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Worldwide current events
Sports events

Topics in the news

Cyclone Winston on February 20

Denny Hamlin wins the 2016 Daytona 500 by 0.01 seconds, the closest margin in the race's history.
Cyclone Winston (satellite image pictured), the strongest tropical cyclone on record to strike Fiji, kills at least forty-two people.
Yoweri Museveni claims a fifth term as President of Uganda, in an election some international observers have criticised as flawed.
A bombing in Ankara, Turkey, kills at least twenty-eight people and injures more than sixty others.
The Revenant wins five awards, including Best Film and Best Director, at the British Academy Film Awards.

Ongoing events:
- Zika virus outbreak
- European migrant crisis
Recent deaths:

February 24, 2016 (Wednesday)

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Disasters and accidents

2015-16 Pacific cyclone season
- Cyclone Winston
  - The death toll in Fiji rises to 42 and is expected to rise further as relief teams reach remote islands. (ABC Australia)
Tara Air Flight 193, with 23 people on board, goes missing in Nepal. (AP via Yahoo! News)

Law and crime

A family of 5 falls victim to a murder-suicide in Phoenix, Arizona. 26 year old Alex Bucker is identified by Phoenix police as the shooter, who later took his own life.^[1]

February 23, 2016 (Tuesday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- Battle of Aleppo (2012–present)
  - ISIL militants cut off the Syrian Army's main supply route to the city of Aleppo and capture the village of Khanasir, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2015–16 South Pacific cyclone season
- Cyclone Winston
  - The death toll from Cyclone Winston in Fiji rises to 29. (BBC)
Water supply is restored to the Indian city of Delhi as repairs are made to the vital Munak canal after the Jat reservation agitation is resolved. (BBC)
2015–16 Australian bushfire season
- Emergency warnings are issued after bushfires threaten the Victorian towns of Mount Bolton and Addington northwest of Ballarat as well as the town of Somerville, Victoria, on the Mornington Peninsula. (ABC News Australia)
Dalfsen train crash
- A train derails near the Dutch town of Dalfsen with reports of at least one death and several injured. (BBC), (AAP via News Limited)
At least one person has been killed and three people remain missing following the partial collapse of a decommissioned turbine hall at Didcot A Power Station in Oxfordshire, England. (BBC)
Tornadoes of 2016
- At least two people are dead and 30 injured after a suspected tornado hits a trailer park near the village of Convent, Louisiana. At least one other person has died in the Deep South of the United States. (WWL TV), (Fox News)
A 4.8 magnitude earthquake strikes near Wasco, California, about 25 miles northwest of Bakersfield. There are no reports of damage or injuries. (Los Angeles Times)

Health

Zika virus outbreak (2015–present)
- The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating 14 cases where the Zika virus may have been sexually transmitted. (NBC News)

International relations

Foreign relations of Lebanon
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) bans its citizens from traveling to Lebanon, just hours after Saudi Arabia issued a warning to its citizens to leave Lebanon in retaliation for Lebanon choosing to side with Iran in the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict and Hezbollah's influence on the Lebanese government. (Middle East Eye)
South China Sea disputes
- China reportedly deploys several J-11 and Xian JH-7 fighter jets to the disputed Woody Island in the South China Sea. (Fox News)

Law and crime

The President of the United States Barack Obama announces plans to close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. Obama made similar statements during his first presidential campaign in 2007 and had previously stated that the camp would be closed by 2010. (CNN)

Politics and elections

United States presidential election, 2016
- Republican Party voters, in precinct gatherings, hold the Nevada caucuses with Donald Trump projected as the winner. There are widespread reports of chaos and allegations of potential fraud. (ABC 7), (Washington Examiner), Oregon Live)

February 22, 2016 (Monday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir
- 2016 Pampore stand-off
  - Loud explosions and gunfire are heard in a building where Kashmiri forces are fighting Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front militants in a standoff that has claimed the lives of five soldiers and one civilian. (AP via Washington Post)
War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- A suicide bomber kills at least 13 people and injures 19 in Afghanistan's Parwan province. The Taliban claims responsibility. (Reuters)

