen. (CNN) (U.S. News & World Report) (BBC)
 Catalan activist Jordi Sànchez i Picanyol, imprisoned accused of sedition, drops his bid to lead the
Catalan government. (BBC)
 Jordi Turull i Negre, ex-member of the dismissed regional government, who was imprisoned amid
sedition and under investigation due to his connection in a corruption scandal involving CiU, is named
candidate by the President of Catalan Parliament in a investiture for Thursday, March 22. (El Mundo)
 Resignation of Pedro Pablo Kuczynski
 Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigns amid a vote buyingscandal. (BBC)
 Antiguan general election, 2018
 Voters in Antigua and Barbuda go to the polls, with Barbudan residents having to travel to Antigua in
order to participate. (The Telegraph)
 Politics of Kosovo
 In Kosovo, opposition lawmakers set off tear gas to prevent the ratification of a border treaty with
neighboring Montenegro. (CNN)
 Fifteen new exoplanets are discovered. Three of them, larger than Earth, are also discovered around
the dwarf star K2-155. Furthermore, a 3D climate simulation was created to find out if K2-155d has
water. (Health Thoroughfare) (ScienceDaily)
 Three people (two American, one Russian) launch successfully from the Baikonur
Cosmodrome aboard Soyuz MS-08 to the International Space Station as part of Expedition 55. (NASA)
edithistorywatch
 A car bomb blast in Mogadishu, near the Weheliye hotel in the Somalicapital, kills at least 14 people
and injures 10 others. Al-Shabab claims responsibility for the blast. (AP via MSN)
 Evacuations of 7,500 people from rebel-held Harasta, Eastern Ghoutabegin. Rebels agree with
the Syrian government and Russia for the displaced people to be exiled in Idlib Governorate. (The
Guardian)
 A market in the town of Harem, Idlib province, is reportedly struck by Russian aircraft, killing 35
people including 12 children. (NPR)
 Yemeni forces launch a missile attack on Aramco's HQ in Najran, Saudi Arabia. (Press TV)
Arts and culture
 Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act
 Craigslist deactivates its personals section in response to the U.S. Senate's passage of the
bill. (Buzzfeed)
 Economic policy of Donald Trump
 U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer tells a Senate panel that President Donald Trump has
decided to "pause" tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from the European
Union, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and South Korea. (BBC)
 2018 Unipetrol explosion
 Six people are killed after an explosion at a Unipetrol plant in Kralupy nad Vltavou, Czech
Republic. (BBC)
 A four-storey building collapse kills two firefighters in Pennsylvania. (Snopes)
 China–United States relations
 U.S. President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on US$60 billion of Chinese goods, while also limiting
China’s ability to invest in the U.S. technology industry. (The Washington Post)
 2017–18 Qatar diplomatic crisis
 Qatar's Interior Ministry releases a list of individuals and entities it says are linked to
terrorism. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, who had demanded the list amid
tensions with Qatar, welcome its release but criticise the time taken to prepare it. (Gulf News)
 Foreign relations of Poland
 Poland's ruling Law and Justice proposes changes to planned judicial reforms in response
to European Union criticisms the plans threaten judicial independence. The European Commission is
threatening Poland with sanctions over the reforms. (Deutsche Welle)
 Polish and U.S. authorities say the completion of the United States missile defense complex in
Poland, part of a NATO project, will be delayed until 2020. (U.S. News and World Report)
 Poland's ruling Law and Justice's Arkadiusz Mularczyk says Germanyowes Polish victims of World
War II a total of 1.984 trillion zloty (US$543 billion, 440 billion euros) in compensation. (The Times of Israel)
 Russia–Sudan relations
 Russian President Vladimir Putin accepts an invitation to visit Sudan from Sudanese President Omar
al-Bashir. (Africa News)
 Cyprus dispute
 The European Union calls on Turkey to cease military actions aimed at enforcing Turkish claims to
disputed natural gas deposits. The bloc also asks Turkey to release detained EU citizens. (al-Jazeera)
Law and crime
 Murder of Maria Ladenburger
 Iranian immigrant Hussein Khavari is convicted of rape and murder in a case that provoked
widespread discussion of refugee immigration to Germany. (BBC)
 Ukrainian MP Nadiya Savchenko is arrested in Parliament over an alleged plot to attack Parliament
and overthrow the government. (BBC)
 In a statement to French investigating magistrates, ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy refutes corruption
charges relating to alleged receipt of funding from the then President of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, in
2007. (The Telegraph)
 Crime in Brazil
 An open letter from international politicians, activists, journalists, and academics demands an
independent commission be formed to investigate the assassination of Brazilian human rights
activist Marielle Franco and her driver. (The Guardian)
 Cow vigilante violence in India since 2014
 An Indian court convicts eleven Hindus of murdering a Muslim man they discovered transporting
beef, sentencing them to life. It is the first successful prosecution of cow vigilantism violence in India. (BBC)
 Palestinian government
 Two men accused of an attempt to assassinate Palestinian AuthorityPrime Minister Rami
Hamdallah die in a shootout with security forces. Two Hamas security personnel also die. (The Jerusalem
Post)
 Crime in Kenya
 The Kenyan Court of Appeals rules forced anal examinations on suspected homosexuals are
illegal. (Deutsche Welle)
 Sanctions against Iran
 Malta imposes a freeze on Pilatus Bank. The bank's Iranian chairman Ali Sadr Hashemi Nejad was
arrested and charged in the United States earlier this week, accused of breaching United States sanctions
against Iran. (Reuters)
 Protests against Emmanuel Macron
 People in 150 places across France take to the streets peacefully in a general strike to
protest President Macron's economic reforms. Railways, airways, schools and power generation are
affected. (Reuters)
 Cyprus dispute
 Turkey announces it is to send a drilling boat to disputed waters claimed by
both Cyprus and Northern Cyprus. (The Guardian)
 Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, wounded when he came to the aid of the
poisoned Russian dissidents, is discharged from hospital. (BBC)
 British Prime Minister Theresa May calls the incident "part of a pattern of Russian aggression
against Europe" and promises to raise the matter at an upcoming European Union summit. (BBC)
 An inquest is opened into the death of murdered Russian exiled dissident Nikolai
Glushkov in London. (The Independent)
 The Court of Protection hears the Skripals are unable to communicate and may have suffered
lifelong brain damage. It rules blood samples can be taken from the pair for analysis by the Organisation for
the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and grants the group access to medical records. (The Independent)
 John Dowd, the most senior lawyer advising U.S. President Donald Trump on allegations
of Russian electoral interference, resigns. (BBC)(CNN)
 Jordi Turull fails in the first vote to become President of the Generalitat. The next session will be held
on Saturday, March 24. (La Vanguardia)
 Marta Rovira, Carme Forcadell, ex-president of the Parlament and Dolors Bassa, ex-member of the
dismissed government who was in prison accused of sedition, resigns as Deputy before the declaration in
front of Supreme Court that will be held on March 23. (La Vanguardia)
 A Peruvian court confirms it will consider a request to impose a travel ban on President Pedro Pablo
Kuczynski if his resignation is confirmed by lawmakers, who are considering whether to accept it. Some
politicians have vowed to resist the resignation in favour of instead impeaching Kuczynski. (The New Jersey
Herald)
 Peruvian Vice President Martín Vizcarra returns from Canada, where he is his nation's ambassador,
in preparation to take over the Presidency. (CBC)
 U.S. President Donald Trump announces former United States Ambassador to the United
Nations John R. Bolton will become his National Security Advisor, succeeeding the outgoing H. R.
McMaster. (USA Today)
 Antiguan general election, 2018
 Antigua and Barbuda's ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party wins a second term in a landslide
vote. (The Sun Daily)
 Human genetics
 DNA tests confirm Ata, an unusual six-inch-long mummy found in Chile in 2003, to be the remains of
a newborn human with genetic mutations. (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 Aftermath of the 2017 Parsons Green bombing
 Convicted terrorist Ahmed Hassan Mohammed Ali is jailed for life in London for one count of
attempted murder and one of causing an explosion with intent to endanger life. He will have to serve 34
years before becoming eligible for parole. (Surrey Advertiser)
 Carcassonne and Trèbes attack
 Four people are killed and 16 wounded when an extremist takes hostages in Trèbes, France. The
suspect is killed by police. (BBC)(CNN)
 A car bomb is driven into a crowd outside the Ghazi Muhammad Ayub Khan Stadium in Lashkar
Gah, Helmund, before detonating. At least 13 people are killed. (BBC)
 Northern Mali conflict
 Malian Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga visits seperatist rebel stronghold Kidal. (WBOY-
TV 12 News)
 Economy of Denmark
 Boeing loses a case in Copenhagen city court against the Danish Ministry of Defense over access to
documents used in the purchase of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighters in preference over Boeing
F/A 18 Super Hornets. Boeing argued the evaluation process used in the purchase had been
"flawed". (Reuters)
 2018 disasters in Vietnam
 A fire at a condominium complex in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, kills at least 13 people and injures
another 27, with most people dying of suffocation or jumping from high floors. (The Washington Post)
 Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz asks the European Commission to halt its use of Article
7 of the Treaty on European Unionagainst the nation in exchange for modifications to controversial
proposed judicial reforms. (Radio Poland)
 Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, Russia–European Union relations
 The European Union agrees with the United Kingdom's assessment of the incident, stating that
"there is no plausible alternative explanation" to Russian involvement. (NPR)
 The EU ambassador to Russia is recalled from Moscow. (BBC)
 Iran–United States relations, Cyberwarfare in Iran
 The United States charges and sanctions nine Iranians and the Iranian company Mabna Institute for
hacking and attempting to hack hundreds of universities. (Reuters)
 Cyprus dispute
 Turkey calls a statement of European Union support for Greek Cypriots in a dispute over offshore
resources "unacceptable". Turkey has been using its Navy to prevent exploration by Cypriot vessels. (al-
Jazeera)
 2018 North Korea-United States summit
 New US National Security Advisor John R. Bolton says that President Donald Trump should insist
on Libya-styled denuclearization for North Korea. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Crime in South Korea
 Former President of South Korea Lee Myung-bak is detained on charges of taking bribes when he
was in office. (Reuters)
 One of the victims of the shooting at Great Mills High School in Marylanddies from her
injuries. (CNN)
 Two lorry drivers receive prison terms, one of 14 years, for killing eight people when their vehicles
collided with a bus on the M1 in Buckinghamshire, England, in 2017. (BBC)
 Tumblr shuts down 84 accounts linked to the Internet Research Agency. (The Outline)
 Gun violence in the United States
 The US Department of Justice announces it will reclassify bump stocksas machine guns, effectively
outlawing them. (Axios)
 Human rights in the United States, Transgender personnel in the United States military
 US President Donald Trump issues an order banning "transgenderpersons who require or have
undergone gender transition" from the military. Pentagon spokesman Major David Eastburn says this
announcement will have no immediate practical effect for the military which will continue to recruit and retain
transgender people in accordance with current law. (BBC) (NBC News)
 During a three-week US Border Patrol Operation Sandman near Yuma, Arizona, there are 204 arrests for
human smuggling. (KYMA)
 Thirteen Catalan separatist politicians appear before the SpanishSupreme Court. Marta Rovira, who
is "self-exiled" in Switzerland, does not attend. (AP via U.S. News & World Report) (The Washington Post)
 The judge remands Jordi Turull, Josep Rull, Carme Forcadell, Dolors Bassa and Raul Romeva into
custody again. (New York Times)
 Judge Llarena reactivates the European Arrest Warrants against Carles Puigdemont, Marta Rovira,
and four fugitive ex-members of dismissed regional government. (El Mundo)
 Abortion in Poland
 Thousands protest across Poland against the government's proposed restrictions on abortion. (The
Guardian)
 The Peruvian Congress votes 105–12 to accept President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski's
resignation. (ABC News)
 Vice President Martín Vizcarra is sworn in to replace Kuczyski. (The Guardian)
 Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn sacks Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen
Smith after he called for a second referendum on European Union membership. He is replaced by Rochdale
MP Tony Lloyd. (The Guardian)
 The United States government avoids another government shutdownwhen President Trump signs
the 1.3 Trillion dollar omnibus spending billinto law. This bill ensures no more shutdown threats until October
1, 2018. (Federal News Radio), (The Washington Post)
 Fauna of Australia
 More than 140 pilot whales die in Hamelin Bay, Australia, after beaching themselves. (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 Terrorism in Egypt
 A bomb planted beneath a car explodes in Alexandria, Egypt, as a motorcade carrying the city's
head of security passes by, killing at least two people. (The Telegraph)
 Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
 Saudi aircraft attack Houthi targets in residential areas of Hudaydah and Sa'dah, Yemen, killing at
least seven civilians. (Press TV)
 Terrorism in Greece
 An Afghan community centre is burned down in Athens, Greece. An extreme far-right group claims
responsibility, and the United Nationscondemns the attack. (ABC News)
Arts and culture
 The Times reports their journalist, Bel Trew, had been expelled from Egyptshortly after her February 20
arrest. Trew had been given the option of a military trial or leaving the country. (AP) (The Guardian)
 2018 Kids' Choice Awards
 The 31st annual Kids' Choice Awards takes place. (Hollywood Reporter)
 The Kofu District Public Prosecutor’s Office in Japan announces nobody will be prosecuted over the
collapse of the Sasago Tunnel, which killed nine and injured three. Officials say the collapse would have been
difficult to predict. (The Japan Times)
 Two men are rescued from a capsized dredger off Malaysia after 50 hours in an air pocket in the engine
room. The death toll so far is nine, with rescue efforts underway to search for more survivors. (Sky News)
 North Korea accepts South Korea's proposal to hold high-level inter-Korean talks, scheduled to take
place on March 29. (CNN)
 A friend of poisoned exiled Russian spy Sergei Skripal claims Skripal had written to Vladimir
Putin asking to return to Russia. Russia denies receiving such a letter. (BBC)
 The 23 British diplomats and their families expelled from the Russian Federation arrive on a flight
from Moscow. (BBC)
 Investigators discover the Skripals switched off their mobile phones for four hours shortly before
falling ill, and begin examining mobile phone data from everyone in Salisbury the day of the crime in a bid to
link a phone to the poisoner. (Daily Mirror)
Law and crime
 A car is deliberately driven into a group of schoolgirls in Glasgow, Scotland, injuring five. Police launch an
attempted murder probe. (BBC)
 Hundreds of thousands of people participate in the March for Our Livesprotest around the world
regarding gun violence, mass shootings and school shootings in the United States. (BBC) (PBS)
 Peruvian ex-President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski's homes are raided by police investigating Operation Car
Wash. A judge orders him to remain in Peru. (Deutsche Welle)
edithistorywatch
 A car bomb claimed by Al-Shabab kills five people including the driver and wounds around ten
others outside Somalia's Parliament, Interior Ministry, and Presidential Palace buildings
in Mogadishu. (ABC)
 Two suicide bombers strike a Shi'ite mosque in Herat, Afghanistan, killing one person and wounding
seven others. Security forces kill one bomber while the device kills the other. ISIL claims
responsibility. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
 Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)
 ISIL releases a statement claiming responsibility for killing or wounding 103 Iraqi soldiers within one
month. The group also claims to have abducted 13 more soldiers, and destroyed 12 armoured
vehicles. (Iraqi News)
 Houthi forces fire several Burkan-2 ballistic missiles at targets in Saudi Arabia with at least one
person, an Egyptian national, being killed in Riyadh. The Royal Saudi Air Defense says it intercepted seven
missiles, three of them targeting Riyadh, two targeting Jizan and one apiece targeting Najran and Khamis
Mushait. (The Washington Post)
 2018 Kemerovo fire
 A fire in the Winter Cherry complex, a shopping centre in Kemerovo, Russia, kills at least 64 people,
the majority of which are children. (BBC)
 South Korean ferry disasters
 A passenger ferry grounds off the coast of South Korea, injuring at least six people with The South
Korean Coastguard evacuating all 163 on board. (Channel News Asia)
 A bus and a lorry collide head-on near Kitonga, Tanzania, killing twenty six people and wounding nine
others. (The Nation)
 Trump tariffs, South Korea–United States relations
 South Korea and the United States reach agreements on trade and steel tariffs. (Bloomberg)
 Russia–European Union relations, Reactions to the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal
 EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini holds crisis talks with Markus Ederer, the bloc's recalled
ambassador to Russia. (France24)
 Qatar–Russia relations, Modern conflicts in the Middle East
 Sheikh Tamim of Qatar visits Russia to discuss the situation in Syria, Yemen and Palestine. (Al
Jazeera)
Law and crime
 A suspected drunk driver loses control while fleeing police in Maputo, Mozambique, strikes a crowd, and kills
21 people, injuring 30 more. (The Nation)
 Catalonia's ex-President Carles Puigdemont is detained in Germany. (The Daily Telegraph)
 Fugitive ex-minister Clara Ponsatí i Obiols says she will hand herself over to Police Scotland, who
have received a copy of the European Arrest Warrant for her. (BBC)
 Protests erupt across Spain, especially in Barcelona, against Puigdemont's detention. (BBC)
 Aftermath of the Carcassonne and Trèbes attack
 A former French Parliamentarian candidate of the La France Insoumiseparty is arrested
for tweeting that the death of Lt-Col Arnaud Beltramewas "great" and "one less vote for Emmanuel
Macron." (BBC)
 Novae in the Milky Way galaxy
 Researchers publish observations of a possible nova (ASASSN-18fv) in the
constellation Carina. (AAVSO), (APOD)
 Kangaroo Route, History of Qantas
 Qantas Airways Flight QF9 becomes the first ever regularly scheduled non-stop
flight between Australia and Europe after making the 17-hour journey from Perth to London. (The Evening
Standard)
 Climate of Europe
 An anomalous weather event caused due to dust from a sandstorm in the Sahara, leads to an
orange snow blanketing several Eastern European countries,
including Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania and Russia. This weather event happens roughly every five years;
a similar event occuredin Siberia in 2007. (The Guardian)
edithistorywatch
 Terrorism in the United Kingdom
 Six alleged members of the banned neo-Nazi group National Actionappear in court. One is accused
of planning to kill MP Rosie Cooper and another is charged with inciting murder. (The Independent)
 U.S. firearms and ammunition manufacturer Remington Arms files for chapter 11
bankruptcy protection after amassing US$950 million worth of debt. (Bloomberg)
 Following a collapse of a farm and a large release of Atlantic salmon into the Pacific, the state
of Washington bans the farming of Atlantic salmon in their territorial waters. (NPR)
 China launches an oil futures market, with contracts denominated in yuan, in a bid to compete with oil
benchmarks from the United States and Europe. (MarketWatch)
 Witnesses and Russia's Investigative Committee say the Winter Cherry complex's exits were
blocked and there were no alarms during the disaster. (BBC)
 US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211
 The death toll rises to 52 people as a survivor dies in hospital. (Khaleej Times)
 2018 New York City Eurocopter AS350 crash
 The US National Transportation Safety Board releases a preliminary investigative report containing
new information on the accident, in which five passengers drowned when they were trapped in the
wreckage. (CNN)
 2017–18 Volvo Ocean Race
 A British yachtsman falls overboard from Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag. A search and rescue operation
launches, with one ship diverting from over 400 nautical miles away. (BBC)
 The governor of Arizona suspends all statewide-testing of Uberautonomous cars following the March
19 fatal accident involving Uber self-driving car research. (The Verge)
 A same-sex couple and three of their adopted children have been found dead at the bottom of a cliff at the
coast of northern California, along with the wreckage of their SUV. After further investigation, authorities
eventually deduced that it was very likely that the couple, which was previously known to have abused their
children, intentionally drove off the cliff with them.(CNN)
 Reactions to the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal
 More than 100 Russian diplomats are expelled from over 20 countries. (BBC)
 U.S. President Donald Trump orders the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle. (BBC)
 European Council President Donald Tusk and European CommissionPresident Jean-Claude
Juncker conclude talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The parties say they have been unable to
agree on human rights issues but pledge to hold more talks. (The Financial Times)
 A letter from 59 US Senators is sent to Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki criticising proposed
legislation on reparations to Holocaustvictims. The Senators say the bill will discriminate against victims and
descendants who had emigrated. (The Times of Israel)
Law and crime
 Crime in France
 French police detain two men in connection with the murder of an 85-year-old Holocaust
survivor who was found in the burned remains of her apartment. The prosecutor's office is investigating if
the killing was "motivated by the real or supposed adherence to a religion". (Reuters)
 Carbanak
 Spanish police in Alicante arrest the suspected leader of a bank hackingscheme believed to have
stolen over €1 billion. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
 Carcassonne and Trèbes attack
 In regards to the March 23 attack that killed four people, French state prosecutor François Molins
charges attacker Radouane Lakdim's 18-year-old girlfriend with terrorist conspiracy. (The Guardian)
 Egyptian presidential election, 2018
 The Egyptian electorate vote in their presidential election, with incumbent President Abdel-Fattah el-
Sissi facing only one opponent. (The Washington Post)
 ArXiv publishes research that a gas giant may be orbiting a brown dwarf. The exoplanet, designated
OGLE-2017-BLG-1522Lb, orbits its host at a distance of 0.59 AU and could be the first known gas giant to
have formed inside the protoplanetary disk of a brown dwarf. (Phys.org)
edithistorywatch
 Old Bailey Justice Charles Haddon-Cave sentences convicted terrorist Umar Haque, who
indoctrinated children he was teaching in London so that he could use them to commit attacks, to lifetime
incarceration with parole eligibility only after 25 years. (The Evening Standard)
 Islamophobic incidents in the United Kingdom
 Justice Michael Alexander Soole sentences Paul Moore to lifetime incarceration with a minimum
imprisonment of 20 years for using his car to attack Muslims following a string of terror attacks in 2017
linked to Islamic extremism. (The Guardian)
 NATO says the Afghan Air Force dropped its first laser-guided bomb on a Taliban compound on
March 22. NATO have trained the Afghans in use of the equipment. (ABC)
 Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War
 The government of Turkey states that eleven Kurdish militants have been killed near
its Syrian border, and two soldiers were killed by an explosion in Syria. (US News)
 U.S. graphics processing unit producer Nvidia suspends all its tests of self-driving cars. (The Verge)
 History of the electric vehicles
 The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launches a probe into
a Tesla electric car crash and fire in California. The NTSB says it will investigate issues firefighters had
trying to determine how to respond. (Bloomberg)
 President Vladimir Putin visits the scene and declares "criminal negligence" responsible for the high
death toll. (BBC)
 Maritime incidents in 2018
 Two ships collide in the Great Belt strait between Funen and Zealand, near Romsø, Denmark. One
catches fire. (The Local)
 Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) expands the search area to 560 square nautical
miles for nine crewmen missing since March 21 from a capsized sand dredger off the coast of Malaysia.
MMEA requests for the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency to assist in the operation. (The
Malay Mail)
 2017–18 Volvo Ocean Race
 Chilean search and rescue authorities declare that a crewman who fell overboard from a competitor
vessel is lost at sea. (The Telegraph)
 2018 in aviation
 The South Korean Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Boardissues its final report on the
March 2016 near-collision between a China Southern Airbus A319 and a Korean Air Boeing 737-800 on a
runway in Cheongju, South Korea. The Board reports the Airbus crew misunderstood the full meaning of the
specific ground control runway instruction. (The Aviation Herald)
 Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping's meeting
 North Korean Supreme leader Kim Jong-un meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, on
what is his first known travel outside North Korea since assuming office in 2011. (Reuters)
 NATO and the government of Australia expel Russian diplomats. (The Independent), (The Guardian)
 Netherlands–Turkey relations
 The government of the Netherlands recalls a diplomat from Turkey after local newspapers accused
him of spying. (Dutch News)
Law and crime
 Aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing
 A United Kingdom panel, chaired by the former head of the Home civil service, Lord Bob Kerslake,
issues a report which concludes that firefighters were prevented from attending the scene of the bombing
for two hours. The report makes more than 50 recommendations. (BBC)
 Censorship in Spain
 A Madrid court issues an order shutting down a website that uses extracts from Don Quixote to
recreate the book Farina. Farina, an investigation of drug trafficking, is the subject of a freedom of
speechdebate after a court halted sales ahead of a libel case. (AP via The Washington Post), (The
Telegraph)
 The FBI arrests Everett, Washington, 43-year-old Thanh Cong Phan on suspicion of charges of
illegally shipping explosive materials by sending 12 package bombs to the CIA as well as multiple military
and government facilities in the Washington, D.C. area. Those devices did not explode. (CBS News)
 Kent County, Michigan special prosecutor Bill Forsyth charges William Strampel, the former dean of
the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, in the United States District Court for the
Western District of Michigan in East Lansing, Michigan, with misconduct in office, fourth-degree criminal sexual
conduct, and two counts of willful neglect of duty in connection with the Larry Nassar scandal. (Detroit Free
Press)
 Law enforcement in the Netherlands
 A Dutch court rules police are liable for a mass shooting at a shopping centre that killed six and
wounded sixteen because the gunman should not have been issued a firearms licence. (Sky News)
 Voting enters the second day. (Reuters)
 Led overall by researchers at Aix-Marseille Université in France using NASA's Kepler Space
Telescope, Nature Astronomy publishes observations of what may be a new exoplanet named K2-229b,
whose attributes may resemble the planet of Mercury (hot, metallic, and dense). (Health
Thoroughfare), (Phys), (Nature Astronomy)
edithistorywatch
 The Sentencing Council for England and Wales issues new guidelines increasing the penalties
for terrorist offences. (The Financial Times), (The Law Gazette), (Sentencing Council for England and
Wales)(The Times of India)
 A report by Max Hill QC, an independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, reviewing
the police response to the March 2017 Westminster attack, concludes that the arrests of 12 people cleared
of involvement were appropriate, as was the questioning of them on their religious beliefs. (The Guardian)
 Terrorism in Italy
 Italian counter-terror police arrest Elmahdi Halili on suspicion of planning attacks with knives and
lorries, attempting to recruit terrorist attackers, and creating the first piece of Islamic State propaganda in
Italian. (The Local)
 Libyan Crisis (2011–present)
 United States Africa Command announces that a March 24 airstrike in Ubari, Libya, killed Musa Abu
Dawud, who was a wanted alleged senior member of al-Qaida. (Stars and Stripes)
 Iraqi authorities announce the arrest of alleged senior Islamic Statemember Saab Abdullah al-Issawi
in a military-supported airdrop in Anbar. (Iraqi News)
 A car bomb near an International Committee of the Red Cross office wounds three people
in Mogadishu, Somalia. (Anadolu Agency)
 An anarchist group claims responsibility for a bombing outside a courthouse in Athens, Greece, on
March 24. (eKathimerini)
 Conviviality PLC, owner of Wine Rack and Bargain Booze, announces it has been refused investment to
stave off bankruptcy and will likely enter administration. (The Guardian)
 The United Arab Emirates, with help from Korea Electric Power Corp., completes construction of the first
reactor complex at the Barakah nuclear power plant 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of Ruwais. The complex is the
first Arab nuclear power plant. (The Mercury News)
 A partially-constructed building collapses onto a truck in Jacobs, Durban, South Africa, killing at least three
people and hospitalising six more. (News 24), (Eyewitness News)
 A tank containing ethyl acetate explodes in a port in Livorno, Italy, killing two people. (The Local)
 California Highway Patrol search and rescue operations continue off the Californian coast for three children
missing following a crash which killed five of their relatives. Their car drove out of a seaside
unbarricaded parking lotand off of a 75-foot cliff into the sea on March 26. (KGW 8 News)
 Caribbean Airlines Flight 523
 U.S. Federal Judge Michael P. Shea of the U.S. District Court for the District of
Connecticut in Hartford, Connecticut awards an injured passenger US$272,000 against Caribbean
Airlines over the July 2011 airliner crash in Guyana. (The Washington Post)
 A New Zealand light aircraft pilot Rod Vaughan claims that his plane was brought down at Waihi after
colliding with a drone. If true, it would be the first such incident in the country. (Stuff)
 China–North Korea relations
 The governments of China and North Korea both confirm that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met
with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing during the past four days. China states that North Korea is
"committed to denuclearization" and willing to hold a summit with the United States. (Reuters)
 Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, himself the victim of a September 2004 poisoning,
calls for military action to be considered against Russia. (Sky News)
 Poland–United States relations
 Poland signs a deal with the United States to buy a US$4.75 billion Patriot missile system. (BBC)
 Polish environment minister Henryk Kowalczyk says Poland alone should decide the fate of the
protected Białowieża Forest, ahead of a European Court of Justice ruling on whether additional logging
allowed by the Polish government at the UNESCO world heritage site breaches European
Union rules. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Crime in Italy
 A judge in Catania, Italy, upholds the seizure of a Proactiva Open Armsship that brought migrants
to Sicily after refusing to hand them over to the Libyan Coast Guard. (The Libya Observer)
 English judge Christine Henson fines St. Michael's Hospice in St. Leonards, at East Sussex, over the
July 2015 fire in which three residents died. (BBC)
 Police investigating the attack say they believe the Skripals were poisoned at Sergei Skripal's
home. (Sky News)
 Claims emerge that Uber had disabled Volvo's collision avoidance technology in the self-driving
car involved in a fatal accident in Arizona. (Bloomberg)
 Uber reaches an out-of-court settlement with the victim's family. (Reuters)
 Crime in Qatar
 Mubarak al-Ajji, named on a Qatari official list of wanted terrorists, wins second place at a
government-sponsored triathlon and is photographed at the medal ceremony. (The Week)
 Crime in Canada
 A court in Quebec City accepts guilty pleas to six murders and six attempted murders tendered
by Alexandre Bissonnette on March 26 and lifts restrictions on reporting the pleas after he passes a
psychiatric evaluation. The charges relate to the January 2017 Islamophobicshooting at a mosque
that Justin Trudeau described as a terrorist attack. (The South China Morning Post)
 Crime in China
 A Chinese court sentences Zhang Zhongsheng, the former Vice Mayor of Lüliang, Shanxi, to death.
Zhongsheng was convicted of accepting bribestotaling 1.04 billion yuan (US$160 million). (The South China
Morning Post)
 Aftermath of the Orlando nightclub shooting
 The trial of Noor Salman, widow of Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen, hears closing arguments.
