Portal:Current events/2016 February 14

Current events of February 14, 2016 (2016-02-14) (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks War in Afghanistan The United Nations reports that civilian casualties reached a record level in 2015; at least 3,545 non-combatants were killed and 7,457 injured. (Reuters) Syrian Civil War, Rojava conflict The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that Turkey has shelled areas held by the Kurdish YPG militia group in Syria's Aleppo Governorate for the second successive day with two YPG fighters reportedly killed. (Reuters) Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu says Turkey will continue to target Kurdish YPG fighters in Syria near its border, despite mounting pressure to stop the attacks. (Voice of America) Syria condemns Turkish military action against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, and demands, in letters to the United Nations Secretary-General and the Security Council President, UN action on these violations of Syrian sovereignty. (BBC) (Syrian Arab News Agency) The United States and France call on Turkey to stop shelling the YPG in northern Syria. (DW) Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Saudi air defenses intercept a Scud missile fired from Yemen as it headed towards the city of Khamis Mushait, in the southwestern 'Asir Region. (The Washington Post) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) says one of its soldiers was recently killed while fighting the Houthis in Yemen. (Reuters) Israeli-Palestinian conflict Israel claims its forces shot dead five Palestinian attackers in three separate incidents. (Reuters) Arts and culture The 69th British Academy Film Awards are held at the Royal Opera House in London. (AP via Yahoo! News) The Revenant wins best film with lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio winning the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. (Deadline) Disasters and accidents 2016 Christchurch earthquake The U.S. Geological Survey reports a magnitude 5.8 earthquake strikes Christchurch in New Zealand. The St. John ambulance service says that several people suffered minor injuries from falls as they ran from the quake but there were no immediate reports of serious damage. (The Washington Post) The cold snap continues in the northeastern United States with record lows forecast in major cities like New York City and Philadelphia. (CNN) All four members of the British indie band Viola Beach and their manager die in a road accident near Stockholm, Sweden. (BBC) 2016 Taiwan earthquake The earthquake death toll rises to 116. Tainan's disaster response office says search and rescue operations have ended. The last body was found yesterday. Ninety-six, of the 289 people rescued, remain hospitalized. (Taipei Times)(CNN) Crews rescue 48 people from two Cannon Mountain tram cars stuck this afternoon about 40 feet off the ground in New Hampshire sub-zero temperatures in the White Mountains. (AP via seattlepi.com) (WMUR) International relations European migrant crisis Slovenia announces that it will be clamping down on the number of migrants that it will allow to enter the country. (AFP via Yahoo! News) Politics and elections Central African general election, 2015–16 Voters in the Central African Republic go to the polls for the second round of voting in the presidential election, a runoff between former prime ministers Anicet-Georges Dologuélé (1999–2001) and Faustin-Archange Touadéra (2008–13). (BBC) Jocelerme Privert is elected as the interim President of Haiti pending elections later this year. (AFP via Yahoo! News) Sports U.S. National Basketball Association The 2016 NBA All-Star Game is held in Toronto, Canada, with the Western Conference All-Stars defeating the Eastern Conference All-Stars 196 to 173. (NBA)