Business and economics

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe assigns all diamond mining operations to the newly formed, government-run Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company, and orders eight foreign diamond mining companies from the country. (UPI)

Disasters and accidents

2015–16 South Pacific cyclone season
- Cyclone Winston
  - The death toll in Fiji rises to at least 17 as authorities continue to assess the damage. All schools in the country are closed for the week. A nationwide curfew remains in effect. (Weatherzone) (CNN)

International relations

Russia–United States relations
- Russia has announced that it will ask permission to fly unarmed surveillance planes over the United States citing the Open Skies Treaty. (CBS)
European migrant crisis, Austria–Germany relations
- German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière strongly criticizes Austria's decision to put a daily cap on the number of refugees the country can accept. Austria has set a limit of dealing with 80 asylum applications a day, while letting thousands of others transit to Germany. Maiziere said this sends "the wrong signal" and is "unacceptable". (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Iran–Russia relations
- Iran holds talks with Russia over buying an upgraded version of the S-300 surface-to-air missile defense system. (Reuters)
Syrian Civil War
- The United States and Russia broker a truce which is due to come into effect on midnight 27 February. (BBC)

Law and crime

2016 Kalamazoo shootings
- Jason Dalton is charged with six counts of murder in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. (CNN)
The Maryland Court of Appeals rules the state's Public Information Act does not apply to abortion clinic license applicants' names, denying the Maryland Coalition for Life's appeal which had noted that courts in Illinois, Kansas and Minnesota have ordered these names released. The ruling can not be appealed to federal courts. (AP via ABC News)

Politics and elections

Philippine Senate election, 2016
- Walden Bello, a socialist candidate for the Philippine Senate, files a petition that may disqualify boxer Manny Pacquiao for violating election rules regarding publicity. Based on the commission's rules, Pacquiao's wife, Jinkee Pacquiao, may substitute. (Rappler), (The New York Times), (Fox Sports)
Ugandan general election, 2016
- Opposition leader Kizza Besigye is arrested while trying to obtain copies of the official election results. (AAP via News Limited)
Jat reservation agitation
- Jat protesters reach an agreement with the Indian government on increased reservations similar to those authorized for economically disadvantaged lower castes. Authorities say at least 19 people have been killed in the three-day demonstrations. Protest leaders call for reopening blockaded roads in the northern state of Haryana. Water restrictions, implemented after protesters damaged the water station's New Dehli feed, remain in effect while engineers repair the equipment. (The Indian Express)
United States presidential election, 2016
- Republican candidate Ted Cruz fires campaign spokesman Rick Tyler who posted incorrect information on Twitter about candidate Marco Rubio. (Fox News) (The Washington Post)
Comorian presidential election, 2016
- Comoros authorities are counting ballots from Sunday's incident-free, presidential primary on Grande Comore island. The presidency rotates between the nation’s three semi-autonomous islands, which also held gubernatorial elections. Provisional results are due Wednesday. Then, on April 10, 2016, the three leading candidates will vie in a runoff. (Bloomberg)

Science and technology

A new study by scientists from 14 research institutions, that is published in the March 2016 Global Change Biology Journal, finds all U.S. forests are threatened by drought and climate change. (Global Change Biology) (Eureka Alert) (Nature World News)

February 21, 2016 (Sunday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- February 2016 Homs bombings
  - Twin bomb blasts hit the Syrian city of Homs with at least 57 people reportedly killed and more than 100 injured. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claims responsibility. (Reuters) (AFP via Daily Mail) (BBC)
- February 2016 Sayyidah Zaynab bombings
  - At least 83 people are killed and 178 injured in a series of bombings in the Damascus suburb Sayyidah Zaynab, Rif Dimashq Governorate. ISIL again claims responsibility. (AFP via Yahoo! News) (CNN)
Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
- The Libyan National Army says it has taken control of the town of Ajdabiya and several areas of Benghazi following heavy clashes with Islamist militant groups. (Reuters)
2016 Pampore stand-off
- A group of Islamic terrorists exchange fire with Indian Armed Forces troops for the second consecutive day in Pampore, Jammu and Kashmir, India. At least five soldiers and one civilian have been killed. (ABC News) (UPI)
A Hindu priest is hacked to death and two devotees, who tried to intercede, are wounded in a temple in the Panchagarh District in northern Bangladesh. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claims responsibility. (BBC) (AP)

