Armed conflicts and attacks

Ukraine reports capturing 82 Russian settlements within an area of 1,150 square kilometres (440 sq mi) since the start of the Kursk incursion on August 6. (Reuters)

• https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-says-its-forces-advance-1-3-km-russias-kursk-region-2024-08-16/

Armed conflicts and attacks

Over 120,000 Russian citizens have been evacuated according to Russia, and at least 100 Russian soldiers are captured according to Ukraine. (AP)

• https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-fighting-sudzha-kursk-090f03d7f809af49ae9957e851525eb1

Armed conflicts and attacks

Russia accuses the United States and European nations of directly helping Ukraine in its incursion on Kursk Oblast by planning operations and providing military support, and states that their involvement "created all the prerequisites for Ukraine to lose its sovereignty and lose part of its territories". (Reuters)

• https://www.reuters.com/world/kremlin-aide-says-nato-west-helped-ukraine-attack-russia-2024-08-16/

Armed conflicts and attacks

Sixteen people are killed and 20 more kidnapped during an attack by Allied Democratic Forces militants at agricultural lands in Mambasa, Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. (AP)

• https://apnews.com/article/congo-violence-islamicstate-ituri-e8a24f7922bad8c2599c65dc94ea0537

Armed conflicts and attacks

Sixteen soldiers are killed and 18 more injured during a suicide car bombing in Mudiyah, Abyan Governorate, Yemen. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claims responsibility for the attack. (Al Jazeera)

• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/16/suicide-bomber-kills-16-soldiers-in-southern-yemen-official-says

Disasters and accidents

Thousands of people are ordered to evacuate in northern Japan as Typhoon Ampil approaches the country. (AP)

• https://apnews.com/article/typhoon-tokyo-weather-travel-ba8d2f8405a43942110873dd6912299a

Health and environment

The first case of polio in the Gaza Strip in 25 years is confirmed, coming from an unvaccinated 10-month-old child in Deir al-Balah. (Euronews)

• https://www.euronews.com/2024/08/17/officials-report-case-of-polio-in-gaza-as-un-appeals-for-ceasefire-to-roll-out-vaccines

Politics and elections

Independent presidential candidate Cornel West and his running mate Melina Abdullah are both disqualified from and refused entry on the 2024 Michigan presidential election ballot due to an improperly notarized form. (Washington Post)

• https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/08/16/cornel-west-michigan-disqualified/

Politics and elections

Luis Abinader is sworn in for a second term as President of the Dominican Republic. (Reuters)

• https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/dominican-republics-abinader-names-cabinet-posts-leaders-gather-inauguration-2024-08-16/

Politics and elections

The Thai House of Representatives selects Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the new Prime Minister, replacing Srettha Thavisin who was dismissed by the Constitutional Court on Wednesday. (Bloomberg)

• https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-16/thailand-new-pm-thaksin-s-daughter-paetongtarn-shinawatra-elected-as-premier

Science and technology

The Wow! signal is found to have likely been caused by a rare astrophysical event, the sudden brightening of a cold molecular cloud triggered by a stellar emission. (University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo)

• https://phl.upr.edu/wow