back to school

China bans the use of iPhones for government officials resulting in the market value of Apple Inc. stock declining by $200 billion in the past two days. (Bloomberg) 

JAXA launches the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) lunar lander from Tanegashima Space Center. The Japanese mission will aim to become the fifth country to perform a soft landing on the Moon. (Reuters) 

The United Kingdom announces that it will rejoin Horizon Europe, a European Union scientific research initiative. (BBC News) 

Former Trump administration economic adviser Peter Navarro is found guilty of contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a congressional subpoena issued by the January 6 committee investigating the US capitol attack. (NBC News) 

Two people are killed, 20 others are injured and 110 people are evacuated after floods occur in Hong Kong, with over 600mm of rain recorded, a quarter of the city’s average annual rainfall. (AP) 

One person is killed and five are injured when a car ploughs through pedestrians and two other vehicles in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The driver is arrested at the scene. (ABC News Australia) 

U.S. Army troops and emergency services respond to Arlington National Cemetery outside of Washington D.C. after a bomb threat is reported in the cemetery. (Washington Post) 

Russians head to the polls to elect the bodies of local government in the country. (Reuters) 

Islamist insurgents attack a military camp and a riverboat in northeast Mali. Sixty-three people are killed during the attacks, including 49 civilians and fifteen troops. (BBC News) 

A dinosaur fossil, given the name Fujianvenator, is discovered in Fujian, China. The dinosaur has two legs and two other limbs, possibly wings, thereby giving insight on the evolution of birds. (NOS) 

The United States announces a $175 million aid package for Ukraine that includes depleted uranium ammunition for the first time, intended for use with Abrams tanks. (CBS News) 

Ukrainian forces enter the deserted villages of Stroivka and Topoli at the Russia–Ukraine border in Kharkiv Oblast. The villages were abandoned by Russia after the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive but Ukraine was unable to enter due to heavy mining. (The Kyiv Independent) 

The Romanian Ministry of National Defence confirms that debris from a Russian drone has been found on Romanian territory in Tulcea County. Romania denied claims that drones launched by Russia exploded on Romanian territory. (AP) 

The death toll from the floods in Turkey, Bulgaria and Greece rises to 15 after five more people are found dead, with more people reported missing. (Al Jazeera) 

A man is arrested in Kigali, Rwanda, after fourteen people are found dead at his house. The suspected serial killer lured his victims from bars to his house. (Al Jazeera) 

The East African Community announce the extension of a mandate of a regional military force deployed to deal with the low-intensity conflict in the east of the country. (Al Jazeera) 

The main highway in Greece between Athens and Thessaloniki is closed, with no train traffic between the cities. (NOS) 

Tajikistan announces that it killed three Jamaat Ansarullah Islamist militants on 29–30 August after the militants crossed the border from Afghanistan to carry out terrorist attacks in Tajikistan. (AFP via Barron’s) 

A U.S. federal court judge rules that Donald Trump is liable for damages in the second defamation case against journalist E. Jean Carroll(CNN) 

The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation decriminalizes abortion nationwide in Mexico. (AP) 

Sri Lanka’s government announces that it will appoint a parliamentary committee to investigate allegations made in a Channel 4 report that Sri Lankan intelligence were complicit in the bombings. (AP) 

Twelve Pakistani Taliban gunmen and four soldiers are killed in a shootout at a security outpost in the Kalasha Valleys in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. (VOA) 

An extratropical cyclone in southern Brazil causes flooding in several cities, killing at least 27 people and leaving more than 1,600 people homeless. (AP) 

The first African Climate Summit ends with a call for world leaders to implement a global carbon tax on fossil fuels, transport and reforms of global financial systems which its says disproportionately disadvantages African nations. (AP) 

The 13-kilometre-long (8-mile) Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line rapid transit system begins service in Lagos, Nigeria, after being delayed since 1983. (Al Jazeera) 

Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov [et], who defected to Ukraine with a MI-8 helicopter, receives a $500,000 reward. (Al Jazeera) 

British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps confirms reports by Russian officials that a Challenger 2 tank has been destroyed in Ukraine, marking the first loss of the model. (The Kyiv Independent) 

President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan holds talks in Sochi, Russia, to discuss ways to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative, enabling the safe passage of grain across the Black Sea. (CNN) 

At least 16 people are killed and 28 others are injured in a Russian missile strike on a marketplace in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast. (Reuters) 

Tajikistan announces that it killed three Jamaat Ansarullah Islamist militants on 29–30 August after they crossed the border from Afghanistan to carry out terrorist attacks in Tajikistan. (AFP via Barron’s) 

Seventeen soldiers and 36 volunteer fighters are killed in heavy clashes with militants in the Koumbri Department, Yatenga Province in northern Burkina Faso. (Reuters) (AP) 

Torrential rain causing floods in BulgariaTurkey and Greece kills at least ten people. (BBC News) 

A schoolgirl in Lyon, France, is reportedly sent home for wearing a traditional Japanese kimono as the nation implements a controversial law banning the display of religious symbols in public schools. (Al Jazeera) 

The National Bank of Poland announces sharp interest cuts, lowering the reference rate from 6.75% to 6%, simultaneously causing the złoty to lose value against the American dollar and the euro. (The Seattle Times) 

Enrique Tarrio, leader of the far-right Proud Boys group, is sentenced to 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy, which is the longest sentence to date handed down to a January 6 defendant. (CNN) 

Russia’s defense ministry says it destroyed four Ukrainian military boats carrying troops in the Black Sea travelling in the direction of Cape Tarkhankut on the Crimean coast. (Al Jazeera) 

Russia’s defense ministry says it repelled a Ukrainian aerial drone attack over the Black Sea. (Al Jazeera) 

Viking Link, the world’s longest submarine power cable, a joint venture between the United Kingdom’s National Grid and Denmark’s Energinet, is completed. The HVDC interconnector will supply around 1.4 million homes in the UK with electricity. (Electrek) 

France and Niger’s military government begin talks on the possible withdrawal of French troops from the West African country. (Al Jazeera) 

Russia’s defense ministry says is has shot down three Ukrainian aerial drones over Istra, Moscow, and over the Kaluga and Tver regions near Moscow. (Al Jazeera) 

Governor of Bryansk Oblast Alexander Bogomaz says border guards and security services prevented an attempt by an Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group to cross into Russia. (Al Arabiya) 

The Cuban foreign ministry says they are aware of activities that sought to enlist Cuban citizens to fight on Russia’s side in the Russo-Ukrainian War(Reuters) 

Seventeen Burkinabé soldiers, thirty-six VDP militiamen, and several dozen Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin militants are killed during fighting in Yatenga, Burkina Faso. (ABC News) 

Birmingham City Council, the largest local authority in Europe, declares itself bankrupt(Sky News) 

The Egyptian General Authority for Supply Commodities buys 480,000 metric tonnes of Russian wheat, relying on the imports to fulfill its domestic needs. (Al Jazeera) 

Tropical Storm Lee forms east of the Lesser Antilles, moving in west-northwest direction towards the Caribbean. (NHC) (AP) 

Shinji Aoba pleads guilty to arson and 36 murders for setting a fire at an animation studio in Kyoto, Japan, in July 2019. (AP) 

Nine people are killed and five others are injured in clashes between FARC dissidents and the National Liberation Army (ELN) in Arauca, Colombia. It occurs as the ELN concludes a fourth round of peace talks with the government. (AFP via The Daily Star) 

labor day 2023

India launches Aditya-L1, its first solar observation mission to observe the solar corona, photosphere, and chromosphere and to study solar winds and solar flares, and their effect on Earth and near-space weather(BBC News) 

Roscosmos head Yury Borisov announces that the RS-28 Sarmat ICBM has been deployed for combat duty. (The Moscow Times) 