Disasters and accidents

2015–16 South Pacific cyclone season
- Cyclone Winston
  - At least five people are reported dead and entire villages have been flattened after Cyclone Winston hits Fiji. (New Zealand Herald)

International relations

European migrant crisis
- Greece claims that Macedonia has closed its borders to migrants from Afghanistan. (AP via New York Times)
Insurgency in the Maghreb (2002–present)
- Germany is considering sending troops to Tunisia to help train the Tunisian Army in the fight against Islamist militants, particularly ISIL who control territory in neighboring Libya. (FRANCE 24)
Syrian Civil War peace process
- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says a tentative ceasefire agreement reached with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is now being presented to the opposing forces. (CBS News) (Reuters via The Australian Financial Review)
Japan–United States relations
- Thousands protest outside the Japanese parliament in Tokyo against the relocation of a U.S. military base on Okinawa Island. Residents cite noise, pollution, and crime as reasons for not wanting a new base built. (Reuters)

Law and crime

2016 Kalamazoo shootings
- Kalamazoo County, Michigan authorities say last evening's shooting spree resulted in six deaths with two others seriously wounded. Each victim was shot multiple times. Police acknowledge that an earlier report that a 14-year-old girl died is incorrect; she is alive, but "severely, gravely" injured. The suspect, a 45-year-old man who is a Uber driver without a prior criminal record, was taken into custody without a struggle. (USA Today) (CNN)
Terrorism in Malaysia
- Australia issues a security alert, warning that terrorists may be planning attacks in and around the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. It also recommended that Australians avoid travel to the coastal region of eastern Sabah, where the beaches and islands are popular with foreign tourists. (Reuters via Daily Mail)
Pope Francis calls for a worldwide ban on the death penalty and urges Christian leaders to work to stop executions as part of the church's Holy Year of Mercy. (UPI)

Politics and elections

Comorian presidential election, 2016
- Voters in Comoros go to the polls for a presidential election with 25 candidates standing. (Mail and Guardian)
Nigerien general election, 2016
- Voters in Niger go to the polls for a general election. (France 24)
North Korean state media confirms that Ri Myong-su is the new chief of the General Staff Department of the Korean People's Army replacing Ri Yong-gil who was executed. (AFP via Yahoo! News)
United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, 2016
- In what is seen as a major boost for the "Vote Leave" campaign, Mayor of London Boris Johnson announces he will be campaigning for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. (Sky News)
Ashraf Rifi resigns as the Minister for Justice for Lebanon in protest at Hezbollah domination of the government which he claims is harming relations with Arab nations. (AP)
Macedonian parliamentary election, 2016
- The European Union and the United States advise interim Macedonian Prime Minister Emil Dimitriev to postpone elections scheduled for April 24, 2016. (Balkan Insight)
Bolivian constitutional referendum, 2016
- According to exit polls, Bolivian voters reject a constitutional amendment that would have permitted President Evo Morales to stand for a fourth term in office. His current term expires in 2020. (BBC)
Philippine presidential election, 2016
- The debate series, PiliPinas Debates 2016, kicks off in Cagayan de Oro. (Nikkei Asian Review)

Sports

Denny Hamlin wins the 2016 Daytona 500 by 0.011 seconds, the closest margin in the history of the race, and the 13th-closest in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history. (Yahoo! News)

February 20, 2016 (Saturday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
- Two Serbian embassy staff abducted in Libya in November 2015 are believed to have been among dozens killed in yesterday's U.S. airstrike on a ISIL camp in Sabratha, according to Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić. (Reuters)
- At least 14 people are killed and 32 wounded in battles in the eastern city of Benghazi, most in the Boatni neighborhood, between the Libyan National Army and Islamist militants. (Reuters)
Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
- Al-Qaeda militants take control of the southern Yemeni town of Ahwar in the Abyan Governorate. (Reuters)
War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- A United States Air Force operated MQ-9 Reaper drone crashes at the Kandahar Airfield in southern Afghanistan. (RT)

