Portal:Current events
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Topics in the news
- Former President of Egypt Mohamed Morsi (pictured) dies during his trial, at the age of 67.
- An outbreak of acute encephalitis in Bihar, India, results in the deaths of more than 100 children.
- A power outage affects Argentina, Uruguay and parts of Paraguay.
- In golf, Gary Woodland wins the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
- In basketball, the Toronto Raptors defeat the Golden State Warriors, becoming the first Canadian team to win the NBA Finals.
June 19, 2019 (Wednesday)
June 18, 2019 (Tuesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Iran–United States relations
- In response to accusations by the United States that Iran is responsible for last week's attacks on two oil tankers, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says, "Iran will not wage war against any nation." (CBC)
Business and economics
- California housing shortage
- Google announces that it is setting aside $750 million in land and $250 million in financing to encourage developers in the San Francisco area to build and rehabilitate housing, in order to ease the homeless crisis in a region where Google has 45,000 employees. (Reuters)
International relations
- Colombia–Venezuela relations
- Colombian authorities deport Venezuelan refugees in the border town of Cúcuta; in response, the Venezuelan government restricts movement of Colombians into the country. (Al Jazeera)
Law and crime
- It is reported that Roberto Marrero, aide to Venezuela's interim leader Juan Guaidó, who was arrested several months ago, has his preliminary hearing completed, with Judge Padilla denying his right to defense and ordering his incarceration. (El Universal)
Politics and elections
- Corruption in Venezuela
- Interim President of Venezuela Juan Guaidó and Venezuelan Ambassador to Colombia Humberto Calderón Berti request that the Colombian government investigate two administrators of their own alliance on suspicion of embezzling US$100,000. (WSJ)
- Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign
- United States President Donald Trump officially begins his campaign for the 2020 United States presidential election at a rally in Orlando, Florida. (The Guardian)
- 2019 Conservative Party (UK) leadership election
- Boris Johnson again leads after the second Tory MP leadership ballot with 126 ballots, 12 more than in the first round. Dominic Raab is eliminated after coming in last with 30 votes, three fewer than the minimum needed to progress. Jeremy Hunt (40), Michael Gove (41), Sajid Javid (33) and Rory Stewart (37) all got enough to advance to tomorrow's third round. (BBC)
June 17, 2019 (Monday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Boko Haram
- Three Boko Haram suicide bombers detonate their devices among a group of football fans, killing 30 people and wounding 40 others, in Konduga, Nigeria. (BBC)
- Boko Haram terrorists exchange gunfire with Nigerian troops in the Nganzai local government area of Borno State. (Al Jazeera)
- Iran–United States relations
- Acting United States Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan authorizes the deployment of approximately 1,000 additional U.S. troops to the Middle East region "for defensive purposes to address air, naval and ground-based threats" amid increased tensions with Iran. The move comes four days after two oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman incident. (NBC News) (CBS News)
Arts and culture
- Japanese anime developers report that the industry is in crisis, even as its popularity soars in its native country. Among the reasons are low pay, long hours, and a huge shortage of artists – just as its global popularity reaches record levels. (Japan Today)
Disasters and accidents
- List of earthquakes in 2019
- A magnitude 5.8 earthquake hits Sichuan, China, killing 12 people and injuring 134 others. (Straits Times)
Health and environment
- 2019 Bihar encephalitis outbreak
- The death toll of Indian children who have died due to an acute encephalitis syndrome outbreak reaches 100. (BBC)
International relations
- Iran nuclear deal
- Iran announces that within ten days, it will stop abiding by the agreement and will exceed the limit on its stockpile of uranium. (NPR)
- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani tells the Fars News Agency "the time is short for Europe to save the international nuclear deal", and calls on France to take the lead. Reuters reports that Rouhani added the collapse of the nuclear deal would not be in the interests of the region and the world. (BBC) (NPR)
- Ecuador–United States relations
- Ecuador agrees to allow U.S. military planes fighting drug trafficking to operate from San Cristóbal Airport in the Galápagos Islands. National Assembly legislators call on Defense Minister Oswaldo Jarrin and Environmental Minister Marcelo Mata to explain the scope of co-operation. (BBC)
Law and crime
- Twelve people are killed and dozens more injured when a passenger grabs the steering wheel of a bus in West Java, Indonesia, causing it to crash. (BBC)
- A gunman opens fire on Dallas police before being shot and killed near a federal building. (CNN)
- A man identified as Yujiro Iimori, who allegedly stabbed and robbed a police officer of his gun, is arrested in Osaka, Japan. He presents a mental health certificate as defense. (The Japan Times)
- Gerrymandering in the United States