Jurors begin deliberations. During the trial it was revealed that Mateen's father was an FBI informant. (CNN)
 Cyberattacks
 Computers at Boeing are infected with the WannaCry ransomware. (The Seattle Times)
 French left-wing activist Stephane Poussier receives a one-year suspended term for praising the death of a
policeman in a terrorist attack. (The Times of Israel)
 Clara Ponsatí i Obiols, fugitive ex-Minister of Education of Catalonia, hands herself over to Police
Scotland. She appears before court and is released on bail. (The Guardian) (BBC)
 The Spanish National Police Corps arrest the two Mossos d'Esquadraand Asia History
academic, Josep Lluís Alay, who accompanied Puigdemont in the van at the moment he was detained in
Germany amid a crime of concealment. On 28 March were released. (El País)
 On the final day of the election, Egypt's National Election Authority says it will fine abstaining
voters. (The Egypt Independent)
 U.S. President Donald Trump announces that he is replacing David Shulkin as Secretary of Veterans
Affairs and will nominate Ronny Jackson, who is currently the President's Physician, to fill the
position. (USA Today)
 Officials with former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva say shots were fired at two of his reelection
campaign buses. (The Guardian)
 Human rights activist Malala Yousafzai returns to her native Pakistan for the first time since being shot in
October 2012 to meet with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. (BBC)
 Australian Aboriginal languages
 The linguistics journal Diachronica publishes Australian research implying that a tracement of the
country's indigenous languages can be made back to a single, common language known as Proto-
Australian, which was spoken around 10,000-years ago. (BBC)
 Giant-impact hypothesis
 Research published in the journal Science Advances implies the Earthmay have had water earlier
than thought, and that terrestrial water could have survived the impact that created the Moon, the event
which was previously hypothesised to be responsible for our planet's water. (New Scientist), (Science
Advances)
 Galaxy formation and evolution
 Research published in the journal Nature implies the existence of a galaxy that appears to contain
no dark matter, dubbed NGC1052-DF2. If confirmed it would be the first such galaxy
discovered. (BBC), (Nature)
edithistorywatch
 2016 Berlin attack
 Italian police arrest five Tunisians suspected of links to Anis Amri, perpetrator of the December 2016
terror attack in Germany. (Reuters)
 Terrorism in Israel
 The Central District Attorney’s Office filed an indictment with the IsraeliLod District Court against
Abed al-Karim Adel Asi for the murder of a rabbi on February 5 and the Haifa District Attorney’s Office filed
an indictment against Malek Yusef Nahar Asadi for the March 4 attempted murder by ramming a car which
injured four people. (The Jerusalem Post)
 U.S. District judge George B. Daniels of the District Court for the Southern District of New York has
rejected the government of Saudi Arabia’s request to throw out lawsuits claiming the nation helped plan
the September 11 attacks. (The Independent)
 British automotive and aerospace engineering firm GKN (founded in 1759) is sold to British-based
investment company Melrose Industries for £8.1 billion. (BBC)
 A magnitude 6.9 earthquake strikes off the coast of New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of
35 km (22 mi). There are no reports of immediate damage. [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-
43592321(BBC)
 A boat capsizes in Nawabshah, Pakistan, killing eight people. (Geo News)
 A Línea Aérea Amaszonas passenger plane overruns the runway at Riberalta Airport after abandoning
takeoff due to a bird strike and crashes into a ditch with no injuries. (The Aviation Herald)
 The Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civilecompletes its probe into the March
2016 near-miss between two commercial aircraft at Basel/Mulhouse Airport, concluding miscommunication
between an air crew and air traffic control was to blame. One aircraft took off over the top of the other one. (The
Aviation Herald)
 Authorities announce that the summit between the governments of North Korea and South Korea will
take place on April 27, 2018. (USA Today)
 The Putin administration closes the United States consulate in Saint Petersburg and expels 60 U.S.
diplomats from Russia as a retaliatory measure to the closing of the Russian consulate in Seattle,
Washington. (BBC)
 The Polish government announces a planned visit for April 9 from European Commission Vice
President Frans Timmermans. The government of Poland and the European Union are locked in a dispute
over planned judicial reforms. (AFP News via Yahoo)
 U.S. President Donald Trump, during a speech on his infrastructure planin Richland County, Ohio,
announces U.S. forces will be leaving Syria"very soon." (Politico) (White House Dossier)
Law and crime
 2018 Valencia, Venezuela fire
 An attempted prison break and subsequent rioting and fires at a police station in Valencia, Carabobo
State, Venezuela, results in at least 68 people dead. Two women who were visiting inmates are thought to
be among the dead. Prosecutor General Tarek Saab says an investigation into what has happened would
begin immediately. (BBC)
 A French animal rights activist is charged under counterterror legislation for praising the death of a butcher
in a terror attack. (The Times of Israel)
 Extradition law in the United States
 U.S. Department of Justice immigration Judge Jose A. Sanchez in Boston, Massachusetts, approves
an extradition request from the government of Guatemala for Juan Alicio Samayoa Cabrera, who is wanted
for trial for war crimes. (WBUR News)
 Asylum in the United States
 Because the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) routinely failed to notify screened immigrant
asylum-seekers of the one-year deadline for filing an actual asylum application, Western Washington
state chief federal district judge Ricardo S. Martinez orders DHS to give those who missed the deadline
another year to file their application, and to modify the DHS asylum system to avoid future problems. (AP
via The Washington Post)
 A pair of women accuse The Ren & Stimpy Show creator John Kricfalusiof sexually abusing them in
the 1990s while they were minors. Kricfalusi, who was in his 40s at the time, admitted to Buzzfeed that he
had an underage girlfriend during the years in question. (BuzzFeed)
 A car bomb kills five people and injures six others in Ajdabiya, Libya. (Reuters)
 State media reports preliminary indications incumbent President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has won 90%
of the vote with a 41% turnout. (BBC)
 Kentucky House of Representatives, Kentucky Senate
 Lawmakers at the Kentucky Senate and the Kentucky House of Representatives pass a heavily
disputed pension overhaul and forward it to Governor Matt Bevin for his signature. The move caused
several school districts to close on Friday due to teacher protests. (AP via ABC News) (AP² via The
Washington Post)
Sports
 2018 Major League Baseball season
 The 2018 Major League Baseball season begins. (Hollywood Life)
edithistorywatch
 A bomb targeting police in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, kills three people and injures five
others. (Geo News)
 A roadside bomb in Syria kills one British and one U.S. soldier and injures five more coalition
personnel. It is the first death of a British soldier fighting ISIL. (The Telegraph)
 The government of Turkey rejects the government of France's offer to mediate in the conflict
between Turkish armed forces and Kurdish YPG militia in Syria. (BBC)
 2018 Gaza border protests
 On Land Day, the start of a planned six-week protest at the Israeli-Gazanborder involving tens of
thousands of Palestinians, Israeli forces kill 16 Palestinians and wound over 1,100 others as tens of
thousands of protestors approach the border fence. (The Times of Israel), (Reuters)
 Terrorism in Italy
 In the latest in a series of raids, Italian authorities detain 19-year-old Ilyass Hadouz in Fossano on
suspicion of pro-ISIL extremism. (Euronews)
 National counter-terror prosecutor Federico Cafiero de Raho states that an estimated 50 people
have returned to Italy after fighting with the Islamic State. (ANSA)
 Aftermath of the Orlando nightclub shooting
 A United States court jury in Florida finds the widow of Omar Mateen not guilty of assisting her
husband in the June 2016 attack that killed 49 people. (CNN)
 Terrorism in Germany
 Police in Germany announce that earlier this week they detained four Syrian nationals on suspicion
of arson and attempted murder over a Turkish Muslim mosque firebombing in Ulm. Police say the attack
"may have been politically motivated". (The Local)
 A bus carrying migrant workers from Myanmar catches fire near Bangkok, Thailand, killing twenty people
and injuring one other. (Evening Standard)
 Stansted Airport in the United Kingdom is evacuated after a bus catches fire outside the main terminal. (The
Telegraph)
 A hot air balloon hits a tree near Sydney, Australia, wounding 16 people. (Sky News)
 An overloaded bus carrying migrants from Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistancrashes into a light pole on the
Igdir-Kars highway in Turkey and catches fire. A second bus hits some of the ejected passengers, killing at least
17 people and wounding 36 others. (The Times of Israel)
 An overloaded bus explodes a tyre and crashes near Bhanjyang, Nepal, killing at least two people and
wounding dozens of others. A riot follows. (ABC)
 The government of Russia declares a state of emergency in Volokolamskover toxic hydrogen
sulphide fumes leaking from a dump at at least ten times permitted concentrations. (BBC)
 Russia and weapons of mass destruction
 The Russian military announces a second test of its most advanced nuclear ICBM, the RS-28
Sarmat, from a base in Plesetsk. President Vladimir Putin claimed in his March 1 state of the nation speech
that the new nuclear arsenal will be impossible for U.S.-engineered technology to intercept. (ABC
News) (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
 Polish President Andrzej Duda vetoes a bill that would have demoted all communist-era military officers who
served between 1944 and 1990 to private. (Deutsche Welle)
Law and crime
 Alcohol licensing laws of Ireland
 The government of Ireland lifts a 90-year ban on the sale of alcohol on the religious holiday of Good
Friday. (BBC)
 The Putin administration gives the government of the United Kingdomone month to reduce its
diplomatic missions' sizes to mirror those of the Russian ones in Britain. (The Telegraph)
 The government of Russia expels 59 diplomats from 23 nations and may also take retaliatory action
against four other countries. (Reuters via Geo News)
 The government of Russia claims that United Kingdom police searched an Aeroflot Airbus jet
at Heathrow Airport arriving from Moscow. The Metropolitan Police deny searching the aircraft. (Sky News)
 The government of Ukraine states that it expelled two Iranians earlier this year for attempting to buy a Kh-
31 missile in Kiev, in violation of United Nations sanctions. (The Daily Beast)
 Senegalese Judge Malick LaMotte sentences Khalifa Sall (fr), mayor of Dakar, Senegal, to a five-year term
for fraud. (BBC)
 Protestors take to the streets in Faisalabad, Pakistan, following the rape and murder of a local university
student. (Geo News)
 Illegal immigration to the United States
 Mexican federal police and migration agents find 136 migrants in a locked truck abandoned near a
freeway in Veracruz. Without water or food, the people from the countries of Honduras, Guatemala, El
Salvador, and Nicaragua, including dozens of minors, were en route to the United States. (Reuters)
 Immigration to the United States
 The Trump administration through the United States Department of Statepublishes a 60-day notice
of request for public comment, proposing to collect social media identities from nearly everyone who seeks
entry into the United States. (The Indian Express)
 Alexanda Amon Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, detained in Syria on suspicion of beheading hostages
for Islamic State, claim their right to a fair trial has been breached by the government of the United
Kingdom stripping them of citizenship. (Sky News)
 Four suicide bombers attack Maiduguri, Nigeria, killing five people with thirteen others wounded. (Daily Post)
 Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander of the U.S. District Court for the District of
Maryland sentences Maryland resident Mohamed Elshinawy to a 20-year term for financing ISIS. (AP via
Fox News)
 U.S. sportswear brand Under Armour states that the personal details (including user names, email
addresses and scrambled passwords) of about 150 million users of the MyFitnessPal application were
compromised in one of the biggest hacks in history. (The Guardian)
 The Lansing, Michigan, Catholic Diocese's insurance company files a civil suit against Rev. Jonathan
Wehrle, former pastor of St. Martha's Catholic Church in Okemos, a Lansing suburb, for the embezzlement of
more than $5 million from his parish. Wehrle already faces six criminal counts for using embezzled funds to pay
for home construction (appraised for much more than a $1 million), maintenance, and purchases. (Lansing
State Journal), (AP via ABC News), (Lansing State Journal²)
 Suicide among LGBT youth
 Journal of Adolescent Health publishes research from the University of Texas at Austin implying
that transgender youths have a much lower risk of suicide when they are permitted to use their own chosen
names. (Eureka Alert!), (Journal of Adolescent Health)
 Chinese space program
 Updated predictions suggest that derelict Chinese space station Tiangong-1 will reenter Earth's
atmosphere over the weekend. (CNET)
Sports
 International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach meets North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (ESPN)
edithistorywatch
 Police in London announce the arrest on March 29 of a 19-year-old man suspected of the
commission, preparation, or instigation of acts of terrorism. (Time 107.5fm)
 Syrian Civil War, Siege of Eastern Ghouta, Rif Dimashq offensive (February 2018–present)
 The Syrian Army declares that the Eastern Ghouta towns of Arbin, Zamalka, Jobar, and Ein
Tarma are vacated of rebel fighters. Except for the town of Douma, which is facing an ultimatum, the
government controls most of the area around the capital Damascus. (AP via The New Zealand Herald)
Arts and culture
 General Conference (LDS Church)
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announces the elevation of Brazilian Ulisses
Soares and Chinese American Gerrit W. Gong to the church's top leadership group, the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles. They are respectively the first Latin American and first man of Asian descent to serve in
this role. (AP via Yahoo!)
 LDS President Russell M. Nelson announces that High Priests Quorumwill be merged into Elders
Quorum. (Daily Herald)
 A man attempts Seppuku at Nankang Software Park in Taiwan, apparently in response to the final public
appearance of online celebrity Zhou 'Dora' Yingxin. (Kotaku)
 U.S.-based automobile manufacturer Tesla confirms that one of their Model X cars was placed into Autopilot
mode moments before a fatal crash in California, United States. Tesla's Autopilot system is not intended to
operate independently and as such the driver is meant to have their hands on the wheel at all times. The
recorder of the system logged that the driver did not have their hands on the wheel at the time of the
crash. (BBC)
 Updated analysis by the European Space Agency and Aerospace Corporation suggests that the
derelict Chinese space station Tiangong-1 will crash on tomorrow evening or the day thereafter in the morning.
Although the prediction remains highly uncertain, the station may impact around Africa. (Space.com)
 A fire destroys four World Food Programme warehouses in Hudaydah, Yemen, which contained 50 tonnes of
food as well as fuel and mattresses. (BBC)
 Stansted Airport in the United Kingdom reopens after a shuttle bus fire. (The Guardian)
 In Japan, Kyushu Electric Power shuts down their Genkai Nuclear Power Plant because of a steam leak less
than a week after being restarted for the first time in seven years. (The Mainichi)
 An explosion at a market in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, kills one person and injures three others. (Tolo News)
 A bulldozer damages a gas line with a subsequent explosion at a construction site in al-Jalala
mountain, Egypt, killing two people and wounding nine more. (The Egypt Independent)
 A hotel collapses in Indore, India, killing at least 10 people. (CNBC)
 A fairground ride collapses in Neuville-sur-Saône, central France. Occupied pods attached to the ride fall to
the ground, ejecting some riders, with one man dead. (Channel News Asia)
 2018 Balikpapan oil spill
 As workers attempt to clean up an oil spill, a fire breaks out off the coast
of Borneo near Balikpapan, Indonesia, killing at least two fishermen. Search and rescue personnel evacuate
all 20 crew from a nearby ship. (AFP via Channel News Asia)
 The United Kingdom Foreign Office considers a consular request from the government of Russia for
visitation with Yulia Skripal, the daughter of poisoned ex-spy Sergei Skripal. (The Guardian)
 The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency claims a Vietnamese fishing vessel tried to ram one of their
boats when they tried to detain it for illegally entering and fishing from Malaysian waters. (The Sun Daily)
 Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas accuses Israel of responsibility for the deaths of 16
protestors at the border with Gaza. Israel accuses Palestinian terrorists of using civilians as human shields.
A video begins circulating on social media appearing to show an unarmed teenager being shot. (Bloomberg)
 Israel claims to have identified ten of the dead as members of terrorist organisations, and publishes
a list of their names and the groups Israel says they belonged to. (The Times of Israel)
 An unknown source supposedly leaks a report from the German defence ministry which suggests the
nation's Tornado fighter jets may not meet NATOrequirements for secure encrypted communications and are
therefore potentially unsuitable for NATO missions. (Reuters)
 The French ambassador to Italy is summoned to the Italian foreign ministry to explain an incident in which
French police cross over the sovereign border of Italy, enter a migrant clinic in Turin, and force a refugee to take
a urine test. (BBC)
 In order to make sea room for expanding berthing facilities in Trincomalee Harbour, the Sri Lankan navy
raises the SS Sagaing, a British passenger ship sunk when it was bombed in an April 1942 Japanese air strike
during World War II. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Crime in Russia
 The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs detains Ziyavudin Magomedov, his brother Magomed
Magomedov, and the chief executive of the Summa Group on charges of embezzlement of public funds and
criminal association. A Moscow court orders Ziyavudin Magomedov, one of the richest Russians, to remain
in pre-trial custody until May 30. (TASS), (Reuters)
 Human rights in Turkey
 The Law Society of England and Wales issues a report claiming that Turkey has prosecuted 1,539
lawyers since the 2016 coup d'état attempt. The report states that 580 people still remain incarcerated with
103 more having received prison sentences. (The Law Gazette)
 In Madarganj Upazila, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a group of between 70 and 80 people from one faith of
mosque attack an inauguration ceremony for another faith of mosque, resulting in at least 20 injured. (The
Rabwah Times)
 Sierra Leonean general election, 2018
 The second round of a general election begins in Sierra Leone with a tight race expected between
the People's Party and the All People's Congress. Incumbent President Ernest Bai Koroma is
constitutionally barred from seeking a third term in office. (The Guardian)
 Botswanan President Ian Khama steps down and hands power over to Vice President Mokgweetsi
Masisi. (Africa News)
 The current largest cruise ship in the world Royal Caribbean International's $1.35 billion MV Symphony of
the Seas commences its maiden voyage. (USA Today)
Sports
 The Michigan Wolverines and the Villanova Wildcats advance to the National Championship
Game after defeating the Loyola Ramblers and Kansas Jayhawks in the Final Four. (CBS Sports)
August 1, 2018 (Wednesday)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 The Eiffel Tower in Paris shuts down after workers go on a strike over ticketing changes. (Upi)
 2018 Vietnam floods
 Two children and a man drown as new floods overflow one bank of the Bui River, engulf several villages,
and threaten to submerge parts of Hanoi. (NHK World)
 An intense heat wave hits South Korea, which started at the end of July and is forecast to reach its highest
temperature in the coming days. The heat wave kills 27 people, while more than 2,200 are taken to the
hospital. (The Straits Time)
 Grenfell Tower fire
 England announces that the Ministry of Housing will manage Grenfell Tower in London once the
investigation into the fire that gutted the building and killed 72 people is complete. (BBC)
 Turkey–United States relations, 2016–present purges in Turkey
 The White House imposes sanctions on two Turkish officials over the detention of Andrew Brunson, an
American pastor who is being tried on espionage and terror-related charges. (Al Jazeera)
Law and crime
 An orb and two crowns, part of the Regalia of Sweden, are stolen from Strängnäs Cathedral. (BBC)
 Violence breaks out in Zimbabwe amid allegations of election-rigging by the ruling Zanu-PF party. (BBC)
 Afghan presidential election, 2019
 The Afghan government says that it will hold presidential elections on April 20, 2019. (AL Jazeera)
 Researchers from Australia report the success of a plan to use mosquitoesinfected with Wolbachia bacteria to
prevent the spread of dengue fever in an Australian town, stating that they intend to bring the program to other
locales. (BBC)
 Reddit reports a data breach consisting of emails and usernames. The site states that the perpetrators had access
to information on accounts which were subscribed to their newsletter between the 3rd and 17th of June, as well
as those created between 2005 and 2007. (NBC)
August 2, 2018 (Thursday)
edithistorywatch
 Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, Battle of Al Hudaydah
 Alleged Saudi-led coalition airstrikes on a fish market and hospital entrance kill at least 20 people in Al
Hudaydah, Yemen. A Saudi spokesman denies that its jets were in the area at the time, and blames
rebels instead. (BBC)
 Internal conflict in Myanmar
 In northern Myanmar, around 300 villagers flee from their homes in Namtu Township, Shan State,
after Northern Alliance insurgents take positions in the area, renewing fears of clashes between
insurgents and government soldiers. (Radio Free Asia)
Arts and culture
 Theology of Pope Francis
 Pope Francis changes Catholic Church teaching to fully reject the death penalty, saying that it would
work to abolish the death penalty worldwide. (The Washington Post)
 Yomiuri Shimbun reports Tokyo Medical University altered entrance examination scores to decrease the number
of women attending the school. (BBC)
 Archeologists of the Romano-Germanic Museum report the discovery of the foundations of a Roman library
building in Cologne. Dating from the 2nd century CE, it is the oldest library yet discovered in Germany. (BBC)
 List of public corporations by market capitalization
 Apple Inc. becomes the first public company to be worth US$1 trillion. (BBC)
 2018 Pacific hurricane season
 Hurricane Hector becomes the fourth named hurricane of the eastern Pacific's hurricane season. (TC
Palm)
 Hector is forecast to strengthen into a category 3 storm the next few days. (Hawaii News Now)
International Relations
 Crisis in Venezuela (2012-present), Colombia-Venezuela relations
 Departing Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos grants 2-year citizenship rights to over 440,000
displaced Venezuelans living in Colombia, giving them certainty in access to medical and financial
aid. (United Nations), (ABC News)
 Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2018
 Former construction executive Bill Lee wins the Republican primary for Tennessee governor. (WSJ)
 Anti-violence protesters take to the streets of Chicago to draw attention to the problem of gun violence
in Chicago, which briefly shuts down Lake Shore Drive. Protesters also call for Chicago Police
SuperintendentEddie T. Johnson and Mayor Rahm Emanuel to step down for their handling of racial
incidents in communities of color. (The Grio) (VOA News)
 Kepler-452b emerges as an exoplanet that might support alien life. (Sky News)
 Greenhouse gas, Plastic pollution
 A study is published suggesting that loose plastic objects in the ocean release more methane than
previously thought. (BBC)
 Tests on the 5,000-year-old burnt human bones of 25 people found at Stonehenge suggest that ten came from
more than 100 miles (160 km) away in West Wales. (The Guardian)
August 3, 2018 (Friday)
edithistorywatch
 A suicide bomb attack at a Shi'ite mosque in Gardez, Afghanistan, kills at least 29 people and wounds at
least 40 others. There is no immediate claim for the attack. (Reuters) (The Express Tribune)
 Floods in Vietnam trigger landslides that kill six people, and leave two injured and five
missing. (VnExpress)
 21 people are killed after a boat capsizes in Nigeria's northwestern state of Sokoto. (Xinhua)
 Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston report the first successful transplant of a bio-
engineered lung. The lung, taken from a donor pig, was reduced to a protein scaffold, and replaced with the
subject pig's own cells over the course of a month. (BBC)
 Phase-out of lightweight plastic bags
 Chile becomes the first Latin American country to ban the commercial use of single-use plastic bags. (Sky
News)
 North Korea warns that the heat wave affecting the Korean peninsula could damage important food crops and
lead to shortages. (BBC)
 North Korea–United States relations, Aftermath of the 2018 North Korea–United States summit
 Secretary of State Mike Pompeo states in an interview that North Koreanleader Kim Jong-un will
ultimately set the timeline for denuclearization. (CBS News)
 The United States imposes sanctions on a Russian bank that facilitated a transaction for a North
Korean on an American blacklist. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations
 Attorneys for Harvey Weinstein seek to throw out sexual assault charges against him. (New York CBS
Local)
 Yazidi demonstrators at Calgary City Hall in Calgary, Alberta call for the Canadian government to help with efforts
to reunite family members in Canada who fled the genocide perpetrated by ISIL in 2014 with those still living
in Iraq. (Calgary Herald)
 The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission declares Emmerson Mnangagwaof the ruling ZANU–PF party the
winner of Zimbabwe's 2018 presidential election. (The Guardian)
 Deportation and removal from the United States
 The wife of a former US Marine and Iraq War veteran whose family publicly pleaded
for President Donald Trump to intervene is deported to Mexico. (NBC News)
 Cabinet of Greece
 Greek Civil Protection Minister Nikos Toskas resigns after a wildfire that killed 88 people and led to wide
criticism of the government for its handling of the disaster. (Reuters)
 NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory releases a report officially disclosing a meteor explosion of roughly 2.1 kilotons
of force near Thule Air Base in northwest Greenland on July 25. The United States Air Force confirms the
explosion, adding that it did not impact operations at Thule Air Base. (The Independent)
 The Space Needle in Seattle unveils the world's first revolving glass floor. (CNN)
August 4, 2018 (Saturday)
edithistorywatch
 Caracas drone explosions
 Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro survives what he claims is an assassination attempt involving
drones while speaking at a military event in Caracas. Eight people are injured. (BBC)
 An MI-8 helicopter belonging to Russian company Utair crashes in Siberia, killing 18 people. (BBC)
 England's Local Government Association reports that approximately two-thirds of plastic objects which reach
recycling facilities cannot be recycled, due to the mix of polymers used by producers. (BBC)
 A report commissioned by the United Nations Security Council concludes that North Korea has not
stopped its nuclear program and that it attempted to sell military supplies
to Libya, Sudan and Yemen. (BBC)
 Ri Yong-ho, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Korea, says that his country will not
start denuclearizing unless the United States takes reciprocal actions. (The New York Times)
 Colombia–Venezuela relations, United States–Venezuela relations
 Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro blames an alleged assassination attempt on Colombia and
Venezuelan exiles in the U.S. state of Florida. (The Guardian)
 2018 Bangladesh road safety protests
 Nationwide student protests following the deaths of two teenagers killed by a speeding bus enter their
fifth day, causing the government to shut down thousands of high schools. (The Guardian)
 Advocates of stricter gun control measures protest outside the NRAheadquarters in Northern
Virginia. (CBS News)
Sports
 Oakland Raiders cornerback Daryl Worley is sentenced to three days in jail and two years of probation in June
after pleading guilty to firearms and resisting arrest charges stemming from an incident in April. (NFL) (ABC
News)
August 5, 2018 (Sunday)
edithistorywatch
 A Taliban suicide bomber kills three Czech soldiers on a routine patrol in Charikar, Afghanistan.
A U.S. soldier and two Afghan troops are also injured in the bombing. (BBC)
 Syrian media reports that ISIL has executed one of a number of Druzehostages taken from Syria's
government-held city of As-Suwayda in an attack last week. (Haaretz)
 August 2018 Lombok earthquake
 A 7.0 magnitude earthquake strikes Lombok, Indonesia. A tsunami warning is issued. At least 131 people
are killed and more than 238 are injured. (BBC)
 2018 Ju-Air Junkers Ju 52 crash
 Police in Switzerland say that all 20 occupants of a World War II-era Junkers Ju 52 plane that crashed
yesterday on the flanks of the Piz Segnas mountain are dead. (Whig)
 Police in New Mexico rescue 11 malnourished children being kept in squalid conditions in a remote desert
compound. (BBC)
 Five people are killed after a small plane crashes in a Southern Californiaparking lot. (Time)
 Canada–Saudi Arabia relations
 Saudi Arabia withdraws its Ambassador from Canada, and orders the Canadian counterpart to leave the
country in 24 hours, after Canada calls for the release of activists who are in detention in the Middle East
nation. (CBC News)
Law and crime
 Venezuelan authorities detain six people involved in what they call an assassination attempt
on Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro. (The Hill)
Sports
 Englishwoman Georgia Hall wins the 2018 Women's British Open golf championship. (The Guardian)
August 6, 2018 (Monday)
edithistorywatch
 2018 European heat wave
 A heat wave in Spain kills nine people. (Público)
 A heat wave in Genoa, Italy, kills seven people. (Genova24)
 Landslides triggered by floods in Nepal kill nine people. (The Himalayan)
 A fuel tanker explodes on the A14 motorway after colliding with a lorry near Bologna Airport in Italy, causing a
section of the motorway to collapse. A person dies and 145 others are injured, at least 14 seriously. (ANSA)
 Twelve migrant workers die and three others are injured when a truck collides with a van in Foggia, Italy. (ANSA)
 The Mendocino Complex Fire grows into the largest active wildfire in California history. (BBC)
 Iran–United States relations, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
 The United States reimposes sanctions on Iran after the US pulled out of the international
agreement three months prior. (Reuters)
 The European Union announces that its blocking statute against the US sanctions will take effect
tomorrow, protecting European companies from US sanctions and encouraging them to keep trading
with Iran. (The Telegraph)
 Foreign relations of Brazil, Crisis in Venezuela (2012–present)
 Brazil closes its international border with Venezuela, following a similar move enacted but then
rescinded by Colombia earlier in 2018, as a response to an increase in Venezuelans fleeing their country
to neighbouring states. (The Guardian)
 Tajikistan–Uzbekistan relations
 Commercial flights have resumed between the Tajikistan capital, Dushanbe, and the Uzbekistan city
of Bukhara amid improving ties. (rferl)
 Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro skips a rally in Caracas following weekend drone blasts that he
called an assassination attempt, surprising and confusing some supporters in attendance. (Reuters)
 The Colombian Civil Aviation Authority announces a ban on drones within a 2 nautical mile radius and
altitude of Plaza Bolívar, Bogotá during the Presidential Inauguration of Iván Duque the following
afternoon. (Tele13)
 Second Ivorian Civil War
 The government of Ivory Coast grants amnesty to former First Lady Simone Gbagbo a week after
the Supreme Court of Ivory Coast (fr)overturned her acquittal for crimes against humanity. (France 24)
 Facebook removes several InfoWars-related pages from its platform, for what it describes as glorification of
violence and dehumanizing language. YouTube deletes Alex Jones's main account for repeated Terms of Service
violations. Apple and Spotify pull Jones's podcasts. Editor Paul Joseph Watson calls Facebook's move "political
censorship" on Twitter. (NBC News)
Sports
 Swimming at the 2018 European Aquatics Championships – Mixed 4 × 100 metre medley relay
 The British 4x100 mixed medley relay team (Anderson, Davies, Guy, Peaty) break their own European
record at the 2018 European Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
August 7, 2018 (Tuesday)
edithistorywatch
 Caracas drone explosions, Colombia–Venezuela relations
 Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro says that he has "hard evidence" that
the Colombian government planned and executed an attempted assassination attack on him on
Saturday, and that he will release it later in the day. (Al Jazeera)
 Oromo conflict
 The government of Ethiopia signs a deal with Oromo Liberation Frontrebels in an attempt to end long-
running hostilities. (Al Jazeera)
 A police officer dies and five people are injured in three separate FARC attacks in Colombia. (El Español)
Arts and culture
 The Australian Bureau of Statistics says the total population of Australia has hit 25 million. (BBC)
 Crisis in Venezuela (2012–present), Colombia–Venezuela relations
 Newly inaugurated Colombian President Iván Duque Márquezannounces that he will not have an
ambassador in neighboring Venezuela. (Diarios Las Américas)
 Brazil re-opens its northern border with Venezuela which was briefly closed in response to refugees from
Venezuela. (BBC)
 2018 China–United States trade war
 The Office of the United States Trade Representative publishes its finalized list of 279 Chinese goods,
worth $16 billion, to be subject to a 25% tariff from August 23. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Crime in Germany
 A German couple is jailed for twelve years each for selling the woman's son to a Spanish pedophile on
the dark web, who repeatedly abused him. The couple themselves previously abused the boy and a
three-year-old girl, whom they are ordered to pay €42,500 in compensation. The Spaniard is sentenced
to ten years. (BBC)
 Ohio's 12th congressional district special election, 2018
 A special election for Ohio's 12th congressional district is held following the resignation of
Republican Representative Pat Tiberi. The Republicancandidate is Troy Balderson and
the Democratic candidate is Danny O'Connor. (Politico)
 Politics of Colombia
 Iván Duque Márquez is sworn in as new President of Colombia. (BBC News)
 Arrest of Juan Requesens, Caracas drone explosions
 Venezuelan politician Juan Requesens is arrested for alleged crimes related to the supposed Maduro
assassination attempt, despite having political immunity. (BBC News)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 Academy Awards
 The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announces new changes to the Oscars, including
possibly a shorter ceremony, and a new category called "Most Popular Film". (Huffington Post)
 The death toll from the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Lombok, Indonesia, rises to 131 and nearly 2,500
people are now confirmed seriously injured. (The Washington Post)
 Canada–Saudi Arabia relations
 Saudi Press Agency reports that all Saudi patients are being transferred from Canadian hospitals to other
medical facilities outside Canada. (Al Jazeera)
 Colombia–United States relations, Crisis in Venezuela (2012–present)
 The United States pledges US$9 million in aid to Colombia to help support Venezuelan migrants in the
country. (McClatchy DC Bureau)
 China announces 25% tariffs on an additional US$16 billion worth of imports from the United States,
effective August 23, matching yesterday's decision by the United States. (Bloomberg)
 International recognition of the State of Palestine
 The Mission of Palestine in Colombia announces recognition of the State of Palestine as a free and
sovereign state. (WAFA)
 The United States imposes new sanctions on Russia after the use of a Novichok nerve agent in
the United Kingdom. Yesterday, the UK said that they would seek extradition of suspects from
Russia. (BBC) (Sky News)
Law and crime
 Capital punishment in Saudi Arabia
 Saudi Arabia reports the execution and crucifixion, in Mecca, of a man from Myanmar. The man was
sentenced for breaking into the home of a woman and stabbing her, which led to her death, as well as
for other crimes. (Bloomberg)
 Insider trading
 U.S. Representative Chris Collins (R–NY) is arrested on charges of securities and wire
fraud, conspiracy and lying to investigators. He is accused of passing nonpublic information about Innate
Immunotherapeutics, a biotech company, to his son, who traded on the information and passed it along
to others. Collins was a director of the company and also a major investor. (NPR)
 Politics of Slovenia
 Five center-left political parties nominate Marjan Šarec to become Prime Minister of
Slovenia. (Euronews)
edithistorywatch
 At least 43 people, mostly children, are killed in an airstrike on a bus at a market in Dahyan, Sa'da, by
the Saudi-led coalition, while more than 60 are injured. The coalition calls the strike a "legitimate military
action" against the Houthis, accusing them of using children as human shields. (The Guardian)
 At least 40 bodies of Afghan National Army soldiers are found in a military base
in Urozgan that Taliban forces stormed last week. (Reuters via Euronews)
 Gaza–Israel conflict
 Over 180 rockets and mortars are launched toward Israel by Hamasmilitants, injuring seven people. In
retaliation, IDF launches an air assault on 150 targets in Gaza, in which three people are killed, including
an 18-month-old child. (CNN)
 Hamas's Al-Aqsa TV reports that a cease-fire is reached to end the latest round of fighting
with Israel. (NBC News)
Arts and culture
 Video game censorship
 Germany lifts a blanket ban on Nazi symbolism in video games, including the swastika. (Deutsche Welle)
 The death toll from the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Lombok, Indonesia, rises to 259, and may go higher
still. (BBC)
 Hurricane Maria
 Puerto Rico raises its official death toll from Hurricane Maria from 64 to 1,427. (The Kansas City Star)
 Bolivarian diaspora
 Ecuador declares a state of emergency over increases in migrant entry from Venezuela. (Al Jazeera)
 Toronto sees severe flooding in many parts of the city after some areas receive over 100 millimeters of
rain. (Weather Network)
Law and crime
 Abortion in Argentina
 The Argentine Senate rejects a bill that would have legalized abortion in Argentina. (NPR)
 Illegal drug trade
 Italian police seize 20 tonnes of hashish in a Panama-flagged, Montenegrin-crewed "research and
survey" vessel's fuel tanks. (Deutsche Welle)
 Indonesian general election, 2019
 Indonesian President Joko Widodo chooses the Islamic cleric Ma'ruf Amin as his running mate in the
upcoming presidential election. (Reuters)
 The Venezuelan Constituent National Assembly revokes the immunity of opposition politicians Julio
Borges and Juan Requesens after claiming that they were involved in an assassination plot on
President Nicolás Maduro. (Al Jazeera)
edithistorywatch
 War in Afghanistan, Ghazni offensive
 A large-scale military offensive is launched by the Taliban in a bid to overrun the southeastern city
of Ghazni, a provincial capital on the Kabul–Kandahar Highway. They manage to take control of a part of
the city. (The New York Times)
 Foreign relations of Colombia
 Colombia announces its withdrawal from the Union of South American Nations after having suspended
its membership in the organization since April 2018. (CNN)
 Turkey–United States relations, Turkish currency and debt crisis, 2018
 U.S. President Donald Trump authorizes the doubling of Section 232tariffs on imports of aluminium and
steel from Turkey, to 20% and 50% respectively. The Turkish lira further falls to a new record low against
the U.S. dollar and Turkish stocks tumble. (CNBC)
Law and crime
 Fredericton shooting
 At least four people, including two police officers, are killed in a mass
shooting in Fredericton, Canada. (BBC)
 Glyphosate § Legal cases
 A jury in the U.S. state of California awards $289 million to a man who claims that his terminal cancer
was caused by Monsanto's glyphosate-containing weed killer. (BBC)
 2018 Horizon Air Q400 incident
 An airport mechanic steals a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 from Seattle–Tacoma International Airport in
the United States, eventually crashing the plane. (CBS News)
 2017–2018 Romanian protests
 452 people are injured in clashes between protesters and police during an anti-government meeting
in Bucharest, Romania. (Știrile Pro TV)
 United Nations Development Group
 The United Nations General Assembly confirms Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile, to
succeed Zeid Raad Al Hussein as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The decision to appoint
her for a four-year term, starting September 1, was made by consensus after her nomination by UN
Secretary-General António Guterres. (TASS)
 Lewis Ludlow pleads guilty to financing and planning a terrorist van attack in London, England. (BBC)
 The Supreme Court of Costa Rica rules that a ban on same-sex marriage is illegal, and states that legislators must
change the law accordingly within eighteen months. (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 War in Afghanistan, Ghazni offensive
 Fighting continues around the city of Ghazni. (Reuters)
 The death toll from heavy floods that triggered landislides in Kerala, India, which started on 8 July, rises to
37. (India.com)
 Foreign relations of Uzbekistan, War in Afghanistan
 A delegation of the Taliban political office in Doha, Qatar, has visited Uzbekistan from 7 to 10 August and
met with officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Both parties "exchanged views of prospects of the
peace process in Afghanistan". (The Hindu) (Uzbekistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Law and crime
 List of foreign nationals detained in North Korea, Japan–North Korea relations
 A Japanese man is taken into custody in North Korea with Tokyo trying to gather information about the
case. (The Japan Times)
 LGBT rights in Russia
 According to the Russian LGBT Network campaign group, a 16-year-old person becomes the first minor
to be prosecuted under the Russian gay propaganda law. (The Independent)
 Thousands of people protest in Tunis against a government report on gender equality that proposes, among
other things, to legalize homosexuality and to make the sexes equal in inheritance matters. (Al Araby)
 U.S. Representative Chris Collins (R–NY) announces that he is suspending his campaign for re-election in
the 2018 midterms, intending to serve out the remainder of his term. Collins was arrested by the FBI on August 8
on charges relating to insider trading. (CNN)
edithistorywatch
 The BNPB spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho confirmed that the death toll from the earthquake
in Lombok rises to 436. (Tempo.co)
 A report by the SOHR says that the explosion of an arms depot in Sarmada, Idlib Governorate, Syria, kills at least
69 people, including 17 children. The cause of the blast is "not yet clear". Most of the victims were reportedly
family members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militants. (Reuters)
 At least 15 people die after a bus falls into a ravine in the western region of Ancash, in Peru. (Xinhua)
 Convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea
 After more than 20 years of negotiations, the five countries bordering the Caspian Sea sign an agreement
in Aktau, Kazakhstan, on its shared use and the distribution of its resources. The convention legally
defines the body of water as a sea rather than a lake, but with special provisions. (Deutsche Welle)
 Foreign relations of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Foreign relations of South Africa
 South African President Cyril Ramaphosa meets with President Joseph Kabila of DR Congo in Kinshasa,
praising him for his "respect for the constitution" by agreeing to step down and not take part in the
upcoming December 2018 Congolese general election. (The South African)
Law and crime
 Moss Side mass shooting
 Ten people are injured in a mass shooting in Manchester, United Kingdom. (BBC)
 Unite the Right 2
 Around twenty white nationalists hold a protest march in Washington, D.C. on the first anniversary of
the Unite the Right rally, with thousands of counter-protesters. (AP via CBC News)
 NASA launches the Parker Solar Probe, an unpiloted spacecraft designed to study the sun. (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 More than 100 Afghan soldiers and police, 13 civilians and hundreds of Taliban are killed during
the ongoing offensive in Ghazni. (BBC)
 The Taliban captures Camp Chenaya, an Afghan Army base in Ghormach District, Faryab Province. (Voice
of America)
 At least 40 people are killed by paramilitary forces in eastern Ethiopia, in the latest spate of violence driven by
ethnic divisions. (Voa News)
 Turkish currency and debt crisis, 2018
 Asian stock prices sink as Turkey’s financial turmoil fuels fears contagionmight spread to other emerging
markets. (Market Watch)
 2018 Laos dam collapse
 The death toll from a dam collapse in Laos on 23 July rises to 36, while 98 people are still
missing. (Business Standard)
 Authorities in India confirm that 774 people have been killed so far during monsoon rains. (Financial Express)
 Nine people are killed and 16 others injured after a fire breaks out in a ward on the seventh floor of a hospital
in New Taipei City, Taiwan. (BBC)
 More than 300 people are injured, five seriously, after a section of wooden jetty collapsed at an urban sports and
music festival in Vigo, Spain. (BBC)
 Twelve fans of Ecuadorian football team Barcelona S.C. are killed and 30 others are injured after the bus they
were traveling on overturns in Azuay, Ecuador. (Xinhua)
 Three Russian climbers and two Tajik pilots die while 12 other people are injured in a helicopter crash
in Tajikistan. (Tampa Bay Times)
 41 people are injured when a coach overturns in Kent, England, United Kingdom. (Kent Live)
 North Korea and South Korea officials begin high-level negotiations, with reports suggesting that Kim
Jong-un and Moon Jae-in could be planning for a summit in Pyongyang later this month. (Reuters)
 The lawyer of Peter Strzok, a former agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who was removed
from Robert Mueller's Special Counsel investigation, announces that his client has been fired by the
FBI. (The Washington Post via MSN)
edithistorywatch
 Norma Azucena Rodríguez Zamora, a recently elected member of the Congress of Mexico, is kidnapped by
gunmen in Hidalgo State. (BBC)
 Ponte Morandi § Collapse
 The Ponte Morandi viaduct collapses on the A10 motorway in Genoa, Italy. 38 people are confirmed
dead, 16 others are seriously injured, 5 are missing and 632 displaced. 35 cars and three heavy vehicles
are involved in the accident. Several homes are also damaged and people inside them also
injured. (TGCom)
 A road accident in Quito, Ecuador involving a bus and a truck leaves 24 people dead and 18 others injured. (CNN
en Español)
 Ten people are killed and another injured in a fire at a care home in Chiguayante, Chile. (24 Horas)
 Following a period of quiet, Israel reopens the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza. (BBC)
Law and crime
 2018 Westminster car crash
 A man is arrested near the Palace of Westminster in London after a Ford Fiesta hit pedestrians, cyclists
and a security barrier. (The Daily Telegraph)
 Stand-your-ground law in Florida
 Michael Drejka is charged with manslaughter by a state attorney after a reversal of an earlier decision
made by police. The case stems from a controversial video that shows Drejka shooting another man over
a handicapped parking space and claiming self defense. (NBC)
 Capital punishment in Nebraska
 Nebraska executes convicted murderer Carey Dean Moore, becoming the first U.S. state to execute an
inmate with fentanyl, and what is also the state's first execution in 21 years, and its first by lethal
injection. (BBC)
 European migrant crisis
 Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and Luxembourg agree to take in 141 migrants, 67 of them
unaccompanied children, who were rescued on Friday by the MV Aquarius; Malta allows the ship to
dock. (The Guardian)
 Kansas gubernatorial election, 2018
 Incumbent Governor of Kansas Jeff Colyer concedes defeat to Republican challenger Kris Kobach in the
primary election. (CNN)
edithistorywatch
 At least 48 people, mostly students, are killed and a further 67 are injured in a suicide bomb attack at an
education centre in Kabul. The Talibandenies any involvement. (BBC)
 The Taliban attacks two units of Afghan security forces in the Baghlan-e-Markazi district of Baghlan
Province, killing at least 39 soldiers and police officers. (SFGate)
Arts and culture
 Me Too movement § China
 Following accusations by fellow monks of sexual misconduct and embezzling funds—accusations which
were subsequently posted on social media—the Buddhist Association of China announces Shi
Xuecheng's resignation from the office of president of that organization. Xuecheng had dismissed the
records as a fabrication. (The Guardian)
 Automotive industry in South Korea
 The government of South Korea announces that it will ban 20,000 BMWvehicles following engine
fires. (BBC)
 Economy of New Zealand
 New Zealand's parliament votes to ban the sale of homes to non-resident foreign nationals amid a
housing affordability crisis. Australians and Singaporeans are exempt due to free-trade deals. (BBC)
 2018 California wildfires
 Officials lift all mandatory evacuation orders for the deadly Carr Fire in Northern California that
destroyed nearly 1,100 homes and killed eight people. (KHQ) (ABC News)
 22 children and a woman drown after their boat sinks in the Nile in Sudanwhile travelling to school. (Business
Standard)
 Foreign relations of South Korea
 South Korean President Moon Jae-in announces plans to create a Northeast Asian railroad community
with North Korea, the United States, China, Japan, Russia, and Mongolia. (CNBC)
Law and crime
 Transgender rights in Germany
 The Cabinet of Germany approves a third gender option for official identification records. The change will
come into force by the end of the year. (Deutsche Welle)
 Venezuelan authorities arrest a military general, a colonel, and a dozen others in connection to a failed
assassination attempt on PresidentNicolás Maduro. (UPI)
 Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017)
 Omar Ameen, an ISIL member who lived in California as a refugee, is arrested in Sacramento for
a 2014 murder in Rawa, Iraq. (The New York Times)
 President Donald Trump revokes the security clearance of former Central Intelligence Agency director John
Brennan, and the White House announces clearance reviews for other current and former national security
officials. (ABC News)
 Indian Space Research Organisation
 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says India will launch its first manned space mission by 2022,
which would make it the fourth nation to do so after Russia, the United States, and China. (Reuters)
 Scientists observe the signal of iron and titanium atoms in the atmosphere of KELT-9b,
an exoplanet located 600 light-years from Earth. (Gizmodo)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 2018 Washington Veterans Day Parade
 The United States Department of Defense postpones President Donald Trump's military parade, which
was slated to take place on 10 November, until 2019. The estimates for the parade's cost have risen from
$12 million to $92 million. (ABC News) (Market Watch)
 Freedom of the press in the United States
 In coordinated editorials defending press freedom, hundreds of U.S.