Arts and culture

Italian refugee documentary Fire at Sea, directed by Gianfranco Rosi, wins the 66th Berlin International Film Festival's Golden Bear award for best film. (Variety)

Disasters and accidents

2015–16 South Pacific cyclone season
- Cyclone Winston
  - Hundreds of evacuation centres are activated in Fiji as Cyclone Winston makes landfall in Fiji's outer islands and heads towards islands with higher population. (ABC News Australia)
  - A curfew of 6pm is introduced with power out in many areas of Fiji. (ABC)
  - A "state of natural disaster" is declared for the next 30 days with Cyclone Winston classified as the strongest storm on record in the Southern Hemisphere. (Slate)

International relations

Syrian Civil War
- President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan proclaims Turkey's right to launch operations in Syria against “terrorist organizations.” Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu tells reporters, "The only thing we expect from our U.S. ally is to support Turkey with no ifs or buts." (Fox News) (Business Insider)
- Peace process
  - The main Syrian opposition group says a temporary truce is possible if the Syrian government's allies, including Russia, "halt all fighting" in the war-torn country. A pause in Russian bombardments appears unlikely. (Reuters) (Voice of America)

Law and crime

Jat protesters shut down 70% of Delhi's water supply meaning the Indian city could run out of water by the end of the weekend. At least nine people are killed in fighting. (The Times of India), (BBX)
Calais migrant crisis
- French authorities give up to 1000 migrants, mostly Syrians and Iraqis, until 8pm local time on 23 February to leave the Calais jungle camp. Those who refuse to leave will be forcibly removed by police. (Sky News)
2016 Kalamazoo shootings
- Seven people are killed and another injured in multiple shooting incidents in Kalamazoo County in the American state of Michigan. A 45-year-old man was later arrested in the city of Kalamazoo (RT), (Press Association via Irish Independent)
A planned refugee shelter is set on fire in Bautzen, eastern Germany. (Deutsche Welle)

Politics and elections

United States presidential election, 2016.
- Voters in the American state of Nevada take part in Democratic Party caucuses, with Hillary Clinton winning against Bernie Sanders. (Fox News) (NBC News)
- Voters in the American state of South Carolina go to the polls for the South Carolina primary for the Republican Party with Donald Trump winning and Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio in a close race for second. (2016 Election Central), (CNN), (AP via Boston Globe)
- Former Governor of Florida Jeb Bush suspends his campaign following a disappointing finish in the South Carolina primary. (NBC News)
China's State Council announces that Liu Shiyu, who had been chairman of the Agricultural Bank of China Limited, will replace Xiao Gang as head of the China's Securities Regulatory Commission. (Reuters) (China Daily)
Ugandan general election, 2016
- The President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni is declared the winner of the Presidential election with 60% of the vote. European Union observers state that the election was held in an "intimidating atmosphere". (NPR)

February 19, 2016 (Friday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Libyan Civil War (2014–present), Military intervention against ISIL
- United States Air Force warplanes carry out airstrikes on ISIL in western Libya, near the Tunisian border, reportedly killing at least 38 people. (BBC)
Boko Haram insurgency
- Two suicide bombers kill at least 24 people and injure 112 others at a market in northern Cameroon. (Reuters)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict (2015–present)
- Three Palestinian assailants are shot dead in separate attacks on Israeli security forces in Jerusalem and the West Bank. (Channel News Asia)
Syrian Civil War
- The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) take control of Al-Shaddadah and a nearby oilfield in Syria's north-east Al-Hasakah Governorate following heavy clashes with ISIL militants. (The Independent)
- Adel Al-Jubair, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, foresees to supply surface-to-air missiles to the "moderate opposition", so changing the power balance "like they did in Afghanistan". (Der Spiegel)

