Portal:Current events

Topics in the news

Paralympics opening ceremony

• Amid evacuations from Afghanistan, a suicide bombing kills at least 182 people at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.
• The Summer Paralympics open (ceremony pictured) in Tokyo, Japan.
• Ismail Sabri Yaakob is appointed as prime minister by the King of Malaysia.
• Hakainde Hichilema is elected President of Zambia.
• A 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Haiti kills more than 2,200 people.

Ongoing:

• COVID-19 pandemic

Recent deaths:

• Siegfried Matthus
• Hae Un Lee
• William J. Boarman
• Ed Asner
• Teresa Żylis-Gara
• Sam Oji

Current events of August 31, 2021 (2021-08-31) (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Afghanistan conflict
  • Panjshir conflict
    • The Panjshir resistance say its fighters have killed eight Taliban members in clashes in the Panjshir Valley, the final stronghold outside of Taliban control. A large number of Taliban forces have been deployed near the valley, while negotiations take place to resolve the conflict. (Reuters)
  • Aftermath of the Withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan (2020–2021)
    • Celebratory gunfire erupts in Kabul by Taliban fighters following the departure of the last aircraft carrying U.S. troops. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid says during a news conference that "It is a historical day and a historical moment" and "the Taliban are proud of these moments, that we liberated our country from a great power". (Reuters)
• A drone attack against the Abha International Airport, in Saudi Arabia, leaves 8 people wounded. (Al Jazeera)

Disasters and accidents

• 2021 California wildfires
  • California fire officials issue an evacuation order for the Lake Tahoe Basin as the Caldor Fire continues to spread. So far the fire has burned 177,000 acres and destroyed over 470 structures. (CBS)
  • The United States Forest Service orders all national parks in California closed until mid-September to help combat the wildfires. (CBS)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji
    • The top medical adviser to the government says that vaccination of children between the ages of 12 and 17 years old is "crucial" to prevent more fatalities among children as Fiji has reported ten children dying from COVID-19, most recently a six-month-old boy who was also affected by the Delta variant. (RNZ)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
    • Israel reports a record 10,947 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,066,352. (Israel Hayom)

Law and crime

• Capital punishment in Bangladesh, LGBT rights in Bangladesh, Persecution of homosexuals
  • A court in Bangladesh sentences six men linked to Ansar al-Islam, an organization linked to al-Qaeda, to death, for the 2016 murders of two gay rights campaigners, including Xulhaz Mannan. Local gay and LGBT organizations welcome the verdict. (Reuters)
• Transgender rights in the United States
  • Twenty U.S states, led by Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery, file a lawsuit against the Joe Biden Administration in an attempt to halt new regulations put forth by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the United States Department of Education promoting transgender rights in schools, alleging federal overreach. (Fox News)

Politics and elections

• 2021 Estonian presidential election
  • Alar Karis is elected President of Estonia by the parliament of state, Riigikogu. (ERR)

Current events of August 30, 2021 (2021-08-30) (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Afghanistan conflict
  • 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan
    • Withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan, Operation Allies Refuge
      • Marine Corps General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. announces that the final American troops have left Afghanistan, concluding U.S. involvement in the Afghanistan war. U.S. President Joe Biden also confirms the end of the war in a statement. (The New York Times) (KXTV-TV)
      • Army General Christopher T. Donahue becomes the last American servicemember to leave Afghanistan. (The Guardian)
  • Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid says that yesterday's airstrike by the United States killed civilians and that if "there was any potential threat in Afghanistan, it should have been reported to us, not an arbitrary attack that has resulted in civilian casualties". (The Washington Post) (Reuters)

Arts and culture

• Video games in China, Video game addiction in China
  • China's General Administration of Press and Publication announces new regulations prohibiting youth under the age of 18 years old from playing online video games for more than three hours per week, citing physical and mental health concerns. Playing of online video games will only be allowed between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm on weekends and holidays. (CNBC)

Disasters and accidents

• 2021 Atlantic hurricane season
  • Hurricane Ida is downgraded to a tropical storm after battering the U.S. state of Louisiana. Governor John Bel Edwards urges citizens "to remain where you are" as the storm left heavy damage in the state. Heavy rains and winds are also expected in the Tennessee and Ohio valleys as the storm moves further north. (The Washington Post) (CNN)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education
      • Jakarta reopens schools for some students for the first time after 18 months of remote learning with enhanced safety and health measures as the community activities restrictions are eased in some regions of the country. (The Guardian)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
      • Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob enters quarantine following a close contact with a COVID-19 patient. (Al Jazeera English)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
      • The Philippines reports a record 22,366 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,976,202. (Rappler)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
      • Vietnam reports a record 14,224 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 449,489. (Viet Nam News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
      • COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales
        • New South Wales reports a record 1,290 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (9 News)
      • Australia surpasses 1,000 deaths from COVID-19. (News.com.au)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, COVID-19 vaccination in New Zealand
      • New Zealand reports its first death related to the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in a woman who died after suffering myocarditis, a rare side-effect of the vaccine. (TVNZ)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic, COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic
    • The Czech government announces that the country will begin offering a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from September 20 to all people who previously have been vaccinated at least eight months ago using either Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. (Reuters)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, Variants of SARS-CoV-2
    • Scientists in South Africa detect a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 called C.1.2 which is associated with increased transmissibility and the ability to evade antibodies. The variant was first identified in Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces and has spread to seven countries as of August 13. (Bloomberg)