newspapers rebuke President Donald Trump's repeated accusations that the news media reports "fake
news" and that journalists are "enemies of the people". (RTÉ News)
 Constellation Brands, the owner of Corona Beer, announces plans to invest in Canadian marijuana producer
Canopy Growth. (BBC)
 Analysis shows that a rare fire tornado that barreled into the city of Redding on July 26 during the Carr
Fire was responsible for the death of a firefighter as he raced towards a neighborhood in flames. (Los
Angeles Times)
 2018 Kerala floods
 Authorities in India say that 350 people are confirmed dead in the heavy floods in Kerala. (Times of India)
Law and crime
 The Mexican government announces that they are offering up to MXN$30 million (equivalent to US$1.56
million) for anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest of Nemesio Oseguera
Cervantes(alias "El Mencho"), the suspected leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and one of
Mexico's most-wanted. (El Universal)
 The government of DR Congo issues an international arrest warrant for opposition leader Moïse Katumbi, who
was hoping to take part in the upcoming December 2018 Congolese general election. (Zambia Reports)
 Elections in Canada, Premiership of Justin Trudeau
 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismisses speculation that he would call an early election this
fall and states that his government remains focused on renegotiating NAFTA and strengthening
the economy. (Reuters)
 Dog meat consumption in South Korea
 Animal rights groups hold protests against dog meat consumption in Seoul. (UPI)
Sports
 2018 Major League Baseball season
 The Texas Rangers pull off a triple play against the Los Angeles Angelswithout retiring the batter, the first
such triple play in MLB since 1912. (HuffPost)
edithistorywatch
 Around 20,000 Palestinians protest near the Israel–Gaza barrier. Medical sources say that Israel Defense
Forces killed two people and wounded at least 270 others, 50 of them with live bullets. (Reuters)
 Accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft
 A Boeing 737 skids off a runway at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Philippines, while landing in a
downpour. All aboard are unharmed but the aircraft is severely damaged with one engine and some of
the landing gear being ripped away. (Fox News)
 United States foreign policy in the Middle East, Syrian Civil War
 The U.S. Department of State announces that it will redirect approximately US$230 million in
stabilization funds for Syria to "other key foreign policy priorities." Career Ambassador James Jeffrey is
appointed as "special representative for Syrian engagement". (AP via Chron)
Law and crime
 A high court in İzmir, Turkey, rejects an appeal to release U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson. (USA Today)
 Amnesty International releases a report accusing Indonesian police of fatally shooting at least 77 suspected petty
criminals since January 2018, in the lead-up to the 2018 Asian Games. Authorities insist that lethal force is used
when the suspects resist the police. (BBC)
 Pakistani general election, 2018
 Imran Khan, the chairman of the Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, is elected as the Prime
Minister of Pakistan. (Al Jazeera)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 Russian president Vladimir Putin attends the wedding of Austrian foreign minister Karin Kneissl (FPÖ) and
businessman Wolfgang Malinger. (BBC)
 History of cheese
 Archeologists from the Cairo University and the University of Cataniareport the discovery of one of the
oldest known examples of cheese. Discovered at a tomb in the Saqqara necropolis, it is the first known
evidence of ancient Egyptian cheese production. (BBC)
 Ponte Morandi § Collapse
 The death toll from the Ponte Morandi collapse in Genoa, Italy, rises to 43. (Adnkronos)
 Hurricane Lane enters the central Pacific as a category 4 hurricane. (Honolulu Star-Adviser)
 Kim–Xi meetings, China–North Korea relations
 Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Pyongyang to attend the celebration of the 70th
anniversary of North Korea's founding. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 School violence
 A school official in Bicol Central Academy, a school in Libmanan, Camarines Sur, Philippines burned
students' bags and other personal belongings as a punishment for students who violated the no-bag
policy set for the school's event during that time. It was met with huge outrage from the
netizens. (Rappler)
 Politics of Belarus
 Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko reshuffles his government in the wake of a corruption
scandal. Andrei Kobyakov is replaced by Sergei Rumas as Prime Minister of Belarus. (The Guardian)
 6th Justice and Development Party Ordinary Congress
 At the 6th Ordinary Congress of the Justice and Development Party(AKP), President of Turkey Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan is re-elected as the party's chairman, receiving 1380 of 1381 votes. (Anadolu)
 Vice President Leni Robredo protests President Rodrigo Duterte's remark that her hometown Naga City is
a "hotbed of shabu." (CNN Philippines)(Rappler)
Sports
 2018 Asian Games
 The opening ceremony of the Asian Games takes place. (NDTV Sports)
edithistorywatch
 A deep-focus earthquake of magnitude 8.2 (the strongest recorded in 2018) strikes the South Pacific
Ocean near Fiji. No threat of tsunami is immediately detected. (KATU)
 19 August 2018 Lombok earthquake
 A 6.3-magnitude earthquake strikes the Indonesian island of Lombok, killing 14. (The Guardian)
 2018 Pacific typhoon season
 Tropical Storm Rumbia kills nine people in Anhui and Henan provinces, China. (Xinhua)
 Hurricane Lane weakens to a Category 3 storm and is expected to pass south of Hawaii throughout the
next few days. (CBS News) (Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
 Italy Interior Minister Matteo Salvini threatens to return 177 migrants who have been aboard an Italian
coast guard ship for days to Libya. (Time)
 War In Afghanistan
 Afghan President Ashraf Ghani calls for a conditional cease-fire with Taliban insurgents for the duration
of the Eid al-Adha holiday. (Fox News) (Al Jazeera)
Sports
 2018 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final
 In hurling, Limerick defeat Galway in the 2018 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final at Croke
Park to win the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the first time since 1973. (BBC Sport) (Sky Sports)
 Cincinnati Masters
 Novak Djokovic beats Roger Federer in Cincinnati, becoming the first player to win singles titles in all
nine ATP World Tour Masters 1000tournaments in his career. (The Star)
edithistorywatch
 Terrorism in Europe
 An officer fatally shoots a man in Cornellà, Barcelona, Spain, after he storms into a Mossos
d'Esquadra police station with a knife. Police are treating the incident as an attempted terrorist
attack. (BBC)
 Suspected Boko Haram militants raid and burn the village of Mailari in Borno State, Nigeria, killing six
people. (BBC)
Arts and culture
 Me Too movement
 Italian actress Asia Argento, one of the actresses who accused producer Harvey Weinstein of
inappropriate sexual conduct, is accused by American actor Jimmy Bennett of having had sexual relations
with him when he was 17 years old and then paying him $380,000 to keep silent. (The Hollywood
Reporter)
 PepsiCo announces its intent to buy SodaStream, a manufacturer of products for in-home soft drink production,
for US$3.2 billion. The deal awaits approval by regulators. (BBC)
 Venezuela announces that, in an attempt to curb inflation, the bolivar will be replaced with the "Sovereign
Bolivar". The new currency is linked to the petro, a form of cryptocurrency operated by the country. (BBC)
 Yosemite National Park officials say the Ferguson Fire in California is now fully contained. (BBC)
 Heavy floods in Civita, Italy, kill eight people, injure twelve and misplace five. (Rai News)
 A South Carolina alligator kills a woman walking her dog on Hilton Head Island. Police call such an
attack "extremely uncommon". The dog is unharmed. (Al.com)
 Korean reunification, North Korea–South Korea relations
 Eighty-nine South Koreans are selected via lottery to be reunited for three days with North
Korean relatives they were separated from in the Korean War six decades earlier. (UPI)
Law and crime
 Two men are detained in Ankara, Turkey after shots are fired at the American embassy there. (ABC News)
 A woman shoots two employees at a Texas food distribution plant, killing one and injuring the other, before
killing herself. (CNN)
 Arrests of Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone
 The judge in the trial of two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmarannounces that he will deliver his
verdict on August 27, in a test of press freedom in the country. The journalists were investigating mass
graves at the village of Inn Din and the massacre that took place there when they were arrested for
allegedly obtaining "secret documents". (Reuters)
 Crime in Chicago, Gun violence in the United States
 Sixty-one people are shot over the weekend in Chicago, including twelve in two mass shootings. Eight
die, including five teenagers. Police arrest three people in connection, 29 on other firearms charges and
seize 83 guns. (CBS News)
 Omar Ameen, a man arrested in Sacramento on suspicion of an Iraqi murderlinked to the Islamic State of Iraq
and the Levant, faces a judge at an extradition hearing. He is denied bail. (CBS Sacramento) (KCRA)
edithistorywatch
 Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill, 2018
 Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull survives a challenge by conservative Home Affairs Minister Peter
Dutton for leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia, with 48 votes to 35.
 Human rights violations during the Syrian Civil War
 ISIL releases an execution video showing a prisoner being killed by explosives in Yarmouk
Camp, Damascus. (Metro)
 At least 23 civilians die in a airstrike near Shadadi, Al-Hasakah Governorate. The Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights has stated it is not clear who carried out the attack, listing Iraq and US-led coalition as two
possibilities. The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency claims the US-led coalition is
responsible. (BT) (Middle East Monitor)
 A suicide bombing kills at least 24 people at a mosque in Mubi, Nigeria. Boko Haram are suspected of
being behind the attack. (BBC)
 Pro-Hadi forces capture the Al Bareh Triangle and seize Houthi arms. (Gulf News)
 Several independent MPs urge Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir to withdraw troops
from Yemen where they are supporting a Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels. (AllAfrica)
 Palestinian Islamic Jihad releases video of Israeli general Yoav Mordechai meeting with United Kingdom
ambassador David Quarrey and observing the protests last week. Quarrey's visit came amid concerns of
the Israeli Defence Forces using live ammunition and was intended to be kept secret. (The Telegraph)
 Persecution of Muslims in Myanmar
 Myanmar's military pledges to a U.N. delegation visiting Rakhine State that they will take "harsh" action
against perpetrators of sexual violence in the region. The U.N. previously accused Myanmar's military of
committing an ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State. (Reuters)
 Iraqi police and al-Hashd al-Shaabi troops raid ISIL locations in Hawija, Kirkuk, and seize tunnels and arms
caches. (Iraqi News)
 A bomb in Mosul, Iraq, kills and injures seven policemen. (Iraqi News)
Arts and culture
 American actress Ashley Judd sues Harvey Weinstein for defamation and sexual harassment, claiming he
"torpedoed" her chance to be cast in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. (Herald Courier)
 Publisher Bloomsbury acquires Middle East and political publishing specialist I.B. Tauris. (The Bookseller)
 The Supreme Court of India orders the government to seek international help after examining photos submitted
by environmentalists showing a change in colour of the Taj Mahal. (BBC)
 Following the cancellation of the Williams & Glyn bank formation, the Royal Bank of Scotland announces
the closure of 162 RBS and subsidiary NatWest branches across the United Kingdom. (BBC)
 Minimum alcohol pricing comes into effect in Scotland, mandating prices of at least 50p per unit.
Scotland becomes the first country to introduce such a scheme. (The Independent)
 United States guitar manufacturer Gibson files for bankruptcy protection. (The Guardian)
 Incidents at Universal parks
 At Universal Studios Japan, the Flying Dinosaur roller coaster gets stuck 100 feet in the air, stranding
about 64 people for nearly 2 hours. (NDTV)
 Edifício Wilton Paes de Almeida, a 26-story tower block in São Paulo, Brazil, is destroyed by a fire and consequent
collapse. Neighbouring buildings are also damaged by fire. Authorities warn the casualty toll is "likely to be
high". (Metro)
 An avalanche in the Alps kills three skiers and injures two in Valais, Switzerland. (Gulf News)
 Dominican Republic–Taiwan relations, China–Dominican Republic relations
 The Dominican Republic severs ties with Taiwan and establishes diplomatic relations with China. (CNN)
 A Russian Su-27 fighter jet intercepts a United States P-8 Poseidon surveillance plane in international
airspace over the Baltic Sea, with the US claiming the procedure was unprofessional and the aircraft
came within 20 feet of each other. (KFDI)
 Iran–Morocco relations
 Morocco cuts diplomatic ties with Iran over its support for the Polisario Front, a Western
Saharan independence movement. (Al Jazeera)
 The African Land Forces Summit opens in Abuja, Nigeria. Present are military delegations from 30 African nations
plus representatives from Europe and the United States. (AllAfrica)
 Poland takes over the rotating Presidency of the United Nations Security Council. (Radio Poland)
Law and crime
 Terrorism in England
 ISIL suspect Lewis Ludlow makes an initial appearance before Westminster Magistrates' Court accused of
plotting a terror attack in London. He denies the offences and the case is transferred to the Old
Bailey. (BBC)
 May Day
 Far-left anarchists clash with riot police in central Paris, France. Several businesses are looted and set on
fire, including a McDonald's restaurant and Renault garage. Hundreds are arrested. (Reuters)
 Far-right terrorism in the United Kingdom
 West Midlands Police arrest five men and a woman suspected of membership of National Action, a neo-
Nazi group banned as a terror group. (The Oxford Mail)
 Iran bans the Telegram messenger app, citing national security concerns. (BBC)
 Catherine De Bolle from Belgium becomes the first woman to lead Europol. (Politico)
 Iraqi parliamentary election, 2018
 Muntadhar al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at George W. Bush in 2008, will run for Iraqi
parliament. (BuzzFeed News)
 Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler announces that he will resign in one week, after being accused
of sexual harassment. (The Times-Picayune)
Sports
 Kenyan boxer Brian Agina goes missing as his team prepares to return from the Commonwealth
Games in Australia. (AllAfrica)
 Former Green Bay Packers and NC State player Carlos Gray is found dead after being shot at his home. (News
Observer)
May 2, 2018 (Wednesday)
edithistorywatch
 Basque conflict
 Basque separatist group ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna), which waged an insurgency against Spain between
1959 and 2011, announces its complete dissolution. (The Guardian)
 A fire started by an incendiary device attached to a kite by Palestinian protestors and flown
into Israel burns for six hours. It is the largest fire so far after a string of firebombing attacks. (The Times
of Israel)
 A random shooting in al-Tarmia District, Baghdad Governorate, Iraq, kills at least eight people and wounds at
least fourteen. The gunmen responsible remain at large and unidentified. (Iraqi News)
 The UK Royal Air Force admits killing a civilian with a drone strike in Syria, the first time the force has accepted
responsibility for civilian deaths in the country since starting operations there four years ago. (The Guardian)
 Multiannual Financial Framework
 The European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Günther Oettinger formally unveils
proposed budget rules for the European Union to run from 2021 to 2027. (Politico)
 Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal
 Cambridge Analytica announces that it is closing down as a result of the scandal. (BBC)
 Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
 Searches led by Ocean Infinity move to a new section of the Indian Ocean after the initial search area
was cleared without success. If the missing aircraft, which was carrying over 200 people, is not found by
mid-June the search will be called off. (The South China Morning Post)
 A Puerto Rico Air National Guard C-130 Hercules transport plane crashes during a training flight
near Savannah, Georgia, United States, killing all five crew members and four passengers. (Reuters) (BBC)
 Firefighters say 44 people are missing after the collapse of the Edifício Wilton Paes de Almeida tower block in São
Paulo, Brazil, yesterday. One missing man was within seconds of rescue when the building came down during a
fire. (The Japan Times)
 North Korea has released the three remaining American detainees ahead of the
upcoming summit meeting with Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. The news came after National Security
Adviser John R. Bolton stated that they should be released as a way for North Korea to demonstrate its
sincerity in talks. (Business Insider)
Law and crime
 Robert Mueller suggests that he could order a subpoena in order to get U.S. President Donald Trump to
testify to the investigation. (BBC)
 A Texan teenager inspired by ISIL is arrested after threatening a mass shooting at a mall. (Reuters)
 Abortion in the United States
 Iowa's House of Representatives approves a bill restricting abortions in the state. If approved
by RepublicanGovernor Kim Reynolds, abortions after six weeks of pregnancy will be banned. (BBC)
 Helium has been detected for the first time in the atmosphere of an exoplanet by scientists
observing WASP-107b. (News Atlas)
 NASA announces it has completed its first full-power test of the Kilopower nuclear reactor for space. NASA
intends to use the technology to power exploration missions to the Moon and Mars. (The Independent)
May 3, 2018 (Thursday)
edithistorywatch
 A Palestinian man was arrested by Israel Defence Forces (IDF) while attempting to damage the security
fence around the northern Gaza Strip. He was shot and injured during the arrest, and is now receiving
medical treatment at Soroka Medical Center. (The Times of Israel)
 Palestinian teenager Anas Abu Asr dies of wounds sustained when he was shot during protests near Gaza
City last Friday, bringing the death toll to 40. (The Washington Post)
 The Israeli High Court rules the protests to be a state of war and that human rights are therefore not
applicable. (Haaretz)
 United Arab Emirates takeover of Socotra
 The United Arab Emirates deploys troops on the Yemeni island of Socotra in the Arabian Sea,
taking over key installations such as Socotra Airport from Yemeni soldiers. Yemeni Prime
Minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghrdenounces the Emirati ground incursion and hundreds protest
demanding their immediate withdrawal. Local media reports the UAE claims to have "leased"
the island. (Al Jazeera)
 Piracy in the 21st century
 The government of Guyana reports that pirates attacked fishermen off the coast of
neighboring Suriname. (BBC)
 The United States Department of State freezes funding to the White Helmets humanitarian group, which
conducts urban search and rescue in rebel-held areas of Syria. The U.S. provides one-third of the group's
total funding. (The Hill)
Arts and culture
 Bill Cosby sexual assault cases, Roman Polanski sexual abuse case
 The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences board votes to suspend actor Bill Cosby and
director Roman Polanski in accordance with the organization's standards of conduct. (BBC)
 Sovereign Military Order of Malta
 Fra' Giacomo dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto takes oath of office as 80th Prince and Grand Master
of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, after being elected yesterday. (Order of Malta)
 2018 Indian dust storms
 Around 110 people are killed in a dust storm in northwestern India, with Uttar Pradesh being the hardest
hit. (CNN)
 2018 lower Puna eruption
 After over 600 earthquakes, including a magnitude 5.0 at Kīlauea, parts of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National
Park have struck, causing the nearby Puʻu ʻŌʻō, to close due to fears of an eruption. The volcano erupted
and evacuations were issued. (Big Island Now) (ABC7)
 A Russian Sukhoi-30SM crashes after leaving an airbase in Khmeimim, Latakia, Syria. Both crew die. (The
Guardian)
 Vice President of the United States Mike Pence postpones his trip to Brazil to focus foreign policy
resources on Donald Trump's planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (Reuters)
 The head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Ahmet Uzumcu says that up to
100 grams of liquid nerve agent were used in the chemical attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal – around
half a cup of liquid, suggesting it was intended for use as a weapon and was not created for research
purposes. (The Guardian)
Law and crime
 Pan Am Flight 103
 The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission says it will review claims of a possible miscarriage of
justice in the conviction of Abdelbasset Ali al-Megrahi for the Lockerbie bombing, in which over 200
people were murdered. (ABC News)
 Donald Trump signs an executive order to give greater freedoms to federally funded faith-based
initiatives. (USA Today)
 Presidency of Jimmy Morales
 Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales appoints María Consuelo Porras as Attorney General and Chief of
the Public Ministry to replace Thelma Aldana. (InSight Crime)
 Protestors riot in Lesbos, Greece in demonstrations against a European Union migration policy. Police fire tear
gas. (The Guardian)
 Terrorism in Australia
 Islamic State recruiter Hamdi Alqudsi's wife Moutia Elzahed becomes the first person convicted of an
offence for refusing to stand for a judge in court, with a magistrate finding her guilty of nine counts of
disrespectful behaviour in court. (News.com.au)
 Eight inmates are acquitted of prison mutiny while one is convicted over a riot at HMP
Birmingham in Englanddescribed by the Prison Officers' Association as the worst violence they had seen for over
25 years. (BBC)
 The fossilized remains of a rhinoceros are found in the Philippines, with cut marks suggesting it was butchered
with stone tools. The remains, dated to 709,000 years old by electron spin resonance, suggest a human presence
earlier than expected in Southeast Asia. (CNN)
 Twitter urges all of its users to change their passwords after a glitch temporarily caused some passwords to be
stored in readable text on its internal computer system. (Reuters)
May 4, 2018 (Friday)
edithistorywatch
 Basque conflict
 In Cambo-les-Bains, France, ETA performs its final act of dissolution in the presence of politicians such
as Gerry Adams, Jonathan Powell, Brian Currin and Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas. (El País)
 Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy reminds a crowd to remember the 853 victims of the conflict and
reaffirms that there will be no impunity for the violence perpetrated by ETA during its 60-year history. (El
País)
Arts and culture
 Nobel Prize in Literature
 The Nobel Prize in Literature 2018 is postponed to 2019 after Jean-Claude Arnault, husband of the
former Swedish Academy member Katarina Frostenson, is accused of sexual assault, resulting in her
resignation, and leaving the academy without a quorum. (The Guardian)
 2018 Hawaii earthquake
 A magnitude 6.9 earthquake hits Hawaii, the strongest in over 40 years, amid ongoing seismic and
volcanic activity. (LA Times) (First Post)
 Hawaiian volcano Kīlauea begins erupting at the Leilani Estates subdivision, spurring a mandatory
evacuation order of residents. (County of Hawaii) (HVO)
 A heap of mining waste collapses at a jade mine in Kachin State, Myanmar, causing a landslide that kills at least
17 people. Six people are also left injured and an unknown number of people are missing. (AP) (Channel News
Asia)
 Maritime incidents in 2018
 A Turkish cargo ship collides with Greek warship Armatalos off the coast of Lesbos in the Aegean Sea.
The Hellenic Navy says the ship then retreated to Turkish waters without responding to radio
messages. (The Guardian)
 At 23:30 local time, North Korea changes its time zone to match South Korea (UTC+09:00) – a
"first practical" impetus for Korean reunification, says the official North Korean
agency KCNA. (BBC)
 U.S. President Donald Trump announces that he will meet South Korean President Moon Jae-
in on May 22. (Reuters)
 Cold War II
 The United States Navy re-establishes the United States Second Fleet, which was disbanded in 2011,
citing recent heightened tensions between NATO and Russia. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Animal welfare
 Fifty juvenile crocodiles are seized at Heathrow Airport, London, after officials discover that they were
being kept in inhumane conditions. (BBC)
 Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs a bill into law which bans most abortions in the state if a fetal
heartbeat can be detected, or roughly after around six weeks into pregnancy. (Reuters)
 An arson attack on a pile of hay bales in the Jordan Valley does hundreds of thousands of Shekels of
damage. Local authorities describe the attack as terrorist. (Ynetnews)
 Volcanology
 A new model suggests that supervolcano eruptions occur more often in regions being pulled by
tectonics. (Brinkwire)
 Physical cosmology
 Using recent data from the Gaia spacecraft, the value of the Hubble constant is determined to
be 73.52±1.62, which confirms a disagreement with other methods of measuring the constant with a
confidence of 99.993%. (Inquisitr)
Sports
 In baseball, the Los Angeles Angels' Albert Pujols becomes the 32nd Major League Baseball player to reach 3,000
career hits. (Yahoo! Sports)
May 5, 2018 (Saturday)
edithistorywatch
 An explosion in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, kills six Palestinians. Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces both deny
responsibility and blame each other for the blast. (BBC)
 The Israeli Air Force used a "hotline" to issue an urgent warning to Khemeymim Airbase in Syria when
a Russian fighter jet strayed close to Israeli airspace near the Golan Heights. Last year a Syrian warplane was shot
down in a similar incident. (AMN)
 An earthquake strikes a coal mine near Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Poland; rescuers have thus far recovered two miners
alive and located a third, while four remain unaccounted for. (CBC)
 Two coal mines collapse in Balochistan, Pakistan. A gas explosion triggered one collapse, in Pir Ismail, Marwar,
killing sixteen. A second collapse near Quetta kills two more with five miners missing. (The Express Tribune)
 The Federal Aviation Administration of the United States orders Boeing 787 jets using Rolls-Royce Trent
1000 engines to operate within one hour of an airport at all times following safety concerns with the engines
worldwide which culminated in Air New Zealand and Air China grounding their fleets last week. (The Telegraph)
Law and crime
 2017–2018 Russian protests
 Russian police detain about 1,600 anti-government protesters, including opposition leader Alexei
Navalny. (RTÉ)
 Naa'imur Zakariyah Rahman, from London, formally denies an ISIL plot to murder Theresa May. (BBC)
 Egypt's Court of Cassation rejects appeals by 45 people handed long prison terms over a 2013 Port Said riot that
killed 42. The riots broke out in response to death sentences handed out over a previous riot in 2012 that killed
72 footballfans. (Xinhua)
 Thousands of people in central Paris demonstrate in an anti-Macron protest against his sweeping
reforms. 2,000 security forces are deployed. (ABC)
 Exploration of Mars
 NASA's InSight Mars lander launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc, California. It is the
first interplanetary mission launched from the West Coast of the United States. (CBS News)
Sports
 2018 Kentucky Derby
 Pre-race favorite Justify wins the Kentucky Derby, becoming the first horse since 1882 to win the race
while unraced as a two-year-old. The race was run under the wettest conditions in its history; by post
time, more than 2.8 inches (7.1 cm) of rain had fallen on race day, breaking a record that had lasted
since 1918. (WDRB – weather)(CBS Sports)
May 6, 2018 (Sunday)
edithistorywatch
 The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) open fire on a group of Palestinian men trying to sabotage the Israeli-
Gazanborder fence, killing three and injuring two others. The IDF also attacks a Hamas outpost near the
border, stating that the location was used to launch incendiary kites and other objects in an attempt to
burn Israeli fields. (The Jerusalem Post)
 Hamas releases videos showing dozens of Palestinians successfully breaching the fence and infiltrating
Israel. (Israel National News)
 Kashmir insurgency
 Two days of clashes in Indian-administrated Jammu and Kashmir leaves eight militants and nine civilians
dead, while over 100 protesters are injured during anti-India demonstrations. (Benar News)
 Pakistani Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal is shot at following a rally in Narowal, Punjab. A bullet pierces his right
shoulder. He is in stable condition now and the gunman has since been arrested, according to Government
Officials. (The New York Times) (The Nation)
 A mosque being used for voter registration is bombed in Khost, Afghanistan, killing at least 14 people
and injuring 33. (ABC News)
 Economy of France
 French economy minister Bruno Le Maire says Air France may collapse over ongoing strike action and the
state will not bail the firm out despite owning 14.3% of parent Air France-KLM. (BBC)
 Flash floods cause transportation issues and damage buildings in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. (BBC)
 At Leilani Estates, 26 homes and 4 buildings were destroyed by Kīlauea, forcing 1700 people to leave
their homes. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Malaysian authorities announce sixteen arrests connected to an international human trafficking ring. The arrests
follow the seizure of modified tanker ship MV Etra in Malaysian waters on Tuesday with 127 Sri Lankan migrants
on board being smuggled to New Zealand and Australia. The arrests include seven people captured aboard a
fishing vessel used to transfer migrants onto MV Etra. (The South China Morning Post)
 Lebanese general election, 2018
 Lebanon holds its first parliamentary election since 2009. (BBC)
 The Electoral Commission of Zambia says it will disqualify anybody who commits violence in the campaign for
upcoming by-elections slated for June. (The Lusaka Times)
 In an interview offered to the newspaper El Comercio, the Peruvian president, Martín Vizcarra, ruled out
presenting himself for re-election in 2021 or calling early elections. Vizcarra, as vice president, took office late
March after former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigned due to a corruption scandal and strong pressures
of the Congress. (América Televisión)
 Far-right politics in the United Kingdom
 Thousands of far-right activists attend a protest in London, United Kingdom amid a recent crackdown on
far-right activity on social media. Guest speakers included former English Defence League leader Tommy
Robinson, Vicemagazine co-founder Gavin McInnes, and UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Gerard
Batten. (The Guardian)
May 7, 2018 (Monday)
edithistorywatch
 Airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition destroy the Presidential Palace in Sana'a, Yemen, with at least six
killed and 30 injuries reported, coalition officials claim they had targeted high-
ranking Houthi officials. (Yahoo! News)
 Hamas has offered Israel a longterm ceasefire including prisoner exchanges, in return for reductions to the Gaza
blockade, and infrastructural improvement. (The Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Arts and culture
 List of highest-grossing films
 American superhero film Avengers: Infinity War becomes the fastest film to make US$1 billion
worldwide, in just eleven days. (BGR)
 Large sections of the old Tappan Zee Bridge are to be sunk and used as material to build an artificial reef off the
coast of Long Island. (MNN)
 Latvian bank ABLV sues the European Central Bank in the Court of Justice of the European Union, saying the ECB
triggered ABLV's collapse. The bank failed following allegations by the United States that ABLV was laundering
moneyon behalf of North Korea. (Reuters)
 The United States Department of Defense says it has resumed accepting deliveries of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets
from manufacturer Lockheed Martin after resolving a dispute over a production error which was leading to
corrosion. (Reuters)
 Oliver North is announced to be the next president of the National Rifle Association. (NRA)
 Legal status of cryptocurrency
 In a landmark bankruptcy case the Ninth Arbitration Court of Appeal
in Moscow rules cryptocurrencies are property and demands access to a
party's Bitcoin reserves. (Bitcoinist)
 About 35 structures in Leilani Estates are destroyed during the Kīlauea eruption in Hawaii. (KFOR-TV)
 A collision of two trains near Aichach in Germany leaves two people dead and at least 14 injured. (DW)
 United States–Venezuela relations
 The United States imposes sanctions on three Venezuelans and 20 drug entities for trafficking
activity. (Yahoo! News)
 United States Vice President Mike Pence calls on Venezuela to suspend its presidential election later this
month citing corruption concerns. This follows a similar announcement made by the European
Union. (Bloomberg)
 Israel–Paraguay relations
 Paraguay announces that it will move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by the end of May.