Business and economy

Yahoo Inc. says that it has created a committee of independent directors that will explore strategic alternatives, notably the sale of its core internet business. (Reuters)
William C. Dudley is reappointed as the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for another five years. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2015–16 South Pacific cyclone season
- Cyclone Winston heads towards Fiji at Category 5 strength. It is expected to make landfall on Saturday. (ABC News)

Health

Zika virus outbreak
- The first case of the Zika virus has been diagnosed in South Africa. (Times Live)
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission orders manufacturers of self-balancing scooters (hoverboards) to ensure their products meet safety standards or face recall, or seizure at ports. CPSC Chairman Elliot Kaye tells NBC News no hoverboard currently on the market meets these standards. (NBC News)

International relations

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key says his country is willing to accept some asylum seekers from the Middle East and Asia, currently in detention camps on impoverished Pacific island nations. Presently, 267 refugees in Australia for medical treatment, some accompanied by a relative, are set to be returned to Nauru’s detention camp. Australia is hesitant about the offer, concerned that it could encourage people smugglers. (AP via The Washington Post)
European migrant crisis
- Serbia closes its southern border with Macedonia to migrants from countries not affected by war as part of measures to prevent illegal immigration. (RT)
United Kingdom European Union membership referendum
- European Union leaders unanimously agree on reforms aimed at keeping the United Kingdom in the 28-nation bloc before the country's scheduled June 23, 2016, referendum on continuing EU membership. (Reuters) (USA Today)
Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, announces she will resign in July when her appointment ends. (BBC)

Law and crime

The United States Department of Justice files a motion to compel Apple Inc. to comply with a court order to help the FBI hack a phone used by an attacker in the 2015 San Bernardino attack. (CNBC)
John McAfee, creator of the anti-virus software McAfee, Inc. and former CEO, offers to unlock an iPhone that belonged to San Bernardino attacker Syed Farook for the FBI for free after Apple Inc. refused to comply with a court order asking it to unlock the device. McAfee said "It will take us three weeks," with access to a super-computer in an article published by the Business Insider. (Business Insider) (BBC)

Politics and elections

Ugandan general election, 2016
- Opposition leader Kizza Besigye is arrested again just before a planned press conference. Police raid Besigye's Forum for Democratic Change party headquarters and fire tear gas at the FDC supporters. Partial results from the electoral commission show a lead for incumbent president Yoweri Museveni. (BBC)
Kosovo opposition lawmakers twice disrupt today's session of parliament by tossing tear gas into the chamber to protest recent changes giving the country's Serb minority greater powers, and demanding the government’s resignation and snap elections. (Arab News) (AFP via GlobalPost)
According to Indian Police, at least one person is killed and up to 20 people injured during, what became violent, protests by the Jat agricultural community in Rohtak, India, for a 10 percent increase in the number of their caste quota (affirmative action). (AP via The Washington Post)
United States congressional elections, 2016
- Following the United States Supreme Court's denial of North Carolina's request to use the current district map, the state's legislature meets the deadline for a court-ordered reapportionment of its congressional voting districts. Congressional primaries are rescheduled to June 7, 2016, from March 15. (Reuters) (Chicago Tribune)

February 18, 2016 (Thursday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Kurdish–Turkish conflict
- 2016 Diyarbakır bombing
  - A roadside bomb hits a military convoy, killing six Turkish Army soldiers in the southeast Diyarbakır Province. (ABC News) (Reuters)
- Turkish Air Force jets bomb Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) bases in Iraqi Kurdistan just hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan blamed Kurdish militants for the 2016 Ankara bombing. (Haaretz)
Ethnic violence in South Sudan
- Fighting occurs between Shilluk and Dinka youths at a United Nations peacekeeping compound in the city of Malakal which lasts around three hours. Médecins Sans Frontières reports at least 18 people are killed, including two MSF South Sudanese staff members, and dozens wounded. (Reuters) (Trend News Agency)
Syrian Civil War
- The Syrian Army, backed by the Russian Air Force, says it has captured the town of Kinsabba in the northwest Latakia Governorate. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Venezuela, facing an economic crisis, raises the price of gasoline for the first time in 20 years. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