International relations

• Nuclear power in North Korea
  • The International Atomic Energy Agency says that North Korea appears to have restarted its Nyongbyon nuclear reactor in a breach of the September 2018 inter-Korean summit declaration and United Nations Security Council resolutions. (BBC)

Law and crime

• Armed gang members take hostages during their getaway following three bank robberies in Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil. Three people are killed during the incident, including two civilians and one of the robbers. Four other people are wounded, including one during an explosion. Three suspects have been arrested. (BBC)
• Kira Yarmysh, the official spokesperson for incarcerated Russian activist Alexei Navalny, leaves Russia, reportedly travelling to Helsinki, Finland, after a court sentenced her to a restriction of movements for 18 months due to alleged breaches of COVID-19 restrictions. (Reuters)

Sports

• 2020 Summer Paralympics
  • India at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, Shooting at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
    • Paralympian and rifle shooter Avani Lekhara becomes the first Indian woman to win a gold medal in the Summer Paralympics. (ESPN)
  • Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
    • Chiba Prefecture halts a program that allow children to watch in-person Tokyo Summer Paralympics after two school teachers tested positive for COVID-19. (NHK World-Japan)

Current events of August 29, 2021 (2021-08-29) (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Afghanistan conflict
  • 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan
    • Operation Allies Refuge
      • U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that there are still 300 American citizens left to evacuate from Afghanistan. He also says that the Taliban will allow the evacuations to continue. (RealClearPolitics) (Arutz Sheva)
    • The U.S. and 97 other countries reach an agreement with the Taliban to continue evacuations past the August 31 withdrawal deadline. (Axios)
  • Drone strikes in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
    • A U.S. airstrike targets a vehicle carrying a suspected ISIS-K suicide bomber. At least 10 people are killed during the strike, including six children. Some of those killed had previously worked for international organisations and held visas allowing them entry to the United States. There are reports of other civilians being killed too. The majority of the casualties were residents of the area. (BBC)
  • Two Pakistani soldiers are shot dead by unknown gunmen at the border with Afghanistan. Two or three of the attackers are killed after a gunfight. (Al Jazeera English)
  • A rocket is launched near the airport in Kabul, hitting a house and killing a child. (Al Jazeera English)
  • Atta Muhammad Nur and Abdul Rashid Dostum say that they are forming a group to negotiate with the Taliban and also say that surrender is "out of the question". They both said that they plan to meet Taliban representatives for a new government. Both men fled to Uzbekistan when Mazar-i-Sharif fell but have since returned to Afghanistan. (Reuters)
  • Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen blames former president Ashraf Ghani for the "chaos" in Kabul. Shaheen says that Ghani must return the money that he allegedly stole and says that it was not necessary for Ghani to leave the country as the Taliban "just wanted a peaceful transfer of power". (Hindustan Times)
• Syrian civil war
  • 2021 Daraa clashes
    • The army bombards the last rebel enclave in the southern city of Daraa, killing six people. The army declined to comment but released a statement saying that it was losing patience with what it called "armed groups and terrorists". The site of the bombing is the birthplace of the 2011 uprising against President Bashar al-Assad which marked the start of the war. (Reuters)
• Yemeni Civil War
  • Houthi forces attack the Al Anad Air Base in Lahij Governorate, Yemen, with drones and ballistic missiles, killing 43 soldiers and wounding 56 others. (Al Jazeera English)

Disasters and accidents

• 2021 Atlantic hurricane season
  • Hurricane Ida quickly intensifies overnight into a Category 4 storm and threatens the coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi. Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards says that the possible impact of Ida could be "historical" and a test for the flooding protection systems. Authorities in Mississippi announce a closure of schools on Monday ahead of the potential impact. Ida later makes landfall in Louisiana on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. (The New York Times) (CNN)
  • Hurricane force winds cause the Mississippi River to flow in reverse in an "extremely uncommon" event. (CNN) (Bloomberg)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, COVID-19 vaccination in Bangladesh
      • Bangladesh signs an agreement with the World Health Organization to purchase 105 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in order to ensure the vaccine's supply for the whole population. (United News of Bangladesh)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
      • COVID-19 vaccination in Israel
        • Israel expands booster dose eligibility to all people over the age of 12 who received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least five months ago. (The Times of Israel)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
      • COVID-19 vaccination in Singapore
        • The number of people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Singapore surpasses 80%. (Bloomberg News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Yemen
      • Yemen receives its first shipment of 151,000 doses of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine donated by the United States. (Arab News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
      • Germany removes Spain from its list of high-risk areas, which means that unvaccinated travellers are no longer required to quarantine as long as they present proof of a negative test result or have recovered from COVID-19. (EuroWeekly News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
        • First Minister Nicola Sturgeon self-isolates after being close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. (The Guardian)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    • Australia reports a record 1,323 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, as well as a record 1,218 new cases in New South Wales. (Australian Associated Press)