Paraguay is the third country to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem after the United
States and Guatemala. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Terrorism in Egypt
 Egyptian chief prosecutor Nabil Sadek refers 555 ISIL suspects suspected of 63 terror attacks to a military
court, while the Giza Criminal Court in Cairo sentences nine terrorists to life imprisonment and two
others to five years imprisonment each. (The Times of Israel)
 The Knesset approves by 55 votes to 14 a bill designed to confiscate payments made by the Palestinian
Authorityto terrorists in Israel. (Arutz Sheva)
 Murder of Kim Wall
 Danish inventor Peter Madsen appeals his life sentence for murdering Swedish journalist Kim Wall
onboard his homemade submarine. He has not appealed his conviction. (BBC)
 Indiana accused serial killer Shawn Grate is convicted of two murders. He has previously confessed to, but not
been charged with, two more murders and entered guilty pleas to crimes including rape. (10tv)
 An Indonesian court rejects a bid by Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir to overturn its ban in the country. The group
was outlawed by presidential decree in 2017 on national security grounds. (The Guardian)
 Finland says compensation payouts for wrongful convictions and imprisonments have quadrupled in ten years,
with three million euros paid in 2017 versus 720,000 euros in 2007. (YLE)
 Politics of Japan
 Centrist opposition party Democratic Party merges with centre-right Party of Hope, forming
the Democratic Party for the People. Members of both parties that disapproved of the merger choose to
either join the Constitutional Democratic Party, become independents or remain in the Party of
Hope. (The Asahi Shimbun)
 Fourth inauguration of Vladimir Putin
 Russian President Vladimir Putin is inaugurated at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow for a fourth term
as President of Russia following his victory in March's presidential election. (BBC)
 Lebanese general election, 2018
 In official results, Hezbollah and allied parties win a slight majority of seats in Parliament. (Reuters)
 2017–18 United States political sexual scandals, Weinstein effect
 Attorney General of New York Eric Schneiderman, whose office sued The Weinstein Company for sexual
harassment and discrimination, resigns amid allegations of violence towards four women during his
tenure as Attorney General. (NBC News)
 Italian President Sergio Mattarella says either fresh elections must be held or a neutral caretaker government
installed following the collapse of a third round of talks aiming to form a coalition after March's general election
failed to produce a clear winner. (BBC)
 Scientists discover that WASP-96b has an atmosphere that is free of clouds. (Phys.org)
Sports
 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs
 The Washington Capitals advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years with a 2–
1 win over arch rival Pittsburgh Penguins, winning the series 4–2. (Sporting News)
May 8, 2018 (Tuesday)
edithistorywatch
 Colombian conflict
 A war crimes tribunal in Colombia begins investigating atrocities during the war which began in the
1960s. (al-Jazeera)
 Bosnian prosecutors appeal the acquittal of Naser Orić, former commander of the Bosnian Army in Srebrenica,
who was accused of killing Serb prisoners. (Balkan Insight)
 Yemeni Crisis (2011–present), Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
 United Arab Emirates takeover of Socotra
 Yemeni political parties, including the General People's Congress, Al-Islah and the Southern
Movement issue a joint statement calling on the United Arab Emirates to immediately withdraw
its troops from Socotra in the Arabian Sea. (Anadolu Agency)
 The heads of Serco and Mitie are expected to appear before the UK's Public Administration and Constitutional
Affairs Select Committee to testify over the collapse of Carillion. (The Telegraph)
 Economy of Argentina
 President of Argentina Mauricio Macri announces talks with the International Monetary Fund on
financial support for the country's economy. The Central Bank of Argentina interest rate is now at 40%,
inflation at 25% and the value of the Argentine peso at a record low. (BBC)
 Grenfell Tower fire
 The Guardian reports that the Grenfell Tower in London, which burned down last year with the loss of 71
lives, received a quote for non-flammable cladding but it was rejected for a more expensive option which
exacerbated the fire. (The Guardian)
 USS Fitzgerald and MV ACX Crystal collision
 Junior officer Lt. j.g. Sarah Coppock, who was navigating when USS Fitzgerald when it collided with a
civilian ship last year killing seven people, pleads guilty to dereliction of duty and is sentenced to half pay
for three months and a punitive letter. (Navy Times)
 List of Ebola outbreaks
 A new outbreak of the Ebola virus disease kills at least 17 people in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo. (The Guardian)
 China–North Korea relations
 For the second time in two months, North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-
un meets China's paramount leader Xi Jinping, this time in Dalian. (Stuff) (The Wall Street
Journal) (The New York Times)
 United States withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action; Iran–United States relations
 Donald Trump announces that the United States will withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal. (The New
York Times)
 Iran says that it remains committed to the agreement but also that it is ready to step up uranium
enrichment if the deal is no longer beneficial. (The Washington Post)
Law and crime
 Greek officials arrest 14 men, all but one of which are Greek nationals, on suspicion of funding
terrorism. (Kathimerini)
 High profile Chinese Communist Party member Sun Zhengcai is sentenced to life in prison for taking bribes
totaling 170 million yuan. (BBC)
 The Metropolitan Police of London announces a review of 21 rapes and sexual assaults as well as 12 other
offences including violence and burglaries over inadequately performed "undeclared casework" by a forensic
scientist. (BBC)
 Politics of Armenia
 2018 Armenian revolution
 Armenia's parliament elects protest leader Nikol Pashinyan as the new Prime Minister. (The
Huffington Post)
 Brexit
 Theresa May confirms her trust in Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson after he called her post-Brexit trade
policy with the European Union "crazy". (Bloomberg)
edithistorywatch
 Terrorism in Indonesia
 Prisoners at a detention centre for terrorists in Jakarta revolt, killing five officers and taking a sixth
hostage. Negotiators accept a demand for an audience between the rioters and Aman Abdurrahman, an
inmate who is the head of ISIL in the country. (The Wall Street Journal)
 May 2018 Israel–Syria clashes
 Syrian and Iranian forces fire 20 missiles at the Israel Defense Forces positioned in the disputed territory
of the Golan Heights, prompting air raid sirens in northern Israel. The IDF reports the Iron Dome missile
defence system has intercepted a number of missiles and reports no injuries. Israeli forces respond with
artillery into Syria. (The Times of Israel)
 Strikes from both Israel and Syria continue repeatedly throughout the night, reportedly on a far larger
scale than in previous incidents. (Reuters)
 A car bomb and shellfire hit Marjeh Square in Damascus, Syria, killing two people and injure 14
others. (The National)
 Eight suicide bombers attack two police stations in Kabul, Afghanistan, killing five people and injuring
16. ISIL claim one attack and the Taliban claim the other. (al-Jazeera)
 Fox buys seven TV stations from Sinclair Broadcast Group for US$910 million. (Deadline)
 US retailer Walmart acquires a 77% controlling stake in Flipkart, India's largest online shop, for US$16
billion. (City A.M.)
 Vodafone acquires Liberty Global's European operations, including German cable operator Unitymedia, for €18.4
billion. (Computing.co.uk)
 Chinese retailer Alibaba acquires Pakistani online marketplace Daraz for an estimated US$150–200 million. (The
News)
 The Patel Dam fails in Kenya, killing at least 47 and leaving at least 2000 homeless. (Reuters)
 The three remaining American detainees in North Korea fly with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to the
United States. (The New Zealand Herald)
 After the United States withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, a group of conservative
Iranian lawmakers burned American flags and chanted Death to America. (CNN)
Law and crime
 A Moroccan national is extradited from Bulgaria to Morocco to face trial for terrorism
and ISIL membership. (Xinhua)
 Inn Din massacre § Arrest of journalists
 Myanmar police captain Moe Yan Naing testifies in court for the second time during the trial
of Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, which has become a landmark case of press freedom in
the country. Naing accused his superior, police brigadier general Tin Ko Ko, of orchestrating a plot
to entrap the journalists and threatening Naing and his colleagues with arrest if they did not "get Wa
Lone". Naing was arrested for violating Myanmar's Police Disciplinary Act and sentenced to a one-year
prison term prior to his testimony. (Reuters) (Voice of America)
 Four neo-Nazis are convicted of attempting to incite racial hatred at Aston University in England by
carrying out a sticker recruitment campaign for National Action. A fifth is acquitted and sentencing
alongside two other convicts is set for June 1. National Action has since been banned as a terror
group. (The Independent)
 2017–18 Australian parliamentary eligibility crisis
 The High Court of Australia disqualifies Senator Katy Gallagher because she held dual citizenship with
the United Kingdom when elected, not renouncing it in time. Four MPs in similar situations have also
resigned, setting up four by-elections. (The Sydney Morning Herald) (ABC)
 Malaysian general election, 2018
 The opposition Pakatan Harapan has obtained a majority in the Parliament, defeating the
incumbent Barisan Nasional government led by Najib Razak. This marks the first ever change of
government in Malaysia's 61-year history. (Channel News Asia)
edithistorywatch
 Senior Hamas member Yehiyeh Sinwar suggests that tens of thousands of Palestinian protestors may try
to cross the border fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip. (ABC News)
 An explosion at a khat market in Wanlaweyn, Lower Shabelle, Somalia kills five people and injures ten
others. (Africa News)
 International military intervention against ISIL
 Five senior leaders of ISIL were captured in a joint operation involving US and Iraqi forces. (CBS News)
 A tropical depression forms in the Pacific ocean. It is not supposed to threaten land, and is also the first
storm of the season. (Weather.com)
 The National Transportation Safety Board opens an investigation into an automobile accident in Florida, involving
a Tesla Model S where two teenagers died. According to a statement by Tesla, the car's Autopilot feature was not
engaged at the time. (Reuters), (ABC News)
 Iran–United States relations, Iran–United Arab Emirates relations
 In cooperation with United Arab Emirates, the United States Treasury implements new sanctions on six
persons and three corporate entities having alleged ties to Iran's Quds Force. (Reuters)
 North Korea–United States relations, 2018 North Korea–United States summit
 US President Donald Trump announces that his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will take
place on June 12 in Singapore. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Safaa Boular, a teenager, goes on trial at the Old Bailey accused of two counts of planning terrorism after
allegedly planning to attack the British Museum in London after failing to travel to Syria to marry
an Islamic extremist fighter. (BBC)
 UK Prime Minister Theresa May apologises to the family of Abdul Hakim Belhaj, accepting the fact that
the UK's actions led to his rendition to Libya where he was tortured. Belhaj was detained
in Thailand by US authorities in 2004. His wife accepts the apology and £500,000. (BBC)
 Bangladesh Liberation War
 A court in Bangladesh sentences Riaz Uddin Fakir to death for war crimes during the 1971 Liberation
War. (Bangladesh Daily News 24)
 Wu Xiaohui, head of Chinese insurance firm Anbang, is jailed for eighteen years for fraud and corruption. He is
further sentenced to have 10.5 billion yuan confiscated. (BBC)
 Peruvian police rescues 96 young women, including two Venezuelan citizens and one teenager, who had been
intercepted by human traffickers in a police operation in different nightclubs of the area of La Pampa, Madre de
Dios, better known for its mining camps. In total, seven people were arrested. (El Comercio)
 The Federal Communications Commission sends out a notice which states that the 2015 US Open-
Internet Rules will cease on June 11, 2018. (Reuters)
 Malaysian general election, 2018
 Mahathir Mohamad is sworn in as the 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia after leading the
opposition Pakatan Harapancoalition to victory in the May 9 general election. Outgoing Prime
Minister Najib Razak pledges to assist with the transition of power. (Malaysiakini)
edithistorywatch
 The Israel Defense Forces again open fire with tear gas and live ammunition on Palestinian protesters,
following 6 weeks of protests. One person is killed and 146 others wounded, with some protesters
throwing stones and burning tyres. (The Independent)
 Three Israelis are arrested after filming themselves attempting to fly a kite carrying an incendiary device
into the Gaza Strip, in reference to the same tactic used by protestors in Gaza. The kite crashes on Israeli
territory where it starts a small fire. (Haaretz)
 Egypt announces that the Rafah Crossing into Gaza will be opened for four days starting next Saturday.
Egypt usually opens the border for humanitarian reasons every two or three months for two or three
days at a time. (Wafa.ps)
 The owner of Cheeki Rafiki, a yacht that capsized in the Atlantic in 2014 with the loss of four lives, is given a
suspended sentence in England for the accident. He was earlier convicted of operating the vessel unsafely but
acquitted of manslaughter. (BBC)
 Mount Merapi in Java, Indonesia, erupts. Authorities order evacuations and the closure of Adisucipto
Airport in Yogyakarta. (Newshub)
 A fire destroys almost all of the approximately 710 commercial premises of a important market in Lima, Peru.
The fire is exacerbated by flammable products stored in many of the stores. One person was injured and also
there were allegations of looting. (La República) (Radio Capital)
 James Harrison, an 81-year-old Australian whose blood was used in the development of a treatment for Rh
diseasethat has been credited with saving the lives of over 2 million infants in his country alone, donates blood
plasma for the final time, after having regularly donated for over 60 years. (CNN)
Law and crime
 Terrorism in Russia
 Russian authorities say that they foiled a plot by Siberian terrorists to attack a Victory Day march
attended by President Vladimir Putin and visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Twenty
suspects are detained. (The Times of Israel)
 Foreign fighters in the Syrian and Iraqi Civil Wars
 Conservative MP Candice Bergen calls for action on Abu Huzaifa al-Kanadi, a man living in Toronto who
claimed to have shot a Sunni prisoner in the head for the Islamic State in Syria. (The Star)
 Osmington shooting
 Three adults and four children are found shot dead at a property in Margaret River, Western
Australia. Policesuspect murder-suicide. (The Guardian)
 The Supreme Court of the Philippines votes 8–6 to grant the quo warranto petition by the Solicitor
General against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, removing her from office for violating requirements on the
Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth. (Rappler)
 Polish MPs vote to vote to cut their pay by 20% after opposition lawmakers boycott the vote. (Deutsche Welle)
 SpaceX launches Bangabandhu-1, Bangladesh's first geostationary communications satellite, from Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, United States. (Business Insider)
 Scientists at MetService record a wave measuring 23.8 metres (78 ft) high in the Southern Ocean near Campbell
Island, New Zealand, making it the largest wave ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere. (BBC) (Fox News)
edithistorywatch
 Burundian unrest (2015–present)
 26 people are killed in Cibitoke Province, Burundi. The country's security minister attributes the attack on
civilians in their houses to an unnamed "terrorist group". (AP via The Los Angeles Times)
 Israel closes the Kerem Shalom border crossing into Gaza after it is heavily damaged by a Palestinian
arson attack, saying that humanitarian cases will still be allowed through while the damage is being
repaired. Kerem Shalom is the border crossing where most goods transit into the blockaded
territory. (Voice of America)
 The Israeli Air Force destroys a Hamas tunnel more than a kilometer long that headed from Beit
Hanun, Gazatowards Israel. (The Jerusalem Post)
 2018 Paris knife attack
 One person is killed and four wounded in a knife attack in Paris, France. The attacker is killed by
police. (BBC)(CNN)
 Internal conflict in Myanmar § Shan State
 19 people are killed in clashes between the Myanmar Army and the Ta'ang National Liberation
Army in Shan State. (Agence France-Presse)
Arts and culture
 Eurovision Song Contest 2018
 Israeli singer Netta Barzilai wins the Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon, Portugal, with her song Toy. This
is Israel's first Eurovision win in the 21st century and fourth overall. (The Guardian)
 EgyptAir Flight 804
 Relatives of the 66 people killed in the crash sue Apple alleging that an overheating iPad caused the
disaster. (Patently Apple)
 After Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe insisted North Korea settle the issue of Japanese citizens
adbucted by North Korea, North Korean state media KCNA accuses Japan of disrupting peace efforts
before the planned North Korea–U.S. summit. (The Japan Times)
 North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
 North Korea stated that it would dismantle the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site between May 23–25 ahead
of the Donald Trump-Kim Jong-un summit meeting. Furthermore, North Korea invited journalists from
the United States, South Korea, China, Russia, and the United Kingdom to cover the process. (USA Today)
Law and crime
 Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is banned from leaving the country due to the ongoing
investigation into the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal. He subsequently resigns as president
of UMNO and as head of the BN coalition. (BBC) (Malaysiakini)
 Former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, jailed during Najib's term, is due to be released next Tuesday
after receiving a royal pardon. Anwar is the leader of the Pakatan Harapan coalition that won the May 9
general election. The pardon will enable Anwar to immediately run for public office again. (The
Guardian)
 Voters in Iraq go to the polls. One quarter of the 329 seats in the Council of Representatives must go to
women. (CNN)
 A low turnout is reported, but no bombings at polling stations. (AP via The Spokesman Review)
 Politics of Italy
 A court in Milan lifts the consequences of Silvio Berlusconi's 2013 tax evasion sentence. He is now
allowed to participate in elections again. (Corriere della Sera) (La Stampa)
 Writer and radical independentist Quim Torra faces his first investiture debate after being nominated
yesterday for President of the Generalitat of Catalonia. In his speech, he reaffirms to continue with
the republican project, to undertake a constituent process and to be under Carles Puigdemont's
directions. (El País) (The Guardian)
 Quim Torra gets 66 votes, 2 short of the 68 votes needed to be elected by an absolute majority of the
135-seat Parliament of Catalonia. A second round is to be held on Monday, in which he would need
a simple majority to be elected. (Reuters)
edithistorywatch
 Terrorism in Indonesia
 Surabaya bombings
 At least 13 people are killed and more than 40 others wounded after a series of suicide
bombings at three churches in Surabaya, Indonesia. (CNN) (AP via The London Free Press)
 Economic policy of Donald Trump
 U.S. President Donald Trump says in a tweet that he is working with Chinese President Xi Jinping to get
the Chinese telecom company ZTE "back into business, fast." ZTE suspended its main operations after
the U.S. Department of Commerce banned American companies from selling to the firm for seven years
as punishment for ZTE breaking an agreement reached after it was caught illegally shipping U.S. goods to
Iran. (CNBC)
 Sanctions against North Korea
 U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that the U.S. would lift sanctions against North Korea if the
latter would dismantle its nuclear weapons program. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Crime in Canada
 Jaspal Atwal, who was the subject of attention during Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit
to India, is charged after making death threats against a Canadian radio host. (The Globe and Mail)
 A man from Queens is arrested after threatening to kill NBA commissioner Adam Silver. (The New York Post)
 French transport workers strike, reducing train services on SNCF, due to privatisation efforts. (Le Point)
Sport
 2017–18 Premier League
 Manchester City set a new record of 100 points in the Premier League following a 1–0 win away
to Southampton. (Eurosport)
edithistorywatch
 Surabaya bombings
 An Indonesian family believed to be connected to the terrorist group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah attacks
police headquarters in Surabaya. The attack kills all four perpetrators and injures the perpetrator's
daughter, six civilians, and four police officers. (ABC News)
 The Dutch government, following similar moves by the United States and the United Kingdom, announces that it
is phasing out the use of antivirus software products from the Russian company Kaspersky Lab "as a
precautionary measure". (Nasdaq)
 Natural disasters in India
 Thunderstorms and lightning strikes kill up to 80 people in five states in India, mainly in Uttar
Pradesh. (The Times of India)
 A pilot is injured when a cockpit window breaks and he is partially sucked out of the Airbus
A319 operating Sichuan Airlines Flight 8633. The aircraft lands safely at Chengdu. (The Aviation Herald)
 United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel
 On the 70th anniversary of the formation of Israel, the United States becomes the first country with
an embassy in Jerusalem after a dedication ceremony featuring Israeli leaders and White
House advisers. (NPR)
 Tens of thousands of Palestinians protest on the border of Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces reports some
in the crowds were planting or hurling explosives, and that many were flying flaming kites into Israel.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports at least 58 killed and over 2,400 wounded by Israeli forces using live
fire and tear gas. (The New York Times) (The Guardian)
 Six-time Israeli Premier League champion Beitar Jerusalem F.C. officially renames itself Beitar Trump
Jerusalem F.C. for U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to move the embassy. (The Guardian)
Law and crime
 The U.S. Supreme Court, in a case brought by New Jersey challenging the Professional and Amateur Sports
Protection Act (PASPA), which prohibited state-sponsored sports betting outside of four grandfathered states,
holds that PASPA is unconstitutional, opening the door for all states to authorize sports betting. (CNN)
 The Catalan parliament elects hard-line separatist Quim Torra to become the President of the Generalitat
of Catalonia after obtaining 66 votes in favor, 65 against and four abstentions. (Reuters) (BBC)
 2018 Philippines Barangay and SK Elections
edithistorywatch
 The Israeli Army reports some 4,000 Palestinians hold violent protests in five locations along the Gaza
border, throwing Molotov cocktails at troops and burning tires. The Israeli Army kills two protesters and
injures more than 100 others using live fire and tear gas. (The Jerusalem Post)
 Sanctions against Iran
 The United States Treasury Department announces new sanctions on Iran central bank
governor Valiollah Seifand assistant director Ali Tarzali for allegedly helping the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps and Quds Forcesupport Hezbollah. (Bloomberg)
 The United States and six Arab states of the Persian Gulf add more sanctions on Hezbollah
leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Naim Qassem. (Arab News)
 Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation
 Russian President Vladimir Putin opens the auto part of the 19-kilometre (12 mi)-long road-and-
rail Kerch Strait Bridge connecting Crimea with Russia. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Censorship in Germany
 A Hamburg court upholds a 2017 ban on passages of Jan Böhmermann's poem Schmähkritik. (Reuters)
 Former President of Taiwan Ma Ying-jeou is sentenced to four months in prison on charges he leaked classified
information from a wiretap. (The Los Angeles Times)
 2018 elections in India, Karnataka Legislative Assembly election, 2018
 The ruling party of India, the Bharatiya Janata Party, wins plurality in state assembly elections
in Karnataka. (Business Standard)
 Politics of Hungary
 George Soros' Open Society Foundations announces that it is moving its operations
in Budapest to Germany. (CNN)
edithistorywatch
 Battle of Farah
 Taliban forces claim to have taken control of the western city of Farah after two days of fighting.
It is the second provincial capital to be temporarily taken over, after a similar
assault on Kunduz in 2015. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
 The British government renationalises the Virgin Trains East Coast-operated East Coast Main Line.
The Department for Transport will run the rail service until 2020. (Reuters) (BBC)
 Five people are confirmed dead as thunderstorms hit the Northeastern United States. (ABC News)
 The Luxembourg Green Party politician and government secretary Camille Gira dies after he collapsed while
delivering a speech to parliament. (Delano)
 North Korea cancels high-level talks with South Korea in protest of United States–South Korea
joint militaryexercises. (Bloomberg)
 North Korea warns that it might cancel talks with the United States if the U.S. keeps insisting that
North Korea will "unilaterally" abandon its nuclear weapons program, similar to
the disarmament of Libya. The White House says it is hopeful the planned summit will still
happen. (The Washington Post) (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Michigan State University announces that it will settle with sexual assault victims of Larry Nassar for over
$500 million. (AP via WKAR)
 Five people are shot dead and another is injured in a shooting at a house in Ponder, Denton County, Texas.
The Denton County Sheriff's Office believe the shooter is among the dead. (NBC)
 A mass grave containing the bodies of 12 people is discovered in The Gambia. The victims were allegedly killed in
2005 by paramilitary forces controlled by former president Yahya Jammeh, according to human rights
groups. (The Guardian)
 Media of Kenya
 Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta signs a law outlawing cyber-espionage, cyber-bullying, and the
"publication of false information." (Reuters)
 Malaysian longtime opposition figure and leader of incumbent government party Pakatan
Harapan, Anwar Ibrahim is released from prison after obtaining a full royal pardon from
King Muhammad V. Anwar was imprisoned in 2015 during the tenure of Najib Razak for charges widely
considered to be politically motivated. (Reuters)(MalaysianDigest)
 A Belgian judge withdraws the European Arrest Warrant against Toni Comín, Lluís Puig and Meritxell
Serret amid procedural defects and irregularities. The Supreme Court of Spain criticizes the decision as a
"lack of commitment to Spain" from the Belgian justice. (La Vanguardia) (La Vanguardia2)
 Trump campaign–Russian meetings
 The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee releases 2,500 pages of documents related to a June 9, 2016
meeting between Donald Trump campaign officials and Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya. (NPR)
edithistorywatch
 International military intervention against ISIL
 Denmark announces the partial withdrawal of its special forces from Iraq following the collapse of ISIL in
the country. (Channel News Asia)
 The summit at Kīlauea erupts and sends a plume of ash and smoke 30,000 feet (9.1 km) into the
air. (CNN) (BBC)
 A school bus and a dump truck collide on Interstate 80 in Mount Olive Township, New Jersey, U.S., killing two
people and injuring 43. (CNN)
 Quim Torra is sworn in as the 131st President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, 200 days after the
cessation of the government of Puigdemont and the direct rule. He does not swear on the Constitution
and the Statute of Autonomy, but rather on "the will of the people of Catalonia". (El País)
 Burundian constitutional referendum, 2018
 Voters in Burundi go to the polls for a referendum to amend the constitution to allow
current President Pierre Nkurunziza to stay in office until 2034. (The Guardian)
 Poland detains Yekaterina C., a Russian woman who was part of a pro-Russian group that sought to whip up
tension between Poland and Ukraine, and expels her. (Kyiv Post)
edithistorywatch
 Santa Fe High School shooting
 A school shooting takes place at Santa Fe High School in Texas, United States. Eight students and two
teachers are killed and thirteen others are injured. (KTRK-TV), (BBC)
 A gunman opens fire on the Trump National Doral Miami golf resort in Doral, Florida, before being shot and
wounded by police. No other victims were reported. (The Washington Post), (USA Today)
 A shooting takes place outside of a high school graduation at Mt. Zion High School in Jonesboro, Georgia. One
person is killed and another wounded. (Los Angeles Times)(FOX2Now)
 Cambridge Analytica files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. (CNN)
 Cubana de Aviación Flight 972
 A Boeing 737 crashes shortly after taking off from Havana, Cuba, with 104 passengers and nine crew on
board. Only three people are reported to have survived the crash. One survivor later dies from her
injuries. (CNN), (BBC)
 Over 30 people are injured, seven seriously, in a bus collision at Lincoln Tunnel between New Jersey and New
York, United States. (Business Insider)
 2018 Democratic Republic of the Congo Ebola virus outbreak
 Two more cases of ebola reported in the city of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 25
people have died this year in the country from the disease, with a wider outbreak feared. (The Guardian)
 Sergei Skripal is discharged from hospital after two months. (BBC)
Law and crime
 All 34 Roman Catholic bishops in Chile offer to resign after Pope Francis accused them of destroying evidence of
sexual crimes. (Reuters)
 The government of Myanmar agrees to repatriate 1,101 Rohingya refugees out of a list of over 8,000
submitted by their Bangladeshi counterparts. There are currently over 700,000 Rohingya refugees in
Bangladesh. (The Daily Star)
edithistorywatch
 Russian military intervention in Ukraine
 Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation says Russian-led militants have mounted 43 attacks on Ukrainian troops
in Donbasin the past 24 hours, using artillery systems and 120mm and 82mm mortars 10 times, with no
casualties among the Ukrainian servicemen. According to intelligence data, two militants are killed and
three others wounded. (UNIAN)
Arts and culture
 Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
 The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle takes place at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
They are given the titles the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. (BBC)
 2018 China–United States trade dispute
 The United States and China say through a joint statement that they will not impose new tariffs on each
other after reaching an initial agreement on the trade framework. (CNN)
Law and crime
 Human rights in Saudi Arabia
 Women's rights in Saudi Arabia
 The state security of Saudi Arabia arrests seven women's rights activists, whom the pro-
government media presented as "traitors to the fatherland," for allegedly working with foreign
entities. These arrests take place a little more than a month before the driving ban for women is
lifted. (The Independent)
 Antireligious campaigns in China, Freedom of religion in China
 The Islamic Association of China, a government-affiliated and the country's top Islamic regulatory body,
announces through a letter on its website that all mosques should raise the national flag; the letter
comes in light of the country's newly revised Regulations on Religious Affairs which intensifies
punishments for unsanctioned religious activities and increases state supervision of religion. (The Times
of India)
 French Polynesian legislative election, 2018
 Edouard Fritch is re-elected to a second term as President of French Polynesia following the victory by
his Tapura Huiraatira party in the general election. Fritch's Tapura Huiraatira won 39 of the 57 seats in
the Assembly of French Polynesia. (Radio New Zealand International)
 The electoral commission announces the results of the May 12 elections. Muqtada al-Sadr's list wins
most seats, followed by Hadi al-Amiri and Haider al-Abadi's groups. (Reuters)
 New President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Quim Torra, forms a new regional government, including
the dismissed and imprisoned members Jordi Turull and Josep Rull, and "self-exiled" dismissed
members Lluís Puig and Toni Comín. (El Periódico)
Sports
 2018 DFB-Pokal Final
 Eintracht Frankfurt beat Bayern Munich 3–1 at Olympiastadion to win the 75th edition of the DFB-
Pokal. (ESPN)
 2018 FA Cup Final
 Chelsea beat Manchester United 1–0 at Wembley to win the 137th edition of the FA Cup. (BBC Sport)
 2018 Preakness Stakes
 Justify wins the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, in 1:55.93. (ESPN)
edithistorywatch
 Lava continues spewing from fissures on Kilauea, Hawaii, reaching the Pacific Ocean and critically injuring
one person. (CNN) (1 News Now)
 Cyclone Sagar
 Cyclone Sagar makes landfall in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa, killing at least 16 people. (The
Weather Channel)
Law and crime
 Mayor Yiannis Boutaris of Greece's second largest city, Thessaloniki, is hospitalized after being assaulted by a
group of nationalists at a Greek genocide remembrance event. (BBC)
 Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, with the support of the Workers' Party and Citizens Party,
decides to maintain direct rule over Catalonia after the announcement of Quim Torra appointed
government. (HuffPost)
 The Spanish government blocks the appointment of the new councilors. (El País)
 Crisis in Venezuela (2012–present)
 Venezuelan presidential election, 2018
 Incumbent President Nicolás Maduro wins the presidential election amidst allegations of
massive irregularities by his main rivals. (Reuters)
Sports
 2017–18 NHL season
 The Vegas Golden Knights become the first expansion team to make the Stanley Cup Finals in
their first season since 1968, a season in which one of the six teams that entered the league was
guaranteed to reach the final. (CBS Sports)
edithistorywatch
 Economy of Japan
 Sony agrees to a $2.3 billion deal where they will buy a controlling interest in EMI Music Publishing. The
deal will mean that Sony would indirectly own 90% of the music publisher and its two million
songs. (BBC)
 Israel–Paraguay relations, Status of Jerusalem
 Paraguay opens its embassy in Jerusalem, making Paraguay the third country, after the United
States and Guatemala, to transfer its diplomatic mission in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. (AP via
Politico)
 U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the U.S. will impose "the strongest sanctions in history" on Iran
if it does not meet various demands, including ending its nuclear program and leaving the Syrian Civil
War. (Reuters)
 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani rejects Pompeo's demands, and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed
Javad Zarifaccuses the U.S. of "repeating past mistakes." (Al Jazeera)
 The Syrian government declares Damascus as "completely safe" from militant groups for the first time in
seven years as it forces out ISIS from the area. (Haaretz)
Law and crime
 Catholic sexual abuse cases in Australia
 Philip Wilson, the Catholic archbishop of Adelaide, Australia, is convicted of concealing sexual abuse of
children from authorities. (BBC)
 Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis
 The U.S. Supreme Court votes 5–4 to allow companies to enforce contracts which bar employees from
entering class action lawsuits. (The Washington Post via Concord Monitor)
edithistorywatch
 Southern Damascus offensive (April–May 2018)
 Syrian government forces declare Damascus and its surroundings "completely safe" for the first
time since 2011, after taking Yarmouk Camp and Hajar al-Aswad from ISIL. (CBS News)
 Kha Maung Seik massacre
 Amnesty International releases a report claiming it has evidence that ARSA insurgents massacred nearly
100 Hindus in the village of Kha Maung Seik on August 25, 2017, the same day ARSA attacked security
forces in Myanmar's Rakhine State. (BBC News)
 Israel announces it is the first country to use the new F-35 Lightning II fighter jet in combat operations. (BBC
News)(Business Insider)
 At least 16 people are killed and 38 wounded in Kandahar, Afghanistan, by the accidental detonation of a
container of explosives while security forces were attempting to dispose of it. (Al Jazeera)
 2018 North Korea–United States summit, North Korea–United States relations
 U.S. President Donald Trump states there is a "very substantial chance" that the summit with North
Korean leader Kim Jong-un next month may not occur. (BBC News)
 China–United States relations, Economy of China
 The Chinese Finance Ministry announces it will cut import duties on passenger vehicles from 25% to 15%
starting on July 1, just days after China and the U.S. agreed to a ceasefire in their recent trade
hostilities. (CNN)
 Zimbabwe applies to rejoin the Commonwealth of Nations. Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth in 2003 following
a disputed election the previous year and subsequent suspension from the organization. According
to Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, the application was made on May 15. (Al Jazeera)
Law and crime
 Environmental issues in India
 Police in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India, kill nine people who protested against Vedanta
Resources' copper smelter operation, alleging that it is a major source of pollution and a risk to
fisheries. State Minister D. Jayakumar says that it was "unavoidable" that the people were shot. National
Congress opposition leader Rahul Gandhi calls the killings "state sponsored terrorism". (Reuters) (Indian
Express)
Sports
 2018 Indian Premier League
 Chennai Super Kings defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 2 wickets in Qualifier-1 and progress to the final of
the Indian Premier League. (Cricinfo) (Times of India)
edithistorywatch
 Transport in Iran
 Iranian truck owners and drivers start striking in seven provinces to protest poor working
conditions. (VOA) (The Washington Post)
 Budget of France
 The European Commission recommends to remove France from the excessive deficit procedure which it
entered in 2009. (Deutsche Welle)
 Economy of Turkey
 The Turkish Central Bank raises its "late liquidity window" rate from 13.5% to 16.5% in a move to counter
the slide of the Turkish lira over the last three weeks. Other rates are left unchanged. (Bloomberg)
 Transport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
 A whaleboat accident kills 49 people in Tshuapa province, DR Congo. (Reuters) (BBC)
 The United States issues a health alert in China, following a government employee reporting "abnormal
sensations of sound and pressure", one in a range of physical symptoms, from late 2017 through to April
2018. U.S. Secretary of StateMike Pompeo says the State Department is moving medical teams into place
in Guangzhou, adding that the incident was "entirely consistent" with reported "sonic attacks" in Cuba in 2016
and 2017. (CNN)
 Iran–European Union relations
 Iran sets seven conditions to stay in the JCPOA Iran deal after the U.S. withdrew. One of these conditions
is that European banks should safeguard trade with Iran. (Al-Arabiya)
 China–United States relations
 The Pentagon announces that it has "disinvited" China from this year's biennial Rim of the Pacific naval
exercise, after China announced in January that it had accepted the United States' invitation. (Politico)
Law and crime
 Corruption in Belgium
 Belgian prosecutors admit that a 2-year-old child was killed by police during a high-speed chase with a
van last week, after initially denying it. (The Guardian)
 Knight First Amendment Institute v. Trump
 U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald rules that public officials on social media should not block
other users for differing political views. (Fortune)
 Italian President Sergio Mattarella accepts Giuseppe Conte as Prime Minister. Conte is now going to form
his government, supported by the Five Star Movement and League. (BBC)
Sports
 2018 NFL season, U.S. national anthem protests (2016–present)
 The NFL announces a new policy regarding kneeling for the anthem, requiring any players on the
sidelines to stand. Thus, players will now be allowed to remain in the locker room while the Star-
Spangled Banner is played, fining players who refuse to stand on the sidelines. (The Baltimore Sun)
 The Washington Capitals will play the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Finals after a game 7
victory. It is the first Stanley Cup Finals appearance for the Capitals since 1998. (NHL)
edithistorywatch
 Mississauga restaurant bombing
 Fifteen people are injured after two suspects detonate an improvised explosive device at a restaurant
in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The suspects immediately fled the scene. (Reuters), (BBC)
 Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
 A Dutch official from the international Joint Investigation Team tells reporters the Russian Armed
Forces were responsible for the shootdown. The Russian Defence Ministry denies its units were
involved. (BBC)
 Monsoon rains kill 12 people in Sri Lanka. (Al Jazeera)
 North Korea sets off a series of explosions to demolish the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site to build
confidence before the scheduled summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. (NBC News)
 U.S. President Donald Trump cancels the scheduled summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-
un, citing "tremendous anger and open hostility" in a recent statement by North Korea. Trump
states that a summit can still happen, but warns that the military is ready if needed. (CNN) (The
Washington Examiner)
 Burkina Faso–Taiwan relations
 Burkina Faso breaks diplomatic relations with Taiwan. (The Washington Post), (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Corruption in Spain
 Gürtel case
 The National Audience of Spain issues a ruling in the Gürtel case, ending a 10-year trial that
sentences 29 people to prison terms of up to 51 years. (El País) (BBC)
 The People's Party, the ruling party in the Government, is condemned as participant in a
lucrative way directly. (El Mundo) (The Washington Post)
 The Court does not believe the statements as a witness that Spanish Prime Minister Mariano
Rajoy made on 26 July 2017, which could imply the fulfillment of a crime of false testimony. (El
País)
 Around 30 people are arrested in an operation against corruption in the Provincial
Deputation of Barcelona. (El Periódico)
 Eduardo Zaplana, former Minister of Labour and ex-President of the Generalitat Valenciana is sent to
prison without bail after being arrested on May 22. (El País)
 A gunman opens fire in a restaurant in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. Two people are injured and the
gunman is killed at the scene after exchanging fire with an armed bystander. (CNN)
 Human rights in Pakistan
 The National Assembly of Pakistan votes a constitutional amendment merging the Federally
Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This will abolish colonial-era rules and
provide the five million people from the tribal areas with equal rights as the other people of Pakistan.