The Supreme Court of Japan formally orders Okinawa to allow the United States Armed Forces to expand its runways and military infrastructure on the island despite protests from locals who oppose the American military’s presence. (AP) 

American consumer packaged goods holding company Conagra Brands recalls over 245,000 pounds of Banquet frozen chicken over concerns of plastic contamination. (Fox Business) 

An SDF counterattack recaptures all areas lost to tribal fighters and the SNA with the exception of one town. (SOHR) 

Displacement of civilians is reported in Northeastern Syria amid intense multi-sided clashes that have been ongoing since last week. (SOHR) 

The 13-kilometre-long (8-mile) Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line rapid transit system begins service in LagosNigeria, after being delayed since 1983(Al Jazeera) 

The parliament of Vanuatu chooses Sato Kilman as the new prime minister, replacing Ishmael Kalsakau(Reuters) 

Max Verstappen wins the Italian Grand Prix, winning his 10th straight race, breaking the record for the most consecutive wins by a single driver in Formula One’s history. The win also extends Red Bull’s consecutive win streak to 15 wins in a row, dating back to the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Heavy flooding at the Burning Man festival in Nevada, United States, kills one person and leaves tens of thousands of people stranded in the Black Rock Desert(AP) 

Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne says that France will ban disposable electronic cigarettes as part of an effort to combat smoking. (The Guardian) 

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismisses Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov amid graft allegations within the Ministry of Defence. The head of the State Property Fund, Rustem Umerov, is expected to replace Reznikov. (Reuters) 

Eighteen fighters of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army are killed after attempting to break through the front lines in Northeastern Syria. (SOHR) 

The Syrian Democratic Forces kill and injure eight tribal gunmen who were attempting to cross to Syrian government-held territory. (SOHR) 

The Syrian Democratic Forces recapture two towns after having lost them in an earlier offensive by factions of Deir ez-Zor Military Council and Arab tribes. (SOHR) 

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says that Iran has started talks to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action(Tehran Times) 

Five civilians are killed in airstrikes by the Sudanese Armed Forces in Khartoum, a continuation of bombings that killed twenty civilians yesterday. (The Guardian) 

Guatemala’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal temporarily reinstates President-elect Bernardo Arévalo‘s Semilla party, which had been suspended pending an investigation into alleged registration irregularities. (AFP via France 24) 

A Ukrainian court places billionaire Ihor Kolomoyskyi under arrest over fraud and money laundering charges as part of corruption related activities. (Al Jazeera) 

The Russian Defense Ministry says that it has destroyed 281 Ukrainian drones in the past week, including 29 over western Russia. (South China Morning Post) 

The Russian Defense Ministry says that it has thwarted attacks on the Crimean Bridge by destroying a Ukrainian boat. (Reuters) 

Belarus says a Polish military Mi-24 military helicopter breached its airspace, flying 1.2 km into its territory. (Reuters) 

More than 2,000 troops from the CSTO security alliance begin military exercises in Belarus. (AP) 

Clashes occur in Tel Aviv, Israel, between Eritrean asylum seekers, including supporters and opponents of the government of Isaias Afwerki, and police, resulting in 114 injuries, including 30 police officers. (BBC News) 

Greek firefighters rescue a group of 25 migrants trapped in a forest in the Evros region as flames from a wildfire approached. (AP) 

The Greek Coast Guard rescue more than 150 people, including several children, who were heading in small boats from Turkey to the nearby eastern Aegean Sea islands. (AP) 

Two people are killed and six others are wounded in a shooting at a wedding reception in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Ottawa Citizen) 

Cypriot police arrest 13 people after a mob smashes storefronts and set numerous trash bins on fire during an anti-immigration march in Limassol. (AP) 

Gabon’s military government reopens the country’s borders, three days after they were closed. (AFP via Manila Bulletin) 

Five people are killed when an outdoor lift cable snaps and falls into a ravine at a resort in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. (DPA via The Star) 