Law and crime

• LGBT rights in South Africa, LGBT rights in Uganda
  • The Home Affairs Ministry of South Africa orders the release of two gay men who were arrested and imprisoned in Johannesburg after escaping Uganda. The couple requested to remain in South Africa out of fears of persecution in Uganda. The South Gauteng High Court ordered the immediate release of the men and also ordered that they be allowed to remain in South Africa. (Independent Online)
• Law of Singapore, Race in Singapore, Xenophobia and racism related to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • During the annual National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announces that pertinent legislation called the Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act will be passed to tackle racism due to an increase of racist incidents. (Yahoo! News Singapore)

Current events of August 28, 2021 (2021-08-28) (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Afghanistan conflict
  • 2021 evacuation of Afghanistan
    • Operation Allies Refuge
      • The U.S. Embassy in Kabul warns Americans to leave the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul due to a "specific, credible threat". Additionally, U.S. president Joe Biden issues a warning of another attack on the airport in the next "24–36 hours". (Business Insider)
    • Operation Pitting
      • British troops return to the United Kingdom from Afghanistan, ending the evacuation process at the airport and the country's involvement in the war. (Time)
  • LGBT organization Rainbow Railroad says that it has received hundreds of requests for help, mainly from Afghan gay men. Exiled Afghan LGBT activist Nemat Sadat warned last week that under the Taliban, homosexual men will be hunted down. Sadat says that he alone has received over 250 requests from Afghan gay men requesting help in order to leave the country. (CBC)
  • Co-leader of the Panjshir resistance and self-proclaimed president Amrullah Saleh criticizes the United States for its withdrawal and for its demand last year of releasing Taliban prisoners as part of the negotiations. Saleh says that the Taliban's rule "won't last long" and appeals to the European Union for support. (Saudi Gazette)

Disasters and accidents

• 2021 Atlantic hurricane season
  • Hurricane Ida moves toward the coast of the U.S. state of Louisiana as a potential Category 4, after impacting Cuba yesterday. The storm is strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to reach New Orleans on Sunday. Mayor LaToya Cantrell orders centralized evacuations in the city. (Associated Press) (CNN)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
      • COVID-19 vaccination in Japan
        • The Japanese health ministry confirms that two men died after receiving their second dose of the contaminated Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from one of three manufacturers. The ministry said that the cause of the deaths was still being investigated. (Radio France Internationale)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
      • The Philippines reports a record 19,441 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,935,700. (ABS-CBN News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka, COVID-19 vaccination in Sri Lanka
      • Sri Lanka receives a shipment of 300,000 doses of the Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV vaccine donated from China's People's Liberation Army. (Daily News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, COVID-19 vaccination in Italy, Travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
      • The Italian Ministry of Health announces that beginning from August 31, fully vaccinated British travellers will be able to scrap the five-day self-quarantine if they show a proof of negative PCR and Antigen test in the previous 48 hours and must have been at least 14 days after receiving a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (Sky News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Kosovo
      • Kosovo reimposes its nightly curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. and delays the start of the school year until September 13 due to a worsening COVID-19 situation in the country. Only essential staff will be allowed to work in public and private institutions until September 13. (Politiko)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales
      • New South Wales reports a record 1,035 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (ABC News Australia)

Politics and elections

• Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan–United States relations
  • Following the airstrike by the United States on August 27, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid condemned the attack saying they consider the airstrike a "clear attack on Afghan territory". (Reuters)

Current events of August 27, 2021 (2021-08-27) (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Afghanistan conflict
  • Response to the 2021 Kabul airport attack, Drone strikes in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
    • The United States launches an airstrike in Nangarhar, killing two Islamic State members and wounding a third. It is reported that one of those killed was planning more attacks in Kabul. (CNN)
  • Aftermath of 2021 Taliban offensive and Fall of Kabul
    • Afghan political leader and activist Fatima Gailani, who helped draft a new constitution for Afghanistan and also took part in peace talks with the Taliban, blames exiled former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani for the current "chaotic" situation in the country, and says that U.S. president Joe Biden also contributed by withdrawing troops without a "political settlement" in place. (Deutsche Welle)
    • The United States urges the Taliban to include former president Hamid Karzai and former Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah in the formation of the new inclusive government. (Al Jazeera)
  • 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan
    • Australia, New Zealand, Norway and Spain end their evacuation flights from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. (Reuters) (EuroWeekly News) (Stuff) (U.S. News & World Report)
    • Crowds return to the Kabul airport a day after the suicide bombing at the airport. (VOA)
    • U.S. Marine lieutenant Stuart Scheller is relieved of his duties after posting a video demanding accountability from military leaders over the evacuation. (TMZ) (California News Times)
  • 2021 Kabul airport attack
    • The death toll from the ISIL suicide bombing attack at the airport in Kabul yesterday increases to 175. Three British citizens are confirmed to have been killed in the attack. (Al Jazeera)
• Allied Democratic Forces insurgency
  • Nineteen civilians are killed during a knife and arson attack by ADF at a village in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Al Jazeera)
  • Authorities in Uganda arrest an Islamist belonging to the ADF for planning a suicide bombing attack in the country. Police are also investigating if the murders of 21 civilians in the cities of Lwengo and Masaka since late July were carried out by ADF terrorists. The victims were killed by knifemen during raids in the night. Thirty-eight suspected have been arrested. (All Africa)