The measure is expected to pass the next stages without fuss. (Al Jazeera)
 U.S. President Donald Trump posthumously pardons boxer Jack Johnson who was convicted for "taking
his white girlfriend across state lines for 'immoral' purposes" in 1912. (CNN)
 President Trump awards the Medal of Honor to Navy Seal Britt K. Slabinski for his actions during
the Battle of Takur Ghar. (Tampa Bay Times)
 Aftermath of Venezuelan presidential election, 2018
 The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, during a ceremony to celebrate his re-election, ordered the
military high command that the Armed Forces sign a "loyalty" document, after claims to have frustrated
a supposed conspiration that sought to avoid holding the presidential elections of May 20 and blamed
the United States and Colombia for being behind it. Maduro also said that the leader of the alleged
conspiration "was a fugitive and that he had escaped to Colombia". (El Universal)
 The Human Rights NGO, Foro Penal, reported the arrest of an aviation major, which is added to the
imprisonment on May 22 by order of the military justice of eleven officers of the Armed Forces. Other
versions, of press and activists, affirm that there would be at least 15 detentions by this presumed
plot. (Canal N)
 2018 Atlantic hurricane season
 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States predicts a near- or above-
average hurricane season for 2018. (NOAA)
edithistorywatch
 Noblesville West Middle School shooting
 A shooting at the Noblesville West Middle School in Noblesville, Indiana, United States, leaves two
people injured. One suspect is in custody. (Business Insider)
 EU finance ministers reach an agreement on reforming bank capital rules. (Reuters)
 Economy of Colombia
 The OECD member countries admit Colombia as its 37th member. (Xinhua)
 Economy of Italy
 The yield spread between the Italian and German 10-year government bonds rises to over 2% for the
first time in a year, due to the political uncertainty. (El País)
 Transport in Uganda
 48 people die in an accident involving a tractor, a bus and a truck in Kiryandongo, Western
Region. (Africa News)
 A magnitude 4.4 earthquake occurs at Kīlauea. (CBS News)
 A senior Iranian official asks European powers to come up with a "Plan B" before the end of May, so that
Iran may decide 'within weeks' whether to stay in the agreement. (Reuters)
 U.S. President Donald Trump tweets that "very productive talks" are being held with North
Korean leader Kim Jong-un on reinstating the June 12 Singapore summit, which he had cancelled
Thursday. (BBC)
Law and crime
 General Data Protection Regulation
 GDPR rules come into effect in the European Union. Several U.S. news sites are subsequently taken
offline in the United Kingdom and Europe, including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and Lee
Enterprises newspapers. (The Independent)
 Austrian privacy organization NOYB files complaints to regulators in four EU countries alleging
that Facebook, Google, Instagram, and WhatsApp are violating the GDPR. (Reuters) (BBC News)
 After surrendering to the NYPD, film producer Harvey Weinstein is formally charged with rape and other
sexual abuse offences involving two women. (BBC News)
 Police in India state that mobs have killed three people after social media warned of roaming gangs of child
kidnappers. They say that there is no evidence of such gangs. (Tampa Bay Times)
 Bulgarian customs agents seize 191 kilograms (421 lb) of heroin in transit for Belgium and the Netherlands at the
border with Turkey. The drugs, with a street value of €6 million, were hidden under tile glue and detected by
a sniffer dog. (The Washington Post)
 Politics of Spain, Gürtel case
 The opposition Socialist Workers' Party presents a motion of no confidence against Prime
Minister Mariano Rajoyfollowing the publication of the sentence in the Gürtel corruption scandal, which
involved the ruling PP. (El Mundo)(The Guardian)
 The Citizens party gives an ultimatum to Rajoy to call snap elections or otherwise they'll support the
motion of no confidence. (La Vanguardia) (The New York Times)
 Rajoy reaffirms that he will not resign, nor call elections and that the motion of no confidence is bad for
the stability of the country. (El País)
 Barbadian general election, 2018
 The Barbados Labour Party, entering the election as the opposition party, wins all 30 seats in the House
of Assembly. Mia Mottley becomes the first female Prime Minister of Barbados. (Reuters)
 Politics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
 Moïse Katumbi and Félix Tshisekedi, two major opposition figures in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, issue a joint statement; they discuss choosing a single candidate to run in
the presidential election now scheduled for December 23. (Bloomberg)
 Russian President Vladimir Putin says that he will respect the Russian constitution and step down when
his term expires in 2024. (Reuters)
 Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018
 Ireland holds a referendum which will decide whether to repeal the constitutional prohibition
of abortion. Exit polls suggest the results shall be 68% "yes" and 32% "no". The results will be released at
09:00 UTC tomorrow. (The Irish Times), (BBC News)
 Subtropical Storm Alberto becomes the first named storm of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season. It
formed at the western Caribbean Sea and is expected to move north of the Gulf of Mexico later in the
weekend. (The Weather Channel)
edithistorywatch
 Several more properties are destroyed as Kīlauea continues to erupt. (Newsweek)
 2018 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
 Cyclone Mekunu makes landfall near Salalah, Oman, killing at least five people with 30 others reported
missing. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), maximum sustained winds of 170–
180 kilometres per hour (106–112 mph) have been recorded, equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane. The
storm is moving north toward Saudi Arabia. (AP via MSN) (IMD)
 Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Florida Governor Rick Scott, and Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant each
declare a state of emergency as Subtropical Storm Alberto, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph
(65 km/h), approaches the Southeastern United States. The National Hurricane Center predicts the
storm will make landfall over the northern Gulf Coast late Monday afternoon or Monday night, with
heavy rainfall and tropical storm conditions preceding actual landfall. (USA Today) (National Hurricane
Center)
 South Korean President Moon Jae-in meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un the second time in
recent months at the peace village on the Northern side to discuss the topic of the June 12
summit in Singapore between the U.S. and North Korea, which was cancelled then left with the
possibility of happening the day after. (Channel News Asia)(BBC)
 United States–Venezuela relations
 Josh Holt, an American held in Venezuela for allegedly stockpiling weapons and attempting to destabilize
the government, is released to the United States. (CNN)
 2017–18 Qatar diplomatic crisis
 Qatar orders its traders and shops to stop dealing in products imported from Saudi Arabia, the United
Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Reactions to Innocence of Muslims
 Egypt's top administrative court upholds a 2013 lower court ruling on the short film Innocence of
Muslims. The court orders authorities to block YouTube for a month. An official says the movie
denigrates Islam's prophet Muhammad. (AFP via Rappler) (Egypt Today)
 Amendments to the Constitution of Ireland
 Irish citizens vote in a referendum on the proposed Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill
2018 to repeal the 1983 Eighth Amendment constitutional ban on abortion by 66.4% to 33.6%. (BBC)
Sports
 2017–18 UEFA Champions League
 Liverpool F.C. and defending champions Real Madrid C.F. face each other in the final in Kiev, Ukraine.
Winning 3–1, Real Madrid are European champions for the 13th time and is the first team since FC
Bayern Munich in the 1970s to win three titles in a row. (The Guardian)
 2018 Hypo-Meeting
 World and Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam becomes the first female heptathlete ever to jump over
2 metres (6 ft 7 in). In this year's heptathlon event at the Götzis, Austria, competition, she clears the bar
at 2.01 m, also a season's best in women's high jump overall. (IAAF)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 Politics of Japan
 Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone celebrates his 100th birthday. (Reuters)
 Former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, aged 93, is hospitalized for observation due
to hypotension (low blood pressure) and fatigue at Southern Maine Health Care. (Reuters)
 More than 200 departures are delayed and about 50 arrivals and departures are cancelled after lightning hit
the aircraft fuel system at London Stansted Airport. Violent thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rain overnight
caused flooding and property damage; the UK was struck by lightning more than 60,000 times in 24 hours,
according to the Met Office. (Sky News) (Sky News2)
Law and crime
 Mexican authorities arrest Rosalinda Garcia, the wife of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio
Oseguera Cervantes, one of the country's most wanted drug lords. (New York Post)
 Blockade of the Gaza Strip, Human rights in the State of Palestine
 Israeli Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman says that Israel has started building an "unique obstacle"
along the Zikim beach, a three-story-high kind of breakwater designed to cut off the inhabitants of
the Gaza Strip from access to Israel by the sea. The "impenetrable" structure made of stone and fence is
expected to be completed before the end of this year. (Belga via De Standaard) (AFP via The Daily Star)
 A member of a Palestinian committee tasked with breaking the siege says a ship will set off on Tuesday,
carrying a number of injured Gazans and patients aboard. He does not specify the ship's first planned
stop. (MEMO)
 Colombian presidential election, 2018
 Voters in Colombia go to the polls in the first round of a presidential election. (BBC News)
 An estimated 20,000 people protest against an Alternative for Germany rally attracting 5,000
demonstrators in Berlin; 2,000 police are deployed. (Al Jazeera)
 Politics of the State of Palestine
 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's discharge from the hospital is delayed. (Fox News)
 Security sources say that prominent opposition leader Hazem Abdel-Azim has been
detained. (Reuters) (Deutsche Welle)
 Prime Minister designate Giuseppe Conte gives up trying to form a government after President Sergio
Mattarellaearlier vetoed the nomination of technocrat Paolo Savona as Minister of Finance. (Bloomberg)
Sports
 2018 Indian Premier League
 Chennai Super Kings defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 wickets in the final of the Indian Premier League to
win the title for the third time. (Cricinfo)
 2018 IndyCar Series
 2014 IndyCar Series champion Will Power of Australia wins the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500. It
is Danica Patrick's final race before her retirement. (NBC Sports)
edithistorywatch
 Foreign relations of Poland
 Poland's Minister of Defence Mariusz Błaszczak says he recently talked with U.S. officials in Washington
D.C. about permanently stationing thousands of U.S. troops in Poland as a deterrent against Russia. (AP
via Business Insider)
Law and crime
 Austria's coalition government unveils plans to cut benefit payments for immigrants, including refugees, in a
move aimed at deterring new arrivals. (BBC)
 Crime in Canada
 Former Taliban hostage Joshua Boyle is expected to have a bail hearing for a second straight day. He is
expected to face 19 charges for sexual assault and forcible confinement. (Infosurhoy) (Ottawa Matters)
 Politics of the State of Palestine
 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas leaves hospital after eight days of treatment for pneumonia. (The
Hindu)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Liège attack
 Three people, including two police officers, are killed in Liège, Belgium, and four police officers are
injured in a shooting. The gunman took a woman hostage, but was later killed by police. (BBC) (The
Guardian)
 Palestinian militants in Gaza fire dozens of mortars at Israel in the heaviest such barrage in years.
The Israeli Air Force responds with airstrikes on militant positions. (BBC)
 It is reported that Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko is shot dead near his home in Kiev, Ukraine. The
day after, the event is revealed by the Ukrainian Security Service to have been staged as part of an
operation to catch those who were trying to kill him. (Reuters) (NBC New York)
Arts and culture
 U.S. television network ABC cancels its recently revived sitcom Roseanne following a
controversial tweet from Roseanne Barr about former U.S. President Barack Obama aide Valerie
Jarrett. (BBC) (CNBC)
 2018 in video gaming
 The studio behind battle royale game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) sues Epic Games for
allegedly copying their game with Fortnite Battle Royale. (BBC) (The Verge)
 Subtropical Storm Alberto, the first named Atlantic storm of 2018, makes landfall on the west coast
of Florida, United States. (CNN)
 Two WYFF journalists, Mike McCormick and Aaron Smeltzer, are killed after a tree crushes their car as
they covered the storm in North Carolina, United States. (BBC)
 At least 50 people are reported to have died amid heavy thunder and lightning storms in northern India. (BBC)
 International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
 Syria recognizes the disputed territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states which in
turn prompts Georgia to sever its relations with Syria. (Reuters)
 2018 China–United States trade dispute
 The U.S. Government announces a 25% import tariff on US$50 billion of Chinese goods with "industrially
significant technology". A full list of affected products will be published on June 15. Investment
restrictions and enhanced export controls are to be announced on June 30. (NPR)
Law and crime
 It is reported today that right-wing British activist Tommy Robinson was sentenced to 13 months in
prison for contempt of court within five hours after being arrested outside Leeds Crown Court on 25
May. A ban on reporting his sentence is lifted today following a legal challenge by journalists. (The
Mirror) (The Guardian)
 Censorship of Facebook, Health in Papua New Guinea
 Papua New Guinea bans Facebook for a month "in order to research the social network’s effects on the
population and to crack down on fake accounts." (The Hill)
 Kidnapping of Joshua Boyle and Caitlan Coleman
 Former Taliban hostage Joshua Boyle, awaiting trial on assault charges, is expected to hear Friday
whether he'll be released on bail. (The Star)
 Libyan general election, 2018
 Four Libyan leaders – Fayez al-Sarraj, Khalifa Haftar, Aguila Saleh and head of the Council of State Khaled
al-Mishri – endorse a statement calling to hold "credible, peaceful" elections on 10 December. (The
Guardian)
 Governor of Missouri Eric Greitens announces that he is resigning amid sexual misconduct and misuse of
a charity donor list allegations against him. Greitens claims that he is the victim of a "political witch
hunt". Lt. Governor Mike Parson will assume the governorship once Greitens' resignation takes effect on
June 1. (BBC) (St Louis Post-Dispatch)
Sports
 Expansion of Major League Soccer
 FC Cincinnati is announced as the 26th expansion team of Major League Soccer, set to begin play next
year. (The Cincinnati Enquirer)
edithistorywatch
 Arkady Babchenko, who was reportedly assassinated yesterday in Kiev, Ukraine, appears on live
television stating that the assassination was staged. (BBC)
 2018 Brazil truck drivers' strike
 Oil workers in Brazil start a 72-hour strike, amid the ongoing truck drivers' strike. (Reuters)
 Amid concerns that the value of the company's stocks would fall after the decision to cease the sales
of certain firearms, Dick's Sporting Goods reports a stronger than expected quarter, with shares up
27%. (CNN)
 An avalanche at Babusar Pass kills five members of Tablighi Jamaat religious organization. (Daily Pakistan)
 Japanese whaling, Whaling controversy
 A consortium led by the Institute of Cetacean Research, which is linked to Japan's Ministry of Fisheries,
reports that 333 Antarctic minke whales were killed in last summer's scientific survey. 122 of the whales
were pregnant, and 114 immature. (Smithsonian)
 According to Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, talks with Greece on Macedonia's name are in a
final phase. Zaev says that if a compromise name for the country is agreed upon, it will be put to a
referendum. (RFE/RL)
 North Korea–United States relations, 2018 North Korea–United States summit
 Top North Korean official Kim Yong-chol meets with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York
City to discuss the summit set to be held in June. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Harvey Weinstein is indicted for rape charges by a New York City grand jury. (CBS)
 Budget of the European Union
 The European Commission proposes to double funding for the Erasmus Programme. If adopted, the
2021–2027 budget for the student exchange programme would be €30 billion. (TRT World)
 Net neutrality
 The Senate of the State of California votes to reinstate internet open-access rules. (The Verge)
 Feminism in the United States
 The Illinois House of Representatives votes 72–45 to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. (Chicago
Tribune)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Nicaraguan protests
 Catholic bishops cancel the planned Episcopal Conference talks with the government after protests
against Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega turn violent. According to the Nicaraguan Human Rights
Center, pro-government armed groups killed 11 people. (Reuters)
 Transport in Iran
 Truck owners' strikes continue for the tenth consecutive day in 177 cities. Fuel shortages and long lines
at petrol stations are reported in all major Iranian cities. (Open Democracy)
 Trump tariffs, Protectionism in the United States
 United States tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium imports from Canada, Mexico and
the European Unionare set to take effect at midnight. (BBC)
 Mexico retaliates with equivalent levies on pork legs, apples, grapes, cheeses and steel. The Secretariat
of Economysays that the measures will be in place until the U.S. eliminates their new tariffs. (Reuters)
 President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker vows "counterbalancing measures" from the
EU soon. The EU is expected to respond with tariffs on a little more than US$3 billion worth of American
goods including motorcycles, bourbon, and blue jeans. Juncker also says that the EU will proceed with
a case against the US in the World Trade Organization. US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross replies
that the EU measures are "unlikely" to have much impact on the US economy. (AP via The News &
Observer) (Business Insider) (Reuters)
 Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland announces dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs of 10% or 25%
on a list of goods – steel, aluminum, whiskey, orange juice and other food products – worth $16.6
billion. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denounces an "affront" to the security partnership between the US
and Canada. (CNBC)
 Support for military action against Iran
 Ex-Israeli spy chief Tamir Pardo reveals that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered the Israeli
Defence Forces to prepare for military action against Iran in 2011. (ABC News)
Law and crime
 European Convention on Human Rights
 The European Court of Human Rights rules that the Romanian and Lithuanian governments each
knowingly hosted CIA secret prisons around 2005. Both countries also participated in the
US extraordinary rendition program: one case by each country is acknowledged. Four years
ago, Poland was also condemned for running a CIA secret jail. (Reuters)
 A British man named Husnain Rashid pleaded guilty after supporting ISIS and admitting that he
threatened to attack Prince George at school. (Global News)
 Denmark's parliament votes 75–30 to ban garments that cover the face, which includes Islamic veils such as
the niqāband burqa. Those violating the law risk a fine of 1,000 kroner. Similar bans already exist
in Austria, Belgium and France. (The Guardian)
 2018 vote of no confidence in the government of Mariano Rajoy, Gürtel case
 The debate on a motion of no confidence against Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government
takes place at the Congress of Deputies, with a vote scheduled tomorrow. With an expected 180 votes
against 176 needed, leader of the Opposition, socialist Pedro Sánchez, could immediately become the
next Prime Minister. (The Independent)(Reuters)
 Thirty-first Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan
 Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain signs into law the official merger of the Federally Administered
Tribal Areaswith the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administrative province. (RFE/RL)
 A large march, which included students, citizen collectives and political groups of the left, toured the streets of
Lima, Peru to demand the closure of the Congress of the Republic, seat of the legislative power, in response to
the constant corruption scandals involving congressmen, in addition to excessive economic expenses that, for
the demonstrators, makes this power of the State. The protest, initially peaceful, turned violent when the police
prevented the demonstrators from approaching precisely the Congress and the presidential palace. (Perú 21) (La
República)
 Plutinos
 Astronomers announce the discovery of 380–680-kilometre (240–420 mi) wide plutino 2017 OF69, the
fifth-largest known plutino, and the largest discovered since 90482 Orcus in 2004. (Minor Planet Center)
 Pluto, the eponymous member of the plutino group, is discovered to have dunes of methane ice. (BBC)
 Paleontologists at the University of Bristol announce, through the Nature journal, the discovery of the world's
oldest lizard fossil, estimated to be 240 million years old. The fossil, Megachirella wachtleri, is the most ancient
known ancestor of all modern lizards and snakes. (Science Daily) (CBC)

 Economy of Brazil
 Pedro Parente, the head of Brazil Petrobras, resigns among protests related to diesel fuel prices. (BBC)
 Visa card payments are disrupted throughout Europe due to a network failure. The disruption results in large
queues at supermarkets and petrol stations. Mastercard and American Express say they were not affected. (BBC)
 The CDC reports that five people have died and 197 have been hospitalized in the United States, in the largest
incidence of E. coli since the 2006 North American E. coli outbreak. (BBC)
 Shangri-La Dialogue
 The annual three-day regional security forum begins in Singapore. (The Straits Times)
 U.S. President Donald Trump officially announces that the summit will resume as scheduled following
a White House meeting with North Korean general Kim Yong-chol. (BBC)
 The government of Myanmar announces that it has reached a repatriation agreement with the United
Nations regarding Rohingyarefugees in Bangladesh, saying it will assure that refugees "can return
voluntarily in safety and dignity." Members of the UNHCR and the UNDPwill be allowed to work
in Rakhine State to monitor the process. (The Guardian)
Law and crime
 Human rights in Burkina Faso
 Burkina Faso's National Assembly votes to abolish the death penalty. (News24)
 Federal prosecutors in Germany apply in a Schleswig-Holstein court for the extradition of Carles
Puigdemont to Spain, arguing that the treasoncharges are valid according to German law, because,
according to the prosecutors, "the violence in Catalonia on election day can be attributed to the wanted
individual". (Al Jazeera)
 Crime in Canada
 Former Taliban hostage Joshua Boyle is released from jail with strict bail conditions, including an
electronic tracking bracelet. (Global News)
 A Department of Defense report presented to the United States Congressestimates at 499 the number of civilian
deaths in US military actions during the year 2017, with more than 450 reports remaining to be assessed. The
casualties occurred in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen. (CNN)
 Crime in Colorado
 An Uber driver in Denver, Colorado, United States, fatally shoots a passenger after a conflict on
the Interstate 25 highway. A portion of the highway is placed on lockdown following the incident. (NBC
News via MSN)
 2018 vote of no confidence in the government of Mariano Rajoy, Gürtel case
 The Government of Mariano Rajoy is ousted after a motion of no confidence passes 180–169. Pedro
Sánchez of the Socialist Workers' Party is sworn in as the new Prime Minister. This is the first time
in Spanish history that a vote of no confidence has resulted in a change of government. (BBC)
 2018 Italian government formation
 Giuseppe Conte is sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Italy at the head of a populist coalition, formed
by the Five Star Movement and the Northern League. Conte had previously given up on trying to form a
government after President Sergio Mattarella had vetoed Conte's original choice for Minister of Finance,
but a different candidate was agreed to yesterday. (BBC)
June 2, 2018 (Saturday)
edithistorywatch
 Artificial intelligence arms race
 Google reports that they will not renew a contract with the U.S. military to develop machine
learning algorithms for drones. (BBC)
 More than 80 homes have now been destroyed by the Kilauea eruption. (KTLA)
 Lava from Kīlauea boils Hawaii's Green Lake and spills across numerous highways. (NPR)
 The funeral of a 21-year-old medic, Razan al-Najjar, draws thousands of Palestinians. Witnesses say that
Razan was killed while trying to evacuate a wounded protester lying on the Israeli side of the fence. (UPI)
 Foreign relations of the Philippines
 Shortly before leaving for South Korea, the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, tells the United
Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers Diego García Sayán that "he can
go to hell". (Reuters)
 The new Catalan regional government takes office in Barcelona. The 7-month-long application of Article
155 of the Spanish Constitution is thus lifted, meaning that direct rule is over. (The Wall Street Journal)
 2018 vote of no confidence in the government of Mariano Rajoy
 Pedro Sánchez, a member of the Spanish Socialist Party, is sworn in as Prime Minister before King Felipe
VI. Sánchez opts to take the oath without a bible or crucifix; a first in modern Spanish history. (BBC)
 Thousands protest in Amman and other Jordanian cities, despite King Abdullah II ordering a freeze on
controversial fuel and electricity price increases. (Middle East Eye) (The Guardian)
 A 2–5-metre (6 ft 7 in–16 ft 5 in) wide asteroid named 2018 LA was estimated (before impact) to have an
82% chance of having impacted Earth today, with several corroborating reports from Botswana.