Hong Kong raises its typhoon warning signal to level 10, the highest level, as Super Typhoon Saola approaches. Over 880,000 people in the Chinese provinces of Fujian and Guangdong have been evacuated. (AFP via France 24) 

Pope Francis arrives in Mongolia, marking the first papal visit to the country, which has a small Catholic population. (NCR) 

Twenty-five people are arrested after a riot at a kok-boru event in Osh Region, Kyrgyzstan. (The New York Times) 

Sudanese Armed Forces capture El Obeid, pushing the Rapid Support Forces out of the city, although skirmishes continue on the outskirts of the city. (Dabanga Sudan) 

A Palestinian man is killed and several others are injured, a building is destroyed and ambulances are obstructed and shot at, during a raid by Israeli soldiers in Aqabah, in the occupied West Bank. (Al Jazeera) 

Armenia says that shelling by Azerbaijani forces in the town of Sotk killed four of its soldiers and injured another. (Reuters) 

Arab tribesmen briefly take control of two villages in Aleppo Governorate in order to support fellow tribesmen fighting the Syrian Democratic Forces in northeast Syria, as the battle enters its third day with at least 45 people killed. (Al Jazeera) 

Gunmen kill nine people including seven in a mosque in Ikara Local Government Area in Nigeria‘s Kaduna State. (Reuters) 

The Philippines imposes price ceilings on rice in order to counter increasing costs and alleged market manipulation, setting the maximum prices for regular-milled and well-milled rice, at ₱41 (US$0.72) and ₱45 ($0.80) per kilogram, respectively. (Reuters) 

Eighteen people are killed and 13 are injured after two minibuses carrying mostly Iranian Shia pilgrims collide between Dujail and Samarra in Saladin Governorate, Iraq. (AFP via Barron’s) 

Six people are killed when a train collides with a minibus in San Pedro de la Paz, Bío-Bío Region, Chile. (Xinhua) 

Two people are killed and at least 12 others are injured in an explosion at a metal factory in Cabreúva, São Paulo, Brazil. (ABC News) 

Two Moroccan-French tourists are shot dead and another is injured by the Algerian National Navy after being lost on a jet ski near Saïdia and accidentally crossing the border into Algerian waters. (BBC) 

Eighteen people are killed during a shootout between robbers and police in Limpopo, South Africa. (Al Jazeera) 

Former senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam is elected as the 9th president of Singapore with over 70% of the valid votes. (Reuters) 

The End Monday 

Proud Boys leader Joe Biggs is sentenced to 17 years in federal prison after being convicted of seditious conspiracy in connection with the planning of the January 6 riot at the United States Capitol. (NBC News) 

Proud Boys leader Joe Biggs is sentenced to 17 years in federal prison after being convicted of seditious conspiracy in connection with the planning of the January 6 riot at the United States Capitol. (NBC News) 

The Philippines imposes price ceilings on rice to counter increasing costs and alleged market manipulation, setting the maximum prices for regular-milled and well-milled rice, at 41 (US$0.72) and ₱45 ($0.80) per kilogram, respectively. (Reuters) 

440 people were killed in Syria during August 2023, making it the highest death toll in 19 months. (SOHR) 

A Palestinian man is killed and others are injured, a building is destroyed and ambulances are prevented to reach the scene and shot at, during a raid by Israeli soldiers in Aqabah, in the occupied West Bank. (Al Jazeera) 

Pope Francis arrives in Mongolia, marking the first papal visit to the country, which has a small Catholic population. (NCR) 

Singaporeans vote for their 9th president. (CNA) 

Armenia says that shelling by Azerbaijani forces kills two of its soldiers and wounds another in the town of Sotk(Reuters) 

Nine soldiers are killed and five more injured during a suicide bombing against a convoy in Bannu District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. (Ary News) 