Business and economy

• Economy of Zambia
  • The newly appointed Minister of Finance ​of Zambia Situmbeko Musokotwane says that he has begun to negotiate with the International Monetary Fund on a $12 billion external debt. Musokotwane says that he is also working with other private funds to which Zambia owes payments. Musokotwane anticipates that Zambia "will not be able to immediately cancel all debts". (Reuters)
• Economy of Cuba
  • Cuba recognizes cryptocurrency as legal tender, becoming the second nation to do so after El Salvador. (Al Jazeera)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in India
      • COVID-19 vaccination in India
        • According to government data, more than 473 million people have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, which amounts to about half of all eligible adults in India. However, only around 15% of eligible adults have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. (BBC)
        • India reports a single-day record of 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered, a level that Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed as a "momentous feat" for the country. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
      • The number of severe COVID-19 patients in Japan surpasses 2,000 for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. (The Japan Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand
      • Thailand's COVID-19 taskforce approves a plan to gradually ease some COVID-19-related restrictions beginning on September 1 that will allow the resumption of domestic flights, reopening of shopping malls, restaurants, barbershops, and public parks, as well as allow gatherings of up to 25 people in 29 high-risk provinces as the number of COVID-19 cases has peaked. (Bloomberg)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
      • Vietnam reports a record 12,920 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 410,366. The country also surpasses 10,000 deaths from COVID-19. (Viet Nam News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark
      • Danish Minister of Health Magnus Heunicke announces that the country will lift all COVID-19-related restrictions on September 10 as it considers that the "epidemic is under control" and does not pose "a critical threat to society". The country will also lift the obligation to present an immunity passport in order to attend certain events as more than 70% of Danes are fully vaccinated. (The Guardian)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
      • The Italian Health ministry signs a decree which moves Sicily into the "yellow zone" and will reimpose some restrictions such as the mask mandate both outdoors and indoors and restrict restaurant diners to groups of four beginning on August 30 following an increase of COVID-19 cases. (MedicalXpress)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Poland, COVID-19 vaccination in Poland
      • Polish Minister of Health Adam Niedzielski announces that the Supreme Medical Council has approved booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for people with a compromised immune system which will be administered beginning on September 1. (The First News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
        • Scotland reports a record 6,835 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (Sky News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    • COVID-19 vaccination in the United States
      • COVID-19 pandemic in Virginia, Operation Allies Refuge
        • White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announces that the U.S. government has opened a mass vaccination site at the Dulles International Airport for arriving Afghan refugees. (AP)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Florida
      • A Leon County judge strikes down the mask mandate ban imposed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. (NBC News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois
      • Reverend Jesse Jackson is transferred to a rehab facility, a week after being hospitalized for COVID-19. His wife, Jacqueline Jackson, remains in ICU. (CBS News)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Ohio
      • The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports the world's first deer positive case of COVID-19 from white-tailed deer in the state of Ohio. (CTV News)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, COVID-19 vaccination in Australia
    • The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommends that children between the ages of 12 and 15 be included in the COVID-19 vaccination program using the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination bookings for this age group will begin on September 13. (ABC News Australia)

Law and crime

• COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, Political impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • A federal prosecutor indicts President Alberto Fernández for violating the sanitary measures he himself decreed during a birthday celebration party for First Lady Fabiola Yáñez in July 2020. Fernández appeals to evade trial and volunteers to donate his salary. The prosecutors reject his proposal as they say that government officials cannot skip trial. (MercoPress)
• Former Mali leaders Bah Ndaw and Moctar Ouane are released from house arrest by the junta who removed them from power in May. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

• Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan–United States relations
  • The Taliban regime appoints Khalil Haqqani as head of security in Kabul. Haqqani, a veteran of the Soviet–Afghan War and war on terror, is a designated terrorist by the United States, and is currently wanted on a US$5 million bounty. (NBC News)
• In a 73−50 vote, the Congress of Peru approves the leftist cabinet of President Pedro Castillo, who thanked the Congress for "granting confidence". The vote increased the approval of Castillo's government, which currently holds a 38% approval rating. (Reuters)