At least 71 people are killed in a head-on collision between a bus and a truck in Ghana. (Sky News) (BBC)

Health

Zika virus outbreak
- Pope Francis indicates that contraceptives could be allowed, as the "lesser of two evils" vis-à-vis the sin of abortion, in addressing the life-threatening problem the Zika virus presents. He noted that Pope Paul VI, "in a difficult situation in Africa, permitted nuns to use contraceptives in cases of rape". (CNN) (The Washington Post) (AP)(Katholiek Nieuwsblad)(Patheos)

International relations

North Korea–South Korea relations
- South Korea's National Intelligence Service warns that North Korea is currently planning a "terrorist attack" on South Korea, saying Kim Jong-un himself gave the order to North Korea's State Security Department to make preparations for attacks. The NIS warning covered a large number of possible targets, including "subways, shopping malls, exhibition centers, power plants" as well as possible cyber attacks. (CNN)
Cuba–United States relations
- The President of the United States Barack Obama announces that he will visit Cuba next month becoming the first American president to visit Cuba since 1928. (Yahoo!)

Law and crime

Xenophobic mob blocks a refugee bus in Clausnitz, German state of Saxony. (Deutsche Welle) (Deutsche Welle) (Deutsche Welle) (The New York Times) (The New York Times)

Politics and elections

Philippine Senate election, 2016
- Nike, Inc. drops Manny Pacquiao as an endorser after his remarks about LGBT people. (BBC), (Forbes)
Ugandan general election, 2016
- Voters in Uganda go to the polls for a general election to elect a new President of Uganda as well as for parliamentary and local elections. The Presidential race with eight candidates including incumbent Yoweri Museveni and seven challengers is tipped to be the closest in the nation's history. (BBC)
- The government shuts down social media at the request of the electoral commission which says it is a security matter. Many Ugandans access Twitter and Facebook via a Virtual private network (VPN) which masks a user's location. (Daily Times) (Quartz)
- Kizza Besigye, the main opposition presidential candidate, is "briefly" arrested after the polls close in Naguru, trying to get into a police command center in the capital Kampala. Besigye, who's challenged President Musveni in the last three elections, has been repeatedly arrested, roughed up, or confined to house arrest during that time. (AP via Sky News Australia) (The Globe and Mail) (The New York Times)
Łukasz Kamiński, head of the Institute of National Remembrance says a newly found document, seized this week from the house of Poland's last communist-era interior minister, Czesław Kiszczak, suggests that former Polish President Lech Wałęsa was an informant for the Polish People's Republic's secret security service during the 1970–76 period. (NBC News) (BBC)

More February 2016 events...

Ongoing events
Health Zika virus outbreak Flint water crisis Political War in Afghanistan Boko Haram insurgency Burundian unrest Iraqi Civil War Military intervention against ISIL American-led Iranian Israeli–Palestinian conflict Moldova protests Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Armenian–Azeri border conflict Nepal blockade PKK rebellion Yemeni Civil War Saudi Arabian-led intervention Second Libyan Civil War Sinai insurgency South China Sea disputes Syrian Civil War American-led intervention Russian military intervention War in Donbass Russian military intervention in Ukraine More details on ongoing conflicts below Sports 2015-16 UEFA Champions League 2015–16 La Liga season 2015–16 NBA season 2015–16 NHL season 2015–16 Premier League season edit sidebar