Fifty-seven police and prison officers are taken hostage in six different prisons in Quito as explosive attacks occur in Ecuador’s capital targeting the country’s prison authority. (AFP via Malay Mail) 

An Israeli soldier is killed and two more injured during a vehicle-ramming attack at a checkpoint in Beit Sira, in the occupied West Bank. The perpetrator is shot dead. (Al Jazeera) 

At least 73 people are killed in a fire at a block of flats in Johannesburg, South Africa. (CNBC) 

Fifteen people are killed in a fire at a clothing factory in Quezon City, Philippines. (AP) (The New York Times) 

Five people are killed and two others are injured when a passenger train collides with track workers doing maintenance work in Brandizzo, Piedmont, Italy. (BBC News) 

The African Union announces the suspension of Gabon’s membership after the country’s military instigated a coup d’état. (AFP via The Peninsula) 

The Korean Central News Agency reports that North Korean forces has conducted drills simulating a missile strike on South Korea, in protest of ROKAFUSAF military drills. (Reuters) 

The Brazilian Federal Police questions former President Jair Bolsonaro in an investigation in which he is accused of smuggling $3 million in diamond jewelry from Saudi Arabia. (AP) 

2 killed, 1 injured in a shooting at a shopping center in Austin, Texas. (People) 

quick draw mcgraw

*x*x* 

2023 Wednesday, August 30th, 2023 

Officers of the Gabonese military depose president Ali Bongo and annul the results of the general election in which he was declared the winner. They also dissolve the government and close all borders. (Reuters) 

Two people are killed and three others are injured in a Russian drone and missile strike on KyivUkraine says that it shot down missiles and drones during the strike. (Reuters) 

Russia says its aircraft destroyed four military boats carrying up to 50 members from landing groups of the special forces of Ukraine operating in the Black Sea(Al Jazeera) 

Russia says its warplanes destroyed two Ukrainian military speedboats carrying military personnel east of Snake Island in the Black Sea. (Reuters) 

Clashes in Deir ez-Zor between Arab tribal fighters and Kurdish-led fighters leaves several people dead and others wounded. (Al Jazeera) 

Hurricane Idalia makes landfall in the U.S. state of Florida as a category 3 hurricane. Flooding is reported in the Tampa Bay area including Tampa and other parts of Hillsborough County. Two deaths are reported with both being due to vehicle accidents(The Washington Post) (Spot On Florida) 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announces the Australian Indigenous Voice referendum will be held in October. (ABC News) 

President of Congress Shirley Rivera dissolves the parliamentary group of Movimiento Semilla and declares them “independent“. President-elect and member of Congress Bernardo Arévalo is also affected by the decision. (La Hora) 

The Kyrgyz Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy announces that Kyrgyzstan will ban the TikTok platform in an effort to protect the health of young children. (RFE/RL) 

Tuesday,  August 29th, 2023 

The United Nations reports that at least 183 people have been killed during recent clashes between Fano militiamen and security forces in Amhara RegionEthiopia(Reuters) 

At least four transport planes in Pskov are damaged in a drone attack. Explosions were also reported in Bryansk and Tula oblasts(The Guardian) 

The government of Kyrgyzstan says 95 wives and children of Islamic State fighters have been repatriated from internment camps in Syria(Al Jazeera) 

Tampa International Airport in TampaFloridaUnited States, closes ahead of the expected arrival of Hurricane Idalia(WFOR-TV) 

Widespread flooding and power outages are reported as Idalia makes landfall in Cuba(Reuters) 

In a study published in the journal Emerging Infectious DiseasesAustralian doctors report the removal of an eight-centimeter Ophidascaris robertsi roundworm from the brain of a 64-year-old woman. This is the first documented case of such a parasite in any mammalian brain. (AFP via Bangkok Post) 

Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape announces that his country will open its Israeli embassy in Jerusalem(RNZ) 

The Islamabad High Court in Pakistan reverses a lower court‘s three-year imprisonment verdict against former prime minister Imran Khan for graft, while also granting Khan bail(AFP via CNA) 