Current events of August 26, 2021 (2021-08-26) (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Afghanistan conflict
  • 2021 Kabul airport attack
    • A suicide bomber blows himself up at an entrance of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, killing at least 90 Afghan civilians and 13 American servicemembers. More than 150 others are wounded. ISIL-KP, who have threatened the airport in recent days, have claimed responsibility for the attack. (The Wall Street Journal)
  • 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan
    • Operation Pitting
      • British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says that the United Kingdom will continue evacuations despite the terrorist attacks that occurred at Hamid Karzai International Airport. (Sky News)
    • Operation Allies Refuge
      • U.S. President Joe Biden, in an address to the nation, says that the evacuation of American citizens will continue despite the terrorist attacks. He also vows that the U.S. will avenge the deaths of the 13 service members killed in the attacks by "hunting down" those responsible and "making them pay". (AP)
      • The United States says that it is taking steps to boost humanitarian aid into Afghanistan despite the Taliban being blacklisted by the treasury. The United States also says that it is working with local partners to facilitate humanitarian aid to reach the Afghan population. (Reuters)
    • Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Russia and the Netherlands end their evacuation flights from Hamid Karzai International Airport ahead of a Taliban ultimatum to leave by August 31. Several shots are fired in the direction of an Italian military plane as it was departing the airport, although the airplane was not the intended target and no casualties or damage have been reported. (BBC)
• Oromo conflict, Tigray War, War crimes in the Tigray War
  • The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission accuses the Oromo Liberation Army of killing 150 civilians during the past week. The group denies the report. The report says that gunmen targeted people of Amharan ethnicity. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

• Political repression in the Soviet Union
  • A mass grave containing between 5,000 and 8,000 skeletons is discovered in Odessa, Ukraine, during exploration works for a planned expansion of Odesa International Airport. The graves are believed to date back to the late 1930s during a major purge. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

• A three-story building collapses in Peñíscola, Valencian Community, Spain, killing two people and injuring another person. The reason for the collapse is currently unknown. (Euronews)
• At least 9 people are killed and more than 80 injured by an explosion at a military compound in southern Kazakhstan. (Euronews)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Brunei
      • Brunei reports its first cases of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, which was first detected in India, in 20 samples of COVID-19 cases that were sent for genome sequencing. (The Scoop)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, COVID-19 vaccination in Japan
      • Japan suspends the usage of 1.63 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine due to concerns of contamination in some unused vials. (BBC) (The Washington Post)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
      • Malaysia reports a record 24,599 new cases and 393 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1.64 million and the nationwide death toll to 15,211. (CNA)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Mongolia
      • Mongolia surpasses 200,000 cases of COVID-19. (AKI Press)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka
      • Sri Lanka reports a record 209 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 8,157. (EconomyNext)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
      • Russia reports a record 820 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 179,243. (Barron's)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia
      • The Slovenian government announces that university students and anyone under the age of 15 who is not vaccinated or who has not recovered from COVID-19 will have to be tested once a week in order to enter a university or participate in indoor sports or recreational activities. (The Slovenia Times)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales
      • New South Wales reports a record for the second consecutive day of 1,029 cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the first time since the beginning of the pandemic that the state has reported more than 1,000 cases in a single day. (Newshub)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Honduras
    • COVID-19 vaccination in Honduras
      • Honduras signs an agreement with Pfizer and BioNTech to purchase additional 2.7 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in order to ensure the country will have enough supply to vaccinate all people over the age of 12 this year. (Reuters)

International relations

• Pacific Islands Forum
  • Kiribati confirms its decision to withdraw along with four other countries, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau and Nauru. Despite efforts by multiple countries to have the countries remain in the forum, Kiribati says that there is "no value" in staying if the agreement is not honored in regards to disagreements over the designation of Henry Puna as Secretary-General of the forum. (RNZ)
• Foreign relations of Argentina, Foreign relations of Iran
  • Argentina condemns "energetically" the designation of Mohsen Rezai in a ministerial rank in the government of Ebrahim Raisi in Iran. Yesterday, Argentina had renewed its condemnation of the designation of Ahmad Vahidi as minister of the interior. Both men are wanted by Argentina and Interpol over alleged connections with the 1994 AMIA bombing. The Foreign Ministry condemns Iran for its "affront to Argentine justice". (Notimérica)

Law and crime

• Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot
  • Ty Garbin is sentenced to six years in prison and fined $2,500 for his role in the kidnapping plot of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer last year. He is the first person to be sentenced in the conspiracy, which includes thirteen other accused plotters who are currently awaiting trial. (BBC)
• Aftermath of the fall of Kabul, 2021 Taliban offensive
  • The Taliban announce the re-imposition of the public ban on music in Afghanistan. Zabiullah Mujahid, the official spokesperson for the Taliban, expressed the hope that the Emirate would be able to "persuade people not to do such things instead of pressuring them." (The Daily Telegraph)
• Former Prime Minister of Mali Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga is arrested accused of corruption for his involvement in the purchase of a presidential plane in 2014. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

• Pope Francis appoints Italian nun Alessandra Smerilli as Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, becoming the first woman to do so. (Vatican News)

