Portal:Current events/2016 April 13

Current events of April 13, 2016 (2016-04-13) (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• War in Donbass
  • The Ukrainian Army says eight of its soldiers were wounded in fighting against Russian-backed separatists in the east of the country during the previous 24 hours. A military spokesman said there had been 29 shelling incidents around Mariupol. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
• Moro Conflict
  • ISIL claims responsibility for clashes between militants linked to the group and the Philippine Army that claimed 23 lives. (Reuters via Trust)

Business and economics

• Peabody Energy, the largest privately-owned producer of coal in the world, files for bankruptcy court protection due to high debts and a drop in world prices. (Reuters) , (ABC News Australia)

Disasters and accidents

• At least 15 people are killed and 20 injured following a road accident in the Pakistani city of Faisalabad. (Samaa)
• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake strikes Myanmar 396 kilometers (246 miles) north of the capital, Naypyidaw, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. (AP via CBS News)
• The government of Malawi declares a state of emergency across the country over worsening food shortages caused by a severe drought that is affecting much of Southern Africa with about 2.8 million Malawians, or 20% of the population, facing food insecurity. (Al Jazeera)
• 2014–16 El Niño event
  • Indian officials report, with 24 deaths today, the heatwave in the eastern state of Odisha has killed 135 people. Temperatures of 105.5 degrees Fahrenheit were recorded yesterday at 19 locations across the state. Meteorologists say the heat, an after-effect of El Niño, has delayed the traditional April rains. (UPI)

International relations

• Russia–United States relations, Cold War II
  • Two unarmed Russian Air Force Sukhoi Su-24 jets flew simulated attacks on United States Navy destroyer USS Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea on Tuesday, according to a U.S. official, who described it as one of the most aggressive interactions in recent memory. A Russian Kamov Ka-27 helicopter also made seven passes around the USS Donald Cook, taking pictures of the warship. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• Recognition of same-sex unions in China
  • A judge rules against a gay couple in China's first same sex marriage case. (AP)

Politics and elections

• South Korean legislative election, 2016
  • Voters in South Korea go to the polls for a legislative election with the ruling Saenuri Party expected to do well. (AP)
  • The ruling party loses its majority in Parliament but still retains a slight lead over the opposition. (BBC)
• Syrian parliamentary election, 2016
  • Voters in mostly government controlled areas of Syria will head to the polls to elect 250 members to the People's Council of Syria. (RT) (TeleSUR)
• 2015–16 protests in Brazil
  • The Progressive Party announces it is leaving President Dilma Rousseff's coalition government and that its 47 politicians would support her impeachment. (Al Jazeera)
• Papua conflict
  • Massive demonstrations in support of the Free Papua Movement take place in various cities in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua. The demonstrations voice support for the Liberation Movement to become a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. (Radio New Zealand)

Sport

• The World Anti-Doping Agency advises that WADA-accredited laboratories are currently conducting studies on meldonium excretion rates since existing data is lacking. Meldonium bacame a banned substance on January 1, 2016. A large number of athletes, including grand-slam tennis champion Maria Sharapova, had taken the medication in the past, and have tested positive this year. The new data will address how long meldonium stays in the body and determine if athletes were provided a reasonable amount of time to adhere to the new restrictions prior to testing. (Reuters)