- The U.S. Supreme Court rules, in a 5–4 decision, the Virginia legislative districts that the court previously said were racially gerrymandered, have to remain in their redrawn form. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch make up the majority, not the usual conservative-liberal grouping. (NPR)
- Criminal charges are stayed against Jaspal Atwal, the central figure of controversy that surrounded Justin Trudeau's trip to India. He was charged in May 2018 with uttering threats against a Punjabi radio host. (CBC News)
- Four people are shot and injured at a parade celebrating the 2019 NBA Finals in Toronto. (Global News)
Politics and elections
- Former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, who was ousted in a coup in 2013 and has been detained in jail since then, dies after fainting during an espionage court hearing. (CNN) (KNIF) (BBC)
- Crisis in Venezuela
- The Venezuelan government releases deputy Gilber Caro, who had been illegally detained and disappeared for three months as a political prisoner. (VOA)
June 16, 2019 (Sunday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Syrian Civil War, Northwestern Syria offensive (April 2019–present)
- The Syrian Army and the Turkish Land Forces exchange heavy fire in the northern Idlib Governorate, in what Turkish officials described as a deliberate mortar attack on one of their observation posts in Murak that wounded three Turkish troops. (Al Jazeera) (Daily Sabah)
- At least 12 people are killed after jihadists shelled a village in Aleppo Governorate with mortars. (Business standards)
- In the past week, over 160 people have been killed and 40 villages destroyed in attacks between tribes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Al Jazeera)
Disasters and accidents
- 2019 South American blackout
- A massive blackout hits Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil, leaving millions without power. (The New York Times)
Law and crime
- A group of bandits attack a village in the Shinkafi local government area of Zamfara State, Nigeria, killing at least 34 civilians. The gunmen arrived on motorcycles and opened fire on civilians indiscriminately, later burning down homes. (Reuters)
International relations
- Israel–United States relations
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally unveils Trump Heights, a new settlement in the Golan Heights, named after U.S. President Donald Trump for his decision to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the disputed territory. (BBC)
- Japan–Mongolia relations, Japan–North Korea relations
- Foreign Minister of Japan Tarō Kōno seeks cooperation from Mongolia over efforts to settle the issue of past abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korea, as Mongolia maintains friendly ties with Pyongyang. Japan has no ties with North Korea and pushes for further sanctions. (The Japan Times)
Politics and elections
- 2019 Guatemalan general election
- 2019 Conservative Party (UK) leadership election
- The first televised debate between Conservative Party candidates for Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom takes place in London. Frontrunnner Boris Johnson refuses to attend. (BBC)
- 2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protests
- The scheduled peaceful mass protest, despite bill suspension yesterday, of nearly 2 million people gather in Victoria Square demanding the legislation be withdrawn. If the organizers numbers are confirmed, this is the largest protest ever. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam apologizes for proposing the bill. Police say turnout was 338,000 at its peak. (BBC)
Sports
- Toyota Gazoo Racing wins the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans. (The Guardian)
- 2019 U.S. Open (golf)
- Gary Woodland wins his first major championship, finishing three shots ahead of two-time defending champion Brooks Koepka at Pebble Beach, California. (AP via ESPN)
June 15, 2019 (Saturday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Yemeni Crisis (2011–present)
- Yemen-based Houthi forces launch drone strikes on Jizan Regional Airport and Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia. A Saudi Arabian-led coalition spokesperson says a Houthi drone has been shot down near the Saudi city of Abha. (Reuters)
- 12 Kenyan police officers are killed when their car hits a roadside bomb in east Wajir County, near the Somali border. No one has claimed responsibility, though the police had been pursuing suspected al-Shabab militants fighting Somalia's government and its backers. (BBC) (Region week)
- Twin explosions rock Mogadishu killing 11 and injuring over 25. The first bomb went off near a checkpoint for the presidential palace killing nine and the other bomb killed the two occupants in the vehicle. Al Shabbab claimed responsibility. (Time) (Al Jazeera)
Arts and culture
- The Notre Dame Cathedral holds its first mass since the April 15 fire. (ABC News)
Disasters and accidents
- Seven people—four sanitation workers and three staff members—die after inhaling toxic fumes from a Darshsan Hotel sewer cleaning in the village of Fartikui in western India. The hotel owner is charged with the fatalities. (BBC)
Health and environment
- The Ministry of Health of Peru reports that so far this year, 548 people have contracted the Guillain–Barré syndrome in an outbreak which is registered in the country. It also clarified that in the five cases in which patients died, death was caused by complications with other serious diseases. (Perú 21)