Current events of August 25, 2021 (2021-08-25) (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Syrian civil war
  • 2021 Daraa clashes, Syrian peace process
    • Rebel fighters begin withdrawing from the southern Daraa Governorate as part of a Russian-brokered truce aimed at ending fighting in the restive province. The rebels will be allowed safe passage to the opposition-held Idlib in the north-west as part of the agreement. (The Defense Post via AFP)
• Boko Haram insurgency
  • 2021 Niger attacks
    • Hundreds of Boko Haram militants attack a military post in Diffa, Niger, killing 16 soldiers and wounding nine others. In the ensuing gun battle, around 50 Islamist insurgents were killed. (Reuters)
• Dar es Salaam shooting
  • A gunman opens fire near the French embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, killing three policemen and an employee of a private security company, and wounding six other people. The gunman was shot dead by responding security forces. (Al Jazeera)

Business and economy

• OnlyFans reverses its decision to ban pornographic content, saying in part that the ban is "no longer required due to banking partners’ assurances that OnlyFans can support all genres of creators". (WABI-TV)

Disasters and accidents

• Twenty people are killed and 17 others are reported missing in landslides in western Venezuela, amid torrential rains. Most of the deaths occurred in Tovar, Mérida, after the local Mocotíes river overflowed its banks. (Al Jazeera)

Health and environment

• COVID-19 pandemic
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, COVID-19 vaccination in Indonesia
      • The Food and Drug Authority grants an emergency use authorization for the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine. (Kompas)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
      • The Japanese government announces the expansion of the full state of emergency to eight prefectures and the quasi-state of emergency to four prefectures beginning on August 27, which brings the number of prefectures under all types of emergency measures to 33. These emergency measures will remain in effect until September 12. (AP)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Kazakhstan
      • Kazakhstan announces that beginning on August 28, in order to reduce the spread of the COVID-19, unvaccinated people will be banned from entering shopping malls, restaurants and cafés unless they show proof of vaccination, a negative test result, or have recovered from COVID-19 within the past three months and have a "green" status on a mobile app. (Reuters)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Laos
      • Laos reports a record 952 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 13,909. (The Laotian Times)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan
      • Taiwan reports zero community transmitted cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours for the first time since the country's largest outbreak began in May. (The Guardian)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
      • Vietnam reports a record 12,096 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 377,245. (VNExpress)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in South America
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, COVID-19 vaccination in Argentina
      • Argentina announces that it will receive 20 million doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and that these doses will mainly be used to vaccinate teenagers. (El Cordillerano)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, COVID-19 vaccination in Brazil
      • The Ministry of Health announces that Brazil will begin offering booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to immunocompromised people and people over the age of 70 who received their second dose more than six months ago and will also shorten the interval between the first and second doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines to eight weeks beginning in mid-September. (Bloomberg)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
    • COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales
      • New South Wales reports a record 919 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. (ABC News Australia)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland, COVID-19 vaccination in Switzerland
    • Switzerland signs an agreement with Pfizer to supply a total of 14 million doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in 2022 and 2023, which also includes an option to supply an additional 7 million vaccine doses in subsequent years. (Barron's)
  • COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    • COVID-19 vaccination in the United States
      • The Pentagon announces that COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandatory for the U.S. military after the FDA approved the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. (U.S. News & World Report)
    • COVID-19 pandemic in Arkansas
      • Arkansas reports 354 patients that are on ventilators, a new single-day record. (KAIT)
• 2020–2021 H5N8 outbreak
  • Benin identifies an outbreak of the highly contagious H5N1 avian flu in Sèmè-Kpodji and Abomey-Calavi near the capital Porto Novo. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• Peruvian President Pedro Castillo announces that former Alberto Fujimori advisor Vladimiro Montesinos has been transferred from the Callao naval base to the Ancon II prison to finish the remainder of his sentence. (Andina)

Politics and elections

• 2022 Philippine presidential election, 2021 PDP–Laban dispute
  • President Rodrigo Duterte accepts the nomination of the ruling PDP–Laban party to run for Vice-President of the Philippines in the upcoming 2022 presidential elections. (Rappler)
• The Iranian Islamic Consultative Assembly approves all but one of Ebrahim Raisi's nominees for his cabinet, including anti-West Hossein Amirabdollahian as foreign minister. The designation of Ahmad Vahidi was also approved as minister of the interior. Argentina reiterates its "most energetic condemn" to Vahidi's designations as he is wanted by both Argentina and Interpol for alleged involvement in the 1994 AMIA bombing. (Notimérica) (Reuters) (AFP via Radio France Internationale)

Time: 20:25 UTC|Day: 31 August

	August 2021
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31

Ongoing events

Business

• COVID-19 recession
• Lebanese liquidity crisis

Disasters

• COVID-19 pandemic
• 2020–21 European windstorm season
• 2020–2021 H5N8 outbreak
• 2021 Atlantic hurricane season
• 2021 Pacific typhoon season
• Madagascar food crisis
• Water crisis in Iran
• Yemeni famine