Recent deaths
February 22: Sonny James 22: Cara McCollum 22: Peter Mondavi 22: Douglas Slocombe 22: Yochanan Sofer 21: Eric Brown 21: Peter Marlow 20: Nando Yosu 19: Umberto Eco 19: Freddie Goodwin 19: Harper Lee 19: Samuel Willenberg 18: Rosario Ferré 18: Abdul Rashid Khan 18: Tony Phillips 17: Andy Ganteaume 17: Mohamed Hassanein Heikal 17: Elias P. Demetracopoulos 17: Andrzej Żuławski 16: Boutros Boutros-Ghali 15: George Gaynes 15: Constance Glube 15: Fighton Simukonda 15: Vanity 14: Eric Lubbock 14: Steven Stucky 13: Nathan Barksdale 13: Avigdor Ben-Gal 13: Flakey Dove 13: Robin Ghosh 13: O. N. V. Kurup 13: Antonin Scalia 13: Viola Beach 13: Lauro Vizconde 13: Christopher Zeeman 12: Johnny Lattner 12: Yan Su 11: Jakob Denzinger 11: Douglas Inman 11: Kevin Randleman 11: Arthur Tunstall 11: Zeng Xuelin 10: Fatima Surayya Bajia 10: Andrew L. Lewis, Jr. 10: Abdel-Bari Zamzami 9: Sushil Koirala 9: Elizabeth Joan Smith 8: Amelia Bence 8: Margaret Forster 8: Roy Señeres 8: Zdravko Tolimir 8: Violette Verdy 6: Dan Hicks 6: Anisa Makhlouf 5: Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum 4: Marlow Cook 4: Harry Harpham 4: Dave Mirra 4: Edgar Mitchell 4: Jeremy Morse 4: Axl Rotten 4: Edgar Whitcomb 3: Big Kap 3: Mark Farren 3: Lord Lucan (officially declared dead) 3: Saulius Sondeckis 3: Maurice White 2: Bob Elliott 1: Murray Louis 1: Óscar Humberto Mejía Victores January 31: Benoît Violier 31: Terry Wogan 30: Mohammad Salimi 30: Feyrouz 30: Frank Finlay 30: Maikhail Miller 30: Cayetano Paderanga, Jr. 30: Francisco Flores Pérez 30: Georgia Davis Powers 29: Jacques Rivette 29: Ken Sailors 28: Signe Toly Anderson 28: Buddy Cianci 28: Paul Kantner 28: Bob Tizard 27: Carlos Loyzaga 26: Black 26: Gil Kahele 26: Tommy Kelly 26: Abe Vigoda 25: Thornton Dial 25: Kalpana 25: Mike Minor 24: Jimmy Bain 24: Yvonne Chouteau 24: John Jay Hooker 24: Marvin Minsky 24: Henry Worsley 23: Jack Bannister 23: Barry Brickell 23: Archie Gouldie 23: Jennifer Guinness 23: Žuži Jelinek 23: Bobby Wanzer edit sidebar

Ongoing conflicts
Africa Algeria, Tunisia and Niger Maghreb insurgency Central African Republic Civil war Democratic Republic of the Congo Kivu conflict ADF insurgency Katanga insurgency Ituri conflict Lord's Resistance Army insurgency Libya Civil war Mali Northern Mali conflict Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger Boko Haram insurgency Somalia Civil war South Sudan South Sudanese Civil War Sudan War in Darfur South Kordofan conflict Americas Colombian conflict Internal conflict in Peru Mexican War on Drugs Asia Afghanistan War China Xinjiang conflict India Naxalite–Maoist insurgency Insurgency in Northeast India India and Pakistan Kashmir conflict Pakistan War in North-West Pakistan Balochistan conflict Philippines CPP-NPA-NDF rebellion Moro conflict Moro conflict in Sabah Southeast Asia Internal conflict in Burma Papua conflict South Thailand insurgency Europe Georgia Abkhaz–Georgian conflict Georgian–Ossetian conflict Chechen–Russian conflict North Caucasus insurgency War in Ingushetia Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Ukraine War in Donbass Russian military intervention in Ukraine Middle East Arab–Israeli conflict Gaza–Israel conflict Israeli–Lebanese conflict Israeli–Palestinian conflict Egypt Sinai insurgency Iran Iran–PJAK conflict Iraqi civil war American-led intervention in Iraq Iranian intervention in Iraq Syrian Civil War American-led intervention in Syria Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon Turkey Turkey–PKK conflict Turkey–ISIL conflict Yemeni crisis Houthi rebellion Al-Qaeda insurgency South Yemen insurgency edit sidebar