An OFMmedia report from near Klerksdorp, North West province, South Africa, describes "'a light' falling
from the sky" at 18:49 (UTC+02:00) Saturday night. (NASA) (Minor Planet Mailing List) (Project
Pluto) (OFM)
Sports
 2018 Epsom Derby
 Masar defeats the odds-on favourite Saxon Warrior to win the 2018 Epsom Derby. (BBC)
 The first legal bare-knuckle boxing match in U.S. history, titled the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships, takes
place in Cheyenne, Wyoming. (Sydney Morning Herald) (USA Today)
June 3, 2018 (Sunday)
edithistorywatch
 Cattle raiding
 Cattle thieves are reported to have killed 23 people in Zamfara, Nigeria. (BBC)
 A migrant boat capsizes near the Kerkennah Islands off the coast of Tunisia, killing at least 35 people,
while 67 others are rescued by the Tunisian coast guard. (BBC) (Reuters)
 A speedboat carrying 15 migrants sinks off the coast of Demre, Turkey. Nine people are killed and one
person is reported missing. (Anadolu viaEyewitness News)
 Wildfires in the American states of California, Colorado and New Mexico now burn 31,000 acres (13,000 ha) of
land, causing thousands to evacuate their homes. (CNN)
 2018 Volcán de Fuego eruption
 Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala erupts, leaving at least 62 people dead, 300 others injured, and forces the
closure of La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City. (The Guardian) (CBS News)
 Foreign relations of North Korea, Foreign relations of Syria
 North Korean state news agency KCNA reports that Syrian PresidentBashar al-Assad said last Wednesday
that he will visit Kim Jong-un in North Korea. The Syrian president's office refuses to comment on the
report when contacted by AFP. (CNN) (The Times of India)
 India and weapons of mass destruction
 India announces it successfully tested a Agni-V ICBM missile at a base near Odisha coast. (Defence
Aviation Post)
Law and crime
 Nigeria prison break, List of prison breaks in Nigeria
 About 200 prisoners escape in a jailbreak at the Minna Medium Security Prison. One prison officer was
killed and seven prisoners rearrested. (Premium Times)
 Slovenian parliamentary election, 2018
 TV Slovenia exit polls show that Janez Janša's anti-immigration Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) would
win a plurality of 24.4% of the votes. List of Marjan Šarec (LMS), the party of the mayor of Kamnik, would
follow with 12.6%. (Reuters)
June 4, 2018 (Monday)
edithistorywatch
 A suicide bombing at a gathering of clerics in Kabul leaves seven people dead. The religious gathering
had earlier issued a fatwa against suicide bombings. (Time)
 Banking in the United Kingdom, 2008 United Kingdom bank rescue package
 The government of the United Kingdom announces its intent to sell a 7.7% stake in the Royal Bank of
Scotland, expected to raise £2.6 billion. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell says there is "no economic
justification" for selling the shares. (BBC)
 Microsoft announces that it is acquiring code repository GitHub for US$7.5 billion in stock, pending
regulatory review. (The Verge)
 Starbucks executive chairman and former CEO Howard Schultz retires from the company. (The New York
Times)
 A ROCAF F-16 crashes into a mountain near New Taipei City in northern Taiwan. The pilot is confirmed dead
following a search and rescue operation. (The South China Morning Post)
 Foreign relations of Russia
 Russian President Vladimir Putin signs a law – voted by the State Dumaon 22 May and approved by
the State Council on 30 May – with countermeasures against actions of the United States and other
"unfriendly" countries. (TASS)
Law and crime
 Banking in Australia
 Australia's Commonwealth Bank agrees to pay a fine of A$700 million for failing to disclose banking
transactions above A$10,000. (BBC)
 Chinese espionage in the United States
 The Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States announces the arrest of an employee of
the Defense Intelligence Agency whom they have charged with spying on the behalf of China. (BBC)
 In a new filing, special counsel Robert Mueller accuses Paul Manafort of witness tampering. (Vox)
 2017 term opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States
 Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission
 The U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of a baker who sued Colorado's civil-rights commission on
grounds of religious discrimination. (NPR)
 The U.S. Supreme Court dismisses a lower court's ruling allowing a teenage immigrant woman
access to abortion, and a government request to discipline ACLU lawyers representing this
woman. (The Washington Post)
 The Peruvian Prosecutor's Office finds the skeletal remains of 18 people, who are suspected to have been victims
of torture, extrajudicial executions and forced disappearances committed in the Madre Mía military base, in
the Huánuco Departament. This and other alleged massacres happened during the 80s and 90s government
crackdown on the Shining Path terrorist organization. The case involves former president Ollanta Humala, who
was in command of the base during that time. (Diario Correo) (BBC News)(RPP Noticias)
 Société Générale agrees to pay a total fine of $1.3 billion in cases of bribing Libyan government officials
and manipulation of the Libor interbank rate. (AP via Mynews13)
 2018 Scottsdale spree shootings
 The gunman who is suspected of having killed six people – among them, prominent forensic
psychologist Steven Pitt – in Arizona, United States, in a five-day time span has been found dead in
a Scottsdale hotel. His death is considered a suicide. (ABC) (AP via SFGate)
 Politics of North Korea
 According to multiple sources, North Korea has fired its top three military officials and replaced them
with younger loyalists. One of the three new appointees, general Ri Yong-gil, was inaccurately "reported"
in 2016 as having been executed. (WTVA) (BBC)
 Politics of Jordan
 Hani Al-Mulki resigns as Prime Minister of Jordan following protests against economic reforms. (Al
Jazeera)
 A study has been revealed that WASP-127b might have possible traces of water. (International Business
Times)
Sports
 2018 NFL season
 Donald Trump announces that he canceled his ceremony for the Super Bowl LII champion Philadelphia
Eagles at the White House due to the National anthem protests controversy. (Detroit News)
June 5, 2018 (Tuesday)
edithistorywatch
 Expansion of Heathrow Airport
 The Cabinet of the United Kingdom approves a controversial third runway at London's Heathrow
Airport. (Sky News)
 A lava flow destroys at least 130 homes in the Vacationland Hawaii and Kapoho Beach Lots
neighborhoods. Officials reported Vacationland Hawaii to be completely destroyed, while nearby Kapoho
Bay has been filled with lava. (West Hawaii Today) (West Hawaii Today2)
 Mining accidents
 An explosion at an iron ore mine in Benxi, Liaoning, kills 11 people, 23 others were rescued from the site,
while 2 more remain trapped. (Reuters)
 2018 Volcán de Fuego eruption
 The death toll for the Volcán de Fuego eruption in Guatemala rises to 75 people. (HuffPost)
 Eritrean–Ethiopian border conflict
 Ethiopia agrees to "fully accept" the outcome of the Algiers Agreement of 2000, which ruled that
disputed areas, including the border town of Badme which Ethiopia currently occupies,
are Eritrean territory. (BBC)
Law and crime
 LGBT rights in the European Union
 The European Court of Justice rules that EU countries that have not legalised same-sex marriage must
still offer same-sex spouses the same residency rights as heterosexual couples under freedom of
movementlaws. (The Telegraph)
 Prostitution in Belgium
 Prostitutes in Brussels' Rue d'Aerschot red-light district go on strike today after one of their colleagues is
found murdered this morning. (Het Laatste Nieuws)
 Hurricane Maria
 The Government of Puerto Rico says that it will comply with a Superior Court order to release all death
certificates issued after Hurricane Maria hit the U.S. territory. The court order came after CNN and
Puerto Rico's Center for Investigative Journalism sued the territory's government amid allegations of
undercounted fatalities. (AP via WDTN)
 Politics of Spain, 2018 vote of no confidence in the government of Mariano Rajoy
 Former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy resigns as the leader of People's Party, four days after losing
the no-confidence vote that ended his premiership. (El País English)
 Politics of Jordan
 In an effort to quell unrest caused by IMF-driven reforms, King Abdullah II of Jordan appoints Omar
Razzaz as Prime Minister. (Reuters)
 Fana Broadcasting reports that the Parliament of Ethiopia approves a bill and lifts the state of
emergency, two months earlier than planned. (Al Jazeera)
 Me Too movement, Judicial independence
 Voters in Santa Clara County, California vote to recall Judge Aaron Persky after he sentenced a swimmer
convicted of sexual assault to six months in jail in 2016. (AP via WHSV)
June 6, 2018 (Wednesday)
edithistorywatch
 The Syrian government re-opens the Homs–Hama highway after it was closed for seven years. (Reuters)
 At least 18 people are killed by twin explosions in a weapons depot in a mosque in Sadr
City, Baghdad. (Belga via Het Laatste Nieuws)
 Food safety in Australia
 A woman in Australia is reported dead from hepatitis after consuming frozen pomegranate. Health
authorities have stated that 24 such cases were related to products by Entyce Food Ingredients. (BBC)
 400 migrants try to scale the Ceuta border fence, with most of them repelled. It is the first such incident
in seven months. (The News Guru)
 JCPOA
 The European Commission proposes to implement two measures by August, designed to counter the US
exit from the agreement with Iran. These would extend the EU blocking statute and allow an extension
of the European Investment Bank mandate. (Belga via HBVL)
Law and crime
 Alexander Nix, the head of Cambridge Analytica, faces questions from British MPs regarding the
company's use of data. (BBC)
 In Peru, four policemen die in a terrorist ambush when the vehicle in which they were moving was attacked with
explosives on a highway of the Anco district, Huancavelica Departament. (La República) (El Comercio)
June 7, 2018 (Thursday)
edithistorywatch
 House of Fraser announces that it intends to close 31 of its 59 stores, including its flagship store
on London's Oxford Street. (BBC)
 Lender of last resort
 Argentina agrees with IMF negotiators on a US$50 billion loan. (AP viaThe Kansas City Star)
 IKEA announces that it plans to phase out single-use plastic items by 2020, and intends to move
toward sustainability in its product design. (BBC)
 Japan–United States relations
 Donald Trump and Shinzō Abe discuss improving trade relations between the two countries. (The Straits
Times)
 Donald Trump says that he might invite North Korean leader Kim Jong-unto the United States if the
planned summit meeting in Singapore goes well. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Abortion in the United Kingdom
 The Supreme Court of the UK dismisses a legal challenge by the Northern Ireland Human Rights
Commission of the restrictive Northern Ireland abortion laws, as the court has no jurisdiction in this
specific case. Four of seven judges note that these laws are incompatible with the European Convention
on Human Rights "in prohibiting abortion in cases of rape and incest and fatal foetal abnormality", a
matter of right to respect for private and family life guaranteed by the Convention. (The Guardian)
 2018 North Korea–United States summit, North Korea–Singapore relations
 Two South Korean media personnel from KBS News are arrested for trespassing the home of a North
Korean envoy in Singapore. (Channel NewsAsia)
 Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau is accused of groping a journalist in 2000. He denies he made negative
interactions. (The Hill)
 Ontario general election, 2018
 Canadian citizens residing in Ontario go to the polls to elect a new provincial government. (CTV)
 The Progressive Conservative Party of Doug Ford wins a sweeping victory, ending 15 years of Liberal
Party rule in the province. The Liberal Party becomes a minority party (or third party) for the first time
since its foundation and later first provincial election, has losing official party status. (Reuters) (CBC.ca)
 Ontario New Democratic Party wins 40 seats, becoming Official Opposition for the first time since
the 1987 election. (The Global and Mail)
 Ontario Green Party has their first ever MPP elected. Mike Schreiner is elected in Guelph district in
southwestern Ontario. (CBC.ca)
 Spanish King Felipe VI swears in the cabinet of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. It is the first cabinet in European
history, and the only in the world, to be comprised primarily of women. (BBC)
 Life on Mars
 NASA announces the discovery of preserved organic matter in an ancient lake bed on Mars by
its Curiosity rover. It has not been determined if the matter was potentially related to past life on Mars
or not. (The Guardian)
 Facebook reports an error in privacy settings that has affected 14 million users. (BBC)
Sports
 Corruption in Ghana
 Ghanian Minister of Information Mustapha Abdul-Hamid announces the decision to dissolve the Ghana
Football Association following the publication of an exposé of the organisation by Anas Aremeyaw
Anas. (Reuters)
 2018 Stanley Cup Finals
 In ice hockey, the Washington Capitals win their first Stanley Cup after defeating the Vegas Golden
Knights 4–1 in the finals. (Sporting News)
June 8, 2018 (Friday)
edithistorywatch
 On Quds Day – the last Friday of Ramadan – thousands of Palestiniansprotest near the Gaza border
fence. Israeli troops fire live rounds and tear gas, killing four people and injuring over 600. (AP via CBS
News)
 A U.S. special forces soldier is killed and four others are wounded in an ambush by suspected al-
Shabaab militants near the town of Jamame, Lower Juba, Somalia. (BBC)
Arts and culture
 The Walt Disney Company announces that its animation chief, John Lasseter, will leave the company
after December 31, after he was accused of misconduct late last year. (Deadline)
 Gavin Patterson, the chief executive of BT Group, announces that he intends to step down later this
year. (BBC)
 Economy of Japan
 Due to a change in Japanese legislation, Airbnb announces that it will be cancelling thousands of
reservations made in the country. (BBC)
 Embassy attack accusations in Cuba
 The United States expand their health alert from Guangzhou to all of China, after it repatriated multiple
employees with symptoms resembling a brain injury. (Reuters)
 The military chiefs of both countries, Joseph Dunford and Valery Gerasimov, meet in Finland. (AP via ABC
News)
 44th G7 summit
 Leaders from the Group of Seven meet in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canadato discuss issues facing their
countries, including trade between the United States and European Union. (Reuters)
 U.S. President Donald Trump calls for Russia, which was suspended from the group after the annexation
of Crimea in 2014, to be reinstated in the group; a call supported by the Prime Minister of Italy Giuseppe
Conte, and rejected by most other G7 leaders. (Deutsche Welle)
Law and crime
 Jean-Pierre Bemba is acquitted of war crimes by the International Criminal Court appeals chamber. (AP)
 A U.S. federal judge blocks until June 20 the release in Syrian Democratic Forces-controlled territory of a
dual-nationality Saudi-American citizen alleged to have joined ISIL. The man, who is now held for nine
months in Iraq, was planned to be released by the U.S. military – with a new cell phone, some food and
water and $4,210 in cash, but with no identification – as soon as tomorrow. (AFP via The Daily Star) (AP
via WLNS)
 Killing of Susanna Feldman
 Ali Bashar, the main suspect in the murder and rape case of a 14-year-old German-Jewish girl
in Wiesbaden, Germany is arrested by Kurdishforces in Northern Iraq. (Times of Israel)
 TOP500
 The 10-megawatt IBM Summit supercomputer is unveiled at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, East
Tennessee. With a reported 200 petaflops of processing power, it is expected to top the list of the
world's most powerful computers after this June's update is presented at the International
Supercomputing Conference. (Wired)
Sport
 2018 NBA Finals
 In basketball, the Golden State Warriors defeat the Cleveland Cavaliersin four games to win the National
Basketball Association Championship. (New York Times)
edithistorywatch
 The Taliban announce a three-day Eid ceasefire with the Afghanauthorities, according to Pajhwok Afghan
News. On Thursday, PresidentAshraf Ghani announced a ceasefire with the Taliban from June 12–
19. (TASS) (Reuters)
 Shanghai Cooperation Organization
 The 18th Council of Heads of State meets in Qingdao, China. (The Nation)
 44th G7 summit
 U.S. President Donald Trump calls for "fair and reciprocal" trades between the United States and other
countries, claiming that the United States is a "piggy bank that everyone keeps robbing". (VOA) (BBC)
 Donald Trump again calls for Russia to be reinstated into the group. Russia was suspended after
the annexation of Crimea in 2014. (CNN)
 Trump retracts his endorsement of the summit's final communiqué. (CBS News)
 Over 100,000 people participate in a large protest in Bucharest, Romania, against apparent judicial abuses and
"illegitimate interference" of the secret services in the political and judicial systems. The protest was organised
by the governing Social Democratic Party and supported by other political parties. (The Washington Post)
Sports
 2018 Belmont Stakes
 Justify wins the Belmont Stakes and becomes the second horse in four years to win the U.S. Triple Crown
of Thoroughbred Racing. (The New York Times)
edithistorywatch
 Terrorism in Iraq
 A warehouse holding ballot boxes from elections last month burns down in Baghdad. Several politicians
say the fire was a criminal act aimed at destabilising the state following a disputed election result. (BBC)
 Authorities in Afghanistan announce the seizure of 156 sacks of ammonium nitrate being imported on a truck
from Pakistan. This is one of the largest seizures of the compound, most commonly used as a fertilizer, but also
used to manufacture explosives. (Reuters)
Arts and culture
 Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018
 Press conferences for the 24th annual Electronic Entertainment Expo(E3) continue, with many new video
game announcements taking place, including Halo Infinite, The Elder Scrolls VI, and Just Cause 4. (The
Guardian) (Kotaku)
 North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trumparrive in Singapore ahead of
the upcoming summit. (BBC)
 South Korean President Moon Jae-in sends senior officials to Singapore for the summit. (The
Straits Times)
 North Korea–Singapore relations
 Kim Jong-un meets with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong shortly after his
arrival. (Channel NewsAsia)
 Italy and Malta refuse entry to a German vessel carrying 629 migrants rescued off the coast
of Libya. (CBC)
Law and crime
 Seven bodies are recovered from the base of Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (BBC)
 Basque nationalism, Politics of Spain
 Tens of thousands of Basque nationalists form a 202-kilometre (126 mi) human chain asking for greater
autonomy. (BBC)
Sports
 2018 French Open
 In the men's singles final, Rafael Nadal defeats Dominic Thiem and wins his 11th title at Roland
Garros. (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 British retail chain Poundworld, which employs thousands of people, collapses into administration. (BBC)
 Hurricane Bud grows into a category three hurricane off the Pacific coastof Mexico. (CBS News)
 Singapore–United States relations
 Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and U.S. President Donald Trump hold a bilateral
meeting. (Channel NewsAsia)
 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announces that he will allow a migrant vessel carrying 629
rescued migrants, including children and pregnant women, to dock in Valencia after Malta and Italy both
refused the vessel. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Child trafficking in India, Crime in India
 Police in Assam arrest 18 people in connection of lynching two youths following rumors
on WhatsApp and social media that they were child traffickers. (Al Jazeera)
 Climate of Mars
 NASA's Opportunity rover is temporarily shut down due to a dust storm. (BGR)
 The 2015 net neutrality rules in the United States end. (The Hill)
Sports
 Heavyweight boxing
 Deontay Wilder accepts the terms to fight Anthony Joshua. (ESPN)
edithistorywatch
 Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts, India–Pakistan relations
 India states that four soldiers are killed after Pakistan fires shots at Kashmir. (ABC News)
 History of AT&T
 A U.S. federal judge approves AT&T's $85 billion merger with Time Warner. (NPR)
 Tesla announces that it intends to cut 3000 jobs in an attempt to improve profitability. Many of those workers
will be offered alternative jobs under the same employer. (BBC)
 Hurricane Bud grows into a category four hurricane with winds of 130 miles per hour (210 km/h) off of
the Pacific Coast of Mexico. (CBS News)
 Hawaiian Airlines warns that the eruption of Kīlauea may hurt bookings and trim revenues. (CNBC)
 A collision between a river cruise ship and a barge on Russia's Volga Riverkills at least 11 people. (Deutsche
Welle)
 Germany issues a recall of 73,000 eggs from the Netherlands suspected to be contaminated with fipronil. (BBC)
 U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un meet for a historic
summit on Sentosa Island in Singapore. This marks the first time that the leaders of both
countries have met. (BBC) (The Guardian)
 Both sign a joint statement that North Korea will work towards "complete denuclearisation of
the Korean Peninsula", and the U.S. will provide "security guarantees". The two sides agree to
recovering and repatriating the remains of prisoners of war and those missing in action. (CBS
News) (The Wall Street Journal) (The Washington Post)
 After the summit, President Trump says that the U.S. will halt joint military exercises with South
Korea. (CNN) (BBC)
 Taiwan–United States relations
 The United States unveils a new 6.5-hectare (16-acre) complex in Taipeifor the American Institute in
Taiwan, the de facto U.S. embassy. (Reuters)
 Macedonia naming dispute, Greece–Republic of Macedonia relations
 Greece and the Republic of Macedonia reach a deal to end a 27-year naming dispute between both
countries, which would result in Macedonia being officially renamed the Republic of North
Macedonia. (BBC)
 Seattle's city council votes 7–2 to repeal a controversial employer head tax, which was approved a month
earlier. (The Guardian)
edithistorywatch
 Battle of Hudaida (2018)
 Saudi-led coalition forces begin an operation to take control of the Yemeni port city of Al
Hudaydah, which has been held by the Houthissince 2015. (BBC News)
 Volkswagen emissions scandal
 Volkswagen is fined €1 billion by German prosecutors after cheating on diesel particulate emissions
testing. (BBC News)
 South Korea says that it will halt military drills with the United States to help
with Korean denuclearization talks. (Channel NewsAsia)
 Macedonia naming dispute, Greece–Republic of Macedonia relations
 Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov says that he will not sign off on the naming deal that was
announced yesterday by the Prime Minister. This may slow down the naming dispute resolution
process. (AP via ABC News)
 Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili resigns following anti-government protests. (RFE/RL)
 Spanish Minister of Culture and Sport Màxim Huerta resigns after tax issues, becoming the minister with the
shortest time in office in Spain. (Reuters)
Sports
 Canada–Mexico–United States 2026 FIFA World Cup bid
 The FIFA Congress votes to hold the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States,
with Morocco's World Cup bid coming in second. (BBC Sport) (Sky News)
 2018 FIFA World Cup
 Julen Lopetegui is ousted as coach of Spanish national football team, one day before the 2018 FIFA
World Cup. (The Guardian)
edithistorywatch
 Turkish general election, 2018
 Three people are killed and eight wounded in Suruç, Turkey, after election campaigning turned into
riots. (Reuters via MSN)
Arts and culture
 Cinema of Saudi Arabia
 The Message is the first Arabic film commercially screened in Saudi Arabia. (Quartz)
 Demography of Japan
 Japan lowers the age of adulthood from 20 to 18, with the changes coming into effect in 2022. The
revision to Japan's civil code means that 18-year-olds will be able to marry without their parents'
consent, apply for credit cards and loans, and transgender people will be able to have their new gender
officially recognised. The change causes confusion and concern regarding the kimono industry
and Coming of Age Day. (The Guardian)
 The value of the euro falls by one percent after the European Central Bank announces it expects to halve
net bond purchases to €15 billion per month from October to December, then end "quantitative easing"
by the close of the year, while not raising interest rates. (CNBC) (Reuters)
 EU countries approve tariffs worth €2.8 billion in retaliation against U.S. tariffs on steel and
aluminium. (AFP via Yahoo! News)
 AT&T completes its acquisition of Time Warner. The announcement comes two days after a judge ruled
that the deal does not violate antitrust laws. (CNN)
 Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement
 Italian Minister of Agriculture Gian Marco Centinaio says the Italian government will not ratify the EU–
Canada free-trade agreement since, according to him, the agreement does not provide sufficient
protection for Italy's specialty foods. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Hillary Clinton email controversy
 The U.S. Department of Justice publishes a 568-page report by Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz on
the FBI's handling of its investigation of Hillary Clinton's email practices. The report is critical of
former FBI Director James Comey, accusing him of being "insubordinate", but finding that his actions
were not politically biased. (CBS News) (BBC)
 List of journalists killed in India
 Indian journalist Shujaat Bukhari is shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
One of his bodyguards was also killed in the shooting. (BBC)
 The attorney general of New York announces she is suing the Donald J. Trump Foundation and its directors,
President Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump. (CNBC)
 Politics of France
 The Senate of France approves a bill to reform the SNCF railway company. The French state writes
off €35 billion of SNCF's €47 billion debt, but remains the sole owner of the joint-stock company with
two subsidiaries: operator SNCF Mobility and infrastructure manager SNCF Network. (International
Railway Journal) (Reuters)
Sports
 Hosts Russia beat Saudi Arabia 5–0 in the opening match, with two goals by Denis Cheryshev. (BBC
Sport) (Reuters via RNZ)
edithistorywatch
 War in North-West Pakistan
 The Afghan Ministry of Defense reports that Mullah Fazlullah, the emir of the Pakistani Taliban, was
killed in Kunar province by an U.S. drone strike two days prior on June 13. (NBC News)
 The United States imposes a 25% tariff on goods imported from Chinaworth $50 billion, set to come into
effect on July 6, and accuses Beijing of "intellectual copyright theft". (BBC) (Business Insider via AOL)
 China responds with an additional tariff of 25% on $34 billion of U.S. goods, to come into effect on July 6,
and tariffs on other goods to be announced at a later date. (BBC)
 American Airlines, after cancelling 275 of its regional carrier PSA Airlines's scheduled flights on Thursday, cancels
another 400 today at Charlotte Douglas International Airport because of a "technical issue." (Fox News)
 The Glasgow School of Art in Scotland suffers "extensive damage" after it catches on fire. No casualties are
reported. (BBC)
 Kellogg's issues a voluntary recall of Honey Smacks amid fears of salmonella contamination, with affected areas
including the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and some parts of French Polynesia. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has his bail revoked for allegedly tampering with
witnesses, and is sent to jail to await his trial for foreign lobbying charges. (CNN) (The New York Times)
 Former Afghanistan hostage Joshua Boyle makes another appearance in court along with his lawyers to
set a trial date. (Ottawa CTV News)
Sports
 Boris Becker, who was once the highest ranked men's singles tennis player in the world, has claimed diplomatic
immunity from a bankruptcy claim by private bankers Arbuthnot Latham, based on his role as a sports attaché to
the European Union from the Central African Republic. (Reuters)
 Cristiano Ronaldo scores a hat-trick achieving Portugal's 3–3 draw against Spain. (Reuters)
edithistorywatch
 Battle of Al Hudaydah
 Saudi Arabian-led coalition troops seize control of Hodeida International Airport in Al
Hudaydah after driving out Houthi forces. Around 280 people have been reportedly killed in the
last four days inside the Yemeni port city. (Sky News)
 The government of Papua New Guinea declares a state of emergency and suspends the government of Southern
Highlands Province following post-election riots in the provincial capital of Mendi. (ABC News)
 The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency states that the eruption of lower Puna has destroyed 467 homes
in total. (Upi)
 At least 17 people are killed in a stampede at a nightclub in Caracas, Venezuela. The stampede was reportedly
triggered when a tear-gas canister was set off during a brawl. Seven people have been arrested. (BBC)
 The coalition government of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras survives a vote of no-
confidence brought by the opposition party over a deal to end the dispute. (AP)
 A missing Indonesian woman's body is found inside a python, being one of only two fully documented cases of a
human being consumed by a snake. (The Hindu)
Sports
 2018 FIFA World Cup, Iceland at the FIFA World Cup
 First time qualifier Iceland holds off a late charge from two-time championArgentina and comes away
with a 1–1 draw in the opening World Cup matches for both countries. (ESPN)
edithistorywatch
 Twin suicide bombings in Damboa, Nigeria, leave at least 31 people dead. The explosions are reportedly
followed by rockets fired from outside the town. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Wynn Resorts Ltd. says that two board members, including one investigating sexual misconduct allegations
against former Chief Executive Steve Wynn, will leave their posts after Elaine Wynn, the company's largest
shareholder, presses for additional board changes. (The Wall Street Journal)
 A shooting takes place at the Art All Night art festival in Trenton, New Jersey. A suspect is killed and 20 other
people injured. (Fox News via MSN)
 Colombian presidential election, 2018
 Iván Duque wins the second round presidential election to become the
new President of Colombia. (BBC)
 Cambodian general election, 2018
 A FUNCINPEC party SUV's head-on collision in southwest Cambodiawith a taxi seriously injures
former Prime Minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh and kills his wife Ouk Phalla; both were standing as
candidates in the upcoming election. Seven other people were also injured. (AP via Stuff)
Sports
 In an upset victory, Mexico beats Germany 1–0, handing them their first opening loss in a World
Cup since 1982. (TSN)
 2018 U.S. Open (golf)
 Brooks Koepka wins his second consecutive U.S. Open Championship of Golf, held in 2018 at Shinnecock
Hills Golf Club in Shinnecock Hills, New York.
edithistorywatch
 A Palestinian man dies while tampering with the Israel–Gaza border's automated defences, which
detonate. (Reuters)
 Eight Kenyan security forces officers are killed after their vehicle hits a bomb in the country's east. Local
authorities ascribe the killings to al-Shabaab. (teleSUR)
 ISIL kidnaps and executes six people in Mosul, Iraq. (Iraqi News)
Arts and culture
 Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, gives birth to a second daughter (later named Lena Elizabeth
Tindall). (BBC)
 Google announces that it will invest US$550 million in the Chinese e-commerce company JD.com. (CNN)
 2018 Osaka earthquake
 A magnitude 5.5 earthquake strikes Osaka, Japan, at 7:58 a.m. local time(22:58 UTC, June 17). At least
five people have been killed and several are transported to hospitals with injuries. Electrical services are
disrupted citywide, affecting 170,000 buildings. (NHK)
 A ship catches fire in Port Kembla in New South Wales, Australia, forcing the port's temporary
closure. (Mining Weekly)
 A second attempt is made to extinguish burning container ship MV SSL Kolkata in the Bay of
Bengal off India after rough conditions prompted an abandonment of yesterday's efforts. (Telegraph
India)
Law and crime
 Corruption in Spain
 Iñaki Urdangarin, brother-in-law of King Felipe VI of Spain, enters prison to serve the sentence of almost
6 years for the Nóos case. (La Vanguardia)
 Volkswagen emissions scandal
 Audi CEO Rupert Stadler is arrested in Ingolstadt, Germany, over "clear signs that there was to be an
effort to influence people and other suspects". Stadler is being investigated for suspected fraud and false
advertising. (Reuters)
 Cannabis in Canada
 The House of Commons of Canada votes to legalize recreational cannabis. The bill will now head back to
the Senate, where it is expected to be passed into law. (The Independent)
 Gun violence in Sweden
 Three men are killed and another three men are injured in a drive-by shooting outside an Internet
cafe near a police station in central Malmo, Sweden. (BBC)
 Shooting of XXXTentacion
 American rapper XXXTentacion is shot dead in Deerfield Beach, Florida, United States. (The Hollywood
Reporter) (BBC)
 Israel charges former energy minister Gonen Segev with spying for Iran. Segev is in custody; he was extradited
from Equatorial Guinea. (BBC)
 The United States Supreme Court sidesteps two major partisan gerrymandering cases, allowing challenged voter
redistricting maps to be used in this year's midterms. (CNN)
 Militarisation of space
 US President Donald Trump directs the Department of Defense to begin the process of establishing a
"space force" as the sixth military branch of the United States Armed Forces. (CNBC)
 The Joko Widodo administration (id) of Indonesia appoints Mochamad Iriawan (id), an active police general, as
acting governor of West Javabringing back dual function. (The Jakarta Post)
Sports
 The foreign minister of the Central African Republic, Charles-Armel Doubane, says that tennis player Boris
Becker is not an official diplomat of the country. (AP via The Kansas City Star)
edithistorywatch

 Floods in Abidjan, Ivory Coast killed 20 people and destroyed several houses and roads. (Reuters)
 Canadian ship MV Iron Chieftain burns for a second day off the coast of New South Wales, Australia. The
freighter, carrying dolomite, was partially extinguished yesterday, but fire remains in the hold. (SBS)
 An engine on the Saudi Arabian team's plane catches fire; the plane lands safely in Rostov-on-Don for the
team's Wednesday match with Uruguay. (BBC)
 The United States announces its withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Cannabis in Canada
 The Senate of Canada passes the Cannabis Act 52–29 which legalizes cannabis for recreational use. (BBC)
 Shooting of Antwon Rose Jr.
 A police officer shoots and kills an unarmed black teenager in Pittsburgh, prompting protests in the
following days. (PBS NewsHour)
edithistorywatch
 Sinking of MV Sinar Bangun
 The MV Sinar Bangun, a ferry designed to hold 43 people, sinks at Tigaras port in Lake Toba, North
Sumatra, leaving 192 reported missing. (ABC News)
 A pile of mining waste collapses in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia, killing ten people and injuring ten
more. (Reuters)
 Foreign relations of China
 China expresses regret over the United States' decision to leave the United Nations Human Rights
Council. (Reuters)
 Nuclear sharing
 Germany reportedly asks the U.S. Department of Defense if the Eurofighter Typhoon could be certified
to carry nuclear bombs. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Terrorism in Germany
 German authorities arrest a Tunisian man accused of building a ricinbomb. (The South China Morning
Post)
 Trump administration family separation policy
 U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order to "maintain family unity", amid global outrage
over the separation of migrant children from their families, reversing the administration's policy. It
affirms the U.S. policy of "detaining alien families together where appropriate and consistent with law
and available resources". (BBC) (Boston Globe)
 Operation Impact
 The terror trial of accused ISIL recruiter Awso Peshdary is adjourned after three days of hearings in which
the court hears testimony about the path to jihad allegedly taken by two of his
associates, Ottawa students John Maguire and Khadar Khalib. (Ottawa Citizen)
 Following a battery short circuit causing an explosion a London Undergroundstation last night, a 26-year-old man
is arrested and bailed on suspicion of causing it deliberately to cause damage or endanger life. Metropolitan
Policecounterterror investigators hand the probe back to British Transport Police, concluding the incident which
injured five was not a terror attack. (The Guardian)
 New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern goes into labour with her first child. Deputy Prime Minister Winston
Peters is now Acting Prime Minister, and will be for six weeks while Ardern is on maternity leave. (The New
Zealand Herald) (Newshub)
 The International Space Station (ISS) successfully deploys the UK-led RemoveDEBRIS satellite, which is designed
to test the removal of space debris in low Earth orbit. At 100 kg (220 lb), RemoveDEBRIS is the biggest satellite
deployed from the ISS. (BBC)
 The United States government releases a Near-Earth Object Preparedness Plan for reducing risks
of asteroid or comet impacts. (NASA)
edithistorywatch
 North Korea–United States relations, North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
 The United States announces that North Korea will destroy the Sohae Satellite Launching Station missile
test site. (Straits Times)
Law and crime
 Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is charged with fraud over the alleged
misuse of state funds at their residence. (CNN)
 The United States Supreme Court allows states to collect sales taxes from online retailers that do not have a
"physical presence" in that state. (Politico)
 Murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, Malaysia-Mongolia relations
 Malaysian authorities announce the reopening of investigations into the murder of a Mongolian model
by two police officers associated with former Prime Minister Najib Razak. Who ordered the killing has
never been determined. (Reuters)
 Trump administration family separation policy, Protests against Trump administration family separation policy
 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement temporarily closes their Portland, Oregon, offices after
protesters camping outside the building grow in numbers. (CNN)
 First Lady Melania Trump makes a surprise visit to the US-Mexico border to get a firsthand look at the
immigration crisis. (WSTM-TV)
 New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gives birth to a baby girl at 4:45 pm local time (04:45 UTC). Ardern is
the first incumbent head of government to give birth since Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in
1990. (Newshub) (CNN)
edithistorywatch
 A BNSF Railway freight train with 33 oil tanker cars derails in Lyon County, Iowa; some of the crude leaks into the
rain-swollen Rock River. A mandatory evacuation was ordered; there are no injuries. (Des Moines Register)
 Police say the safety driver of an Uber self-driving car that fatally struck a pedestrian in Arizona was distracted by
watching a TV show on her phone. (Reuters)
 The United Nations Human Rights Council issues a condemnation of the separation of migrant children
from their parents, saying it "may amount to torture", and the recent executive order "does not address
the situation of those children who have already been pulled away from their parents." (The
Independent)
 Malta refuses to accept 234 African immigrants from the Dutch ship Lifeline. (Reuters)
 Aftermath of the 2018 North Korea–United States summit, United States Forces Korea
 The Pentagon announces the suspension of joint military exercises with South Korea, including the Ulchi-
Freedom Guardian and marine training exercises. (The Japan Times)
Law and crime
 Carpenter v. United States
 The U.S. Supreme Court, by a 5–4 vote, rules law enforcement are required to obtain a search warrant to
gather location data from cell phone companies. (Gizmodo)
 Human rights in Venezuela
 A report from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights accuses
the Venezuelan government of allowing its security forces to participate in hundreds of extrajudicial
killings over the past year. (Al Jazeera)
 2017 New York City truck attack
 Prosecutors in the United States charge Sayfullo Saipov with a further six counts of attempted murder, in
addition to the 22 other offences already charged in connection to a vehicle-ramming attack in New
York. Saipov enters pleas of not guilty. (CNN)
 A court in Jakarta convicts cleric Aman Abdurrahman of inciting others to commit terror attacks in support
of ISIS and sentence him to death. (The Jakarta Post)
 Two men are jailed in the United Kingdom for looting historical items from World War
I shipwreck HMS Hermes and selling them for scrap. (BT)
Sports
 2018 Mediterranean Games
 The inauguration ceremony of the XVIIIth edition of the Mediterranean Games takes place
in Tarragona, Spain. (El Mundo)
edithistorywatch
 Eastern Daraa offensive (June 2018)
 The Syrian government launches a ground offensive in the eastern part of the southern province of
Daraa. (Gulf Times)
 Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa survives an apparent assassination attempt when an
explosive device detonates at an election campaign rally in Bulawayo. A few bystanders, including Vice-
PresidentKembo Mohadi, suffer minor injuries. (The Guardian) (BBC)
 Two people are confirmed dead and 156 others injured after a grenade explosion at a rally in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia, held by the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. (BBC) (AP)
Crime and law
 Terrorism in France
 French police arrest ten members of the far-right group Action des Forces Operationnelles (Operational
Forces Action) across the nation, questioning them on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack
against Muslims. (The Local)
 Floods in Vietnam killed 23 people (16 in Lai Chau, 5 in Ha Giang Province while two others in other
provinces) and caused several damages.(VnExpress International)
 Maersk Line reveals one of their container ships yesterday responded to a distress call from a migrant boat off
the Italian coast, rescuing 113 people. (The Local)
 The US Navy states an A-29 Super Tucano crash at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico yesterday killed a
pilot. (CNN)
 Politics of Iraq
 After a meeting in Najaf, Islamic Dawa Party leader Premier Haider al-Abadi and Shi'a Sadrist
Movement leader Muqtada al-Sadr announce their parties' alliance. Together, they control 96 of 329
seats in Parliament. (Al Jazeera)
edithistorywatch
 Russian warplanes provide air cover for the offensive for the first time. (Reuters)
 Shin Bet and the Israel Defence Forces detain eight suspected terrorists, including one suspected of
conducting a vehicle-ramming attack earlier in the day. Guns, cash, and stun grenades are seized. (The
Jerusalem Post)
Arts and culture
 Women to drive movement
 Saudi Arabia lifts its ban on women being allowed to drive. (USA Today)
 An explosion in Wuppertal, Germany, destroys a building and injures at least 25 people, four of them
seriously. (The Independent)
 Firefighters extinguish a blaze on bulk freighter MV Iron Chieftain, which was burning for almost a week while
docked at Port Kembla in New South Wales, Australia. Police say they will remain on-scene to assist the owner
and operator with salvage operations. (Illawarra Mercury)
 16 European Union leaders meet in advance of the 28 June full EU summit on migration. (PBS Newshour)
 Two ships, MV Lifeline and MV Alexander Mærsk, carrying hundreds of rescued migrants, await a port to
disembark. The commercial Maerskship rescued migrants following a request from Italian authorities but
Italy and Malta have refused permission to dock. (Deutsche Welle)(euronews)
 Politicians from Germany, Spain, and Portugal visit MV Lifeline amid negotiations for the ship to dock
in Malta or Italy, both of which have refused permission. (CNN)
 Turkish general election, 2018
 Voters in Turkey go to the polls for a presidential and parliamentaryelection. (Reuters)
 Incumbent President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan claims victory as preliminary results show him
winning a majority of votes. (Australian Financial Review)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture;
 Following the suicide of a teenage boy from Radcliffe, Greater Manchester in England police issue a public
statement and the coroner sends notices to schools warning of the game Doki Doki Literature Club!. (MSN)
 2017–18 Iranian protests, June 2018 Bazaar protests
 Tehran's Grand Bazaar starts a large strike after Iranian rial plunged to a record low against the US
dollar on the market. (Trend) (Al-Arabiya)
 Mohammad Javad Fathi, a member of the parliament, resigns and says that he has no hope for change
under the current system. (Kaleme)
 Protesters angered by the economy confront police, as well as chanting "Death to Palestine". (The Jewish
Press)
 Harley-Davidson, a US motorcycle manufacturer, states that it intends to shift export production for the
EU overseas. The company reports that the decision is related to rocky trade relations between
the European Union and the United States. (BBC)
 Economy of Wales
 The government of the United Kingdom announces the cancellation of the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon
project, prompting ire from Welsh officials. (BBC)
 Expansion of Heathrow Airport
 The UK's House of Commons votes 415–119 to approve a third runway at London's Heathrow
Airport. (BBC)
 Greek offshore gas extraction firm Energean, which is already developing gas fields off Israel, is revealed to be
contemplating an initial public offeringto raise US$1.5 billion in order to develop Gaza Marine, a gas deposit
off Gaza. Shell, who own a 55% stake in Gaza Marine, have been attempting to sell their share as ongoing conflict
prevents production. (Haaretz)
 Flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains kill at least seven people and leave 12 others missing in
northern Vietnam. (News.com.au)
 A Filipino container ship runs aground on a coral reef near Raroia, Tuamotus, French Polynesia. France sends an
aircraft to survey the scene in response to a request for help by Raroia's mayor. (Radio NZ)
 International mining firm BHP Billiton signs an agreement with Brazilianauthorities over criminal culpability and
civil compensation liability over a mine site collapse that killed nineteen. The deal halts litigation for up to two
years but does not confirm a final amount for a settlement. (Reuters)
 Water conflicts between Malaysia and Singapore
 Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad announces his intention to renegotiate a 1962 water
agreement with Singapore, which the latter country regards as sacrosanct. (CNA)
Law and crime
 The Ethiopia Federal Police Commission announces the arrests of 30 people suspected of involvement in a
bombing of a rally for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The attack killed two and injured 156. The United
States announces the deployment of FBI specialists to assist the probe. (Reuters)
 Mexican authorities arrest the entire police force of Ocampo, Michoacán, on suspicion of murdering a mayoral
candidate. (BBC)
 Zimbabwean authorities report two people have died following Saturday's bomb attack on President Emmerson
Mnangagwa in Bulawayo, with several others in critical condition. (BBC)
 A judge in Nauru declares the Civil Procedures Amendment 2018 unconstitutional and strikes it down. The act
restricted the ability of those facing prosecution to obtain legal representation. The court orders Nauru's
government to pay Australian lawyers acting for those who brought the legal challenge. (Radio NZ)
 A ban on single-use plastics including cups, bags, and bottles in Mumbai, India, comes into effect. Mumbai is the
nation's largest city with such a law, and those in violation face fines and up to three months in prison. (The
Guardian)
 A U.S. judge dismisses legal action brought by two Californian cities against oil companies, regarding their
contributions towards climate change. (The Hill')
 German officials announce the arrest of a former aide to Osama bin Ladenand plan to deport him to his
native Tunisia. (Yahoo!)