Politics

• Afghan peace process
• Arab protests
• Belarusian protests
• Belarus−European Union border crisis
• Brazilian protests
• Colombian tax reform protests
• Cuban protests
• Eswatini protests
• Haitian protests
• Indian farmers' protests
• Iranian protests
• Jersey dispute
• Libyan peace process
• Myanmar protests
• Nicaraguan protests
• Nigerian protests
• Persian Gulf crisis
• Peruvian crisis
• Sudanese protests
• Tigrayan peace process
• Thai protests
• Tunisian political crisis
• United States racial unrest (Stop Asian Hate)
• Venezuelan presidential crisis

Elections and referendums

Upcoming

• September
  • 5: São Tomé and Príncipe, President (2nd) 
  • 6: Ethiopia, House of Representatives (2nd) 
  • 8: Morocco, House of Representatives
  • 12: Macau, Legislative Assembly
  • 13: Norway, Storting

Trials

Recently concluded

• Belarus: Viktar Babaryka
• China: Sun Dawu, Michael Spavor
• India: Shashi Tharoor
• Indonesia: Juliari Batubara, Edhy Prabowo
• Russia: Lyubov Sobol
• South Africa: Jacob Zuma
• Switzerland: Alieu Kosiah
• Tonga: ʻAkosita Lavulavu
• United Kingdom: Apsana Begum
• United States: Stephen Calk, Ed Buck

Ongoing

• Argentina: Rodolfo Martín Villa
• Armenia: Serzh Sargsyan
• Belarus: Sergei Tikhanovsky
• Colombia: Álvaro Uribe
• France: Nicolas Sarkozy
• India: Disha Ravi
• Indonesia: Nurdin Abdullah
• Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu
• Kyrgyzstan: Almazbek Atambayev
• Malta: Yorgen Fenech
• Spain: Bárcenas affair
• Sudan: Omar al-Bashir
• United States: R. Kelly, Elizabeth Holmes
• International: Ali Kushayb, The Gambia v. Myanmar

Upcoming

• Canada: Raj Grewal
• Kosovo: Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli
• Lesotho: Maesiah Thabane
• Rwanda: Paul Rusesabagina
• United States: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Meng Wanzhou, Ghislaine Maxwell, Allen Weisselberg
• Vatican City: Giovanni Angelo Becciu
• Zimbabwe: Ignatius Chombo

Sport

• Association football
  • 2021 Copa Libertadores final stages
  • 2020–21 UEFA Nations League
  • 2021 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
  • 2021 Major League Soccer season
• Women's association football
  • 2021 NWSL season
• Baseball
  • 2021 MLB season
• Cricket
  • ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League 2020–2023
  • 2019–2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2
  • ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Challenge League 2019–2022
• Golf
  • 2021 European Tour
  • 2021 LPGA Tour
  • 2020 PGA Tour Champions
  • 2021 Ladies European Tour
  • 2020–21 PGA Tour
• Motorsport
  • 2021 Formula One Championship
  • 2021 Rally Championship
  • 2021 MotoGP
  • 2021 Supercars Championship
• Rugby league
  • 2021 NRL season
  • 2021 Super League
• Rugby union
  • 2021 Bunnings NPC
  • 2021 Super Rugby season
• Tennis
  • 2021 ATP Tour
  • 2021 WTA Tour
  • 2020–21 Davis Cup (Finals)
• Other sports seasons
  • 2021 International cricket season
  • 2021-22 snooker season
  • 2021–22 curling season

More details – current sports events

Recent deaths

August

• 29: Ed Asner
• 29: Ron Bushy
• 29: Lee "Scratch" Perry
• 29: Jacques Rogge
• 28: Jiang Chunyun
• 28: Teresa Żylis-Gara
• 27: Edmond H. Fischer
• 27: Akis Tsochatzopoulos
• 25: Mohsin Ahmad al-Aini
• 25: Gunilla Bergström
• 25: Robin Miller
• 24: Hissène Habré
• 24: Charlie Watts
• 23: Elizabeth Blackadder
• 23: Tom Flynn
• 23: Jean-Luc Nancy
• 23: Rosita Quintana
• 23: Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi
• 22: Andrzej Schinzel
• 21: Nickolas Davatzes
• 21: Don Everly
• 21: Marie, Princess of Liechtenstein
• 21: Anthony Scotto
• 20: Tom T. Hall
• 19: Bill Freehan
• 19: Chuck Close
• 19: Peter Harding
• 19: Sonny Chiba
• 19: Michael Cullen
• 18: Joseph L. Galloway
• 18: Jill Murphy
• 16: Sean Lock
• 16: Lucille Times
• 15: Paul Mitchell
• 15: Joe Walton
• 15: Abdelhamid Brahimi
• 15: Gerd Müller
• 14: Carlos Correia
• 14: Fez Whatley
• 13: Nanci Griffith
• 13: James Hormel
• 13: Leon Kopelman
• 13: Carolyn S. Shoemaker
• 12: Gino Strada
• 12: Dominic DeNucci
• 12: Una Stubbs
• 10: Neal Conan
• 10: Tony Esposito
• 10: Maki Kaji
• 10: Eduardo Martínez Somalo
• 9: Lester Bird
• 9: Cameron Burrell
• 9: Alex Cord
• 9: Pat Hitchcock
• 9: Bob Jenkins
• 9: Sergei Kovalev
• 9: Chucky Thompson
• 8: Bobby Bowden
• 8: Jaan Kaplinski
• 8: Walter Yetnikoff
• 7: Brad Allan
• 7: Trevor Moore
• 7: Markie Post
• 7: Jane Withers
• 6: Herbert Schlosser
• 5: Brian Henderson
• 5: Yevhen Marchuk
• 5: Richard Trumka
• 4: Razzy Bailey
• 4: Bobby Eaton
• 4: Graham McRae
• 4: J. R. Richard
• 3: Jody Hamilton
• 3: Arthur Dion Hanna
• 3: Kelli Hand
• 3: Antonio Pennacchi
• 3: Vitaly Shishov
• 2: Elias John Kwandikwa
• 2: Dave Severance
• 1: Francisco Weffort