Cyprus police arrest 21 people after violent clashes between refugees and residents of Chloraka village in the west of the island which has a large population of asylum seekers. (Al Jazeera) 

Mayor of Miami Francis Suarez suspends his campaign for President of the United States, becoming the first Republican candidate to do so. (The Guardian) 

The End Wednesday 

Tuesday,  August 29th, 2023 

The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape announces that his country will open their Israel embassy in disputed Jerusalem. (RNZ) 

The Islamabad High Court in Pakistan reverses a lower court‘s three-year imprisonment verdict against former prime minister Imran Khan for graft, while granting him bail. (AFP via CNA) 

Monday,  August 28th, 2023 

Head of the Rapid Support Forces Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo publishes a 10-point plan that proposes a non-symmetrical federal system and a new apolitical Sudanese Army. (Al Jazeera) 

Military forces clash with the insurgent Ta’ang National Liberation Army in northern Shan State, Myanmar, following reinforcements to the area in recent days. (The Irrawaddy) 

Russia says that it shot down two aerial drones over the north and west of Crimea. (Al Jazeera) 

The International Atomic Energy Agency warns that Ukraine‘s offensive in Zaporizhzhia Oblast has increased the risk of damage to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. (Al Jazeera) 

Ukraine claims they retook the village of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia Oblast from the Russian forces. Russia says they have repelled attacks in the area. (Reuters) 

Russia’s Federal Security Service charges Robert Shonov, a former U.S. consulate employee, with passing information on Russia’s mobilization campaign to U.S. embassy staffers in Moscow. (Al Jazeera) 

Trading of Evergrande resumes on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange after a 17-month suspension with the company confirming its compliance with financial information disclosure and listing regulations. (AFP via The Philippine Star) 

Iraq announces the execution by hanging of three members of the Islamic State for the 2016 Karrada bombing which killed hundreds of people. (AFP via Barron’s) 

A Chilean court upholds the prison sentences ranging from eight to 25 years for seven former soldiers involved in the 1973 murder of singer Víctor Jara, which occurred after the coup d’état that ushered in Augusto Pinochet‘s dictatorship. (AFP via CNA) 

The Registry of Citizens of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal suspends the legal personality of Movimiento Semilla, the party of President-elect Bernardo Arévalo. (Prensa Libre) 

Foxconn founder Terry Gou announces that he will run as an independent in next year’s presidential election on a platform of restoration of positive Cross-Strait relations and closer business ties. (Al Jazeera) 

Cape Verde and South Sudan, who both make their World Cup debut, score their first-ever wins at the tournament. After first-round losses to Georgia and Puerto Rico, the African teams defeat Venezuela and China. (AP) 

Sunday, August 27th, 2023 

Ten Yemeni soldiers from a southern separatist faction are killed and twelve others are injured in an attack by Houthi militants at the border between Al Bayda and Lahij. (AFP via VOA) 

Russia‘s Investigative Committee confirms the identities of the bodies recovered at crash site corresponds to the names on the flight list. (The Moscow Times) 

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh suspends Foreign Minister Najla El Mangoush for administrative investigation following reports of an unauthorized meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. (AFP via France 24) 

Police arrest two male Polish citizens suspected of hacking into the national railway communication system, disrupting rail traffic in Poland and issuing false signals. (AFP via Al Arabiya) 

In golf, Norway‘s Viktor Hovland wins the U.S. PGA Tour‘s season-ending Tour Championship and secures the FedEx Cup championship trophy, finishing five strokes ahead of the United StatesXander Schauffele. (AFP via France 24) 

In artistic gymnastics, Simone Biles sets a new record for the most all-around titles by a gymnast of either gender, surpassing the previous record set by Al Jochim in 1933, after winning her eighth title at the individual all-around event of this year’s USA Gymnastics National Championships. (AFP via Manila Bulletin) 

The End Tuesday