 Members of the European Parliament vote to activate the European Union's disciplinary process
against Hungary, citing alleged discrepancies administering the rule of law in the country under Prime
Minister Viktor Orbán. (The Guardian)
edithistorywatch
 Syrian Army troops and Liwa al-Quds militiamen seize control of the strategic town of Busra al-
Harir in the southern Daraa Governorate. Around 45,000 people have been displaced in the
region due to recent fighting. (BBC)
 Syrian state media reports two Israeli missiles struck targets near Damascus International
Airport overnight, including an Iranian cargo plane which had just landed. (Al Jazeera)
 The Israeli Air Force strikes vehicles it claims were being used to launch incendiary balloons
from Gaza over the border into Israel. (The Jerusalem Post)
 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discusses the conflict with Gaza with the United
Nations Special Coordinator to the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, who has been
preparing humanitarian projects for Gaza. (The Jerusalem Post)
 Economy of Iran, 2017–18 Iranian protests
 Protests in Iran, particularly the capital, Tehran, enter their second day as thousands of protestors
demand action following a collapse in the value of the Iranian rial. President Hassan Rouhani takes to live
TV to call the protests "foreign media propaganda" and says the United States is waging "psychological,
economic and political war" with Iran. Protestors blame the Iranian government for the crisis, saying
billions are being wasted on expensive conflicts. Iran blames sanctions imposed by US President Donald
Trump. (The Times of Israel)
 The protests become the biggest in Tehran since 2012. (The Independent)
 A van is driven into the headquarters of De Telegraaf in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The building is severely
damaged in an ensuing fire. Terrorism has not been ruled out. (NL Times)
 Authorities in France and French Polynesia meet to discuss rescue plans for MV Thorco Lineage, a freighter
hauling zinc that is grounded with eighteen people on board on a coral reef near Raroia, Tuamotus. (Radio New
Zealand)
 A lorry and a bus collide in Guyhirn, Cambridgeshire, UK. Two people are killed and twelve are injured, five
seriously. (BBC)
 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue
 Navy divers attempting to rescue a children's football team and their adult coach after they became
trapped in Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai, Thailand, on Saturday resume searching after rising
waters earlier hampered efforts. They report finding fresh footprints in the cave. (BBC)
 The US National Transportation Safety Board reveals the lithium ion battery on a Tesla Model S involved in a
double-fatality crash in Florida reignited twice after initially being extinguished by firefighters. It also reveals the
vehicle was traveling at 116mph when the accident occurred; Tesla has introduced speed limiters on their cars as
a result. (Engadget)
 Latvia opts to describe an ongoing drought as "a natural disaster of a national scale" that can be dealt with using
normal laws, in preference over declaring a state of emergency. (LSM)
 Container ship MV Alexander Maersk is allowed by Italian authorities to dock in Pozzallo, Sicily, after
several days. There, it discharges over 100 rescued migrants. Prime Minister Giuseppe
Conte says German migrant rescue ship MV Lifeline will be permitted to dock in Malta in a deal that will
see some of the migrants on board come to Italy. (al-Jazeera)
 An Israeli official says that the nation has asked Cyprus to consider allowing Israel to set up a shipping point on
the island for goods destined for Gaza. (Reuters)
 The Palestinian Authority rejects proposals from Israel and the United States to reduce sanctions that the PA has
imposed on Hamas-controlled Gaza. The PA says that there is a "conspiracy" afoot to create a "humanitarian
issue" out of the disagreements. (The Jerusalem Post)
Law and crime
 Terrorism in France
 French police continue questioning ten suspected far-right terrorists arrested on Saturday over an
alleged plot to attack Muslims. An extension to their detention was authorised late last night. (The Local)
 UK citizen Khalid Ali is found guilty at the Old Bailey in London of plotting a terror attack after he was
found with knives in the city, and of building and detonating bombs for the Taliban in Afghanistan. He
was detained within metres of Parliament, and wished to murder MPs and police officers. (BBC), (The
Guardian)
 Legal challenges to the Trump travel ban
 The U.S. Supreme Court rules 5–4 in favor of the Trump administration's September 2017 travel
ban. (CNN)
 Eighteen attorneys general, representing seventeen U.S. states and Washington DC, sue the Trump
administration over migrant family separations at the U.S. border with Mexico. The litigants demand
around 2,000 migrant children be reunited with their families. (The Independent)
 United States Senate election in Utah, 2018
 Mitt Romney wins the primary elections in Utah, defeating Mike Kennedy. (Deseret News)
edithistorywatch
 Shares in African international airline Fastjet fall by 72% amid equity talks amongst shareholders, with the airline
warning that trading may be suspended entirely and the company liquidated if a solution is not found. (BBC)
 2018 United Kingdom wildfires
 Greater Manchester Police declares a major incident as a wildfirecontinues to spread on Saddleworth
Moor, forcing nearby homes to be evacuated. The fire is described as the "biggest in living memory" in
the United Kingdom. Army assistance is granted to tackle the blaze. (The Guardian), (The Independent)
 A large wildfire has broken out in Glenshane Pass in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, rapidly
growing to cover around one square mile of dry gorse. High temperatures hamper efforts to tackle the
wildfire, and firefighters have to be airlifted close to the front line. (BBC)
 Two cars collide near Waverley, Taranaki, New Zealand, killing seven people. It is the nation's deadliest road
accident since 2005. (Newshub)
 An explosion at a hospital in the U.S. state of Texas kills one person and injures multiple others. Search dogs are
brought in to search the rubble; the building and nearby care homes are evacuated. (BBC)
 An SUV and a bus collide in Marishda, East Midnapore, West Bengal, India, killing the SUV's six
occupants. (Xinhua)
 Sierra Negra erupts on the island of Isabela, the largest island of the Galápagos archipelago. Authorities have
arranged evacuations and banned tourists from the area. (BBC)
 The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is granted the power to assign blame for chemical
attacks by its constituent countries. The move, proposed by the United Kingdom, received wide support, but was
condemned by Russia. (BBC)
Law and crime
 A federal judge in California orders a halt to most family separations at the US-Mexico border and the
reunification of all families. (WAVY-TV)
 At appeal, Australian actress Rebel Wilson is ordered to pay back A$4.7m that she won in damages and interest
from Bauer Media Group in what was Australia's largest ever libel payout. Wilson is also ordered to pay 80% of
the group's appeal costs. The case stemmed from allegations that libelous articles portraying her as a serial liar
had resulted in her losing acting jobs. The Victorian Court of Appeal finds that Wilson has not proved a
connection between the libel and any failure to land roles. The case prompted national discussion over
potential chilling effects on legitimate journalism. (BBC)
 LGBT rights in Australia
 Police in New South Wales, Australia, reclassify 27 murders from 1976 to 2000 as possible homophobic
hate crimes following a review prompted by an Australian Institute of Criminology report that suggested
crimes against LGBT victims had been insufficiently investigated. (BBC)
 Supreme Court of the United States
 US Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy announces his retirement, effective July 31,
2018. (BBC)
 2017-18 Spanish constitutional crisis
 The Supreme Court of Spain confirms the prosecution of the independentists leaders accused of the
crime of rebellion, embezzlement and disobedience. (El País)
 Elections in Indonesia
 Local elections take place across Indonesia, including races for 17 governors. (Al Jazeera English)
 Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat says that migrant rescue ship MV Lifeline, stranded in
international waters with over 200 rescued people on board for five days, has been granted permission
to dock on the island and will do so later today. Muscat says that those on board will be split among
Malta and seven other European Union nations. (BBC)
 Austrian troops and police conduct a border exercise simulating a possible mass arrival of migrants
similar to one in 2015, amid tensions within the European Union over migrant rescue ships and fears
that Germany may close its borders. (Sky News)
 Politics of Scotland
 Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon reshuffles her cabinet. Nine new junior ministers are appointed,
with the devolved Parliament set to vote on the changes tomorrow. (BBC)
 United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 2018
 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeats Democratic incumbent New Yorkleader Joseph Crowley in what has
been described as the "biggest Democratic primary upset victory in years". (Mother Jones)
 The cabinet of Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă survives a motion of no confidence. During the
vote, several thousand oppossition supporters protest outside Parliament, calling for the resignation of
the government. (Business Review)
 Japanese space probe Hayabusa2 arrives at its target, 162173 Ryugu, an Apollo asteroid. It is planned to return
material from the asteroid to Earth by the end of 2020. (BBC)
 Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, is reported to host complex carbon-based molecules. Considered a precursor to
life, the compounds were only previously known to exist on Earth and some meteorites. (BBC)
 The first known interstellar object to pass through the Solar System, ʻOumuamua, has been identified as a very
inactive comet and not an asteroid, as previously thought. (Reuters)
Sports
 FIFA World Cup title-holders Germany's football team are knocked out of the 2018 competition in the group
stage for the first time since 1938 after losing to South Korea. This is the fourth time that the reigning champions
have been knocked out in the group stage in the last five tournaments. (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 2018 UY Aviation King Air C90 crash
 A light aircraft crashes in the Ghatkopar district of Mumbai, India, killing all four occupants and one
person on the ground. (NDTV) (BBC)
 2018 Gikomba fire
 A fire breaks out at the Gikomba market in Nairobi, Kenya, with 15 people confirmed dead and many
homes and stalls being destroyed. (BBC)
 A landslide killed 14 people in northern Myanmar. (BNI Multimedia Group)
 A summit meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is set for
July 16 in Helsinki. The leaders are expected to discuss national security issues as well as Russian
interference in the 2016 U.S. elections. (CBS News)
Law and crime
 Capital Gazette shooting
 A shooting at the office of The Capital and the Maryland Gazettenewspapers in Annapolis, Maryland,
United States, kills five people. The suspected shooter is detained by local police. (CBC) (BBC)
 Protests against Trump administration family separation policy
 About 575 women are arrested during a sit-in at the Hart Senate Office Building protesting the Trump
administration family separation policy. (NPR)
 Police arrest at least nine protesters at an Occupy ICE demonstration in Portland, Oregon. (The
Oregonian)
 2017-18 Spanish constitutional crisis
 The National Court confirms the prosecution against Major of the Mossos d'Esquadra, Josep Lluís
Trapero and the former leaders of the regional Police for sedition and criminal organitzation. (El Mundo)
 Aftermath of first impeachment process against Pedro Pablo Kuczynski
 The Prosecutor's Office of Peru opens a preliminary investigation to determine if there were alleged
political benefits – among them the humanitarian pardon granted to former President Alberto Fujimori –
offered by former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski to avoid being removed from his office during the first
impeachment process against him in December 2017. Three months later, in the middle of a similar
scenario, Kuczynski resigned, seeing that Congress would no longer favor him. (Perú 21)
Sports
 Japan is the only Asian team to advance to the knockout stage, via fair play after exhausting other
tiebreakers. (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 BAE Systems is awarded a £19.6bn contract to build nine next-generation Hunter-class frigates for the Royal
Australian Navy with construction expected to begin in 2020. (BBC)
 Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland confirms that tariffs on C$16.6bn worth of U.S. goods will
take effect on July 1, as originally planned, in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on steel and
aluminum imports. (Reuters via MSN)
 2018 United Kingdom wildfires
 As the Saddleworth Moor wildfire continues to burn for a sixth day, the Greater Manchester Fire and
Rescue Service have requested for military assistance in fighting the fire to be extended for at least
another three days. (HuffPost)
 A 22-year-old man from Bolton is arrested on suspicion of arson in relation to a large wildfire that is now
burning on Winter Hill in Lancashire. The fire has now destroyed four square kilometres of moorland
close to a radio transmission mast and is continuing to spread. (BBC)
 NI Water have introduced a hosepipe ban in Northern Ireland for the first time since 1995 due to the
threat of drought. Elsewhere, firefighters are tackling a large wildfire in Glenshane Pass for a third
day. (BBC)
 Volcanoes in Indonesia
 Ash from Mount Agung's first volcanic eruption since late-2017 results in the closure of Bali's Ngurah Rai
International Airport until at least 7 pm local time (11:00 UTC). The ash cloud cancels 48 flights, affecting
8,334 passengers. (Reuters)
 18 people were killed and 14 others injured in a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a truck on a
highway in central China. (IOL)
 United States–European Union relations
 The U.S. Ambassador to Estonia, James D. Melville Jr., announces his resignation from that post because
of U.S. President Donald Trump's comments about NATO and the European Union. He was appointed to
the post in December 2015. (BBC) (Foreign Policy)
Law and crime
 Sex trafficking in the United States, Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act
 The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a digital rights organization, files a legal challenge to the Stop
Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA), claiming it trespasses on free speech laws and hinders attempts to
help victims and prosecute traffickers. (BBC)
 Cannabis in Luxembourg
 Luxembourg legalizes the use of medical cannabis for patients suffering from diseases such as
cancer. (Luxembourg Times)
 United Nations member states elect António Vitorino as the director general of the International Organization for
Migration, becoming the first non-American to hold this position since the 1960s. (The Guardian)
 Unmanned spaceflights to the International Space Station
 SpaceX successfully launches Commercial Resupply Services payload CRS-15 via a Falcon 9 rocket to dock
with the International Space Station. The cargo includes CIMON, a head-shaped AI robot designed by
the German Aerospace Center to assist crew onboard the ISS. (NASA Spaceflight)
 A NASA study finds exoplanets Kepler-186f and Kepler-62f have stable axial tilts to allow for moderate seasons,
making it more likely that the planets are habitable. (CNET)
edithistorywatch
 A peaceful protest over a water shortage in the southern Iran city of Khorramshahr turns violent after
clashes between police and protesters. (CNN)
 Civil unrest in the United States
 A right-wing Patriot Prayer rally in Portland, Oregon turns violent, with clashes reported between the
group and the left-wing group Antifa. The Portland Police Bureau reports that four arrests were made for
outstanding warrants, and that Patriot Prayer's permit to march was cancelled once the violence
began. (NPR) (CBS News)
Law and crime
 Two persons are killed, and one injured, in a shooting in downtown Toronto. These are the 49th and 50th
murders this year, marking a surge of violence in the city. (CBC)
 Protests against Trump administration family separation policy
 Tens of thousands of people participate in nationwide protests across the United States over the Trump
administration's immigration policies. Over 630 events are planned, with protesters calling for migrant
families split at the United States–Mexico border to be reunited
July 1, 2018 (Sunday)
edithistorywatch
 A bus skids off a mountain road into a 700-foot (210 m)–deep ravine in Uttarakhand, India, killing at least 48
people. (Sky News)
 A road accident in Tanzania leaves 20 dead and 45 others injured. (Xinhua)
 U.S. President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor John R. Boltonstates that the United States has
a plan to dismantle the nuclear weapons program of North Korea in a year. (Time)
Law and crime
 List of helicopter prison escapes
 Three heavily armed gunmen who hijacked a helicopter help Rédoine Faïd, one of France's most
notorious gangsters, escape from a prison in Réau, Île-de-France. Police later discovered the abandoned
helicopter in Gonesse. Faïd previously escaped prison in 2013 and was briefly France's most wanted
criminal. (BBC)
 Cannabis in Vermont
 Vermont legalizes recreational marijuana, becoming the ninth U.S. state to do so. (SF Gate)
 Crime in Idaho
 A man stabs multiple people celebrating a three-year-old's birthday party at an apartment complex
housing refugees in Boise, Idaho. Nine people are injured, including the birthday girl and five other
children; the birthday girl dies the next day. (Reuters)
 FBI agents arrest a Cleveland man they say told an undercover agent he was planning to bomb a July
4th celebration. (Reuters)
 2018 German government crisis, European migrant crisis
 German Chancellor Angela Merkel faces resistance by the Bavarian CSUover the result of the EU asylum
policy summit last week. (Bloomberg)(Frankfurter Allgemeine)
 Interior minister Horst Seehofer offers his resignation citing a conflict with Angela Merkel over her
refugee policy. (Sky News)
 Mexican general election, 2018
 Voters in Mexico elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador as their new President in a landslide victory.
Additionally, 128 senators and 500 deputies were also chosen. (Politico) (BBC)
Sports
 Russia knocks out Spain from the World Cup after winning a penalty shootout. (The Denver Channel)
 2018 Mediterranean Games
 The closing ceremony of the 18th Mediterranean Games in Tarragona, Spain, takes place. (Mundo
Deportivo)
 Pimachiowin Aki, a large area of Boreal Forest that spans parts of the Canadian provinces
of Manitoba and Ontario, and includes the lands of four First Nations, is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. (CBC)
July 2, 2018 (Monday)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 Crossing the Ditch
 New Zealander Scott Donaldson becomes the first solo kayaker to successfully cross the Tasman Sea.
After 62 days at sea, he landed in Ngāmotu Beach, New Plymouth, at 8.44 pm local
time (08:44 UTC). (The New Zealand Herald)
 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue
 Rescue teams find all 12 boys and their soccer coach alive in Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang
Rai, Thailand, after being trapped for 10 days. (CNN)
 Malta detains German migrant rescue boat MV Sea Watch 3, which had been docked in Valletta for
repairs, as it attempts to head into the Mediterranean Sea to rescue migrants off
the Libyan coast. (Reuters)
 The captain of MV Lifeline, a German migrant rescue ship that docked in Malta last week with 130
rescued migrants after Italy refused access, makes an initial court appearance in Valletta. He is charged
with operating his ship illegally. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Crime in the Philippines and Philippine Drug War
 Antonio Halili, the mayor of Tanauan, Philippines, is shot dead by a sniper during a flag raising ceremony
outside the city hall. Halili was known for parading people arrested on drug offenses through the city's
streets. (CNN)
 Harvey Weinstein is expected to face additional sexual assault charges in connection with a third woman
in a July 2006 incident. (WSJ)
 Militants ambush a paramilitary convoy in Awaran, Baluchistan, Pakistanand kill six people. (Associated
Press via NewsOK)
 Demetrius Pitts, accused of planning an al-Qaeda bombing in Cleveland, makes his first court
appearance. (Reuters)
 Terrorism in Belgium, Terrorism in France
 Belgian authorities announce the arrest and charge of a Belgian man and his Iranian wife suspected of
plotting a bomb attack against a Mujahedeen Khalq rally in France. (The New York Times)
 The Bataan Coast Guard detains cruise ship MV Forever Lucky on suspicion of involvement in human trafficking.
The National Bureau of Investigation rescues 139 alleged victims from the vessel and charges Johnny Cabrera,
the alleged lessor of the ship. (Inquirer)
 A US federal judge orders PricewaterhouseCoopers to pay US$625.3 million compensation to Federal
Deposit Insurance Corp. The judge rules PwC negligently caused losses to F.D.I.C. by failing to uncover
fraud during audits of Colonial BancGroup. Colonial, one the nation's 25 largest banks, and Taylor, Bean
& Whitaker, the 12th-largest mortgage broker in the US, both collapsed in August 2009 as a result of
fraud between the two. F.D.I.C. was the receiver for Colonial. (Reuters)
 2018 German government crisis, European migrant crisis
 Chancellor Angela Merkel and Interior Minister Horst Seehofer agree on a migration compromise; talks
with the SPD coalition partner are following. (Deutsche Welle)
Sports
 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification (Asia)
 Philippines-Australia basketball brawl
 A brawl breaks out during a 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifier match between
the Philippines and Australia at the Philippine Arenain Bocaue. (BBC)
July 3, 2018 (Tuesday)
edithistorywatch
 The son of ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is killed in a suicide attackmission in Homs, western Syria, or
in a Russian bombing of a cave. (VOA News)
 Shipwrecks in 2018, Disasters in Indonesia
 Sinking of MV Sinar Bangun
 Authorities call off the search for 164 missing after the ferry sank in Lake Toba. Only three bodies
have been recovered after the disaster. Although the wreck has been located, rescuers lack the
equipment to raise it or attempt to retrieve any bodies inside. (Inquirer)
 Ferry MV KM Lestari Maju sinks while en route to Pamatata in Selayar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, with
48 vehicles and 139 passengers on board. At least 12 fatalities are reported. (Channel NewsAsia)
 Major power outages
 Azerbaijan's largest blackout since 1991 affects most of the country. (AP)
 A pedestrian bridge collapses onto railway lines in Mumbai, injuring five. An approaching train is able to perform
an emergency stop before colliding with the wreckage. Thousands of commuters are left stranded throughout
the city. (BBC)
 Seattle becomes the first major U.S. city to ban plastic straws and utensils in all bars and restaurants. (CBC)
 2018 Eastern Canada heat wave
 A heat wave throughout Eastern Canada kills six people in Montreal. (CTV)
Law and crime
 Catholic sexual abuse cases in Australia
 Roman Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide, Philip Wilson, is sentenced to 12 months in detention for
covering up child sexual abuse in the 1970s. Pope Francis appoints Port Pirie Bishop Gregory
O'Kelly as Apostolic Administrator, but with special near-full powers to govern the Archdiocese, though
for now Wilson is still the Archbishop. (BBC)
 LGBT rights in the United Kingdom
 Theresa May announces a ban on gay conversion therapy. (BBC)
 The UK's Financial Reporting Council launches an investigation into financial services
provider KPMG over its most recent audit of Convivality, the defunct owner of retail chain Bargain
Booze. (ITV)
 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal
 Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is arrested for allegedly misusing state funds. (CNN)
 A bomb kills three oil survey workers and injures five more near Dera Bugtiin Baluchistan, Pakistan. (AP via
NewsOK)
 Cheshire Police in England arrest a female healthcare professional on suspicion of murdering eight babies and
attempting to murder six more at Countess of Chester Hospital. (BBC)
 Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market
 The Italian Wikipedia blocks all articles in protest of the European Union's copyright law. (BBC) (The
Local)
 Tunisian local elections, 2018, Women in Tunisia
 Souad Abderrahim becomes the first woman to be elected as Mayor of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. (The
New York Times)
 The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope captures an image of PDS 70b, making it the
first clear image of a planet forming from the disk of gas and debris surrounding its host star. (NBC News)
Sport
 England beats Colombia 4–3 in penalty shoot-out to advance to the quarter-finals of the competition. It
is the first time England has won a penalty shootout in a World Cup match. (The Independent)
July 4, 2018 (Wednesday)
edithistorywatch
 Clashes break out between Israeli security forces and Bedouin residents in Khan al-Ahmar, West Bank, as
Israeli bulldozers prepare to demolish the village. The Supreme Court of Israel ruled that its residents
could be evicted on May 24, while such relocation is considered illegal under international humanitarian
law. (Reuters)
 2018 Amesbury poisonings
 Police determine two British nationals found unconscious at a property in Amesbury, Wiltshire, on
Saturday were poisoned using Novichok nerve agent of the same kind used in the poisoning of Sergei
and Yulia Skripalin Salisbury, seven miles from Amesbury, almost four months ago. (BBC)
 A major incident has been declared in Amesbury and several areas of the town have been evacuated as
the National Counter Terrorism Policing Network investigate the attack. (BBC)
 Moro conflict
 Philippine soldiers clash with militants from the ISIL-affiliated Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom
Fighters (BIFF), in the southern province of Maguindanao. The fighting began when BIFF militants
attempted to occupy a town center, and lasted for 12 hours until the BIFF militants withdrew to the hills.
Four militants were killed, while two militants, a Philippine soldier and a local militiaman were
wounded. (Reuters)
 Survivors trapped overnight on a stricken ferry are rescued off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi after the ferry
began sinking the day before. Out of the 139 passengers aboard, 31 have been confirmed dead, while three
remain missing. (AP via ABC News)
 The death toll from a heat wave in Quebec rises to 17. (CNN)
Law and crime
 Rise and Resist
 At least six people are arrested for hanging a sign that read "Abolish ICE" from the base below the Statue
of Liberty, where no banners are permitted hung under federal law. Another is arrested after scaling the
base of the statue, prompting an evacuation of the island on the busy Fourth of July holiday. (The
Washington Post) (ABC News)
 The Polish, Spanish, Estonian and Latvian Wikipedias shut down in protest of the European Union's
proposed copyright reform, blocking access for all users. This follows identical actions taken by Italian
Wikipedia the previous day. (ERR) (TechCrunch)
 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal
 Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is charged with abuse of power and three counts of
criminal breach of trust. He pleads not guilty to all charges and accuses the government of seeking
"political vengeance." (Channel NewsAsia) (NBC News)
July 5, 2018 (Thursday)
edithistorywatch
 Fireworks accidents and incidents
 Two explosions at fireworks workshops in Tultepec, Mexico, kill at least 19 people, including rescue
workers, and injure dozens more. Tultepec is home to a major fireworks industry. (Reuters)
 2018 Phuket boat capsizing
 At least 33 are dead and 23 missing after two passenger boats capsize off Phuket, Thailand. All
are Chinese tourists. (NYT)
birthday's [Barnum's Birthday]
 The death toll from the worst heat wave in decades in Quebec rises to 34. (CBC)
 United States withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
 Iran threatens to close the Strait of Hormuz to shipping if the U.S. re-applies sanctions to the country
after the U.S withdrew from the JCPOAdeal earlier in the year. (The Guardian)
 The European Parliament votes against the proposed copyright reform. (BBC)
 Environmental policy of the Donald Trump administration
 U.S. President Donald Trump announces the resignation of Scott Pruittas Administrator of
the Environmental Protection Agency. Former coal lobbyist Andrew R. Wheeler will act as a temporary
replacement. (CNBC)
July 6, 2018 (Friday)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 The wreckage of Nazi German submarine U-966, which was sunk in November 1943, is discovered off the coast
of Galicia, Spain. (BBC)
 Tham Luang cave rescue
 A former UDAU diver dies from lack of oxygen while delivering supplies to a group of boys and a man
trapped in the Tham Luang Nang Non. (ABC)
 2018 Japan floods
 Heavy rain in Japan prompts the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people. At least 38 people have
died in landslides. (BBC)
 As the heat wave in Quebec comes to an end, the death toll rises to 54. (CBC)
Law and crime
 Capital punishment in Japan
 Japan executes former Aum Shinrikyo leader Shoko Asahara and six other main members of Aum
Shinrikyo, who led the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack, by hanging. (BBC)
 Humboldt Broncos bus crash
 The driver of the tractor-trailer that collided with the Humboldt Broncosteam bus is arrested and is
expected to face 29 charges. (CBC)
 Corruption in Pakistan
 In the Avenfield corruption case, the court announced a 10 year sentence and 8 million pound fine for
the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif. His daughter and political heir, Maryam Nawaz, was
sentenced to 7 years imprisonment and a 2 million pound fine. Sharif's son-in-law, Muhammad Safdar
Awan, received a one-year sentence. (DAWN)
 Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales is accused of sexual abuse of ten public officials by former Foreign
Minister Edgar Gutierrez. (TeleSUR)
July 7, 2018 (Saturday)
edithistorywatch
 The death toll from a tourist boat accident off the coast of Thailand's Phuket Island climbs to 41, with 15
people still missing. (Reuters)
 The death toll from heavy rains in Japan rises to 49. (BBC)
 2018 North American heat wave
 High electricity demand during a heat wave in Los Angeles leaves 34,500 residents without power, some
for up to 24 hours. (CNN)
 North Korea–United States relations, 2017–18 North Korea crisis
 North Korean state media Korean Central News Agency calls high-level talks with U.S. Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo "regrettable" and criticizes the United States' "unilateral and gangster-like" demands
for denuclearization. (AP via AL.com)
Law and crime
 Crime in the Philippines
 Alexander Lubigan, Vice Mayor of Trece Martires, Philippines, is assassinated in an ambush. (The
Philippine Daily Inquirer)
 Demonstrators protesting against gun violence block Interstate 94 in Chicago. (CNN)
edithistorywatch
 The Syrian Air Defense Force damages an Israeli aircraft and thwarts an Israeli missile strike on the Tiyas
Military Airbase (T-4 Airbase) in the Homs Governorate. (Reuters)
 2018 Amesbury poisonings
 A British woman dies after being exposed to the Novichok nerve agent several days earlier
in Amesbury. (CBS News)
 The death toll from heavy rains in Japan rises to 94, with over 50 people still reported missing. (Japan
Today)
 Four boys are rescued from the cave. (The Guardian) (CNN)
 Çorlu train derailment
 A train en route to Istanbul from Bulgaria derails in Tekirdağ Province, Turkey, killing 24 people and
injuring 73. (Star Tribune) (BBC)
 U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calls for North Korea to follow Vietnam's path in overcoming past
hostilities with the United States. (The Guardian)
 2018 Eritrea–Ethiopia summit
 Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed meets with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki in Asmara and they
pledge to restore diplomatic relations. (CBC)
Law and crime
 Human rights in Iran
 Iranian police arrest a number of users for posting illegal content on Instagram, including a famous
blogger named Maedeh Hojabri. (The Guardian)
 David Davis resigns as the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union amid
disagreements with Prime Minister Theresa May over Brexit negotiations. (BBC)
 Purges in Turkey
 Turkey purges more than 18,500 government workers a day before Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is sworn in as
executive president. (Bloomberg)
edithistorywatch
 The death toll from heavy rains in Japan rises to 126, with over 86 people still reported missing. (Japan
Today)
 Divers in Thailand rescue four more boys from the cave Tham Luang Nang Non bringing the total to eight
rescued. (ABC News)
 About 50 students are poisoned by inhaling a toxic gas, due to an explosion near their school of the locality of
Chosica, in Lima, Peru. Spokespeople from local municipality say that this poisoning is due to the leakage of gas
from a chlorine cylinder, although the place where the explosion began and the origin of the product has yet to
be determined. (El Comercio) (La República)
 The number of homes destroyed by lava from the latest eruption reaches 700. (The Business Journals)
 2018 Eritrea–Ethiopia summit
 Leaders from Eritrea and Ethiopia officially declare an end to their countries' 20-year border
conflict. (Deutsche Welle)
 Sanctions against Iran, Iran–United States relations
 The U.S. Treasury Department announces sanctions for a Malaysia-based sales agent for Mahan Air in
connection with Iran's alleged support for international terrorism. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Inn Din massacre § Arrest of Reuters journalists
 A court in Myanmar charges two Reuters journalists with obtaining secret state documents in violation of
the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, taking the landmark press freedom case to trial after a period of
preliminary hearings that lasted six months. The two journalists were investigating mass graves in the
village of Inn Din in northern Rakhine State prior to their arrest and imprisonment on 12 December
2017. (Reuters) (Al Jazeera)
 Eugene Gu, a doctor famous for successfully suing President Donald Trump for blocking him on Twitter,
has been accused of sexual assault by a woman who says she’s his ex. (Daily Dot)
 2017–18 Iranian protests, Human rights in Iran
 Iranian women post videos of themselves dancing to protest the arrest of Instagram blogger Maedeh
Hojabri. (Time)
 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Quim Torra, meet
officially in Moncloa. It is the first time since the beginning of the crisis that a Spanish Prime Minister and
a Catalan President meet. (El País)
 Boris Johnson resigns as the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth
Affairs amid disagreements with Prime Minister Theresa May over Brexit negotiations. Johnson is the
second member of May's cabinet to resign in two days. (BBC)
 Kentucky gubernatorial election, 2019
 Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear announces that he will run for Kentucky Governor in
2019. (Courier Journal)
 Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination
 U.S. President Donald Trump nominates Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. (Reuters)
Sports
 Former NFL cornerback Brandon Browner is arrested after allegedly breaking into a home of an ex-girlfriend who
has a restraining order against him. (UPI)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 Television in Iran
 A film on IRIB TV1 showing social media users being scolded and tearfully apologizing for promoting
dance online angers reformists. (AFP via Yahoo! News)
 The death toll from heavy rains in Japan rises to 155 while several other people are still missing. (Japan
Times)
 The death toll from a tourist boat accident off the coast of Thailand's Phuket Island climbs to 44, with
five people still missing. (Business Insider)
 Divers in Thailand rescue the remaining four boys and their coach from the Tham Luang Nang
Non cave. (Channel NewsAsia)
 2018 North American heat wave
 The heat-related death toll in the Canadian province of Quebec rises to 70, with 34 of those occurring
in Montreal. (CBC)
 Human rights in China
 Liu Xia, widow of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human rights activist Liu Xiaobo, is allowed to
leave Beijing, China, for Berlin, Germany. (BBC)
 The Office of the United States Trade Representative releases a list of approximately $200 billion worth
of Chinese goods to be affected in its next round of tariffs. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Women's rights in Iran
 Shaparak Shajarizadeh, one of the Iranian women in the Girls of Enghelab Street protest against the hijab
rule, says that she has left Iranafter being sentenced to two years in prison and an 18-year suspended
prison term. (RFE/RL)
 2018 Peshawar suicide bombing
 A suicide bombing at an Awami National Party campaign rally in Peshawar kills twelve people, including
the provincial assemblycandidate, Haroon Bilour, and wounds 35. Bilour was the son of Bashir Ahmad
Bilour, who was also assassinated by a bomber in 2012. (APA)
 The Trump Administration misses a court mandated July 10th deadline to reunite some of the youngest
of the separated children with their families, citing "legitimate logistical impediments". (BBC)
 The Supreme Court of Spain suspends from public office the deputies to the Parliament of Catalonia
prosecuted for rebellion (Romeva, Turull, Rull, Sànchez, Junqueras, Puigdemont). The pre-trial phase is
finished. (El País)
Sports
 France knocks out Belgium from the World Cup, with France moving on to the final against
either Croatia or England. (New York Times)
edithistorywatch
 According to officials, an attack by the Taliban near Kunduz kills 29 Afghan Army soldiers. Air strikes kill
dozens of militants elsewhere in the country. (Reuters)
 The death toll from heavy rains in Japan rises to 179 while 67 other people are still missing. (Channel
NewsAsia)
 Traffic collisions (2000–present)
 At least 27 people are killed in an overnight bus crash in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, Iran. (Charlotte
Observer)
 Ahalanui Park and Kua O Ka La School are overtaken by lava. (Big Island Now)
 2018 Brussels summit
 Accession of Macedonia to NATO
 NATO formally invites Macedonia to begin membership talks to join the organization. (RFE/RL)
Law and crime
 National Socialist Underground trial
 In Germany, the accused members and supporters of the Neo-Naziterrorist group National Socialist
Underground are found guilty of the murders of nine immigrants and one policewoman, assistance in
said murders, bomb attacks, attempted murders, and robbery. The main defendant and last surviving
member of the terrorist group, Beate Zschäpe, is sentenced to life imprisonment. (Deutsche Welle)
 Murder of XXXTentacion
 A second suspect is arrested in connection with the murder of rapper XXXTentacion. (NBC News)
Sports
 Croatia defeats England 2–1 after extra time, advancing to their first-ever World Cup final, which will be
against France on July 15. (CNN)
edithistorywatch
 The death toll from heavy rains in Japan rises to 209 and 28 missing. (Reuters)
 The death toll from a tourist boat accident off the coast of Thailand's Phuket Island climbs to 46. (The
Straits Time)
 At least ten people are killed and many others still missing after a landslide breaks the banks of a natural dam
in Panjshir Province, Afghanistan. (TOLO News)
 The Artz Pedregal shopping centre in Mexico City collapses. (Reuters)
 Iran and state-sponsored terrorism
 Argentina petitions Russia to arrest former Iranian foreign minister and Ali Khamenei's advisor Ali Akbar
Velayati, who is currently in Moscow for a meeting with Vladimir Putin, over his alleged role in the 1994
Jewish center bombing. (The Times of Israel)
 International presidential visits made by Donald Trump, United Kingdom–United States relations
 U.S. President Donald Trump arrives in the UK for his presidential trip to the country amid widespread
protests. (BBC)
 The Haida Nation calls for tighter restrictions around the Bowie Seamount Marine Protected Area, a site of an
ancient submarine volcano. (CBC)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Mastung suicide bombing; Pakistani general election, 2018
 A suicide bomb attack near Mastung, Pakistan, kills 129 people, including political party candidate Siraj
Raisani, during a political campaign. This is the third consecutive attack on a political rally. (RTÉ.ie)
 International military intervention against ISIL, War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
 Pakistan, Iran, China, and Russia agree on joint efforts against the Islamic State group in Afghanistan, in
an effort to ensure peace and eliminate terrorism from the region. (The Nation)
 An explosion at a chemical plant near Cairo, Egypt, injures 12 people. (BBC)
 An explosion at a chemical plant in Sichuan, China, kills 19 people and injures 12 others. (BBC)
 Twelve Russian intelligence officers are indicted for hacks in connection with hacking of the Democratic
National Committee, the Hillary Clinton campaign, and state election systems during the 2016
presidential election. (NPR) (NBC News)
edithistorywatch
 Iranian intervention in Iraq (2014–present)
 Iran's Revolutionary Guards kill three would-be saboteurs and wound another in Kermanshah, near
the Iraq border, before seizing their equipment. A volunteer on Iran's side is also killed. (Reuters
via Yahoo!News)
 2015–2018 Iraqi protests
 Widespread unrest erupts in southern Iraq as protesters, frustrated by shortages of electricity, water and
jobs vent their anger, setting fire to political offices, attacking government infrastructure and deepening
uncertainty about the country’s shaky political future. (Washington Post)
 A landslide at a jade mine in Kachin State, Myanmar, kills at least 15 people and injures 45 others. (Channel
NewsAsia)
 In data collected by NASA's Juno spacecraft, an INAF team discovers suggestions of a new volcano close to the
south pole of Jupiter's moon Io. (Tribune)
Sports
 Belgium defeats England 2–0 to finish at third place—its best ever result at a World Cup. (Reuters
via Radio New Zealand)
edithistorywatch
 Demonstrations in Muthanna Province, Iraq, leave 16 protesters killed or injured and 33 others
arrested. (Iraqi News)
 Flights from Iran to Najaf, Iraq, are diverted to Baghdad due to anti-government protests. (Reuters)
 An earthquake of 6.2 magnitude strikes off Yemen, but there are no reports of any damage or casualties. (The
New York Times)
 MV Shunqiang 2 collides with another ship off Shanghai, causing thirteen to fall overboard and the ship to
sink. Search and rescue operations commence for the missing seafarers. (Xinhua)
 A fire in a copper mine in Limpopo, South Africa kills five and traps a sixth. (CNN)
 Iran and weapons of mass destruction, Iran–Israel proxy conflict
 New details from Iranian nuclear documents stolen by Israeli spies show that Tehran obtained weapons-
design information from a foreign source and was on the cusp of mastering key bombmaking
technologies when the research was ordered halted 15 years ago. (The Washington Post)
Law and crime
 Murder of April Tinsley
 Police in Allen County, Indiana arrest a suspect in the 1988 murder of the 8-year-old April Tinsley. (CBS
News)
 Politics of Haiti
 Haitian Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant resigns after deadly protests against fuel price rises. (BBC)
 A tiny island of lava forms north of the Kapoho ocean entry on Hawaii island. (Star Advertiser)
Sports
 Manny Pacquiao vs. Lucas Matthysse
 In boxing, Manny Pacquiao knocks out Lucas Matthysse in the seventh round to win the WBA
welterweight championship. (Reuters)
 2018 FIFA World Cup Final
 In football, France defeats Croatia 4–2 to claim its second World Cupchampionship. (BBC Sport)
 Celebrations across France see two killed, 45 injured, and 292 arrested. (A.A.)