Ongoing conflicts

Africa

• Algeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali, Niger, and Tunisia
  • Maghreb insurgency
• Angola
  • Cabinda War
• Cameroon
  • Anglophone Crisis
• Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
  • Boko Haram insurgency
• Central African Republic
  • Civil War
• Chad
  • Insurgency in Northern Chad
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Kivu conflict
  • Allied Democratic Forces insurgency
  • Ituri conflict
  • Lord's Resistance Army insurgency
  • Kamwina Nsapu rebellion
• Ethiopia
  • Tigray War (spillover)
  • Oromo conflict
• Ethiopia and Sudan
  • Sudanese–Ethiopian clashes
• Ghana
  • Western Togoland Rebellion
• Mali
  • Mali War
• Mozambique
  • Insurgency in Cabo Delgado
• Nigeria
  • Communal conflicts in Nigeria
• Senegal
  • Casamance conflict
• Somalia
  • Civil war
• South Sudan
  • Ethnic violence in South Sudan
• Sudan
  • War in Darfur
  • South Kordofan conflict
  • Sudanese nomadic conflicts (incl. South Sudan)
• Tunisia
  • ISIL insurgency in Tunisia
• Western Sahara
  • Western Sahara conflict
    • 2020–2021 Western Saharan clashes

Americas

• Colombia
  • Colombian conflict
• Mexico
  • Mexican drug war
• Peru
  • Internal conflict in Peru
• Paraguay
  • Insurgency in Paraguay

Asia-Pacific

• Afghanistan
  • Panjshir conflict
• India
  • Insurgency in Northeast India
    • Assam separatist movements
    • Insurgency in Manipur
    • Ethnic conflict in Nagaland
  • Khalistan movement
  • Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
• India and Pakistan
  • Kashmir conflict
• Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines
  • Moro conflict
    • Cross border attacks in Sabah
• Indonesia
  • Papua conflict
• Myanmar
  • Internal conflict in Myanmar
    • Kachin conflict
    • Karen conflict
    • Rohingya conflict
• Pakistan
  • Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • Insurgency in Balochistan
• Philippines
  • Communist rebellion
  • Philippine drug war
• Thailand
  • South Thailand insurgency

Europe

• Armenia and Azerbaijan
  • Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
• Ukraine
  • War in Donbas
    • Russo-Ukrainian War
• Ireland and the UK
  • Dissident Irish republican campaign
• Turkey
  • Kurdish–Turkish conflict

Global

• War on terror

Middle East

• Egypt
  • Sinai insurgency
• Iran and the Persian Gulf
  • Iran–Israel proxy conflict
  • Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
  • Sistan and Baluchestan insurgency
  • Arab separatism in Khuzestan
  • Kurdish separatism in Iran
• Iraq
  • American-led intervention in Iraq
  • Iranian intervention in Iraq
• Iraq and Syria (map)
  • International military intervention against ISIL
• Israel and Gaza
• Israel and Syria
  • Israeli-Syrian border conflict
• Syria
  • American-led intervention in Syria
  • Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war
  • Turkish occupation of northern Syria
• Yemen and Saudi Arabia
  • Yemeni Civil War
  • Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
  • Houthi–Saudi Arabian conflict

Further information: List of ongoing armed conflicts

2021 events and developments by topic

Arts

Architecture – Animation – Anime – Comics – Film (Horror, Science fiction) – Home video – Literature – Music (Classical, Country, Rock, Hip hop, Latin, Metal, Rock, UK, US) – Radio – Television (UK, US, Italy, Scotland) – Video games

Politics and government

Elections – International leaders – Sovereign states – Sovereign state leaders – Territorial governors

Science and technology

Archaeology – Biotechnology – Computing – Palaeontology – Quantum computing and communication – Senescence research – Sustainable energy research – Space/Astronomy – Spaceflight

Environment and environmental sciences

Birding/Ornithology – Climate change

Transportation

Aviation – Rail transport

Establishments and disestablishments categories

Establishments – Disestablishments

Works and introductions categories

Works – Introductions – Works entering the public domain