Elections and Referendums
Recent January 22: Vanuatu, Parliament 24: Portugal, President February 14: Central African Republic, President (2nd round) 18: Uganda, President, Parliament 21: Bolivia, Constitutional referendum 21: Comoros, President 21: Niger, President (1st round), National Assembly Upcoming February 25: Jamaica, House of Representatives 26: Iran, Islamic Consultative Assembly, Assembly of Experts 26: Ireland, Dáil Éireann 28: Switzerland, Referendums March 3–24: New Zealand, Flag referendum 4: Samoa, Fono 5: Slovakia, National Council 6: Benin, President 20: Republic of the Congo, President 20: Kazakhstan, Majilis 20: Senegal, Constitutional referendum edit sidebar

Trials
Recently concluded Australia: Brett Peter Cowan, Craig Thomson, Robert Hughes Brazil: Mensalão scandal Canada: Luka Magnotta China: Ji Jianye, Li Chuncheng, Jiang Jiemin, Liao Shaohua, Ni Fake, Chen Baihuai, Zhou Yongkang, Gu Junshan Croatia: Ivo Sanader Egypt: Hosni Mubarak, Peter Greste, Mohamed Morsi Germany: Bernie Ecclestone, Uli Hoeness, Christian Wulff Iran: Mohammad Reza Rahimi Israel: Hussam Qawasmeh Jordan: Abu Qatada Philippines: Joseph Scott Pemberton Romania: Liviu Dragnea, Dan Diaconescu Russia: Leonid Khabarov, Eston Kohver, Vladimir Kvachkov South Africa: Shrien Dewani, Oscar Pistorius Turkey: Kenan Evren, Tahsin Şahinkaya United Kingdom: Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, Kweku Adoboli, Tony McCluskie, Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, Chris Huhne, Nicola Edgington, Vicky Pryce, Derek Rose, Mick Philpott, Mairead Philpott, Paul Mosley, Stuart Hazell, Mark Bridger, Andrew Lancel, Dale Cregan, Ray Wilkins, Liam Adams, R v Grillo and Grillo, Ian Watkins, William Roache, Dave Lee Travis, Nicholas Jacobs, Nigel Evans, Max Clifford, Stuart Hall, Dappy, Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson, Rolf Harris, Tulisa Contostavlos, Chris Denning, Ray Teret, Gary Glitter, Fred Talbot United States: Abu Hamza al-Masri, Michael Grimm, Jesse Jackson Jr., Bob McDonnell, Vilma Bautista, Jared Lee Loughner, Lauryn Hill, Kermit Gosnell, George Zimmerman, Chelsea Manning, Ariel Castro, Whitey Bulger, Robert Bales, Nidal Malik Hasan, Jodi Arias, Anas al-Libi, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, James Eagan Holmes, Sheldon Silver International ECCC: Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan ICC: Germain Katanga ICTY: Momčilo Perišić, Mladen Markač, Ante Gotovina, Zdravko Tolimir Ongoing China: Yao Mugen, Guo Youming, Zhu Zuoli Germany: Beate Zschäpe Iran: Babak Zanjani, Jason Rezaian Philippines: Andal Ampatuan, Jr., Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Janet Lim-Napoles, Jovito Palparan Romania: Darius Vâlcov, Dan Șova, Elena Udrea, Radu Mazăre, Gheorghe Nichita, Marian Vanghelie, Cătălin Voicu, Relu Fenechiu, Gheorghe Ștefan, Gabriel Sandu, Dorin Cocoş, Dumitru Nicolae Russia: Alexei Navalny South Korea: MV Sewol crew members United Kingdom: Adam Johnson United States: Dean Skelos International ICTY: Radovan Karadžić, Ratko Mladić PCA: China Upcoming China: Wu Changshun, Ling Jihua Estonia: Edgar Savisaar Libya: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi Spain: Lionel Messi United States: Paul Anthony Ciancia, Javaris Crittenton, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Dylan Quick, Aaron Hernandez, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Rick Perry International ICC: Laurent Gbagbo edit sidebar