 2018 Wimbledon Championships
 In men's professional tennis, Novak Djokovic defeats Kevin Anderson in three sets to win his
fourth Wimbledon championship. (BBC Sport)
edithistorywatch
 Demonstrations across Iraq leave dozens of people dead and cause mass unrest. (Iraqi News) (The
Jerusalem Post) (The Wall Street Journal)
 23 passengers on a tour boat in Hawaii are injured after a lava bombfrom the Kīlauea volcano punctures
the roof of the vessel. (KABC-TV)
 An intense heatwave kills at least 14 people in Japan. (Reuters)
 Heavy flooding in Nigeria kills 44 people and 20 others are missing. (All Africa)
 Five bodies are recovered from MV Shunqiang 2, which sank the day before after colliding with another ship
near Shanghai. (Xinhua)
 A ship catches fire at the Gadani ship-breaking yard in Pakistan, trapping four workers inside. (The Tribune)
 A road collision involving a broken-down bus kills at least 17 people and injures at least 11 others
in Hyderabad, Pakistan. (The Tribune)
 Two vessels deliver 25 survivors and one Peruvian corpse from Spanish ship MV Dorneda to ports
in Argentina and Patagonia. One crewman remains missing after the fishing trawler sank off Argentina. (The
Journal du Cemron)
 An explosion in a coal mine in Tkibuli, Georgia, kills four people and injures six others. (A.A.)
 A gas explosion at a hotel in Multan, Pakistan, kills three people and injures 25 others. (The Nation)
 2018 Russia–United States summit
 United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Helsinki. (Huffington
Post)
 Trump reiterates his position that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 US presidential election. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Communications in Iran
 Iranian police arrest 46 people in fresh crackdowns on models and associated colleagues posting
"immoral images" on Instagram. (Washington Post)
 Russian espionage in the United States
 The US government charges Maria Butina, a 29-year-old Russian woman with conspiracy to act as a
Russian government agent while infiltrating political groups. (The Guardian)
 Finbar Charles, a 62-year-old citizen of Saint Lucia, pleads guilty to bribing US Army officers for military contracts
during the Iraq War. (AL)
 Khoisan § Declaration of sovereignty
 King Khoebaha Calvin Cornelius III declares independence from South Africa to form the "Sovereign State
of Good Hope", encompassing the states of Northern Cape, Western Cape, and the western parts
of Eastern Cape. The state raised their own flag after taking down the South African flag. (The Citizen)
 British space programme
 The UK Space Agency announces that the country's first spaceport will be located in Sutherland,
northern Scotland, with the first launches potentially taking place in the early 2020s. (BBC) (The
Guardian)
edithistorywatch
 Gaza–Israel conflict, 2018 Gaza border protests
 The Israel Defense Forces are instructed to prepare for a large-scale military offensive in Gaza if demands
for Hamas to halt the launches of flaming kites, incendiary devices and rocket attacks are not met by
Friday. (The Times of Israel)
 An ISIL suicide bomber killed 20 people in northern Afghanistan on Tuesday, including
a Taliban commander. In southern Kandahar province, the Taliban attacked a police checkpoint
in Arghistan district late on Monday night, killing nine policemen and wounding seven. 25 Taliban
fighters were killed and 15 were wounded in the ensuing battle. (AP)
 All flights from Iran to Najaf, Iraq, resume following recent disturbances at Al Najaf International
Airport. (Anadolu Agency)
 United States withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
 Iran files a lawsuit against the United States in the International Court of Justice alleging its decision in
May to impose sanctions after pulling out of a nuclear deal violates the 1955 Treaty of Amity, Economic
Relations and Consular Rights between the two countries. (Reuters)
 Japan–European Union relations
 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe and European CommissionPresident Jean-Claude Juncker hold a
summit in Tokyo and sign a deal creating an open trade zone between their states. (NPR)
 Russia–Tajikistan relations
 Russia and Tajikistan begin joint military exercises near the Afghan–Tajik border to deter
potential Taliban attacks. (Yahoo)
 About 250 protesters gather at the main entrance to Iraq's giant Zubair oilfield. (Reuters)
 Moons of Jupiter
 Ten new moons are discovered around Jupiter, raising the count to 79 confirmed moons. One of these
new moons, S/2016 J 2, nicknamed Valetudo, is notable for orbiting backwards compared to the other
moons in its vicinity, and may collide with one of them in the future. (Science Magazine)
 Archeologists in Jordan find baked flatbread dating to 12,500 BC, making it the oldest surviving bread ever
discovered, surpassing a Turkish loaf which was estimated to be 9,100 years old. The bread was found in a stone
oven which was apparently built during the formative years of the Natufian culture. The bread is also notable for
predating the Neolithic Revolution by 4,000 years. (Reuters)
 Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announces plans to open the Technological University Dublin, a new university
in Dublin, Ireland, in January 2019. The new university will be an amalgamation of three existing institutes of
technology – DIT, ITB, and IT Tallaght. (RTÉ)
edithistorywatch
 Siege of al-Fu'ah and Kafriya
 The evacuations of Shia towns Al-Fu'ah and Kafriya in the northern Idlib Governorate begin, as
part of a deal between rebel forces and the Syrian government. (Al Jazeera)
Arts and culture
 A joint-team of South Korean, British, and Canadian explorers announce the discovery of the wreck of Russian
cruiser Dmitrii Donskoi, off the coast of Ulleungdo island. Dmitrii Donskoi was scuttled in 1905 during the Russo-
Japanese War. (BBC) (The New York Post)
 European Union competition law
 The European Commission fines Google €4.34 billion for breaching EUantitrust regulations, claiming that
Google abused the dominant position of Android to promote their search product. Google announces it
will appeal the ruling. (European Commission) (NPR)
 A migrant boat capsizes off the northern coast of Cyprus, killing at least 19 people, while 25 are reported
missing, and the Turkish coast guard rescues 103. (AP)
 Eritrea–Ethiopia relations
 International air travel resumes between Eritrea and Ethiopia for the first time since 1998. (France 24)
Law and crime
 Naa'imur Zakariyah Rahman, 20, is convicted of terror offences after attempting to kill guards,
attack Theresa May, and blow himself up on Downing Street using fake explosives provided to him in a
sting operation. (The Independent)
 The leader of the banned British far-right designated terrorist groupNational Action, Christopher
Lythgoe, is jailed for eight years for being a member. (Sky News)
 Cal 3
 The Supreme Court of California blocks Tim Draper's proposition to break California into three states,
stating that "significant questions have been raised regarding the proposition's validity". (NBC News)
 Nuclear program of Iran
 Iran starts work at a factory that can produce rotors for up to 60 centrifuges a day. (Reuters)
 Astronomers discover a giant gaseous planet orbiting a pair of brown dwarfs. (Sci News)
 Environmental issues in the United States
 Environmental Protection Agency Acting Administrator Andrew R. Wheeler announces coal-burning
power plants may dispose of fly ash in unlined ponds for another 18 months beyond a previously-set
April 2019 deadline. Testing standards for hazardous elements in adjacent waters are also weakened.
While the move would theoretically save an estimated $28-31 million annually in regulatory costs, there
are concerns drinking water could be affected. (NBC News)
Sports
 Formula 2 driver Santino Ferrucci is sacked by Trident Racing for deliberately crashing into Arjun Maini at a race
in Silverstone earlier this month and for his sponsor's non-payment. He was previously fined for a number of
other incidents, including holding a mobile phone as he drove from a paddock. (ESPN)
edithistorywatch
 Protests that began last week in Iraq continue amid widespread anger over poor public services, high
unemployment, and pollution. (CNBC)
 Fourteen civilians are killed in an airstrike near Kunduz. (Reuters)
 A 5.7 magnitude earthquake is felt in Mexico City as buildings shake mildly and some residents evacuate homes
and office buildings. (NASDAQ)
 Table Rock Lake duck boat accident
 At least 17 people are killed and an unknown number of others missing after a duck boat carrying 31
people capsizes and sinks on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, USA. (News 5 Cleveland)
 Equipment of the Iranian Army
 Iran states that it intends to manufacture and upgrade up to 800 tanks. (Business Insider)
Law and crime
 Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People
 The Israeli Parliament passes a Basic Law declaring that the Land of Israel is the historical homeland of
the Jewish people and that the right to exercise national self-determination in the State of Israel is
unique to the Jewish people, and also removes Arabic as an official language. (NPR)(The Times of Israel)
 The head of Peru's Supreme Court resigns amid allegations of accepting bribes. (BBC)
 Airbus transport aircraft Airbus Beluga XL makes its maiden flight in France. (Euronews)
edithistorywatch
 The Israel Defense Forces engage in a gunfight with Hamas' military wing after an Israeli soldier is killed
by a Palestinian sniper; four Hamas members are killed. Israel responds to the incident with strikes
on Hamastargets across Gaza. (BBC) (The New York Times)
 Three rockets are fired at Israeli communities from Gaza. Two of them are intercepted by the Iron
Dome. (CNN)
Arts and culture
 James Gunn is fired as the director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3after the emergence of old tweets
where he joked about subjects like pedophilia and rape. (Time)
 Smoke from a brush fire reduces visibility and the OPP temporarily closes a 130-kilometre section of Ontario
Highway 17 between Mattawa and Petawawa, the primary route of the Trans-Canada Highway through the
province. (Ottawa Citizen)
 Marine accidents in 2018
 An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation into the collision between container ship MV Beijing
Bridge and trawler FV Saxon Onwardconcludes both vessels saw each other in the lead-up to the
collision but neither took appropriate avoiding action in time, with evasive manoeuvres by the cargo ship
increasing the collision risk. (The Maritime Executive)
Law and crime
 Impeachment of Park Geun-hye
 Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye is sentenced to an additional eight years for abusing state
funds and violating election laws. (CBC)
 A man attacks people on a bus in Lübeck, Germany, prompting an evacuation of the vehicle. Six people are hurt
by a knife, one is punched and two fall down; three are critically wounded. Police find a smoldering non-
explosive backpack at the scene. The Iranian-born suspect is arrested. (BBC) (CBC) (RFERL)
 Hackers steal the personal data of 1.5 million Singaporeans through the national public health care system.
Officials say Prime Minister Hsien Loong Lee's data is the target of the breach. (Channel NewsAsia)
 Microsoft reports that at least three United States congressional candidateshave been targeted by hackers in the
lead-up to the 2018 midterm elections. (BBC)
 Outside President Hassan Rouhani's office in Tehran, a group of Iraniangirls severely burned in a 2012
school fire protest unequal diyah by the government toward their medical bills, which some say is an
inalienable right. Their lawyer says Iran's policy of paying half diyah to women is "unfair and
discriminatory". (PayvAnd)
 People's Party (Spain) leadership election, 2018
 The XIX Congress of the People's Party begins, which will elect the new party leader and successor of
former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. The candidates are former Deputy Prime Minister Soraya
Sáenz de Santamaría and the party's deputy secretary of communication, Pablo Casado. (Reuters)
edithistorywatch
Business and Economy
 Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne resigns due to failing health and is replaced by Jeep CEO Mike Manley.
 Western Iran clashes (2016–present)
 PJAK militants blow up an ammunition dump and kill eleven Iranianborder guards stationed at an Iran–
Iraq border post in Marivan County. Several militants are killed in return. (Reuters)
 Israel Defense Forces extract 98 White Helmets and 324 others from recently recaptured
southwestern Syrian territory into Jordan, at the request of Canada and the United States. Canada,
the United Kingdomand Germany offer refuge to some of them. Two other groups intended for rescue,
comprising about 800 people, do not escape. (CBC)
 Tropical Storm Son-Tinh kills 20 people, injures 14 more and leaves at least 16 missing
in Vietnam. (Reuters)
 The death toll from a heatwave in Japan rises to 30. (BBC)
Law and crime
 Crime in South Africa
 Gunmen attack a minibus of people returning from a funeral between Colenso and Weenen in KwaZulu-
Natal, South Africa. Eleven people are shot dead and four others are critically injured. (The Evening
Standard)
 Crime in Los Angeles
 A gunman is arrested for one count of murder after killing a woman then taking dozens of people
hostage at a Trader Joe's in Los Angeles, California. (CBS News)
 People's Party (Spain) leadership election, 2018
 Pablo Casado is elected leader of Spain's centre-right People's Partyafter defeating former Deputy Prime
Minister of Spain Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría in a run-off. (BBC)
 Presidency of Rodrigo Duterte
 The Philippines immigration authority has ordered the deportation and blacklisting of an Australian nun
who was investigated, under instruction from President Rodrigo Duterte, for her political
activism. (Business Insider)
Sports
 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens – Women's tournament
 New Zealand defeats France 29–0 in the final to win the 2018 women's Rugby World Cup Sevens. (Radio
New Zealand)
edithistorywatch
 An ISIL suicide bomber kills 14 people and wounds over 60 others at a police checkpoint near Hamid
Karzai International Airport. The attack coincides with Afghan Vice President Abdul Rashid
Dostum returning to Afghanistan after more than a year in exile in Turkey. Dostum and his entourage are
unwounded. (The Wall Street Journal)
 A suspected U.S. drone strike kills four alleged al-Qaeda militants in Ma'rib. (AP)
Law and crime
 Protests against Emmanuel Macron, Benalla affair
 A French judge hands preliminary charges to one of French PresidentEmmanuel Macron's top security
aides after video surfaced showing him attacking a protester at a May Day demonstration. (Canoe.com)
 Danforth shooting
 A mass shooting in Toronto, Canada occurs. Three people are killed and 13 are injured. The shooter is
found dead nearby after exchanging gunfire with police and fleeing. (AP)
Sports
 2018 Open Championship
 Francesco Molinari wins the British Open at Carnoustie for his first major title by two strokes over a
group including past major winners Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose. Tiger Woods, Molinari's playing
partner for the final round, finishes one shot further back in a tie for sixth. (CBS News)
 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens – Men's tournament
 New Zealand defeats England 33–12 in the final to win the 2018 men's Rugby World Cup Sevens. (Radio
New Zealand)
 Football in Germany
 Arsenal and German professional footballer Mesut Özil announces his retirement from international
football, citing racism and disrespect. (The Guardian)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Attica wildfires
 Wildfires in east and west Attica, Greece, kill at least 76 people, leave another 172 injured, and burn
hundreds of houses and vehicles, prompting a state of emergency. The Greek government requests help
from European Union countries. (Reuters) (Sky News)
 Heavy rains cause the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam in southern Laos to collapse, releasing a
reported five billion cubic metres of water. As a result, 20 people are confirmed dead, over a hundred
are missing, and 6,600 have been displaced. (BBC) (The Guardian)
 Geologists monitoring the eruption of Kīlauea warned it could continue to spout lava for a long
time. (WRAL)
 The death toll from an intense heat wave in Japan rises to 77. (The Straits Times)
 North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
 Photos taken on July 20 and 22 and published by 38 North appear to show North Korea dismantling a
ballistic missile launchpad and engine testing stand at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station. (UPI)
Law and crime
 Danforth shooting
 Police identify the gunman in a deadly shooting in Toronto, Canada. Investigators are still determining a
motive. His family claims he had severe mental health problems. (CBC)
 Femen co-founder and activist Oksana Shachko is found dead in her Parisapartment in an apparent
suicide. France granted her political refugee status in 2013. (RFE/RL)
 Protesters take to the streets around Manila as Philippine PresidentRodrigo Duterte prepares for
his State of the Nation Address (SONA). (Time)
 17th Congress of the Philippines
 Majority of the House of Representatives of the Philippines elects Former President and current House
Representative, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyoas House Speaker of the lower congress replacing Pantaleon
Alvarez. (Reuters)
edithistorywatch
 Israeli–Syrian military incidents during the Syrian Civil War
 The Israel Defense Forces shoot down a Syrian Air Force jet near the Golan Heights after it reportedly
crosses into the UNDOF zone near Israeli border. (BBC)
 Hawaii cancels a grant funding the island government's purchase of a recreational land parcel that is now
covered by fresh lava. (WRAL)
 Trump tariffs
 The White House announces $12 billion in bailouts for farmers and ranchers affected by recently
imposed retaliatory tariffs. (Sacramento Business Journal)
 The death toll from heavy floods in Vietnam rises to 27, while seven other people are missing. (Reuters)
 2018 in paleontology
 Researchers at the Imperial College London report the discovery of the Lingwulong genus, a subgroup
of Sauropods that lived in China about 174 million years ago, which is 15 million years earlier than any
previously-known member of the group. (BBC) (ABC News)
edithistorywatch
 2018 As-Suwayda attacks
 Coordinated suicide bombings and shootings carried out by the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant in As-Suwayda, Syria, kill 215 people and injure more than 200 others. (Reuters)
 2018 Quetta suicide bombing
 A blast outside a polling station in Quetta, Pakistan, kills 31 people and wounds several more on election
day. (Hindustan Times)
 United States–European Union relations, Trump tariffs
 U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders agree to halt their trade war over vehicles and say
they will open talks on removing trade barriers between the United States and the European Union. (AP
viaYahoo! Finance)
 The death toll from the wildfires in Greece rises to 80 people while many others are still missing. (BBC)
 The death toll from a dam collapse in Laos that caused heavy floods rises to 26, while more than 130
remain missing. (Channel NewsAsia)
 A Legionella outbreak in Bresso, Italy, kills three people while 17 others are hospitalized. (Corriere Della Sera)
 Paraguay's Minister of Agriculture, Luis Gneiting, and three others are killed in a plane crash
near Ayolas. (Reuters)
Law and crime
 Caitlan Coleman, the wife of former Taliban hostage Joshua Boyle, returns to the United States with her
children after a family law court in Ottawa approved her request. (CTV News)
 Pakistani general election, 2018
 Voters in Pakistan go to the polls to elect the members of the National Assembly and the four Provincial
Assemblies of Pakistan. (Reuters)
 Water on Mars
 Scientists at INAF announce the discovery of a liquid water lake beneath a polar ice cap on Mars. The
discovery was made using MARSIS, a radar instrument on board the European Space Agency's Mars
Express orbiter. (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 Facebook stocks drop 20% (US$118 billion), setting a record as the biggest single stock market loss in one day,
and marking the first time that a stock lost over $100 billion in one day. (CNBC)
 Disney announces plans to eliminate all plastic straws and plastic stirrers from their parks by mid-2019. (NOLA)
 Hundreds of Sub-Saharan African migrants storm a border fence in Spain's North African enclave
of Ceuta, using home-made flamethrowers and other improvised weapons. The Spanish Civil
Guard reports that 602 people succeeded in reaching Ceuta, of whom 586 were taken to a temporary
reception centre, while 16 others are being treated in a hospital. Fifteen border guards were also
hurt. (The Guardian)
Law and crime
 Capital punishment in Japan
 The six remaining cult members of Aum Shinrikyo who perpetrated the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin
attack and were on death row are executed by hanging. (Japan Today)
 Cannabis in the United Kingdom
 The UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid announces that medicinal cannabisproducts are to be legalized by the
end of this year, allowing cannabis treatments to be legally prescribed by specialist doctors following
several high profile cases. (BBC) (Reuters)
 A bomb explodes outside the U.S. Embassy in China, wounding the lone assailant. (Reuters)
 A team of Russian scientists in collaboration with Princeton Universityannounce in a new report that they have
brought two female nematodesfrozen in permafrost from around 42,000 years ago back to life. The two
nematodes are now the oldest confirmed living animals on the planet. (The Siberian Times)
 Astronomers say they have observed Albert Einstein's theory of gravitational redshift for the first time while
observing a star known as S2 interact with a supermassive black hole using the Very Large Telescope (VLT). (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 Proposed acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney
 21st Century Fox share holders approve a $71.3 billion merger with The Walt Disney Company. (Variety)
 The Carr wildfire threatening Redding, California, U.S., kills two firefighters, as many residents flee their
homes. (New York Times)
 North Korea returns what it says are the remains of 55 U.S. servicemen killed during the Korean War on
the 65th anniversary of the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement. The repatriation was agreed at
the June summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in a bid to
improve relations. (Sky News) (Vox)
 July 2018 lunar eclipse
 The longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century colours the moon reddish orange in parts of Africa,
Asia and Europe for about one hour and 42 minutes. (ABC News)
edithistorywatch
Arts and culture
 Ground breaking on the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park, Illinois, is pushed back again until all
federal approvals are completed, which will not be until 2019. (Chicago Sun Times)
 July 2018 Lombok earthquake
 A magnitude 6.4 earthquake hits Lombok, Indonesia, destroying several houses. At least 16 people are
killed and 160 others are injured. (BBC)
 Heavy monsoon rains in northern India leave 58 people dead. (ABC)
 A bus crashes in Dapoli, India, killing thirty people and leaving one sole survivor. (Bendigo Advertiser)
Law and crime
 Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan is arrested and taken into police custody on charges of being
involved in the crackdown on protests in 2008 that resulted in ten deaths following a disputed presidential
election. (RFE/RL)
 A court in Egypt sentences 75 supporters of former president Mohammed Morsi to death, as part of a trial of
more than 700. (BBC)
 Australian federal by-elections
 Five separate by-elections are held for five seats in the Australian House of Representatives,
namely Braddon, Fremantle, Longman, Mayo and Perth, four of which were triggered by the dual
citizenship crisis. (The Guardian)
 Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People
 Israeli Arab MP Zouheir Bahloul resigns over the "nation-state" law.(BBC)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Pacific typhoon season
 Typhoon Jongdari hits central and western Japan, injuring at least 21 people and cutting power to tens of
thousands of homes. The typhoon is the latest in the series of weather events to affect the country,
following devastating floods and a fatal heat wave earlier in the month. (BBC)
 The death toll from the fires in Greece rises to 91 while 25 other people are still missing. (AP)
 List of people who disappeared mysteriously
 TeNiya Elnora Jones, a University of Kentucky student studying abroad in the Middle East, is reported
missing after a swimming accident over the weekend in Tel Aviv, Israel. (USA Today)
 Israeli–Palestinian conflict, 2018 Gaza border protests
 Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi is released from an Israeli prison. (NBC News)
Law and crime
 Four cyclists, two Americans, one Dutch national and one Swiss national, are killed in the Khatlon
Region, Tajikistan by a hit-and-run driver while three others are injured. A 21 year old male suspect has been
arrested. (RFE/RL), (NU.nl)
 Malian presidential election, 2018
 Malians go to the polls to elect a president. (The Globe and Mail)
Sports
 2018 Tour de France
 Geraint Thomas of the United Kingdom wins the Tour de France. (BBC)
edithistorywatch
 2018 Southern Syria offensive
 The Syrian Army seizes control of Al-Shajara, described as ISIL's "main bastion" in the Daraa
Governorate. (The New Arab)
 The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reports that ISIL militants are holding more than
30 Druze women and children hostage following last week's attacks on Druze villages in the As-Suwayda
Governorate. (BBC)
 Economy of Iran
 The Iranian rial hits another record low against the US dollar ahead of August 7, when the first round of
fresh United States sanctions against Iran begin. (Al Jazeera)
 15 people are killed and over 25,000 are affected after heavy floods hits Nigeria. (All Africa)
 11 people died and 54,000 others are displaced when floods hits Myanmar. (DNA India)
 13 people are killed and four others are injured in a road accident involving a car and a truck in Quang
Nam, Vietnam. (VietnamPlus)
 A man died and 12 others were hospitalized when the West Nile virus spread across Italy. (Fidelity News)
 Italy–United States relations
 U.S. President Donald Trump hosts Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at the White House. (USA
Today)
 Intelligence officials in the United States share evidence that North Koreahas continued to
develop nuclear weapons, despite promises made at the 2018 North Korea–United States
summit. (Washington Post)
Law and crime
 Cannabis in Georgia
 Following a campaign led by Georgian politician Zurab Japaridze, the Constitutional Court of
Georgia legalizes cannabis for recreational use. Georgia is the first former Soviet Republic to fully legalize
the drug, with it also being decriminalized in Russia, Ukraine and Estonia. (Georgia Today) (RFE/RL)
 Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb calls for the General Assembly to pass a hate crimes bill after a
suburban Indianapolis synagogue is defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti. (SFgate)
 Australian Archbishop Philip Wilson announces his resignation after being convicted for his role in covering up
sexual abuse. He is the most senior Roman Catholic official convicted to date. (BBC)
 Voters in Zimbabwe go to the polls to elect a new president and members for both houses of
the Parliament, the first election to not involve longtime former president Robert Mugabe. (The
Guardian)
 Macedonian constitutional referendum, 2018
 Lawmakers in Macedonia approve a government proposal to set September 30 as the target date of a
referendum to change the country's name. (RFE/RL)
edithistorywatch
 Terrorism in Tajikistan, Terrorist incidents linked to ISIL
 ISIL claims responsibility for an attack in Tajikistan that occurred two days prior and left four cycling
tourists dead. (CBS News)
 Malian presidential election, 2018
 Gunmen attack a convoy carrying election materials in the Ségou Region. The attack and the ensuing
shootout kill four soldiers and eight attackers. (SBS News)
 Three people are killed and robbed in an ambush near Sibut, Central African Republic. The Mikhail
Khodorkovsky-financed Investigations Management Center says that they were Russian journalists who worked
with them on a documentary about Wagner Group mercenaries and Russian mining interests in the
country. (TASS) (Reuters) (CBS News)
 Moro conflict
 2018 Lamitan bombing
 A van loaded with an improvised explosive device explodes in an army checkpoint
in Lamitan, Basilan, in the Philippines, killing 11. (Manila Bulletin)
 Worker pay rate in the United States hits its highest level since 2008 according to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. The Employment Cost Index, which tracks worker compensation, has been steadily increasing
since just prior to Donald Trump taking office. (CNBC) (Bloomberg)(Bureau of Labor Statistics)
 Fires across California kill at least eight people. One month into the fiscal year, the state's emergency
fund is about one quarter spent. (UPI)
 Aeroméxico Connect Flight 2431
 An Aeroméxico Embraer 190 crashes shortly after taking off from Durango International
Airport in Durango, Mexico, injuring around 85 people, two critically. (BBC)
 In Peru, two trains collide en-route to Machu Picchu, injuring 15. (BBC)
 Popocatépetl, a stratovolcano that is part of the trans-Mexican volcanic belt, releases a large quantity of
ash. (BBC)
 Russia–European Union relations
 The European Union imposes sanctions on six Russian companiesinvolved in the construction of the
bridge connecting mainland Russia to the annexed Crimea peninsula. (The Moscow Times)
Law and crime
 The former campaign chairman of U.S. President Donald Trump, Paul Manafort, appears in court for the
opening day of his criminal trial on 18 bank and fraud charges brought by special counsel Robert
Mueller. (The Hill)
 A shooting at a billiard hall in El Tarra, Colombia, kills nine people. Local media blames a feud between two left-
wing rebel groups, who both deny responsibility. (BBC)
 Facebook announces that it has suspended 32 accounts it believes intended to influence the 2018 mid-term
elections in the United States. The company says while it is uncertain who operated these accounts, at least one
is linked to the Russian-based Internet Research Agency. (BBC)
Sports
 In baseball, the New York Mets suffer the worst loss in franchise history after being defeated by the Washington
Nationals, 25–4.

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 Winter Games

march 1, 2018 (Thursday)

Business and economy

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