International relations
- Japan–United States relations
- U.S. President Donald Trump thanks Prime Minister of Japan Shinzō Abe by phone for his effort to mediate between the U.S. and Iran. (The Rahuma Daily)
- India–United States relations
- India announces that effective Sunday it will impose tariffs, some as high as 70 percent, on 28 United States products, including almonds and apples, in response to the U.S. government's refusal to exempt India from higher taxes on steel and aluminum imports. (BBC)
Politics and elections
- 2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protests
- Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announces that the government has suspended its plan to allow extraditions to mainland China. (BBC)
- U.S. President Donald Trump confirms he has been briefed on a spike of UFO sightings in Earth's atmosphere by United States Navy pilots, saying "people are saying they're seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particularly". The U.S. Navy recently updated its guidelines for how its pilots can report "unidentified aircraft". (ABC News) (USA Today) (Fox News)
- Slovakia inaugurates Zuzana Čaputová as its first female elected President. (Euronews)
June 14, 2019 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- June 2019 Gulf of Oman incident
- An unnamed United States official claims that, just prior to the attack on two merchant vessels, an Iranian vessel launched a surface to air missile at a MQ-9 Reaper drone in the vicinity of the attack. An additional MQ-9 Reaper is reported to have been shot down by Houthi rebels several days prior in the Red Sea. (CNN)
- The president of the Japanese shipping company offers a different account of the attack than that provided by the United States. Yutaka Katada says the Filipino crew of the Kokuka Courageous oil tanker said their vessel was apparently first hit by an artillery shell rather than a mine. The United States said the tanker was attacked by limpet mines and released a video it says shows Iranian special forces removing an unexploded mine from the oil tanker's side. (The Washington Post) (BBC)
- A U.S. official says Iranian Navy gunboats are preventing the damaged Norwegian-owned Front Altair oil tanker from being towed away by two private tugboats in the Gulf of Oman. (Reuters)
- United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres calls for an independent investigation to establish the facts and responsibility for the oil tankers attacks in the Gulf of Oman. (Reuters)
Disasters and accidents
- At least 61 people have been killed and 356,000 evacuated from their homes as heavy rain and floods swept through large parts of southern and central China this week. (Al Jazeera)
International relations
- Iran–Japan relations, Iran–United States relations
- Kyodo News Agency reports that during his visit to mediate between the U.S. and Iran, Japanese PM Shinzō Abe asked Iran to release American prisoners held by Iran, though the response is "unclear" to the press. But Iran says it will not negotiate with the United States, rejecting Abe's bid to broker dialogue between the two countries amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif accuses the "B-Team" (Mohammed bin Salman, John Bolton and Benjamin Netanyahu) of sabotaging diplomacy, including Abe's meeting, to hide its "economic terrorism" by accusing Iran of attacking oil tankers. (The Washington Post) (Kyodo News)
- Cyprus—Turkey relations
- European Union Mediterranean state leaders offer full support to fellow EU member Cyprus in its dispute with Turkey over offshore natural gas deposit ownership. French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking for the EU, urges Turkey to stop “illegal activities” in Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone. (Reuters) (Reuters²)
Law and crime
- Transgender personnel in the United States military
- The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, without ruling on the merits, orders U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman (Seattle) to reconsider her ruling against the ban of most transgender people from the military, stating she did not give the military’s judgment enough deference. (Reuters)
Politics and elections
- Presidency of Jair Bolsonaro
- In response to a controversial pension reform proposal and cuts in the education budget, a general strike by over 40 million workers takes place in Brazil. Demonstrations are held in over 80 cities across the country. (France24)
June 13, 2019 (Thursday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- June 2019 Gulf of Oman incident, Iran–United States relations, Iran–Saudi Arabia relations
- Two oil tankers, one Norwegian and one Japanese, are damaged and abandoned after being attacked in the Gulf of Oman, with all crew members aboard both ships safely rescued. (BBC)
- The United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir directly blame Iran for being behind the attacks on both ships. Iranian officials deny the U.S. claims. (BBC) (Reuters)
- The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) releases a video showing what CENTCOM spokesperson says, is an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' patrol boat approaching the Kokuka Courageous "and was observed and recorded removing an unexploded limpet mine from the M/T Kokuka Courageous." Iran denies involvement. (Associated Press) (Reuters)
- A suicide bomber kills eleven and injures thirteen in an attack in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. (Reuters) (News18)
Disasters and accidents
- One of the towers of the centuries-old Citadel of Ghazni, Afghanistan collapses amid heavy rainfall. (BBC)
Law and crime
- Flint water crisis
- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announces that charges will be dropped against eight people in the Flint water crisis and investigations will be restarted in the scandal, which has plagued the city since 2014. (Wall Street Journal) (The Hill)
Politics and elections
- The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) recommends that the Trump administration remove Kellyanne Conway from her office as senior aide to President Trump because of her repeated violations of the Hatch Act of 1939. The Trump administration rejects the OSC's recommendations, saying they "are deeply flawed and violate [Conway's] constitutional rights to free speech and due process." (USA Today)
- List of Trump administration dismissals and resignations
- White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders announces she will resign at the end of June. (CBC)
Science and technology
- Twitter suspensions
- Twitter says it has removed thousands of accounts that were being run by the Iranian government, to spread propaganda and fake news on the social media platform. It has also removed over a hundred accounts linked to the Catalan independence movement, and dozens of accounts related to Venezuela. (Reuters)
Sports
- 2019 NBA Finals
- In basketball, the Toronto Raptors defeat the Golden State Warriors four games to two to win their first NBA championship. The Toronto Raptors are also the first NBA team outside of the United States and the first from Canada to win the NBA Finals. (Los Angeles Times) (Business Insider)
June 2019 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
Ongoing events
Disasters
- 2018 Kivu Ebola outbreak
- 2018–19 European windstorm season
- Midwestern U.S. floods
- Yemeni famine
- 2019 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
Politics
- 1MDB scandal
- Afghan peace talks
- Algerian protests
- Austrian political scandal
- Brexit negotiations
- European migrant crisis (timeline)
- Haitian protests
- Iranian protests
- Iraqi protests
- Moldovan constitutional crisis
- Montenegrin protests
- Nicaraguan protests
- Qatar diplomatic crisis
- Rohingya persecution in Myanmar
- Serbian protests
- Sudanese protests
- Turkish purges
- Mueller Report (investigation) (timeline)
- Venezuelan presidential crisis (protests)
- Yellow vests movement
Religion
Sports
- NCAA Division I men's basketball corruption scandal
- 2019 Cricket World Cup
- 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup
More details – ongoing conflicts
Elections and referendums
Recent
- June
- 5: Denmark, Folketing
- 9: Kazakhstan, President
- 16: Guatemala, President and Congress
Upcoming
- June
- 22: Mauritania, President
- July
- 7: Greece, Parliament
Recently concluded
- Malaysia: Assassination of Kim Jong-nam
- Spain: Trial of Catalonia independence leaders
Ongoing
- Guatemala: Otto Pérez Molina, Roxana Baldetti, Juan Carlos Monzón and others
- Israel: Faina Kirschenbaum
- Philippines: Leila de Lima
- South Africa: Jacob Zuma
- Spain: Bárcenas affair, Raid on the North Korean embassy in Madrid
- United Kingdom: David Duckenfield, Graham Mackrell
- United States: Fat Leonard scandal, NXIVM
- International
Upcoming
- Guatemala: Álvaro Colom, Manuel Baldizón, Juan Alberto Fuentes
- Japan: Carlos Ghosn
- Philippines: Andal Ampatuan Jr.
- United Kingdom: Football sex abuse scandal
- United States: 6ix9ine, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Elizabeth Holmes, Meng Wanzhou, Chris Collins, Duncan D. Hunter, Roger Stone, R. Kelly, Harvey Weinstein, Varsity Blues scandal, Michael Avenatti, Golden State Killer, Eddie Gallagher
- Zimbabwe: Ignatius Chombo
- Association football
- Women's association football
- Baseball
- Softball
- Basketball
- Golf
- Motorsport
- Rugby league
- Rugby union
- Tennis
- Other sports seasons
More details – current sports events
June 2019
- 17: Mohamed Morsi
- 17: Gloria Vanderbilt
- 15: Franco Zeffirelli
- 13: Edith González
- 12: Sylvia Miles
- 10: Girish Karnad
- 10: Lee Hee-ho
- 9: Bushwick Bill
- 6: Dr. John
- 4: Lennart Johansson
- 3: Atsushi Aoki
- 1: Leah Chase
- 1: Lee Shin Cheng
- 1: José Antonio Reyes
- 1: Ani Yudhoyono
May 2019
- 31: Roky Erickson
- 30: Thad Cochran
- 30: Frank Lucas
- 30: Leon Redbone
- 28: Freddy Buache
- 28: Carmine Caridi
- 28: Apolo Nsibambi
- 28: Edward Seaga
- 27: Jocelyne Blouin
- 27: Bill Buckner
- 26: Bart Starr
- 26: Prem Tinsulanonda
- 25: Claus von Bülow
- 24: Murray Gell-Mann
- 22: Ahmad Shah of Pahang
- 22: Judith Kerr
- 22: Eduard Punset
- 20: Niki Lauda
- 20: John Moore
Africa
- Algeria, Libya and Tunisia
- Cameroon
- Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
- Central African Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Libya
- Mali
- Nigeria
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
Americas
- Colombia
- Mexico
- Peru
Asia
- Afghanistan
- China
- India
- India and Pakistan
- Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines
- Indonesia and Papua New Guinea
- Myanmar
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Thailand
Europe
- Armenia and Azerbaijan
- Georgia
- Russia
- Ukraine